what matters most

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A personality test got me thinking personal weaknesses and ways to overcome my shortcomings with strength and grace.  Since I’m prone to restlessnesses and instability, I’ve been meditating on goals and methods of making dreams into reality.  Seems cliche, I suppose, but when you’re prone to wandering and stumbling, it’s all the more important.
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Reflection is important, yes, but how often do we sit down and write about what matters most?  You might have an idea of where you want to be in 5 or 10 years, but do you have goals or dreams hanging somewhere you can see them?  On the fridge or by the nightstand or tucked inside your pocket?

Today I sat down and wrote out my goals step-by-step.  It was a bit of a brainstorm at first, but what it simmered down to was simple and honest: I want to fill a small and beautiful home with a great big love.  A love so big, in fact, that it provides a resting place for anyone seeking shelter or hope.  A tall order for a small home, but I’m up for the challenge.

The goal might seem ambiguous, but it’s intended to help me focus on the things that matter most, and to let go of the things that are less important.  I made the above graphic to put words and images to my goal, and to remind me to keep focused and stay true.

Now tell me, what matters most to you?  Where do you fall on the personality quiz?

attack of the bees

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It’s common knowledge that I consider Thoreau a personal friend. I mean, heck, I threw the guy a birthday party this year. A bigger secret, perhaps, is that I consider his pal Emerson to my other bestie. Like, if the three of us all went to Harvard in 1835 we would have shared a lunch table. Or, even bigger news, I might have convinced Thoreau to let us all share his little cabin in the woods.

If you’re not into my favorite authors, this post might be throwing you for a loop. If you are, however, then you might be familiar with one of Emerson’s most popular sayings: “be kind, be honest, be silly.” A pretty good maxim for an optimal life, right? I have a penchant for kindness and giggles, and I’m a fan of honesty (qualification for BFFdom).

That said, I decided to pay homeage to my homeboy Emerson with an attack of the bees in Minneapolis. Come again? I designed the graphic below, made lots of copies, and then placed the bees all over the uptown neighborhood.
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