Six of One, Half a Dozen of Another

That's how I feel about the past 12 years. Today is T's birthday, and the last 12 years have past almost too fast, but not quick enough at the same time. Yet, 12 years have passed. I could have been a bad parent, a so-so parent, or a good parent. 12 years passed no matter what kind of parent I decided to be when my first child was born.

T & I at his 2nd birthday party

12 years ago, I was a 21 year-old young woman, less than two years away from getting my Bachelor's degree. Four days prior, I finished one part-time job and took official leave from my full time job. The semester was over, and even though I knew I was taking the summer semesters off, I knew nothing of what my future had in store except there would always be someone who called me "Mommy". I only knew time would pass no matter what type of decisions I made for myself and my child.

I could have decided to not finish my degree, not worked hard to do my part to support our new family, not put everything I was into being a damn good mother. HAve I always been the best mother? No. Could I have done some things better? Probably. But I look at T and I see me...really, we are so similar in both looks and especially, personalities. I pray every day he sees the same similarities and has high hopes for his future.

T getting his red belt 05/19/12

I pray in 12 years he will look back and say my mom was the best mom I could have had. I pray he says, "She gave me the example I needed in all areas of my life." I pray he says, "She had strength, compassion, and even (oh, I really hope) grace under pressure." I pray when he looks forward in his life he uses my life as a pathway for his own dreams.

Finally, I pray when his first child is 12, he provides the same example I have tried to provide for him, sets pathways for his child's dreams. I pray he finds his own strength and courage in an easier way than I have, and he develops an undying compassion for his fellow man so he may pass those on to his family.

Yes, 12 years have passed. They were hard years, but good years because no matter what, T led me on my path to find the dreams I never knew I wanted.

T

3TT: What to Learn from the Mavs

All week since the Mavs won the NBA title (the first in 30+ years) Sunday night, everything around here has been Mavs this and Mavs that. Even this morning, the news covered basically only the Victory Parade information. As I type this, live news coverage of the parade describes the details of the celebration. Even though I'm not a huge basketball fan, I am a huge sports fan, and many of my life lessons have come from playing sports. With that in mind, here's a few things we can all (especially athletes) can learn from the Mavs.

1. Persistence. The Mavs just kept at it, minute after minute, game after game. The Mavs rarely have flashy plays or major memorable shots, but they kept at it and kept making shot after shot. Their persistence in solid defense and offensive plays wore the Miami Heat down. The Mavs showed the world that consistency and tenacity pays off.

2. Trust in your team. Even though Dirk (one of the most notable Mavs players) did not play his best Sunday night, he trusted his team to make shots and keep their game play at a top level. They came through and brought the entire team to victory. Anyone who plays or has played team sports knows that if you cannot depend on or trust your team, the team breaks down. Even solo athletes and non-athletes need to depend on their support system of coaches, family, friends, etc. Support is essential to succeeding in your endeavors.

3. Finish strong. Any Mavs fans knows the Mavs put it all on the table in the 3rd and 4th quarters of nearly every game. They may be known as the "Comeback Kids", but their consistency to finish games strong brought them the title they were working toward for years. With any project, workout, game or race, finishing strong is key. Your finish shows all the determination, the effort, the time and the attitude you have put in.

Take these lessons and incorporate them into everything you do; your creative projects, your running, your training, your business.

Photo via flickr