Top 10 reasons why Sheryl will always be my friend

July 2004.  

I began my job as a Hospice Social Worker on the yellow team.  The yellow team bereavement counselor was Sheryl.  So begins an unlikely friendship...

July 2014.

Sheryl and I no longer work for Hospice.  But the unlikely friendship continues...  

Top 10 reasons why Sheryl will always be my friend:

10 - She taught me that sometimes you just need to breathe.

9 - She continues to plan group social events and always invites me but accepts the fact that I will likely never show up.

8 - She doesn't laugh at my short choppy hair cut or my one pair of shoes even though she has great hair and a closet just for shoes.

7 - When we worked in the Bereavement Center at Hospice the Center was renamed "Sheryl's house of grief and fashion".  She laughed!!!

6 - She takes lots of pictures of her feet.

5 - She thought about me while in Vegas and took a picture of "TCB" door openers in honor of TC (my deceased husband a former Elvis impersonator).

4 - She allows her cat to reign over her home.

3 - She knows what it means to have loved and lost - people as well as dreams.

2 - She has a month (July) that is all about her and is not ashamed to remind me!  (it's her birthday today: July 23)

1 - She brought and continues to bring hope to me when life seems almost too much to handle.  (such as helping me survive following the deaths of my daughter, mother, husband in the space of 18 months)  

Sheryl has played and continues to play an important role in my life in spite of our obvious differences:  She is over 20 years younger than me; she lives in a new home and it is spotless; she has a car that is smarter than she is; she carefully watches her diet (eating gluten free as well as drinking those crazy green smoothies); she follows a schedule; she has a routine; etc. etc. etc.  Oh, and did I say she is focused???  She is always supportive and positive when it comes to my hopes and dreams even if she really doesn't understand them.  She doesn't care that we don't worship at the same place and in the same way - we both believe in God and the importance of faith.  
I think that our friendship is reciprocal - and isn't that what we all want in our lives?  She calls me in distress:  I call her in distress.  We text, we message, we e-mail, we talk.... and possibly best of all we laugh.  It doesn't matter what the topic, no matter how sad or upset or angry we feel, we always find something to laugh about!  When we were both doing grief counseling those outside our offices would hear us laughing with our clients and wonder if we were really counseling or just goofing off.  Laughter... love... liking each other... living through the rough and good times together... 

Do dreams have an expiration date?

Last year I started working out at the gym. Although I said that it was because I feel better when I go to the gym on a regular basis, let's be real, a part of me was dreaming about the slender but curvy "me" that would eventually win out.  I forgot to tell my taste buds about this dream. My love of sweets did not change.  I didn't justify my sweet eating by saying I was working out because I am realistic about calories, fat and carbs. Secretly, I was dreaming that soon those clothes that were too tight would become loose or that I would look more toned because of the work outs which include some decent strength training. No as I am anticipating leaving for a 23 month mission (no, I don't know where I am going yet) I am wondering if I should just let my gym membership expire since my dream already has done so?

When I saw the picture below, with the quote, I started thinking about dreams, do they expire, or do they just change?  Should I take a deep breath and try again?  Or should I seriously consider:  Is this really a dream that matters to me right now?  Maybe I should take a deep breath . . .

. . . and begin again but this time dreaming a dream that really matters to me right now.  A scripture sent to me by my wise stake president is the basis for trying again.

Isaiah 40:31 

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I will continue going to the gym so:

I will be able to walk (maybe not run) and not be weary or faint - 

my stress will be reduced and I will think more clearly and be more focused - (squirrel!)

I will be a better person showing increased love for others, finding  joy in service, peace

And I will be happy because I will remember that I AM LOVEABLE AND CAPABLE 

SHINING LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

My dream to go to the gym has not expired.  I will take a deep breath and continue to workout as I remember my reasons for doing so.  Then, when I receive my mission call, I may discover the gym is not an option.  My dream will then change as I consider alternatives such as walking and an exercise routine instead going to a gym.

For me, it is important that I remember WHY I have a dream and I believe the scripture 

Isaiah 40:31says it all!   As you can see in the pictures below, being slender, curvy, or even a unicorn is not what makes my dream important ... at Girls' Camp I walked, mostly without weariness, was somewhat focused, and  felt loveable and capable - and I was very happy!

Follow the Path to Happiness

Camp IALAC 2014 is over.  It's only been two weeks but at times I feel like it never really happened.  As I was thinking about some of my favorite parts of camp (see the video below) I remembered the Silent Hike experience.  It was based on an article and I have added the link below if you would like to read the entire article. 

After an introduction almost 100 people walked silently through the woods to the campfire.  Along the path were four signposts:  Recognize Your Personal Worth; Become Who You Are; Trust In God's Promises; Come Unto Christ.  

We didn't talk much about this signpost.  At first glance it might be a little confusing.  We didn't talk much about the second signpost become who you are.  Here's what the author of the article had to say about this particular signpost:

"Becoming who you really are sounds like a paradox. How can I become who I already am? I will illustrate this principle through a story.  The film The Age of Reason tells the story of Marguerite, a prosperous banker who leads a hectic life filled with travels and conferences. Even though she has an adoring suitor, she says she doesn’t have time for marriage or children.  The day she turns 40 she receives a mysterious letter that says, “Dear me, today I am seven years old and I’m writing you this letter to help you remember the promises I made when I was seven, and also to remind you of what I want to become.” The author of the letter is none other than Marguerite when she was seven years old. What follows are several letters in which the little girl describes in detail her life’s goals.  Marguerite realizes that the person she has become is nothing like the person she wanted to become when she was a young girl. As she decides to reclaim the person she envisioned as a child, her life is turned upside down. She reconciles with her family and determines to consecrate the rest of her life to serving people in need.

If it were possible for you to receive a letter from your premortal life, what would it say? What impact would such a letter from a forgotten but very real world have on you if you were to receive it today?  This letter might say something like: “Dear me, I am writing to you so you will remember who I want to become. I hope you will remember that my greatest desire is to be a disciple of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I support His plan, and when I am on earth, I want to help Him in His work of salvation. Please also remember that I want to be part of a family that will be together for all eternity.”  One of the great adventures of life is finding out who we really are and where we came from and then consistently living in harmony with our true identity as children of God and with the purpose of our existence."

Tomorrow is Sunday which means church - taking the sacrament, listening to speakers, participating in lessons, singing hymns.  I love going to church and always have.   When I get home, feeling uplifted and positive, I think I'll take some time and write such a letter to myself... I wonder how I will measure up to the person I hoped that I would be before I came to this earth.  

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/06/young-adults/follow-the-path-of-happiness?lang=eng