Step 5: Celebrate

Step 5: Celebrate

    Yesterday we celebrated the 4th of July. We celebrated the birth of our nation. Some people celebrated family and friends, while others celebrated the fireworks. There were picnics, canoe trips, swimming pools, sunshine and laughter. The entire country was making noise and cheering for the USA. Even if the political views were different and the social economic backgrounds were different, everyone celebrated.

We celebrate holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates. We should approach every day with this much cheer. God has given us many blessings and we should rejoice daily.

 The other day I was telling my friend about something wonderful God had done for me. At the end of my story I clapped my hands and giggled “Yay God” (mimicking a pre-teen show the younger children watched when they were pre-teens) She laughed and said she never thought of cheering God. I cheer God whenever I see something amazing and know that only with His hands could this thing happen.

 I read a story about a man that gave such a display of outwardly verbal celebration for a sunset that his neighbors came out to see what was going on. Wouldn’t it be great if instead of hearing people yell at each other for things done wrong, we hear people shouting words of praise to God for things gone right?
Be Blessed and Celebrate!
Cathy Hayes

Step Four: Remember

Step Four is about remembering your past:
 As you age people will come and go in your life. The ebb and flow of love from friends will match the tides of time. Some people will always be part of your life and continue being important throughout the years, while others will flow in quickly and ebb out just as fast.

I went to a high school reunion this weekend. It wasn't mine and I only knew three other people that were there. This "anonymity" gave me the opportunity to watch the people and imagine the social dynamics as they might have been 30 years ago. The class president still has a strong presence and holds command of the crowd with a warm sense of leadership. The cheerleader still looked good and obviously took her health serious over the years. The guys that ran around taking pictures during school for the yearbook were still chronicling life on film.The party guys are the first ones at the bar and the loudest conversations.Since I didn't know any of these people this weekend I was able to develop and idea of who they were by who they are now.

I wonder how much of our personality changes over time or are we who we always were? I never really knew how people saw me when I was young. Those that knew me well might have a different opinion of me from those that didn't know me as well. I never felt like I was part of any clique or group, but I never felt unwanted or unaccepted by any of them either. Today I see myself as getting along well with most types of people. I traveled a lot when I was in my twenties and realized back then that people are the same where ever you go. I have always cherished the people in my life because I knew that someday our paths would no longer cross. I wrote a poem about it back in middle school. I don't have that poem now and don't remember the whole thing only this part:

Friends are like the new fallen snow
Shining like diamonds when present in your day
But soon melt away.
Making room for more to know
'77- poems book

I still think this holds true. We are blessed by the people we knew and should cherish the memories of our walk together no matter how brief.

Be Blessed- Cathy Hayes