Tag: jeff noel

Mid Life Ailments Thankfully

“This is true joy in life. … To be a force of nature, not a feverish clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” – George Bernard Shaw

If I focused on my ailments and grievances, that’s all you’d hear me talk about.

Instead, I’m thankful that my feet hurt after a long day of standing and teaching others.

There are people who wish they had sore feet.  Well actually, they simply wish they had feet.  Not everyone does.

This reminds me to be thankful for everything. Everything.  Ya with me?

Thankful for Pushy Women

Who loves pushy women?  I mean, who is completely thankful for pushy women?  What am I talking about?

Women who pushed the boundaries of what people thought women could do.  I don’t know what motivates or inspires you, however, it would seem that we all have more in common than we think.

Most people know and understand this simple truth – there are people who push the boundaries of what’s possible. They make the impossible, possible.  How can we not be thankful for that?

Wednesday in Alaska, I was simply walking through the Anchorage International Airport, and saw a picture on the wall, walked over to see what it was, read the description, gave thanks for Susan Butcher’s life, and then shot this short jeffnoelmidlife You Tube video:

I Have A Confession…

“I have a confession”, our son told me last night as I was checking in on my social media routine.

His confession was nothing alarming.  You see, we recently made an agreement that if he reaches a certain goal (with one of his daily chores) by the end on this month, he can pick out some Lego pods from the Lego store at Disney World (we live next door to Disney World).

However, while I was in Anchorage, Alaska this week, my wife got him one of these Lego pods.  They are small and inexpensive, in the big picture.

He was worried that he broke some sort of deal with me.  He did not. Not as far as I’m concerned anyway.

What he really did though, was remind me how thankful I am to have placed so much time and energy (worry) on developing honesty as a core value.  “You will never get in trouble for telling the truth”, is the mantra he’s heard over and over again.

This also makes me thankful for repetition.  Over and over again. Repetition is the “mother” of all learning.  It is the root of evil and the root of goodness.  But only if we focus on it, over and over again.

I Must…

I have to be the most patient person in the world, so that our son (9) will understand how patience works.

I must also be the most thankful person in the world so our son will understand how thankfulness works.

Celebrating Thanksgiving every November, or going to Church once a week to give thanks simply doesn’t cut it.

I must become the most thankful person in the world.

There is no other way.

Stuck?

Little bit. Maybe it’s the cold. Maybe not. Maybe it’s the time difference. Maybe not. Maybe it’s writer’s block.  Maybe not.

Whatever it is, I’m thankful for it.

What?

Thankful for writer’s block?  As a writer, are you telling me you’re thankful that you can’t write?

Absolutely!

The simple fact of addressing something honestly can be liberating. Plus, the fact that most of the time writing comes easy, well, that inevitably will lead to days where it doesn’t.

So, I’m abundantly thankful for both sides of the coin.  Are you? Make it a great, and thankful, day.  Because if you don’t, who will? If not today, when?  Carpe diem.