A to Z '14 - Opportunity

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


O is for Opportunity.

My grandfather taught me a lot about opportunity.



He showed me how to look for opportunities in my life. Job opportunities, opportunities to help other, opportunities to better myself. Opportunity played a large role in his life and career.

One of the greatest lessons I learned was that if there was no opportunity right in front of me, to go make my own. Opportunity knocks, but sometimes you have to clear a path to open the door.



Opportunity works equally. There aren't just a select few that are given wonderful opportunities. Opportunities come to each and every one of us. It's what you do (or don't do) with the opportunities that makes the difference.

Don't miss out. Your next opportunity is right around the corner.



O is for Opportunity.

A to Z '14 - Niche

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


N is nor Niche.

What is a niche? Is a place or position. We often talk about finding our niche in the world. It means finding the outlet that best supports our talents and passions.



How did my grandfather teach me about niches?


He showed me that despite my struggles, there was a place for me. In the world of writing, there is a place specifically designated for me: for my voice and style. There are countless writers out there. That doesn't make one of us more legitimate than another. We all have our writing niches, which makes all of us legitimate.



I think it's important for all of us to remember that we all have a niche - a place in this world. Just because there may be 50 other people who can do what you do doesn't mean you don't have your own specific talents. You have gifts that are unique to you. Those gifts are your niche. Use them, appreciate them.


Don't be competitive. That's ego talking. Instead, be supportive and be uniquely yourself. That's finding your niche.


Niches aren't just for a select few. They are for all of us. You have one. Find it and revel in it!


N is for Niche.

A to Z '14 - Morals

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


M is for Morals.

I am so very grateful for having my grandfather be such an influential person in my life. Raised with the influences of the 1950s to the 1970s, I was taught valuable lessons about respecting your elders and teachers, the importance of honesty, and the value of being a good person (rather than the value of a good manicure).



Thanks to my grandfather, I am respectful, professional, polite, grateful...I have morals.


Morals are so important. They guide us, they help us to discern right from wrong. Most of the time, that's fairly simple to do. But when you're suddenly caught in one of those strange situations where the line is clouded, morals are what we need and use to make the best decision - the right decision.



It seems that the younger generations have lost the real sense of morals. Instead of living in a world where we live with other people, most people today can only think of themselves. Getting what they want is far more important than giving to others. Getting things now far surpasses time spent with family. We focus on material things now. Money rules. Which I find rather comical since you can't take it with you, but that's an entirely different blog.


Morals help us all to be better people. To be kinder, wiser, more compassionate. Morals don't necessarily come from a specific religion. They really come from a place of love and respect. If we love and respect others, we will not hurt them. That is an example of morals in the simplest, most basic form.


It can be easy to fall into the endless cycle of thinking, "Oh poor, pitiful me." But we need to stop and think. How blessed we really are to have all that we do and the people that love us. Let us not lose our morals. Instead, let us use them as they can only enrich and enhance our lives and relationships.

M is for Morals.

A to Z '14 - Listening

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.



L is for Listening.


We were given two ears to listen and only one mouth to speak.



My grandfather taught me the value of being a good listener in a few ways.

First off, the man deserves sainthood for listening to me for the 33 years I was in his life (or he was in mine). I was an avid talker from a young age. God knows how much he had to listen to me ramble, but he did. And he never complained about it.

Simply teaching by example, he showed me that we needed to not just hear the words that were being said to us, but to listen. To fully comprehend the person, the emotions, the language. By watching him, I learned to listen.


On the flip side of that, I would listen to him all day if I could. I was the child who actually loved to listen to her grandfather's stories. I would sit and listen and converse and ask questions and soak it all in. Listening to him was simply the greatest.


Listening is so important. We need to listen to our spouses, our children, our co-workers and bosses. So often we just hear other people. Like Charlie Brown's teachers, we hear noise, not words. But that needs to change. We need to fully engage ourselves in our conversations. We need to listen and pay attention. We need to be respectful of those we talk with. Note that I said with and not to. We need to talk WITH people, not TO them.


Listening is a skill we can learn at any age and need to practice at every age.


L is for Listening.

A to Z '14 - Kindness

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


K is for Kindness.


My grandfather was a very kind soul. He was strong, but very gentle. He was forgiving, understanding, supportive, and generous.


He would give you anything you needed, and then some.


He was a listening ear, a shoulder on which to cry.


He was not judgmental towards anyone.


He emanated kindness.


As far as kindness and compassion goes, he was the perfect role model.


I aspire to be like him. I may not ever be as great as he, but if we are all a little kinder, the world will be a much better place!


K is for Kindness.