Can Someone…

find January for me, please? I seem to have misplaced it. I know it should be somewhere between December and February, but seeing as it is now February 2nd (and happy ground hog’s day by the way) I really don’t know where it went. I have vague memories of a New Year’s Eve celebration at Bistro 29 and Riviera, a couple of bike rides, a few runs, some football watching, but beyond that it is all a blank…or maybe more like a blur. Well, that trip to Yosemite is pretty vivid, but that has to be because the cold weather shocked me in to consciousness or something. One of these days maybe January won’t speed by me so fast…

Navigating Through the Chaos Part II

Today was appt #3 for Jeremy in terms of his medication. I wish I could say that everything has gone smoothly since we switched to Intuniv, but I have found that my son is actually sad more than he used to be. He used to be a pretty happy, go lucky guy who rarely showed his sadness (although he was probably feeling it). But now there are times where he just looks depressed and other times he’ll just be crying. When you ask him why he is sad he often doesn’t have a reason other than the fact that he feels sad.

Now I should take the moment to note that I am extremely happy that he can verbalize at least that much. He has, and mostly at our insistence, been letting us know when he is sad. Having him feel empowered enough to follow through on this communication front is huge and we make sure he is praised so he continues to communicate with us. So it is a small victory, but we still need to win the war.

Back to the matter at hand. All the sadness aside, however, the medicine seems to be working. In Jeremy’s latest report back from the teacher he has shown HUGE improvement behaviorally. Where the report was originally 95% “bad” (meaning that most of his marks were in the worst column of Very Often), the latest report from his teacher had  only 3 marks in that Very Often column. That’s right, he had moved from 95% bad to about 90% good after two weeks on Intuniv. I know I said this just a few moments ago, but that is a huge improvement. So here we are at the crossroads. His behavior in class is improving, but he is slipping emotionally. It comes down to what is more important, being successful in class, or feeling emotionally whole. Tough question to answer isn’t it? Emotional health is huge and extremely important, but do you throw education out at such a young age? Education is, of course, important for many reasons. Depending upon what you want to do a college education is required. Long gone are the days where just a high school diploma would get you somewhere. Of course there are things you can do that don’t require either, but do you limit yourself to those few things before you have a chance to figure out what you may actually like in life? So perhaps now you understand my dilemma. It tears me apart to see my little boy sad the way he has been the past couple of weeks, but I also know that the improvement he has shown in school is really important for him to have control over his educational future.

In the end we are taking a wait and see approach - at least for one more week. We are going to stick with the current dosage to see if, once his body has a bit more time to adjust, the episodes of sadness will diminish. If they do lessen then we will stay with the current dosage and continue on our way. If, however, there is no improvement or things get worse then we are going to the weaker week 1 dosage and hope that the progress his teacher has seen behaviorally still remains. This wait and see game is difficult for me. I just want my boy to be happy and healthy, and I don’t like seeing him suffer as we try to find the right combination of things that will get him back to that point.

Where the Wild Things Are (Yosemite Style)

No. I’m not talking about the book with the crazy animals that show their terrible claws, gnash their terrible teeth, and roll their terrible yellow eyes. I am referring to the place where nature runs rampant; a place that, despite living in this state my entire life, I have not gone to before.

This past weekend Dave and I went to Yosemite which was a first for both of us. We went to a land where the bears, trees and other things grow wild and free (at least for the most part). To sum it up succinctly: it was nothing short of absolutely amazing. The towering mountains, the waterfalls, the trees that were as tall as tall could be…all of it was breathtaking and I have no regrets about trading in my usual sand and sun on MLK, Jr. weekend for this snowy adventure. For those of you who do not want to know every single detail you may want to skip down to the pictures below. For the rest of you…well…here it goes…

After much hemming and hawing on if we would actually make the trip due to the doom and gloom weather forecast, our adventure to Yosemite started really early Saturday morning. After napping for a couple of hours following a later than expected night at Riviera, we packed and hit the road at 4:45 am. We first stopped at Safeway for the water we needed for the weekend before heading over to the Pesces’. When we got to Rita, Luca, and Francesca’s house they were already loaded into the Vanagon and ready to go so we said our hellos, handed them a walkie-talkie, flipped a U-turn and started our drive. Seeing as I was sleep deprived the whole week (combine that with the fact that I get car narcolepsy), I don’t remember much of the first 2 hours of our drive. I woke up somewhere in Pleasanton, again about 20 mins later when we were heading up the Altamont Pass, and then I became fully awake somewhere in Tracy. We stopped off in Manteca for some gas, breakfast and a restroom break and then we continued on. I admit that I was still really sleepy and dozed in and out until we hit the really windy part of 120 outside of Chinese Camp. About 6 hours after leaving the house we finally made it to the park entrance.

Since we were staying near Yosemite Valley we still had to drive another 30 minutes before we hit the campsite, but with the outstanding views along the way that was one of the most amazing drives ever. We drove through a fire stricken area, passed waterfalls, and crossed over streams and creeks before we finally made it to Camp 4. I would like to take a moment to clarify that the kind of camping we did this weekend wasn’t truly roughing it but it wasn’t luxury camping either. It’s true that camp 4 is right by the parking lot so you can car camp if you so choose (and by that I mean bring a big extravagant tent, inflatable bed, huge stoves, etc.) and there is a bathroom that has a spigot, a sink, and flushing toilets (it’s also heated at night in the winter), but other than that you are on your own. Like I said, we were somewhere between roughing it and luxury camping. We minimized as much as we could, but also brought a bit more in terms of food and cooking utilities since we didn’t have to pack it out to a site that was 5 miles away. Anyways, enough digression…

One of the first views as we drove in

By the time we hit the campground I was already in awe and couldn’t wait to get out there and see what else Yosemite had to offer. We secured a camping spot, setup camp, got everything edible and scented into the bear boxes (they are more storage bins that bears can’t get into), grabbed our snowshoeing gear and headed out. We figured that if the weather forecast was true and that rain and snow would be moving in on Sunday, we should make the drive out to Badger Pass on Saturday. Really, it came down to the fact that Luca felt we could squeeze in the Upper Yosemite Fall hike on Sunday before the bad weather hit…but more on that later.

On our way to Badger Pass there were more beautiful sites to be had. We ended up stopping at a lookout that provided views of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Fall all in one shot. I don’t think I can say this enough, it was breathtaking out there, and that view was no exception. I mean: El Capitan with its sheer wall is just beautifully intimidating; Half Dome is just so immense and intriguing; Bridalveil Fall is just simply gorgeous. We took a few shots and hopped back in the car to finish our journey up the hill.

El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Fall from the lookout

Now Badger Pass itself isn’t all too awe inspiring. The trail head reminds me of most trail heads, really. Once you get going, however, it’s a totally different story. After checking the different route options and time of day (we had to take sunlight into consideration) we started our journey up Glacier Point Road towards the trail to Dewey Point. Once we trekked up the groomed snow trail for a bit we turned off onto Trail 14 - the Dewey Point Ridge Trail. What I have come to learn is that there are two trails to Dewey Point: The Ridge Trail and the Meadow Trail Loop (Trail 18). Apparently, the Meadow Trail Loop is not only a wee bit shorter at only 7 miles round trip, it is also easier. However, when you are doing anything adventurous with any of the Pesces there is only one theory that applies: go big, or go home. Thus, we turned onto the Ridge Trail and started our 8 mi (round trip), very strenuous (seriously, a lot of reviews about the trail say this) adventure. As tiring and difficult as it was for me at some points (remember…climbing uphill + high altitude = bad for asthma) it was well worth it. At one point and time we stopped along a ridge line to look at the views west. Not only was the vast expanse below us a sight to see, you could actually see the top of Mt. Diablo in the far distance. Yes…out in Yosemite, all those hundreds of miles away, you could see the top of Mt. Diablo! It was just astonishing to me.

The view out towards Mt. Diablo from the ridge line (if you look closely you can see the faint outline in the far distance in the middle of the pic)

After snowshoeing up and down the rolling hills for 90 minutes we finally made it to the end of the trail and Dewey Point. I am pretty speechless with what I saw there. Not only were you 7600′ above sea level (at least according to my Garmin, and keep in mind that the valley floor was only 3000′ or so below us), the steepness and intimidating nature of the cliffs were magnified, and the views were absolutely stunning. I admit that I didn’t know everything I was looking at, but it really didn’t matter because it was picturesque all the same. After resting, snacking, gawking at the sights, and taking pictures we started our trek back. By this time I was a little worried because not only were we racing against the clock, the clouds had started to roll in from the west which was making the temperature cool off even faster. We definitely cranked up the pace on the way back, but we also stopped to enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.

Enjoying the Sunset (thanks to Luca for the pic)

Once we made it back down to the car, and eventually to camp, we settled in and started preparing what turned into a wonderful feast for dinner. This is where I need to mention that there is another thing I learned about the Pesces…they know how to travel! Dave and I had resigned to the idea of eating instant meals the entire trip, but Rita came prepared to make a dinner for champions. We cut up the salami we had brought and folks snacked on it with tortillas while Rita and Luca made minestrone soup, risotto rice, and marinara with meat sauce. When Dave and I car camp we don’t eat like this so it was a very nice and greatly appreciated treat. Dave and I helped where we could and how we could, but in the end Rita and Luca did most of the work. We are truly grateful to them for that as well. Really, they know how to travel and Dave and I are just trying to learn their tricks as best we can. After eating more than we could even really handle, we settled in around the fire and relaxed while drinking tea. It’s true that we had forgotten the wine, but it was truly the best way to end what had been an incredible day. I went off to bed absolutely content and completely exhausted.

Now, I wish I could say that I slept well, but my 20 degree rated sleeping bag didn’t actually hold up as expected. The temperature over night sunk down to the low 30’s to mid 20’s and even though I should have been okay I spent most of the night lying awake listening to the waterfall in the distance (which was actually awesome) and shivering in my bag (which was not so awesome). Even layering a fleece jacket over my other two top layers and wrapping a fleece blanket around my legs didn’t help. Needless to say, I was pretty relieved when the sun finally decided to make its appearance.

The rain and snow had held off over night so we began to breakdown camp before breakfast. Since the hike Luca saved started next to the camp, and despite the gray skies that loomed over head, he felt that we would have no issues getting the hike in before the weather turned for the worse. So keeping the potential weather in mind we layered ourselves properly and settled in for breakfast. Dave made hot water for our coffee and we mixed up the instant granola cereal that we were going to have for breakfast, but that’s when Rita extended our breakfast a bit. Once again, those two are amazing and we ended up having nice, hot gluten free pancakes with fresh apple bits. All I can say is…YUM! It wasn’t soon after we finished breakfast that we had completely broken camp and packed everything but the food and food eating/cooking items away.

So again, the forecast for Sunday was pretty gloomy with the weather saying there was a 100% chance of rain. When it’s 100% there’s just no way around the fact that it’s going to rain the only thing left to question is exactly when it will start. We made our way to the trail head prepared for getting wet but hopeful that the weather would cooperate. After snowshoeing 8 miles the day before my legs were pretty tired (and my left knee a bit tweaky) and I was not sure how I would fare on the 7 mile Upper Yosemite Fall hike, but the potential of actually seeing a waterfall far outweighed any aches and fear I had.

"Dangerous to stray from trail"....DUH!

It wasn’t long into the hike that I gained the understanding that this adventure would be far from easy. We basically had to cover the height of the mountain (which is about a 3000′ elevation gain) in less than 3 miles! Here is how one Yosemite hiking site rates the difficulty of the trail:

Difficulty: High. It’s a long, steep climb from the valley floor to the valley rim, and we rate it an 8 out of 10. Consider this question: would you climb the stairs all the way to the top of the Empire State Building? Well, in the course of your hike to Upper Yosemite Falls, you’ll climb the equivalent of just over two Empire State Buildings.

Having never climbed the stairs to the top of the Empire State Building I will have to take their word for it. Even if I had, it wouldn’t matter because the views of Half Dome on the way up were absolutely gorgeous. Once you add in Yosemite Fall, you have a hike that is nothing but tremendously beautiful. Not to say that Half Dome wasn’t incredible, but I have never seen a waterfall up-close. The water rushing over the side of a tall, sheer cliff was absolutely astounding and it’s winter time! I hope to get back there in the Spring when the streams/creeks/rivers are filled with water from the snow melt and the waterfalls are really roaring. Either way, our hiking tale does not end here.

Yosemite Fall

Once we admired the beauty of the waterfall up-close (we went past the look-out to the “base” of the waterfall), we continued the journey *up* the hill. As we climbed out away from the waterfall our hike took us next to the sheer cliff wall of Eagle Peak. Seriously, if you looked up the wall to the top as you hiked you became dizzy because it was so vertically steep. As menacing as it seemed, it was also beautiful. The thought of how those mountains actually came to be continually amazed me as we hiked. Yes, I was cursing a bit as the trail persisted ever upward, but the challenge of making our way up one of nature’s most beautiful creations was humbling.

Steep! (Thanks again to Luca for the pic)

After hiking in a mostly upward direction for 2.5 hours we finally got right below the ridge line when we couldn’t continue any more. After dodging snow patches in the higher elevations, the trail completely gave way to icy snow that would not be safe for us to continue up since we didn’t have our snowshoes with us. Well…let me amend that a bit. Getting up would have been okay, but getting down would have been dangerous and not worth the risk. So with that we turned around and headed back down. What took us 2.5 hours to climb up only took us 1.5 hours to get down. Luca and Rita know how to get up and downhill extremely well and Francesca follows along without issue. Me? Well, I struggled in the places where the trail was nothing but rock. I am not as sure footed or brave in those situations so I took things much more slowly. But man, when it finally turned into a rock, dirt mix it was an entirely different story! Not only was I more confident going down hill (it’s like a trail run down Canyon at that point), but my knees felt a whole lot better since the dirt was far nicer to my knees. Either way, we made it back to the valley floor and our campground in plenty of time to eat lunch.

By now I guess you aren’t surprised by the fact that we had yet another amazing meal. The thing is, this one was all instant soups. After changing out of my sweaty clothes so I could stay dry and warm, we figured out the game plan for lunch. Dave and I had some instant soup bowls from Trader Joe’s that we wanted to try and Rita had split pea soup. After opening the smoked salmon so we could snack on it with tortillas we all made our soups and then spooned them out into our bowls. It sounds simple, and it was simple, but it was really good. Once we finished eating Luca pointed out the fact that the ridge line we had just hiked to was getting snowed on, and shortly after that it started to sprinkle on us. We finished cleaning up the campsite, packed the rest of our things and ourselves into the cars and started our trip home. After navigating the snowy roads out of Yosemite, and then rainy conditions the rest of the way home, we made it back into Santa Rosa. But before we all parted ways we stopped off at Riviera so we could have one last warm, yummy meal and tell GP our stories. It was seriously like a family dinner and it was nice to wrap up the trip that way.

Navigating thru the snow out of the park

Thus ends my story about my trip to where the Wild Things Are. I cannot accurately explain just how astounding Yosemite was, nor how grateful I am that Rita, Luca and Francesca were there with us to show us the ropes and take care of us. Their knowledge and caring nature play a big role in making this trip as wonderful as it was. Dave and I both experienced a first together, and we got to share it with our North Bay family. So now that I have finally made it to Yosemite only one question remains: when can I get back there because I miss it already?!?!

Navigating Through the Chaos

In the beginning of November Jeremy was diagnosed with ADHD-I (basically what was called ADD before the lumped everything together). Totally not the end of the world and a rather common thing - or so it seems these days. Since then we’ve been trying to figure out the best approach in helping him learn to deal with the issues he faces because of it: often being easily distracted, especially when he’s in class; the constant need to fidget; impulsiveness, etc. So far his grades are not affected by things, but school only gets harder from here on out and if we can’t help him get a handle on everything his love for school will wane and we could face far different issues when he is older.

Fast forward to where we are today and trying to find the right medication for him. I admit, I am having a hard time with it because I still have great reservations about putting him on medication at the age of 8, but when you have to get two households on the same page, well, you go with the path of least resistance. We are currently on drug #2 since the first one, Straterra, didn’t seem to help ease any of his ADHD symptoms. His scores from his teacher on his behaviors were all still on the bad side which negates the whole reason for being on the meds.  So now we are trying Intuniv and hoping that it will be the answer.

Perhaps this post seems a bit premature since we are only on try number two, but after his emotional breakdown over a stuffed animal I am once again questioning if putting an 8 year old on meds is wise. ADHD isn’t a new thing, but why is that teachers, doctors think medication is the best answer. Well wait. I should clarify that. The expectation is that Jeremy would also start cognitive therapy in addition to the meds in order to really help him get a handle on things. The meds are only one answer in terms of calming certain things in his brain, but the therapy will help him cope with other things he faces.

I think it comes down to the fact that I am feeling guilt over my son’s struggle as his body tries to cope with the medicine that is being pumped into him. While many support me, and us, in our decision to pursue this course, I have had several others on the opposing side. I suppose right now I am in search of someone who will tell me that it will be okay. That we made the right decision and that we just need to stick it out because it will be good for Jeremy in the long run. I need someone to tell me that this little hiccup (and we’re only on day 1 of the new meds) is temporary and that it will get better. The only problem is…I don’t think that person exists and until I hear those words these feelings of guilt and overall concern are going to blanket me.

It’s Okay to Be Different

Yes, taken from the title of a book my sister got for Jeremy one year, I have discovered that it is really okay to be different. It’s a simple concept, really, but it’s a concept that is often forgotten. In the hub bub of trying to be part of society we often give in and go along with the flow, we do what we feel is expected of us. But you know what, it’s okay to break out of the mold and be true to yourself.

This past weekend there was a Bay Area memorial for Pro. I had resolved to attend this one the moment the date was finalized. However, as the date approached I found myself getting more and more anxious about attending. I suppose a part of it is that I just don’t handle death well, but it goes deeper than that. I have come to realize a few things this past few days:

- I don’t like group “mourning” sessions
- I don’t need funerals or memorials in order to have closure and say good bye
- Once I have come to terms with sadness I don’t really like to relive it

That’s basically what it breaks down to. The impending sorrow that I knew I would have feel all over again was causing a lot of anxiety and that was when I realized that I needed to do something different.

Is it selfish? Absolutely. I should have been there for my friends and for Becky. Does it mean that I didn’t care about Pro and his friends and family? Absolutely not! I thought of Pro and his friends and family a lot that day. Spending the time with my family (both close and extended) and appreciating the moments while remembering my friend was the healthiest way for me to say good bye. So while many may be shaking their heads in disappointment, I will stand by me decision and find solace in knowing that it’s okay to be different.

2009 in Review

I don’t really know that this will be a review of all 2009. It’s not that there is a lack of activity for this year. It has more to do with the fact that I just don’t think I can remember it all. As I try to look back it’s easier for me to remember what has happened most recently. Beyond the most obvious reason of its recent nature, I think I am remembering what has happened most recently because it has been a pretty rough end to what started out as a really good year. But I won’t dwell on the negatives here - partially because it’s time to move on and partially because it is my New Year resolution to continue to work on the “glass is half full” viewpoint.

Many things came about this year:

- I retired from ultimate which meant this was the first time since 1995 that there would be no practices, no traveling to tournaments (except for the occasional for fun adventure here and there). Basically, I would have my weekends to spend however I wanted!

- Dave and I got married! Need I say more?

- I ran in THREE half marathons. Yes that’s right, three of them. And this from the girl that swore that she would never run such things (especially after my knee).

- I ran in The Relay. It’s what started off my whole running kick.

- I reacquainted myself with my bike (and introduced myself to a new bike…my BMC) which culminated in riding the Gran Fondo. It’s true I only did the Medio, but that 63 mile route is nothing to scoff at!

- I said good bye to a friend. Life is not always peachy you know. There is the sad side which helps us appreciate the good, and this was a pretty major event this year.

- Did I mention that we got married?!

There are so many more other adventures scattered in-between that list, but we’ll just keep it to that. It’s been a trying year here in the end, but despite all of the sadness from losing a friend and other family challenges I do acknowledge the fact that I am one lucky girl. Holiday humbugness aside, I think I can say that 2009 was one good year. Life is what you make it, after all, and I *want* to make it a good one!

So as we close out 2009 I will take the many memories and lessons learned into 2010 with the determination to have another great year!

PS: Before I go, here are a few shots from the last few events of 2009

Xmas 2009

Here we are on Christmas Eve 2009, smack dab in the heart of the Holiday Season, and I can safely say that it feels like anything but the holidays. Yes we have the tree all decked out, lights on the house, and have already delivered most of our goodies to folks, but despite all of that it still doesn’t feel like Christmas. The thing is, it definitely doesn’t seem as if I am alone. Many of my friends have said the same thing: they’re going through the motions but it doesn’t feel like Christmas this year. I don’t know if it’s the atmosphere of the nation - being trapped in an economic down turn and the sense of doom and gloom that has gripped us - or if it’s different things for different people, but it makes me sad. I usually love the holidays and spending time with folks. Hugs, kisses, good food, wine, and just relaxed moments have been, up til now, a bit scant this year. But I think it’s time to try to make the best of it.

Like last year, my company will be closed from Christmas Eve (today) through the New Year (we open again on Jan 4th). I’ll probably work a bit here and there just because that’s how I am, but I do plan on spending time with my little family as well as getting on my bike and getting some run time in. I think the time away will do me, and all of us, some good. We’ll get Jeremy back out in the snow and on his snow shoes. We’ll have some more family moments which seem to be slipping by so much quicker these days as he just gets older. I’ll get some time in with my parents, we’ll get New Year’s Eve with friends and our North Bay family…in other words, the time with folks I love is fast approaching and I am desperately looking forward to it.

I think what it boils down to is this: My holidays have been downright rough since Thanksgiving, but I am finally pulling around and realizing just how lucky I still am and am ready to embrace the joys of the holidays again. I think one of my old high school friends put it best on Facebook last night: “…no matter how bad we think we have it in life, there are others who have it far worse, and have far less.” Life is truly what you make it and I am going to make what is left of this year as good as it was before this little downturn.

Inching Closer to the Holidays

It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving was already two weeks ago and we’re now less than two weeks away from Christmas. With each passing year it seems as if the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas grows shorter and shorter. With each passing year it seems as if Christmas is becoming more and more stressful.

This year we’re trying to find ways for Jeremy to enjoy the joys of Christmas that only a kid can really have, while bringing Christmas back to what it should really be about (at least to us). Yes there will still be Santa, presents, and other holiday fun, but there will be more. We’re trying to sprinkle in lessons about helping those that are in need and understanding that the spirit of Christmas isn’t about what you get, but more about spending the time with those you love.

It’s a hard lesson to teach an 8 year old. Like so many other kids his age, he is more excited about what he might get for Christmas and is less concerned about those that may not get anything this year. But I can’t fault him for that. He is, after all, only 8 and not quite ready for serious life lessons like this (nor should he be!). Don’t get me wrong, I have every intention of having Jeremy be the kid he is and enjoy all of those wonders of the holidays, but this year we’re planting the seed for what we hope turns into much more as he gets older. This year we are having Jeremy use his own money to buy something for kids who are in need. It’s nothing big or profound, but it is, at least, something. And I must say…I think it worked.

Last night we went out shopping for a few things to help get our Christmas stuff together and I gave Jeremy some very clear and simple instructions: Use $10 from the money he has earned for allowance to buy as many toys as he wanted for the Toys for Kids drive that the SRFD holds every year. He may have only picked out one toy that was $9.99, but his statement about the event is what was priceless. As we were standing in line to checkout he looked at me and said, “Mommy, I feel really good about the toy.” I admit I had to clarify what he meant since I wasn’t a 100% clear on what he was trying to say, but the fact that he verbalized that he felt good about his actions (and using his own money for the first time to do so) is what I was hoping for. I just want him to start realizing that it is more about what we give than what we get, and this was a good start.

Before I go, here are a few pics of our Holiday adventures to date…

Communication

I’ve been opening up more with those around me in a constructive way.  Nothing harsh, just talking things out again.  Had a wonderful conversation with Kelli about planning for Christmas and things after.  We have a plan and we’re sticking with it.  It’s been the most constructive conversation we’ve had since getting married and it seems we both feel better about how things are moving forward.  It’s a pretty good feeling as well.  I would say we are actually closer because of it.  I’m looking forward to my future with her.

Words of Wisdom

I originally started this post with a different title 2 days ago to sum up the events of our Thanksgiving weekend. Instead, I think I’ll share some words of wisdom I discovered today…

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

~ Winston Churchill

It is no hidden secret that I am cynical and pessimistic by nature. Or, as I often like to say, pessimistically optimistic. Well as of late - and even before Pro’s death, though his passing has strengthened my resolve somewhat - I have been trying to have more of a “glass is half full” view about life. For example, instead of grumbling and groaning about Mondays as I used to, I now kick start each Monday with a smile and excitement. It’s true that sometimes I have to force that cheerier start out of me, but once I embrace the concept it never fails to carry over the rest of the day and most of the week.

It strikes me as “funny” (or maybe ironic) that these findings are often perfectly timed in my life. I am currently faced with quite a few challenges that are taxing my ability to stay upbeat, and for most of these challenges I think this saying applies itself perfectly. But that is only “most” of them. I think it can actually apply to all of them, but I won’t be able to truly realize and appreciate that fact until I fully come to terms with things.

That’s all…I just wanted to share…and to, maybe, make you think.