Just a small thought

I worked on my flower bed today - planted 24 tiger lilies (my favorite). I've never considered myself much of a gardener, having been known to kill the kind of plants that are supposed to be hard to kill, including bamboo and cactus. Yes, I once killed a cactus. That takes skill. But I will say, I really enjoyed planting my flowers today and found it to be rather therapeutic. I had no time limit. I wasn't in a hurry. I took my time with each individual little hole that I dug, with a little music playing in the background to keep me company. It wasn't a task. It wasn't a chore. It was one of the more enjoyable things I've done lately. And seeing the plants all in a row when I was done brought me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

Add to it the benefit of Spring saying to me, "I have arrived". And that is a most welcome thought. I utterly hate winter. I sincerely despise it. I don't know that it's so much "seasonal depression" that I suffer from, as much as it is "winter sucks and there's really no good reason to leave my warm house when it's freezing and miserable outside". Either way, I for one, am glad to say goodbye for another season.

Now is the time to celebrate warm nights, lightning bugs and porch beers, soon to be followed by weekends boating on the lake, beach trips and long days of sunshine. And those days are my favorite days. So here's to Spring and Summer; new beginnings and sunny days ahead.

I think I will play in my flower bed more often.

Peace, Love & Happiness Tour: Part 1

On my morning drive to work, I caught a recap of a speech, the actress, Ellen Page, gave at a recent event for LGBT teens in Vegas. I didn't hear the entire speech, but what caught my attention, was the following quote from her speech:

"And I’m inspired to be in this room because every single one of you is here for the same reason: you’re here because you’ve adopted, as a core motivation, the simple fact that this world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another."

Let me repeat that last part in case you missed it - this world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another. 

Such simplicity that it would seem to be common sense. And yet, it's not. Day after day, decade after decade, we find someone to hate. 

I lived in Birmingham, AL for many years, home to one of the most atrocious acts of the civil rights movement - the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church that killed four young girls. Kelly Ingram Park in downtown Birmingham features statues depicting scenes when blacks were held back with firehoses and dogs. It's a stark reminder how our past is tainted with hatred and bigotry.

What is sad to me, is that throughout history, and continually today, people everywhere are having to fight for equality. I applaud the men and women who stand up to oppression and protest for justice. I only wish there was no need for it. Why can't we all just get along? Is that hard to just love thy neighbor? Is it so difficult a concept to grasp, that the majority of people, regardless of race, religion, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or social class just want to live a good, decent life filled with love and happiness? They want to earn an income and be appreciated for their hard work. They want to provide for their families. They want to fall in love. They want the same chance at success as anyone else. Nobody got to pick their lot in life. All they can do is play the hand that was dealt to them.

Stop being horrible to each other.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--

Back At It

It's been a minute since my last post. I apologize. It's been a rough couple of months, in more than one way. For those that are close to me, you know what's been up. For everyone else, let's just say it's been a helluva ride. And some days, it got the best of me. It's hard to write objectively when your mind is so wrapped up in another aspects of your life. So I'm feeling a little rusty tonight, but I know if I don't just make myself get back to it, I never will.

But the truth is, the last few months haven't been as hard as they could have been. The biggest contributor to that has been my family and friends. I know I've probably said it a million times before, but I really do have the best support system around - great people that love me and believe in me. And when times get tough, they are the ones that pull me up and give me strength. I honestly have no idea how I could make it without them.

The last few months have been trying. My faith has been absolutely tested. I won't lie. Some days were hard, really hard. And then some days were okay. But that's the way it goes. See, there is no such thing as a happy ending, because the truth is, until you die, it doesn't end. It just keeps going, up and down, back and forth, and all you can do is try to fully enjoy every single blessed, joyous moment and know that there will be dark days, but they too shall pass. That is the roller coaster ride we are on. Hang on, close your eyes, feel the excitement and rush of it all, with faith that you'll make it out okay. Wake up every single day knowing you have been given another shot at life.

Several months ago, I found myself in a new place, and felt it was "meant to be" or "divine intervention" if you will. And then, Bam!, the rug was pulled out from under me and suddenly I questioned it all. But then I remembered something. If I thought it was God's will that led me here, then, in fact, it is also meant to be for me to suffer through this. Maybe the lesson was humility. Maybe it was patience. Or maybe it was faith. Or maybe there is no such thing as God and we are all just free floating around in random chance, but whatever the reason, I have found a newfound appreciation for the simple pleasures in life and have counted my blessings more in the last couple of months than in many years before. I have realized my troubles are few in comparison to the vast majority, and I have a newly restored sense of being, and knowing that I can and will survive, regardless of the curve balls thrown my way.

"Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are."
~Arthur Golden