Just Me

 I have struggled to figure out what direction to take with this blog, with what "theme" to focus on.  I am a woman of many passions, and a long time (a really, really long time) student in the school of life.  During this life I have learned many lessons that, if I were to admit it now, I wouldn't trade for anything.  So it occurred to me that my blog should be the place to share who I am and what I've learned with you.  My hope in doing so is to encourage and offer insight, maybe help solve a problem or even make you smile or laugh!

I turned 60 this past March, and many people have asked me how I feel about it.  Well I feel great!  Not that I don't have my share of health issues that go with this stage of life, or that I don't have sorrow at times, or grief from the inevitable losses that come along...but life is so much more than the hardships and heartbreaks.  It is rich, and precious.

Stay with me...I'm no Pollyanna!  I'm not going to tell you how you should always think positive, and pretend not to feel bad when circumstances are anything but bad.  I only want to tell you that I've learned to appreciate how great it is to be alive, even when I get hurt or disappointed; and that life is great even when someone I love dies, which has happened more times than I want to remember.  

Previously I spent years feeling sorry for myself because it seemed that one "bad" thing happened after another.  I remember being asked many years ago what my idea of happiness was, and I promptly answered, "when there are no problems in my life!"  The thing is problems will come and if I can only be happy when there aren't any then I'll never, ever be happy.  What a thought!

The trick for me is not to let the problems that come along color everything in my life with shades of grey.  I used to do that, and it made me think, I'm just an unhappy person, but that's not true.  I don't believe that.  That was other people's words.

It has taken a long time to get to the truth of me, and I am a happy person.  I love the scent of lilacs in the spring, I thoroughly enjoy my first cup of coffee in the morning, and I am fortunate to be able to feel love, and to give it, whether it is reciprocated or not.  That makes me a happy person.