Let's Talk About Words

    How do we know what our deepest desires are? I was at an event where the speaker asked us, "If God asked you right now what you want, what would you say?" At first I thought that was an easy question, but then I realized a few things. First off, what I want has changed over the years. Before my children were born, I would have begged for children and a family. Then once I was a mother, I probably would have asked God for just a little time for myself, just to go for a run or read a book. So now as I get older and my daughters are in college and graduating, what would I ask for today? Which brings me to my next thought. W ould my request need to be solely for me? Everyone has their own free will and choices, so can I ask for happiness and joy for my daughters? What if my choices for them aren't their choices for themselves. Could I ask God for what I want for them? If I need to ask just for myself, what would I say?  I would like to pursue my dreams, but specifica...

   I read a motivational quote recently that stated that we should all strive for continuous improvement, instead of looking to be perfect . I felt uplifted by that, yet as I reflected on it, I could not understand how to apply it to life. Who decides what can be labeled "improvement"? What degree of improvement is enough? How do we aim for improvement if we aren't striving to be perfect? I don't want to make mistakes. I want to be the best person that I can be. I want others as well as myself to succeed, but I have more understanding when others mess up than I am on myself.    I know that rationally no one nor anything can be perfect yet that is what I want for myself.   https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

    Suppression is a futuristic novel set in 2135, during a period of time when humankind is making major advances in communicating with one another and even traveling through thoughts alone. Twenty-four year old, Peyton Milner, lives with her parents and her brother in one of the few civilizations remaining and thriving in what is left of America after everything and everyone was almost obliterated by war. Peyton has been raised to place vast significance  on one’s intelligence and the power of reasoning and logic in all decisions. She has a plan and purpose for her life until she and her best friend, Reese, wander into a local Art Gallery where she meets Dallas. She is drawn to him and to the sunsets he paints in ways that she can’t describe, ways that contradict all common sense and rationale.  https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

    I have been struggling for years to understand the purpose and meaning of my life? Why am I here? What am I suppose to be doing? I love being a mom, but my daughters are all grown. I enjoyed being an infant teacher for thirteen years, but I was ready for a promotion. I get satisfaction and pleasure from being an Education Coordinator, but is this my purpose ? Is this what I am suppose to be doing with my days? As I was walking out of a meeting today, it occurred to me that possibly, I am putting too much pressure on my family, as well as my career to be more than it is intended to be. Although there are many people whose purpose and career are aligned, does it need to be? Maybe my career just provides the means for me to pay the bills, so that perhaps I can discover and do my true purpose. I am taking the pressure off, and relaxing into the moment of now. https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

Friday December 31, 2134    I look at the gray envelope with the dark red ink in my hand. It was delivered one week ago to everyone over the age of sixteen. I turn it over and over in my hand looking at the front and at the back for any marking that I might have missed, as I have done, every day since I received it. On the front of the envelope is printed simply: Peyton Milner 100 Year Celebration of World Unification Do not open until January 1, 2135 when instructed https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

   Let's reframe the phrase, "Take the good with the bad." Why do we need to define events and situations in our lives as bad? Just like other people, I have definitely had my ups and downs in my life. The times that would be defined as "the good" would be my wedding, my three children, traveling, a close family, as well as my writing my books. What could I define as "the bad"? In many ways, the same exact situations would be the bad. I ended up divorced; I worry about my children; there are always problems when traveling; maintaining a close family takes work and at times sorrow, and writing surely has it's joys and despair. These "bad" situations, events and even so called "evil" people have taught me so much about life, about others as well as about myself. How can I label anything as bad or evil if it produces so much good? Instead, in the future, I choose to "Take the good with the challenges." https://...

    Recently, I was reading a letter from my pen pal who is in prison. We had been writing about our summertime past times, and he said that he is used to being in prison now, but that he misses just going out on his father's boat, fishing with him. Often people talk about that on our death bed. They say that we will never wish that we worked more or spent more time away from our families, yet it is more than that. Life is lived in the little things. My hope is that I can remember that in my life and enjoy those simple moments with my family and even in my work. https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan