Half Century Mark Thoughts to ponder!
50 years! Wow, I still cannot believe I have been here for ½ a century! I recently had someone remind me of the biggest compliment in life was to know that someone has loved you (such as your Mom) for FIFTY years! That is a long time to love someone! That is the way Mom's love is; everlasting, no matter what!
What lessons have I learned so far in these 50 years? I have learned to be a little softer, to "pick" your battles, to laugh more, to work less, to not sweat the small things, and to enjoy time with people you love. I wish I had learned this at age 20! I have made some poor choices in life, and am still at the half-century mark making poor choices. However, now I always look at these as learned lessons and move on quickly. I have become more tolerant, patient, understanding, humble, and I have learned not to hang on to baggage which will weigh you down.
Don't get me wrong, I am still sometimes too focused on organizing, cleaning and striving for perfection, but now I often just kick back and let it go! For example, I can now go for at least 3 days straight without making up my bed. That is huge for me! Up until the last year or two I thought life would stop if my bed was not made every day! Now don't get me wrong, my parents did not instill this in me, it was just my nature and I could not help it. Again, I tried to make everything perfect, or at least seem that way.
Life is too short to not enjoy the simple things! Make memories that will last a lifetime! Don't focus too much on your career and enjoy family, they may not always be with you to enjoy! Careers come and go and you can find another one! Believe me….I have done it more than once recently. But, when family come and go they cannot be replaced.
Take pictures, have picnics, be involved with your kid's interest, do community service, get involved with your church family, and learn to FORGIVE and let go. Being bitter at someone or holding a grudge is only hurtful to us! I learned a long time ago that you can always look around and find people who are more successful, or who are in more struggles than you are. It is all relative!
Most of you know that I was adopted from Seville, Spain and became a U.S. Citizen when I was 5. I have lived in the U.S. since. I am very thankful for God placing me with a Christian family in the U.S., but have always pondered what purpose I have for being placed here-in Alabama? I don't know if I have found it yet, or maybe I have……..Maybe the sole reason I was placed here is to be able to worship God in the way I am able to NOW! I had to be christened in the Catholic Church as part of my adoption process in Spain, and also had to be named after a women in the Bible…..hence Deborah –"THE JUDGE"!
Deborah the Judge
"Deborah used to sit under a palm tree and the people used to come to her for judgment. It was improper for a woman to be alone in a house with a man. So she went outside and sat down in a public place under a palm tree where she instructed the people in Torah.
(Sefer Ha-Aggadah 109:21)"
Wow! I don't think I could really be a judge! Can you imagine a women being a judge and prophet back in bible times! Anyway, that is the name they picked for me. Sometimes I wished it was Ruth, or Mary, or even Rachel……but Deborah it was. My birth name, if you are curious, was Anna Sanchez and Ann is now my middle name.
50 years and I am doing things which I did not think I would at this point in my life. So, don't take anything for granted and trust God to roll with the punches with you. Laugh, Love and Live life to the fullest! Be thankful for the small things, and especially for the freedom to worship God freely!
"Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to Dance in the Rain"
P.S. Never say "never", it will come back to haunt you! Learn it is ok to kiss a puppy!
