The World is 360!

There are times when I have to scratch my head in amusement.  Sometimes, I am gently reminded not to take myself or life too seriously.  Have you ever had a change in life; perhaps a change that was not by your design?  And, did you end up coming back to the same place or with the same people you thought you had left behind in search of something new or something better?  I have - and it has happened way too many times for me to think it was merely coincidental.  I believe we have the ability to think and the power of free will.  But, I am mindful my higher power is there to take me where I need to be - back to a place I began.

Common Sense..

From my experiences, 'common' to one may not necessary be 'common' to someone else.  I am seeing a division of beliefs in my country.  I am both sentimental and patriotic on this 4th of July holiday.  This day is also my fathers birthday.  He fought in two wars in the US Army.  My eldest brother was in the Navy and traveled the world under sea level in a nuclear submarine.  My nephew served in the Marine Reserves over two decades and left his family state-side several times while assigned to the Gulf War.  Each one of these men sacrificed their lives and their families to serve in the military.  Do the families and people living in this great country that oppose the government our forefathers fought so hard to establish  have family members that fought for their freedoms and right to independence? Living in this land of the home and the brave to enjoy the freedoms our Declaration of Independence gave the people of the United States is a privilege.  Celebrating the remembrance of the hardships, sacrifices, and victories of those that fought for me is common sense.  

A Special Occasion

A special occasion is one that is just that - special.  Over the weekend, I had a rather unique opportunity to have several such 'special' occasions.  There was the shopping for gifts for the two wonderful men in my life - that was special.  I love to shop and haven't done much of that lately.  There was the happy hour at a local fine restaurant in Baltimore Friday night celebrating the departure of a well-respected realtor.  Then, there was the food preparation for a special woman of eighty - a family event - that was a birthday surprise!  A weekend breakfast for two with my son in celebration of his twenty-fourth birthday followed by a dinner with my amazing two daughters, son-in-law, son, and my wonderful mate.  Come to think of it: the entire weekend was a 'special occasion!'

Vacation-What It Is All About-Ralphie

Vacation in European countries lasts a month.  In some countries, businesses shut down during the work day allowing employees to take a siesta or go home for lunch.  Dining and eating is a true 'experience.'  Food and drink is savored emotionally while the tongues of diners welcome the distinct ethnic and cultural foods.  In the United States, a vacation of a week is considered normal.  Anything beyond this length of time is frowned upon by employers and enviously viewed by co-workers.  Lunch is generally in the form of fast food or  brown-bagged to meet the usual thirty minute deadline allocated during the work day.  Our stress level is high. Our overuse of prescription medications match this level.  We chemically alter our body's natural response mechanisms just to manage our day. I'm not saying every person/family should follow the month-long vacation of our European partners but,  I do say 'what is it all about?'

Death in Threes? Not Always

A young man died on Wednesday at the young age of 25.  He was all alone at the time of his passing.  Perhaps, he had been alone most of his life.  He was the youngest of three siblings.  The last child to be raised by his parents.  When I entered in his young life, he could barely spell, he could not cut his food, and wasn't even able to tie his own shoes.  In his last few moments of life, he must have felt so terribly lost to terminate his own life.  Subsequently, there was another death associated with my family and then a third.  A fourth death occurred.  My children and I responded at a different level of despair and grieved over these deaths - each in our own way - and each of us for our own reasons.   Death is around us.  It is a part of life but, does not necessarily occur in threes.  May those who have passed before us rest in peace.  For those they have left behind; may we only regard the good times we shared with them and live together with joy.

Family Events Provide Writing Material

It's early evening on Easter Sunday.  Baking cakes, cooking ham on the grill, and entertaining both young and old with a festive egg hunt have become a family tradition.  The young adults are just as eager to find their treasured eggs filled with wonderful surprises as are the young children.  The little ones so enjoy the excitement and gift bags and dyed eggs.  And then there is Joe and I.  We stand by and watch.  Our efforts of cleaning and preparation until the early morning hours are forgotten.  We know Jesus died so that we could live freely and prosper and are blessed.   We don't forget that.    We smile - we know we are creating family memories.  Perhaps, we are even providing material for the next generation to write about.

Change + Time = Wisdom

As it is coming to a close, I am questioning myself in regard to what I have done for the first quarter of the year.   Conversely, I also think about what my goals are for the remainder of the year.   It is important to note that one cannot have a beginning without an end.  Some of my accomplishments to date may be small, however, I measure my successes by the calendar year.  The successes are cumulative and varied.  I  also recognize I need to realign my goals as I realize how significant 'change' became in my life.  Although I do not recall anyone emphasizing it's significance at any point in time; 'change' is inevitable and has been a factor in determining my success.  Years ago, I did not consider how dynamic 'change' was in relation to my goals.  Time, as well as change, are healers of wounds, are markers for accomplishment, and are what lead us to wisdom.