my head is swirling a bit. i feel i am in the midst of some serious reflection on issues of life and death. obviously, as i expressed in my blog namesake, my father’s influence during his life, as well as his death, has had a profound impact on me, in small and large ways. beyond that, though, i feel like i am currently immersed in a whirlwind of thoughts around the cycle of life. in the past couple of weeks, i have heard friends’ news about pregnancies, miscarriages, fertility treatments, cancer, deaths of loved ones. this month also marks the anniversary of the death of two little ones, born to dear parents who i greatly admire for many reasons, but mostly because of their perseverance through a decade of unimaginable challenges.
our paths aren’t always what we choose or how we envisioned them to be. we do the best we can. honestly, there are too many days in my life that i wish my path was different. i try, though, to remind myself that the path i have traveled has shaped me. it has taught me how to deal with the speedbumps in the road, to be grateful for the good, to face the steep inclines with courage, and to enjoy the present. most of all, though, my path has showed me power of the human spirit. of those around me, as well as my self.
we must use the power of those around us – to celebrate life’s joys, for a shoulder to cry on when there are tears, to vent about trivial annoyances, to share our work, or just to connect for the sake of connecting. and at the end of the day, we must remember the individual power of our selves. each of our paths have brought us to today. it has taught us how we personally react and respond. and it has prepared us to better ourselves for whatever is in store on the path ahead. may we all have enriching travels. . .