Sunday, November 21, 2010

Thankful for this experience...

I remember when Jessica at Teachable Moments would blog about all of the positive ways in which homeschooling was changing her family.  I would read those posts and pray that I would have the strength to bring my girls home to learn.  I would pray that I would meet amazing women that would help me on this journey.  And now I am there.  And it feels so,so good.

I am meeting women who share my interests.  I am meeting women, who like me, love books and love to read.  I am meeting women who, like me, make sense of their world through writing.

 I am meeting women whose style I love.  Women who knit and make jewelry and wear creative hand-crafted things.  I am inspired and encouraged to create.

I am meeting women who cook from scratch so they can list all of the ingredients in their food.  And I am getting deeper into this, into the idea of being organic.  (Jason has been after me to go organic for years!!)  I bought a sprouting jar and some sprouting seeds.  I want to learn to incorporate flax seed into things.

I am meeting women who practice yoga and meditate and believe in positive energy.  I have been invited to a workshop where you are encouraged to move your body to still your mind.  I think the idea is fascinating.  I can't wait to try it.

All of these experiences have helped lead me to a place where finally I am finding peace with certain situations.  I am growing and learning so much about myself.  I am moving toward a more authentic life and I am so thankful and happy for this experience!

It seems that when you open one door, you have the strength to open the next and the courage to open the one after that....

Here are some things I have learned about life:

I have learned that there are times when the only thing you can do is get down on your knees and pray.  There will be situations in your life when you will have no control over the outcome and it will be sad and scary and heartbreaking and devastating and overwhelming and the only thing that will make you feel better is to talk to God, to trust in Him.

I have learned that "You will not remember what someone said or did, but how they made you feel" and you should aim to make everyone feel comfortable around you.  But, if you are uncomfortable around someone else, there may well be a reason and you can try to change it, but you can't change that person; you need to accept them for who they are, sometimes that may mean leaving them alone, if the relationship continues to make you feel uncomfortable or unhappy or unhealthy.  Go with your gut.

My husband's family has a saying, "If everyone tells you that you have a tail, you should turn around and look because it just may be true."  I have learned that this is true, if your friends and family are all saying the same thing, you need to take a personal inventory, maybe you are doing something wrong.

I have learned that no matter how nice you are, how much you try to help someone or be there for someone or accept someone or do for someone or ask someone what you did wrong, there are some people who are just not going to like you and there is nothing you can do about it.  Believe me, I have tried.  Over and over and over again.  It gets you nothing but heartache, might as well let it go.

This was a tough one...I have learned that sometimes the people you look up to for advice, your "authority" figures are not always right, they don't always have the answers and sometimes their perspective or demands are unfair.

I have learned that if you pick up a book or a project and you can't get into it, you might try to come back to it at another time and you may get into it.  This is even true with people.  Sometimes you meet someone and you just don't connect for whatever reason, but at another point in your lives, your paths may cross again and you find that you can really relate well to one another.

I have learned that when you are frustrated with something, you should put it down and come back to it at another time with a fresh perspective.

I have learned that no one can prepare you for how much you will love your children.

Do you have any life lessons to share?  I would love to hear them!