Dear family, friends, frienmies, and anyone else unlucky enough to be on my address book,
This is an experiment for me, a journey of sorts to verify that I am still alive and kicking, and, moreover, to remind myself that though life throws a lot of bad stuff at all of us, that I, that each of us, has much for which to be grateful.
The last five years have tested me in ways in which I never wanted to be tested. I doubted my sanity, my health, my strength, and, most of all, myself. The one thing I never doubted, though, was my Father in Heaven's love for me.
I hope to post a blog every day for the new year. Whether I can do this, technically, emotionally, and in every other way, is still up for grabs. Please bear with me.
First, let me tell you what this is not going to be. It will not be the esoteric ramblings of a high-brow philosopher. It will not be the erudite teachings of an academic. It will not be filled with scripture, though a couple might slip through from time to time.
It will be the small slices of life that remind me that I need to look for that which is good, whether it is a penny found or a book acceptance.
I invite you to join me, to look for yourselves what is good in your life. You may choose to drop in once in a while, or perhaps you will follow me on this journey and re-discover the miracles and beauties that surround us.
Jane
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, March 27, 2000
Day 86, March 27
Writers are, by nature, observers. We watch, we evaluate, we consider. In the past few months, I've had the opportunity to observe some very different individuals. I could not help but compare and contrast.
I watched while one wife and mother abandoned her husband, her two young children, and her religion, ignoring covenants and promises. And I watched while her husband picked up the pieces of the life they had made together, gathered his two little boys close to him, and moved forward in faith.
I watched as another husband turned away from his wife and his smal daughter, choosing his addictions over them. And I watched as his wife forged ahead, determined to make a life for herself and her daughter.
Selfishness and selflessness. Two words, derived from the same root, but with very different meanings.
The other night, I spoke with my grown son and asked how he was doing. He said that he had decided to "choose happiness." The simplicity of the words did not negate their impact: to choose happiness.
Happiness, as defined by the world, includes such things as material possessions, financial success, fame, notoriety, and excess. My son, still in his 30s, has a much more mature and eternal definition of happiness: doing what is right despite difficult circumstances.
So, for today, I am grateful for those who choose happiness.
I watched while one wife and mother abandoned her husband, her two young children, and her religion, ignoring covenants and promises. And I watched while her husband picked up the pieces of the life they had made together, gathered his two little boys close to him, and moved forward in faith.
I watched as another husband turned away from his wife and his smal daughter, choosing his addictions over them. And I watched as his wife forged ahead, determined to make a life for herself and her daughter.
Selfishness and selflessness. Two words, derived from the same root, but with very different meanings.
The other night, I spoke with my grown son and asked how he was doing. He said that he had decided to "choose happiness." The simplicity of the words did not negate their impact: to choose happiness.
Happiness, as defined by the world, includes such things as material possessions, financial success, fame, notoriety, and excess. My son, still in his 30s, has a much more mature and eternal definition of happiness: doing what is right despite difficult circumstances.
So, for today, I am grateful for those who choose happiness.
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