My Thoughts on: The New Year

I'm not going to lie, 2012 isn't going down as the best year of my life.  Yes, my family was blessed with wonderful health all year, and we all know what a gift that is.  I also became an auntie again, and I reached a personal goal of running my first (and probably only) half marathon to name a couple of other highlights.

But in a lot of other ways, 2012 was the Year of the Drag-On.  Toward the last few weeks of the year, it caused me to reevaluate the direction I and my family were moving in and to figure out what I wanted to purge from my life and not carry with us into 2013.

I won't go into details of the process because they aren't important.  What is is the fact that as I turned forty, I realized that the simpler life is, the better it is.  You really don't need much in life to be happy.  Happiness for me starts with doing life with God.  Tried it on my own, and trust me, He is a MUCH better life coach than I am. 

Add in my partner, my Handsome Husband.  Over the course of our marriage, we haven't always gotten it right.  There were even times when it was going very wrong.  But we stayed in there, we fought and we never once lost that fundamental love for one another that brought us together in front of a preacher eleven years ago.

I was walking the track at the gym yesterday cooling down after my run, and there was a couple, both of whom had Down's syndrome, running together.  She was struggling to keep going, and she told him, "I can't do it, I'm not going to make it".  He looked back and slowed his pace until he was in step with her.  He took her hand and said, "Yes, you can because we are doing it together.  I'll stay with you, I'm not going to leave you, and we will make it.  I love you!"

Being the big baby that I am, I started boo hooing.  It struck me that their exchange was right in line with the simplicity with which we all should be doing life.  That man didn't gripe at her, tell her she should just suck it up, or say too bad for her, she could quit running, but he was going on without her.  She was uncertain, she was feeling bogged down, and without even having to think about it, he slowed down to encourage her and give her the motivation to continue.  Pure and simple.  Perfection.

We need to stop overcomplicating life and trying to force it, push it and contort it into something it's not meant to be.  It has to be more honest and authentic across the board.  In our marriages, our parenting, our friendships and other relationships, and most importantly, in our relationship to God. 

It's time to take a look at life and trim the fat.  Seek out and spend time with people who encourage you, who bring out the best in you and who sincerely want the best FOR you, and who add to your life value and don't take from it.

I don't believe in reincarnation.  For me, this is it until the blessed day that God calls me home.  While I'm on this earth, I need to be finding a way to make every moment purposeful and to order my steps so that they are in harmony with His plan for me.  I want my partner in step with me as well, and every move we make has to be in sync and in agreement with God. 

Not only for our own peace and well being, but because walking in our foot steps are two children that we have been given the responsibility to raise.  We pray that they will leave our home as adults who have their lives, hearts and steps in order as well.  That outcome first depends on how we are walking out our lives now as we lead them in theirs.

So as you start the new year, if you are the type to make resolutions, resolve to live simpler.  Make it about you and your relationship to God and to the people He wants in your life.  Give of yourself to the world, but draw the line at giving anything of your heart that isn't authentic and honest or that tries to take your steps out of order with His.

I recently came across a quote from Mother Teresa that I just love. "The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

Live simpler, and you live better.  And that will lead us all to a truly Happy New Year.

Sparkly Kisses,

D