I Thrive

While driving, I passed a car with a vanity license plate. It said, "I Thrive."

In general I'm not a big supporter of vanity license plates. They don't often say things that are worth paying extra for, and I can't think of how I would want to label myself for anybody who happened to be driving past. That's also why I don't believe in bumper stickers (aside from how they make your car look cluttered and slightly unkempt).

If ever there was something generally known about me by those who knew me and those who didn't, I would want it to be that I thrive. I want to spend my life not just living, but thriving. I want it to be written in my face that I thrive. It shouldn't matter where I am or what I am doing, I should be thriving wherever I am.

How does one thrive? There have been times in my life when there's been no question of my thriving. There have been other times when I felt my life had stagnated. I don't know what the difference was but I'm determined to find out.

Because, quite simply, I thrive.

The Strange Wanderings of One Pedometer

I thought I lost this little guy. Halfway through the day Saturday it was missing from my pants pocket where I clip it, fat side in, so it stays put. Apparently it fell into one of the bags I was carrying. I found it just last night. The good news is, halfway through my Saturday I had more steps than you can shake a stick at.

This is my aunt and my uncle. I spent the weekend visiting them. It was a quick trip. Down on Friday, home on Sunday. It was well worth it. It took less than a day for my cheeks to hurt and my belly to ache from all the laughter. There is also never a shortage of good food. We spent our time talking, laughing, and working together. This is family.

More than that, time spent with this particular aunt and uncle reminds me of all that I have in my life. After a day or a weekend or half a week, I feel immense gratitude for how good my life is. I am not just grateful to have them; I am deeply appreciative of everything that I have.

It is something of a strange effect perhaps, and I don't know what it is about time spent with my aunt and uncle that makes me feel this way, but I am glad for the reminder.

Thanks Aunt and Uncle for always making room for me in your life. My life is better because of it.

PS My car now has double the miles on it that it had when I began my journey Friday afternoon. I'm glad. I told my Pa that I wanted to put a good 250,000 miles on my car. He told me at the rate I put miles on the odometer it will take me 50 years to get that high. I'll probably be dead. I am now one road trip closer to my goal.