THE BEST VERSION OF OURSELVES

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER ME MENTIONING THAT I HAVE THESE AMAZING BEST FRIENDS THAT I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING SINCE HIGH SCHOOL.

ALTHOUGH ALL FOUR OF US LIVE IN DIFFERENT CITIES WE TRY AND GET TOGETHER ONCE A YEAR FOR A DELIGHTFUL, LAUGHTER AND FAITH-FILLED WEEKEND AWAY. THE PANDEMIC CANCELLED OUR FLIGHTS/PLANS FOR THIS YEAR BUT TO MY SURPRISE ZOOM HAS BEEN CONNECTING US MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE SINCE THOSE EARLY DAYS.

WE GET TOGETHER THIS WAY ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS AND IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS TO COME OUT OF “COVID”.

IT IS SOMETHING WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY WEEK. WE SHARE STORIES ABOUT OUR LIVES , HEARTACHES , TRIUMPHS, AND LOTS OF LAUGHS TOO.

THESE INTELLIGENT, BEAUTIFUL WOMEN ARE SO INSPIRING TO ME.  YESTERDAY , ONE OF MY FRIENDS TOLD ME AN INSPIRING STORY OF HER ‘NOT SO PROUD’ MOMENT AND THEN HER ( SHE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD) ACT OF REPARATION.

WE ALL REGULARLY FIND OURSELVES DOING (AND THINKING) THINGS THAT ARE NOT OF OUR BEST SELVES. MATTHEW KELLY SPEAKS ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD STRIVE TO BE THE ‘BEST VERSION OF OURSELVES’. THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT TO BE BUT FAIL REGULARLY. 

AND NOW THAT WE ARE MOSTLY QUARANTINED WITH OUR FAMILIES WE CAN REALLY GET ON EACH OTHER’S NERVES IF WE TRY…HA HA. (AND EVEN IF WE DON’T)

I THINK WE CAN ALL FIND OURSELVES COMPLAINING OR GETTING OUR TEMPERS UP MORE THAN USUAL IN THESE CONFINED SPACES. I TRY TO LOOK FOR THE HUMOUR IN MOST SITUATIONS TO DIFFUSE ANY ANGER BUILD UP AND I ALSO TRY TO LOOK AT EACH SITUATION THROUGH THE EYES OF LOVE.  IN THE MOMENT THAT CAN BE EXTREMELY HARD TO DO .  BUT REMEMBERING THAT WE TRULY ARE IN THIS TOGETHER AND THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WE HURT THE MOST ARE ALSO USUALLY THE PEOPLE WE LOVE THE MOST CAN REMIND US TO STRIVE FOR OUR BEST SELVES AT EVERY MOMENT.

LISTENING AND BREATHING BEFORE WE SPEAK IS A GOOD REMINDER TOO.  WE ARE ALL STRUGGLING TO FIND OUR WAY THROUGH THESE FRUSTRATING TIMES. SOMETIMES THE SIMPLEST THINGS CAN BE THE TRUEST.  LOVE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER .