Inspiration

Hello, Blog.

I've been meaning to visit you more in the past month.

Honest -- I'd like to be more consistent with my posts.

Hey, it's still January.  Perhaps it can be my New Year's Resolution.

I've been thinking of this the past few days especially because I've got some new inspiration!

Not one, but two of my work buddies have surfaced in the blogging world.

Senseless and Wed is my co-worker's new endeavor,

and Falsa Carioca is the blog of one of my student workers who is studying abroad in Brazil.

These two ladies are posting all the time about some great, interesting things.

They've inspired me!

This got me to thinking about what else inspires me... 

Not just in blogging, but in life.

Good people.

I'm blessed to know some very good people.  And I'm grateful to know a variety of people.  

I'm friends with people from different countries, 

who have different cultural backgrounds,

who practice different religions, 

and who lead different lifestyles from my own.

Interacting with all these different types of people allows me to learn so much about the world,

and it allows me to learn more about myself and what I value, too.

Each one of my friends adds to my life in ways that I never could have foreseen when I was 

growing up in a very small, sheltered town.

I'm so happy that my little corner of the universe is so colorful 

and that I'm constantly encouraged to look around, enjoy it, and grow from it.

My faith.

As it is for just about everyone, life has been rough for me at times.

I'm so glad that I started going back to church.

My faith takes weight off my shoulders,

and it helps me measure what really matters.

It also challenges me, constantly, to be the best person I can be.

Most of all, though, it calms me. Believing that God has got it all sorted out... it just helps.

 It's long, but it's one of my favorite readings:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:25-34

 

Making a difference in the world.

I'll be the first to admit: my life is pretty uneventful. 

Don't get me wrong -- I have a great life.

I live in Boston. I have loving family and friends. I keep a good job.

 But when I stop to think about the truly amazing things that happen in the world every day...

It catches my breath.

Doctors save lives; researchers search for cures; 

artists create masterpieces; volunteer save helpless animals.

At the same time, my "uneventful life" is a dream come true to so many...

Because some truly tragic things happen in the world every day, too...

Children go hungry; so many people struggle with illness; so many people die.

To think about my uneventful days, and the possibility of turning that around --

to have an eventful day, a day that matters, a day that makes a difference...

That's the most inspiring.

To get involved with the Progeria Research Foundation,

or to donate to Boston's Children's Hospital or St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital...

or to support one of the countless other amazing charities, research foundations, or hospitals.

I feel like that matters more than we may know, 

and it adds more meaning to our every day.

............

Wowza.  I have been one serious summa cum blonde with this posting, huh?

Hopefully, it makes some semblance of sense.

I've been writing for the past hour while Crisp plays SongPop (loudly) on his iPhone;

Finnegan is running around the apartment like a maniac dog;

the oh-so-intellectual Family Guy is blaring on the television;

and our upstairs neighbor seems to be having one heck of a party.

Well, maybe when I get more peace and quiet another time, 

I can continue to reflect on all the areas of inspiration in life.

Because I know there are more.  :)