yknow what. I know this is my weekly om and I am supposed to give 5 things I am grateful or thanksful for because yknow, it is a good reminder for me and for others to be thankful for the big and the little things. But shit, y’all. I am just grateful in general. Happy to be alive and happy to be here. When I wrote about my father’s death, I wrote about things I learned, and we all know I learned more than just those things, but those seemed the most important at the time.

Things I know that I cannot change: My pop will never see my brother get married; he wont/didnt see me graduate from grad school; he will never meet his grandkids; he wont be there to tell my mother (who is retired) to take a break (from her 2-4 jobs at any given time); he wont be there to sit with my husband and watch soccer; he isnt there to embarrass and make fun of me anymore and god knows, I didnt have enough time to return the favor and embarrass him…

But he did teach me, and many others, to STOP waiting and START doing. Never say WISH, SHOULD, or TRY. Say I WILL. and just DO.

<insert power song here>

 

My mom is actually talking about set dates when she may take trips (trips she has been talking about for YEARS). My brother actually calls my mom more regularly now — on the first occurrence of this, I actually asked him what he wanted and he said “can’t a son call his mother?” and I said “yea, but you don’t… without a purpose” (hehe color me amused). There have even been changes in my dog, who stopped getting on the couch for a while after pop’s death. These are just small examples of things people have started DOING and stopped just merely talking about. Some of my friends have commented about what my pop’s death has shown them: that you gotta live life and stop watching it on the sidelines. 

It’s funny cause he couldn’t tell people that enough… that you gotta live life for RIGHT NOW. 

Anyway, I am just thankful. I have great friends, kick ass family, and awesome big things happening! 

Cheers!

because everyone can relate to the lyrics in this song. (if you’re a runner, this is the perfect song for mile 24 of your first marathon!)

pretty much any Rage Against the Machine song should get you off your ass, doing, instead of just talking… so YEA that.

and I will leave you with this final song from Queen Bey herself because for anyone out there, even though I know the song is called Run the World (Girls), it is gonna get EVERYONE out there believing they can do anything. (makes your run faster too)