balance – Page 3 – We Only Get One Chance

#YOGAEVERYDAMNDAY

As a compliment to my calling as a chiropractor, I am yogi and have been for decades now. If you are in the yoga community, you know that there are online yoga challenges happening all the time, all over the world. I finally decided to join one called “#yogaeverydamnday”.

The point of this challenge is have yoga as part of “every damn day” no matter what. It doesn’t mean to strike a pose and take a picture (although to some people it does). Yoga is a way to mindfulness…or is it mindfulness is a way to yoga? To me, they are one and the same. To me, it also means to move the body in some mindful way to bring our awareness and existence back to the present moment.

Every day I would find a bit of time, some days was a little and some days was a lot, to do some form of yoga and then share a bit about that day. (It is all on Instagram @drericapeabody)

I have been a yogi for over 20 years. In a past life, I taught yoga for years inside of a gym setting (have I told you that in said “past life” I was a group fitness instructor?). I also took Yoga Teacher Training with Ethos Yoga about 4 years ago. I didn’t take the teacher training curriculum in order to teach yoga in my current life, it was more about bringing even further awareness into my own personal practice, I don’t have the ability to commit to more in my regular week at the current moment. Who knows, maybe someday.

You also probably know about the walking boot I am currently wearing that I discussed in one of the “Sitting on the Sidelines” blog posts. My physical yoga practice has taken a back seat to my healing and I haven’t been able to attend many classes since June. Following my summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in March I was fine while taking a yoga class, but after class my foot would start screaming and I decided was not doing it any favors to continue so I took a break.

September rolled around and one of the people I follow on Instagram, Rachel Brathen aka “Yoga Girl”, decided to do her “Yoga Every Damn Day” challenge for 30 days. I needed a little shift for myself and decided I would join.

After decades of yoga, I like to attend very specific hot, intense and sweaty classes with specific instructors. I am reminded of the irony of having rigid guidelines of classes and instructors as I practice more and more yoga…seems it should be the other way around. Honestly, if I am going to be in class, I want to spend my time exactly how I want to practice and I have my favorite instructors all over the region, just depends on the day and time for which one I would attend.

I also love yoga for the community aspect of it. Doing yoga with other people has a very different feel than practicing solo, or at least in my mind.

I am currently limited in my range of motion as well as the ability to get into different postures. But inside of the the 30 day challenge framework I just mentioned, I learned so much.

During the month I did make it to a couple classes, having to modify almost every posture…I learned new modifications.

Some days I felt like I am all the way back to square one with my practice, a beautiful reminder of all the progress i have made.

The only way in and out of the postures is through breath and where in my life can I take some deep breathes?

As the 30 days progressed, I relished going back to the basics and cherished the strength I have built in my core.

My movements were slow and very deliberate. Where else in my life can I be slower and more deliberate?

I had to change many of the transitions in and out of postures. Are there other paths in my life I can or should alter?

As I look around in life, I see so many ways yoga has opened my eyes and offered me different perspective on life outside of the yoga studio. That is the whole point of yoga and is one of the most powerful parts of having a regular practice.

Of course there is also the part about being flexible so as life comes at me, I can bend instead of breaking.

Thank you #yogaeverydammnday challenge, i have learned more in the past 30 days about myself and my life and how to alter and modify things and be ok with doing less than I am used to. In the end, I am so very very grateful that my body even allows me to move around like this at all…and I am (fingers crossed) can announce that I am on my way (although slow) back to a BOOT FREE LIFE!!!!

THIS IS 40

It is almost 3 months into my 40th year and I find my inner voice saying “this is 40” in the back of my head at least a few times per week lately.

I spent a week in Florida over the 4th of July. My travel was hooked to a International Chiropractic Pediatric Association seminar the weekend of July 8-9 but I went down to get a change of scenery the Tuesday prior. I have not mastered the art of “stay-cation” where I just stay home instead of going to work. I take 2 weeks off per year, one at the holidays and one at the 4th of July however I have to leave town to not go into work. It is not possible for me, YET anyway, to just hang out at home and take time off from work. The guilt rules my days and getting on a plane and being away makes it peaceful for me so I am able to relax and let go of the office for a bit.

My most favorite way to start my days on vacation is to put on a swim suit and a cover-up and walk the beach for 1-2 hours. It is a peaceful time of day and the walking helps the energy and thoughts surface organically. In fact, the friends that I often vacation with, began to start asking me what the “song of the day” is because, inevitably, a song would surface in the morning time. There is always a song in my mind however when it is quiet, it gets really loud.

While in Florida last week, my morning routine changed. I still walked the beach but I had to have socks and shoes on. My left foot is still not right from my trek to Mt. Kilimanjaro. If you saw me in my day to day, I am fine and my foot is fine. As soon as I start moving forward deliberately walking, it yells at me. My walk is now a stroll and socks and shoes don’t look cool with bathing suit and swim cover so I wore workout clothes. Which is fine. So I am out there the first morning walking, strolling, on the beach for 45 minutes to start my day. I look down and am in socks and shoes and avoiding the waves as they come to shore, instead of barefoot and walking in the water and my inner voice pipes up “This is 40”.

That bums me out. I realize I just have to let my body rest and my foot will recover but it has really slowed me down.

In these moments, I know the very best thing to do is to start reviewing my current gratitude list to override that little pesky voice inside of my head.

“I have an incredibly strong and healthy body, stronger and healthier than every before. This is 40.”

“I have an amazing chiropractic practice that has been amazing all these 12.5 years it has been open but it is a new level of awesome as I have progressed as a doctor and servant to my community. This is 40.”

“I have outstanding relationships with my brothers and their families and can bring the wisdom I have gained over the years to help guide the littles in my family and offer unconditional love in their lives. This is 40.”

“I have learned so many great, hard, wonderful, nasty, eye-opening lessons in life and love. This is 40.”

“I am grateful to share regular time with my amazing Mom as we have grown to be such allies in life. This is 40.”

“I have found an incredible supportive loving relationship and I am grateful for all the lessons in love up to this point. This is 40.”

“I have come to a point in my life that I realize 100% of what I focus on heads my way so I better keep it positive and fruitful. This is 40.”

“I realize the days, weeks, months and years go by so quickly and have learned to squeeze the juice out of every single day. This is 40.”

“I am more and more grateful for all the little moments during the days that make my heart warm; from serving my patients, to stopping along my morning stroll to take in the beauty of a neighbor’s yard, to the simple hugs from loved ones, to laying down in my bed earlier at night in order to get proper rest to keep my body strong and healthy. This is 40.”

“It is obvious who ‘real’ friends are, who is in my tribe, and to invest in those relationships. This is 40.”

“I realize how fast I got to 40 and I will spend the next 40 years trying to slow life down and smile even more. This is 40”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3WOUF_cOi0[/youtube]

Trivial things like having to wear socks and shoes while walking the beach can really take us, well me for sure, out of my game. I know and trust the tools I have worked to develop in my life that can change that feeling of being bummed and it all begins with GRATITUDE. This life is not perfect. These days have their own inherent challenges. Life lessons come at us in all shapes and sizes.

But be grateful. Search for that silver lining. For me, even though I had to wear socks and shoes to support my feet while I walked on the beach every morning and every evening, I am grateful I CAN walk and I am grateful to have climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and realize it is just a reminder of my journey…for now. This is 40 and I LOVE being 40!!

DO LESS

“DO LESS” is the mantra I say over and over to myself lately.

I don’t know about your life, but every single last second will fill up in my life if I let it. I find myself running here and there and being pulled in all kinds of different directions.

Dr Erica Peabody - DO LESS - Chiropractor Fenton Michigan — In Moshi, Tanzania relaxing

Also when all the minutes of life are filled up, the days and weeks and months fly by! In fact, it is hard to believe we are working on the second half of June already when it feels like January was yesterday!

Since my training and trip to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, I have had a lot to accomplish. I always have a lot going on during my weeks of serving the community at my office Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic. But on top of that, I had so many weekends where I needed to travel for work conventions and the other weekends filled with other plans, fun plans, but plans nonetheless. It turned out I was only home 3 weekends out of 3 full months.

Once June rolled around and I was working to plan my month ahead, I decided this was going to be the month to do less. Do less traveling. Do less roaming around this area. Make less plans. Do less with my downtime. And now that we are over half way through this month, I am glad I made that an actual goal.

I have spent a few full days sitting at the lake. I have spent many evenings just relaxing and reading and writing at home. I have opted for longer walks and bike rides from my home rather than making it up to the gym. I have ran less since my foot is still healing from my climb in March (subject of the next blog). I have eaten more meals at home and stayed in to just sit and listen to music. I have successfully done less.

I was considering getting on a plane this coming weekend because I have some new really important people born into the world in the last week but have decided against it. I have had invites to head up north that I have turned down. I did take advantage of one day road trip last week that really filled my soul so I haven’t been totally and completely grounded to Fenton, but in that day we did less than what would have been my norm in the past.

Dr Erica Peabody - DO LESS - Chiropractor Fenton Michigan Traverse City — Enjoying the beauty in Traverse City

Since summer break from school is in full force, I have asked many of my patients at the Cafe “What are your summer plans? Any trips coming up?” Many of them have said “Nope, we are mostly just going to be home.” When they respond like that, I almost have a small sigh of relief for them as the school year is so busy that it truly is a time to do less. Especially since the fall sports season pretty much cuts the last month of summer right out, that is just a few weeks away.

My Tuesday mornings used to be spent going up to the gym and taking a step aerobics class and now I am sitting and writing instead. When I say DO LESS, I do not mean with your body or with mine and will follow up this writing slot with a bike ride to get my daily movement. But following that I will sit meditation, if even for just 5 minutes.

Do less. This doesn’t mean do less with your family or do less with your body, it means do less with your time and be more present. Be closer to home, closer to the ones you love and closer to yourself.

I am a doer. I go and go and go and go and go…non-stop…for years. It has been so eye-opening to have a true goal to do less. For many reasons I reevaluated what are the most important things to me and saved my extra time to spend doing those things with specific people and cut the rest out.

After writing and sharing all of that, I want to encourage you to look around your life and find an area or maybe a couple areas that you can do less. I find when I am doing less, I am being more…more centered, more grounded, more peaceful, more rested…less of a human doing and more of a human being, and that makes me really happy.

PRELUDE TO 60 EXTRA HANDS

I am recently reminded in my life about the importance of asking for help and started a blog, “60 EXTRA HANDS”, over a month ago. Now this one is appropriately called “PRELUDE TO 60 EXTRA HANDS” …stay tuned!!

If you have followed my last year of my life, you will be aware of I am currently living in a tiny home waiting for my new home to be built. In this tiny home, I have decided against having any cable TV (no TV in general is how I have lived for years), but because of that coupled with the fact that the internet/cable companies need you to be available on a weekday between 8am-1pm in order to get set up (“ain’t nobody got time for that”), I have never gotten internet here either.

Then a friend of mine presented to me the fact that he lives without wifi, as well as no TV, and I honestly thought to myself “That is even better than just no TV, no wifi either!” I have lived in this tiny home since January and haven’t had much access to computer use. When I am at the office it is just too busy, THANK YOU TO MY INCREDIBLE TEAM!!!, that I don’t get a chance to write there either. So blogging has gone to the wayside.

AND THEN someone said to me “what about making your phone a mobile hotspot?” And that is EXACTLY what I did today and I am so excited it worked!!! I can sit on my couch in my quiet tiny home and start to share my words with you AGAIN and I AM ABSOLUTELY THRILLED IT IS WORKING!!!

So this is a called “PRELUDE TO 60 EXTRA HANDS” and I can tell you this, you won’t want to miss the next blog posts as I have a chance to get back to writing on a regular basis. It is quiet here and peaceful and it is the PERFECT SPACE for blogging. YAY!!!!

“Most of you know that I grew up with 3 brothers. If I could possibly explain to you my childhood in 3 simple words, I would call it “three against one”. Always…and I was on the losing side of that scenario…” stay tuned!!! 🙂

A SUNDAY SHARE

I was driving back from Chicago this past Sunday and deep in thought about life and living. Here is a Sunday share…

https://www.facebook.com/erica.peabody/videos/10155200524038792/

I hope this message finds you happy and healthy and enjoying your week…and your LIFE!! I was realizing as I was sitting in the car for all those hours that we really do have a lot of power in the intention we set for our own lives. I hope you are making the most of it all!!! As the title of this blog says…we only get one chance.

DONATION

Hello Everyone!!! Happy December!!! Over the past couple years, my chiropractic office Cafe of LIFE has chosen to forgo sending out holiday cards and use that money to increase our donation.

We have decided that it is more important to help those who need assistance fulfilling their basic human needs (of food in particular at this point).

Here is a quick clip of what we do with the money we would normally spend for sending out holiday cards.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhl-RsAOtsk&t=1s[/youtube]

We want to do the most good we can this holiday season and we have discovered sending donation to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan is one of the best ways to spread our donation as far and wide as possible while serving our local area. It is astounding that one single dollar can provide 6 meals inside their system. That is some serious buying power!!!

We trust you are accepting of our choice to increase our donation this year. In saying all of that, we are still excited and will gladly accept your holiday cards. In fact, we look forward to it! Happy Holidays!!!!

GRATITUDE PROJECT

It is the month of THANKSGIVING!!! The best holiday of them all in my opinion. We have a GRATITUDE PROJECT going on in our office for the final months of the year.

“What we think about and thank about, we bring about.”

The world proves to us over and over again that what WE FOCUS ON, EXPANDS!!! So let us get back to focusing on GRATITUDE and what we are grateful for.

Our lives are blessed in so many ways. Seriously so, so, so many ways.

I want to challenge you to sit for 5 minutes, set a timer even, and think about all the different things you are grateful for. Make a list in your mind. Can’t fill 5 minutes of time? Look harder, you are not paying close enough attention.

I am so very grateful for my office Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic and the ability to serve this community! I could not imagine my life any other way than spending my days doing what I love.

I also LOVE LOVE LOVE to fill this space with GRATITUDE!!!!!!!!

GRATITUDE PROJECT:

Each day you walk into the Cafe of LIFE, you will make sure to stop by our GRATITUDE STATION. There are leaf cut-outs ready for you. Write one thing you are grateful and tape it to our tree on our window. It becomes the biggest and most beautiful gratitude tree in just a few short weeks, and we just keep going. It is simple and super fun and such an awesome way to build GRATITUDE ENERGY!!!

And if you are not a patient here at the Cafe of LIFE, feel free to swing by and just fill out a leaf and join our mission. The more GRATITUDE, the BETTER!!!!

In saying all of that, I want to take a moment to extend my GRATITUDE to you, my readers, family, friends and patients, for being part of my life. My life and heart are filled up because of YOU!!! Thank you.

NOT GOING TO CUT IT

This particular answer is not going to cut it in this life. A dialogue I had today…

Me: Is your week going well so far?

Patient: It will be when the weekend gets here.

It’s Tuesday. This answer is not going to cut it.

What do I mean by “it is not going to cut it?” Guess what???? LIFE IS REALLY FREAKING SHORT!!! Why would you ever want to spend 5 days each week looking forward to 2 days?

So you wake up in the morning on Monday and it is seriously a race to see how quickly you can get to Friday afternoon? Seriously? How can this be a life worth even living? The ratios are all off there…ALL OFF!!!! What if you spent 2 days looking forward to 5 days? That is more like it!! If he said to me, “Well I made it through Monday and Tuesday and so now I am going to have an awesome week!” I would have taken it.

But that is not what he said and so here I am at a coffee shop having to write about it. I don’t get to go home right after work, I have no other choice than to sit here and write about it. There is not a chance I will be able to sleep after hearing that comment unless I spend my time time this evening writing about it.

Not really guys, I am not that obsessive. If I was, I would have WAY BIGGER problems!!

Seriously the days are not all filled with rainbows and butterflies. We all see tough times. In fact it was just revealed to me that I appear to live among the clouds and am untouchable by strife. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! I am just grateful for the learning when I am in the trenches. Of course I am not grateful at the time, but the stuff I learn there when the pressure is turned way up, allows me to be real, authentic and genuine and it makes me more, well, ME!!!

We seriously never know when the tables will be turned on us, towards the bad or towards the good. We never know when a really crappy week will turn really good. We also never know when our wonderful life will be turned upside down either.

Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Not Going to Cut It — (yes that is me)

What if we just started the day, every day regardless of if it starts with ‘Sat” or “Sun”, in a good mood. Lets look at the fact that we are waking up on the top side of the grass. We get a chance to do all kinds of things today!!! And SO MANY more things that if we weren’t on the top side of the grass!!!

So you could maybe be asking “Well what if my life really does suck?”

Okay, that is a legitimate question. I like that you are thinking like that and want to question me. If your life really does suck, you actually can take this day and make it just a little bit better.

Let me tell you about the time my life really, really, really, really sucked. I got divorced half way through chiropractic college. I had 2 years of intense schooling still ahead (I was 8 years into school at this point) and not a moment to process such a huge loss. When I finally finished I moved home to Fenton to try to figure out what I wanted to do. Life got really quiet, my friends had dispersed all over the country and I was left with all of the “stuff” that really didn’t feel good. I went into massive grieving mode and severe depression, to the point that I could hardly get out of bed. I also had a degree, a license and a desire to not stay that way. It would take one step every single day to move me forward. Even if that meant going out and buying one single pen, it was movement.

Just do that. One little tiny step in the direction you want to go. Because guess what? The time is going to pass anyway. Go do something with your ONE WILD LIFE!!!!!

I cannot do a thing about patients responding to me like that and not having a good time in life. If I could, you know I would!!!

The only hope I really have is letting you, my faithful readers (have I told you lately how much I love you??? I DO!!!) know, that that kind of attitude is just NOT GOING TO CUT IT!!! Get on with enjoying your LIFE!!!! We only get one chance….

A LITTLE MAN

There is a little man.

He was born after 3 long days of labor. I saw them a lot during mom’s pregnancy. It ended up that my office seemed like the ideal place to be when labor was taking days and he was stuck in the birth canal. I labored with this beautiful mother for about 30 minutes and adjusted her spine between contractions.

She is a beautiful mother, an Earth mommy. She has done her research and chooses natural parenting ideas to rear her children…on all levels of life. Her children are lucky they have such an advocate for a mother.

I love her. I love the entire family. She came to me years ago when her other chiropractor scolded her for breastfeeding her child in his office while she waited for her turn to get adjusted. She called me on her way home from that appointment at his office. I am glad I answered that day because OF COURSE!!! you may sit and breastfeed in my office. We have a comfortable environment that I hope all feel welcome to sit and nourish their babies. If anyone in this building has an issue with it, that’s alright by me this is my place.

Her little man was born just over a month ago. He is precious and little. I mean really little. In fact, he is so little he was not gaining proper weight. He had gained about 2 ounces over the first few weeks of life when she brought him in to the Cafe of LIFE to see me.

I wish parents wouldn’t wait so long but he is here now and I am grateful for that.

This little man is so little that his pediatrician has become very concerned, rightfully so. Aside from that, this little mans’s grandmother, would call his mom in tears regularly for him and his situation.

His first visit with me, his discomfort was absolutely palpable and I could feel his pain. As a chiropractor, when little ones are struggling so much, they look deep into my eyes and do not break eye contact and their little beings beg and plead for some sort of help…and they innately know that I have some tools.

This is the first time one of the little ones made me actually cry during their visit. Usually it is after they have left the building or when I am wrapping up my day with thoughts of them.

I tried to keep my tears hidden as he stared me down, and I think I did. When mom reads this, it will hopefully be news to her. I was also concerned, really concerned.

In the back of my mind, I could tell he was not a “failure to thrive” baby, I could tell he was capable. As a chiropractor, putting my hands on him I could instantly feel the stress and tension through his entire nerve system, his entire body.

It is quite possible that during his 3 day birthing process, his spine got compromised. And not to the point of permanent damage, but enough to be cutting off his normal flow of information to parts of his body and leading to dis-ease (literally lack of ease) making it nearly impossible for him to relax into what he is trying to do, which is eat, sleep, digest and grow.

One adjustment and though he left the Cafe of LIFE screaming his head off, I knew and absolutely trusted that things were set in motion. I wish I could do one adjustment for the infants and they would calm down and be fine forevermore, that is not the case.

Two days later, another check of his spine and nerve system. And another adjustment. Still screaming.

Another three days later, another check of his spine and nerve system. Another adjustment and the beginnings of some real change. The little man slept all the way through the adjustment. So peaceful which means his body can slow down and rest and digest like he is supposed to. Only problem is that at this point the pediatrician is going to admit him to the hospital unless he gains weight by four days from yesterday. Mom is freaked out because they will put him on formula, which all I will say is please do your research.

She decided instead of waiting for four more days, she would stop by the pediatrician’s office after leaving my office and put him up on the scale just so she knows what she is dealing with.

This is the text message from her (yes some of my patients text message me) that afternoon…

This little man will not be so little any longer. He will grow and grow and develop and make his way in life. He will do this with a little bit more ease because his spine and nerve system have settled down towards normal and he can relax and learn to live in this crazy world.

It is such a beautiful thing.

Every single one of my patients leave a lasting impression on me. Every single one of them (you) take a little piece of my heart with them (you). On a side note, when the heart is broken, it grows back bigger. I am certain I have dealt with the level and extent of heartache in my life so that my heart is extra big to be able to handle the masses.

The adults take a little piece of my heart, but the kids they just run away with it…but also fill it back up big time.

A simple story like this, the simple chiropractic adjustments I have done on this little man, this is what keeps my own gas tank full.

It is an honor to be his family’s chiropractor. It is an honor to do this work. I am grateful beyond words and moved to tears on a regular basis by being able to help out so many but especially a little man like that.

THANKS I ALWAYS DO

Running errands around town almost always lands me in Target and honestly there is no telling who I am going to run into in there considering this small town. The phrase “THANKS I ALWAYS DO!” really impacted my trip around that store today and I want to share a little bit about it.

My Aunt Kathleen lived about a mile from my family growing up. She was always a loud and boisterous energy during any family gathering. She used to invite my cousins and I for regular sleepovers and we always looked forward to that time at Aunt Kathleen’s house. She was a riot!

So today when I was walking into Target I ran into Aunt Kathleen immediately right at the front door. I have never seen her out and about in the community and she is only around town for half the year. Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Thanks I Always Do

She greeted me in her usual way that always makes me feel cared for and loved. Of course she is not ever shy about sharing how she feels and a simple walking away from Aunt Kathy in the store today warranted “Love you sweetheart”.

You all know how Target shopping goes, well mostly turns into browsing, and Aunt Kathy’s path and mine crossed on a few occasions. While I was within earshot of her, someone would say to her “Have a nice day!” and without one
second hesitation, she would reply “THANKS I ALWAYS DO!” (I am using caps here because earshot of Aunt Kathy is quite a large radius, I am just saying’).

Then in another area of the store I hear “Have a good day!” and Aunt Kathy’s immediate “THANKS I ALWAYS DO!”. And our timing for getting out of the store coincided and we ended up at the registers just a few feet apart from each other. The cashier said “Thanks Ma’am, I hope you have a good day!”. “THANKS I ALWAYS DO!”

It is quite obvious that this is Aunt Kathleen’s genuine energy for each day because there is absolutely no hesitation in that response. It is immediate as it is obviously her tone she has taken over and over and over for years and years. And now as I share this, I am hearing that this has truly been her mantra forever.

And in saying all of that, Aunt Kathy has been dealt some difficult cards in life. In fact, about a year ago she arrived at a party and did not have this level of energy and we were all a bit concerned.

When I was getting in my car with my bag of my items I accumulated while browsing around the store (I am not sure how they do it but go in for one thing and walk out with 3 bags of stuff that you “may” need sometime soon), I realized the profound impact her energy had on that store today. In addition to that, it effected the people in her path and, I’m even more amazed to know she wakes up and walks around with that tone on a regular basis.

Not everyday of our lives are going to be “good” days or “nice” days however that is ultimately a choice we get to make. I have some patients at my office, Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic, that have been coming for years and years. I ask them “How is your day?” Their answer “Not bad.”

Realizing this “Not bad” answer is very different that “Good.” ,,,and very, very different than “Always good.” Even when “bad” things are happening in life, we still wake up on the top side of the grass and that is a GOOD DAY all by itself!!!

Let’s consider what would happen if you expected to have a good day and chose to have a good day. What kind of effect would that have on your family? How would that rub off on the people around you? Now what would happen if that was multiplied by even just five of the seven days this week and multiplied out over the next year? And what if only one friend or family member caught on, liked the idea and started to expect good days too? Multiply that by our community in this little town of Fenton, MI or out to our state, our country, or even out to the world. Think of how many good days we could get out of that and think about the ripple effects out into all of life! That is a big deal.

So the next time someone says “Have a nice day!” to you, maybe you will think back to that morning when you made the decision to have a good day before getting up and out of bed, and you can reply something like “THANKS I ALWAYS DO!” Thank you Aunt Kathleen.