The Here and Now

This post may be a little....well, on the emotional side. A couple of things  happened to me this week, that really got me thinking. Which is usually a little dangerous. Me thinking. Hmmm. No phone calls please, it's not as dramatic as it sounds. Ha. I found a picture of my grandpa, who passed away in 2008. And I really started missing him. I was the oldest grandchild of 5. And I was the only grandchild for about 2 years. Thanks a lot Cheryl. So glad you were born, Cheryl. He used to call me "pooter." I pretty much lived at my grandparents house every.single.weekend. I loved it there. But, what kid doesn't? I have lots and lots of memories of being at my grandparent's house, playing with my cousins, it was just the best time. And so that got me to thinking, those memories are so precious to me, and then I remembered, (like I could forget) I have 3 little girls of my own now, and I want to be focused on making memories for them, with them.
It's so so easy these days to be so caught up in "this life" that we don't slow down enough to enjoy and appreciate the little things. It sounds so cliché, but it really is the truth. We need to be living in the Here and Now. Boy, I sound like I could be preaching on Sunday morning. No thanks, by the way:) And it's not just our kids we need to slow down and appreciate. We need to appreciate every relationship we have. With our spouse, or significant other, our parents, our siblings, our friends. Even our pets. Even strangers. Our life on this Earth is so short. So short. And regardless of your spiritual beliefs, Now is the time to soak up every little thing with those you love. Because it won't last forever. Things happen every day that end relationships. Things that are unexpected. Things that are devastating. Don't live your life with regret. Or with a grudge. This is your one and only shot at living this life. Yes, things are going to happen that make us mad, sad, resentful, hurt, and we are going to have reactions. Human reactions. But, at the end of the day, let's just be genuinely happy, and kind,  and create memories that we want to remember. For ourselves, and those around us. I have a friend on facebook, let's call her "Madge", who has gone through a lot. Ugly divorce, custody, etc, yet she is a shining example of how to live this life and make cherished memories.  I am sure there are times she wanted to give up and say "forget this" but she didn't. She and I weren't the best of friends in high school, just like a "hi" kind of thing when we saw each other, and who would have guessed that 15 years later, she has inspired me by her positive attitude and actions. Funny how things change when we "grow up."  And you know what, she probably has no idea that by just being friends on facebook, she has inspired me. For that, I just want to say thank you "Madge."
So, be a Madge in some one's life. You may never know what kind of impact you will have on them. Love one another, and most importantly, respect one another. You will more blessed than you can ever know by just appreciating the little things and focusing on your relationships with an attitude of gratitude (I'm a poet and didn't know it!! Chris Cross'll make you JUMP! JUMP!, RIP..) :)