Blood Sweat and tears describes parenthood. When you signed up, did you read the fine print? It read: proceed with caution! Who knew? I was thinking all Hallmark moments, but in reality, my bundle of joy, rudely woke me up, every two hours. It lasted for weeks, it felt like years. The world was now, scraped knees, profuse sweating, and tears from missed naps. And, I’m not talking about the kids. I liked my version of the story better. Live your life with the book wide open, and make sure you read between the lines. That way your story ends with,
“HAPPILY EVER AFTER.”
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My dearest friend, was in her 80’s, I was barely 30, and she didn’t speak a word of English. Some might consider either a dealbreaker. To me, it was a gift. We’d go to the grocery store: I’d pick a vegetable, she’d politely smile, shaking her head NO, put it back. Then pick one she thought was better . How I wishes to learn all she knew.The holiday dinner party before she died, I gave her a Silver Heart necklace. I asked her son to translate for me, “Promise me you’ll never forget your friend who only spoke to you with her heart.” Tears gently slipped from her eyes. She placed her hand on my heart and smiled. I choose to believed she never would. After all, a promise is a promise.
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Have you ever wished you could get it all together? I am referring to your mind, body and spirit. My mind thinks it is perpetually...35! (I can live with that). Picking a part of my body that doesn’t hurt, no longer exist.Then again, my sense of humor can be that of a middle schooler. Never stop enjoying your friends, laughter, and family celebrations. May each of you reading this always remain feeling young enough to enjoy a good party.
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Rock, paper, scissors. It might have started out as just a game, but I think it’s so much more then that! Think outside the box. Those three elements are in fact the necessary tools for living a successful day to day life. Rock; the world of the people you care most about in your life. Scissors; cut through all the crap we get served way to often. And don’t be fooled if it’s served on a Silver Platter, it’s still crap. Paper: use the shiny sparkly kind adorned with matching ribbons and bows to wrap up the physical or emotional investments you made in others needs. You are a gift and the best present anyone can ever receive!a
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Don't blink. It requires closing both eyes for a split second. And at that moment, you are literally in the dark. In my experience that’s all it takes for things in life to go awry! In the year 2020 with eyes clearly seeing 20/20, we can still be confused. When we are not content with our vision, maybe we are overdo for a makeover! A fresh new look, for the same old you! You'll need to use more than your eyes to see and navigate clearly through this journey. Good luck!
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My five-year-old granddaughter FaceTimed me the other morning. She was so excited, and said with an ear to ear grin, “Grandma, close your eyMyes. I’ve got a big surprise for you.” Playing along I put my hands over my eyes. OK, I was peeking a little. Then she said,” Are you ready for the surprise? Open your eyes.” With that she spread her arms as wide as they could go, and yelled, “ It’s me!!” After acting surprised and clapping, I wished every child, and for that matter, every person felt like they were the best gift in the whole world. Do the people in your life know they are the best gift ever?
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I'm crazy! I admit it. I can say with the utmost of confidence anyone who knows me would not be surprised or disagree. I’m going with, “That ship has sailed!” It eloquently expresses this distinction. I proudly wear crazy as a badge of honor. Some of the most creative, funny and honest people I know are in the group. Will this ever change? I think not, but now that I am thinking about it, I’ll go one step further: I certainly hope not. When it comes to the adjectives used to describe your world, don’t settle for anything less than your definition. After all, it is your world!
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If you're going to make an apology, make sure it's a good one. Here’s my checklist. It has been put to use more times than I wish had been necessary, but I must admit it works. Do you see the errors in your thinking? Do you accept your culpability in the situation? Have you attempted to make amends? If your apology is not genuine, don’t even bother. Most people can see right through it. And in the end, it only makes matters worse!
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When confronted with making a decision, and you're not sure which way to go, test the waters by giving it the “best case, worst case” scenario test. There’s no wrong answer here. To pass with flying colors, take a minute to really think before you proceed. At times you may not be a big fan of either scenario: choose anyway! Accept responsibility for the decisions you make in your life. Think twice but cut through the chaos to choose your path once.
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The older I get the more I realize Winnie the Pooh had it right all along! When you wake up every morning, remind yourself to emulate Tigger’s attitude when making all the day’s decisions. His happy, infectious spirit always looks for the best in every situation. On the other hand, Eeyore’s personality sucks the joy out of life. He huffs and puffs the whole time, moaning and groaning at anything and everything. The good news, or is it the bad news, is it’s your choice! Both are just perspectives of the cIrcumstances in life. I couldn’t think of a better way to end this then with my favorite thing he says:”Thank you, for being my friend.
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