scars are souvenirs you never lose

WORD OF THE DAY- LACKADAISICAL: Lacking spirit or liveliness; showing lack of interest; languid; listless.

a wee break from all the fun we had on vacation for a thought on thankfulness. as school approaches i begin to think of lunches to pack, supplies to label and purchase, and the general business that accompanies school. it is easy for me to get caught up in the rush and forget to pause and be thankful, so things i am thankful for:

1. honesty- even when difficult it is the best idea. sometimes the truth is hard to hear and even harder to speak. the risk of friendship and love are reasons that it is often not spoken.

2. tact/diplomacy- so that when the truth is spoken it can be with love. i've learned brutal honesty isn't always the best policy.

3. coming home- not just to the home i dwell in, but the person i am. realizing that just because i was lost doesn't mean i need to remain so.

4. change- i once had a teacher that said "change is the only constant in the world." i look forward to the changes that are coming. changes in family, friends, home, location?. we'll see what time brings.

5. beauty- it is in the eye of the beholder. i am thankful for the beauty in the sunrise and sunset, a child's laughter, and the many other simple yet beautiful things in this world.

6. hugs- when i saw nat after 10 years it felt so good to hug her.

7. wisdom- you know the kind that is gained from really screwing something up. i realize that friendship is something that should be fought for not discarded at the first sign of trouble. thanks nat.

8. disclosure- on the drive down to austin, while the girls slept, i had a wonderful discussion with the dear hubby. things that i have told very few people. the weight that was lifted off my chest let me breathe for the first time in years. things that i now realize were not my fault, but that had caused me to rage against myself for almost 17 years.

9. peace- that comes from disclosure and forgiveness.

10. love- i don't understand how or why, but i am so grateful for it. the many forms of it. the love of my Father, the love of my friends, my husband, my children. as wonderful as it feels to be loved it truly is more wonderful to give than to receive. thank you to those of you who have allowed me to love you and have loved me in return.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT- FROM THE MOVIE MOULIN ROUGE "Above all things I believe in love. Love is like oxygen. Love is a many-splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love!"