Thanks
Thank you family and friends for your love and support throughout the years. I am so incredibly grateful for all you do.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
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Scott and Alie
Army Life. Education. Faith. Family
Archive for the category “friends”
Friends
A favorite quote:
“Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
~Anais Nin
As I reflect on the different times in my life I can recall the many people that have come, gone, and stayed. Some of these people I have let go, some have gone on their own, and others we are still very close. Yet, as Nin states, they each have brought about a new world with their friendship.
Before I had children, I would pack up and move easily without too much thought. I liked exploring new places and challenging the familiar. When I first arrived in Seattle, I rode my bike everywhere, rain and all. At times I would take a wrong turn and end up lost, then it would be a game to find my way again. This was also what I did living in Hawaii and Florida. I have found it is a great way to learn a new place. You keep pushing your boundaries and testing the waters and soon the unfamiliar becomes home.
The beauty to my movement was all the different people I met. I would not change anything about the paths I have taken. They are what makes me who I am today. I feel like I have a lot to offer my children from all of the good choices I have made and also from the poor choices. However, I think the poor choices are the ones that try to keep us from letting go. We want our children to succeed and be safe. It is difficult to watch them in pain, fail, and cry. So we try to hold tighter.
Yet, we all know that failure makes us stronger. We learn from our mistakes. This is the beauty of growth and maturity. We can reflect and choose to do better or to try something a different way. I think that friends help us along that course. A good friend will challenge us, also encourage, and truly be happy when we succeed – a lot like a parent.
I am thankful for the people that inspire me to do my best and strive to make the world a better place, one step at a time.
Much love,
~Alie
Forgiveness
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| I had the giggles when we were doing this. It was fun! |
The power of forgiveness is beautiful. Scott and I both know how to say “I apologize. I was wrong.” We also know how to forgive one another and learn from our misunderstandings.
Fortunately, we worked out our differences via email before I went to bed last night. I failed to give him pertinent information and the information he did have really touched a nerve. So he reacted and I figured out I needed to give him more information.
We have had such a wide variety of learning moments with one another. For me, I think all the traveling we have done, the stress involved with traveling, having so many things fit into a small amount of time, sharing the time with so many loved ones has really prepared us. We were joking today that we have been through a lot.
What I love about Scott is his humor. When we have had misunderstandings he has me laughing within two minutes on the phone. He has a wonderful way of making me smile and creating the best of frustrating situations.
I am calling our differences misunderstandings because that is what they have been. They have been via email and the problem with email is you do not have the eye contact, the facial expressions, and the ability to elaborate when the other person does not understand.
We have not had any real arguments thus far, mostly frustrations, misunderstandings. Although, we both agreed that when we traveling to Arkansas last year it probably would have escalated to an argument, but the kids were with us and I don’t believe in arguing in front of the kids. And would you believe that it took us several days to resolve?
But, we have made an agreement we will strive to help and love one another, always.
~Alie
Right Now
Before Scott deployed he asked friends on Facebook to offer suggestions for a song he could put on his iPod “to use to pump me up for when I have to go on patrols and/or leave the safety of my Forward Operating Base.”
He had many suggestions and decided upon, “Right Now” by Van Halen. Here is a portion of the lyrics:
“Right Now, Hey it’s your tomorrow
Right Now, Come on, it’s everything
Right Now, Catch your magic moment
Do it right here and now
It means everything”
This song focuses on the moment. I am reminded of how important it is to truly be in the moment. I studied this during meditation and it is at times very difficult to do. The brain, if you let it, will take you all over the place, almost anywhere but the moment. You need to let the past go and not dwell too much on the future.
With that said, it is okay to plan for the future, but the difference is not to base your happiness on future events. You need to be happy in the present and be truly alive now. Often times we focus on everything but the current moment.
I was listening to a program on NPR and they were discussing a “slow movement.”
http://www.slowplanet.com/blog/home/
It is basically the concept of slowing down, not filling your day so completely full that you can not truly enjoy what you are doing. They spoke about traveling and actually enjoying the act of getting to your destination and once there only doing a few planned things. They suggested taking a walk for the sake of taking a walk, not necessarily having a destination. By exploring and going off the beaten path you will get a better sense of how the locals live and experience a place in a less rushed fashion.
Here is a quote from their website:
“Slow is not about doing everything at a snail’s pace; it’s about working, playing and living better by doing everything at the right speed.”
I like the idea of slowing down and enjoying the moment. Hopefully we can all do this together, right now.
This is dedicated to a special friend and co-worker that was diagnosed with cancer yesterday. She is such a beautiful woman, full of light, positive energy, a person that truly lives in the moment and has been an inspiration to me. I know she will fight this diagnosis with her positive spirit and all of her friends and family will fight with her.
Update on my dear friend Gretchen. She was misdiagnosed with cancer! She, however, has Lupus. She is happy and hopeful and said that she can live with Lupus and it is a much better outcome. We love you Gretchen!
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