thoughts on my birthday...

The way my family loves me has always made me feel 

in my secret heart 

that I am somehow extraordinary.  

As a child, 

I knew I must be remarkable because my parents were so amazing 

and they thought I was fantastic.  How could they be wrong?  

In my twenties, 

I came to see that we all contain bits of the extraordinary, 

but that most of us settle into mediocrity far too easily.

In my thirties, 

my focus became raising my own daughter in a way 

that would make her feel extraordinary.  

In my forties, 

(Now that I am 42, I am comfortable with being "in my forties.")

I know that most of us live ordinary lives. 

But that makes those lives no less extraordinary. 

In my forties, 

I know that lavish loving is what makes us,

and those we love, extraordinary.  

In my forties, 

I am committed to finding beauty everywhere.  

I am committed to living fully and to laughing every single day.

In my forties, 

I am committed to doing each task that comes my way with 

energy, gratitude, and as much grace as I can muster.

Because, here's what I've learned:

There is magic in the simple pleasure of an ordinary life.

There is grace in forgiveness and compassion.

There is transformation in gratitude.

There is joy in simple pleasures.

I am certain

there is nothing better than a life spent on lavish, generous, serving love.