06/13/2024
TAKE the TRIP and MAKE THE MEMORIES
The seasons of life ebb and flow and I have recently tried to ebb and flow with it, but dang there are some hard days. November 25, 2023 was a day of spent with community members at our local Christmas in Park. That day I talked to several friends who I had not seen for years, watched childrens' eyes light up when they saw Santa and Mrs. Claus, participated in the first annual decorate a Christmas tree contest/auction, helped Lions Club give away toys to children, and then walked down mainstreet dressed up in a Grinch onesie handing out goodies and candies in the Christmas parade. Little did I know my life would be turned upside down in just a few short hours.
I do love a good social media post and seeing what everyone shares. Some make laugh, some make cry, some just simply make my heart swell with pride. If you follow me you may have noticed or not noticed that I haven't said much about that evening. That evening my heart was ripped out of my soul as I got the call from my sister and then my son that our house was ablaze and consumed in fire. The hurt and pain as I realized I had just lost my "soul dog" our black lab, Tack was indescribable. Tack was a dog I literally rescued out of our fence one summer afternoon. He was just a pup and soon became my protector, my ride or die in the side by side, my snuggle buddy, the click of his paws on the wood floors, the nudge my hand for a rub on the head, the run out to my car when I get home dog, the I will love you forever. That night the last time I saw him he was sitting in "his" with his head on the arm, I turned around to shut the door and as he looked at me I told him what I was always told him "I will be back, I promise, I love you: and then shut the door. Two hours later he was gone. I could see the flames from out in the country as we speeded into town, I knew then the time had come for Tack to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Eventually that evening there was a silver lining...my maltese, Daisy, was rescued from the basement and had survived. Many people showed up that night and the days following- local and out of town rescue personnel, family and friends. We will never be able to say enough how THANKFUL we are.
Today was a hard day but I know there will be more good days than bad days. Six months later I sit here after reflecting on those moments, that day, the week before with my kids and sister in Florida. Something I wished had we had done when we started traveling with our kids....Taken more pictures and made sure I (mom) was included. Then written a caption for each picture.
I challenge you to take the picture, live in the moment and choose experiences over stuff. Since I have started my business of being a travel advisor I have chatted with a grandmas, sisters, aunts, moms and dad who all say they don't have the time or believe they cannot afford to go to travel to places like Hawaii, Colorado, Cruising, Disney. I thought the same thing and then I had to clean out my burned house and discovered I was a consumer of all things, I was an impulse buyer and had WAY TOO MUCH! After having to carry it out all, 100+ loads of laundry, wiping down of stuff I was OVER IT. Now instead of "buying all the things" when I am out and about I walk around the store put stuff in my cart tally up how much it would cost and then walk back around and put the stuff back. I then transfer that money into a savings account that I call "Experiences and Memory Making" . You too can do the same thing ..even if is a $1.25 item from the Dollar Treek small bits add up. You TOO can afford it, it just take planning and that is what I am here for. The absolute best part is my SERVICES are FREE!
What is one thing you could do TODAY to help you create EXPERIENCES and MAKE the MEMORIES? If you read this far I promise tomorrows post will be a happy post. 😀