Dear Reader:

I remember the first time I went to the circus and saw the high wire trapeze artists … I was terrified …they didn’t have a safety net under them and I kept my eyes closed through most of the performance.

Dr. Seuss was right. “Life is a balancing act.”

As a retired educator…teachers always talked about promoting the concept, to their students, of becoming life-time learners. We should never stop being excited about some new interest in our lives. Too many times, aren’t we guilty, of over-thinking these random interests that enter our lives unexpectedly?

We lose the moment in our zest to keep pulling ahead of the pack.

Our rational brain tells us to let these unexpected interests slip away…they are thwarting or detouring our growth path towards our “Major”  life goal. But are they? If we keep growing and learning new skills for only the objective of ‘pinning the tail on the donkey’ of life…did we really win the game?

It is just as important to take time off from our diligent journey through life with goals and objectives intact as it is to stay on the straight and narrow. Aren’t the back roads the best part of life?

“The black hole (and dark side) of trying to live in a constant state of growth, can cause you to lose your bearings if you don’t “stop to smell the roses.” You might begin to feel as though you are on a roller coaster, changing and growing so fast, you start to lose perspective on where you ever were in the first place.

It is so, so, so important to pause and enjoy your “successes” along the way. Whether that’s something tangible, like a raise or a new car, or something intangible, like a healthier self-esteem or a new-found sense of confidence, it’s crucial to enjoy those moments.

If you don’t, you will feel like a hamster on a wheel, never taking a break, never resting, always looking for the next reward–and then the reward will come and you won’t even realize it because you’re already onto the next task.

It’s a fine line, but it’s necessary for balance. Constant growth is great, but what good is it to reach for the sun if you never stop to enjoy the sun in the first place?

Be like a tree. Always growing, and at the same time, always grounded.

Resource:(Five Questions to Ask Daily to Succeed in Life) Nicholas Cole

So until tomorrow…”Stay open to unseen possibilities” as we go through life…adding new leaves to our branches as we grow together.

“Today is my favorite day”

Tommy and Kaitlyn provided me with a great family story. They toured St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In one room Tommy discovered a tablet that said: “Leave a message for a loved one who has been affected by war.”

So Tommy did just that…for Uncle Ben. Now his name will always be a part of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin!

The Dingle’s are leaving for Southern Ireland tomorrow – The first  time they will have to drive and they are a little nervous but like Anne advised  “Just follow the car in front of you.” Bye Dublin!