Since my Dad was a Career Military Man and was Deployed a lot or Working two jobs when he was Home, I remember that most of our Summers were not spent on actual Vacations... but on short Road Trips or Local Adventures. And then every Year we'd usually have a Permanent Change of Assignment to a new Base either Stateside or Overseas and sometimes Family could Accompany him on those Tours of Duty.
Sometimes those Duty Assignments and Bases were near the Beach or Lakes... or in some Cool Foreign Country where there wasn't a War and that was always a Bonus for us for the brief time we'd be Living there. So it was sorta like being on an extended Vacation if the Assignment was a good one and we weren't separated as a Family by Dad's Deployments.
So I have a lot of Vacation-Like Memories even though our Family really never got the opportunity or had the Resources to go on actual Vacation per se. We'd load up the Car... and Believe me many of our Cars looked like this in the early Years when Dad was just an Airman... and off we'd go on some Grand Adventure that didn't Cost much but would be sure to Deliver Priceless Memories and a Good Time.
Mom and Dad had a knack of making something out of nothing and so we never felt deprived even when we were actually low income. We never just Existed due to lack of finances, we Lived Life Fully regardless, using whatever we had. They Made Memories and I Learned early on that it doesn't have to take Money to do that or Create a Vacation-Like Atmosphere and Experience.
I'm always Saddened when I hear folks say that they'll do this or that WHEN they have the Money... because I Wonder, what will they actually DO or MISS DOING if that Money never comes? The Opportunity to do so many things is there even if the Money isn't, if you're Creative, Resourceful and Imaginative about having a Good Time... and Good Times Together are Truly Priceless, so don't miss out on those Ops for the mere lack of funding!
Some of the Best Times we've had as a Family haven't broken the Bank... or had to be waited upon until we could Save up enough.
We never actually went to a Professional Ball Game until The Son was almost halfway grown and my Aunt Gil took us... but we sure had Attended or Played some Amateur Memorable Ball Games and other Sporting Events that were equally Exciting and Enjoyable and Cost little or nothing at all! The Man Played on Military Teams for many Years, I was Athletic in my Youth, and most of the Kids and G-Kids have Participated in Various Sports in School, Programs or the Neighborhood.
Sure you can Spend... and sometimes Choose to... but it's not necessary to have a Great Time at any Event, Show or Mini Vacation or Road Trip you embark upon. I'll usually Attend even if I'm flat broke and know that I'll just be Savoring the Experience, Capturing Images to take Home and Share here... Receiving nothing but Inspiration, Visual Delights and a Wonderful Time Socially with Family and/or Friends and being Supportive in whatever ways you can for those who are Hosting the Shows and Events and have put so much Work and Effort into them.
Don't bypass a Great Time just because you 'Don't Have The Money' and Feel therefore you cannot go. And I'm dead Serious about that. So what if you can't come Home with some Found Treasure you fell in Lust with this time around... there's always next time around when Budget permits Indulgences. I liked what the Messages on these Sweet Bottles Advised:
Create Dreams, Embrace Magic, Treasure Every Day...
Travel, Adventure, Memories and The Voyage are what are Important and Meaningful!
Make the Time to have a Good Time as often as you are able! Don't wait until you have an Actual Vacation. I haven't had an Actual Vacation in many Years... and yet I have a Good Time Consistently and On Purpose all the same... regardless of Life Challenges and Obstacles trying to get in the way of it much of the time!
Don't Relinquish your Joy due to Circumstances... Revel in and Maintain your Joy in spite of the Circumstances and Situations coming against you I say!!! Don't let anyone or anything Steal it!
Playing the Hand you've been Dealt Well is part of The Game of Life!!! Ask any Professional Gambler if they've ever had to have an Ideal Hand to Win The Game and I'm Confident they'll tell you NO... not at all... in the end it's how the Hand was Played that dictates the Outcome.
And especially in a 'Down Economy' it will Task you to make the very Best of whatever you have Left... and forget about what was Lost and might not be Recovered. I actually find that Hard Times Purge People and can Refine them... showing what they're really made of and have In them. And it certainly can bring People Closer Together or Tear them apart... their Choice which it will be, depending upon Perspective of their eventual Outcome.
Many will Adapt and Overcome and Succeed in spite of grim Predictions, negativity and naysayers... and Success ALWAYS leaves Clues... pay Attention to the Clues and Nuggets of Wisdom Success Imparts.
EXPECT to have an Epiphany in fact!!!
And Expose yourselves to as much as you can that is Going Well... Positive Energy Attracts Positive Energy... and likewise Negative Energy Attracts Negative Energy... so be Discerning about what and who you're Exposing yourself to in order to Receive the Results you Want and Desire!!!
Be all about Building Things and People UP... and spend as little time as you possibly can Tearing anything or anyone down... because Bad Karma is a beeyatch... *Winks* Keep your Inner Circle filled with those who Celebrate and Encourage you... Mentor you and help you along wanting you to Succeed too and having your Best Interests at Heart!
Likewise do the same for them... you never know who really needs that Boost... that Tender Word or Action bestowed upon them to renew their Faith, their Confidence and make them Believe in themselves and the Success of their Vision and Purpose!
I'm always Excited For anyone whose Vision is Prospering... I Believe that it offers Encouragement to us all and is a Powerful Testimony! And there's never any Worthy Testimony without a Test now is there?
There is still much to be Thankful for... much Beauty Abounding all around us... if we but take the Time to Look for it and then Discover and Appreciate it!!!
And I Hope that you are able to Suppress all the Negativity in the Media nowadays and Concentrate and Meditate, Focus being on all that is Good and Going Well instead.
Because whatever we spend the most Time Thinking Upon Expands, is Magnified and is 'fed'... be it Good or Bad.
And I don't know which Types of Thoughts you've been busy feeding Today when you came to Visit? But it's never too late to Starve the Bad ones and Fertilize the Good Ones so that they will Grow and Flourish instead!!!
Where ever you are on this Globe and whatever place you find yourselves at this Day... I Hope that the Time you have spent here in the Land of Blog has been able to Uplift you and be a Source of Encouragement, Hope, Inspiration and Love!?
Blogging has given me Mentors, whether they realize it or not, in that I'm constantly Learning about aspects of making a Passion Profitable here in the Land of Blog. Of Enlarging Visions and ways to Work it to a level of Success that can Bless your Family while also Feeding your Soul!
I can now get Excited about things that I once only Dreamed about and was Timid about doing, now having the Confidence and gaining Knowledge to step out in Faith and make it Work. It gives me Hope of coming fully out of Retirement again and yet still being able to meet my Family at it's Present Point of Need due to the Personal Issues that have made it so that the Corporate Life is behind me and a thing of the Past.
Though I was always quite Successful in my Corporate Lives, working for someone else or a large Corporation was somewhat of a drag because they call all the shots really. And for those of us with Independant Spirits and fierce Ambition, that can be an uphill battle with all the Politics and Bureaucracy to deal with on the Job.
Or having to make Sacrifices for a Career that conflict with putting Family First, which I always had a problem with because that wasn't my Priority Base, so that didn't always set well with the Powers that Be in a Corporation when they come third behind God and Family.
So I cannot say I was really all that Sad to give it all up for Personal Reasons and Devote all my Time, Focus and Energy to Family... it was the Right Thing for us and I have no Regrets. But losing that healthy second Income was an Adjustment... one we still are Challenged with until I find the Balance of replacing it with sufficient Profits from Passions.
I find that I prefer being the only one responsible for my Success or Failure whilst making a Living... because I can make necessary Adjustments immediately without a Committee having to Bless it all and be on Board when I make Important Decisions... and the ability to earn more by my own decisions and skills instead of making someone else rich by them and my hard work really Appeals to me too. *Winks*
And when the Opportunity to Enlarge the Vision presents itself I'm much more inclined now to go with my Instincts when it Feels Right rather than hesitating from uncertainty or fear. Since I've already tested the waters and know what it takes now... as more Time goes by I know and feel more Confident that I can do this and get better at it... and that more importantly I LOVE and Enjoy doing this so it's not even like Work because you're simply Flowing In Purpose!
I know what I Like and what I want to do... I'm Defining and Refining the Process... and with each Event that I Attend and each Blog that I Read, I'm constantly Learning and getting a Great Education by those who have already become Masterful at their Craft and have Achieved Success doing what they Love.
I Appreciate how many have Shared their Skills and Knowledge so Generously to Assist those of us just Beginning to Succeed as well... Mentoring us either in Person or via the Land of Blog.
Allowing us to discuss Concerns and ask Questions Candidly... for Being a Blessing I am Certain you all will be Blessed in return.
I was never previously very good at being a Risk Taker... I preferred the Sure Thing... but as I see so many of you step out Faithfully and Act even though the Results are Unknown or Uncertain... it Inspires Confidence and Nerve I didn't previously possess... or maybe I did and it was just kept Stifled and held back by Fears and Doubts.
And if things Work Out just Right, I'm getting ready to make another big Decision regarding Enlarging my Vision even further... so we'll see how that goes?
So many of my Friends are Confidently Enlarging their Vision and following their Dreams and it really has Inspired me and Moved me to Pursue my Dreams as well... Thank You my Friends!
A Dream and Vision left Unfulfilled just seems out of Purpose to me... and so I don't want there to be unnecessary Barriers that Prevent me from Fulfilling mine! Because if not Now, then When... especially at this Season of Life? *LOL*
So... it is an Exciting Time as I Contemplate such things...
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian