“See the beauty in
everything.” ~ from my daughter’s fortune
cookie
Good
morning!
In 2005, I was
completing a twenty-six-city tour, and events
often came up last minute. One
Thursday
I received a last-minute call that I was needed in Miami that weekend.
(Not
exactly a hop, skip, or jump from Wisconsin.) I had already made plans
with my
daughter and knew she would be disappointed if we could not spend time
together, so I decided to take her with me.
We flew to Miami on Friday, did an appearance
on Saturday morning, and
then flew to Orlando. We
spent Sunday at
Disney World and flew back on Monday just in time to attend her
mandatory band
concert that evening.
I have to
confess, I was a bit worried about how the trip
would turn out. Without
direct flights,
the flight days last eight hours or so, and we flew three out of the
four days
we were gone. Much
of the days were
spent waiting in lines, waiting for transportation, waiting for
events…and
patience has never been one of my virtues, so I couldn’t expect my
then-ten-year-old to inherit it from my side of the family.
Despite my
trepidation, we began our journey.
And I was pleasantly surprised at my
daughter’s
incredible behavior, thoughtfulness, patience, and kindness throughout
the
entire trip. (She
may very well have
behaved better than I did!) Although
we
were up until two o’clock in the morning every night and going on very
little sleep,
her spirit soared. It
wasn’t just during
the “fun stuff” that she was so happy, but during the waiting and
logistical problems
and delayed flights and everything else.
Ninety percent of our time was spent working
versus vacationing.
On the plane
ride home, I asked her what her good mood was
accredited to. She
pulled this fortune
from her pocket: “See the beauty in everything.”
She told me that all of life is fun and
joyful when you try that.
I chuckled to
myself.
Isn’t that what we are all trying to do as we
challenge life? It
is a lot easier to do on the good days,
than it is on the days when we wait in lines or when plans go askew. But maybe I (and maybe
you) can inherit
something from this youthful wisdom – a reminder to see the beauty in
everything.
As I faded off
to sleep on the plane, with that thought fresh
in my mind, I felt a soft blanket being spread over me and tucked under
my
chin. I opened my
eyes ever so slightly
to see my daughter carefully covering me with her blanket, a smile on
her face.
Your Turn: Write down
Samantha’s fortune on several index cards.
“See the beauty in everything.” Put one in
your wallet, one by your
computer, one by your mirror, one in your car.
Practice seeing beauty in every day.
Today’s Affirmation: I
see the beauty in everything.
And as always, don't forget
to
start your day with a heartfelt: "Something great is
going to
happen today... I can't wait to see what it is!"
And when ending
your day ask yourself: "What is one more thing I can do
to
make today matter?
