And so it goes...

In my last post I wrote about change and choice.  Changes happen, it's life and part of it.  Choices happen also, they're life and part of it.  However, we often have options with those two things.  While it's true (I believe) change is sometimes inevitable, we can make a choice to change.  A choice to be happy or sad, glad or mad, different than we were yesterday and than we'll be tomorrow.  All we have is today and we need to make it count.

The holidays are upon us and they will be different this year as they are in some ways from year to year.  For one thing, I'm hosting this Thanksgiving dinner at my house in Kansas.  Now, I do love to cook, but don't do it often for the masses.  I'm much more of a quick meal (ie: dinner might be a pound of asparagus or chips and salsa or eggs with spinach) so it will be interesting.  Also, because I'm not doing what we've done for at least 46 years.  I'm not having a sit down, all at the same table, dress up, china sort of meal.  Yes, there will be turkey and mashed potatoes, but the tables will be scattered, parades and football will be playing, puzzles will be out, paper plates will be used and there may even be some balloons.  Why all the change?  Because this year is the first year we will celebrate without my sister being present, but I'm sure she will be with us in spirit and somehow make her presence known as she has today (while I've been sitting at the coffee shop pondering what to write).  ​​

Having a "different" sort of Thanksgiving celebration was an obvious choice to me.  A choice I made because there will be a void and I know that.  I'm aware that this happens to all of us at some point in time and that with time comes healing, life does go on and while the "firsts" of the first year don't mean that there won't be more firsts because there will be.  Many before me have experienced this and many after me will continue to have the experience.  Death is a part of life, but that doesn't mean that the rest of us die as well.  We choose to stay stagnant or move forward to celebrate life, both theirs and ours and so it goes.........I choose to celebrate, to continue living, to lead by example to move forward, to allow myself sad days, but moreover, happy ones for there is much to live for and much still to do.  I am #blessedbeyond​.

In the coming days, weeks and months, there will be changes to this website and to Hand in Hand as I begin moving in a different direction.  A direction in which I hope will be of help to me and so many others for you see, when I was a younger version of who I am today, it was my hope to help just one person.  My belief was that helping just one person would enable that person to help one person and that person to help one person and so it would go - everyone paying it forward and banding together.  Many would say I'm an idealist in my views, perhaps that's true, but it's my choice and one I choose to live by.

And so it goes...

What will be the change and choice for you today and what opportunities will they bring?
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