I Have Been Blessed

If I believed in Guardian Angels, I would think that two were sent me about three years ago. Because in these two people, I have seen nothing...nothing...except utter kindness, patience, and a genuine desire to help out whenever and wherever they possibly can.

Today, my tire blew while I was driving home from work, leaving me stranded in Racine. I was lucky that it went before I got on the freeway and instead I was able to safely pull over into the Park & Ride which just happened to be situated across the street from the Racine County Sheriff Patrol station...so I felt a bit safer sitting in my car by myself in the dark at 6:00 at night. (Oh and you can bet I was thrilled to have some extra time to practice up on my Brick Breaker game on my Blackberry...but that's not the point here). Already feeling as though someone was watching over me, I got a call from my mom saying that Larry would be there in about 45 minutes to come and change my tire for me. Larry is the husband of my mom's employee Melinda and the two of them have been doing things like this since we first met them.

True to his word, Larry arrived with a smile on his face and a tire jack in hand laughing as he hoisted my car in the air and saying "I was about to watch American Idol before Melinda called me". Feeling as though I couldn't thank him, or apologize enough for the inconvenience I had just put him in, he assured me that it was no trouble and that the lord will allow me to give thanks to him through my assistance to others (he's really religious...I just let him preach to me) =) And then, 10 minutes later, it was done. He waved goodbye and I drove back to my parent's house so I can take it in to get fixed in the morning.

He never once argued or groaned, or second guessed coming to my aid. He just got in the car, and drove 45 minutes simply to help me with my tire. If I believed in guardian angels, Melinda and Larry would be them, and I would feel very blessed that they are in my life.

I do feel very blessed to have them in my life. Their God certainly has big plans for them. I just know it.

A Candid Moment

HAPPY 2008 (8 days too late)!!!!

I always get really excited for the coming of January 1^st. There is just something so magical about “NEW” that gives us hope that we truly can start all over again. As January 1^st rings in a new year, so does it also ring in the chance for a new beginning, and I can tell you this year more than any other year before…I need a new beginning.

I hurt people last year; people that have meant more to me than I ever thought possible. I lied to people that mattered in order to carry through with my own selfish intentions. I do realize that's a pretty bold statement to put out to a web full of strangers. But I can’t always put on a happy face, and I can’t pretend to be a perfect human being. I’m flawed. And until I can accept that, I’ll never fully be true to myself. Consider my candid statement, my acceptance.

I’ll forever regret how I treated people in 2007…I’ll forever hate who I was in 2007. If I could do it all over again I’d do many things different, but unfortunately that’s not possible and so I can only hope that my mistakes will carry me forward, and I’ll learn from them.

I can take this new moment, this new day, this New Year and fix me…make me a better person. I can look back at my mistakes and work strongly to not make them again. I can make resolutions and for once make them happen. I can make 2008 a much better year than 2007 and for that I am grateful for the New Year and a new opportunity.

And so, for the first time in many years, I have actually compiled a list of resolutions that I have put onto a piece of paper, and will carry with me every day so that I never lose focus of what I am going to accomplish. That list is as follows:

Write in my blog more often

Spend wisely

SAVE

Utilize my gym membership at least three times a week

Get back into yoga

Eat more fresh foods

Be less selfish

Be more assertive

Enjoy my life now! Don’t dwell on the past, and quit worrying about the future.

Seize opportunities

Take more chances

Do more things that scare the hell out of me

Be honest

Be done with self pity

Accept weaknesses, but build on strengths

Let more people in

I’m sure it’ll be a running list, and I’m sure I’ll fail miserably at some of them, but I hope that in 357 days, I’ll look back at the year and think: “I did good this year”. Here’s hoping for a better 2008.