“Lives of Great Men All Remind Us”

“We Can Make Our Lives Sublime

And, Departing, Leave Behind

Footprints on the Sand of Time”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote this poem. It makes me pause and think a lot. Longfellow was a poet and also wrote prose. He was called a fireside poet. He wrote many famous books, including the “Song of Hiawatha.” This book is really a poem, and judged to take over three hours to read. I didn’t realize it was so long.

The poem at the top of this post reminds me of another one, Footprints in the Sand. It talks of someone describing a dream they had one night. Well, here it is:

Hardly anyone I know would call themselves great. Part of that is being raised as a baby boomer; and if you’re female, you really don’t. We don’t use words like that. We should. Learning our worth as a human being is important. Saying it out loud is more so.

No, I’m not saying we should be narcissistic. Narcissists don’t have any concern for others. All the people I call friend do care about others. It is in their nature. We want to make the world better for all of us. Service to others is a big part of this. While we need to take care of ourselves, once those daily tasks are done, it’s good to get outside of ourselves and reach out to others. It’s part of a balanced life. I believe that is part of what helps us be great.

People notice us. They notice what we do; how we behave; how we react to disappointment. They see how we deal with difficulty or joy. A positive attitude and hope go a long way toward making a positive mark on the world. Let’s be positive as part of our footprints on the sands of time. It’s one of the best marks to leave.

Thank you for reading today. I value your time and hope you have a blessed rest of the day. Let’s see each other tomorrow. Be safe out there.

Footprints on the Sands of Time

Every day, I start my morning reading the Daily Meditations for Adult Children of Alcoholics. I have used this for forty plus years. When I don’t, my thinking gets off track. My mom and two brothers are the alcoholics. Until I began writing, I didn’t realize how their habits affected my life and interactions with people. Addiction hurts more than the user, folks. It hurts everyone in their path.

Somehow, I escaped the family curse. I drink, yes. But I can just as easily live without it. I needed help with understanding my worth, my value, my right to respect. The more I learn, I want to help other people learn this earlier in their lives. It certainly can’t hurt.

Today’s meditation hit home for me. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote:

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time.

Some day, we will all leave this earth. What will your time on this earth reflect? Have you done your best to live a good life? Have you helped your fellow humans? Have you instilled God’s love in others by your presence?

What we say and do affects other people. What do your children overhear? Are you in a difficult situation that could harm you or them? Can you find help? Sadly, many never ask. We cannot be too embarrassed to ask for help, especially where lives are concerned. Despite what your abuser tells you to control you, YOU ARE WORTH IT! Every bit of you. Believe it. Live it.

Until I learned my truth, after a near paralyzing tumor in my spinal column, I accepted being “put in my place.” I could be cut down by words, a look, and especially by being ignored. Somehow, I learned I was worth better treatment. I was 43 years old before I learned I was worth it. Instead of “Here Goes Nothing,” I can now say, “Here Comes Something!” I’m proud of the woman I’ve fought hard to become. It’s hard for me sometimes to say that. It’s conditioning. I’ve been living the lie that no longer controls me. I have a second chance at life and happiness. The last 25 years have been how I’ve always imagined life should be.

I want to be an encourager. I want to be a good friend. I want to have a positive outlook and enjoy what God has graced me with. Some days I’m “off.” Not sure why, except that I’m human. That’s a fact of our lives. We fail sometimes. We can correct ourselves gently and act better. It’s all we can do. Encourage, don’t discourage.

I’ve been looking back at where my footsteps have taken me. A lot of crazy places with some crazy people. I learned what I didn’t want. That made my quest for a different life and future more important to me. I believe I was made differently so I could change myself and my life to love it instead of being angry, sad, feeling left out, and isolated. A neighbor noticed and once told me, “You never smiled before. Now you smile all the time.” I hadn’t realized how feeling stuck affected me.

Our actions and words do matter. We cannot hide everything from some people. They can see through facades. I learned to drop mine, they really didn’t offer much protection except in my mind. The Babe saw through my hurt. He helped me learn many things. To trust. To love fully. To be a partner, not a slave. To remember I’m important, too. To reach for my stars. And he is cheering me on. Thanks, Babe! I thank God every day and night for you.

It’s never too late to change direction in life. We have the freedom to do so. We need to make possibilities choices when changing direction. It will affect other people. Choose wisely. Leave footprints of encouraging example. Let’s all try together!

Thanks for reading today, I appreciate it. We will see each other tomorrow! Enjoy the beautiful day if you’re here in eastern Nebraska. It’s lovely outside! Be Kind. Be Courteous, too.