The best things in life aren't things.............

I had a conversation yesterday about the importance of "stuff."

We all know the saying, "Keeping up with the Jones," and we all know people that make having lots of stuff a primary life goal. The friend I was talking with shared her continued gratefullness of hot and cold running water since having lived, for a time, in a place with neither. Having always had it, I tend to take water for granted, until the power goes out so we can't flush or fill. A day or two after the power is restored I am right back to my old taking water for granted ways. I need to work on practicing gratitude for all things!

Don't get me wrong, I like stuff, and I have lots of nice stuff. One of my favorite things in the whole world is my drawer warmer that affords me a lot of cooking time variablity, being able to cook when I want and serve still warm meals at a later time. I am not against having stuff. The problem begins when the quest for stuff clouds our vision of what is really important in life.

About eight o'clock last night my youngest came into the room and shared with me what a looser she was that the only thing she could think to blog about was the fact that her mother never cooks dinner anymore. What she should have said was I haven't been cooking much besides stuff that is ground, mashed, or otherwise made soft and chewable. I haven't been cooking her long list of favorite things. Never mind that just yesterday I ask her what she wanted me to make for dinner and she couldn't come up with any ideas. I think that what she was really expressing through her words was not getting her regular doses of "mom and me time." One of the ways I express my love for my family is by cooking their favorite foods. I have not been cooking the normal two dinners as of late, having been pre-occupied with moving furniture. In addition to that, she has been gone working her two jobs, and we haven't been hanging out as much. She hasn't been grocery shopping with me in the past month. Isn't it great that she misses me? And yes! I am making her top requested egg pie (most people call it quiche) for dinner, and have hidden some notes around the house to remind her that she is loved and cared for.

How do you express your love for others? One of the greatest things you can give to another person is your time. Stop to hold the door for someone. Take the time to listen to a co-worker that seems a little out of sorts. Make a point of thanking those with thankless jobs. The grocery store that I shop at has a very busy deli, and there is always a waiting line, and never enough help behind the counter. The other day someone new helped me, and when he had given me my turkey I said "thank you" and his reply was, "WOW! I am here to serve you, and you are telling me thank you." Didn't seem that unusual to me, but apparently he was not used to hearing it and it made his day. Everything we do has the potential to help others, so remember that your smallest actions really do make a difference and practice kindness often.