Quotes To Live By

"Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness."
  -Napoleon Hill

There are certain things high on my "Not My First Choice list."
-Bowling.
-Loud music.
-Traveling more than 5 miles to bowl while listening to loud music.
-Traveling more than 5 miles to bowl while listening to loud music late at night.
-Late nights out of my house during the dead of winter
-(who am I kidding), Stepping out of my house. Period.

So when an enthusiastic email was sent by dear SL (yes, the same drive-far-to hike-and-cut-down-a-Christmas-tree-SL) to do just that,  (open eyes wide: insert own finger and poke self in the eye),
I cringed...but I said nothing.
I did not want to energize my negative feelings towards this.
I passed along the invitation to Steve.
He said, "Sure."
So I promptly clipped all my fingernails and redirected my thoughts.

"Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love."
-Rumi

On the day of the event, I took a nap and then focused on what both Steve and I wanted. (which was to provide a fun evening for the children, and to honor SL's enthusiasm)
We ended up at Funfest the night before the MLK holiday with 25 grown ups and children for a special night of unlimited bowling, laser tag and video games  FROM 9 PM TO MIDNIGHT (no I did not accidentally hit the caps lock).

 Although it was not something I looked forward to, my goal was to maintain neutral feelings about it.














(SL stole a shot of me looking neutral)

And then when I got past the neutral exercise, I ventured into smiling and helping organize the big group into four lanes.

“Always say “yes” to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? what could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say “yes” to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.”
--Eckhart Tolle

Here's the thing. when you look happy, you become happy.
Let me repeat that, when you look happy, you become happy.

Not because "fake smiling" is effective but because when you smile despite the fact that the
"My Goodies" video is blaring larger than life on all the big screens hovering above the children,
 you create an atmosphere of light camaraderie and a spirit of support.

We played until our arms ached. (well, mine did anyway)
I am a terrible bowler.
However, to quote
William Churchill:
"Success is the ability to go from one failure (gutter ball) to another with no loss of enthusiasm."

I cheered on the Arrogant bowlers other moms

I was happy to see the dads bowling and being involved in a rambunctious game of laser tag with all the kids...
and the kids?
The kids had fun.
I was suddenly no longer bitter appreciative of SL's efforts to organize families to get together.
I am learning that if we as parents try our best to live unselfishly with the goal of raising happy and successful children,  then we must find a way to have fun while we try to achieve this.

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing." 
-Dale Carnegie