Friendship

Grandma & Sue

A best friend to me is someone who tells you the truth, and listens and supports you in good times and bad. It's sort of like a marriage, but without the paperwork. As children and teenagers most people have best friends, but as you get older and start a family it can be difficult to maintain ties with friends. I remember my grandmothers best friend Sue. I met her a few times when I was still in my single digits. My grandmother used to talk about her a lot, and I could sense they shared a close bond.  I value my friendships, but find it's as equally important to be a good friend to yourself.  I found the following quote on a greeting card and felt it sums up friendship perfectly.

"When the right friends are near us, we feel that all is well.  Our everyday life blossoms suddenly into bright possibilities."    Helen Keller

Beauty

 
 



 beau·ty (byo͞oˈtē)

noun pl. beauties beau·ties

1.The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of form or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality.
2.One that is beautiful, especially a beautiful woman.
3.A quality or feature that is most effective, gratifying, or telling.

I know it's a cliche, but beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.  What I find beautiful and what my neighbor finds beautiful can be two different things.  There are certain things I think most people would say are beautiful such as things found in nature- shells, flowers, rainbows, blue skies, mountains, oceans, etc. I think beauty can also be something you can't see, but you can feel it deep in your heart.

Ryan

 


Today is my sons 16th birthday.  He has been driving with a restricted license for seven months now, but today marks the beginning of more driving freedom.  More driving freedom = more worry for mother  Actually he is a pretty good driver and although I hate to admit it, he is probably a better driver than me. What he lacks in years as an experienced driver, he makes up for in attentiveness and fresh knowledge of the rules of the road.   As a mother though I still can't help telling him to be careful as he walks out the door.  I recently read an article on worry in O magazine by Life Coach and Columnist Martha Beck.  I love her column and always come away with a few tidbits of wisdom.  Martha says, "People blossom when we love them, not when we worry about them.  Worry just teaches worry."  My son is already a pretty cautious person.  I don't want to teach him to worry.  I want him to know I love him.

Growth

A child thinks of growth in terms of inches or pounds and can't wait to grow physically.  As an adult I want to shed pounds and grow wiser.  A few more inches in height to my 5'4" frame wouldn't hurt either, but I don't think that's going to happen.  Each new year and spring season I tend to do a self-evaluation in terms of my growth.  To me they signify a time of new beginnings and rebirth.  I examine my growth by asking myself the following sorts of questions.

• Am I growing spiritually?
• What have I learned from past mistakes?
• Do I continue to repeat certain mistakes?
• Am I expanding my horizons by learning new things and challenging myself?
• Am I making new connections with people?

I love to watch the show Masterclass on the OWN network.  Oprah shares the stories of different celebrities, politicians, entrepreneurs, athletes, etc.   The premise is we all have a story to share and lessons we've learned along the way.  I'm a big fan of Goldie Hawn and I thought she had a great message to share.  "The beauty of getting older is the surprise of what else you can do to make the world a better place with the wisdom you've accrued over those years."

Adventure

 

When I initially think of the word adventure it conjures up images of roller coasters, bungee jumping, sky diving, zip lining and para sailing.  Basically any activity that raises your heart rate to where you can hear it pounding  and causes a rush of adrenaline.  An adventure can also be as simple as taking a different route on your way home from work or trying a new restaurant in a different area of your city.  I like to think of my little treks with friends antiquing in downtown Kansas City an adventure.  I never know what new treasure awaits me.  We also like to try restaurants that are different from our usual suburban eateries.  

I've had the opportunity to step out of my box and experience several adrenaline adventures- para sailing, zip lining, backpacking through Europe as a college student, white water rafting and cave tubing.  As much as I like the idea of being a modern day Indiana Jones, the reality is I have a weak stomach.  I get sea sick and motion sickness.  This past summer I rode the Rock N Roll Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios and was extremely sick afterward.  I am also prone to an occasional panic attack.  I could let these things hold me back from having more adventures, but I won't.  I may not get on a roller coaster again for awhile, but I feel it's important to get out of your box sometimes and try new things.  Life itself is an adventure waiting to happen.  You never know what the next day will bring.  It could be full of triumphs, tragedies, obstacles, possibilities or the adventure you've hoped for all your life.

The Descendants

The movie The Descendants takes place in Hawaii, otherwise known as paradise.  In the beginning of the movie George Clooney goes through a monologue about how people think life is perfect in Hawaii as if cancer, disappointment, pain and tragedies don't exist in Hawaii.  It struck me how true that statement is.  I sometimes think if I were overlooking an ocean how much better life would be.  The ocean makes me feel peaceful and calm.  There is something sacred about the ocean to me.  However, the ocean can't cure cancer, take away pain or disappointment and sometimes even causes destruction.  I still dream about having a beach house one day, but blessed is the man who can find beauty living in a cardboard box.  Beauty comes from a sacred place within you.

Home

My home is a place where I surround myself with the things and people I love.  It's also a place where I can be myself, sing at the top of my lungs, scream, dream, love and create.  It's also an ever evolving place. I'm constantly thinking of new ways to use my space or the next color I'd like to paint a room.  Even though I've lived in the same house for almost 13 years it has had many different looks.  It's important for me to change my surroundings as I gain new perspectives or ideas.  Call me crazy, but I find if my house is stagnant I become stagnant.  I think when you walk into someone's home it should tell you something about that person.