Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life | Tracks In The Dust

Archive for the category “Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life”

21 Jun 2013

Searching for An Answer

Keep searching.

It seems like everyone gives up or says “I am done” at some point in their life… but it is important that you take that in stride. The old song that goes: “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again” doesn’t always feel like a welcome one.

But whether it is a search for a mate, a new job, a solution to a problem or profoundly the meaning of life, there has to be a point to it. Never giving up is so cliché. Still I think that is the basis of being human, having hope – even if despair is all around you.

But you have to look for it. I have posted before about people in my life that I have noticed who will wait for things to come to them. Sure it happens (some call it luck- others call it fate). God is good and He will provide, but you have to be looking for it. You cannot expect the things you need to search for to land in-front of you.

Ironically those few times that they do, if you weren’t looking they may just pass you by. You may not even recognize the opportunity (like my mom used to say) “even if it bit you in the nose.” Maybe that is because you weren’t looking, which gets right back to searching doesn’t it?

So I keep faith in the hope that the things we are willing to search for will come to us if we are open and receptive to them. (Like most everyone else, I have been at the dark-end of things in my life). If we understand that in order to search for those things, we have to remove the excuses and reasons not to. We have to get out of the cycle of denial or despair (or whatever you want to call it), and make something of the life we have.

‘Cuz life is short, and you may know that adage: The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. That is, not a philosophy to support the idea to party till you drop, but to recognize what you need to do in life; make the best of it- understand that eternity can be had in the next life- and go searching. Don’t stop. Open your eyes…

A great song by a band I have enjoyed for decades.

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life, Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Advice, Faith, Hope, Inspirational, Meaning of life, moments, Procrastination, Reality Check, Searching for meaning, Secret of Life, Self-Awareness, spirituality, Sprituality

20 Jun 2013

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Summer Solstice

It’s that time of year where summer is “official” on the calendar.

Here in the US it is that time again to think seriously about summer. For many of us that happened back at the end of May when America celebrates Memorial Day. But for the science of it all, summer begins now.

It sill churns up all the great memories of what summer meant when I was a kid: hot summer days at the beach, baseball season starts to really take shape, get ready for Independence Day celebrations and barb-e-ques ahead, hop on the bike and ride to places to enjoy the out-of-doors (does anyone really call it that anymore?). There was kind of a feeling of anticipation of what the adventure of summer would bring.

Anticipation for the “lazy days“: Like my mom and dad planning a family vacation. Even the summer songs on the radio would be upbeat, softball leagues would be gathering at the neighborhood park, the dog-days of August were lurking in the post July heat ahead-. The world seemed brighter– may be because the days were longer and the nights seemed more available to extend the day’s activities.

As I have gotten older, some of that still remains. I think I worked hard to make sure my kids could feel those same remembrances, but now they are older now and creating their own. I asked my teenage daughter (who is days away from NOT being called a “teenager”) – where would you like to live as you continue your journey into adulthood? Her answer: “somewhere where there are seasons”. Her younger years were in the mid-west US, but these past many years we have lived in Texas where those season changes are so much harder to recognize.

Summer solstice is here. To everything there is a season. Time to capture this one and enjoy it.

Photo credit: artsboston.org

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Change, choices, great memories, Independence Day, life is precious, moments, neighborhood park, Remembering Summer, Seasons, Sostice, Summer, Summer solstice, Summertime

13 Jun 2013

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Signs of Sanity

When you enter the front door of my house, we have posted the sign below for all to see. After all- life should be “sunny side up”

There are some other signs that have made me smile along the way. Sharing them. Sorry I cannot tell you where I got them exactly, but they make me smile at the pure silliness of our life here on Earth.

And for me – there is profound statements here….

Sign 3 Sign 1

The best sign of about signs.

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Humor, Joy, life is precious, Messages, Postive Thinking, Signage, Signs, Statement

09 Jun 2013

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The Meaning of Love

Before I was in love with my wife, I had an idea of what love was. A deep feeling of passion and remembrance. A way to feel that was part of songs and poetry.

Time had captured a high-school romantic way to know about desperate love and the pain when it was over. Everyone has a different definition, but the verb “to love” I have learned has a meaning depending on where you started and how you got there.

After I fell in love with my wife, I realized how easy it was to be fooled into believing you were “in love.” It is so much more once you know that love means more. It’s really unfair, because until you know that kind of love- you can’t understand it.

And once you do know that love, you cannot explain it to anyone quite exactly the way it is. But people will tell you they know, that they are aware of it. Perhaps they do- but only you and her will know for sure.

And then they we to capture it by making a “day” out of it. On this day my wife and I celebrate an “anniversary”- another milestone in which to track the movement of life. It has been decades of love with my wife. We have experienced pain, elation of children in our lives, the passing of parents and the loss of one of our children to something we could not for-see. We have moved to many cities, experienced many lessons over time. We are here to tell each other it will all be fine– we are together in God’s love. We understand much about love. Not everything mind you, but much of love and the life we have led together.

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged cherish, choices, God's love, life is precious, Love, Marriage, moments, Online Writing, relationships, Romance

12 Apr 2013

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Expecting Less

There are so many times when “expecting less” in your life’s daily process would be best. Yet in these days and times it seems like that statement makes some people cringe.

I see so many people who are constantly focused on what they can accumulate in their lives. Whether it is possessions or friends or money or love or attention, they are constantly measuring their lives to see where they are. A great example of that comes to mind when looking at the social networking sites (even this one) that millions of people are members: get “more” followers, get “more likes” – add more friends to the list.

For others I see them measuring their lives in how much they have, or how good something compares to what others may have. The better car, the better home, the better job. That is such a fragile thing, especially these days when economies are floundering, prices are raising and the idea of “better” keeps notching up. It ends up with stress in life that can come back to haunt you. Perhaps then you have to worry about getting the “better” doctor perhaps, because you are going to need it. 🙂

So it feels like there should be caution when making the statement that “expecting less” is something well worth declaring. Many times it sounds weak or like someone is resigning to not have high expectations for oneself. Perhaps for some… their constant drive for more could be defined in the end by the measure of what I think it ultimately provides: “expect less happiness”. For we all know somewhere in our hearts- that more worldly things won’t define happiness – not in the width or breadth of it.

It could be that “expecting less” feels like “accepting failure” – in some cases there is an element of truth. Yet, it can lead to fear of failure;but that can drive another motivation entirely can’t it? I don’t think that it means you should expect to fail, you but you have to understand where the lines are in your life.

So in the end- “give more” is the counter-balance. Spiritually it is the reason for our daily struggles- as many have decided to reverse things and say “expect more“. What a simple change that will allow us all to be surprised by the spiritual power that we have been provided…and give more.

So expect less/give more. Not sure if you agree with that or not. Be rewarded with what will be blessings and grace in your life. I believe although it is very hard to do, it provides an abundance of happiness when applied.