Love is the Greatest Adventure…

Dear Reader:

Yesterday readers…I left you re-telling and celebrating a good book ( Gentleman in Moscow) and raving about the new horizons of thought about life, in all its beauty and destruction, his writings gave me.

However (no spoiler alert) but yesterday Jackson and I talked ( she had read the novel a few years ago when it was newly published) about the ending. Like life… the ending combined a big sigh of satisfaction with one tiny puzzle piece named ” But then What?” seemingly missing.

In other words… the author was letting each reader draw his/her own conclusion about the ” But What If” unknown future of the main characters.

All morning my thoughts on the ” the rest of the story ” bounced back and forth like a ping pong ball. Until… at one red light the answer entered my thoughts with such clarity… that I felt like honking my horn just to celebrate … but I didn’t!

LOVE IS THE GREATEST ADVENTURE!

Think about our own lives… it is not the beginning or end of our lives that matter… it is what we did between the two that defines the outcome of our life’s journey… that defines who we are as human beings.

If love is missing … we devalue our lives… we can always give love to others ( most precious gift of all) and be open to the love sent our way through family, friends, and strangers alike. Because in the end it is the love given and received … the love adventure that matters… nothing else… it is always the journey… not the destination!

Case-in-point: Yesterday I decided to love myself enough to treat myself to my favorite go to and ( to go) chicken meal at Oscars!

I called and placed it around two. After doing so… I wished I had remembered to order a side salad with it… but their lunch hour was closing and I didn’t want to be a bother.

When I went to pick it up …Olive, my longtime restaurant friend, who takes most of the orders… handed me my bag and then whispered… “I remembered when I got your order today that a few months ago I forgot to add a salad to your order… and you never said a word. So today… you will find a salad with your ranch dressing in the bag.” She winked and held the door for me while shushing my thanks. My God Wink for the day!

A ” SURCIE” SALAD… unexpected random gift that makes one’s day!”

So until tomorrow… as long as we allow LOVE TO BE OUR GREATEST ADVENTURE… we will have experienced a life well lived… no matter the hardships and obstacles!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Jake’s Maple -they are both leading the other maples with their leaves

**Look at Susan’s adorable Easter Wreath!**

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”

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