Truth

At the end of the day, we know the truth as it is reflected in what we see around us and what happens to us. It may be Karma, it may be paying it forward, or simply and truly that God is just and answers prayers, whatever you believe, at the end of the day, truth is truth, and we are who we are, that person we are alone with at the end of the day is our true self, and that is when we see the truth, do you like yours?

Is your true self all that you can be? Is the person in the mirror at the end of the day someone who you can look in the eye? I can. I know in my heart and soul that I love, I care and sometimes maybe too much, but as honestly as I can. I offer forgiveness to all, friendship to many, and love to those that are capable and willing to give it in return, and to some who may not.I may not like certain individuals and the negative traits that they harbor, but I'm capable of looking past those and finding hope for the person they could be. At the end of the day, I know who I am, and what I've offered to others, and I can look myself in the eye, and know that I am a good person, who has raised good kids, has a good husband, and loves God and the world around me.

I know my truth. I know my core values - love, faith, happiness, strength, integrity, community, creativity... I know what makes me - me. I wish everyone the same love for life, love for others, and love for themselves. The world would be a much better place if everyone could find their flaws (I know my flaws as well - accepting them as part of my truth) face their flaws, and move forward with life.

Life Is Meant To Be Lived...

"Some people measure their lives in pulse rates and sit-ups.
Far better to measure yoursin licks of ice cream,
well-told jokes, mad dashes to be first in the water, belly laughs...

And, when you die, it won't be an erratic shift in your heartrate,
it will be an overdose of mirth, fun poisoning, death by laughter."
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Things happen so quickly in life. I just received a prayer request from my instructor, her little sister has cancer, and it sounds like it has spread rapidly. My cousins just lost their grandmother. Another friend lost his father. On the news you see all the horrors of car wrecks, killings, crimes, etc... And all of a sudden I just want to stop, take a step back...

Life is hard. Life is tough. We work at work, we work at school, we work at staying healthy - being fit and eating right, we work at teaching our kids right from wrong, and we work at making ourselves a better person. But when all of a sudden you realize that tragedy could be around the bend, work seems less important. Life should be lived, and we all have to work, but we all need to take time to work on enjoying the work that we do. Work on enjoying the two minutes that our six year old wants to ramble about pokemon; enjoy the ten minute drive home with our teenagers while you have them secluded in a vehicle and they "must" answer all questions including the too often forgotten "how was your day"; enjoy the few moments of alone time with our husband; and enjoy the beauty in the world around us that we rush past, speed through, ignore, forget and too often take for granted.

Living life means a lot of things to a lot of different people. But me, I want to live my life with no regrets. I don't want to regret not making paper airplanes instead of reading my book; and, I don't want to regret watching the sunrise and set and feeling that loss of "where did this day go?" I want to live my life before some unknown tragedy hits. I don't want to wait until time is too precious. Time is too precious now, we just need to stop and realize it more often. I want to remember the silly, precious, seemingly unimportant moments in life. I want to look back and remember laughing at nothing with the most important people in my life. I want to look back and know that I didn't waste a moment worrying about what to do next, but just took the leap to walk outside and throw a ball around, plant a tree, ride bikes, run through the sprinkler,  pick dandelions, and dance in the kitchen. Those are the briefest, yet most memorable times, and we must take advantage of them when they are given to us.

The easiest sentiment... Live, Laugh, Love. But really, really do it, with all you are go out and Live each moment, Laugh whenever you can, and Love not just your family and friends, but the world and the life that you have been blessed with.  

Let Me Count the Reasons...

After today's morning run, which was a really good one for me, I felt so good. It was definitely one of those runs that was invigorating and exhausting all at the same time. Getting ready to shower, I realized that my toe nail was bleeding? I couldn't feel it, it hadn't bothered me during the run, but there it was, blood all over my toes. Then it occurred to me, that maybe, just maybe, I can really call myself a runner now if my shoes are giving me bloody toe nails! I'm sure that sounds incredibly gross to some of you. I remember my roommate in college saying she knew she had the right soccer shoes when her toe nails turned black (now I would not go this far). Now, my shoes are not new, I've had them for awhile, not sure if this means it may be time to get a new pair though, but then my toe nail got me to thinking that I love running. Why?

Well, here's my short list (not including the overall health and wellness benefits) of why it is that I have become addicted to the run - thanks to my sister who, I'm sure, has her own list of loves...

1.  I can experience bloody toes and still be on such a high from the run that I don't care!
2.  It's a great reason to download new songs to my iPod.
3.  When else can you get up, throw on comfy clothes, throw your hair up, skip the makeup, be covered in sweat, and people don't care?
4. It's a great reason to buy cute workout clothes - to wear when you have no makeup and are all sweaty, at least the clothes are cute if you aren't!
5. Getting new shoes is like reaching a goal. 500 miles = new shoes!
6.  I'm starving after a run, and I LOVE to eat! All those protein calories after a run is like a feast for me!
7.  I actually find myself smiling from ear to ear at the end of a run, when I try to kick it into gear, and sprint thru the finish, my body hasn't failed me yet!
8. I love and I will never give up dark chocolate, but I don't feel guilty eating it, because I know I earned it!
9. What better way to see towns you haven't been in before than to run over their bridges and trails to take in the scenery.
10. It's the only sport where there is always more... a football game is always 4 quarters, but a run, well let's try a 10k, then a 1/2, then a full 26.2 marathon, then an ultra, maybe a tri... there is always more! How much do you really want to push yourself?

What makes you run?

Happy Running!

My One Person

I've already admitted that I love quotes. I don't know why, I wish I could say lines that were so inpsiring, but I love quotes from movies, books, songs, you name it, I love to "borrow" them. Anyway, recently, I ran across a quote in a movie, "The Object of My Affection," with Jennifer Aniston. Aniston's character says, "you have to pick one person and make it work..."

That just hit home to me. After almost 13 years of marriage and all the ups and downs (let me state ups and downs aren't that little wavy line on a chart, but is more like climbing Mt. Everest and then dropping into the bottom of the Grand Canyon) that marriage brings. That line just made sense. Even when I feel like things aren't "going right," or they aren't as "spicy" as one might prefer, I picked my 'one person' and it is up to me/us to make it work. Love isn't easy come easy go. Love really is a decision. It's that decision to look past the "little bumps" in the road and the "not so pretty flaws" on the face of something that really is and can continue to be something really great.

Through all the great, good, bad, ugly and obscenly terrible moments... it's up to me. I have to decide if I will make it work, if I will put in the time to try and keep it going. If I will continue to choose him. It's up to me... No one can make my marriage work, no one can make the last 13 years more worthwhile than me. I have to see the positive, not just the negative. I have to see the beauty in the beast (which we both can be sometimes). I have to accept the flaws as he accepts mine. I picked "my one person" over 13 years ago, and it is so comforting to know that in another 13 years or even another 30 years, that there is "one person" out there who can say they picked me.

And for all the New Years that come and the Resolutions that fall by the wayside, I know that I can look back every year and say "I picked him." And with that knowledge of being somebody's "one person" is the comfort of knowing what I really knew all along, but it just gives a little bit of satisfaction to be able to say that which is so true, "I am not replaceable." Of course, that means he isn't either!

Happy New Year, and here's to making the same resolution again next year and to pick my same person again and again!

50 Loves in my Life...

I LOVE LIFE. There may be regrets, but I choose to enjoy life. I choose to be happy. I choose to move forward and to keep dreaming... I LOVE my children, my family and my friends... I Love photos... I Love being active and having my health... I LOVE TO WRITE AND CREATE... I Love to be inspired and to inspire...I LOVE to learn...I Love a cool breeze after the storm and I Love the smell of rain and watching thunderstorms... I Love flowers in the spring... I Love snow in the winter while enjoying a nice hot mocha... I Love the hot sun in summer and sand between my toes... I Love lemonade and ice tea, diet coke and rum... I Love watching the ocean... I Love to read and curl up with a really good book... I LOVE ALL THINGS ROMANTIC... I Love being touched and holding hands... I LOVE long lingering kisses...I even Love a Good Cry after a nice sad, sappy love story... I Love a good lazy weekend vegging and watching tv... I Love Seinfeld re-runs... I LOVE all kinds of HUMOR and people that make me Laugh... I LOVE TO LAUGH, I Love to watch people laugh, make people laugh, listen to laughter (this is after all the BEST sound in the whole world)... I Love to make people smile... I Love a long conversation with an old friend... I Love a short conversation with a new friend... I Love being near my family... I Love taking afternoon breaks for coffee and a brownie... I LOVE listening to music - any and ALL music... I Love travelling and seeing new things... I LOVE enjoying nature... I Love taking drives to nowhere in particular in no particular hurry... I Love laying in bed and dreaming sweet dreams... I LOVE comforting a crying child... I Love being comforted... I Love dancing... I Love girls night out... I LOVE to sing (even though I don't let anyone hear me)...I Love to play the piano (even though its been awhile)...I Love that "top of the world" feeling you get on a really good day... I Love being able to wonder if I can stop at only 50 things that I love about life... I LOVE listenting to my 90 year old grandmother tell her stories from the early 1900's... I Love listening to my children tell stories about now...I Love listening to my dad tell the same stories to my kids that he used to tell me.. I Love looking back at my life and knowing the mistakes and learning from them - even though it hurts sometimes...I Love a slow dance... I Love to dream about the future and how my life may change...or stay the same... I LOVE the early morning quiet in the house with a cup of coffee... I Love my job (yes I really do...)and, I LOVE watching that 80 yr old couple dance the night away amidst all the "young" people and wonder if I'll be that young at heart... I can only hope to have that love for life that that couple has... What are the 50 Loves of your life?