Pondering 2010
John found this list of life rules on a sailing blog. A mama was terminally ill, sailing with her kids. She wrote this for them. I think we can all take a bit from it.
1. Live your life with passion. Dare to dream big dreams.
2. Focus on your dream and keep it in front of you until you can visualize it as real.
3. Make a plan, and write it down.
4. Begin immediately, even if you are not ready.
5. The greater the obstacle in front of you, the greater is your opportunity for growth.
6. There is no great accomplishment without risk.
7. Never, never, never give up.
8. When all else fails, you can always laugh!
9. There is no “them” and “us,” there is only us.
10. You can start an avalanche by plinking a pebble down a mountainside.
11. To the world, you may be only one person, but to one person, you can be the world.
Ten years ago this month I was holed up with my little family in our living room, as a freak ice storm had knocked out the power in Atlanta. One of my favorite memories was on day three without heat, we made our way to a fancy restaurant for dinner. It was supremely restorative.
We’re having an unusually cold spell in the Keys and I’m holed up with a different little family of Four. My family ten years ago will never be the same, thanks to the three people I brought in the back door.
Ten years ago I was about to embark on an adventure in South Africa. I’ve never learned so much in four months as I learned there. All three of my grandparents were still alive and my grandfather made his last airline trip to see me graduate from college in 2001. On the same lawn where he paraded during World War II.
January 2002 took me to the Everglades for the first time, where I met the John who would introduce me to my John. Winter 2003 was the coldest and snowiest of my life. Thank you, Boston. Winter 2004 we spent traversing the country. We ended up in the Keys. This first week of the year was when we visited my dear Granny Ross at her house in Texas. She cooked so darn much she had to sit down from feeling light-headed. We climbed the highest peak in Texas, and bought our 17 acres of paradise in Maine.
5 years ago we arrived in Florida by boat.
and 4 years ago, in January 2006, our lives were turned upside down by a little lady who’s about to have a birthday.
What a decade it has been.
Happy 2010!! Have an adventure. By all means, begin immediately, even if you are not ready. We plan to.
