Today... 9.11... while never forgetting the tragedy that occurred on this day six years ago; I want to spend today remembering all that is still beautiful and right in the world. It seems that so often it is easier to pin down the "bad", what's wrong, and who has wronged us, and at times it can feel like there is only a fragile thread connecting us to our hopes and dreams... the things we know to be true and worthwhile. So today, to honor the lives that were so tragically taken from us six years ago, I am personally challenging myself (and encourage any of you who'd like... in private or in public) to reflect upon the beauty that is all around us if we only give ourselves permission to see it.
Here is a short list of some lovely, things, moments, and people that have enriched my life:
-My beautiful daughter. She has taught me how to find beauty in the unexpected, cherish the bad with the good, how to laugh at myself, and how to allow myself to be truly seen. I love you Beepy!
-My family who has stood by me through many personal trials, and who never ceases to make me smile: impromptu musicals, interpretive dancing, random inside jokes... I love each moment and each one of you.
-Each one of you who has at one time or another taken the time to comment on here or write me a heart-warming email. It truly means so much to me... you guys are the best!
-The failures that have/do happened so that I can grow as a person... while not enjoyable in the moment, I know that I will eventually be the better for them... right?
-Rain Showers - Thunderstorms - The sound of a flock of birds darting across the sky - Clean sheets on the bed and the smell and feel of laundry fresh from the dryer - Picking your own fruits and vegetables - Random acts of kindness (that you give or receive... both ways are amazing) - That song that you hear at just the right time and place that makes you to feel truly alive - People who love and care for animals - Animals who love people unconditionally (they all do) - Wind rustling through the leaves on a tree - Moments when I remember to "just breathe" - A stack of newly purchased fabric... ripe with possibilities - A stack of newly purchased magazine... just waiting to be read - Receiving or writing a handwritten letter (remember the days before email!) - Open-minded, compassionate, brave, honest, loyal, and inspiring people (they don't have to be all in one, but that's always nice too) - The internet... for without it, this means of communicating with you all would not be, I never would have met my best-friend, I would have no business... and the daily inspiration I receive from endless online sources would not exist - A country (while not at all problem free) that still allows me freedoms that I quite often (regrettably) take for granted - - - - - A car that runs, health, a house that is warm and safe, a school where my daughter receives a wonderful education, a daughter who is my everything, a family that loves us... and beautiful people like YOU, who make each day worth waking for. Thank you.