The further I get in this journey called life, the more I reflect on the roads I've taken. I haven't always taken the easiest of paths and I haven't always made the best decisions. We do the best we can, most of the time, and all any of us really want is to be healthy, happy and live with few regrets. I have some regrets but I also have a long list of things I am proud of, things that I am happy and content with.
Life is so full of change. And I for one want to embrace each new season of life with grace and thankfulness! That sounds amazing and impressive...now if I can ever really get there even I would be impressed. But I am trying.
One of the things that I want so much for my children is contentment. Having grown up with a Dad who was never content or happy where he was in life left me so unsettled but determined to take a different path. I wanted to grow up and just be happy with where I was and with what I had. I credit any success I have had in this area to my great grandmother. She was a country gal who really had very little she could call her own, but she was the richest person I knew. She lived with few regrets (she always told me to be mindful how I treated people so I wouldn't regret it later), and she honestly never complained (other than her back aching).
I have tried to pass some of what she taught me to my children. I want them to love the life they have and be thankful for each day, and be happy with the small things.
It really doesn't take much to make me happy. Richard and I laugh all the time about how silly we are. Sitting on the porch in our rockers watching cars drive by (yup, exactly what old people do), driving into Starbucks for a latte (which we did today), mowing the yard, taking a trip to Dairy Queen...pretty boring to others but highlights of our simple life.
Of course now we take longer rides to southern Maine to see our kids and our yummy grand babies. It may not cost much, but it is priceless.
I want to look out over the ocean and remember how big God is and how big his mercy is for me. I want to watch my children with their children and smile as I remember all those years ago when I dreamed of these days. I want to remember the hard times with a thankful heart because we made it through. And I want to enjoy the little things in life...because quite honestly, they are the big things!
