On the path of discovering myself recently, I did while in the service of others.
Not intending to gain, but the intent was to lose myself. I was unhappy with the direction of the path and feared I could completely lose every part of the woman I loved with the experiences which made me happiest. Moments with my grandparents, my parents, family and friends. Those who now, I look back fondly that gave me memories which fill my heart with joy and peace.
Experiences we gain in life are here to help define us. Which experience we choose will define greatness or let us fall.
One may see a tree in a yard as a hindrance as they would have to clean up the leaves which have fallen in the latter part of a year, where another would see the tree and fallen leaves as a source of many opportunities.
While my younger son and I were volunteering at a local homeless shelter, he experienced a lesson that I’ve been trying to communicate with him over the years of his young life. Be kind, love unconditionally and withhold judgement to everyone including yourself. Without my words, he learnt this in a single moment with his eyes.
Let me back up just a wee bit.
Our lives, in the past, had been one which was influenced by others that they were openly against other cultures, circumstances and faiths.
Returning to that day I saw his face light up and explain to me..
“MUM DID YOU SEE THAT?"
As I stated earlier, we return to a local homeless shelter with food on a specific day of the week. Friends join us, tables set up outside and it is supported by just those who attend. Nothing is donated by large corporations nor is it something from the shelter itself. It’s a choice and everyone is welcome and you just bring what you can, even if it’s just your heart and arms.
We often would make pasta in large quantities. The groups that needed food would range up to 100, at times, it seemed more. This shelter provides a warm place to sleep for everyone of all race and religion, regardless of circumstance.
This specific night, we were there for Thanksgiving dinner. We prepared mashed potatoes and brought a few new friends. After it was done, my son was helping one to her car as I went to grab mine to pick him up after. As I pulled up, the moment happened. I was hoping my son saw what I saw.
This young man, my best guess would be in his early 20’s. He was of a different ethnicity from us, one that would have been harshly judged by our previous peers that I spoke of earlier.
This young man, who’s hat was on backwards, jeans slightly down exposing his back end was doing what his heart told him to. He was wrapping an older man who was incapacitated with a blanked and putting a warm hat on his head. This young man withheld judgement to be in the service of another. 
This young man did more that he will ever know. He proved to my younger son that the world isn’t as black and white as others had previously stated.
As I see it, I tried to speak to my son about kindness, love and compassion all the while it took a moment where he saw what I always knew. I cannot undo this action nor do I want to. We are blessed with the opportunity in life to see things how we choose. We are given a life to live.
I have chosen to make life what it is. Open my eyes, breathe in, breathe out. Although I feel failure I feel success when I live life. For each moment, each breath, each sight I know how blessed I am. I know that I cannot change the choices of another but I can change mine. I can live my life how I want to and I know, this makes my heart happy.
Make your choice in life, being fully aware. Try to see things from all perspectives and alway, above all, love.
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