Rekindling relationships

Today I had lunch - is it still lunch if it's 3:00 p.m.? - with one of my godchildren. Well, she's not a child anymore, but still...

We had lunch last month, too.

Before that, I hadn't seen her in over a year. Shame on me. Completely my fault. Never shoulda happened. I could kick myself.

But, being the incredibly wonderful, loving, big-hearted, fabulous girl she is, she immediately forgave me and took me right back in as her "Aunt Meg".
Last month she played some of her music for me. She's amazing.
Today I heard about her current boyfriend, and when school is going to start again, and the vintage dress she is going to wear to prom in the spring. And we laughed at some of the silliest things. It was wonderful.

Hailey, you are such a gift in my life and I love you so much.

To all of my nieces and nephews (by blood or by sheer good fortune), I love you all.
God bless you,
Aunt Meg

Are We There Yet?

Anyone who has ever travelled with children has heard "are we there yet" at least once.

Today, I'm asking that question in a different way -- in a sort of grateful, happy way. You see, one of my nieces has been out of work for a fairly long stretch, but we got word this week that she has landed a pretty good job and she's very excited about it. My nephew also recently found employment, albeit not in his first-choice line of work, but, hey, in this economy we aren't complaining.

A former colleague of mine just changed jobs to a bigger, better company. Two people I know who were laid off earlier this year have been called back to work.

So my question - Are we there yet? - seems to be more or less "YES!".... we (mostly) have jobs. We have income. We seem to be moving forward.

Perhaps not yet on the roads we first mapped out for ourselves, but we are moving forward.

Congratulations and God bless us all.

Dinner with Girlfriends

What is it about setting up a dinner get-together with your girlfriends that is so out-of-the-ordinary?

I mean, it's such a treat to get together with your friends over a relaxed dinner, just talking, maybe a glass of wine. Or two.

So why is it that we don't do this more often? Perhaps some of you do. Perhaps I'm just not in the loop.

But I'm working on seeing more of my friends, and not just more often but deliberately more often in relaxed, fun settings where we can just have a good time catching up. Not shopping (too expensive!), not going to movies (where you can't talk!), not running around after their kids (or worse, their grandkids! When did we get so old??). Nope. No "activity". Just talk.

That's the luxury, and I intend to indulge more often in it.

Here's hoping you do, too.

The Gift of Goodbye

I'm not a follower of preacher T.D. Jakes, but I heard a snippet of this on a tv program once, and I've seen it in print a couple of times, and it seems like something that should be shared, so here goes:

The Gift of Goodbye

There are people who can walk away from you.

And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk.

I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.

LET THEM GO!

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead.

You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of goodbye. It's the tenth spiritual gift; I believe in goodbye.

It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it.

Stop begging people to stay.
LET THEM GO!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to...
LET THEM GO!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains...
LET THEM GO!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth...
LET THEM GO!

If someone has angered you...
LET THEM GO!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge...
LET THEM GO!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction...
LET THEM GO!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents...
LET THEM GO!

If you have a bad attitude...
LET THEM GO!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better...
LET THEM GO!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.......
LET THEM GO!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves...
LET THEM GO!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed...
LET THEM GO!

Get Right or Get Left, think about it, and then...
LET THEM GO!