Gratitude Is The Sign

For My Dad . . .

. . . I am and always will be grateful. He is my friend, my mentor, my confidant, wing man,  inspiration and the person with whom I laugh the most. He has come to my rescue when no one else was able to and offers guidance sparingly. The world is mine to figure out, but he is always there when the world is too much. He is the perfect balance of logic and love. Most importantly, there has never been anything wrong with me being myself; his son.

Love you, Dad.

To Respect Life Is To Be Grateful

Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.

- John Milton 

As we grow, most of us tend to encounter stern reminders of what we should respect. An elder has surely taken it upon themselves to instruct you on what you should respect and how respectful you must be to whomever or in any given situation. But, in my experience, there were never really any reminders to respect the life I was living or experiencing. I was always told to show respect for others, myself or moments demanding respect, but never life in general. How is one supposed to even show respect for life?

The answer is gratitude. The energy of gratitude is respectful and when that energy is emitted from you, being a sincere beacon, good things and kindness will navigate in your direction. You may not be able to see all the good that comes from being grateful, but if shown gratitude, life and the world will ladle your horizon with positive energy and projections against that which would seek to stifle your progress.

So, be reminded to respect yourself, respect others and be grateful. The balance of life will be rewarding.

The Grass Is Greener . . .

A dear and lovely friend inspired me today with her words of sincere, enlightened observation.

"The grass is greener wherever it's watered ... cultivated ... "

Most of us are used to the phrase, "The grass is always greener on the other side." Her spin on the classic saying injects not only truth and perspective into something almost cliche, but it invites us to take another look at our own "grass," if you will,  and reestablish an appreciation for the effort put forth into acquiring what we have. The grass may be greener on the other side now, but with care and attention, our humble plots may flourish and grow to be lush with bountiful opportunity, so much so that the other side will cease to matter. And even if the grass continues to be greener elsewhere,  we certainly do not deserve to set foot onto those greener pastures until we can say with assurance that we are grateful for that which we have today.

Fertilize your life with love, kindness and gratitude. Your grass will be admired through the fence of envy by those opportunistic souls who neglect their own in pursuit of what appears to be better.