488 JUNE, A TIME FOR GRADUATIONS, WEDDINGS, JOY!

At my 'grand old age'

I've come to appreciate

Why the spirits of sages

Hover close enough to whisper

These mantras into the ears

of each generation:

'Smell the flowers'
'Live in the present.'

I mean ...

 Who's to know
What insight, lesson or trial
Tomorrow may bring?
Experience joy and spread it around—moment by moment—today!

Knowing how much work it takes for me to ‘graduate’ from one milestone in life to the next, I openly celebrate each step taken by my kids as they pass from one milestone in their lives toward the next.  Often times, milestones are not passed until insight illuminates a mindset that has not had a clue as to when it shaped up or how long it’s been closed.

As each person grows from toddlerhood toward adulthood, strings of milestones light up, one by one.  Upon reflection, one string of my most precious memories concerns the way my Dad’s spirit beamed straight into mine each time I took a 'baby step' forward.  In retrospect, the warmth of Dad's beam ignited my sense of trust to consider him one of my truest friends.  Dad did more than wish me well.  I grew up sensing, through and through, that Dad thought well of me—even when he'd deemed some of my decisions as crazy.

I didn't need to impress my parents with personal achievements to win affection and respect.  And thus did I feel peaceful while passing each milestone, one small step at a time.  When I graduated college and began to teach children, I did not aspire to speak at professional conferences, write articles or receive phone calls from newspaper reporters, asking to interview me.  Each of those unexpected experiences somehow 'found' me.  And though each of those unexpected milestones surprised me, my dad’s spirit would beam and say,  "Annie, I knew you had it in you."  (Except, Dad didn’t say ‘Annie’, because Annie is my pen name …  J )

Sitting here, today, missing my dear friend, while reflecting over the years of our relationship, my heart fills with warmth and my mind feels at peace with the knowledge that my dad said everything a child’s ear longs to hear from a 'chief' authority figure.  Perhaps the fact that my instincts sensed Dad’s belief in my future success opened the door in my mind where I did not fear taking two steps forward, one step back.  As it’s true that Dad’s bigger-than-life personality had also projected a challenging authority figure, I’d no clue, as a child, that the depth of his love coupled with the challenges he’d thrown in my path, had empowered my self esteem to focus upon my potential to succeed—one small step at a time—no matter how many setbacks throw me off track.

I've been blogging, now, for over a year.

Much to my amazement, I'm being read in 69 countries.

I don't know why I'm amazed.

Every article I've ever written has been published.

Even so, my spirit lights up when I look at the stats

And see a new nation pop up.

Amongst the topics that I choose to write about

Here is one of my all time favorites:

The power of a parent's positive focus

On an offspring's potential

To stride toward success—

One small step at a time.  :-)

I mean, in truth

Attitude and timing really are everything.

And though we always hear:  Time flies ...

I can't believe how true that is!

Will just celebrated his 70th birthday.

When he was a boy and brought home a report card

With all 'A's and one B, he'd be asked:

"Why the B?"

His parents didn't watch his face to see

How quickly their attitude had cancelled his A's.

Will grew up to be an over achieving adult—

Who’d harbored discontent not so deep inside ...

Needless to say, Mr. You're Close But Not Good Enough—Yet

Married Happy Hopeful because opposites attract

After 25 years, Happy Hopeful’s spirit

Fell so many times, it just couldn’t get up

After years of therapy Happy Hopeful realized

That she could not save the world—except for sometimes

And as old habits die hard—thus do I write this blog …

In truth, my heart smiles when I think of all of you

Who have grown to be my friends

And though we’ve yet to meet ...

I sure wish you’d choose to fill my comment box

Which is always hungry to be fed …

Warm hugs, beaming, hopeful smiles
And one last quote for today:
We can do no great things ...only small things with great love."
—Mother Teresa

JAnnie