Do That

One of my favorite blog sites is Man v. Debt. The blog is written by a young man living life outloud and debt free. I've followed Adam Baker for about a year now and learned of other great blogs from his. I love his honesty and humility.  Yesterday he wrote a post that challenged me -- I went to bed thinking about it.   What makes you cry tears of joy?  Do that, he says.

Make a list of everything in the last year that has made you cry tears of joy.  Take actionable steps to center your life around the items on this list in 2011.That’s it.

Horse Heaven Hills - July 2010

Hmmm ... things that made me cry of joy? Oh, that's easy. When Gene's daughters picked up and drove over to Tri Cities when he was having his medical crisis. I didn't really want to them to have to rearrange their busy lives but they never thought twice about it. They just got in the Jeep and drove. I was ever so thankful for their arrival ~ they kept me sane for 2 1/2 days. About a week after Gene was out of the hospital, we took a motorcycle ride up to Horse Heaven Hills and sat there over-looking the valley & Prosser. We both cried.  Dodging a fatal bullet can do that to you.  It brings you to your knees. Action: Do for others.  And, ride all the days you can ride. The housework can wait.

Chinatown - Honolulu 2010

Eating lunch everyday at Ruby's Bakery in Honolulu ~ that made me cry. I loved it that we found people who welcomed us to come back and share a meal with them, just as if we were family. If we ever go back, we'll be hard pressed to eat anywhere else. The cook & owner made us his special garlic shrimp, which is not on the menu. We felt special. I love that memory. Action: Eat food that makes you happy and always go where you feel welcomed.

Blessing of the Fleet

Visiting with my cousins at the annual Clark Cousins Reunion. I'd like to say it wasn't until we got ready to leave that I cried, but it wasn't.  I've never been good at goodbyes and even though everyone was asleep when we slipped out of the parking lot for our 9 hour drive home, I got a lump in my throat.  But this year was really special for me because my cousins who live in Port Orford took us down to the boat harbor for the  "Blessing of the Fleet". It's an annual event where the town's people remember the ones who have been lost to the sea and they say a blessing for those going out to sea to make their living. Their local pastor had lost his wife to cancer last year and there was not a dry eye in the audience as he spoke of how loss became real to him.  I was so moved by it that I'm losing it just writing this.  There were local people who got up to the podium and read poems, sang a song about the sea, and then they raised a flag and the bell tolled for those lost. My Uncle Red died in Port Orford, not at sea, but he loved the sea. Action: Be kind to everyone. You never know what they are battling in their lives & you never know when you're going to be walking in their shoes.

Whew, this post is harder than I thought it would be. I have a lot more things that made me cry for joy last year but I have to stop writing for now.   Maybe tomorrow I should think about things that made me laugh, huh?  Stay tuned.

 

2.  Make another list of times in 2010 you laughed so hard you were in physical pain.

3.  Make a third list of events in 2010 that made you so excited you couldn’t sleep.

Look at all three lists… is there any overlap?

Do that.

Do it for the rest of your life.