Accepting the challenge from my friends' blogs - Trueman Twins and Lewis Family Letters, I have been pondering my word for 2010. A word that will help ground me during the tough times and keep me forging ahead. The word that will be a reminder of all that is good. My word for the year is contentment.
Sadly it is all too often that I find I am not happy with myself or my situation. How easy it is to look to the lives of others and think they have a better or easier lot and to compare and contrast our experiences. How often we simply want more even though what we have is just fine. A bigger and nicer house, a better school system, a better body,a better mind, etc. I want to find the joy in the things that I have and have been given. I want to be content with myself. Not complacent or adverse to improving, but content in what I have achieved and what I am today and in the past. Self-deprecation has been a struggle in the past. As I have embarked on a journey this year of inner discovery and searching with some guidance, I am learning more about myself, the choices I make, and why I make them. When tough things come my way, I want to be content with the trial and struggle. I don't want to waste my year away worrying what more I can do or how I can change things, but be content with what it is that has come my way. I appreciate this adapted quote from Proverbs:
"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face; A sad heart makes a despondent mood. All the days of a poor person are wretched, but contentment is a feast without end."[
As I have recently learned of the possibility of a syndrome being the cause of the my daughters' hearing loss and the chance of them further losing their hearing and vision over time to deaf- blindness, but not really knowing, I strive for contentment in the beautiful gifts they are to me- those two sweet girls. I want to be content with each day knowing I am a mother who is doing all I can to advocate for and affect their lives for good. I want to be content with what we have today together and not waste the precious moments of today in fear of what the future holds.
I want to be content in the fact that I am making changes and progress for myself little by little. Not all overnight but little by little. Being content with each healthy choice I make and each forward strive rather than being overwhelmed by the whole.
This is what I strive for this year: CONTENTMENT.
- Swimmingmom
- From the age of 5, seemingly endless hours were spent in the pool as I swam for New England Swimming/AAU. The smell of chlorine is nostalgic. During life's tough times, I draw on my swimming experiences of discipline, coupled with my faith in Jesus Christ. I spent many years out west for my schooling in speech-language pathology and special education, before returning to NE to teach. Although I have a passion for teaching young children with special needs, I currently am at home with my own 2 sweet girls, both of whom have sensorineural hearing loss and are the greatest gifts in my life.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
I adore you Donna, you amaze me!
This made me teary, you really are SUCH an amazing person. And the best mother to your little girls!
I love your word...I think we could all learn from it! THANK YOU!
Amen to LL's comment!
You are amazing!
That's a GREAT word!!
I'm sure there's not one of us who couldn't use a lot more contentment in our lives! Thanks for the rmeinder and good luck!
reminder, sorry!
This is so beautiful—no surprise, coming from you. I'm going to go mark that scripture right now. Thanks for sharing.
I could not say it any better than LL just did!! we love you and those 2 beautiful little girls
i just found your blog randomly on the blogger, and I am impressed with you sincere look at your life. Everybody contemplates on the same things, however not too many people have the guts to talk about it.
I would love your opinion on my blog, it is a story that needs to be told, but I am taking it slowly until I know that someone is reading. Hope you check me out, I have enjoyed checking you out :)
We could all use a little more contentment in our lives... I like that word. And I hope you can find more of it in your life. :)
Love it! What a wonderful word and place to be in our lives. I think it is something we all strive for. You are such a great example of making the most of a situation and improving what we can and accepting what we can't.
Post a Comment