YOUR 3 HOMES

We have discussed in the past that we can have multiple identities, but still be just one person. We have to be one person at work, another at the gym and yet another at home. Still, at the end of the day we are still us. The same can be true of where we live. We must also take a great care of all of the places we live. We are going to look at three of them and, as we do here at Secret2anamazinglife, we are going to give you a bonus location to think about as well. Let us get started.

Your Body. Let us start with this one. No matter where you are sleeping, in a mansion, in a loft in the city or even on the streets, you are sleeping in your body. When you walk or have to do something physical, you are in your body. We take many measures to make our homes the best it can be. We call in a plumber if our pipes are not flowing correctly. Do we do the same for our cardiovascular system? The body’s plumbing? If our power goes out it is a an emergency, but do we make sure to eat and hydrate enough to maintain our body’s energy level? Our body is the home we live in until the day we die. We cannot trade it in for another it would make a great deal of sense to treat it the best we can.

Our World. This one may seem a little too big to control. In some respects that is true. We cannot control what a farmer in the Congo does, or how the market is run in Iraq. Unless, of course, that is our job. Even in that case, there would be lots of other things we could not control. How can we take care of our world then? We can do our part. This may seem like a small thing to do but in reality it is everything. If we recycle in our household it may not stop the pollution of the oceans but what if every family just recycled in their own household? Even if have the families made that one simple step? How big of a difference would that be? You want to live in a cleaner world? Pick up one piece of litter a day. Doesn’t seem like it would do a lot, but that is 365 pieces of garbage a year. If you and your spouse did that it would be 730 pieces of trash. That still may seem like a small amount when you look at the streets about you, but try dumping 730 pieces of garbage on your front lawn and you will see what a difference you are making. Can you imagine if half of the people in the city you live in picked up one piece of litter a day? You would live in the cleanest city ever. You never realize what a great change seemingly small actions make.

Our Mind. Much like the body, we are only afforded one mind in our lifetimes. Despite how many people you feel could really benefit from a lobotomy, they are just not that common. When our minds start to fail us, it is not only hard on us, but on those we love. Wouldn’t it make sense to take the best care of our minds that we can? I am not just talking about learning and keeping them sharp, although that is a big part. When it comes to our mind, rest and fun are just as important. Mixing knowledge with humor is one of the best ways I can think of doing this. I spend hours a day learning and researching, but then Margie and I share jokes with each other and watch a funny movie. Just like any machine, if you push a mind too hard it can burn out. Just like a well-running machine, you need the right fuel as well. If your diet consists of snickers and Mountain Dew or beer and cigarettes exclusively, you will certainly not be operating at your best mental capacity. A healthy nutritional diet with a good amount of physical exercise will help keep us mentally sharp as well.

We have many more homes than the house we live in and it is important we take care of all of them. As I promised here is a bonus location to ponder. We also live in the hearts of others. Think of how you leave people after you have spent time with them. It is important to take care of our homes in the hearts of others. Tell people they are loved and appreciated. Show them love, respect and genuine interest. If we take care of all of our homes, we will feel right at home no matter where we happen to be.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT YOURSELF?

Normally I don’t advocate focusing on things you do not enjoy especially about yourself.  Lately though I have been learning through a lot of great people strength in looking at things from a totally opposite perspective.  This is one fine example. Like the title asks, what do you like least about yourself?  Why would we want to think about that you may ask.  Well, it was pointed out to me, that things we may like least about ourselves is something others may give the world for.  Think of the person that just seems to be unable to lose those last few pounds, with someone who’s life is compromised because they can’t store any body fat.  The example the person who shared this idea with me used was freckles.  She grew up disliking the fact that she had them.  Through the years listening to people tell her how much they love them, she has grown to as well. (side note, they do look amazing on her).  So as I often do, when a great bit of knowledge or a deep thought is presented to me I tend to share it with those around me.  Much like I am doing with you here.  There is a young man who comes in to the post office I work at.  He is a veteran of Iraq in his late twenties.  He mails small boxes from a veteran group he started after he returned.  I was sharing this story with him and he seemed quite riveted, which I must confess is unusual for people listening to a story I am telling.  Suddenly when I got to the heart of the story, about how the thing you love least about yourself somebody else would love to have, he started to tear up and get quite emotional.  I apologized and asked if I had said something to offend him.  The next course of events took me a bit by surprise and made me emotional as well.  He asked if I could come around the counter.  Well, considering the story I had told him was the reason he was so upset I thought it was the least I could do.  When I did come around he took me by surprise by instantly giving me a huge hug and crying on my shoulder.  He apologized as he composed himself and lifted up his pants leg to reveal a fake leg.  “Ever since I have returned from Iraq after having my leg blown off I have cursed the fact I only have one good leg.” he went on to explain while he was in the hospital both over there and back here he saw men younger than him who had lost both legs, an arm and a leg and other conditions.  “Those kids would kill to just have lost half a leg, but do you know what beats that?” he asked in a mix of laughter and tears. I kind of nodded as I was left speechless at the moment. “Do you know what I send in these boxes?” he asked.  “T-shirts to families that have lost someone over there.  The men that died would have given anything to trade places with me.  To be able to hug and talk to their families.  Here I was just being selfish, I should be grateful for all I have” he said. For hours after that man left all I could ponder was how wonderful we have it.  How each of us has so much more that we should be thankful for then we know and all we do is worry about what we like least.  I’m still not sure who got more out of that conversation, and quite honestly I do not care.  So tonight remember the things we like least about ourselves someone would love to have.  So be grateful, hug your family while you can and while you are at it, thank the brave men and women who keep us safe.  Thank you