Moments to be Grateful for

With the holiday season now in full swing, there has been a lot on my mind.  Mostly, I'm in shock that this year is almost over.  While this year has flown by, there have been many ups and downs as with anyone.  However, the recent couple weeks have taught me a lot through seemingly small moments.

First, it has been wonderful to be able to spend time with family and to be able to spend some time with my nieces even if it was only for a few short days and celebrate my sister's wedding.  

I have had many opportunities to grow professionally and meet some amazing people.  I have been challenged in ways that I didn't think possible and have learned a lot in the process of resolving new issues.

But the moments that stand out the most are the ones that on the surface seem almost meaningless.  Over the past few weeks, I have had conversations with people close to me that have had huge impacts on my perspective about life.  It has taught me a lot about things that I struggle with and made those struggles seem a little lighter.  I am constantly in awe at how much something that most people would pass over can have a huge and lasting impact and am so grateful for those moments that have truly changed my life.

Angels Among Us

Maybe one day I'll actually blog more than once a year again but better infrequent than never.  This month has many ups and downs and lots of things that have caused me to really reflect on things.  At times it has seemed extremely overwhelming and that I would not be able to accomplish the things that I needed or wanted to.  Typically, I try to take everything on myself in order to not be a burden to those around me.  However, this week I hit a point where that was no longer possible.  Even though it was difficult, I was able to reach out to some trusted individuals which included my wonderful mother and receive the relief I needed.

Even though the circumstances haven't changed and there will likely be many more challenges ahead, I feel better equipped to handle them because of the angels that have been placed in my life.  While I may not express it frequently or even at all, there are so many people that have had a positive impact that they may never know exactly what they have done.  I truly believe that the people placed in our lives are placed there for a reason and can become some of best resources in our journey through life.  Just remember that even if you feel like no one is watching or cares, that someone you know is grateful for your presence in their lives and the strength you bring.

Finally, to all my earthly angels, THANK YOU!!!

Honesty

First off, there is no shocking confession contained in this blog post. This is merely a philosophical type musing on the subject of honesty.

Earlier this week, I had a discussion with a close friend on the subject of honesty.  More specifically focusing on the importance of being honest with ourselves.  It was an interesting discussion that has prompted much reflection throughout the week, particularly today.  

During our discussion we talked a lot about feelings and how sometimes people bury or disguise feelings so they don't have to deal with them or wait until it is a convenient time to deal with certain issues.  In doing this, we don't always have the most accurate picture of ourselves and our situation.  Since this conversation, I have thought a lot about how I am feeling at moments throughout the day.  It has been interesting to notice how many different emotions I feel during one day and even to realize the emotion that is behind some of the moments I was previously not aware of.

Today's musings were aided in part by solo drives which gave me uninterrupted time to ponder on some of these thoughts.  I thought of the things that had happened this week, none of which were dramatic or earth shattering but part my normal life.  But then I started to reflect on how the events had made me feel.  Adding this one component, changed my perspective on how I view myself and these events.  It was amazing to discover some of the deeper feelings that were part of the normal day to day activities that I didn't think had much impact on my life.  It made me realize that my perception was skewed because of the lack of self honesty.  It wasn't that I was deliberately lying to myself trying to make myself believe something that was vastly untrue.  It was more like looking at something in dim light and then suddenly being able to inspect it in a brighter light.

These discoveries are not so dramatic to produce a major life change but helped me realize a little better what I truly want from life and the things that I find important.  It has been a little surprising to notice some of things I thought were of the highest importance a year ago are still important but not as important as other things in my life while things I didn't value much are becoming much more important.  I think that's really the whole point of honesty.  Being willing to change your perspective no matter the consequences to really set your priorities straight and also being willing to reevaluate from time to time to see if those priorities are still what they should be.