Sometimes I feel like a walking ball of emotion. For example, I was enjoying my morning coffee while reading Facebook and came across a video post highlighting President Obama’s tenure as President of the United States and his beautiful family and started to cry. Every time I see him and the First Lady and the incredible job they’ve done raising their daughters, I weep for what this country is losing that can never be replaced.

My cancer fight has made me profoundly aware of the fragility and the preciousness of every day. It makes my “Purpose” of uplifting people to embrace faith and adopt a more positive attitude all the more important. However, in my efforts to bring hope and vision to others, I realize sometimes I’m less patient with those who take their daily blessings for granted. 

Well, this is a perfect opportunity for me to take that realization, adjust my attitude and turn this into a positive opportunity for continued self-discovery. With that intention, and per my usual approach, I started to research about the meaning of patience and found the above quote resonated with me.

I’ve written in a previous post, “Deconstructing Love”, about the John Lennon quote: “All You Need is Love” as not being an easy proposition. Walking in Love is far more difficult than hating. I believe that’s why we get so frustrated with those who hate on others and say and commit the most despicable acts. Walking in Love means we can’t lower ourselves to retaliate on their level because then we become just as deplorable as they are. We have to rise above, continue to Love and have Faith. 

It’s so important to surround yourself with positive thoughts and people. If I concede that Love is Patience, then I always need to be aware of that when a situation or person pushes that particular button. If I can’t practice what I preach then I need to shut up for that means I’m not really living a mindful life and staying true to this practice is tantamount to my happiness.

We all have choices in how we interpret and handle a specific situation or event. Do we think what opportunity may lie in the moment or do we fight, blame, or cop out and put our head in the sand? I wake up every morning and remind myself that our lives are a result and accumulation of the choices we make. As a reinforcement, this quote by Norman Vincent Peale is strategically placed in my bathroom as one of the first thoughts I see each morning.

I have a conviction that the quality of our lives depends on practicing mindful intention. Conducting ourselves each day with a sense of consciousness. Being aware that the only real control is determined by and a consequence of our state of mind. 

We can be our own best friend or our own worse enemy. The choice is up to us. I’m crafting my life so I leave this world with no regrets. As an expression of awareness, my sister posted a very heartfelt sentiment on Facebook this morning that read:

The people we love need to hear those words from us. When we relate to the world from a positive position we are more likely to respect these feelings and understand the importance of the 3 little words that can change the course of someone’s day.

Don’t take your blessings and the loved ones in your life for granted. Engage with a positive mindset and reject the negative. Change our relationship to the daily happenstances and decide to wield the only real power; the power to accept, deny, or make that lemonade. It’s totally up to you!