Hi all!,

 

Sometimes in life, we don't realize the impact we have on others.  We fail to see through the eyes that watch us, hear through the ears that listen when we don't know anyone is listening, and potentially throw away golden opportunities to be the impact that can forever change someone's life.  Missing those opportunities can also change our own outcomes.  I understand this more and more as I get older.  I was flipping through one of my mom's high school yearbooks yesterday.  I took a good hard look at the faces that had their whole lives in front of them.  I knew a few of the outcomes of their lives based on life choices, but I couldn't help but be curious about the rest.  How many became all they were meant to be?  How many were not still with us?  I instantly craved for the lessons they would all share with current high school seniors.  How many would listen?........... One of the things I've discovered is how HARD and unfair life is.  The unfortunate truth for so many is that we are our own worst enemies and have a tendency to make life MUCH harder than it should be.  As long as I've preached the "simple" life, its much harder to pull off in practice.  We live in an imperfect world with other imperfect people and circumstances completely out of our control.  Life around us gets more complex every single day and the idea of what is "normal" gets totally out of whack.  Other people's influence, the news, garbage on TV, and our own selfish desires can certainly cloud how life was meant to be lived and what we were created for.  One of the best pieces of advice that I wish I could remember is to BE the influence on others rather than to succumbing to others' view of what normal is.  Life CAN be a wonderful journey and great adventure if we could only remember that we have the power to make it so and stay out of the traps of "normal" society. 

 

I, for one, declared that I would only surround myself with positive people, read positive/uplifting/motivating books, watch movies that inspire, and cut off every negative thought before it comes out of my mouth.  I will replace that with a positive one.  I'm going to STOP listening to political talk radio.  haha.....Its making me feel there is no hope in this country and we are far too gone to recover by the time our grand kids are old.  I'm going to focus on each second and make that second the best that it could possibly be.  Maybe if we focus on each second, we will stop worrying about the next and enjoy the moment we are in.  If I can't perfect the new practice, I am at least committed to try.  Be an encourager today.  Be a difference today.  Start living life as if you only had one shot, one body, and one chance to change the world around you for the better.