On Thanksgiving, today, I wanted to repost something I wrote on my mother’s birthday, January 14th, 2010. At the time, Haiti was in devastation, and the Blog post was titled Being Thankful. I think it’s just as relevant today as it was almost a year ago.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (more…)
By Guest Blogger, Jen Taylor
Some people choose their path early in life and place one unfaltering foot in front of the other along it. Happy with what they have, their lives move along without any major upsets; they are content.
I am not one of those people. Twelve moves in fifteen years is all the proof I need offer. And no, we’re not on the lam, I checked.
I am happy with the life I lead. It is full of inspiration, blessings and comforts. To want more is to seem ungrateful of the abundance already surrounding me.
But I would argue that there is a place for wanting more, for loving the path you are on yet seeing another nearby that looks more appealing. What’s the catch? It is easy to want more, but taking the plunge can be frightening.
Attention All Complainers: Listen Up!
I knew someone, actually someone I used to work with, who complained about EVERYTHING! Frikkin’ everything! About the unfairness of her being given the worst clients, to having the worst behaved child in the world, to having the most unsupportive husband, and the list went on an on. I can complain with the best of ‘em, but I’m telling you, I was Miss Susie Sunshine next to this woman. The truth is, no one likes to be around a complainer, except well, maybe, other complainers.
Now, we all complain. Hell, it’s normal! But I would like to ask you a question now, if I may… HOW OFTEN DO YOU COMPLAIN? If you don’t know the answer, ask those around you to shed some light. How about your husband, your friends, your co-workers. I’m sure they’ll have a wealth of knowledge to share with you. And I’m sure once you ask, they won’t hold back!
When I awoke this morning, I wasn’t feeling connected to a particular topic for today. My thoughts were scattered. And then a Blackberry text message from a friend I haven’t spoken to in a while set off a light. I wished my husband’s friend a quick happy new year this morning and asked him how he was doing. His reply, “Happy New Year to you too. We are overdue to get together. Things are okay. They could definitely be better, but then again, I could be in Haiti.”
Wow, I thought. How true. I forwarded that message to my husband immediately. I wanted him to see the positive attitude that his friend had, and to see his gratefulness, vs. what he was lacking. My husband, not always one for seeing the glass half full, indeed got the message. We are so caught up in the daily rat race, that we don’t often show appreciation and gratitude for what we DO have. We harp on what’s lacking, or what’s wrong. We take those we love and what we have for granted.
