Roses and thorns and two lists

One of the great joys of our move has been all of the new people we have met.  Neighbors, people we meet here and there in our new networks, the regulars at the cafe next door, etc.  So many great people.  I was astounded by the fact that within the first week here we had already met more people than during the entire year in Clio - or at least it seemed like it!!!  Everywhere we turn, people are so friendly.  

It is fun to get acquainted and learn the stories of the people we meet.

Everybody has a story.  

Some of the stories are fascinating or exciting.

Some are just ordinary stories but even ordinary stories can get interesting if we take the time to listen.

Some are difficult stories.  

Some stories are inspirational.

Some are complicated.

...

Lots of people have sad stories.

One of our neighbors has a very sad story.  
He is dealing with some serious setbacks that have changed his story drastically and made life much more difficult.  Every time we bump into him or I even think about him I feel sad.  I feel sorry for him - because his story must be so discouraging.  I find myself wishing I could help him make his story better.  Being around him makes me almost want to hide our story - because I don’t want it to make him feel badly by comparison.


We feel so blessed.

Sure; there have been hard times in our story as well.  Now and then FB reminds me of some of those rough spots that happened “on this day” in some other year.  And sometimes one of those hard days pops up right in the middle of the calendar.  There are enough difficult things in all of our lives that we can find them pretty easily if we’re looking for them.  

That is one of the reasons that I have set up certain challenges for myself.  Like my Thankful Thursdays - a practice that I came up with a few years ago and still do now and then.  A discipline to help me focus on the things I can be thankful for.  A reminder that I can choose to enumerate my blessings. An excuse to celebrate whatever I can find to celebrate.

…

Thorns and roses

I can enjoy the beauty of the roses even while paying enough attention to the thorns that I don’t get hurt too badly.

…

Seth Godin, one of my favorite bloggers, advises us to write two lists and then tells us what to do with each one.  

“You get to pick which list goes where.”

Making the lists probably won’t be hard - nor will it be a tough call which one goes where.  Perhaps the tricky part will be the follow-through.  

Take a look at his proposal...

Which list will you put where?