Easter is My Spring Forward Renewal Day

In the search for one's dreams, there are many paths that you can take. Some people forge right into them from birth. It seems like they start to conquer their hopes and dreams from the minute they
leave the womb. Others stumble around their entire lives and never really find what they are looking for. Hopefully they connect and live a fulfilling life but they may wonder about the “what if they had” concerning other decisions in their lives. Most of us fall in the middle of the pack. We start and stop along the path of life, running in a straight line sometimes, walking backwards at others and striding into the future with confidence when we can.

To sit and really think about the opportunities that our lives present to us is pretty awesome. There are those moments when you are right on point and in stride like when you land your first job - the one you really wanted, but didn't think you would get. Or when you have your children, and the miracle of birth stares at you with innocent eyes and clings to just your finger with their tiny fist. Watching your spouse, friend or child making the steps that lead them to bigger and better things in their lives. These all make us realize that life itself is pretty amazing.

Since I have been following my dream of writing and churning out books and stories and a lot of mess, I realized that there were times I missed an opportunity. A chance to make a dream come closer to reality. There are so many what ifs that sometimes I have let those overwhelm my actual life.
So I am trying to take a deep breath and go on, go on blogging even if I am the only one reading some of them. Go on writing, even if no one has broken my door down to fight over my manuscripts. Go on living, because each day is by itself pretty awesome.

My mind may get overwhelmed with reality at times, but along comes a wake-up call and you remember that life is great. Some days just the act of putting one foot in front of the other is all I can do, but that makes the other days of wonderment, joy, happiness, and overwhelming contentment all that much better. My mother told me you have to go through the down years in your life, because they make the up years, moments, hours, minutes, all that much sweeter. She was a wise woman.

Go on now, why are you sitting there thinking about what you want to do, go do it. Don't wait until the half century point of your life has passed you by, before you get back to one of the things that you love to do. Easter is my Spring Forward Renewal date. The time of year that I think about all the blessings I have in my life and feel Everything is possible. So go on, get started. My pen is waiting on me.

Enjoy Life!

Earlier this year I made a one-word resolution for 2016, that word was appreciate. 
I have been trying to apply my resolution as best I can through thick and thin. Sometimes 
I am successful and sometimes not so much. When the real life you lead gets in the way, 
appreciating anything seems hard to do. But there always seems to be a story or event 
that brings this word back to my reality, and I do appreciate every little thing I am fortunate enough to have or enjoy. 
Just remember that no matter how you feel, there is always someone worse off than 
you are. That is an old wive's saying, but oh so true. Once a few years ago after my 
father had passed away, I was in the grocery store picking up a few things. I was 
trying not to cry just picking out ice cream. An elderly gentleman stopped beside 
me and asked if I liked one of the flavors in the case because his wife loved them. 
His attitude was so positive and he was so manner was so happy that he rubbed off on me and instantly lifted my spirits. I left my Harris Teeter's feeling so much better and thankful that I had run into this fine man with his amazing view of life. I got to see his 
whole family and he told me all their accomplishments and he was so proud of them that 
I could see my own Dad when I graduated college. The first person in my family to do so. 
He was that proud. I have not run into that wonderful man ever again so I am not sure if 
he was an angel sent to lift me up and just a wonderful human being who enjoys every minute if his life. Whichever he was, he made me appreciate my life! 
So appreciate everyday, tomorrow is not guaranteed. :)

In Tribute to Pat Conroy

Earlier this year, I chose a one-word resolution of 2016! That word was 
"Appreciate". I want to slow life down and appreciate what I have, what 
I can give, and what God & lIfe give to me. Unfortunately, life does not 
slow down for anyone. Grab hold and live! 

We lost one of our great American authors today, Pat Conroy. I did not know 
him personally, but you could not read the words in his books without feeling
that you did. As a Southerner and an author, we all aspire to find 
words like those which flowed off that man's pen, straight from his heart. 
I will re-read some of his awesome books just to be able to once again 
wallow in the warmth of his rich stories. I read this quote online and it 
pretty much sums it up....

  

Happy World Book Day!

Happy World Book Day! May your books always be filled 
with awe-inspiring words and your shelves never be empty! 

My One-Word Resolution for 2016 is Appreciate

Appreciate is the word I chose to be my One-Word Resolution for 2016. I want to slow down and appreciate every minute of my life. It takes time to get to a certain age and realize that your life is not infinite on this earth. All though I anticipate being reunited with the ones I love in Heaven someday, I really want to slow down and enjoy the moments that I have here on this earth. Because when you appreciate what you have, contentment and happiness will follow,

Also I need to appreciate the moments that I find to write. Sometimes I find myself getting frustrated with the time I do not get to write my book or other writing. But how lucky am I to finally have any time to enjoy this pursuit that I love. It has taken me quite a few years to get back to this thing I love to do and I need to appreciate the time I have to do it - no matter the interruptions or length of minutes I can sneak in at one sitting. My family was thoughtful enough to provide me with a brand new, very comfortable chair to use at our desk and after our Holiday trip I can't wait to get home and use it!

I also want to appreciate the time I have with my husband, daughter, and extended family. So many times I have said that I wish I could stop time and enjoy the moment longer. But that is not possible, the one thing you can count on is the evitable movement of time. I want to appreciate all the moments that I have during my life - the good, the bad and the ugly. Unfortunately we lost too many wonderful people in our family this year, 2015. One of these people was one that I wanted to write a book with of the enduring story of my husband's amazing father and his 11 siblings. Six of the brothers were in World War II and some went on to serve  our nation in other wars. My fingers are itching to tell that story but as time marches by the stories are harder to find. 

 

I also plan to stop being frustrated over what I can not change and appreciate what I can change. I will probably never get back the body I had at 22, but I want to appreciate the one I have now. I plan to appreciate the health I have and treat it with dignity, so hopefully it will continue to treat me well also. 

I also want to appreciate my food in moderation but not cheat myself from enjoying treats as they 

are presented to me without guilt. No easy feat. 

 

Appreciate - something that I plan to learn how to do better in 2016. That old saying about 

slow down and appreciate the little things in life is just what I plan to do. Please share with me 

the words you choose for your One-Word Resolution! Hope you can appreciate your wonderful families, good health, and each and every moment of your lives.  --Patty