Good Monday morning! I hope you guys had a great weekend. Over here it was one of those perfect weekends that seemed to be simultaneously relaxing and productive, with a nice balance of movie-going, St. Pats reveling, outdoor walks, necessary tasks and some work completed. It's amazing to have time like that because I can spend an hour messing with my cuticles (an obsession) and not feel guilty about it because the dishes are done and there's laundry a-spinnin'.
I'm just thankful that I have work to do, thankful for the weather, thankful for my friends...just so many things, which brings me to the weekend wisdom.
One of my best friends is a real-life Southern pageant girl ("Watch me do my pageant walk."). She's an Alabama girl all the way, from the perfectly-pedicured-gulf-dipped toes to her always-in-order hair (Even when it's been like five days from a wash or just out of the ocean, I swear.). She's also the daughter of the most gracious, beautiful, fun and sweet mama and a Southern Methodist minister. Her friends are lucky to know her, but we're also lucky to get to know her mama, and daddy, and aunts, and cousin, and brothers...even her sister-in-law! They're a pretty great bunch, and it's something special when you have friends with whom you can share family, too.
Yesterday, we took a stroll through the Lexington Cemetery. This spot is a treasure in our town, with some of the most exquisite gardening lining meandering paths that pass by ponds, benches and bridges. It is a cemetery, yes, but it seems designed to be a place for reflection, not only sadness. It's also inspiring because of the history there. Henry Clay, one of Kentucky's most famous figures, rests there and family plots are places of pride and meticulous care. It seems to be a place of such evident love and care that it nearly balances the pain of mourning it necessarily represents.
So during our time yesterday, my dear friend shared a bit of wisdom from the Reverend Mike Sigler that I want to also share with you, it was so encouraging. If the Mondays are getting to you or if you just find yourself feeling kind of down, think about this (I hope I get it mostly right):
The person is made up of three main parts: body, spirit and mind. You have to take care of each of them every day. For the body, remember you must give it good food and exercise. For the spirit, remember that you must connect with a higher power; pray and meditate. For the mind, remember to make it strong; when your weak thoughts are getting the best of you, fight them by actively cultivating a spirit of gratefulness.
It sounds simple, but it can be hard! We got in the car to head home and someone made a downer comment, so we said, "That will be three 'I'm gratefuls', please!"
For what are you grateful today?
I truly like this blog. I happened upon it this morning while perusing blogger. I'm a KY blogger as well!! I would like to add this to me readnig list and be a follower if I may. I like the message of this particular piece...being grateful. Today, I am grateful to have a job that I love. Thanks for the reminder to be grateful daily :)
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