If there were a "users manual" for life, I would hope that these would be a few of the Do's and Don'ts we would find inside...
Do's
...live your live - don't watch it!
...start each day like there's no tomorrow!
...dance in the rain to the tune in your head - and laugh out loud while doing it!
...buy yourself flowers - just because!
...take baby steps - life changes every minute, but changing your life takes time, patience and determination!
...walk with your head held high - it's safer and allows you to see all the beauty in the world!
...stop and look around at God's glory!
...when it's time to let go, let go - especially when it's the hardest thing you have ever done or ever will do!
...give a smile to at least one stranger a day - it may be the only one they get!
...strive to improve yourself every day!
Don'ts...
...let fear stop you from doing anything in life that is in your heart to do!
...underestimate yourself or others - we all have hidden depths!
...grin at your mama while she is scolding you - it only makes it worse!
...stare directly at the sun!
...disregards a childs opinion - you may find your answer through the simplicity of a childs reasoning!
...drag your feet - march into the world proudly and with strength!
...stomp in puddles with your shoes on - take the shoes off first, it's much more satisfying!
...be someone you aren't, for anybody - it never ends well!
...let a compliment go by unrecognized and unappreciated!
...forget to tell yourself YOU LIKE YOU!!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
A lovely young lady...
My cousin, Sandy, has been much on my mind, in my heart and in my prayers lately. I was thinking about her again this morning and wondering at what an amazing woman she is. She is the wife of a military man, a mother to three amazing kids and an all around wonderful person!
We didn't grow up together. In fact as kids I think we only met two or three times, but boy did she leave a lasting impression! Sandy was incredibly bossy and bratty every time she and her folks came to visit our grandparents. However, if you were to ask her today she'd tell you she has no memory of that behavior! Let me just say that there was a lot of groaning from the local cousins whenever we learned of a planned visit - sorry Sandy...
The years passed, we grew up and moved out into the world. Occasionally Grammy would tell me she had heard from Sandy or her mom and she would fill me in on all that was new with them. Grammy would tell me what a nice young lady Sandy had grown into (I couldn't wrap my head around that - again sorry Sandy). I knew when she joined the service, Air Force I think but don't remember for sure. I knew when she got married, had her first child, her second and her third. With every new occasion Grammy related, she would say what a nice young lady Sandy had grown into. And still I hadn't met her as an adult.
Nine years ago, ish, I moved to Colorado Springs with my job. I was telling Grammy all about it and you know what she was most excited about? Yep, you guessed it! Sandy was currently living in Colorado Springs! Grammy put the press on me every time I talked to her to go see Sandy. Call Sandy - she really has grown into such a lovely young lady! I am a little ashamed to say that I couldn't get past those childhood memories enough to pick up the silly phone and call her. For almost a year I was a stubborn, stubborn girl.
It wasn't until our Grammy died that I finally did what she had asked me so many times to do. I only wish I had done it sooner, because Grammy was right. Sandy has grown into such a lovely young lady!
Recently Sandy has shown incredible strength and depth of love. She and her family cared for her mom in her final days. They didn't just take care of her, they helped her to fullfill her final wishes. There was an adventure to California, a fishing trip, a horse back ride, girl time, family time and love all around. She helped her mom leave this earth in the manner in which she lived her life on it - with gumption! It is an amazing gift she gave her mother and one which she recieved at the same time.
Although Sandy and her family are now mourning the passing of not only Sandy's mother, but also her husbands grandmother, who passed only a matter of days after her mom, she continues on. After all, she is her mothers daughter - full of gumption... and a lovely young lady!
I love you Sandy!
We didn't grow up together. In fact as kids I think we only met two or three times, but boy did she leave a lasting impression! Sandy was incredibly bossy and bratty every time she and her folks came to visit our grandparents. However, if you were to ask her today she'd tell you she has no memory of that behavior! Let me just say that there was a lot of groaning from the local cousins whenever we learned of a planned visit - sorry Sandy...
The years passed, we grew up and moved out into the world. Occasionally Grammy would tell me she had heard from Sandy or her mom and she would fill me in on all that was new with them. Grammy would tell me what a nice young lady Sandy had grown into (I couldn't wrap my head around that - again sorry Sandy). I knew when she joined the service, Air Force I think but don't remember for sure. I knew when she got married, had her first child, her second and her third. With every new occasion Grammy related, she would say what a nice young lady Sandy had grown into. And still I hadn't met her as an adult.
Nine years ago, ish, I moved to Colorado Springs with my job. I was telling Grammy all about it and you know what she was most excited about? Yep, you guessed it! Sandy was currently living in Colorado Springs! Grammy put the press on me every time I talked to her to go see Sandy. Call Sandy - she really has grown into such a lovely young lady! I am a little ashamed to say that I couldn't get past those childhood memories enough to pick up the silly phone and call her. For almost a year I was a stubborn, stubborn girl.
It wasn't until our Grammy died that I finally did what she had asked me so many times to do. I only wish I had done it sooner, because Grammy was right. Sandy has grown into such a lovely young lady!
Recently Sandy has shown incredible strength and depth of love. She and her family cared for her mom in her final days. They didn't just take care of her, they helped her to fullfill her final wishes. There was an adventure to California, a fishing trip, a horse back ride, girl time, family time and love all around. She helped her mom leave this earth in the manner in which she lived her life on it - with gumption! It is an amazing gift she gave her mother and one which she recieved at the same time.
Although Sandy and her family are now mourning the passing of not only Sandy's mother, but also her husbands grandmother, who passed only a matter of days after her mom, she continues on. After all, she is her mothers daughter - full of gumption... and a lovely young lady!
I love you Sandy!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
It's all about the attitude...
I have to say that yes, it is good to feel good! I got a little tummy bug over the weekend and it put me out of commision for several days. When I am feeling really crappy, and the crappiness continues for more than one or two days, there comes a point that I forget what feeling good feels like. I actually begin to wonder, is this what I have in store for me for the rest of my days?
This is pretty much how I was feeling yesterday when I spoke with a gal I haven't spoken with in several weeks and realized what dope I am!
My job is pretty much all on the phone. Talk, talk, talk all day long. In the nearly four years I have been doing this job I have forged relationships with several people that I speak with nearly every day. I have come to know them, their families, their ups, downs and middles. I have come to care about these people I have never met in person.
This gal I spoke with yesterday is one of these wonderful people I met through my job. I speak with her several times a week and then not at all for weeks at a time. It's only recently that I found out why. I'm not comfortable sharing the details of her story with you as it is not my story to tell. Suffice it to say that she is experiencing some significant health challenges.
What I would like to share with you is her spirit. This gal is so full of positive attitude it oozes out of her and over 3000 miles of phone line. Her voice just bubbles with joy. It always brings a smile to my face when she answers the phone, I just can't help it.
So, here I am yesterday, feeling crappy and striving to remember what it feels like to not feel crappy and who should pick up that phone 3000 miles away? Yup, my pal that hadn't answered that particular phone in roughly 4 weeks! As soon as I heard her sunny voice I realized how long it had been and that there must have been a set back in her health. You wouldn't know it from her voice - my only clue was that I simply hadn't heard her voice in so long. So I asked what was up and she told me. And it wasn't good. But you know what, not one ounce of self pity, sadness, fear, or any other negative emotion could be heard. Not a single little hint. She just doesn't have it in her and I'll tell you what - I was inspired and a little awed by her strength. I told her how incredible I think she is. And this is what she told me:
"A smile may not change my diagnosis, but a smile just might change my prognosis."
I think these words that my pal has chosen to live her life by should be adopted by us all. Your diagnosis doesn't have to be some terrible thing like my pal, but no matter what's going on it can only be better if you put a smile on it.
Funny thing about a smile, even when it starts with forced effort it shortly becomes genuine. So, lets all put on a smile, go out there and have our BEST day yet...
This is pretty much how I was feeling yesterday when I spoke with a gal I haven't spoken with in several weeks and realized what dope I am!
My job is pretty much all on the phone. Talk, talk, talk all day long. In the nearly four years I have been doing this job I have forged relationships with several people that I speak with nearly every day. I have come to know them, their families, their ups, downs and middles. I have come to care about these people I have never met in person.
This gal I spoke with yesterday is one of these wonderful people I met through my job. I speak with her several times a week and then not at all for weeks at a time. It's only recently that I found out why. I'm not comfortable sharing the details of her story with you as it is not my story to tell. Suffice it to say that she is experiencing some significant health challenges.
What I would like to share with you is her spirit. This gal is so full of positive attitude it oozes out of her and over 3000 miles of phone line. Her voice just bubbles with joy. It always brings a smile to my face when she answers the phone, I just can't help it.
So, here I am yesterday, feeling crappy and striving to remember what it feels like to not feel crappy and who should pick up that phone 3000 miles away? Yup, my pal that hadn't answered that particular phone in roughly 4 weeks! As soon as I heard her sunny voice I realized how long it had been and that there must have been a set back in her health. You wouldn't know it from her voice - my only clue was that I simply hadn't heard her voice in so long. So I asked what was up and she told me. And it wasn't good. But you know what, not one ounce of self pity, sadness, fear, or any other negative emotion could be heard. Not a single little hint. She just doesn't have it in her and I'll tell you what - I was inspired and a little awed by her strength. I told her how incredible I think she is. And this is what she told me:
"A smile may not change my diagnosis, but a smile just might change my prognosis."
I think these words that my pal has chosen to live her life by should be adopted by us all. Your diagnosis doesn't have to be some terrible thing like my pal, but no matter what's going on it can only be better if you put a smile on it.
Funny thing about a smile, even when it starts with forced effort it shortly becomes genuine. So, lets all put on a smile, go out there and have our BEST day yet...
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Couch Potato, Or Baker?
I have been following the Couch Potato to 5K program over the last couple months to help me get to a healthier me. Now, I wouldn't say I was exactly a couch potato to start with - I'm more of a big baker spud!! Having said that, it is taking me longer than the outlined nine weeks to make it to the 5K mark.
However, persistance is key and I am persistant!
Today is the day that we (my mom is doing this right along with me) are to jog for 2 miles - no walking. This is a milestone as it is the first day of the program that is all jog! For this most auspicious of occasions we decide to jog along the path between the Boathouse and Owen Beach, right along the water. Beautiful morning, gorgeous scenery and very few people this time of day and the stage is set.
As we are doing our warm up walk and stretching mom and I discuss whether we are going to repeat the last session, a combo of jog and walk, or press on and jog the 2 miles. I think we should press on and mom is questioning if she can do either one justice today. Finally, just as we finish up our stretches, she agrees to go for it and we're off!
Me, Mom and Jazzy (Mom's dog) trotting along drinking in the beauty all around us. There's the ferry coming in to unload it's passangers and cars, only to load up again and head back across the bay. The fishermen are out in droves - I hope they have a fantastic catch! The sailboats with their sails unfurled in the crisp morning air - gorgeous! There's a little seal swimming it's seal swim. It is truely magnificent - the sights, sounds and smells all around us!
With all this beauty all around me I hardly notice my gasping breath and tightening leg muscles! Until about the half way mark. My breathing is not too bad but the muscles are starting to cramp more with each step.... so I slow to a walk for about a minute then start the jog again. Jog for a couple minutes then walk...and so on and so on, with more walk and less jog, all the way back to where we started at which point I am practically hobbling along. Not my finest moment! I didn't get it done...
But you know what? This is actually one of my proudest momenets as well. I am proud of myself for not completely quitting. I am proud of myself for knowing that next time will be better. I am proud of myself for knowing that there will be a next time, because I refuse to quit!
What I am absolutely the most proud of is.... MY MOM!!!! She jogged the entire 2 miles - a lot of praying, but NO walking!
YOU ROCK MOM!!!
And it's still early in the day, so let's go have our Best day yet...
However, persistance is key and I am persistant!
Today is the day that we (my mom is doing this right along with me) are to jog for 2 miles - no walking. This is a milestone as it is the first day of the program that is all jog! For this most auspicious of occasions we decide to jog along the path between the Boathouse and Owen Beach, right along the water. Beautiful morning, gorgeous scenery and very few people this time of day and the stage is set.
As we are doing our warm up walk and stretching mom and I discuss whether we are going to repeat the last session, a combo of jog and walk, or press on and jog the 2 miles. I think we should press on and mom is questioning if she can do either one justice today. Finally, just as we finish up our stretches, she agrees to go for it and we're off!
Me, Mom and Jazzy (Mom's dog) trotting along drinking in the beauty all around us. There's the ferry coming in to unload it's passangers and cars, only to load up again and head back across the bay. The fishermen are out in droves - I hope they have a fantastic catch! The sailboats with their sails unfurled in the crisp morning air - gorgeous! There's a little seal swimming it's seal swim. It is truely magnificent - the sights, sounds and smells all around us!
With all this beauty all around me I hardly notice my gasping breath and tightening leg muscles! Until about the half way mark. My breathing is not too bad but the muscles are starting to cramp more with each step.... so I slow to a walk for about a minute then start the jog again. Jog for a couple minutes then walk...and so on and so on, with more walk and less jog, all the way back to where we started at which point I am practically hobbling along. Not my finest moment! I didn't get it done...
But you know what? This is actually one of my proudest momenets as well. I am proud of myself for not completely quitting. I am proud of myself for knowing that next time will be better. I am proud of myself for knowing that there will be a next time, because I refuse to quit!
What I am absolutely the most proud of is.... MY MOM!!!! She jogged the entire 2 miles - a lot of praying, but NO walking!
YOU ROCK MOM!!!
And it's still early in the day, so let's go have our Best day yet...
Friday, September 11, 2009
Here's the thing...
Yesterday was my 41st birthday. As I take my first steps into my 42nd year I look around me and can honestly say that I'm really not entirely sure how I got here!! I mean, where did the time go? My grammy used to say that as we get older time passes faster, but as a kid I totally didn't get it. Now I wish for the magic dust that slows the passage of time!
I have had many, many adventures over the last forty odd years - wonderful for the most part, some not so much. I intend to have many more adventures over the next forty to fifty years, so I had better stay sharp because time isn't going to wait for me to pay attention! Lately I have learned that when you don't pay attention to your own life you miss so much and more often then not you stray off course. Yes, I only just learned this lately... Some things take longer to learn than others!
So, here's the thing... I'm done straying off course. That's not to say that I wont change course from time to time, but it will be with intent - not because I had my head in the clouds while life was happening all around me! I am going to live each day with purpose and joy and I'm going to take you along with me! Are you ready? I am....
Over the course of the next year, my 42nd year in the making, I have a few things that I am going to accomplish. Here they are are in a convenient list!
I ask again - Are you ready? Well, I am, so - Let's go have the BEST day yet...
I have had many, many adventures over the last forty odd years - wonderful for the most part, some not so much. I intend to have many more adventures over the next forty to fifty years, so I had better stay sharp because time isn't going to wait for me to pay attention! Lately I have learned that when you don't pay attention to your own life you miss so much and more often then not you stray off course. Yes, I only just learned this lately... Some things take longer to learn than others!
So, here's the thing... I'm done straying off course. That's not to say that I wont change course from time to time, but it will be with intent - not because I had my head in the clouds while life was happening all around me! I am going to live each day with purpose and joy and I'm going to take you along with me! Are you ready? I am....
Over the course of the next year, my 42nd year in the making, I have a few things that I am going to accomplish. Here they are are in a convenient list!
- Enjoy every bit of every day
- Run 3 miles with no stopping or walking
- Finish writing novel
- Remember to look at the beauty around me everyday
- Participate in a triathelon
- Have a baby
- Be the best me I can be - always!
- Chronicle my efforts regularly on this blog
I ask again - Are you ready? Well, I am, so - Let's go have the BEST day yet...
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