Wildflower Writes

Photo by  Benjamin Suter  on  Unsplash   I’ve heard it said, “Never meet your heroes. You’re sure to be disappointed.” I’m sure that’s a fair warning if your heroes are celebrities- actors, sports stars, or musicians. Given the percentage of people who are jerks in the world, a celebrity has as good a chance as any to be kind… or not. My favorite heroes are unsung. Single parents who are making it work. Underappreciated service workers. Pastors and chaplains. People who get up every day with a smile on their face and brighten their world. I’ve met some of these heroes. I’ve never been disappointed. The more I’ve learned about them, the more I’ve been humbled, amazed, blessed, and inspired. If you’re worried about meeting your heroes, maybe it’s time to find someone else to look up to. As we know, not all heroes wear capes.

Photo by Isabella and Louisa Fischer on Unsplash I like to breathe. The intake of oxygen, the expelling of carbon dioxide… it keeps the blood moving and all the organs functioning. Then this nasty microscopic virus (of the common cold variety) interferes with the breathing process. Armed with Kleenex, antihistamines, decongestants, cough drops, vitamins, lip balm, anti-bacterial wipes, tea, and soup… I settled in for a long night (or two). Before the cold hit, I took breathing for granted. I didn’t even think about it. It just happened. It was easy, even automatic. So many things in life are like that. You don’t realize how you took your health for granted until you get a diagnosis. You don’t realize how much you enjoy someone’s company until they move away. You don’t realize how it feels to be trusted until you fall out of someone’s good graces. I think that’s why gratitude is so powerful. It provides insurance against those life disappointments. If you live in gratitude, you...

I didn't really realize the need for peace until I became a parent. The anxiety that accompanies that first bundle of joy can be overwhelming- Is she safe? Is she warm enough? Did she get enough to eat? What is wrong why is she crying I must be a terrible parent she won't ever stop crying! Peace is not only the opposite of anxiety, but it is also the opposite of conflict. If you paid attention in high school English classes, there's seven types of conflict: person vs. self, person vs. person, person vs. supernatural, person vs. nature, person vs. society, person vs. technology, person vs. unknown. That's a lot of potential for fear, pain, anger, and confusion. Which means peace, a simple construct, is often hard to come by. How do you be at peace with yourself, if you're not even sure you like yourself? How do you stay at peace with others, who can be anything from irritating to abusive? How can you know peace when there is so much injustice and destruction in...