The drive of the modern society, especially in the USA, is to better oneself – often at the sacrifice others.  Competing for attention, success, the mighty dollar moves one ahead and pushes another aside.  But if one stops and takes a minute to step back and see all that one has is truly a remarkable experience… and yes difficult to do (and yes again, not likely done by one that pushes others aside for his/her own gain).

In my last blog, I wrote about traveling the back roads of America.  And on that trip, I saw big houses and small, old cars and new, the poor and the rich.  It’s easy to look at someone else and be envious of what they have.  The big house set on a lake with a huge yard in the rolling hills of the South.  I wish I had a… wait!  I have a lot to be thankful.

Over the last year, I’ve grown leaps and bounds in my own self.  (I’ll blog about it another time).  But it’s amazing how when you open doors, God puts people and things in front of you to enrich your life.  He probably did it all the time, but my back was turned and my door was closed.  But this year, I was open.  I completed the trifecta – my Masters, a promotion and a house.  I completed and walked for my masters degree (see my 3100 mile journey in my previous post).  I worked hard and earned a promotion at work as the now senior statewide safety specialist.  I bought a townhouse.  I figured I would eventually finish my masters degree but not along with all the other things that I accomplished this year.  It’s easy dream about the big house on the lake and say, “I want that,” only to follow it with, “I will never have that.”

The thing so many of don’t actually understand is that if you want it, you can get it.  Lots of talk about having goals and working towards them only to falter and forget.  In other words, how is your New Years resolution going in this 11th month?

For me, I have a lot of other things I want to have before that big house on the lake.  But this doesn’t mean I haven’t put this wish on

the list (I recently saw another house, a cabin, on a lake in the New England that looked perfect, except the commute on the weekends.)  Basically, I learned that there are three options: quit thinking about it, hope it happens by luck or go after it.  Going after it is how I was able to earn my masters, a promotion and buy a house in 2015.

Material things are the visual demonstrate of success in the USA.  But personal growth and the great people you meet and spend your days with make that success matter.  The friendships you make, the service you provide truly matter.  Have you ever walked into a business and been wowed by all the stuff they have.  Then they start to talk to you about the service provided and you can’t wait to get out of there.  On the other hand, I have a friend who provides a service that would be phenomenal in a park or even an empty warehouse.  The point is that what you see, like the house on the lake or the fancy equipment in a business isn’t what matters.  It’s the interactions and experiences that occur at the house on the lake.

I have such great people in my life.  Not a ton of people but great people.  I look forward to spending time with them all the time.  From my dad in California, sister in Texas, brother and mom here in Colorado.  My life coach and my physical therapist, both of which I consider friends, in town.  My girlfriend I live with.  Her family in Washington.  An old friend in Maine and a new friend in Wisconsin.  My good friend Jeff with whom I drive all over the state for work.  A hatchery manager and his daughter who helped me, at 41 yrs old, catch my first catfish on purpose. The list goes on, only because I have my door open.

 

The stuff I have and more importantly the people I have in my life are true blessings.  So I give a great “Thank you!” to those of you that have helped me, supported me, taught me, fixed me, loved me, cared for me, and spent time with me.  Thank you!

I encourage everyone to take a moment to look at the stuff around you or lack thereof and think of not the stuff, but what each thing means to you.  Not many of us have a house on the lake; but lots of us have many things to be thankful for.  And if you want something more, like a house on the lake, go get it!  I’ll be rooting for you.