I have a birdhouse in the yard, each year a male and female bird take it over, build a nest inside, and raise a family. Watching the male and female work together, communicate, and protect their home fills me with wonder. All they do has a simple design, they are propagating their species. It’s hardwired into them. There are lessons to learn from them. These birds teach about commitment, hard work, and fulfilling a mission.
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Good relationships are hard work and worthy of the effort. Good relationships are organic, they constantly evolve. They are never static. Each partner to a good relationship continuously learns about himself or herself and the other. It’s a lot like peeling an onion a layer at a time, There’s always another layer. The more we trust each other in a relationship, the more we are willing to reveal a hidden layer. Those in good relationships know they are in a love dance and the music guiding the dance is a love song.Â
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I was born with a restless gene. My dad constantly gave me the business about my continually moving on and never really settling in one place. I know many people, who, unlike me, find their place and know they’ve arrived. One type brings security, the other adventure. We need both in society. Neither way is the right way. It’s more important to accept who we are, enjoy the journey, and make a difference wherever we find ourselves.Â
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“I don’t know what I’m going to be when I grow up.” How many times have you said or heard someone speak these words? I still say them. I view life as a continuous learning and changing process. When we continue to learn and change we engage with life. Don’t stop living. Embrace life, the experiences it offers. And, embrace the opportunities it offers to change. Maybe I’ll learn the tango, travel to a country I haven’t visited, or become a top chef. What are YOU going to be when you grow up?
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We’ve all been hit with disappointments, sorrow, and betrayals. They hurt. And, some of them hurt deeply. Yet, in the pain we experience, there is a shining light, there are lessons and truths that we would never discover if we didn’t go through the darkness. The lessons don’t make it easier. If we allow them to act on us, we become better people. Don’t let these experiences make you bitter, let the experiences make you better.
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Every once in a while it’s good to think about what’s really important in life. One way of thinking about what’s important is think about what we can do without. It doesn’t take long for me to identify what’s important to me:
- Good health.
- Family
- Friends
- Love
- Faith in a loving God
- A job with meaningful work
Everything else is an added benefit.Â
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There are some things I may not like, but I have to accept, like a rainy day when I’m planning a picnic. Why get upset over things we can’t change? Instead, learning to accept and work with things we can’t change opens up whole new ways of thinking and doing. In the example, instead of going on a picnic why not take in a movie? There are many options if we open ourselves to them and a seeming disappointment, becomes a field of opportunities.Â
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Life can be tough. The tough moments are borne more easily when we have a special friend or partner whose strength and encouragement bolsters and supports us. Perhaps today, you can be that special friend or partner and be the wings under his/her wings.Â
You know you are out of balance if all you think about is work, tasks to be accomplished, and the next thing to do. When we’re out of balance we have to pedal harder to prevent ourselves from tipping. Today, take time to find some balance. It doesn’t have to be big. Skip a business lunch and go for a gentle walk, grab a bite from a food truck. Tonight, leave the news alone. It’ll still be there in the morning. Hold hands and kiss the partner in your life. You’ll both feel better.
What does this day hold for you? Who knows? How we frame the events of our day can make all the difference in how we feel about the day. The other night a friend text me and suggested we go out for dinner. I was planning to watch a basketball playoff game. After a moment’s thought, I chose to go out for dinner. I can always watch a replay of basketball game, I can’t watch a replay of a pleasant conversation over a good meal. It was a good decision.
