make every day a honeymoon

make every day a honeymoon

"The biggest mistake you and I will ever make – thinking we

have more time." — Jackie Bledsoe

This past weekend we joined our daughter and her kids for the St. Patrick's Day parade in Denver. I have to admit, I wasn't all that excited about going. I mean, a couple hours watching cars, trucks, horses, bands and some leprechauns go by didn't sound fun.

But wow, how kids can teach us. My grandson was in awe of those same cars, trucks, horses and bands. It was a new experience for him. He loved it so much he didn't want to leave. At this stage of life, he doesn't know for sure. He may think he will only experience that one time. Kind of like a honeymoon.

My wife and I just spent a week together, just the two of us. In a way, we were celebrating this new "retirement" chapter of life, but it was also kind of like another honeymoon. We had a blast. We reminded ourselves why we first fell in love, why we enjoy being with each other, and what we were grateful for about each other. Well at least me, she may be writing a different blog - yikes.

"I love the idea that you don't have to go anywhere to make things better. You just have to put effort into making things better where you are." — Reid Tracy

What if we treated everything like a honeymoon? What if we reminded ourselves how excited we were when we first started a relationship? What if we tried to get back into that mindset of feeling challenged and thrilled when we first started a new job? Or that exhilaration we felt when we first moved into that new apartment or home?

I often take for granted that I "get to" do things instead of "have to" do things. And as my life gets farther away from the new and exciting honeymoon stage, I often find myself almost regretting that I didn't enjoy every moment like I should have. I often regret that I didn't do something sooner or differently or not at all.

But what I'm also understanding is all of that made me who I am today. I am very imperfect, but I am ok with that. My imperfections make me; they don't break me. And you know what? I kind of like who I am today. If I have any true regrets, I wish I had realized that sooner. That I am ok the way I am. I wish I had the self-worth of a young man I recently heard about.

An amazing associate of ours said something to me about her son: "I'm still not sure where it came from, but I asked him if he ever wished to not be autistic. He looked at me for a few seconds, really thinking thoroughly. His answer was very comforting and reassuring that we [the parents] did something good along the way. He said, 'No, I have never wished for that. If I didn't have Asperger's, I would probably be like other teenagers, causing trouble. Today, I am what I am because of what I have, which makes me, me...and I like me. So, no...I would never change it. I don't wish for anything different. I am happy and proud being an Aspie.'"

Wow. I pray to have the self-compassion, self-confidence and self-assurance that young man has. His attitude alone will give him a long honeymoon of a life. It goes back to the "grass is greener" mindset we often have, and that young man sees the green grass under his own feet. We always think someone else has greener grass, or the grass is greener somewhere else. No, they just water their grass more, and their grass isn't always as green as it looks from across the fence. If we just water the grass where we are, and help others water theirs, we will see more green.

If there's an area of your life you think needs to improve, maybe you just need a honeymoon with yourself to realize for the first time or to realize again—that you are pretty darn good the way you are. Water the grass under your feet. It can bring back to life some of that excitement and energy you once had.

"Your time, my time, we all get the same number of minutes per day. If you spend them on someone, they can tell." — Seth Godin

Let's make the most of the time we have to look for the good in our lives. Often that can be accomplished quickly by doing good for others. Be a light in someone's darkness, and you will also see more light. Share good news, show others you care. As Jon Gordon said: "Put we before me."

My youngest granddaughter fell asleep in my arms recently. I love this picture of her. It's like she is praying. Maybe she's praying for the same thing I am. That my grandkids (really all people) have the opportunity to grow in a wonderful world, where we all follow the golden rule and treat each other (and ourselves) the way we want to be treated--no matter the age, race, faith, color, country, beliefs, job, title, gender, experience, or politics.

Let us make the time to water the grass beneath our feet and the feet of others. Let us love ourselves, love others, and love life like we are on a honeymoon.Mak