The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.    E.E. Cummings What a sad day is one without laughter.  What a waste of a day.  C'mon, lighten up - there is something to laugh about in each day.  Really I promise there is.  Even in the hardest days, the saddest days, the most frustrating days.   I remember when my lifelong best friend, Sarah, passed away and we traveled to Michigan for her memorial.  Another best friend, Emilie, met me in Michigan to be with me and my parents as we said goodbye to Sarah and stood by her family.  It was a tough time.  The day of Sarah's service came and we were standing outside of the sanctuary before going in and we heard the music being  rehearsed    Em and I couldn't help it, we started snickering.  She looked at me and said something to the effect of, "Was this the kind of music Sarah liked?!" and got me snickering some more.  No!  And Sarah herself would have ...

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.   E.E. Cummings I think growing up is scary.  And I only know a small circle of grown ups at this stage in my life.  Why would I say that when I know people ranging from newborn to 88?  Because I believe we all hit stages in life where we have to grow up a little more than we are at present.  And it takes courage to be challenged and grow up a little more.  It usually requires more responsibility, a further sacrifice of self interests, better financial stewardship, and making decisions that haven't at first presented us with all the factors and facts.  Like I said, scary.  It takes courage to make the decision to accept the challenge of becoming even more of a grown up and continue to grow into the skin you are supposed to wear.  Who are you?  Who am I? Well we are in process and never fully who we are until all the growing up has been done.  (Then we start to g...