White Out

So the inevitable is here - the changing of seasons - the months that we are devoid of color and surrender to neutrals - winter is here. Each year it gets harder for me to trudge through winter. It's the combination of cold, early darkness and grey that cause me to seek a place to hibernate. Studies have shown that month you are born affects your perception of the various seasons - I am a May baby I really, really like the sun and warmth. So I will blame it on my birthday. Maybe this year I will again try to fool myself into embracing the winter months by finding activities that are offered in during the winter months only. Maybe.

What do you want to change?

Waiting On The World To Change – John Mayer

“Waiting on the world to change
It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance”

Every where I look there are self-proclaimed experts, analysts, activists, politicians the list goes on and on, they all wrap up their words in pretty diction and declare we need change. The masses tune in, show up, tweet, and discuss the need for change. All the while stunting their ability to affect change.

“Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They woulda never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on the door”

Why not go out and cause change? Everyday each of us has the power to change the world. People do it everyday – the police officer that stops to toss a football with a lone youth on a city street, the man that stops and buys boots for a homeless man, the tireless volunteers feeding the lonely and hungry. All of these individuals and many more take the power, they don’t wait for it to be handed down to them, they don’t wait for a sign from above, they don’t wait for someone to lead and motivate them to change the world.

“Now we see everything is going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don't have the means
To rise above and beat it”

As we go about our day we all have the ability to cause change. Next time someone inspires you I challenge you to not tuck that inspiration in your heart and pull it out when you feel down – grow that inspiration by sharing it. Take that inspiration go out and make change. We all have the means to rise above the things that we feel are wrong with the world and change them.

My New Favorite Word

honeyfuggle

PRONUNCIATION:
(HUN-ee-fuh-guhl)

MEANING:
verb tr., intr.: To deceive or swindle, especially by flattery.

It's a big world grab a handful!

Recently 2 more young lives were lost to suicide, the sadness that grips my heart cannot be expressed. I wish peace for them and I wish for other young adults to understand youth is a gift.

Good Life – One Republic

“Woke up in London yesterday
Found myself in the city near Piccadilly
Don't really know how I got here
I got some pictures on my phone”

Can’t help but smile when I hear this song. What a celebration of youth and all the adventures youth holds. Makes me wish I was younger, I won’t lie. Takes me back to my own adventures. There were definitely good times to be had by all that were willing to participate.

“Sometimes there's airplanes I can' t jump out
Sometimes there's bullshit that don't work now
We all got our stories, but please tell me
What there is to complain about?”

I see all the sadness that the world holds today and the craziness – school shootings, teenage suicide, homeless students, bullies. We had all those things when I grew up they were not common like today. I sometimes feel today’s teenagers do not get how carefree this time in their life can be, having someone to financially support you, free to explore and be a bit irresponsible. Everything is taken way to serious – why? Is it societal pressure? Is it the fast pace life has adopted – why are we are always in a hurry to move to the next level? Is it we are too connected and can’t have a moment of anonymity? Or do we roll all those things up and create the perfect storm?

“When you're happy like a fool, let it take you over
When everything is out you gotta take it in

Oh, this has gotta be the good life
This has gotta be the good life
This could really be a good life, good life”

I have told my own kids go out have an adventure, make mistakes, learn how you want to define yourself. It’s a great big world and so many things to experience, why not grab a handful? Why take in all the sadness, let it roll off your shoulders and decide for yourself what your day, your week, your year will look like!

“Hopelessly
I feel like there might be something that I'll miss
Hopelessly
I feel like the window closes oh so quick”

Grab it all while you can!!!

Breakfast At Tiffany’s 

“We got nothing in common, no common ground to start from………….”

Too often we forget that we all share the human condition. We seek out our differences and forget to embrace the things we share. What I love about this song is it reminds us to look for what we have in common. Finding common ground is a way for us to build or re-build a relationship. Relationships don’t always have to be friendship, romantic or working; they can be simply, mutual recognition and respect.

“And I said, What about breakfast at Tiffany’s? She said “I think I remember the film. And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it ….”

Is it easier to find differences and harder to find common ground? What would it take to create a movement to inspire people to look for common ground? It brings to mind a sculpture garden in Chicago at Grant Park, the artist created two sets of people facing each other. Each pair consists of a light sculpture and a darker version they mirror each other, sharing an emotion. I believe the artist wants us to contemplate the possibility that we all have common ground. What’s on the outside is just that, our outside. Inside we are all the same.

“And I said well that’s one thing we got.”

Find common ground and see where it takes you.