In Others' Words: Fun

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing." ~Dale Carnegie, writer & lecturer

I'm just back from a time of relaxation and refreshing, having spent time with good friends in Bandon, OR. The time was the best -- slow-paced enough to be reflective and yet filled with fun and laughter.

While I was there, I discovered my friend Jamie is a serious sandcastle sculptor. She has the knowledge and the tools -- and she takes the time to build some rather intricate sandcastles. 

Why build sandcastles? I mean, they don't last. We all know that. It's the whole sand versus waves dilemma. The waves win every time.

Jamie enjoys building sandcastles. It is, in short, fun. 

Let me tell you something else about my friend. She has a rather serious career: She's a family physician. Not only that, she's in charge of a residency program. Serious stuff, that. 

But Jamie (and her family) know how to laugh and have fun. (Balderdash, anyone?)

She's found a certain balance between seriousness and fun that I admire -- and she constantly adjusts to maintain the right balance.

Oh. One more thing about building sandcastles. For all the fun of the endeavor, Jamie also told my husband that her efforts remind her that nothing lasts.

Hhhm. Fun and significant.

My friend is a wise woman.

In Your Words: Having fun? Achieving success? Has one excluded the other? Stop and think about what defines fun for you. (I'd love to hear about it!) If your striving for success but finding no joy (fun) in the goal ... have you ever considered you're going in the wrong direction?

The View Out My Window

You're seeing what I see when I look out the window in my breakfast nook. That's my son's dog, China, sitting on top of our patio awning/covering. Yesterday was a snowy day, so China sat in the snow, watching the cars go by--and the horses running around in the corral across the street.

Sometimes when I look out my window, I see China staring in at me. I think she likes the eye-to-eye view.

China's been staying with us since Josh and Jenelle moved back to Colorado. Their cat Munchkin resides in our basement, usually on the top stairstep, waiting for someone to come downstairs and visit.

Josh and Jenelle are commuting back and forth from Boulder to Colorado Springs. Jenelle's working, Josh is job hunting--and the animals eagerly await their arrival every Friday night.

Me too.

Of course, my caboose kiddo is over-the-moon happy to have her older brother and her sister-by-love around so much more. Life is good, good, good now that Josh and Jenelle are no longer on the East coast.

I don't mind China's odd habit. She was an apartment puppy before this, so I think she is enjoying the wide open--and up--spaces of Colorado. And so far she hasn't enticed my dogs to join her up there on her unlikely perch.