CARRY-ON LUGGAGE.

I love to travel. By the end of March I will have boarded/de-boarded an airplane about a dozen times in a six-month period. I'm usually quite happy with myself if I can keep my suitcase under the 50 pound weight limit but for my next trip, a wedding in SoCal, I decided to "carry-on." And for the last 24 hours I have been analyzing the best way of packing for six days with only a laptop bag and my REI (30) backpack.

Taking into consideration the TSA's rules on 3.4 ounces or less of liquids/gels, two "dress-up" events I need to attend, and work-out shoes that always seem to take up half the space, this task proved to be impressively daunting. And, after laying out all my outfits for the week (including the shoes and accessories to go with each) I came to one, neon-sign flashing, slap-in-the-face, conclusion...I had too much crap and there was no way it was all fitting into my bags.

I needed to downsize. I needed to decide which items were the most important for this trip. I needed to prioritize...

Life is...CARRY-ON LUGGAGE. Like that "one carry-on" we are allotted on the airplane, we also only have this one life. We should be selective and thoughtful about what goes into each because those things will eventually play a part in shaping our futures.  Each choice we make represents an item that is stuffed into our carry-on. It takes up space...It goes on a journey with us...It plays a part in our lives, however great or small it may be.

I challenge you to inventory your life. It's a great time of the year to do it. Make sure you are living life purposefully and passionately and doing things that are making a difference in the lives of others. Make sure you're packing things into your life that will help you and get rid of those things that aren't. Life is too short to be taking part in useless activities...and there's only so much room in those overhead compartments...

Happy Trails to You,

Heather

ABSTRACT ART.

I love art museums. I find they fuel my creative side and support my need for some occasional introvertedness. While in New York City I fell in love with a piece of art at the MOMA by Giuseppe Penone. It was entitled, Marble Skin and Acacia Thorns, and was made from veined marble and acacia thorns. Deep, huh? I was completely drawn to it because of the simplistic use of materials as well as the complexity of what I thought to be its meaning.

If you've ever asked an abstract artist to describe their work your eyes may have glazed over at some point during the delivery of the explanation. While your thoughts wander off as their mouth is still moving you most likely come to one of the following conclusions:

1. What the artist is describing is simply too deep for you to understand OR
2. They have no idea what they are saying and the more they talk, the smarter they think they sound.

I believe art, in general, is a powerful thing. It becomes alive only in the mind of its creator and then is manipulated and birthed by the author resulting in pure, undefiled ingenuity...a thought come to life. And then it gets put in a museum...and suddenly everyone and their mother has an opinion about what the true meaning of the piece is. What was the purpose? What was the artist feeling at the time? What was he/she REALLY trying to say?...

Sometimes life is abstract art. It resembles that masterpiece you stare at while tilting your head from side to side trying to make some sense out of it. There is brilliance in it but it may not be evident to everyone. So our lives are at times. I may never be able to tell you why planning concerts, serving up hot espresso, working in a salon, or yelling, "Bob to the showroom, Bob to the showroom, please," has anything to do with who I am today but I can tell you one thing...those job experiences have EVERYTHING to do with who I am today and most of them have contributed to the skills I use in my current job. I would NEVER have been able to say that while working in those other fields.

I know my life has purpose. I know, with or without knowing YOU, that YOUR life has purpose...that it's meaningful, unique, and full of potential...the people around you just may not "get it." And you know what...you need to be okay with that. If a couple naysayers blow the wind out of your sails then maybe you need to think about getting a motor...

Life is...abstract art. Some people are not going to "get" what you are about. Your dreams will sound absurd to them. But don't let that hinder what you know God has created you to do. Dream big. Plan well. And know that your life has purpose!

Go Big or Go Home,

Heather