Lessons From Papa

Today is the 17th anniversary of my grandfather's death. Obviously he's been on my mind a lot today. We got along great, and I still miss him very much. We had very similiar personalitles, from our sensitivity, love of people, and sense of humor that have some laughing, and others being driven up the wall.

As I reflect on the memories today, there are three main areas where I believe he has had a great influence on me:

1. Generosity - I think he focused less on himself than anyone else. He never had much money, but he would have given the world to those he loved if he could have. Still, he often practiced generosity almost every time I saw him, which was quite often. He was also a people pleaser, and was very sensitive to responding to the needs of others.

2. Sense of humor - Although he took his life responsibilities seriously, he would do ANYTHING to make someone laugh. The funny thing is that he would be laughing right along with them. Even when life was tough, he never took things TOO seriously. At least I never saw it.

3. He fought for what he believed in - Whether it was fighting for his country (he fought in WWII), or defending his family, he never backed down from a challenge, especially if it regarded his faith, family, or friends.

I am very thankful for the memories of my papa, and especially for the valuable lessons he taught me. I hope I can carry out this excellent example in my own life. Thanks Papa : )

How To Bring Out the Best In Others

The above title poses an interesting question. If you are like me, you often wonder how you can have positive impacts on others. How can I bring out the best in my kids, siblings, co-workers, or anyone in our lives?

There are many different philosophies for accomplshing this. However, one consistent theory is on most to all of these lists. That would be....drum roll please......be the best YOU that you can possibly be. You may be a bit confused at the moment. After all, this post is supposed to be about impacting others, not ourselves. I understand that. However, I am learning almost daily, that the better I feel about myself, and the more connected I am to the God who created me, the greater impacts I can continually make.

It did not take me too long to verify this based on my own life events. As I look back, the times I felt best about myself were the times I was most influential on others. The times where I lacked confidence and positivity were the times I didn't see the positive response from others.

This has been confirmed in my life lately, so I know its not just a history of coincidence. For the past few months I have felt very close to God, very positive about life, and very confident in the overall goodness of life. Without even going out of my way, people just seem to respond very positively to my demeanor, ideas, and almost seem to know instantly that I am in tune with my best self. It's funny too how, as I try to share this positive energy more, I get more of it back from others.

Please don't get the idea that I am using this space to brag. It just makes me very happy that God would use me to add some good to people's lives. I am thankful that He would consider this little life and imperfect human being to do so. All I have to do is remain close to Him, maintain a positive attitude, and look for small ways to make a difference.

This same formula is true for anyone. If you are looking to make a difference in your world, start from the inside. Know that you are a beautiful creation of the Creator of all. Cherish that idea, be thankful for the good you have in your life, and look for ways to share it. You will be amazed by the way people notice and seem to gravitate towards you without you saying a word. Then the positives snowball from there.

As always, I am always looking to learn more about a topic like this. If you have seen things work effectively in your life, please share.

Have an excellent day : )