Our journey will one day come to the end

The circle of life is never ending but as part of the process it means that it is the end eventually. As I watch another dear friend prepare for the passing of her mother, my heart goes out to her. Just like recently with my husband, she becomes the "elder" now of her family. Knowing that as an "elder" you have the responsibility to keep the family connected. Family gatherings are the best way to stay connected. Everyone may be busy on actual holidays but there are hundreds of other days during the year when everyone can be available to have a "family gathering." To pass on anything to them you have to make the time to sit down and talk.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

When you ask a young child what they want to be when they grow up, they have a big long list. And they really believe it is possible to be all of them. When you ask a young adult they have narrowed it down to a couple of things. By now they are aware that they can only pursue one career at a time, and they are choosing their path. I am old and one of my grandkids asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. It was funny to be asked that when you are old. I sat there for a moment and told them I wanted to be a better me. Later I thought about that question. It made me giggle, again. And I realized that at every age it really is a legitimate question. Without a doubt my answer from here on out will always be that I want to be a better me.

A fortune cookie won't bring you riches but it can bring you a message

You may not always get everything but if you get what you need that is what is most important. Like my fortune cookie today said "bread today is better than cake tomorrow." You have to eat today and be thankful for what you have. It is fun to be with someone when reading the fortune because what it means to them can be totally different. You can see how it can be interpreted that way. Just like many things in life you see what you see and they see what they see. Ten people can see the same thing and all ten can be right. I may not always eat my fortune cookie but I always read them. Sometimes I feel like it was written just for me. The other day my fortune cookie said " the answer you need is coming but you will only get the answer you need if you are looking for it." That is the same meaning I got from a church sign that said "opportunities are never lost they are just taken by someone else." Because we all know that when opportunities come knocking on the door you have to open the door. Don't miss your opportunities because you are waiting for an opportunity to fall in your lap. Because it is not no more than the sky is falling.

It takes three or four days to make sure you have what you need on your two day trip

It takes four days to get ready for your two day weekend getaway. You are not sure what exactly you will need so you tend to take more than you can even use in two days. Most of the time those "just in case" things never get unpacked. But in past experiences you did need one of those "just in case" things, and you were sure glad you had packed them. What you pack is like preparing for an old show Let's make a deal. At the end of each show they pay for weird objects you bring. Like one hundred dollars per paper clip you brought. So the audience would bring a "junk drawer" of items hoping that the object they are looking for is strangely something they brought. Nowadays you need lots of electronic devices and every charger and headphones you own. By the time you get the car packed everyone has to squeeze in for the long ride. Unfortunately when you return from your trip you are exhausted. Your relaxing weekend was more work than you thought. It sure makes "home sweet home" look sweeter than ever. Like Dorothy said "There is no place like home."

An extra weekend day

It doesn't happen often but every now and then you get a three-day weekend. That third day is the most relaxing. You usually have a ton of things to do on your normal two days off. But that third day you can do whatever you want to do. Including doing nothing at all if you don't want to. Enjoying the little bonuses you get in life breaks up the monotony of always being busy. And you literally can be so busy that you don't have time to stop and "smell the roses." We all need a little time to just relax to enjoy life while we are living it. It is hard to squeeze in time which is why you need to make plans from time to time to just relax. You need a break to prevent an overloaded that is not healthy, mentally or physically. Plan on taking a break before you breakdown. Admitting that you need a break is not being lazy it means your smart enough to know what you need to do and doing it.

You can if you let others do it

We seem to have forgotten that we all have a right to have our own opinion. We condemn anyone who doesn't see things our way. We try to silence them by being a bully. If you want to have a right to have your opinion in the future you will have to start respecting other people's opinions today. Because if you don't now then eventually no one's opinion will matter. For generation after generation we have seen a decline in common courtesy, common decency and common sense. Our youth are inheriting a mess that has gotten worse with each passing decade. We can stop the insanity we see in our society. It starts by respecting each other.

A day or two

Every day is a special day. It doesn't mean that every day is an easy day. It simply means every day you have is a blessing. One day may bring with it a "storm" but if you wait just a little while the "storm" will pass. You may not see how things could turn around in just a day or two but it can. Every day is a different day and what a difference twenty four hours can make. It can be foggy in the morning and you can't see what is in front of you. But when the fog is gone you will see everything you need to see. And in the fast paced World we live in things can change in a matter of minutes. When things look like there can be no happy ending just give it a day or two and you will be able to see a positive outcome. That is if you don't blow any chance of a positive outcome by reacting so negative that you change what was meant to be. Wait before you respond because your response can determine the outcome.