2008: Seven Things I UNDERSTAND about Life

It feels just like yesterday that this year began...

And in a few hours, it will be history.

I glance back over my year, and no, I don't have any major accomplishments. Well, maybe I do, but honestly, if nothing jumps to mind immediately, then that means that it wasn't major or life altering.

But, I must admit that I did learn a few things in 2008.

Learned is not the proper word, though.

Things that I learned where basically things I already knew...

But now I truly understand them.

For "knowing" a thing has to do with what's in your head...

"Understanding" stems from what's rooted in your heart.

There is an earth-shattering difference between the two.

Now, while I was lounging on the sofa scribbling out my "understandings" on a scratch piece of paper last night, my best friend LadyTee called to talk.

I asked her what she'd learned in 2008. I thought I would include her list, since it is short.

LadyTee's 2008 Points of Light, lol.

1. Needy people are always in need. This does not include people who need a helping hand, because everyone needs a helping hand from time to time. I'm talking about people who, when you do for them, it is never enough. They are NEVER satisfied. You can give them a million dollars and tomorrow? They're gonna need SOMETHING. It never fails.

2. You have to prioritize your life. It's all about priorities.

3. Your life is VERY important and VERY short. Therefore, live life to the fullest because it can be gone in the blink of an eye.

Those are very good points of life. We spent a moment talking about each.

Now, on to my Understandings. Much stuff happened this year. I am probably the most intangible person on the planet, so material stuff don't phase me (that much). The type of stuff I am speaking of is things that reinforced who I am and why I am the way I am.

But...

There were a plethora of situations that happened that changed the way that I think about things.

1. If I pray about things, a path to the solution will open up. It's up to me to walk out that path. The thing is, I find that I will either walk it out, or stand off to the side digging around in the bushes like some crazy drunk man.

2. I better be real clear about what I allow to rent space in my mind.

Ponder the following scripture: Proverbs 4:23 (NCV) Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.

Another version: (NIRV) Above everything else, guard your heart. It is where your life comes from.

(Ya'll can go ponder the King James version, but I need versions that bite me in the butt.)

Again, I better be REAL clear about what I allow to rent space in my mind. Really though.

3. There's a difference between what's important and what's NOT important. I have found, especially this year, that matters which are truly important to me can fit in a matchbox, while things that are NOT important to me can fit in the trailer of an 18 wheeler.

4. There's a razor sharp difference between me doing things from my heart and me doing things for the approval for others. I tend to judge a good bit of my action based on these two. This was a year that, if there was even an inkling of me doing something YOU wanted me to do, well, I simply didn't do it. And I wasn't going to tell you I wasn't going to do it. I simply made myself scarce. (Yeah, that got me in some trouble this year. SO WHAT? I'm grown, and this ain't high school, i.e., I am NOT seeking your approval.)

5. An emergency on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. Shoot man, I am barely prepared for my own emergencies. If there's a problem with that, then I just paid a very small price to rid you from my life (And I am talking a VERY small price).

6. I understand now that everything in life I hope, dream and have faith for can happen in the very next breath. Likewise, everything I dread and fear can happen in the very next breath. (So... this goes screeching back to my #2 above).

7. I have learned that I have to be honest with myself. I mean brutally honest. No, I may not like what I see, or I may not solve the issha, but at least I KNOW what's up, and I'm not lying to myself. At least I can start praying about the darn thing, and working towards changing.

Those are the 7 things I understand this year.

Hope I didn't sound like an Angry Oldgirl. No, didn't mean to. These are my personal truths for 2008, going into 2009. And they answer the timesless question:

Are you yourself... or are you who others think you should be?

Hmmm... ponder that quietly to yourself. Can you answer that question truthfully? Are you judging your life based on what someone else is doing? Is it even sane to do that? Hmmm.

I am truly thankful for 2008.

I am here.
I am breathing.
The blood is running warm through my veins.

What did you learn, or should I say, truly understand in 2008?