2011 Retrospective Part III

As I come to the almost completion of this Retrospective, I want to say that, this year, more than never before, I wanted to calm down. Slow down. Focus on the best things in life. Learn how to be happy, accepting myself and others the exactly way we are.

I love lists. Between the good, better and best things in life, I can say that the simple things are the most important. Oh yea... you probably already know that.

There are many people that knowing the good yet choose the evil things in life. Is that natural man, this drift in human nature that causes it to gravitate so often and so easily toward lower rather than rise upward toward higher things.

We should be brave enough to take ourselves with faith to get our spirits and desires turned toward the best things. It may not be easy, but is possible.

This world is full of beauty. Our Heavenly Father saw when it was finished that it was all good. We are here to live cheerfully, whatever the limitations, whatever the hardness, and set about living in such a way that we shall make one little spot of the world as much as possible like heaven.

Jesus Christ is the best. Professor, Friend, Companion. He taught:

"Blessed are the meek.''
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness."
"Blessed are the merciful."
"Blessed are the pure in heart."
"Blessed are the peacemakers."

These are qualities that we need to develop in order to find the best in us. How we achieve these qualities maybe will be in different ways.

All the other teachings of Jesus Christ are only hints of the best things in life. It doesn't matter the tests of life, if we learn its lessons well. If we do, the aspect of all life will be changed for us.

We should live and spend our time for the best things. The good are not the best, and sometimes can be its enemy. We can get the best things by sacrifice of the things that are merely good.

The best things in life aren't things.

Or even if will be things we have, but rather who we get to share these things with.

Usually the best things in life are precious and more special to us when we look for the little everyday miracles and get excited about the privileges of simply being human.

Everyday we love, hope, try, hurt, need, fear, cry. The best things in life come to us unexpected. They are free. Or silly. Maybe difficult, but never impossible is we make an effort to live. We need to discover how to appreciate the timeless values in our daily experiences, so we can enjoy them.

Thanksgiving day. Thanking before giving. The best things in my life will be sitting with me. My family. Small details of day by day that I also enjoy.

1 - Sleeping in on a rainy day
2 - Receiving a real letter from a fan
3 - Hearing the right song at the right moment
4 - A sip of cold nice water when you are thirsty
5 - Home smell
6 - Fresh, clean bed sheets
7 - A beautiful view
8 - Finding a long lasting friend
9 - Making someone smile
10 - Having a great conversation
11 - The feeling of being successfully independent
12 - The smell of a baby fresh from the bath
13 - Clear, starry nights.
14 - Freshly cut grass.
15 - The refreshing smell of rain.
16 - Chocolate covered strawberries.
17 - Comfort food.
18 - An answered prayer.
19 - Receiving a heartfelt thank you note.
20 - Surprise notes found in the fridge, in the pillow, even in the shoe.
21 - Thunderstorms. All kinds...
22 - Holding hands around the table before supper.
23 - Observing new baby animals.
24 - Fresh Air.
25 - Seeing our child happy and smiling.

Like I said. Cherish family and friends. The best things in life are NOT things.

This list has more yet to come. I want the list to be continued. I would love to know what is on your best things list.

Leave a comment. I would really love that.

2011 Retrospective Part II

We just had my son's Eagle Scout Court of Honor yesterday. I am so proud of my baby boy! He has worked hard and deserves all he can get.

I love the Scouting program, it can do so much for our young man. I am also a Counselor for BSA in our District and just love teaching some requirements for Merit Badges to those boys, they are awesome! I am so amazed for the blessing to have incredible and outstanding Boy Scout leaders in this part of the Lord’s vineyard!

As we were all so much involved with my son’s Eagle Project this year, as a family we recapitulated all the principles of Boy Scouting through the project preparing, making and concluding. And as we helped him with his project and observed his pursue of this highest rank having this as a priority this year, we all learned a lot, and many of these things are also included as part of the Retrospective I want to write about.

Individual - As an individual, Scouting brings young people in contact with a positive network of caring adults while offering kids a unique opportunity for directed fun, adventure and learning. As individuals we need a little of all this in our lives. It will help with our 'emotional intelligence' as we interact with others. And this mean more self-awareness, self-control, empathy, the ability to listen, cooperate, share, and work. We as mothers tend to be behind the scenes while our boys are expanding their limits, and gaining appreciation for nature and the world around them. For this reason I am so grateful to have a son, because I love those adventures myself, and all that I could do to participate and go along, there I was! I advise any woman, mother, sister, daughter of a Scout to discover how life in the wild is healthy!  That helps you with better humor, disposition to go and do things, challenge yourself! If you don’t have that close to you, there are a lot of information on the web and many ideas of activities that can be done anywhere.

Family - Many of the Scouting activities are done as a family, and many of those moments have been definitely memorable, from working on achievement awards to camping and trips, or even attending or preparing ceremonies. It’s a way to spend more time with each other in a very productive way. This strengthens family and builds good lifetime memories. You can say that we don’t need the Scouting program to have those opportunities. Yes, we also spend time as a family anyway, give attention to our children anyway, and teach them things anyway. But, when activities are measured by its results, the accomplishments have more meaning. And most of all, families that really spend time with their kids in a regular bases know very well that we need more ideas allways to fulfill the time more greatly.

Community - This means Service. For many decades Scouting have been among the most successful at organizing service projects to help improve our communities. And nothing better than teach our children to help others to understand the inspiration and the meaning of life.  Maybe some people finds themselves happier living recluse and quiet, so they maybe have peace. A ship is safe in the harbor, but is not what a ship is for. Service is the essential part of human nature to get along. Since helping to provide food, manpower, improve a public area, schools, churches, squares or the infinite examples we do for others, it’s also a fun way to show by example that the satisfaction that comes from helping others is real. It was Gandhi that said once that ‘we must be the change we wish to see in the world’. This is what life is all about! We can stand up for an ideal, or acts to improve the life of others, or strikes out against injustice, but, if we do not serve one another, our words are empty. We need hope, idealism, compassion and faith, but more than anything, we need action, because it's action that transforms the world we live in, and we are raising children that will take care of our future.

Lifetime - Scouting is good for a lifetime, as it teaches lifelong values like integrity, learning, new interests. Sure we all try to teach our kids honesty, courage, participating citizenship, building character, responsibility, personal fitness, conscientiousness, and productive society, but Scouting reaffirms all that and help us to build leaders by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. And the friendships, leadership skills and practical knowledge, once they learn making, last long after the Scouting days are over. All this help to bring self confidence in life and in their work, in their professional careers, and relationships.

I am very grateful to have a Boy Scout son that loves the program and also to have been part of his journey to Eagle.

As an Eagle mom, and previously a Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, with his Arrow of Light, Duty to God, Blazer, and now a Varsity Mom, I can say that I have learned a lot, and I admire greatly and feel so blessed to watch a boy grow into a man, and even in so tender age, be self reliant, and recipient of a cheerful Spirit, embracing life with honesty of feelings, and honor of character.

This is part of my Retrospective for this year, as all this were being tested on my son, my own strength as a Mother was also being tested, because I can teach him things and I can help him with all, but, in the end, he needs to be proved capable and worthy to bear the title of a Man, of an Eagle Scout, and me, an Eagle Mom :-DD. This is how I got to improve my Parenting skills this year ;-)

We all know, as parents, that we teach our kids the best we can, trying to prepare them for life, helping them to develop all the qualities they will need to be happy, inspiring them to be humble enough to recognize and work on their mistakes. We also know that, one day, they will be by themselves, and their choices will make us proud or even failure, but we need to do our best now, while they are under our supervision. With the help of a program that incuses in their personality values like Honor, trustworthiness, loyalty, courage, cheerfulness, and service, all the help we can get is welcome.