followyourdreams2designsbysandeheird

Rain! Rain! Rain! For the last few days it has been raining buckets here in Eastern TN. BUT, I guess I should be grateful for all the positives the rain brings. I am reminded of a question I heard this morning from someone on television. The question was,"What is the secret of true happiness?" I learned at an early age that, for me, the secret of happiness is to walk in gratitude. A lesson my loving, intelligent Mother taught me...you might say, "the hard way". We lived in a small town here in TN where people were blessed with the necessities of life but not an abundance of stuff and things. When my sister and I would complain and complain about what we did not have...store bought clothing, a big house, a boat etc. we'd find ourselves knocking at the door of one of the town's most impoverished families with a basket of goodies (good, but used clothing most often made by my Mother, food items and even flowers from her garden). She was smart enough to know that talking at us would not do as much good as showing us. So, like clockwork, as soon as we would start our moaning, she'd start humming hymns and packing a box of goodies for us to deliver. We soon got the message that if we were gonna feel sorry for ourselves and complain, we should do it quietly and out of her ear's range.
Thinking of those days reminds me that in a week I go to my 50th highschool reunion. I look in the mirror at the wrinkled face looking back and then scan down to the flab and have second thoughts about going. OH, I forgot..."Walk in gratitude, Sandra". Yes, I am wrinkled and overweight but I don't have cancer, am not in a wheelchair etc. and I will admit that it will be so good to see all those people that were young with me and shared those years of pop quizes, football and basketball games, dating and that good old fifties "Rock and Roll" that my Father told me would corrupt my mind and lead me to hell. That class of 1959...all those young lives that have now been lived. These are the positive things I must fill my mind with these next few days until I see those faces that shared my youth.