If you Google “attitude is everything,” you will find numerous quotes and books by different authors.  In addition to these, there are poems and memes and items such as posters and other things you can buy with this phrase written on them for.

So what does it mean to you?  To me, having the correct attitude has everything to do with regard to how one approaches a subject, an action, a point of view or a mindset.  For example, having the right attitude for what a person wants to accomplish, clarifies the motivation needed to pursue a goal, be open to a venture, or even to make a new friend.

How we present ourselves to people or situations can determine whether we will be successful in any endeavor or situation in which we find ourselves.  Having a positive attitude is likely to affect the response of others in a positive way.  It stands to reason that this would be true, because it is logical.

Being “open to change” is an attitude that encourages cooperation.  There are so many attitudes one can have within oneself, but the appropriate attitude is essential to the desired outcome.  I have always found it surprising that some people seem to choose a negative attitude to wear on their person.  You can tell so much from a person’s “body language.”  This can be positive or negative.  It’s up to each of us to decide.

Sometimes, a person doesn’t know how they come across to others and have no clue that they are affecting other people’s impression of them.  I find this unfortunate because it is difficult to tell someone how they are coming across to people when it is negative.  Having the manner in which one communicates this message requires finding the right attitude as well.

The more we think of the attitudes we carry within ourselves, we can imagine situations in advance and plan the proper vantage point for the desired outcome.  Even if one considers oneself a positive person,  that attitude might not be the one that is required at the occasion at hand. 

I must say that I believe a person has a predominant attitude by which they approach life in general.  But the other attitudes we have, such as situational ones, are important too.  Either way, it’s a good idea to think about how one comes across, because attitude can be everything in many different ways.   

Since I have had trouble finding the right topic for my blog, I decided to do some random rambling.  I am 69, as of yesterday, and on the cusp of a new decade in my life.  So, what does that mean?  Well, for one thing, I ramble randomly more than ever before.  I do this in my writing, my conversations, in dealing with others, and continuously in my thoughts.

In thinking about this, I realize that I have always had a lot of trouble keeping on point in my conversations with others.  My thoughts ramble constantly through my brain and I often confuse myself as to where I am going.  But it’s the fact that they ramble so randomly that causes me a great deal of stress.  I don’t want to annoy others, though I fear I do this sometimes.  In fact, when I asked a friend of mine if it bothered her, she said that it was just the way I was, and it didn’t bother her.  Her husband however, did not find it very easy to follow.  I think I confused him and wore him out.  I am not happy about that at all.

That is not to say that it is a totally useless, hopeless activity.  Even though it often confuses me, there are also many benefits to this exercise.  It is akin to brainstorming with myself.  It can be a way of problem-solving because I can often find different ways of approaching an issue.  Therefore, to me, it can be a problem-solving technique.  I prefer that definition.  I am a problem solver.  Yes, I like that term.

It can also be amusing to other people.  That makes me happy.  My grandchildren think I am funny when I act in a rambling way, by changing topics when I see something interesting in the middle of a sentence.  My son, when he was a teenager used to sing a little song he made up entitled, “Random Woman,” when I would jump off topic.

But, most of all, I think that it may just be a character trait and something that is inherently in my being.  I can try to tame it.  I suppose I really should try to control it more.  I just find it so difficult because I don’t realize I am doing it a lot of the time.  After I have done it, I recognise that I did it, and then it’s too late.

I am fortunate that I still have so many people in my life that put up with me and love or like me anyway.  I am blessed to have family and friends who care for me and even enjoy me in my life.  That is very good for me, because  I fear that change on my part will not be likely to happen.  So, to all my family and friends, I say “Thank you” for putting up with my random ramblings.  You are gifts from God, valuable beyond measure.

With all my Love, 

Lora

We often use the word “precious”  when describing babies.  That is because life is precious and  a new life, a newborn, is perhaps the most precious thing of all.  That preciousness is what attracts us and implants into our psyche the desire to protect and care for a child.  If only we could see the same preciousness of life at all ages.  

Preciousness can be attributed to things.  For example, famous paintings, archaeological  objects and gold are precious because they are very old, expensive or rare.  Also, personal treasures such as paintings and drawings that our children created, photos of family, good times and pictures of deceased family members are precious.  My mother has two photos of my grandparents.  One is of my grandfather in his uniform, when he was in the Italian cavalry during World War I.  The other one is a beautiful picture of my grandmother as a young woman.   Both photos were taken by a professional photographer.  Few people had cameras of their own in those days.  These photos are irreplaceable, their value incalculable.

Preciousness is also used in reference to moments in time, embedded in our memories as treasures.  These are the memories that stay with us throughout our lives and give us a window into our past.  Even painful memories can be precious because they may be the last memory of a person, a place, or even a time period when life was extremely difficult, but you got through it.

The anticipation of an important upcoming event that is brought to mind or a feeling that this may be the last time for an encounter or occasion to happen is priceless.  Preparing for a wedding is one such occasion.  What is considered important to one person may not be understood to be precious to another, but that is not what determines preciousness.  It is akin to beauty being in the eyes of the beholder.  Preciousness can be a personal matter.

The main thing is that whatever is precious to a person, a group or even society is precisely that which makes it true.  If one does not care about things that are rare or expensive or antique in some way, they are not precious to that person or persons.  But, to me, no matter what, finding preciousness in our lives is indeed a worthy quest.

It goes without saying that texting while driving is against the law, with good reason.  But I have some other concerns about texting in other situations.  Here are some of my observations.

I am appalled when I see a couple walking and texting while pushing their child in a stroller.  It makes me wonder if they text while pushing their toddler in a swing when they get to the park.  I  witnessed this a few months ago and it made me feel sad.  A mother and father were texting, separately, not even talking with one another as they walked to a nearby park with their child.  After that, I seemed to see it more and more.  

Why is this behavior so ubiquitous?  What happened to just focusing on the here and now without having the compulsion to interact in this way?  When texting becomes a focal point, what does this do to the experience at hand?

And it is dangerous, to say the least.  I have observed people not paying attention enough to be aware of the traffic around them.  In numerous online sources, I found that there is a significant increase in pedestrian accidents for people who text while walking.  It is just logical that it is more dangerous to walk outside while distracted in this way.  But it is a much more serious source of concern when pushing a stroller.  How could people live with themselves if something happened to any child in their care while engaging in this behavior?  

To me, texting is something I do out of necessity.  Young people, especially, prefer texting to phone calls.  It has become a part of my communication now, if I want to be in touch with my grandchildren.  Even I find it useful,  if I need to let people know things, such as, “I’m running late.” or just to ask or answer a simple question.  But it can never give me the satisfaction of hearing a familiar voice on a telephone call.  And, of course being in person, talking face to face, is the best experience of all.

I know that I may seem old-fashioned, but I don’t care if others think so.  What I have discovered is this: I don’t want to spend my limited time on virtual experiences.  I want to see your face when I talk to you.  And if that is not possible, I want to hear your voice.  Texting is at the bottom of my modes of communication.  It’s as simple as that!

When my son died suddenly, many years ago now, I was able to sleep.  Sleeping became a significant part of my grieving process.  I can’t believe that I was able to do so much sleeping, but I am glad that I could.  It was an amazing gift, because it was respite from the many emotions that were coursing through my mind and my body.

It was an escape and a chance for my body to rest in between all the deep feelings of loss and all of the physical reactions that would sneak into my every waking moment.  Without any fanfare, they would overtake my body, heart and mind. 

I found it hard to believe the fact that within me I had this escape from it all.  It made me so grateful to experience this in the midst of all my sadness.  In the past, I had always dreamt when I slept.  But now, I was being transported into a state of “nothingness,” and the dreams were gone.  I could have had nightmares, had this not been true.  It was a tremendous relief from the heartbreak, the crying, the very depth of my bereavement.

God blessed me in this way and I didn’t know why I was being given this grace, when I knew that so many of my grieving friends were not being gifted in this way.  I was embarrassed by this and never shared this with the grief groups I attended.  And so, I said prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for my friends.  Prayer and gratitude saved me from the depths of despair.

I had made a new friend, just months before my son’s death.  When she found out what had happened, she was worried that I might not be able to sleep.  And so she stayed up all night praying that I would sleep through the night.  And I did, not only that first night, but every night.  I called her my sleep angel.  She moved away and we lost touch, but I will always remember her.  She too was a gift from God that helped me through that very first night.  And she is still in my prayers every night before I go to bed.