Choosing Your Role Models

As every day life goes on, we are in a position to observe a wide array of ways of living and behaviors adopted by different people around us or by people portrayed in the media.  We might agree or not with what we see, we might want to adopt those ways of doing things or not.  Some people push their liking to idolatry.  I find this to be very sad and shallow.  Some people, on the other hand, are genuinely inspired by what or who life has allowed them to come in contact with, without falling in the trap of trying to lose themselves in trying to be someone else.  This is a much healthier way of doing things I believe;)  

There are a few examples of situations or people who have helped us shape who we have become as a family or what we would love to be able to do in the future.

I am the first one to admit that my priorities have changed, and for the best in my opinion, over the years.  I used to look around and think money, fame or wealth brought happiness.  Like a lot of us.  I was no different.  You know, the grass always seems greener next door.  What was appealing to me no longer is.  I like the idea of trying to live simply while still being able to make it acceptable, or *chewable* for my children.  Living with less consumables, fostering family moments, a healthy routine, an appreciation for who we are. 

As a family, we are becoming well-trained upstream swimmers and we like the fact that we are odd birds - well, most of us do...  It is an ongoing exercise!  We are no hero at this, it hurts sometimes!  We try our best to limit our consumption of material stuff, but we still indulge, too much I think.  Don't we all like our comfort?  Don't we all like to complain sometimes?  Often??

I find that a good daily exercise is to reflect on how lucky we are and how good we have it.  Regardless of how miserable we think we are sometimes, there is always someone worse off somewhere.  And it always stops the spirale of ''poor little me'', believe me.  It works for me anyway.  My experience overseas last year to adopt has shaped greatly how I have transformed my way of seeing things.  There is not a day that goes by without the thought of those orphans left behind.  I have seen poverty in dignity.  Proud and beautiful people, hard workers.  Those are the people I look up to.

I also have a deep appreciation for people who do their best to improve the situation of the poor, whether it is here or elsewhere on the planet.  I have been lucky to meet pretty amazing people over the last couple years.

Differences make us stronger and should be embraced.  As the old saying goes, one pencil can be broken easily.  However, when you string a bunch of pencils together, it takes a lot to break them.  Our family is like a bunch of pencils strung together.  I like to think that we are strong!