In Three Words

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life - It Goes On." - Robert Frost

It certainly does.  Life goes on whether we want it to or not.  Sometimes we are glad it moves and other times we may regret that it moves so quickly.  Yet no matter what we wish, it continues to go on with or without our permission or opinions.

So what do we do about it?  We allow it to go on while doing the best we can in each given moment.  We allow ourselves to be whoever and whatever we are at the time, whether it is our best, worst or average.  We don't judge either the moment or ourselves as good or bad. We allow life to go on, understanding and knowing that in the end it really doesn't matter because, since life does go on, there is always another chance, another beginning or even another ending coming.

You are proof that life does go on and that whatever it takes or brings along with it is OK.  How can I say this?  Because you and I are OK.  We are living our lives individually and alongside each other.  We may have different experiences, perspectives, ideas and beliefs, but we have all experience growth due to the movement of time.  We have grown from infants to toddlers to children to teens and become either a young or older adult.  None of us were able to stop life from going forward in our past anymore than we can now stop it from continuing now.  So we might as well enjoy the journey and move along with life as it unfolds.  Take the time to enjoy and remember moments, for when life seems to be moving too fast it will be those moments and memories that will make it OK. 

It's A New Year- Evaluate Where You Are

As I have said before, I am no better than you.  I am a regular human being with strengths and weaknesses.   I experience success and failure. I stumble.  I fall.  I have to pick myself up, rush off the dust and begin again.  I have to pause to reevaluate life and the choices I made or can make now.  I have moments of joy and other moments of sorrow or regret.  There are days when things go well and more days when things seem overwhelming and impossible to get through.  Like you, I have times when responsibilities seem to overtake everything and the things I enjoy or feel passionate about get set on the back burner to simmer or cool while I put out the fires, provide or support others, deal with unexpected setbacks or emergencies or juggle increasing demands for my time. 

Putting my interests and passions on the back burner is a good way of describing what happened the past months with this blog.  I was enjoying sharing some quotes and thoughts which I hoped would lift someone's spirit or give encouragement.  I was able to share on a fairly regular schedule for several months last year.  I loved what I was doing and wanted to do more.   Life events changed, just as they do in yours, and demands on my time, energy and focus shifted.  This blog, unfortunately for all of us, got neglected.  My thoughts were still here and I often wrote in various places, such as a journal or sticky notes something I thought valuable to share with others, yet choices were made to spend my time in other activities, meeting the needs and requests of others, working and struggling to make ends meet. I even took the leap from renting back to owning a home, including packing and unpacking (which is still proceeding gradually), changing schools and all the inherent expected and unexpected differences in time management and priorities which go along with such a decision.

A new year is beginning.  Like you, I am looking forward to not only what 2017 will offer me but what I can do (or wish to) to make this year one of the best, not only for myself but also for others I care about, which includes you.    So just as I encourage you to forgive yourself, I ask you to forgive me for not sharing more these past months.  I pray I will be able to reach back out to you regularly, touch your spirit and support you through whatever experiences come your way during this new year. 

I thank you for your patience and understanding.  I hope that something I say may be of benefit to  you or someone you know.  None of us live life alone.  There is always someone near or in our thoughts.  So feel free to take anything of value you find in these pages, pass them on or encourage someone you know with your own experiences or thoughts.  

So join me in this new year.  Begin something new or go back to something you put on hold for awhile.  Realign your priorities, demands and interests.  Use this year to improve your own or touch someone else with your talents, abilities, hopes, dreams and strength.   Between us, we have the possibility to make this year one to be remembered.

The Time is Yours

Oregon Coast

Recently I took a trip with some family members.  It was during some time, sitting on the beach as the little ones played in the sand, I had a chance to think about how the time away from the office and home was a gift I had given myself.   As I thought about this, I reflected on the time we each have each day and the opportunities we have to 'use it or lose it'.  So today I want to share some of these thoughts with you. 
You have a gift that is yours.  Each day you are given 24 hours, commonly called a day to start, continue or end whatever you choose.  You receive the same 24 hours that I do, yet neither of us can give it away to each other or to anyone else. You might share your time with another at a given moment when they are open to sharing their time with you,  Time is not something you can hold in your hand, yet it is as valuable Io your life as breath. 
No one can tell you how to use the hours as they tick away. The choices for each hour are yours alone.  The choices you make of how to use the hours are as uncountable as the seconds and minutes of each hour as they combine into a day.  The choices you make, will at times be similar to mine or someone else's and at other times as different as night is from day. The choices you make will seldom be the same as you made the day before or will likely make tomorrow, yet each choice makes a difference.
The time is yours to use wisely or foolishly, although which it is depends on your perspective or belief.  Floating around in a swimming pool may seem foolish on a day you feel there is not enough time to get everything completed you need or because you are simply in avoidance of something you don;t want to deal with.   Yet floating in the pool on another day may be a wise choice in order overcome the stress of a particularly challenging day.
What will you do with this gift today?  Will you spend it alone, doing something you have been wishing to but didn't think you had the time?  Will you spend it with family or friends in work or play together?  Will you complete a special project at work that will bring you recongnition or financial reward?   Will you be thankful for the time you receive or spend it feeling sorry there is not more angry because someone else is not using their gift the way you think they should.
The time is yours.   Use it as you like. May you enjoy the gift of today.  May you look forward to another gift of time tomorrow.