Tales of the Ordinary Days

I was around 13 years old in this picture. Aunt Kathy was a Creighton college student, home on a visit. I found great happiness in spending time with my family. (Special shout out to my mom for her seamstress skills in making my edgy terry cloth outfit) Talking with a friend, he lamented to me on his frustrations with his child's lack of showing selflessness in decision-making. The story he told definitely had the tone of a spoiled child thinking only of himself. As we talked through how to best parent through this situation, I asked the question that instantly came to my mind. "Does he find joy in bringing happiness to others? Can you think of an example that he can relate to?" Parenting on selfishness most times comes across as a lecture. Using specific examples of past acts of selflessness can get the point across better. We all have episodes of selfishness, whether we are older or under the age of 13. Being reminded of those moments of finding joy in the ...

Today was not an ordinary day. In Dr. Seuss' language, my thoughts on the day would go something like this... "You have a brain in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. Unless someone truly cares an awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." Well, I will just sum it up by saying that today certainly wasn't an ordinary day, but I will accept that. Life is full of changes, good and bad. Sometimes the toughest part is figuring out if life shake-ups are truly a good or a bad thing. Personally, I have found my biggest life challenges have turned into opportunities. Doors opened to new people and adventures. A new chapter in life. I am bullish in my view that this will be the case once again. When the unexpected creeps into the door of normalcy, the best response is not one of self-doubt, anger, or fear. The best response is gaining perspective and self-awareness. As of late, I had been thinkin...