Little Life Gems: Youth

One of my favorite books is a compilation of short (travel) stories written by David Yeadon. It's called Way of the Wanderer. Periodically throughout the book he shares what he calls 'Pub Pearls' ... bits of wisdom he comes-by while spending time in local pubs wherever his travels may take him. I always loved that concept. Because indeed ... pearls of wisdom are oft found when:
a. in a lovely relaxed atmosphere
b. in a lovely relaxed state of mind
c. when travelling to new places, are open, and introduced to "the different"
d. and yes ... sometimes when we've had a few! wink and ahhhhh!

Anyway, lately I've been finding myself inspired by little things along my days' path. Not so much Pub Pearls, I shall call mine (for the purpose of this post) 'Little Life Gems.' I'll also share that it wasn't until writing this that I realized they share a bit of a common denominator, if you will. (Hmmmmm? What is life trying to say to ME?! Smiles.)

Kindly indulge me as I list a few on the topic of YOUTH:

1) Jake .. the ol' dog. This dog is old. The chocolate lab that has surely enjoyed a LONG life filled with fetch, fun and family (two boys in the home). He's now grey. Oh-so-mellow. And, sadly, cannot get around very well at all. Oh, those darn aging hips! A friend of mine tossed the tennis ball a bit in front of Jake, and WOW how the puppy in him came alive! No, he couldn't get to the ball with any amount of speed or grace, but he got there none-the-less. And, he got there while wagging that old tail of his with what seemed to me the same gusto of a young, spry, playful pup. (the kind of wag that causes the Elvis-like swaying of doggy hips. hee!) Thanks, Jake. You were a joy to watch!

2) Along similar lines, I enjoyed a brief (heart-felt) conversation with a co-worker as he described an all-ages dance class he taught. How the distinction of age seemed to melt away as his participants danced. Not so much the young kiddos (of 3 or 4) acting older ... rather, the older participants 'acting like children'... the youth they emanated. Nice!

3) Finally, two of my daughters playmates were having a 3-yr-old scuffle at the park. Arms were crossed. Fists were firmly placed on hips. A few kicks were administered (the placement of which would cause an adult male to cringe!). This head-butting continued for a greater portion of the time these two spent together. When time to leave, here's what was said/done:
Boy: softens his fists-on-hips stance, smiles and says: "I'll miss you."
Girl: looks momentarily confused, uncrosses arms, turns her head and bats her eye lashes like a Hollywood pro (seriously!), smiles and says: "I'll miss you, too." Got to love it!

Gets me thinking about the concept of youth and youthfulness, regardless of age. We all know what that looks like. More importantly, may we all have MANY moments of knowing what that feels like!

Gets me thinking, too, about how we can learn from anyone ... young or 'old.'

Ahhhh, Youth!
Giggle.

New Routine

Okay ... whether starting or RE-starting (wink and smile) ... there are a few things to keep in mind when setting any type of routine for yourself.

A. Choose wisely! (do you at least mildly enjoy what you're intending to accomplish? is it self-LIFTING? does it feed a larger, more important goal of yours? All of these are good questions to ask. Add a few important-to-you factors here.)

B. Small, bite-sized changes, please! (for the love of all things sacred, don't attempt to fly to the moon on the first go! start small. start manageable. start FUN. little bite-sized changes or additions in your day ... like the pebble in the pond, people!)

C. Prioritize and Commit! (what comes first? (suggestion: YOU), and commit darn it! Nuff said. wink.)

D. Be Flexible/Nimble! (don't be afraid to adjust in a Perfectly-You manner as you forge ahead)

DONE.
Short and Sweet.
(gots to go ... I prioritized some small, bite-sized goals/changes and committed to them. This blog, today, was one of them. Forging on!)