By believing there is more to learn and understand.

Taking a moment to think about the other person’s perspective.

By reopening a dialog with my kids. We’ve tried to stay connected using Marco Polo in the past year or so but the protests over the weekend caused a rift between us and we haven’t spoken the last two days. It’s sad that we can agree to the protests but not the associated violence. I’m befuddled.

Tomorrow will manifest the seeds plated today, for better or worse. I must choose today to sow that which I hope to reap.

My father is my hero because he persists, he doesn’t stop making attempts to move forward, and he refuses to quit. He gives selflessly because it is his nature to share. He isn’t a perfect man, but I’m grateful to be his daughter.

I just love seeing someone get a chance, a leg up. I’m grateful for the opportunity to do something that benefits another person or group of people.

As my dad lays dying, I can lay rest to past resentments and choose to look at the times he put forth the extra effort, said the kind word, expressed pride in his children. Every parent fails in some way, but choosing to stick around and contribute your flawed personality to the family vibe is a massive boon to the universe. For that I can be grateful as well.

For me it means waking up, being present rather than daydreaming. It means paying attention to those in the room and limiting game time. It means allowing extra time to talk to elderly people on the phone, and exercising for my body’s sake, as an act of self-love.

My body has asked me to love it, to be grateful for it. I’ve spent a lifetime wishing it away, but then comes this pandemic and I have protected it and been angry at those who would compromise its safety. Whereby I have learned I do love it and I am grateful for my beating heart, continued breath, and the millions of neurons firing away, enabling all sorts of miraculous activities such as typing out this response.

By being passionate about recycling and reducing waste, by sending money to reliable organizations to help people in 3rd world circumstances, by praying.

Our shelter is a work in progress, but it has so much potential. We’re blessed to have it.

I am learning to step back, to let circumstances do their thing and be at peace with it.

lol Insightful as always, Kevin!

Thank you for the visualizations. Grief and Sorrow bedded down in my house and refuse to leave, so I love the idea that Hope is a giant and dwarfs them. I need to keep remembering not to change the locks on Joy and let her burst in the door whenever she likes..

Neither of you thought of it. Sometimes there are so many distractions in life the simplest things get by us. I’m sure she was so blessed the day you were ordained. It’s beautiful that she felt she could confess to you and trust you not to judge her, but give her your compassion and love instead.

Love to you! You are worthy of so much more. I was able to tell my daughter before she became ill and died that even though her husband said she deserved everything she got, God did NOT think that! God wants good things for her. In that moment her face lit up and she was so joyful. She had believed a lie for so long. What a blessing to have that memory of her realization.