Can I be honest? I mean brutally honest? When one gets on the social media during the month of November it goes from the incessant complaints about the frivolous to the suddenly to instantly grateful it gives one whiplash how fast it changes. Just like Christmas appearing right after Halloween! Turn to the center isle of Smith Grocery King and BAM! Red and Green exploding off the shelves! It causes one to almost go into hiding and don't get me started on Christmas music.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way lets get back to what I was originally going to say about these gratitude post these thirty days of I"m thankful for my coffee pot, I'm thankful for my child for existing, and while it is nice to see how much people are willing to reveal about themselves they are rather boring. The are safe responses the ones we give to other during those awkward getting to know you games that one plays at parties. Embarrassing and an absolute waste of time! Let people converse naturally the best kind of host is one who knows their guest and works hard to introduce people who have similar interest and let it flow from there.
However since I am writing this I must be honest. I'm just guilty as the next person of doing it. Yet as I was sitting in church I began thinking well if I want things to change what would it be? What am I grateful for that goes beyond the realm of basic humanistic needs? Just as shocking as someone slamming the hymnal too loudly (in a single's ward during the sacrament it is quieter than a tomb! If you are feeling guilty you can swear the whole ward can hear your heart beating!) it shocks you that sudden slam! It hit me! I was grateful for not the things but the most absolutely things in life are the lessons they taught me! I'm almost thirty and I've realized I only have so little time left and have so much to learn, so much to see and most importantly so much left to do.
So lets get to it shall we? The great lessons I've so far. Pay attention. These are important.
1. HAVE A SENSE OF ADVENTURE! Life is so boring if you just let it go by past you. I was raised in a slightly unconventional way. I was brought up to always be on the ready to get out and travel, see things,and do things. My Grandpa Vern would call up and go "I'm thinking of going to California and I'm leaving in 45 minutes and if you want to go I'll come get you" so one had to be ready! If you weren't ready he left you. My father gave me an exposure to so many different unique and rather bizarre things that were happening. He would come get us Friday night after school and Saturday morning he would take us to something new once I remember he took us to a miniature horse show. Why? I don't know but it taught me to listen and read the paper and look for these avenues to expose yourself to something new. One always thinks I have to travel to have an adventure. I say all you need is a curious imagination and the willingness to try something new! If it sparks your sense of I've always wanted to...or I read about this...then do it! Have an adventure in your hometown!
2. EXPOSE YOURSELF TO COLOR AND BEAUTY: I remember in the summer (in my memory it is always summer) and we spent every day lounging and swimming in the pool. My mom would have all of her girlfriends come up with their kids and we have the most marvelous times. I always loved it when Julene came. She was and is so chic. She has this sense of fashion and style about her that's so uniquely her. She would bring all these wonderful magazines and catalogs such as Vogue, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, People, and such. I remember reading these and picturing myself in these fabulous homes filled with these objects and the fascinating people and the lives they live. Julene is the person you want to have come over to your house cause she arranges your things in a way you've never seen before. She's taught me to look for color and beauty in the world. how to see the beauty in things and how to present yourself in a tasteful and colorful way. She has added style to my life.
3. TELL A STORY: Everyone has a story. Everyone has a unique way of phrasing it and sharing it. I've learned the most important thing is to listen. My grandpa is a marvelous story teller. He tells you the history of an object, where he bought it how much he paid for it and what was going on nationally at the time. We always joke about it but in reality I've realized it's him telling us about his past. My Grandma Dar was the same way. Sharing just the mundane details their feelings and what not have really given me the sense of listening and writing down what people say. We all want to be remembered. To be a great story teller you just have to tell what you believe about something. The rest will follow.
These are just the brief snippets. Savor these. More soon.
Xoxo.
B
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