I received a phone call on Wednesday June 3rd, 2020 letting me know my Momma was in the hospital in Bristol, Tennessee with a kidney infection. I left New Hampton, Iowa at noon that day and arrived at the hospital the following day. Momma was further diagnosed with pneumonia and sepsis. She was released the following Sunday and is home healing. Below are the realizations I’ve made and lessons I've learned since my time home with my Momma and Daddy in the mountains of Virginia I call home.
1. After seeing all of the hospital rooms filled with very sick people I imagined many were there because of choices they made. This shell I have called my body is the only one I will have until the day I die. Every decision I make good and bad with my body will manifest either immediately or in the future. I don’t want to be on a host of prescription pills because of the poor choices I made years ago. My choice to eat healthy, exercise, slow down and simply breathe will directly impact my mental health and quality of life.
2. My parents have lived a very simple frugal life. We didn't travel much at all and going out to eat was an extravagance. When you have a Momma that cooks as good as mine, there’s no need to eat out. My parents' recipe for child raising at the time was - unconditional love, happiness, work hard and a testimony of spending money wisely and saving for the future. . There will always be things and experiences to spend money on. Sitting still and enjoying the simplicity of conversation with friends is more valuable than anything that can be purchased. I need to slow down, save more, spend less and love the calm that only simplicity of life choices can bring. If your life is too stressful and busy make a choice today as a family, couple or individual to have a weekend screen free with nothing on the schedule. Call it the special weekend. Then slowly eliminate the unnecessary noise that keeps you from peace.
3. Decisions are made with the tools you have in your tool box at that time. Your power to equip your children, mentor co-workers, train employees and be an example to friends with your leadership and learning is free and invaluable. My parents have equipped me and my siblings with an incredible amount of common sense and a strong work ethic. My father told me last week that while the decision I make right now may seem insignificant or not come with major consequences I need to look at the direction my feet are pointed. What path could this decision potentially take me down.
4. Life is too short to hang on to unresolved conflict. Let it go. Pick your battles. Hurt becomes anger. Unresolved anger will turn into bitterness and make you impatient, judgemental and just plain unbearable to those around you. You may not be a morning person but you can still be kind to those around you. As long as we live we will be incontact with myriads of negative attitudes, arrogance and sarcasm. You are in control of the garbage you allow in your brain and your life. Just the same with the food we eat, you control what you look at, hear and retain. Remember there are people that wake up without ever having the intention of being happy. Make it a life practice to quickly identify those people and run from them. Choose to add people builders to your life.
I know for the decades to come in my life I will forever reflect on this time with Mom & Dad and realize the sweetness of the fellowship over the last 38 day with them. This time in Virginia has bee truly life changing. I’m pointing my feet in a good direction.
