New Measures of Success

The above words touch my heart deeply. I am so happy to be retired and able to focus on these measures of success instead of spending eight plus hours each day focused on success in my job. 

I am abundantly blessed with the people I call friends. They have kept me grounded through the years. I am also thankful that I can read and write. The storytelling is essential for me, I love stories, oral or written. It is why I am so curious about people's day-to-day lives and their pasts. 

These days I am chalking up a multitude of successes with sleep, reading, laughing, storytelling, and feeling warm in the arms and homes of people I adore. 

The feeling warm in the arms and homes of people I adore is what made our trip this past spring and summer a positive experience. I know Joe was letting me set the agenda and pace during the trip and I tried early on to make sure I was including the opportunity to balance the people visiting with nature and sightseeing. He told me later that he did not expect it; however, he enjoyed seeing the people. It was the first time he had met most of them.

And ending our trip with family time in Ohio really made us both happy. We enjoyed the time with my brothers and all the nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. Reconnecting with both of my bridesmaids from my first marriage and spending time with them made the visit even more special.

My moment of joy today came from helping Megan prepare materials for her brownie troops projects for tonight's troop meeting. I enjoyed the time chatting with her while we cut fabric. Even though we live in the same home, we rarely get visiting time for just the two of us.

I am blessed.