My Lists

5 things I want to accomplish tomorrow
Teach my children something
Learn something
Remember how I am important
Contribute to my life
Contribute to some one's life
5 things I want to accomplish in the next month
Teach my children something
Learn something
Remember how I am important
Contribute to my life
Contribute to some one's life
5 things I want to accomplish in the next year
Teach my children something
Learn something
Remember how I am important
Contribute to my life
Contribute to some one's life
5 things I want the closest person to me to accomplish in the next year
Teach their children something
Learn something
Remember how they are important
Contribute to their life
Contribute to some one's life
5 things I want my community to accomplish in the next year
Teach children something
Learn something
Remember how everyone is important
Contribute to community life
Contribute to the community's future
5 things I want the global community to accomplish in the next year
Teach everyone something
Learn something
Remember how the world is important
Contribute to all life
Respect all life

Tips to the Cynics that are screaming, "Great! Another vague inference so that no matter what is said or done, everything is applicable. Let me challenge your cynicism with my own evaluation of the list. Some people need lists that are finite and easily visible. To me that is just a checklist (and I am a list maker, just ask my husband or my co-workers) and something that just contributes to order and measures accomplishment for those who need that reinforcement for their own self worth to be validated. When you are dealing with a list that is intangible in physical terms (which in my case...they are directly, by tactile senses, intangible) you have to give yourself liberty because any intelligent person realizes that as we learn more and mature, we adapt (this is also known as wisdom).

My list is emotional and intellectual, not task based. It is about living so that all of the subsequent lists contribute to the vision (that greater good thing which I keep referring to). We all must see our place in the big picture and we must also learn to understand that we are one of a kind within millions. We are just confused about how we find our place mainly because we are looking in all the wrong places for all the easy answers. There are questions for which we are not meant or entitled to an answer.

Remember when you would hear "Because" and respond with the lovely "Because Why?" or the even more plausible "Because I said so". When we are young before we learn (and it is learned behavior) that sometimes it is more valuable to step away without an answer and/or just to accept whatever is as just that, whatever it is. Yet today we find ourselves almost regressing back to immaturity as we are okay with "Because" or "Because I said so", the why is now selectively ignored. I actually challenge you to answer my lists on a daily basis just for good measure (and a small note for those of you with the smart alack in you, necessities for existence do not count unless they are being denied of you (food, water, the thriving that occurs when love is prevalent)).

Teach my children something - This is such an easy one and we walk away from such a brilliant opportunity everyday. I am very fortunate to have children that will need to learn humility and to share their gifts with others. The challenge is that every day I have to teach them to be humble and responsible for their gifts and impart their knowledge, not treat it as territory or a treasure.

Learn something - This one I never take for granted. I adore learning about things most people would consider nonsense even. My latest interest is in Astronomy because it fascinates my 9 year old. So my latest readings have been on quasars, blazars and magnetars and the origins of super novas, etc. Researching things that may not ever have an answer, this I enjoy the most because that is where we can determine the reality that defines humanity. We do need those limits and we have lost sight of them. On a side note, I am also reading about the caves where John was said to have written the book of Revelations. I don't like to write or approach any subject unless I have personally read and researched it myself with the application of appropriate analytical thinking and research skills.

Remember how I am important - This is the most difficult of all of the items on the list amazingly enough, but if you manage to do all the others, honestly this should be a "gimme". It would be human to say I think, therefore I am and inherently important and something probably about erring is in there somewhere too..definitely the erring part. We are the super species only because we do not know what we do not know so we assume we do and plan all that we do everyday and even get to justify it on those same means. With that absolutely nothing being said quite well, I have proven my worth for today.

Contribute to my life - I stay focused on what can be, not what is now or what is supposed. I have eaten well today and kissed and said I love you to all of those that needed to hear it from me.

Contribute to some one's life - I wrote this blog post. I wrote a bajillion thank you emails for existing in my life to everyone (that isn't directly related to me) I could think of today and added the one random person I looked upon the internet that I do every year because I am glad they exist. Great, now my family and husband will know I do this crazy thing every year and have me committed.

What is an amazing affirmation of your existence? Is that even though you think noone knows you are around or would notice if you were gone? I received 1,262 emails this week at just one email account and even though 30% were merely SPAM, the other half were people that I interact with and have the opportunity to affect EVERY single day. Sit back and bask in the glory of your own chance to change the world.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. -- Nietzsche