Tag: Wisconsin state fair

A TIME TO REFLECT AND GIVE THANKS

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Today is one of the days of the year that presents more of a challenge than most. On the same day both the state fair, an event I look forward to all year comes to a close. In addition, my vacation from my day job is now over and summer which I so enjoy seems to be winding down. Every year this happens. I know it is coming and I try to find ways to make them not hit me all at once. One of the ways I have done this is to reflect on all the great memories I created at the fair this year. This year the lovely lady in my life threw me a surprise birthday party at the fair. A lot of my good friends and family were there. We had a blast. I saw a classic country artist with my sister, and a popular funk band with my beautiful lady and amazing friend. There were great new foods we tried and some fun things we have picked up.

Still, it is over now. I am full of memories, but soon it will be back to work. Soon the leaves will change, snow will fall and winter will be here. This is always a great challenge to my ability to remain positive and I am grateful for that. I am also grateful to the love of my life. Finding out quirky things about the ones we love is one of the more unique aspects of being in a relationship. If you have read my blog for any amount of time you are probably well aware there is lots of quirkiness to be had in this gentleman. My addiction and focus on attending a summer festival for 11 days straight is certainly one of them. We lost some time together and at times my focus was on watching a bird show and what new foods to try more than on ways to be romantic and loving.

So now that it is over how does this wonderful woman respond? A sigh of relief? A feel screams of “Amen!”? Those would certainly be understandable. Even “I am glad to have my man back” would make sense. She did none of those. The picture above is of a card she gave me when I came in to work late at a business we do together. She let me stay late because she knew it was the last day of the fair and wanted me to enjoy myself. So instead of being happy for all that will be better for her now that my fair addiction is over she gave me a get well card. I won’t share all of the details and heartfelt things she wrote inside. Briefly she let me know how much she understood how challenging this time period may be and how much she was there to love and support me through it. Trust me there was a lot more, but that is the general idea.

Here is what my lovely lady taught me in all of this. In times when things seem so overwhelmingly bad, when it seems like every little thing is going in the wrong direction that is the greatest chance to stand up and be loving. We, and by we I am including myself, can be guilty of the urge to run the other direction when our partners are in a funk or bad mood. My love reminds me that can be one of the greatest opportunities to show you care. In addition, for me it was one of the greatest moments I could feel loved and notice what an amazing life partner I had. So I just am going to take the next few days to reflect and be grateful. Of course pass along what comes to me here.

SET IT IN STONE

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Yesterday we talked about sharing our lives passions with those we love. I told you how mine was the local state fair and that I was excited to share this for the first time with the love of my life. As you can see from the picture above, i took out a step further. I purchased a brick declaring my love for her. Other than the obvious, that this will make her feel loved, there are two other benefits. One the purchase price benefits the state fair which is something I’m passionate about. The second one is something a bit more complicated but even more powerful. Residual income.
What does all this have to do with love? A lot. For those of you who are not familiar with what residual income is, in a nutshell it is work you do once that you continue to collect on. Now I’m the first person to tell you that material objects are not what love is all about, but by sponsoring a brick, or whatever symbol they are selling you not only tie your love you cause you care about as mentioned above. You also have what I call ‘ residual income for your relationship’ you purchase the brick one time and then everytime you walk by, or even a friend or family sees it there is your love, on display. The one time investment might seem extravagant,  but the dividends will continue to pay for the life of your love. A lesson I wish I would’ve learned sooner,  but am going to take advantage of to the fullest. Let your love be seen by all, in several places and help some good causes along the way!

SHARING PASSION WITH THOSE YOU LOVE

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Today I walked around the Wisconsin state fair park. It is the place we hold our…well..state fair. For those great souls that follow me on Brazil and other international locations a brief description may be helpful. This is a festival that runs for 11 days in the summer that includes food, music, shopping and fun of all kinds. Ever since I was a very young Man i have enjoyed the state fair immensely. I looked forward to those 11 days worth such excitement it borders on insanity. In 1996 i began a new job that allowed me to have all of that time off.  I decided if it makes me happy I’m going to enjoy all 11 days of it. Which I have done every year since. What is the point of my crazy festivals addiction Story? Shortly there after I began my self improvement journey and learned there was a way to increase my joy from the state fair. How could that be? What could be better than drinking rum and eating delicious fried food? Well, if they didn’t have fat and calories, but there is something even better!
There is something that is humans do that automatically increases our joys and helps limit our sorrows,  we share them with those we love. I learned sharing my joy and fun I have at the fair with my friends and family can be one of the most rewarding experiences i can have. This year I begin sharing it with the new love of my life who shares my love for this festival. Where she may not be as addicted as I am, she did something that has only increased our love and brought us closer. She is sharing it with me.
There is two points here. One, if there is something that brings you an intense amount of joy, share that joy with those you love. Especially those that may enjoy it as well. The second point is when you learn what brings those you love joy,share it with them. It will bring you closer and it will also make connections between them feeling insanely happy and being with you. I even went one step further and made her and I a part of this place, but that is for a future post. So today’s homework, let those you love know what brings you the most joy and discover what does the same for them and then share with each other!