Creating Beauty + Motivating Monday

I decided to go back to work this year. I work at a remedial high school that gives 2nd chances to oftentimes overlooked and under served students. I am a huge believer in 2nd chances, having taken advantage of many myself over the years. If it weren't for 2nd chances, I wouldn't have the awesome life I have now. Living the dream! Ha!

I've noticed that many of the things that I thought I would weave into my life took different dips and dives and the painting I had envisioned of my life looks totally different now. That's OK, I think it's very beautiful anyway!  

I heard a great story this week about a guy who loved football. He lived and breathed it as a Jr. in high school and a lot of colleges were knocking at his door. His senior year started out with a bang. They were one game away from the state championship. That was when his world came crashing down because in that game he broke his leg and tore up his knee, resulting in major knee reconstruction surgery. It ended his football career. 

It was really rough for him and he went through all the cycles of grief--denial, anger, blame, depression. Each of these stages took months to get through and the depression was the worst. Eventually he did pick himself up and turned his life outward instead of inward towards himself. He decided to go into the medical field because of his injury and went through school to become a physician's assistant. He finally came to the last stage of grief years later, which is Acceptance. He does acknowledge that if he hadn't gone through this ordeal, he may have never met his wife, who supported him through all his years of medical training. And he also acknowledges that God and Jesus Christ helped him through it all.
He certainly doesn't regret football and all that it taught him, but he is glad for the detours his path took him. 

The image below is the second Helen Keller quote I've done this month and so well deserved. Her life was not what most people would have wanted from the very start, being born both blind and deaf. But she did transcend her difficulties in a beautiful way and despite being gone for over 45 years now, her legacy lives on and she is one of the most often quoted women in history.

 Today is Motivating Monday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating, mostly non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos!  If I happen to find a great one, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MotivatingMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Don't be shy--I'm really very supportive!  Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase!

Look Toward The Sunshine + Motivating Monday!

I love Twitter because I see some really candid things that people tweet out and then forget becuase the feed just keeps going! Two tweets I saw recently gave me pause:
1) "Why can't I just quit work and live a Pinterest life?" 
2) "So I Was Waiting For my kid's Bus & It Was Very Late. I Sat There And A Elderly Lady Had a Bucket And Was Going All Over Yard Picking Up Leaves & Misc. Twigs Etc. I Wish I Had That Kind Of Time On My Hands!!"

I think we all have those moments where we wish we were somewhere totally different than we are right now! But think about it, I'm sure these two people are glad that they are where they are right now instead of where they spontaneously and publicly wished for on Twitter! 

For the lady who wanted to quit her job and have a life like Pinterest--everything about Pinterest is fake! The pictures are contrived and set up to look as gorgeous and surreal as possible. There is no such thing as a life like Pinterest! If a genie were to appear and grant you a life like Pinterest, you would seriously have NO life! 

For the woman who thinks that she would like all that extra spare time that the elderly lady has to pick up random sticks and leaves in her yard--think again! That woman is probably wishing she had more to do, and more energy to do it! She wishes she had more people to come visit her, like her children and grandchildren, and more time left in this life to take care of past mistakes & regrets! She probably has a few things left that she'd really like to do, but can't. You, on the other hand, are in the midst of your life, with children, family, friends, and responsibilities. You have such a full life that you hardly have enough time to think about it. Use your time well. Love well and appreciate the health and energy you have while it's still abundant! Your life won't always be that busy and full. Soon enough your children will grow, your responsibilities will diminish, and you'll have plenty of time to think about the sticks and leaves in your yard. 

 Today is Motivating Monday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating, mostly non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos!  If I happen to find a great one, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MotivatingMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Don't be shy--I'm really very supportive!  Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase!