Loving Life

I think that my greatest achievement has been becoming a mother. My kids are an absolute joy and even in the trying moments, I see that they are beautiful people who love life.

My daugther is just about the happiest person I've ever known. She sings, dances, talks (a little too much at school) and rarely has a bad day. She's so thoughtful and is great at problem solving because she looks for a solution that makes everyone happy. I've always been a little strict with her, but that's because I want to instill strong values and a good work ethic; looking at who she is at 6 years old, I feel confident that she will grow to be an amazing woman!

I was thinking the other day about who Marissa really is and what makes her so happy and I realized that the answer is really so simple. Marissa LOVES life. She finds joy and beauty in just about everything around her. She's optimistic; she's a dreamer, but she always creates her own happiness. What a great lesson for us all to learn! She doesn't rely on others to fulfill her life, she strives to bring happiness to others and she is confident that the world is full of magic and love.

You know, I believe she's right! How could anyone argue that when they see the kindness of a stranger, the love and friendship of siblings, the devotion of parents to their children and the perseverance of humanity in a crazy world. Obviously, with beauty and love comes ugliness and hate, but I'll take Marissa's stance, "love your life and take each moment with a smile!"