Live a Meaningful Life

The cool breeze rustles through the trees as I sit on the porch enjoying the evening shade and the laughter of two souls bouncing around on the trampoline.  I feel a rush of emotion, thought--something that I can't adequately express...a sense of fullness. Ten years ago you would have met or known a different me--a me that was very goal oriented--working on completing a Ph.D., aspirations of publishing a book, working 3 jobs to pay for grad school/and continue to stay out of debt, praying to see real change in people's lives that I worked with, spending lots of time thinking/planning how to make the next year greater...oh, the endless lists. Today--with all those things checked off--I sit on my back porch and feel as if I have so much more.  Not because of the things I have accomplished, but more for the things I have given up.  Through the years, accomplishing lots of things give you moments of good feelings and exciting times.  It felt pretty good when I heard the words,

As I was thinking about my life today, I was mentally reviewing some of my best memories (you know--those treasured moments in life--some big events/but mostly just small things that hold a lot of meaning).  I realized that all of the things I recalled during that thought process were related.  All of these "treasured" moments happened when life just kind of stopped for a while. When I laid the "busy"ness and to do list aside and was fully present.  I challenged myself today to do this even more.  I mean really--I didn't have one memory that came to mind during times when I was running from one place to another, stretching myself thin, or working 2 jobs and going to graduate school... What were some of those treasured moments? One day in the middle of cleaning the kitchen I got caught up in this song--so I stopped, started singing loud and dancing around...then the next song...wow--it grabbed the attention of my soul and all I could do was realize how bles