Tales of the Ordinary Days

Enjoying the Oregon Coast I vividly remember being asked as a child to describe what I hoped to have accomplished by age fifty. This thought was inconceivable to my young mind. "Fifty? That's ancient!" or something close to that was my roadblock to answering this question. So I answered with the stereotypical; married with children and grandchildren, living in a comfy home and....knitting by the fire?? But here I am almost to this milestone. The big one. So what are my thoughts now with my more mature forty-nine-year-old mind? "I made it!!!!! YES!" Yep, I'm thrilled. I can truly say that I have never dreaded a birthday or wished to be young again. Every wrinkle is earned and with every new ache, a reminder to enjoy the good health I have today. Reversal is not an option. A wise person once told me that getting older was much better than the alternative. I have always held this thought close to heart. Every day really is a blessing. This birt...

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 ...