Be Brave!

I posted this picture on Facebook this week and truly believed in what it said.

Today I had an opportunity to share a small piece of my life story with a young woman. It is interesting how the conversation came about and I believe with all my heart that it is always, always divine intervention.

Sometimes it takes a lot of bravery to tell your story. You fight back tears but you know in the core of your being you need to be strong and tell it anyway. Sometimes, the tears need to be shared also.  I have been blessed to be presented with more opportunities than I can recall to share my experiences and learn later how much it has helped someone. I have been able to tell one or two of my life stories in front of large crowds of people and allowing so many people to see your emotion is not always the easiest thing but I am always amazed at who my words touched. I don’t take credit for that because the words that seem to have the most impact are the ones I never intended to say. They weren’t in my notes, they are what I call “Heart Words”.

Today’s conversation was also a healing process for me. Because of sharing with someone of my trials, I was able to relive those just a bit and address some of my feelings by sharing.

By sharing your experience you also meet some of the most incredible people and you get to know them on a level that most superficial relationships never attain. When you see those people the next time, you look at each other, really look at each other, and that look is with knowing eyes and hearts.

So…..Be Brave! Share those thoughts and feelings. Listen to your inner voices that tell you it is okay and this is what you need to be doing. You will have an opportunity to help someone if you just pay attention. Guess what? It probably helps you more than them.

Memorial Day

I grew up in a small town on the Mississippi River in the Midwest. That helped create a real God and Country attitude and belief for me. I used to joke with a friend of mine that my upbringing in that location made me a real American. 

Memorial Day for me, growing up, was important because I was taught the meaning of it by my parents and my community. We did all the cooking out with extended family and friends, played games outside, made homemade ice cream and we took time out of the day to go to the cemetery to pay our respects to all those who had passed and in particular the veterans. Wreaths were taken for every family members grave and additionally, flags for the veterans in our family.

I am very thankful I was taught those important things about God and Country. I live too far away now to visit the cemetery but my way of paying respect is to send my monetary donation to that little cemetery on the hill overlooking the Mississippi River and the tiny town I grew up in. It is maintained by donations and towns people who care. Some of those same people who helped instill in me the respect and honor I feel today for our veterans.  Thank you to those people in my little home town who helped instill in me the respect I have for our great country and those who fought for my freedom and gave the ultimate - their tomorrow for my today.