Purposeful Blogging..... hmmmmm

Thanks to my homegirl, sea star, for nominating me for this award. I'm honored. Truly. But do I actually get anything? A prize, maybe? LOL! If you click back to the links from the original poster of this thing like I did, you'll see that we may have strayed a bit from what they intended this to be. But that doesn't mean that different voices don't also speak with purpose.

When I started the blog, I did it for all the same reasons as everyone else. It was a place to document my journey on the path to my daughter, it was a way to journal my feelings and reflect back on them, and it was an easy way for my family to keep track of what's going on in my life. And I figured I might connect with a few cool people along the way since I'd already been chatting with I-Con thru her blog. She was the one who really encouraged me to start my own and should take all the credit for the look of this place. I told her what I wanted and she made it happen. That's how technologically impaired I was back in July '06 when I first posted. I'm not much further along now unfortunately but that's beside the point....

I'm not going to gush over how many amazing people I've met thru this blog. Cuz you've all heard me say it before. It truly has been life changing for me though. I never would've imagined that some of the women that I now hold as my closest friends were brought to me thru this. I am grateful for that.

So I had to think about what my purpose is here for all of you that read. Again... I'm honored that you do. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside to know that you find my life that interesting. And think what I have to say is worth a few minutes of your day.

My purpose here is no different than it is in my every day life, I guess. I'm pretty much the same person here as I am there. I always try to keep it real. I don't like to play games and I absolutely will not tolerate bullshit. I speak my mind. Sometimes too much. But I have a good heart and I try to show that. I'm nauseatingly optimistic, usually. And I love to have fun!

But if this blog has any type of "purpose" at all, I guess it would be to remind people to be grateful. That's my message. My mantra. Those of you who know my history, know that I came very close to dying. Just about as close as you can get. That changed something in me. Something huge. It made me completely aware of the blessings in my life.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel grateful. Not just because I'm still here. But for Everything. Like the big things, of course. My good health, my family's health, my job, my friends, the love in my life, having a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food in my belly, the fact that I live in a country where bombs aren't going off constantly and I have the freedom to go where I want, do what I want, have opinions and speak them, etc etc... you get the idea.

But I'm grateful for the little things, too. I guess the best way to illustrate that is to ask this. On a bright, warm sunshiney day have you ever stopped for just a few minutes to take it all in? To feel the sun on your face, watch the trees sway in the breeze, hear the birds singing and the kids playing down the street? To really see and admire the vibrant blue sky, the bright yellow sun, the deep green of the trees, the pure white clouds? Then take a deep breath in thru your nose, exhale it out, relax and just wonder in the beauty that surrounds you? And say thank you? To whoever or whatever that decided that you should be here to be a part of it.
I have. And it makes me smile. Every time.

I've said it before on this blog and I'll probably say it again.
But this is my message.........

Appreciate your life.
Count your blessings.
Be grateful.
Life is short.
Live fully.
Be happy.

We all have days when we're down.

I've had my fair share, trust me.
But if you choose to live your life
AWAKE and AWARE and GRATEFUL
there's no way that you can't be happy.
Happy deep down in your inner core.
And that happiness, that contentment......

will always find it's way back.
Even when things feel dark.

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
~ Abraham Lincoln

Couldn't of said it better myself, Abe!

Now apparently, I have to nominate some other blogs that I feel have a purpose and list the rules and stuff. This was hard. Because every blog I read has a purpose for me. Some make me laugh, some educate me, some make me open my mind and think more, some offer unwavering support. But I picked only two because some of the others I would've chosen have already been named. And because I want other people to have a chance to pass this thing around. So I'm breaking the rules a little but I nominate..........

Alison and her blog My Chinese Dream. She's one of the first single mom blogs I found. She always tells it like it is. She keeps it very real. ...the great things about motherhood and the hard stuff, too. I've learned so much about how I want to parent my daughter from her experiences. And I've been lucky enough to meet her and the beautiful Mali Sue in real life. So this woman that I worshiped from afar, I am now blessed to call my friend.

I-Con and her blog Somewhere in China. I think I almost always nominate her for whatever award comes down the pike. But that's cuz I love her so much. She's a gift. Truly. Her blog is funny, heartwarming, open and honest. I feel lucky to call her my friend as well.

AWARD GUIDELINES:
Awarded parties must nominate five people who have not received the award.
1. The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.
2. In their post about the award they need to link back to the original entry.
3. Awarded parties must post the award banner on their site. The banner must remain linked to Eric Novak's site.