When one gets really sad news

I got a message last week that my Dad's last wife (he's been gone since 1990-ish) passed away.  This morning I decided to look up the obituary and send my condolences to her sons.  What I found was truly shocking to me.  I only found an article about an 86 year old grandmother by the same name that was murdered by her grandson about a month ago.  I am fairly certain that it is the same person.  How awful!  I feel terrible that I didn't know about it in a timely fashion.  My Uncle just got a message recently from one of the sons.  I'm waiting to hear if that in fact was the same woman I knew so many years ago so that I can hopefully respond appropriately.

I have not been in touch with her regularly as her mail was usually returned to me.  Then I would run across something later and we would have a brief conversation...then no more for some time.  I remember her as a fun-loving caring person.  I am really surprised that she remained single for all these years.  She was much better off financially as I recall than even my Dad...and she loved to put on airs and take me shopping when I was young.  It was quite a shock in my younger days to see how differently the store people treated her - as compared to me.  While I was equally as able to spend money as she was - because I was 30 years her junior...she got all the attention!  It was entertaining for me and I never took anything personally.  By the time I began to visit them, I was over my materialism to a great degree - so mostly found the whole scene entertaining.

As I reflect on those early life lessons, this is what I gained from them.  I would rather by fashionable, trendy things from a cheap store so that I feel no guilt if I get tired of it and give it away later.  I once bought a purse that I spent a lot of money on...and I couldn't ever part with it because it was an investment.  Never again! It went away when I moved finally although I had not used it for years.  I would rather travel and spend money on experiences than gather more things that I have to care for and dust.  Those trinkets are just not important anymore and I can seldom remember why or where I bought them.  I love to take pictures...although I really don't do anything with them either.  Thankfully it's all digital and I can just enjoy the hobby of it without thinking about what I must do with it (or where to store it as in the case of print film and pictures).  Just remember to always make backups as they are your most favorite memories in the making and someday that will be important to you and your family.  Someday I will get all those prints into digital format I hope.

My life is an open book on which I can now create.  You can never sit by complacently and wait as bad things happen to good people on this planet.  Live your bucket list NOW!  Don't wait til tomorrow if you can do it today.  While I realize that most of us must work for a living, be diligent in planning your bucket list trip for next year.  Where do you want to go in 2017?  My first trip is to Panama as I have always wanted to see and experience the Panama Canal.  So I have researched and made plans to tour the country.  I can hardly wait.  Yesterday I researched how to travel lightly as the small planes have serious weight limits and a lot of our travel is rural.  So exciting!  I plan to do some travel writing in the future...so watch for those details coming soon!  In the meantime, I ordered travel gear to make traveling light a reality.

Have the best week of 2016 this week as we start to approach Thanksgiving.  Be grateful for all that life has given you!  Tell someone thank you today!

Today's meanderings...

Perhaps I will start a non-profit that helps to make a difference.  There are so many worthwhile causes out there...for me it's about helping individuals and families...not administrations.  Worthwhile causes get down and dirty with the people they are helping.  I'm about natural healthcare as the first option, medical healthcare only after that if natural fails.  I am against drugs that make people commit suicide or do crazy things.  I'm about education that truly educates.  The current system is failing our youth.  I'm about giving people equal rights - protecting human rights for all. I'm about making businesses succeed and an economy that flourishes and prospers.  I want to help able people become more able so that this happens.  I'm about making the world a better place one person at a time.  I love to help!

Election is over

I for one am just thankful that the nasty election is over.  While there were not the best choices, the government will carry on.  With good people positive changes can be made - good people like you and I in the trenches of life.  We can start to make a difference right here in our communities.  Without the media that's all we would know.  So today - make a difference in someone's life.  Even a very small difference.  Buy someone a cup of coffee....give them a half hour of your time to listen to them and their needs and acknowledge them as a person.  Simple - inexpensive and worth it!  Start today.  Too much for you to do...then just give someone a smile and tell them to have a great day...That is enough.  You are enough at whatever level you are!  Try it and let me know how it goes.
As I begin to plan for 2017, decisions have to be made on what events I will continue to produce and which ones I must leave behind.  My purpose is to make a difference in the lives of those in my community, family, and life.  Without community support it becomes difficult to fund and continue...so my quest is to find people with common goals that can help.

Building all my dreams into one lifetime sometimes seems monumental and pie in the sky...but if I don't try I can never succeed.  So I will start with the brand new day that I have before me and see where it will take me.  I'm excited to go my global entry meeting and get that done!  Travel will be easier and since my outreach tends to extend past the borders, I will look forward to making it as easy as possible.  Tomorrow I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to take a painting class!  It's been a little while since I allowed myself the creative time that I long for everyday!

Go forth today and make a difference!  If you don't know how, ask...Smile and carry on!  Love your family and your friends - practice your faith and believe in yourself.  See the world is already a better place because of you!  Have the best day ever!

Another Brand New Day!

Today is election day in the US.  I for one will be glad that it's over.  There is SO much information and dirty politics that there is NO truth anywhere.  You really can't believe anything that the media publishes.  They are only making money by sensationalizing everything.  Where do you find the truth?  Look inside...that's my best advice.  Trust yourself to make the best possible decision even if that's not voting for either of the two candidates.  Neither are worthy if you ask me to serve you, the citizens of this great nation.  I don't have a resolution on how to vote today...but what I know is that we must vote for our local representation and those things that will affect us locally.  Keep good people in Congress both locally and nationally.  They are the ones who more closely represent how I feel and you feel.  They are approachable.  You can have a reasonable conversion with them, get a response to a matter that concerns you, etc.  Don't forget that we are as a people a great nation.  What the media chooses to spread is just gossip and rumors designed to make all of us more robotic and less cause over our own worlds.  Don't buy into it.  Be yourself...Be valuable...Flourish and Prosper.  It will be ok.

Have a great Election Day and remember to respect the system.  If we don't like the system, then we need to work together to come up with a better one - but for now we should respect it.