Living My Best Life

Have you ever come across a subject or question that you felt so strongly about you just had to write a post on the subject? Well, that is where this is coming from. Traci at A Star in My Own Universe wrote a great post about Living the best life and it touched a cord within me. She asked her readers if they were living their best lives, and what it looked like for them. When she spoke of her 'vision of what that Best Life would be' I immediately thought of what I dreamed my life would be like. Here is a poem I wrote some years back about my Dream life.

background image courtesy of A.Conant and Morguefile.com

Like many people I was in such a hurry to get to the 'Dream' life I didn't realize that life is like a book where each chapter adds to its' richness and without them the final chapters would be dull and boring.

For as long as I can remember the most important parts of my dream were to be a mother and an artist, for me having those two things would make life the best ever. Of course that was only a small part of the dream. In my dream I would live in a house in the mountains, where I could be inspired by nature and spend idyllic days interacting with my children sharing with them the glory of nature and the joy in creating all forms of art. I would have pieces of my artwork on display in some formal exhibit and possibly even have a book of short stories or poetry published. My husband would be the perfect father, husband and provider.

Alright, so maybe that sounds a bit naive and old fashioned. That was for me the vision of the best life ever. Oddly enough, it did not include me making any substantial income nor having a traditional career, neither did it include an expensive home or costly belongings.

For years now my life has been filled with the love of my husband and children and now our grandchildren. No my husband isn't perfect but he has been a good husband and father. I have spent many idyllic hours with children and grandchildren sharing the beauty of nature, the joy of expressing their individuality through artistic endeavors, and yet I still did not think I was living my dream.  Even in the last year when although, I have felt I was getting closer to that DREAM, I still did not think I was living my best life. Sure I have a large loving family. I create artwork both for myself and for clients, some of which has been in various local exhibits. Yet, still I did not feel I was living my dream (best life ever).

Then Traci asked that question. After reading her post and really thinking about what she said it occurred to me that I am living my best life ever. Sure I don't have a home in the mountains, and I am still living paycheck to paycheck.  But the Dream wasn't about money, it was more about a life filled with family, love and beauty. All of which I have around me in abundance.

I was caught up on one small part of the Dream. The desire for a home in the mountains. In all reality it is actually an unnecessary part, and yet it was the part that left me feeling that life was in some way lacking. For years now my motto has been 'you can't change the wind, so adjust your sails'. Now I see that although I have gotten very good at sailing, I never learned to change the ports of call along the way.

So my answer is YES, I am living my Best Life and it just keeps getting better.
May the best of life find it's way to each and everyone of us.