Reflections

Battle wounds are the currency used to purchase our rights of passage into the next stage of life.

Those internal scars and scabs are signs of wisdom gained by failing and falling. They're proof of our ability to survive conflict, suffer pain, and allow time to help us through the recovery process.

We've learned to endure. We now know our strength — we can rely on it. It will sustain us.

You don't see me — you see the house I live in. The body I'm wrapped in. The outward manifestation. I wear my mask — you wear yours.

I show you as much or as little of my true self as I choose to show. In our everyday lives, moments of full disclosure are few and far between.

There's too much liability. The risks are too great. To unveil, to remove the disguise takes courage and a willingness to accept the potential for new sorrows.

Because bearing your soul is the only path to true connection. Because love doesn't climb over walls — it only walks through open doors.

Why are you here? When pondering that question, the mind automatically thinks — personal goals. "I want to finish school." "Get married." "Have a great career."

But that's not the question. Think broader scale — the grand scheme of things. What's your purpose? Your legacy? What will come to mind when people hear your name?

It begins with taking the time to put goals aside — JUST STOP. Breathe in the stillness of silence. And look up…

Creation follows a certain pattern. A flawless design of unique similarities. You could ponder it for decades and still not discover its immensity.

From the smallest molecule to the largest galaxy… and everything in between. All forms of life — but different.

Science can tell us 'how' but gets hung up on 'why.' Maybe it's enough to simply recognize its majesty. Let's take a moment to just stand in awe… Perfectly ordered by God.

Ever wonder what gets passed on in families? Even if you're the 'spittin' image' of granddaddy or uncle (fill in the blank). What else gets passed down?

What core values, ideas, or morals? What's embraced or discarded?

We all have our own mind about things. We either accuse or excuse the actions of others to come up with our own rights and wrongs. And the cycle continues…

The way I feel and the way I look don't match. On the inside, I still feel like I did when I was a child. I'm sometimes startled by the image that meets me in the mirror.

How did I get here? Sure, I remember all the growing pains — life's ups and downs that filled each decade. Knowledge, understanding, and wisdom are the degrees earned from the university of hard-knocks.

Still it doesn't seem possible that I've come this far…

Why are certain things so hard to talk about? We imagine the other person's variable responses. We settle on believing the most negative one will be expressed. And then we talk ourselves out of saying anything at all.

Communication is vital to any relationship. Let's turn off the negative talk in our minds. Let's take a deep breath and say what we need to say. All will be well…

She had strength. The kind that seems to come from nowhere — it's just there. Such strength, knowledge, and beauty doesn't belong here.

She's not worried — why isn't she worried? She's going to the other side of the mountain.

The tranquility is contagious. I don't recognize what I feel, but I think it's called peace. It's a warm blanket shielding us from the madness that could be.

It's just us two — right here, right now… like always. She's going to the other side of the mountain. I don't even realize what's happened until after the funeral. Her journey is over…