Moral Dilemma

Hmmm. Two posts in one day for me. Must have really gotten the urge. So, here's why. I was shopping at my favorite HEB this afternoon. I used the automated scanners (I just love the scanner--it reminds me of when I wanted to be the window washer at the gas station. Sure my parents would have been proud.) At any rate, got all the items checked out and back in my cart proceeding to aisle K in the parking lot. Loaded all my groceries and then picked up my purse from the top of the cart to discover my sister's birthday card. The word BLISS staring back at me. This card I had not paid for. I got in the car and sat that staring at the word BLISS pondering what to do. Did I want to walk all the way back to the store to pay $3.99 for the card. Or just consider this a gift from the universe. Like when you find a penny in the parking lot. What would you do? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Katrina

Just returning from a visit to New Orleans. A college friend turned 50--thankfully, I am still a year behind her. Although, all of my college friends look exactly the same to me. Is that viewing through rose-colored glasses? If so, bring on more of those glasses. It has been two years since I drove down the streets of the Big Easy--which were still very much showing signs of Katrina. This was the first time I had walked through my friend's house with furniture and paint. The last time the house was a mere shell--having been completely gutted. It was a reminder that while the outside world goes on, for the residents of New Orleans life is very different. Many of my friends suffer a variety of physical and mental ailments. The trauma of losing their most personal belongings, being uprooted from homes, schools and work for months takes a toll. Having grown up in a military family I am well aware what war does to one's psyche. Katrina was definitely New Orleans 9/11 and every war rolled into one. I do not write this though to elicit pity, but rather awe. The city may never be the same--there are blocks of empty buildings rotting, providing blank canvas for graffiti. But for my friends who have lived here all of their lives they soldier on. Material things have lost their importance having been replaced by what is truly most valuable in life. Family, friends and loved ones. New thought teaches and reminds us to be a light in the world. To shine brightly through our words and actions. Katrina may have changed the physical landscape of New Orleans, but it certainly did not douse the light. My friends showed me that. Happy new year and keep burning brightly.

Post Christmas

Having not written in quite some time, I find that I do not have a real theme for this post. Christmas was yesterday and today has been about recovery. Cleaning off my office desk, paying bills and taking a collective sigh that 2008 is nearly finished. It has been an interesting year. Leaving a job, starting a new company, watching a hurricane ravage our beloved coast, enduring a presidential election and watching the economy take a nose dive all have made for an eventful year. Oh--and getting engaged somewhere in between. I don't want to start making predictions for 2009 or resolutions. But, having spent some time with some folks at Schipul Marketing--the real social marketing gurus of Houston, recently--I do promise to tend to this blog. Here's why. While, I relish the thought that Oprah or some influential news source might find me pithy enough to publish, I love to write. It is a bit of a cathartic experience and sometimes I actually have things of interest to say. And, my personal brand could use a jumpstart. I tell my clients how to keep themselves top-of-mind with constituents, but rarely take my own advice. So, first resolution for 2009--listen to my own good advice. There are challenges ahead--we know that because the media reminds us daily. But, challenges do shake us up and often for the better. Like most of you, my retirement account is not looking so hot at the moment. But, as a roadside sign I saw once while traveling through Bastrop, La. said: you can not stumble over the things you put behind you. That is true. So while listening to my own advice I vow not to turn around and wonder what happened back there. Lastly, I am going to steal a mantra I read in SELF Magazine from a young woman undergoing a traumatic surgery. How hard can it be? How long can it take? I like that one a lot and hope that I can put it to good use. 2008 isn't even over and I am 3 good resolutions into 2009. It is going to be a good year.