unbelievable.....

so it takes an idiot (or two or 100) to break me out of my writing funk, but I needed to share that I'm not happy.....
It would seem logical that I would be upset, like so many of you, about the senseless bombings that occurred today. People lost their lives, limbs and sense of security.....
we have all been plunged back into a state of "what if..."
The thing that is sticking with me...the thing that's really pissing me off, is that someone ruined someone else's day. They took a moment that should have been spectacular and turned it grey...
I work with hundreds of people....many of them have huge goals. The Boston Marathon would be the top of several lists of dream runs.....
My members have become my family.... they work hard to reach their goals. They sacrifice day in and out to get to the place where they want to be. They eat right and run and cross-train and STILL find the time to be amazing husbands and wives and parents and friends. They go to work every day to take care of the things that need to be done. But they have dreams and they work for their dreams.
And it makes me angry beyond belief that some one could take a day full of promise and fulfillment and throw it out the window.....
God bless the runners and the supporters and the families of those who were in Boston today.
Help us to be strong and to move forward....always reaching for our goals. Always striving to be the best we can be.
Congratulations on the victory that should have been yours as you crossed the finish line.........
Own it. Be proud of it. Do it again.....

grace....

I've lived a pretty awesome life...
I've encountered joy far more than than sorrow.
I was nurtured by my parents and grandparents.
I had teachers who were truly called to their profession.
I've connected with friends who have been able to read my thoughts.
I've felt ultimate and instant eternal love with each sons' first cry.
I've experienced passion with those who could reach my heart.
I've met some pretty amazing people....

Recently I've started in an online guided workshop focusing on the psychology of change. I thought it would be helpful as I work with our members, especially those who seem to yo-yo or give up on their goals too quickly. I thought it would be as easy as learning some tips and tricks to help identify why we do what we do and why can't we change those things in our life that keep us from our goals.
The information provided has been basic and well researched and the assignments have been simple. What I didn't realize is how much I would learn about myself and how I would learn to identify the impact that others have on my life.

In a recent assignment, I was asked to identify 3-5 heroes in my life. Now, if I'd been in a big room full of people in a seminar setting, I would have hurriedly listed the obvious...mom, dad, grandpa, etc....
Surprisingly, as I sat back in the comfort of my home and really thought about it, I realized I am indebted to all of those people beyond measure and I will love them til the day I die, but others rose to the top of my list as heroes.
A hero is defined as:
1. a person of courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities
2. A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal
After I compiled my list, I had the names of a couple of family members and close friends written down~ no super stars or politicians made my list!
Next, I was asked to write words that came to mind as I thought of each person.
Similar words came to mind for each of them....caring, loving, laughing, strong, accepting, engaged.
The next part of the assignment involved identifying how I would like to be remembered~what words would I like to hear if I could listen to others talk about me after I had passed.... caring, inspire...mom.
As I compiled my list of words, I was to find one "all-encompassing" word that would be mine.... something to hold on to when things got tough. A word that would represent all that is good in myself and my heroes. A word that would bring my world back into focus.
I thought about the men and woman on my list. I thought of who I would like to be, even on my worst day.....
  loving
    laughing
      strong
        caring
          mom
            inspired
              accepting
                friend.......... grace
Grace.... my word. It encompasses those who made my list and it is who I want to be....
so, what did I do??
I googled it!! and I found this:

"Elegance is a glowing inner peace.

Grace is the ability to give as well as receive and be thankful"

~C.Joybell C.                                    

AND......

 

"The grace of God means something like:

Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because

the party wouldn't have been complete without you"

                                                                ~Frederick Buechner

 

What will I do with this? Who knows....  I love working with people. I love watching them to learn to love themselves again. I'd like to take the work I currently do and expand it to families and kids.

I like the fact that I've been invited to the party and I'd like to make a difference before I leave.

 

I like my word~ all that it is and all that it will come to be....