Light At The End

Is it just me or have things been kind of dour and difficult to swallow lately? From Wisconsin to Libya from Supreme Court rulings to bonus checks for Goldman's CEO, it just seems like a big cluster fuck lately. So I've been trying to find things to put everything into perspective. To do what I can for me, my community and my family.

Here's what I came up with so far:

I am moving into a new home in another state later this month. (No more 'Dumb belt!') Exposed brick in an urban environment will do me some good.

My cousin had a baby last week. A very long, likely to be a basketball superstar, adorable, healthy baby.

My grant proposal was accepted and I have an all expenses research trip paid to Israel next month.

I have another grant application in that has been short listed into the possible pool of applicants to be accepted. It will allow me travel to Kenya and stay for safari in August.

I will be in Zion and Arches by month's end.

Very soon I will have a much bigger role in the sweeping changes blowing across the industry I have been a part of for the last decade. (Wow, a decade!)

My fellowship calls for me to testify before Congress this year.

I am learning to play the violin and training for a marathon.

While we all have challenges and the world is nowhere near where I thought it would be a mere four years ago, or even two for that matter, it has its diamonds that shine brightly.

I have learned to take time to smell the flowers and re-prioritize my life. To not take for granted every moment I have left with some of my older family members. I've learned that I can exhaust myself politically but the GOP is hell bent on doing what they are going to do without regard to logic, reason or evidence.

So instead of wasting good energy, intellect and time on things that I am not able to change, I am spending time finding opportunities for myself to do the things I've always wanted to do and live each day like it's my last. Life has not been fair to some of you reading this and I know that. My hope is that you will see a light at the end of your dark tunnel very soon. You deserve that! We all do. more...