Si, se puede' , Oui,nous pouvons...Yes we can..~My Class of 2010

Now I've made it through two graduations for two beautiful young people who are entering new stages in their lives... Mea graduates 1st & turns 18 on Monday. She will be off to college in Aug. Chance enters high school in the fall. This brother/ sister team are extraordinary although I know every proud grandmother says that. I up close & personal had to watch them grow through adversity's one would not desire on their worst enemies let along love ones.

Mary'Eleanor (we call her Mea for short since her full name is so long) was senior class secretary, cheerleader and an excellent vocalist. She will major in Psychology in college.
Chance a preemie at birth is a prolific cartoonist, already being sought after by the high school coach for sports (at 13 he is already 6'1). He is also carrying on the family's legacy as a musician.

Their mom, my daughter will be graduating from college in the fall. Despite pitfalls we all will share in the human experience, to see them and the family smiling like there is no tomorrow is beyond a smile...

Nothing beats an accomplishment.

I am also watching my daughter experience her rites."Losing" her 1st born to the adult world & her 1st born son approaching manhood...

I am delighted to be here to bear witness, so it was worth the 4 day trip, both ways, sacrificing much to be here and to see again how indomitable the human spirit can be & the resilience & flexibility we all can show when call to do so.We all can do what we are called to do with a fieceness that can often amaze even ourselves, despite naysayes, ones who delight comes from causing harm or even the roadblocks WE sometimes put in front of ownselves.

No matter what way you say it, it is & can be all good:

Si, se puede'
Oui, nous pouvons
Yes we can

All rights ReservedJHM©10

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed."Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. "

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first --the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."