Pearls of Wisdom ....Having Gratitude

Via

  Last week, Traci Zeller and I traveled to New Hyde Park to attend the Grand Opening and Gala celebrating the Ronald McDonald House Long Island Project Design 2014.  These events marked the completion of our experience at the house.  As we left the house on Friday, we were a little saddened by the culmination of the project.  

Every time I design a room and bring it to fruition, I weave fragments of myself in the space.  Special moments during the projects evolution turn into memories I carry with me long after the job is complete.   This osmosis exchange was especially true of the Ronald McDonald experience.  I was only in the house on three occasions, but each time, I left with a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life.    The moments I experience at Ronald McDonald were brought on watching families weary from the battle of fighting for their children's lives, random acts of kindness and brotherly love.  It was in these moments I took time to be grateful for my less than perfect life.

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Via

 Life is never perfect.  If you are struggling to have the perfect life.  Stop right now.  It isn't going to happen.  We can strive to have a good life, but a perfect life is a myth.  No one has a perfect life.  Those that appear to have a perfect life are good at being appreciative of what they have.  They don't complain.  They start each day with a smile on their face and embrace whatever the world throws at them.  Which side of the coin do you fall on?

I admit to giving into an occasional pity party.   Once the party is over, I dust myself off and  get back into the game of life.  I remind myself there are so many others battling far greater struggles than I.   When we were at the Ronald McDonald House, I watched families at  weary from taking care of sick children, yet so grateful for the care the Ronald McDonald House provided.  My experience at the house reminded me to be grateful and appreciate this journey of life.

The Japanese have a process called "kintsukuroi" which is a method of repairing broken  pottery.  They believe the cracks in the pottery reveal a beauty so instead of filling in the  cracks to hide the breaks they enhance them with gold.  The golden seams make the piece more valuable and more beautiful much like our cracks can make us if we chose to use them to help others.    I have had been given many blessings through comforting other parents, who have lost children, since I lost my child.   I am able to assure them they will survive just as my friend Ruthann told me.  We help each other.  

 I challenge you to pause and be grateful.  The 

struggles you are battling are temporal, but the strength

 gained during your struggle will remain.  Difficulties are the only way we grow.

   

Struggles keep us humble and allow us to speak from experience 

when others need comforting words from someone who can relate to

their experience.  Today, I am grateful for my struggles and my blessings which

 sometimes are interlaced.   Being grateful makes what I have enough.

Have a blessed Sunday my friends!

I am thankful for each and every one of you who donated Ronald McDonald House!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!  I would like to publicly acknowledge each of you, but so many have asked for me not to do so.  Traci and I are busy writing thank you notes so you will get a thank you from us in the mail!  

We haven't quite reached our goal, so if you haven't donated and still want to 
it isn't too late!  Click Here and donate today!  It's that easy!  Click on the link and
enter a credit card with an amount!  You will be helping families stay together during crisis!
You will be spreading gratitude!