“She effortlessly touches my heart everyday.”
Family
Spreading Sunshine
As you go through life
be there for the people around you…
loved ones,
family,
friends,
those in need
Be the foundation for their support,
lend a shoulder to cry on,
give a big, tender hug,
share a warm, caring smile,
bring humor to the table
Displaying your light
with unabashed pride,
that’s how
you make everything better…
by
“spreading sunshine”
Your Test Of Strength
When the chips are all down
and your luck has run out,
take several steps back
cast aside any doubt
There are often times
when things don’t go your way,
you choose wrong, you fail
making mistakes throughout the day
You’ve just hit a rough patch
in this journey called life,
just roll with the punches,
bid adieu to the strife
In the midst of this insanity
there’s always a ray of hope,
that light at the end of the tunnel
is what helps you to cope
You’ll get through this dilemma
and will reach the other side,
problems encountered hereafter
is taken all in stride
Take pride in yourself
you’ve fought the good fight,
your character has mettle,
inner strength shown outright
So take charge of your life
when things go awry,
head straight forward, show no fear
wave those bad days goodbye.
My Meaning In Life
There are times
when I often wonder
“What is my purpose in life?”
This conundrum,
this perplexing dilemma
hinders my daily progress
“Do I continue as I’ve been?”
“Or do I alter my path?”
With deep contemplation
and extensive introspection
I’ve learned that
I have no real true goal
As long as I let my heart
guide my intentions
and lead my actions,
my journey has meaning
Striving not for
fame, wealth or success,
but achieving self-worth,
being of value,
spreading my love and light
Contributing to the pool
of goodwill and positivity
in this world
is what I was meant to do.
The ABC’s of Living Your Life
When we start out in life, that sense of naivety is truly a blessing. We are born into this world free of judgement. We see others as our equals. We have big dreams. Our imaginations are at its peak. We have no limitations. We don’t know the meaning of quit. We aren’t afraid to take chances and fail. We are curious about the world and seek to learn everything and anything that’s new. We show our appreciation and love openly and abundantly. We say what we feel and then move on with no grudges or hardships toward others. Our honesty leads the way and our good natured spirit keeps us ground. We share our infectious bright beaming smile to everyone we see. And best of all, every hour, every minute, every second is lived to its fullest; we live as if there’s no tomorrow.
Somewhere along the way, as we grew up, we lost some of those shining traits. If we can somehow remember what it felt like to be that child and apply it to our daily routine, then we can say that we are truly living. It’s easy, it doesn’t take much to regain back those redeeming qualities, we just have to be willing to try. So the best way to living our lives is to get back to the fundamentals.
Mid-Life Reflections #6
Recently I’ve been contemplating life and reminiscing about my younger self. When I was in my early teens on up into my 20’s, I used to wonder how I measured up to others in the world. I would readily compare myself to family, friends, colleagues or working professionals; did I make a certain amount of income, hold a respected position in a company, have a high status in society or did something that was of importance or value to the public?
I did my utmost to emulate them but to no avail. I sold myself on a bill of goods that I knew was unattainable. Why was it impossible? It’s because they were living their life and pursuing their goals and dreams. I had forgotten all about what I wanted to do with myself. I was so busy worrying about catching up to them that I flat out ignored my passion, my dreams.
When I finally woke up, I realized that I had a new lease on life. My trajectory in this world was on a different course from everyone all together and it was my goal to make it happen. I cared less about the status, fame and wealth of others and started to explore new things, take chances, make tons of mistakes, sought answers and learned to never give up.
It’s through this self-realization that I am where I’m supposed to be right at this moment. It’s a never ending, constantly changing state that I’m okay with. Why? Because it’s my life.
So don’t be so influenced by other people’s place in life that you neglect your own. You have a destiny that needs to be fulfilled by none other than you. So go out into the world and epically fail so that you can tremendously succeed at what you were meant to be!
To Live Another Day
As I sit here in front of my computer
pondering life
and all its wondrous possibilities,
I can’t help but reminisce
about precious memories
shared with
family,
friends,
and loved ones
To have such treasured moments
is truly priceless
Knowing that a point in time
created feelings of
unbridled love,
pure joy
and non-stop laughter,
puts a smile on my face
To go through something that can’t
be recreated
is magical
But knowing that
the future presents opportunities
to experience similar feelings again
is what makes me
live for another day.
New Year Haikus
Start of a new year
Many doors are now open
Possibilities
With eyes wide open
Our dreams are within our grasp
Time to fulfill them
Make your first step count
Take on the world without fear
Everlasting hope
Navigating the Unknown
Lost in thought
nowhere to turn,
what have I done
that makes this a concern
I’ve lived a life
of certainty and control,
stayed in my lane
eyes on the goal
But one fateful day
I decided to jump
Heading into the unknown
taking me out of a slump
These unchartered waters,
scary with every wave
What course do I take?
How do I behave?
This path that I’m on
terrifying and new
Has me out of whack
my life a bit askew
With the chips all down
and back against the wall,
staying strong is the key
to endure the long haul
I’ve learned to be patient,
I’ve learned to be kind,
I became more trusting
by using my heart with my mind
This bump in the road
riled with stress and strife,
I’ll get past this somehow
it’s my test in life
I have to be positive
never wavering in thought,
look at all that I’ve done
be grateful for what I’ve got
Life it too short
I’ll do the best that I can,
live for a better tomorrow
“Everlasting Hope” as my game plan.
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The Christmas Conundrum
Every day I marvel at the fact that I’m truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. Yeah, we each have our faults, flaws and quirks AND we get on each other’s nerves, but at the end of the day that pales in comparison to the unwavering love and support we have for each other. Why am I bringing this up you may ask? At this time every year, I struggle to figure out what to get them for Christmas. I wrack my brain knowing that I have no clue on where to start.
So every year, I resort to doing what needs to be done. The whole process boils down to me being a covert spy. With a stoic expression, I nonchalantly ask them subtle questions about the things they look at in stores or online; narrowing down their top choices. Hours pass, days even before I press on. I ask them more questions without really tipping off my true intent; keenly watching their body language and gauging their emotions. I take into account every word spoken, making mental checklists about their likes and dislikes. And that’s usually enough for me to go on and buy their presents.
But there are also times when they don’t say much; even after asking prodding questions. So in this instance, I resort to using each family member as an asset into retrieving the necessary information I need. I endear them to my cause and then give them a set of questions to ask a family member. They can ask however they want as long as they don’t reveal my true intent. Surprisingly this tactic produces good results as well.
On rare instances when I end up with nothing, rather than buy them something that they won’t like, I’ll just sell out and give them money or gift cards. I don’t usually like to do this because there is no personal touch but it’s better to give something rather than nothing at all.
The reason why I go through so much trouble is because I feel like I need to get them something really special to show my appreciation for all that they’ve done for me. A simple hug or words of acknowledgement is usually the norm for most of the year, but at Christmas time, it’s the one time that I can really make them SMILE. Even though they always say “You don’t really have to get me anything, I’m fine”, I still want to show them my gratitude. Giving them something that they’ve always wanted really makes me feel good inside. If I can feel that, then mission accomplished.
Midlife, Maniacal & Me 