Posted in Me

A long time ago I read a book about simplifying Christmas.  The author sat down and thought about what she would like Christmas to be.  She envisioned herself playing the piano, singing carols with her family all around.  She then concentrated on making her vision come to life and had a wonderful, satisfying Christmas.

The idea is similar to what I have always said about weddings.  Frequently there is one thing that the bride has always wanted as part of her wedding.  For me, it was that I wanted my wedding dress to be made for me.  That was the most important thing for me, and the thing I would have spent the most on.  As it turned out, my dream was also less expensive, because the seamstress made my dress for half of what it would have cost in the store, and she made the veil, the slip and the ring pillow as part of the deal too.  But dreams aren't always less expensive.  Someone I knew had always dreamed of going to her wedding in a limousine, so she and her fiancé hired one.  The point is - spend your money on what is most important to you, in your wedding.

Both ideas pertain to things that can be crazy, that have the potential to be out of control in costs and energy expended.  By focusing on your own dream, your own vision of Christmas or your wedding, you automatically chip away unnecessary activities or expenses, until you are left with what will satisfy you most.

There is a scene in the Karate Kid where Mr. Miyagi tells Daniel how to trim a bonsai tree.  He tells him to close his eyes and picture the tree, and then open his eyes and make the tree like his picture.  Well, that is what I am going to do with my life.

I feel dissatisfied.  I feel like I am spending my days not doing what would most satisfy me.  I am going to close my eyes and imagine how my life should be, and then open my eyes and do the work to make it so.  So if I don't blog for a while, you'll know that I am out there, making my life what I want it to be.