The Open Range

Looking at this photo makes me feel a little nostalgic.

Oh, for the good ‘ol days….this brings to mind less stress, more interaction with neighbors, simple lifestyles and a profound meaning to life. One can get caught-up in ‘yesterday dreams.’ However, when we put some Reality in the mix, the good ‘ol days seem to lose a little of that nostalgic flavor.

Let’s review this for a minute. Less stress? Have you ever planted, worked, watered and maintained a garden because it was your primary food source? Neighbor interaction? Sure, people chipped in to help build houses, barns, plow fields and keep an eye on children because they didn’t have enough money to pay anyone to do the work. Simple life? We are talking laundry by scrub board, water from a well, horse and/or wagon transportation and long days full of physical labor. Profound meaning? Yes, do it or die!

Sometimes, when we day-dream, we tend to forget how things really were and fill in the characteristics of what we are really seeking………..Here and Now. The next time you feel a bit of nostalgia creeping in, pause for a moment and see if it is really the ‘good ‘ol days’ that you miss or some type of freedom, choice or feeling that you are missing………today.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

“When the fences in your life seem to grow taller and the restrictions fill to match them, then, it is time to break away from the herd and blaze a new trail.” tc

A Delicate Balance

An email was forwarded to me the other day that I thought had an important message to share. The theme of the email was about realizing what is important. Here it is:

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.


To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:
LOSE ONE

Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.

                                    *The origin of this letter is unknown.

I believe that it is important to get our priorities straight. The focus of these ‘realizations’ were about your life and what you do with it. Although I feel that a few of these ‘values’ are a bit extreme, there are times when we need to see the worst-case-scenario in order to give us a healthier perspective on focus.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

“Balancing what is required and what we desire is a delicate act but when we do, we yield the most lovely fruit on earth.” tc