Stories

Did you know that every single person you meet has a story?  Of course you know that... duh...  but many people don't really stop to think about it...  EVERY person you meet has a story. 

It might be a happy story.  It might be a sad story.  Most likely it is a real story with both weighing heavily into it... one with adventure, hard decisions, disappointments and great joy.  At least I can hope so. 

I remember sitting to have a drink with many a passenger on ships and listening to their stories.  The clientele, as you know, can be quite a bit older...  which means the depth of their stories were even greater.  It never ceased to amaze me the things the human spirit can endure and even better, persevere through. 

I used to do the "Renewal of Vows" ceremony on board with the captains.  I always asked the couples renewing what their secret to a long and happy  marriage was.  Many of you know that my favorite three answers were: 

1.  Fight naked. 

If when you feel a fight coming on you get naked... you are more likely to get to the makeup portion of the show and you're less likely to say something really hurtful when you are standing there in your all together and lovely. 

 

2.  Say only half of what you want to. 

How many times have you gotten into a fight and said one thing to many? 

So if you only say half of what you want...  then you hopefully you won't hurt your partner. 

3.  Give 80... expect 20. 

If both parties are always giving 80 and expecting 20 then both are always pleasantly surprised.  I go so far as to say both parties give 100 and expect 0.  :-) 

 

 

I have been so blessed to have so many wonderful memories in my short 40 years.  Each memory is a snapshot in my brain with a story to go along with it.  Sometimes I need to remind myself to stop taking ACTUAL pictures and take the mental ones instead.  Those are the ones we carry with us during our darkest moments.  It's those memories you can call on that make us who and what we are. 

 

That's why when you look at that woman in the grocery store that is lugging three children, two of which are screaming, you should give her a little grace... she may just be trying to get it all done.  Or that person that just cut you off in the left hand lane, speeding in and out of traffic...  they may just be having a moment where they want to feel in control of something and the car is it at that time.   It might just be someone who has completely zoned out and isn't thinking.  Or it might be that they are self involved and not thinking of anyone else but themselves at that moment.  But even they have their story. 

 

EVERY single person you meet has a story and you can learn something from each and every one of them.... how cool is that?  :-)



 

Early April Phone Pics and randomness

About four month's ago I made the very heated statement that "I... am NOT a CAT person!!!" 

Then this little creature came into my life about a month ago. 

Meet Simba...  "whassup!"

 

 Simba and I hang out.  He literally lets me do Anything to him...  and he flops over, he hangs upside down, he plays, he chases his mothers tail.  He is the shiznit.  

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He has just started playing with one of the smaller kittens.  

 

So I am NOT a cat person...  but I think I may be a "simba" person. 

 

 

 

March 22 Shannon, Erica and I went to the Luke Bryan Concert which was the last show for the Rodeo.  We had a BLAST!  What a great concert it was and to share with great friends.  

 

 

He put on a great show even if our seats were pretty high up.  :-)

 

I went to crossfit a week ago Saturday and we jokingly did this picture.  My friend Jennifer and I... everyone needs to work on their superhero.  LOL

 

 

 

 I've had the chance to go out with Erica and Liz a couple of times.  My pretty ladies.  :-)

 

 

 

 And...  just because I love the quotes.  :-)

 

 

We did a bit of Saturday night budgeting... well they did.  I had already done mine. 

I didn't have the kids this year for Easter.  :(  And because of that it didn't feel like much of a holiday.  But luckily, Erica and her family included me in their celebration. 

 

 Mom has been going through some old pictures lately and the one of Kiki really struck me.  How much my dear niece Emilie really looks like her mother.  I see a lot of her dad too, but man...  she embodies the beauty that was my sister.  I love looking into that face and seeing Kristin.

 

Goodness

Sometimes its hard to do what you know is right.  It's hard to be the bigger person, especially when you know that you'll probably end up hurt.

 

I honestly believe that most people are good.  People don't intend to be hurtful or cruel.  I think a lot of it comes from self absorption...  never stopping to see the other side of the coin or think about another's feelings.  

I.... am a people pleaser.  There!  I said it.  I know this surprises ALL of you.  lol

And as much as I don't want to be, because the key to failure is always trying to please other people...  I also think that it's important to make others feel good.  So I often put myself out there and say Happy Birthday even though they would never say it to me.  I invite people because if they weren't their feelings might be hurt.  I offer because if I don't,... maybe no one will.  The voices in my head (and those attached to some very vocal people in my life... lol) tell me that I shouldn't care what others think about me.  To a degree that is true.  But I also have to look at myself in the mirror and like and respect what I see.  I know that when I do... for the most part... I see someone who cares about others and wants them to know it.  Someone who has made mistakes and has learned from them. 

 

 

I just read an article about loving your neighbor as you would love yourself.  It was in regards to a Christian woman not judging a same sex couple... and certainly not saying which rights that couple should be able to possess.  Separation of Church and State etc etc.  It's not my job to judge or make those decisions on who is worthy...  the only job I have (well aside from my real job) is to be a good person, think of others and love them for who they are and oh... to be a good mother.  As good of a mother as I can be with the tools that I have available to me right now.  Teach my tiny humans what acceptance and empathy is.  Teach them to laugh, to learn, to jump in puddles and to love their neighbor...even if they're different than we are.

 

I hope that one day when all is said and done, people will look back on my life... shoot... Hopefully I will look back on my life and know that I did the best that I could.  That I cared as much as I could.  That I gave as much as I could.  Then... I will have been successful.