Posts Tagged ‘deep thoughts’

I don’t often get the opportunity to write during the day anymore. Unfortunately, having a job where the bosses are (almost) literally sitting in your lap all day long kinda makes that next to impossible. Perhaps if they didn’t do that all day, every day, they would have staff that didn’t basically do as little as possible when we don’t have any babysitters.

But I digress.
Or maybe I don’t.

This morning, I woke up in a rather sappy and girlie and ever-so-slightly loveycuddly mood. By slightly, I mean that if I could have, I would have cuddled in bed all day long. And, as if I need to say it, loveycuddly IS a word, no matter what spell-check has to say on the matter.

After waking up in such a mindset, I came to work and found out that all boss-type activity would be happening far, far away. That suited me just fine, as my body was at the office, but my mind was still tucked warmly and snuggled in bed.

As if that weren’t enough to make a good day better, a short while after arriving at the office, I was handed a picture that seemed to sum up the exact mood that I am in today.

The picture was handed to me by a friend. A kindred spirit who happened into my life the way most kindred spirits do; by chance. The photo she handed me was of a woman that I had met just as serendipitously.

One day, finding myself without lunch because I had forgotten it at home, I ventured out into ‘town’ to forage for food. I popped into the deli/diner to order something, turned around and saw my friend seated in the diner. She beckoned me over and introduced me to the remarkable lady that she was dining with.

I spent only fifteen or so minutes there while I waited on my order. But in those minutes, this woman made me feel like I was not only welcome, but that I had known her for years. What an incredible spark. Sense of humour, sharpness of mind and spirit. Something in her demeanor captured me and held me in rapt attention as she spoke.

There was nothing about this woman that didn’t whispershout happiness and love.

As I looked at her picture this morning, I realized why.

She has lived in love and with love for so long, that she has become love.

The photo of her and her husband took my breath away. I looked at it for a long time. I looked at his smile, and the way his arm wrapped comfortably around her shoulder as if it had always had a place there. I looked at her smile, at her hand wrapped around his as if it had always belonged there.

I looked into their eyes and mine teared up because this…
THIS is life.
This is joy.

This is, simply and unconditionally and purely, love.

As I write this, he is no longer beside her.
My heart breaks a little because of that.

But here’s the thing… I met her after he had already passed on. Before I even knew that he had gone. And I felt that remarkable love pouring out of her. In every breath, in every movement, every smile; from her core.

Love lives on.

And on, and on…

Thank you H & L, for loving each other.

I can’t wait to have my picture taken in fifty years and have a smile like yours.

Would you break the law to save a loved one?

Well, yeah.
I have already.

“Save” is a subjective term.
Save them from what?
Danger? Pain?

No matter how you slice it, I’ve already answered this question.

I see no reason to answer it again.

/post.

Remember to see the beauty in everything. It's always there.

The current challenge is brought to you by myself, and the ever delightful Chrissa over yonder at A Little Wicked. The Challenge questions are pilfered from Marc and Angel Hack Life, and their stellar list of 50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind. We hope you enjoy the posts, and if you’d like to take part, the questions are yours to answer.

Accomplishments.
More specifically, accomplishments that I am most proud of.

That is the topic of today’s post…

When I read that, I thought it was going to be another post that required a lot of thought from me, to get something on paper (or on screen) that would suffice for this topic. So I said to myself… Self? What a great fucking day for rock and roll! Oh, wait. That’s what Bon Jovi said. (Just trust me on that. They did.)

What I did was answer the question posed of me by someone that I was with, which was, “Well, what are your greatest accomplishments as YOU define them?” See, I don’t really define accomplishments in the way that most people do. Most people would probably look at something that they did at work, or some cool project that they were involved in.

I don’t really look at those as my greatest accomplishments.
My personal greatest accomplishments run a little deeper, and more personal.

I have always done right by my family. I believe that this is a huge accomplishment. I honoured my parents, and I respected their wishes. I looked after them when they needed it, and I have always tried to make sure that my brother is looked after as well. I have stood by my best friend (yes, she IS family) through thick and thin. It hasn’t always been easy. Sometimes, it’s driven me to tears of frustration and into fits of rage. But in the end, it was always worth it. Family is supposed to be the one thing that you can depend on, and I was always able to depend on mine. I never wanted any of my blood (or my Blood on Blood) to question whether I would be there for them when they needed it.

I have been the best friend that I could be. And I continue to do so. I am a loyal and trust-worthy friend. I will fight for my friends, and I would do whatever I could to keep them from being hurt – physically or emotionally. If I can’t stop the hurt, then I will suffer through it with them, and try to bring some sun into their darkest hours. I will also share joy, laughter and sarcasm when the occasion calls for it. Which – with my friends? – is often.

I have maintained my integrity. I was thrust into a world of payoffs and kickbacks very young. Thanks to an upbringing that allowed me to recognize right from wrong, and to know when my gut is telling me that something is just not fucking right, I was able to steer clear of any of that bullshit. It allowed me to trust those that I knew were on the up and up, and to say with a very loud and clear voice that I will not be bought. For any price.

I still trust. Yeah. This is an accomplishment. I have had people that I trust rip me to shreds. On more than one occasion. Yet I am still able to trust people. It might take more time now to earn my trust, but once you have it, it is yours until you do something to mess it up. Those that I trust are held in highest regard, and I will do everything I can not to break their trust in me. I expect the same from them. The fact that I can still trust anyone, though… it is something that I remain very proud of.

Those are the things that I am most proud of accomplishing. They might not be things that are easily recognizable, and I haven’t received any plaques to hang on my wall. But you know what? I don’t need any. The fruits of those accomplishments follow me every day, and provide me with a reason to smile.

So… Tell me.

What are your greatest achievements?

The 50-50 Challenge is an idea that Chrissa from A Little Wicked and I came up with. It is based on a list of 50 Lists to Write to Lift Your Spirits, which can be found at Demanding Joy. We were inspired to make it a blog challenge. If you’d like to participate, please do. Be as inspired as we were.