04 | September | 2014 | seeking querencia





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This is a list of some of the things in which I steadfastly believe. I’ve always thought that you can tell a great deal about a person based on their beliefs, both significant and seemingly insignificant. They allow a glimpse below the superficial level and into a deeper layer of being. I hope that this list, while not exhaustive, offers you a further look into who I am.

I believe:

in the kindness of strangers,
in unconditional love,
that we are not alone in this universe,
that bad things happen to good people,
that good things happen to bad people,
in the innocence of children,
in curiosity,
in serendipity,
in the promise and power of forgiveness,
that sometimes, life is not fair,
that struggles make us stronger,
that everyone has a story to tell,
that evil exists,
that there is more good in the world than bad,
that prayers are answered, but not always in the manner we expect,
that everyone should be treated equally,
that no one should want for necessities,
that each of us matters and makes a difference,
in the cry of a newborn baby,
in the sound of children laughing and playing,
that everyone has his or her unique gift to offer the world,
that hope sustains our lives,
in angels,
that no one is more important than another,
that God has interceded and protected me countless times in my life,
that trust is earned,
that friends, old and new, are precious treasures,
in raucous laughter,
in the occasional cuss word,
that there is no “us” and “them,” there is only “we,”
that “can’t” should be banished from the dictionary,
that the word “never” should be used rarely, if at all,
in a cleansing cry every now and again,
in a sincere “I’m sorry,”
that through forgiveness, we free ourselves,
that through adversity, we come to know happiness,
that change is necessary,
in the joy that I feel when I look into the faces of my g’children,
that the most important job in the world is that of a parent,
that my three children are blessings given to me,
that the most difficult job that I’ve ever held was as a parent,
in the occasional well-turned dirty joke,
that being alone does not necessarily mean that one is lonely,
that we can be our own best company,
that our memories keeps those who have moved on alive in our hearts,
that our capacity for love is endless,
in my faith and in a higher power,
in a long hot bath,
in dancing and singing to R&B music,
that no one should want for food,
that no one should want for decent housing,
that everyone should be paid a living wage,
that no one should want for health care,
in honesty,
in courage,
in compassion,
in lending a shoulder or an ear,
that sometimes we show our compassion through silence,
that the gift of listening to another is a scarce commodity,
that sometimes, “I don’t know” is the only answer,
that everything happens for a reason, even though we may not know it at the time,
that each of us is a blessing in this world,
in the perfect glass of lemonade on a hot Texas Summer day,
in bringing a child to a carnival with rides, cotton candy and expensive crap that will break within a week,
in riding a ferris wheel,
in driving my car with the windows down on a pleasant day, so that I can ride the air with my hands,
in paying it forward,
in the joy of doing good, simply for the joy of doing it,
in random acts of kindness,
that family means everything,
in telling those that you love, how you feel before it’s too late,
that what goes around, comes around,
that all of our experiences, good and bad, inform who we are,
that you are as young as you feel,
that adult “play dates” should be mandatory,
that adults should watch a child to learn to live in the present moment,
that we get to choose how we live our lives,
that loyalty is rewarded,
that crying is not a weakness,
that empathy is a virtue,
that none of us can make it through life alone,
that needing help is not a weakness,
in the power of our vote,
that people from different parts of the world are more alike than different,
that our preconceptions prevent us from knowing the real person,
in allowing our children to be children for as long as possible,
that you are viewed by your actions, not by your words,
that I wish to leave the world better than I found it,
that although the world’s ills are great, we can each do our little part towards making it a better place to live,
that giving up, is not an option,
that flowers can instantly lift spirits,
that nature is a fertile source for experiencing the world’s wonders,
that true peace cannot be had without putting one’s self in the other’s shoes,
that honesty is the best policy, and
that each of you, is a blessing to me and this world.