Milestones....

January, the beginning of a new year. Wow, where did the last year go? And the one before that and all the ones since I was an 18 year old kid with my whole life in front of me.... where does the time go?

We measure our lives in milestones. New Years, birthdays, anniversaries. Sometimes we measure our lives in wealth, luxury cars, designer clothes.

What if in 2010 we measured our milestones daily, what if for this year we measured our self-worth in something more simplistic, something that could really make a difference?

One of the things I learned in 2009 was that kindness and compassion are still rampant in our society, it sneaks up on you when you least expect it.

Do the people who have prayed for me, loved me and guided me know that I measure their past year as a success? Do the people who have done that for you know the difference they have made in your life.... sadly, like me, the answer is probably no.

What if for this year, 2010 we set new goals, not abandoning those that allow us to live the lives of comfort we already do, but smaller more tangible goals.

Kindness, compassion, understanding, love, friendship and grace.

How different would the world be if those were our guiding principles instead of who has the nicest I-pod, who can shout the loudest to get their point across, whose Mercedes is newer.... how different would the world be?

As we embark on a new year, with new goals and aspirations, wouldn't it be great if this year we measured our lives by what is really important, the kind of person we can become.

2010 like every year starts off with great promise, like a daffodil breaking through a soft bed of snow, the potential is limitless. My goal for 2010 is to be the best person I can be, to return the love, compassion and friendship I have been shown.

Several years ago I set a goal for myself.....

Laugh each day and show grace to others.

Some days I meet that goal, others I don't, but if I continue to strive for that ideal imagine how great my life will be!

It is expected that we measure our lives each year with those milestone moments, there is nothing wrong with that, but this year, my challenge for myself and you is to measure your life successes in smaller increments. Live each day to the fullest, honor your neighbor, and find a way to be of service to someone each day.

Service, it doesn't have to be something big. Helping a lady across the street is service, opening the door for someone, sharing a kind word with a stranger, it is all service. What if in 2010 we took it upon ourselves to make a difference, small differences added together to make a huge difference.

I continue to work towards financial security and having nice things in my life, that is expected... but this year, the small things are what I will use to measure my life.

Making a daily difference, that is a milestone I can be proud of!