Thoughts on the Eve of Christmas Eve

As a child living in Germany, one of my favorite priests, Father Ed was always reminding us to live for today as tomorrow isn't promised and not to sweat the small things and everything can be broken up into smaller things. He loved to remind us that the self imposed stress surrounding Christmas cards was crazy. He would say Christmas cards are just that, Christmas cards. If they arrive before December 25th, they don't change the name and call them Advent cards. They were originally intended to arrive to bring cheer and good news during the 12 days of Christmas. Yeah, 1 less thing to stress about today at least. I wish I was more on top of things like many of my friends but as they still are not done, I will resolve to be more on top of it in 2011. 


This time of year my mind begins to think about the people I miss, friends and relatives who have passed away or that I have lost touch with. I have lost touch with many people I that I used to consider so important to me over the course of the last few years. I know that true friends come in and out of your life and even after long periods of not seeing or speaking with each other, you can pick up where you left off as if time had just stood still. Losing some others was completely unintentional, getting lost in the hustle and bustle of each other's day to day or possibly alienating them for reasons unknown to me or that I'm unaware. Some were probably for the best but regardless, many times life is truly what happens when we're making other plans. 


Makes me think of the lyrics to "In My Life", a favorite among my ZTA sisters in college with some slight tweaks to the lyrics. I also have various Christmas songs on rotation in my brain lately such as 'All I want for Christmas is a Real good tan', " I want a hippopotamus for Christmas', 'A Baby Changes Everything', 'Hard-Candy Christmas' in addition to various Christmas standards Wham's 'Last Christmas' but this seems to be in heavy rotation too.


In My Life - Bette Midler


There are places I remember
All my life, though some have changed.
Some forever, not for better.
And some have gone, and some remain.

All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can’t recall.
Some are dead and some are living.
In my life I love them all.

But of all these friends and lovers,
There is no one compares with you.
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new.

Though I know I’ll never ever lose affection
For people and things that went before,
I know I’ll often stop and think about them.
In my life I love you more.

Though I know I’ll never ever lose affection
For people and things that went before,
I know I’ll often stop and think of them.
But in my life I loved you more.
I love you more.
I love you more. 


Regardless I needed the reminder I received this morning. I've collected stories, cards, poems, images and various other "inspirations" for many years. I think I always seem to find them to make me think and receive a good "cosmic" nudge in the right direction now and again. This mornings nudge was in the form of an old card I found that my Grandpa Harry Raihl had sent me. My grandpa was not the subtle, sugar-coating type which is one of the many reasons we affectionately called him "Bear". Even though he joined my grandmother in heaven in June 2005, I think of him often and that he likes to give me a good kick in the pants now and again.


Bear loved the tazmanian devil as it was the perfect caricature of himself, symbols for curse words and all. He was an avid movie buff and collector of the  titles in the bargain bin. He especially loved those involving John Wayne, Westerns, and old war documentaries relating to his years of service in the military. As he retired in Las Cruces, he also loved the Southwest lifestyle?including growing his own Chile's in his garden, kokopellis, and the cowboy way of life. The front of the card had a poem by one of his favorite Cowboy poets, Baxter Black, which has always been one of my favorites. It's a good reminder of how to treat those you chose to be your friends.


Take Care Of Your Friends - Baxter Black

Friend is a word that I don't throw around
Though it's used and abused, I still like the sound.
I save it for people who've done right by me
And I know I can count on, if ever need be.

Some of my friends drive big limousines
Own ranches and banks and visit with queens,
And some of my friends are up to their neck
In overdue notes and can't write a check.

They're singers or ropers or writers of prose
And others, God bless 'em, can't blow their own nose!
I guess being friends don't have nothing' to do
With talent or money or knowing who's who.

It's a comfortable feeling when you don't have to care,
'Bout choosing your words or being quite fair.
'Cause friends'll just listen and let go on by
Those words you don't mean and not bat an eye.

It makes a friend happy to see your success.

And that ain't so easy, all of the time,
Sometimes I get crazy and seem to go blind!

Your friend just might have to take you on home,
Or remind you sometime, that you're not alone.
Or ever so gently pull you back to the ground,
When you think you can fly, with no one around.

A hug or a shake, whichever seems right
Is the high point of giving, I'll tell you tonight,
All worldly riches and tributes of men,
Can't hold a candle to the worth of a friend. 



I value my family and my friends more than I hope they know. I know I've been horrible lately about keeping in touch and showing my appreciation to those who know me well enough to call and check on me because a text message or a FB post doesn't sound right. Those who forgive my nerves, fumbling all over myself and making crappy jokes to cut the tension of a situation. They also know that birthdays are a big deal and must require acknowledgement from me in some way shape or form. Lastly I hope they realize that I have been working the last few years on more consciously making "notes" of likes, dislikes, and major events as to me, part of friendship means remembering or acknowledging the little things such as you prefer peanut M&Ms to plain or hate with a passion all orange vegetables. 


I realize that I'm I have a wealth of useless Entertainment and other various trivia locked in my brain, that likes to come out at various random times, not just during Trivial Pursuit. But I do also make a point to remember other stuff too. I used to have 'Life's Little Instructions' hanging on my wall for many years and one of the "instructions" was that everyone wants to be acknowledged and know that they are being heard. I have found it's the little day to day preferences that are the most surprising and appreciated. There were a lot of good ones on there including that everyone deserves a birthday cake. Why you may ask? Because a birthday is simply a person's one special day of the year that celebrates the fact that they were born and exist. Simple yet powerful enough huh?


The following is another poem a friend sent me years ago that seems to go with the theme of today's thought process. 


Around the Corner - Henson Towne


Around the corner I have a friend,
In this great city that has no end, 
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on, 
And before you know it, a year is gone.
And I never see my old friends face,
For life is a swift and terrible race,
He knows I like him just as well,
As in the days when I rang his bell.
And he rang mine if,
we were younger then, 
And now we are busy, tired men.
Tired of playing a foolish game,
Tired of trying to make a name.
"Tomorrow" I say "I will call on Jim"
"Just to show that I'm thinking of  him."
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes, 
And the distance between us grows and grows.
Around the corner! - yet miles away,
"Here's a telegram sir"
"Jim died today"
And that's what we get and deserve in the end.
Around the corner, a vanished friend.


Remember to always say what you mean. If you love someone, tell them. 
Don't be afraid to express yourself. Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you. 
Because when you decide that it is the right time, it might be too late. 
Carpe Diem, Seize the day! Never have regrets, learn from everything.
And most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for they
have helped make you the person that you are today.


Pass this along to your friends. It could make a difference. The difference
between doing all that you can or having regrets which may stay with you forever. 


I hope everyone has the very Merriest of Christmas', Happiest and safest of holiday seasons. Take care and looking forward to a New Year - PK

Sean's Big Day and is it really almost Christmas

Sean has a large multi-doctor panel review tomorrow at the Denver V.A. hospital. I took the day off of work because his appointment is at 12:30 pm and that's my normal in time on Mondays. I knew that it would be better for Omee (my mom) and Uncle Sean to have a Mommy/daughter day with Miss Delaney than to have them both try to juggle her and possibly lose focus on his tests. I have no idea what all is involved but it just really hit me that tomorrow is a big day for him. It will be 2 years since his emergency open heart surgery and resulting hypoxic-anoxic brain injury on January 15th. I am so grateful, blessed, honored and thankful to everyone for their thoughts, prayers well wishesm distractions and events of joy you have shared with us that have helped us all get through this challenging time in our lives.

It's hard to believe that's really been almost 2 years. My parents have found out through our research that it's a general rule of thumb that with traumatic brain injuries, generally 2 years is the benchmark for progress and recovery. Anoxic brain injuries or those that are the result of a lack of oxygen to the brain are more unpredictable in their progress and recovery path. Sean began working with the V.A. at the end of October doing Speech therapy via video conference at the facility here in the Springs and meeting with a Physical therapist. From what I understand this multi-panel review will help determine where Sean is in his recovery and where we go from here.

Initially after he came home in May of 2009, he was receiving Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy multiple times a week. When his approved visits were done for the year, I thought we were waiting for his insurance company to re-approve him for the remaining months of his Cobra coverage in 2010 but that never seemed to happen. Not that his insurance company didn't pay more than it's share for his emergency admittance, diagnostics, emergency open heart surgery, stay in the CCC at the Medical Center of Aurora, stay at Triumph, return to the CCC, additional surgery, and finally his stay at Spalding Rehabilitation Center before coming home in May of 2009. I don't believe my parents ever saw a bill for his Hospital stay and the Cardiac Critical Care Unit is not cheap by any means. I think we were told he was in the 5- figure a day cost bracket.

As a thank you to all the doctors, therapists, nurses and administrators that helped take care of Sean during his long 5 months, my parents and Sean hand delivered Edible arrangements to each department, office and care center. Even though Sean didn't necessarily remember all of them, they definitely remembered him. Sean's definitely never has been or probably ever will be your average patient. They all were touched by the gesture and happy to see him up and moving around instead of how he was when he was in their care. It's one thing to see the patient that you're taking care of and another to see them after they've been back in "the real world I guess.

So tomorrow is a big day for him and my parents. Delaney and I will be visiting with my best friend and goddaughter up in Firestone. It doesn't hardly seem like it's about to be Christmas in 6 days. Probably because of the lack of snow except a day here and there in Colorado Springs and abnormally warm temperatures aren't helping. Also we've been short staffed at work so I've been working LOTS of Overtime. Half the time I don't know what day it is. Tomorrow is basically my 1 day off this week and I have 1 day next week . Hopefully tomorrow will help put me back in the Holiday spirit. Cross my fingers, say some extra prayers for him and will keep you updated =S

Update #71 October 10, 2010

sunday, october 10, 2010

Update #71 October 10th, 2010

Sean saw the VA neurology rehabilitation doctors today to evaluate his progress and to decide on the next direction to pursue. I was scared and anxious. To us he is still progressing slow but sure, but it was now time to see what the experts thought. They doubled one of his medications to stimulate the brain more for a couple of weeks. They want to see if we will see even more improvement in his cognitive levels. He had started the medication last December and it seemed to have helped, so we are hopeful. Sean will start speech therapy and physical therapy again. He still needs to strengthen his arms, hands, balance and projection of his voice. Sean is focused on getting another Hummer -- no surprise there. He has really progressed on the computer so much so that he is able to look up various sites for Hummers. The doctor told him he isn't ready yet but that if he continues to progress and gets stronger there is a driving center that the VA system has that would be available for him to use when he is ready. I have to be honest; I wasn't sure he would ever be able to drive again but didn't want to discourage him. He is a miracle, still making slow but sure progress. It will be 2 years in January; we are thrilled with his progress and hopeful for his future. I asked if they would be doing another MRI and was told no, they wouldn't do one unless he stopped progressing or regressed.

Updates #69 & 70

thursday, august 12, 2010

Update #70, August 12th, 2010

Sean is still progressing with some really new things of late. He has been taken off several medications and is responding more and more. He is expressing himself more which is refreshing. The other night CSI Miami started, even though it is a rerun Sean enjoys it, Paulette changed the channel. Sean got up said "well I might as well go to bed". Needless to say I set up the TV so he could watch CSI in his bedroom. We went looking at cars and he really enjoyed that on Tuesday. Again fitting into a car that fits 7' and a 42" inseam is fun on the passenger side. He wants to look at a Hummer so that will be another day. He has several appointments set up with the VA doctors and we look forward to making more progress. Until next time God Bless and thank you for continuing to pray and thinking of him.

tuesday, july 6, 2010

Update #69 July 6, 2010

We had a quiet 4th of July, Paulette was working and I mentioned to Sean we should tape the beautiful fireworks we were watching on television with the Boston Pops so she could see it later. He replied "Paulette can walk outside and see it for herself right now." I almost fell off the couch. He is talking much clearer and I ask him questions that require an answer other than just "yes or no". He is using his hands more and is not quite as frustrated. We went up to Denver and took Editable Bouquets of fruit as thank you gifts to various people and units at one of the 3 hospitals. Sean didn't remember the people but they remembered him. I wanted him to give them the thank yous so they could see him and how much he had progressed in the last 18 months. They were impressed as almost all of them had only seen him prone and pretty out of it.
We will deliver more next week when some vacations are done. Still hanging in there and glad for each and every day. Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Quotes of insight, inspiration and ambiguity

"A pearl is a beautiful thing that is produced by an injured life. It is the tear [that results] from the injury of the oyster. The treasure of our being in this world is also produced by an injured life. If we had not been wounded, if we had not been injured, then we will not produce the pearl." Stephan Hoeller 

This quote inspires me and makes me think about Sean. It's been over a year now since his emergency open heart surgery that nearly took him from us and left him with an anoxic/hypoxic brain injury. What is an anoxic/hypoxic brain injury you might ask? In Sean's case, sometime during his 10 hour surgery his blood pressure got too low and his brain didn't get enough oxygen. From what I understand from this lack of oxygen damaged his mid-brain area. The mid-brain is the integration center from your higher brain functions like coordination, intelligence, and telling your motor neurons what to do. He's still re-learning, healing and recovering every day. He enjoys spending time with Delaney and they have a mutual admiration society. My mom has the patience of Job and sometimes has more than her hands full with the two of them. I'll be glad when D starts preschool 2 days a week this fall so that mom will get more of a break than just my days off. 


Sean is becoming more pronounced in his opinions and more vocal with his likes and dislikes. He will play his hidden picture/object games for longer periods of time and is more vocal about what he does and doesn't want to watch, participate in etc. He has different "flashes of memory". Vivid memories I have from our shared childhood, he may or may not remember. During one of Sean's rehabilitation appointment's Dad was told that brain injury patients are more sensitive to barometric changes than your everyday person. Mom and I thought we shared the label of the family human barometers as different aches and pains seem to appear when the weather changes. 


As 2009 drew to a close, Sean continued to be covered under his old employer health insurance and his COBRA election. Initially I thought he was waiting to hear about his approved rehabilitation visits for 2010 but I don't believe we every got that news. His coverage through COBRA expired at the end of May and my parents had already working on his benefits through the VA. When he first moved out here he had been evaluated for his benefits and hand delivered his medical records from his years in the Air Force. Leave it to a military brat who has spent anytime overseas to know how to guard and deliver important documents. Even in the electronic age, the unexpected happens all the time, so plan for all contingencies. If it's important, keep the original in a safe place (strong box, fire proof safe, safety deposit box, etc.) and/or always get a back-up copy.  


My hope is that now that he is getting into the VA system he will be able to help him find the therapy options that he needs. We don't know what the future holds but we thank everyone for their continued well wishes, thoughts and prayers for Sean and our family. We love and appreciate them all. One of my favorite girlfriend's from college, Gentry has a wonderful quote on her FB which perfectly sums up where I think we're all at right now. 


"Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. - Gilda Radner

Sean's Latest ... Update #68 Memorial Day 2010

monday, may 31, 2010

Update #68, Memorial Day 2010

Today is a wonderful day to remember that Sean served in the Air Force for 10 years with a great amount of pride. He would still be serving as he loved being a legacy. Today he is quiet as his allergies are really bothering him. His appointment at the Veterans clinic had mixed answers and I had mixed emotions regarding those answers. The doctor felt that Sean is unemployable, I would agree for today but not necessarily for the future. He requested some additional paperwork for him. He also wants Sean's disability reevaluated to see if the injured valve in his leg; which he had while in the Air Force, could have been a contributor to his throwing blood clots and the ultimate heart surgery. He still is progressing slow but steady and continues to surprise us with his memory and what he is able to do on a daily basis. Don't count him out he is our miracle still in progress. Thank you again for your thoughts, prayers and warmth, you are a blessing to his recovery.

Sean's Lastest Update# 67

Sunday, May 9, 2010


Update 67, May 9th, 2010

Mother's Day, it's been a year that Sean has been home. He has come such a long way and is still in the process. It doesn't seem possible that it has been a year since he left the hospitals. He can still surprise me; last week he came down stairs and told Paulette "Your daughter Delaney is outside". Paulette asked him if Papa was with her and he replied "No". You can see and hear him processing more and more. What a blessing and challenge this year has been. He relates to Delaney very well and interacts with her more and more. He has fallen a couple of times in the last couple of days. Delaney is right there asking "Are you alright?" Taking care to pat him and tries to help him up. The path is still unclear for his future capabilities and having his own life again. I needed to get some items out of the barn where he has storage and it hit me hard again. He is in God's hands and prayers are the answer. We will continue to put in the work we need to do to continue forward. Thank you for your support and prayers it helps a lot.

Posted by Paul and Andrea Knott at 11:32 PM 0 comments Links to this post

Sean's Updates 64, 65 and 66

Friday, April 9, 2010


#66 Update, April 9th, 2010

Sean is still progressing slowing but in the right direction. YEAH! He will be going to the VA doctor next week which is exciting as his COBRA insurance runs out the end of May so we have been looking into additional medical insurance for him. This is especially important for the long term future. He is more aware everyday of what is going on around him and what he is doing and needs to do. He has become quite good at finding the objects in the various games normally there are anywhere from 75 to 80 items in the pictures and he needs to find 10 at a time. He can put together puzzles now without much effort, find the words puzzles and mixed objects(like the game Concentration) both by association(key & lock), color, exact matches or associated matches(2 kinds of fans). The strength in his hands is still progressing which is very encouraging. He enjoyed watching Delaney and the dyeing of Easter eggs etc. She can say his name very clear now, will ask him questions, take his hand and walk him outside. :o) He always has been good with her. Thanks for your continued support and prayers it makes all the difference. God Bless you and yours always.

Posted by Paul and Andrea Knott at 11:15 PM 0 comments Links to this post

Friday, March 19, 2010

#65, March 19, 2010

Sean's progress has slowed, but he still keeps moving forward. Paulette found a game for him that involves finding hidden pictures and solving puzzles, which he really enjoys. As spring arrives, we hope that we can get him outside and walking more. St. Patrick's Day was the first time in a while that the weather was warm enough to get out and around the block.

The rest of us have finally (we hope!) shaken off the colds that we'd been passing around. Hope that you all are doing well, and thanks for giving us the push to include whatever news we have.

Paul, Andrea, Sean, Paulette & Delaney

Posted by Paul and Andrea Knott at 8:45 PM 0 comments Links to this post

Saturday, February 13, 2010

#64 Update, February 13, 2010

Sean gave us the GREATEST Valentine's present last night. When we sit down to dinner we hold hands, say grace and then everybody has the opportunity to say thank you for something. Sometimes it's a haircut or feeling better whatever, we go from the youngest to the oldest around the table. A lot of times Sean passes on saying anything and that's fine, but tonight he said " Thank you for Paulette, for Mommy and for Daddy for being here for me." It took my breathe away and I cried. Life is good and we are still making progress. Thank you for continuing to pray for us, it makes all the difference. Happy Valentine's Day everyone we love you.

Posted by Paul and Andrea Knott at 12:33 PM 0 comments Links to this post

Lessons of Love, Life and Thoughts to Ponder...

I was going through old emails today and I came across a few gems that I haven't thought about in a long time.

LESSONS OF LOVE AND LIFE

1. I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you. 
 2. No man or woman is worth your tears, and the one who is, won't make you cry. 
 3. Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have. 
4. A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart. 
5. The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them knowing you can't have them. 
6. Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile. 
7. To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world. 
8. Don't waste your time on a man/woman, who isn't willing to waste their time on you. 
9. Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one, so that when we finally meet the person, we will know how to be grateful. 
10. Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened. 
11. There's always going to be people that hurt you so what you have to do is keep on trusting and just be more careful about who you trust next time around. 
12. Make yourself a better person and know who you are before you try and know someone else and expect them to know you.
13. Don't try so hard, the best things come when you least expect them to. 


**REMEMBER: WHATEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS FOR A REASON. **

FIVE GREAT LESSONS ABOUT DEALING WITH PEOPLE

1 - Most Important Lesson

During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned that her name was Dorothy.

2 - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm.   Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.  Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in the conflict-filled 1960s.  The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry but wrote down his address and thanked him.

Seven days went by, and a knock came on the man's door.   To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.   A note was attached. It read:

"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others. Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole."

3- Third Important Lesson- Remember Those Who Serve

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. 

The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn't have the sundae because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.   Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.  Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road.

After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand.

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital,   I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease.

Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.   I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks.   Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

You see, after all, understanding and attitude are everything.

**Remember: "Work like you don't need the money, Love like you've never been hurt, & Dance like you do when nobody's watching." **

I'VE LEARNED ...

I have received this email a few different times in the last few years and every time I read it I love it more. So I decided to share it.. Hope ya'll enjoy too !!

I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows. I've learned..... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day. I've learned..... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world. =P I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right. I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child. I've learned .... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way. I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with. I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult. I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for. 

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class. I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular. 
I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved. I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts. I've learned..... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you. I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds. I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am. I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile. I've learned..... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them. I've learned ... That life is tough, but I am tougher.
I've learned... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss. I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere. 

I've learned..... That I wish I could have told my Granddad that I love him one more time before he passed away. I've learned .... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them. I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. I've learned..... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life. I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it. I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

Some of these Lessons I have learned and some have yet to be learned. 

My favorite two are:  

I truly believe that small daily happenings are what make life spectacular. 

And oh how I know & believe that:

L

ife is tough, but I am tougher!!!