Kokopelli

I was born in the Four Corners Area, in Colorado and later moved to Utah so I grew up with Kokopelli and his wonderful stories in our Anasazi culture. Kokopelli possesses a playful, carefree nature that seems to bring out the "good" in everyone.

"Follow the merry ministerial Kokopelli as he leads you past the pueblo and out into the moonlight. Perched high on a rocky edge of a rugged cliff he'll take out his flute and, as his song rises from the smoke of an unseen fire--it paints the night sky with images expressing a world of mythical dreams."

There is an appealing and timeless quality about Kokopelli which fascinates everyone, even in our modern technological age. Known as a fertility god, prankster, healer and story teller, Kokopelli has been a source of wonder throughout the country for centuries. He dates back 3,000 years when first petroglyphs were carved into sandstone cliffs and cave walls. In the villages he was regarded as a harbinger of fertility, assuring success in hunting, growing crops and human conception. If you fall in love with his unheard song it is one of fertility. You are being asked to create fertility in some area of your life. Listen to his song, whatever you intend to plant at this time will be very productive for you. Plant seeds for your future now. Kokopelli is a Hopi word (Koko = wood, pilau = hump).

Kokopelli's message----"The time is now - the power is "you".

You Need to Journal

Is your life a novel with missing pages? I keep searching in my life for the missing puzzle pieces that will make my life into the "complete picture" I am searching for. I feel I have most the pieces, but I also feel out there some where is someone or something I have yet to connect with. You know the missing piece to complete the picture of a perfect life. To all I say-- Be a journal keeper, or writer, or artist, but journal in some way and leave no blank pages in your novel of life. I feel my life is and has been very important and will be to my children, grandchildren and even the great-grandchildren. I want them to know me and understand some of the things I have done that have made me, "Me".

How will your family know what you have done, where you have been or what you have thought? It is so sad when a person just slips unrecorded through life, when they have been important to so many people. Write, write, write...........anything, anytime, anywhere and always, always date your writings. How I love the old pictures and life stories of my family that are now gone and perhaps I didn't get know. I learn how they sacrificed in many ways, so that I have had the wonderful life I have had. Opened the door to many reasons, my parents were the way they were, and consequently I am the way I am..........I have encouraged my family to journal, some have, some have not. Now days with the computer it is so easy..........fun and good therapy!

Suspense

Do you sometimes feel like you have a stomach full of butterflies? An unsettled,what next, feeling? Isn't life just one big suspense? You get up in the morning and think or say out loud," what will happen today?" or tomorrow, in a week, a month from now. Our country is in a terrible mess with Pres. Obama dragging us down more every day. The awful oil spill, he messed up the health bill, Afghanistan War, Bailing banks out, trying to help Haiti. The Iceland volcano and of course floods and fires at home. Government is just plain bad news. No matter who you talk to -- each has their own idea or theory where we are headed. I feel like some of the magazine articles I read that go like this:

"He fell from the train barely alive, And "(continued on page thirty-five.)

"With only one bullet left in his gun,He" (continued on page sixty-one.)

"She murmured weakly, I know my fate, It's" (continued on page eighty-eight).

"Darling to prove how much I'll miss you, I'm" (continued in the July issue.)

If you ask a dozen people to finish those sentences-- you would get a dozen different endings. So I guess it's one day at a time--always checking the newspaper and CNN every day to tell us where we're heading next----And most the time they don't know either...........

Lonesome Sunday

Today is Sunday, the last one in June. Seems the weeks are busy and roll right along, then come Sunday and things just shut down. Families hang together and if you are single it can be a very lonesome day.......Thank goodness I have my health and can get in the car and go to a movie, shopping, out to eat or just for a nice drive when the weather is good, but it is still lonely. I like what Carl Burns said, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails, explore, dream, discover." This is so true, I just hope I can stay in my boat, trust the wind and the sails and keep going, right into the sunset of my life. We were born alone and therefore will die alone and maybe these lonesome days I have are just preparing me for that time. However, I do have a wonderful family that care and keep me from staying lonely very long.

I Can Dream can't I?

Today as I peddled the bike at physical therapy for my knees, I was facing a big window that looked out toward the lake and could watch the airplanes come and go. It's Friday and another quiet, (boring) weekend is looming ahead of me. Every time I see an airplane it is my anchor for traveling somewhere, anywhere. Where to this time? At this point anywhere would be fun. If your going to dream, why not dream big? It's my life, my story so I can choose the scenero:

I fly to Dubai. I expected to be met by a tall, dark handsome man on a white stallion and be whisked off to his castle, but there was a big camel with a fancy saddle and a man in native dress. My prince said very little as he led my camel out to our hide-a-way. Isn't this exciting? I have never been to Dubai, but I did ride a camel once in Egypt. A wonderful big castle comes into view, fountains, flowers, birds, music, good smells. All that I dreamed it would be. When we arrive I was helped down off the camel and I enter this paradise of a place. The man takes off his robe and is all I expected him to be in his Colhan shoes, Armani suit, and polo shirt. Yes! We set by the pool and sip our drinks as we watch the sunset; Then his Lamborghini is driven up and we are off to an exciting night on the town......Just as I got to the interesting part of my day-dream the timer goes off and I am ushered off to a table to start my exercise routine, back to the real world. Oh well, it doesn't cost anything to dream..........and I may just finish this dream later!

So whats New?

Well it's house cleaning time again.........It gets a good cleaning twice a year when it's my turn to have bridge! Night bridge party is my favorite because you can light candles and keep the lights dimmed. You don't have to wash windows or dust the corners. But, day bridge means cleaning house and fixing lunch for 8 ladies. You know wash the windows, shampoo the rug, and wax the floor. Move everything when you dust, clean the bathroom and tightly lock the door to the office where you pile everything you wanted out of sight for the day. Bring up the card tables and chairs, put a leaf in the table and get out the nice cloths, dishes and silverware. Buy flowers and try to come up with a nummy lunch that doesn't look like all you did was make a trip to Costco for salad, rolls, desert and some kind of out-standing presentation to wow them. It is so embarrassing when they want the receipt and you have to pull out the empty plastic container that says Costco...........but after a couple of glasses of wine, everyone goes with the flow and we start getting caught up on whats new since last months club meeting. I love the girls and have been playing with the two groups since my children were small. It's nice to have friends to grow old with and people who would come even if they could barely get in and had a sack lunch. I think we just use bridge as an excuse to get together every month. It's been a busy day, but at least I have a clean house and can take the rest of the summer off. I might even win!

Happy Birthday Rob

Another June Birthday...........One of my favorite people. Rob is my first son-in-law and has always been there for anything I need.
He is a gourmet cook and I get lots of fun Sunday dinners at his house.

He was right there when I had a car wreck, he picked up and delivered my dinning room set when I ask him, the yard, the furnace the wiring, the computer, and you ought to see the wonderful tile job he did in my new kitchen, plus hook up my RR and my dish washer and my new ice maker. I know Rob will be there when I need him. We have had fun trips together when my two granddaughters graduated from college and I have been invited and am looking forward to one more next spring when Nicci graduates from Graduate School in Indiana. Yesterday was father's day and he is one of the best fathers in the world to his two daughters and one son....(my grandchildren). He backs them in all their life choices, even thought they might not be his. He encourages them to succeed and be the best they can be. He is proud of them and lets them know he loves them. When Tiff couldn't put her little dog to sleep last week, who did she call? Dad. And who was the one who went with her and held Goldie when she died? Dad. I had this kind of father and I only regret my three girls did not have this kind of father. One who is always there, who will listen and not judge and help them work out any problem. Robby I love you, Happy Birthday and I'm glad your in my family, you have a cute wife too!

Happy Fathers Day to my Dad

From day one I adored my father. He was tall and handsome, quiet speaking and very honest. His family was his life. I am the oldest of four girls, and finally a boy for him to fish and hunt with. He never showed favorites and was always supportive of the things we chose to do in life. If he had to punish us it was always a quiet talk,pointing out things he was disappointed in, which was harder to take than a whack or being grounded.......I never heard of grounding in my childhood days. I thought my father was the most handsome man in the world. Tall, slender, dark hair and grey eyes. I loved my last name, "Yeomans", very English. He was the oldest son in a family of eight and learned early in life to be a hard worker. He loved the outdoors, camping, fishing and hunting, so the family did a lot of that growing up. He died at 75, he had arthritis and heart problems. Mother had died of cancer 13 years earlier, he didn't feel he needed another woman with four daughters and grandchildren. I am sad I did not give my girls this kind of father or man in their lives, children with wonderful fathers should realize their blessings. Happy Father's Day Dad, thank you for a wonderful heritage.

Happy Birthday Tiff

There is something very special about your first grandchild! Today my first grandchild turned 28 years old.........I cannot believe how fast the time has passed. But to me she will always be the cutest baby in town. Grandma's always have a favorite picture or two of each grandchild and the hat picture is one of mine. I will always remember the darling little blue-eyed blond with a ready smile at two years old. I was excited with her at the first prom, when she won a ribbon or trophy swimming and I sat in the pouring rain at her college graduation at Lawrence University in Lewiston, Minnesota. She has been my roommate for five years now and we have shared so many fun times. She works at the University of Utah and is still getting awards. She is active in her sororiety as a alumni advisor. Then she got a puppy. Goldie filled all her spare time UNTIL........she met Scott. The past year has been very busy with the new love of her life. He proposed in March and they are getting married the 9th of October. I am so happy for her. We just lost little Goldie this week, her back legs became paralyzed and she couldn't walk. But we have many fun memories of her. Tiffany Marie, was named Marie after her mother, her grandmother and her great-grandmother. I'm sure some day there will be another Marie in the family.......and I will then be a great-grandmother!

Walking With Grandma

There are many choices in our journey of life. "Our legacy in life we cannot retrieve. Our mark is surely made....by the footprints that we leave." I have decided age is just a number and mine is unlisted. At the right is a picture of my nine grandchildren. We have gathered at my swimming pool for many hours of fun together. Now they are growing up and I am growing old....er. The last six all learned to swim there, the younger ones copying and trying all the things the older ones were doing. Now everyone is a good swimmer and they still love to get together and have fun. I love the following poem because I think about my time with these little children and their patience.

"Walking With Grandma"

I like to walk with grandma, her steps are short like mine.

She doesn't say "now hurry up", She always takes her time.

Most people have to hurry, they do not stop to see,

I'm glad that God made grandmas, "unrushed"and young like me.

I hope my grandchildren always look at me thinking I'm just unrushed and still young, instead of slow because of old age and sore joints. Just spent two days with Sherrie's two youngest boys. yes, we went swimming, and are still having fun together. Thank you Brayden and Kennedy.

Christenson 20th Anniversary

Happy 20th Anniversary to Sherrie and Darren. 20 years ago today my second daughter got married. They were married in the Salat Lake Temple and we had a Reception at the Cottonwood Country Club. The picture on the right is the wonderful family they have had after their 20 years of marriage. Three wonderful boys, Alex 17, Brayden coming up 15 and Kennedy 12. They flew their plane down to Lake Powell to their house boat yesterday and I have the two youngest boys. Alex, the oldest will drive in from Vernal tomorrow, pick up the boys and grandma Kay and drive to Lake Powell to spend the weekend celebrating. The boys and I have had such fun swimming, eating and going to a movie. I wish they still lived up the hill, but Vernal seems to be the place they are the happiest. We have a lot of fun memories of the past twenty years, it has been fun to watch the boys grow up. I wish them Happy Anniversary and at least another 50 years together.

Mama Teddy

After a very sad day yesterday, I have to think of something happy and uplifting. I turn to things that last forever........good memories. This is a picture of Mama Teddy. She has been in my family for 70 years. She sits nicely where ever you put her and has been loved by me, my girls and now my grandchildren. She came into my life one Christmas. I had been to Denver for Thanksgiving and in the Walgreen Drugstore by my aunts were all these wonderful, big, plush stuffed Teddy Bears in all kinds of colors. I fell in love and all I wanted for Christmas that year was a big Teddy Bear. Well, Christmas morning there was a big, black Teddy Bear with a red bow, and a middle sized bear for my next sister and a little bear for my baby sister........BUT they were home made! I'm afraid I was less than thankful and happy and showed it. We had very little money and I had a very talented mother who found three old fur coats and made her three girls bears. To make it worse, my cousin who is nine days younger than me, an only child, who lived in the near by town came to Grandma's for dinner with her new beautiful bear that I had so wanted. Well I still have my bear with it's felt eyes and lumpy body and she is still giving love to the grandchildren, but my cousins beautiful bear is long gone. It just goes to show that it is not what's on the outside that counts, but all the love that went into making it that lasts. I now appreciate the thought and love my mother gave me all those years ago, she did all she could to make my dream come true.......thank you Mom.

Sad Day

Tell me again. "Things Happen For a Reason.......just Believe". I'm having a hard time with this sentence, even though I operate every day on it. But one of my roommates, little Goldie Dog, is very sick and will probably be leaving us tomorrow. The doctors say an operation might fix her, but do not promise and it isn't fair to let her drag on in pain and not be able to use her back legs.

We are devastated, and my dog Gigi will be very lonesome without her little friend. Tiff got her when she was not attached and had a lot of time to spend with her, but now Tiff has Scott and will be getting married in four months and she will be locked up all day while they go to work, which is o.k., but I am sure Goldie would prefer her free life of coming and going through the doggie door into her fenced in back yard when she pleases. I have been through this before in my 78 years. We have had to put down many loved pets.............for their own good. Pam's dachshund, Stormy Dog. Our golden retriever, Chauser and little black dog, Stanford. My heart is still aching for my "Little Maxx", a little Yorkie that got run over by a car. Karrie put Sadie down, and Rob had to put his dog down. Darren ran over Sherrie's puppy Zoie and their dog Eskimo died. There will be other dogs in Tiff's life through the years, but she will always have a soft spot for her first little love "Goldie."

A Wabi-Sabi Story

ONE STICK-TWO STICK (Passed from old African Kings)

To me this is another wabi-sabi story, one who looks for the good in the bad.

An old man is dying. He calls his people to his side. He gives a short, sturdy stick to each of his many off springs, wives and relatives. "break the stick", he instructs them. with some effort, they all snap their sticks in half. "This is how it is when a soul is alone without anyone. They can be easily broken."

The old man next gave each of his kin another stick, and says, "this is how I would like you to live after I pass away. Put your sticks together in bundles of two and threes, now break these bundles in half." No one could or can break the sticks when there are two or more in a bundle. The old man smiles. "We are strong when we stand with another soul. When we are truly with another we cannot be broken." This can be made even more strong when families are bound together with a circle of love, the rubber band shows that circle clearly and as each family is encircled in the same band of love, the bundle becomes even more strong and supportive. The Metaphor that goes with this is a young stick is sturdy and can survive alone with sunshine and water, but as the years go by and it is attacked by insects, drought and weather it becomes old and begins to deteriorate and without the support of the young new generations of growth it soon becomes decayed and dies. This is true of families. This is true of businesses, both large and small, and of departments in business. Of support groups of states and of countries. Let us put our sticks together and love and support each other as an everyday pattern of life. This is how life is /was meant to be. I love this story. This is how I know the simple people of our world really have all the answers to a better, more meaningful life.......and why we are all struggling for control of our lives.

This I Know

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY FUTURE HOLDS........BUT I KNOW WHO HOLDS IT." Oprah Winfrey

That was the feeling I've had all my life, now Oprah has so put it into words for me.

I wanted, and expected to get, all I wanted and deserved in life. I made this decision (subconsciously), as a small child. My favorite shirt said "I was Born Entitled!" When asked what I was entitled to, I told them "anything I wanted," even if I had to mop floors, wait tables and work my behind off. Everyone can do it, the Universe puts it out there and the choice is yours. I did not come from means. No family inheritance but a desire, confidence and pride in myself to make it happen. I knew what I wanted and valued myself and would not settle for less. After I graduated from high school, I went to college, had some fun jobs, waitress, secretary and stewardess. I got married to someone that was educated, strong and healthy and driven to also do well (an airline pilot). Together we built a nice family and had enough to live nicely on the rest of our lives. Thirty years later he walked out on the girls and I, which prompted me to send him a "thank you Note" for leaving. Sure there were tears, anger, hate etc., but never self-doubt. I immediately jumped in to make a new life for my family. I bought us a new home, got the twins through college and happily married. I went back to college with the girls and got a job as Concierge.......and started traveling. I had time to enjoy my many talents of sewing, knitting, writing, reading, painting, piano, volunteering, Spanish lessons and grandchildren. The children encouraged me to learn the computer, know how to email, face book, and blog. The cell phone is great and I can text. Love my digital camera. I challenged myself to be a public speaker after completing a course in NLP, and spoke on a couple of cruise ships, under the umbrella of "Life Enrichments." I Set a goal of 100 countries by the time I was 70, did it and on to 120+, and 48 of the 50 states, and 6 of the 7 continents.

In my life have I given all I could? Probably not, but I have tried to pay back a little for my many blessings. I have tried to set an example for my three daughters and nine grandchildren, to do good, to be the best you can be and to realize: "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR FUTURE HOLDS, BUT NEVER FORGET WHO HOLDS THAT FUTURE."

Kiss a Frog

24 years ago next month since I was cast back into the dating scene............Grim. All my well meaning friends kept trying to find me someone wonderful, or fun or nice or whatever, to spend my new found "singleness" with. I wasn't too excited about it, but I tried. Could I ever trust or respect a man again? I was pretty bitter. My daughter's cute friend Jon asked them if I would go out with this guy in his ward who had seen me a a farewell and wanted to go out with me. Well, he called, I agreed and we settled on golf and dinner. Harmless! When he arrived late, we cancelled golf and settled for dinner. "Did I like Mexican food?". I do, so that was easily settled and we have quite a few nice Mexican restaurants in my area. He was nice looking, drove a nice car and worked for Albertsons Food. We drove out of my condo area and across the street and pulled into a Taco Bell. A taco bell! I went along. We went in, he ordered three tacos for a dollar and two lemon aides which were a dollar piece. He had to write a check for $3.32. We found a table and chatted away while we ate. He ate two, without even offering me a bite of the second one.........right then I knew this was my last date with him..........maybe anyone. I just escaped from the cheapest man on earth and was not about to do it again. Besides I can buy my own three for a dollar tacos and lemon aide and enjoy my own company. We ended the date by taking a ride up the canyon......(free. ) Did I kiss this frog to be sure he wasn't my prince? I don't think so! So now you know the story of my "Taco Date"........Is that what first dates 30 years after my time are like?

So I say to all out there dating, "Past behavior is an indication of future behavior" so know where you are heading with each new date.

Hanging In There

Up early and got my daughter and her youngest son off to California and Disney Land for a week. Her oldest son and husband are in Europe and her daughter is at EFY, busy, busy family. I have the dogs, Marley and Izzy, for the week. They are both darling huge dogs and Marley and I are in a battle for Alfa Dog of this house. He doesn't like the squirt bottle, so I have a weapon on my side. He is a real lover, but very demanding. I will keep you posted.

Do you ever feel someone else is responsible for your happiness? I think we all do sometimes. Well no one is. Each of us is responsible for our own happiness. Anyone who sits around and waits for someone else to make you happy is going to be very disappointed and unfulfilled. Continually postponing happiness for some future time--by saying "When so and so happens, then I will be happy". Do you belong to the "If Only" club.? If only I could lose 20 pounds, if only I had more money, if only I could find a mate, have a baby, get a bigger house or better job! If you are a member of the "If Only" club it is robbing you of the one thing any of us already has: it is the present. When we live in the past or focus too much on the future, we rob ourselves of the now.............A child's story: THE MISSING PIECE, It is the story of a circle that has a part missing. It searches and searches for it's missing piece, just as most of us are always looking for that "piece", just as most of us are always looking for that "piece" of fulfillment we think is necessary for our happiness. When the circle finally finds it's missing piece, it realizes that the search was more meaningful and exciting than the results. As the circle learned, what counts in life is each moment of the journey----not our final destination. Life is made up of millions of moments, and once a moment is over, it never comes back. We have to enjoy each one as it happens.

Things To Think About...........

Everyone has advice and ideas of their own on a guide to a happy life. I think most are worth looking at: Here are some more.

No one will ever get out of this world alive. Resolve therefore to maintain a reasonable sense of values.

Take care of yourself. Good health is every one's major source of wealth. Without it, happiness is almost impossible.

Resolve to be cheerful and helpful. People will repay you in kind.

Avoid angry abrasive persons. They are generally vengeful.

Resolve to listen more and to talk less. No one ever learns anything by talking.

Be Leary of giving advice. Wise men don't need it and fools won't heed it.

Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the wrong. Sometime in life you will have been all of these.

Do not equate money with success. There are many successful money makers who are miserable failures as human beings. What counts most about success is how a person achieves it.

This is a hard time for many young and old and I fear it will only get worse. I do hope we can take it upon our selves to make the most out of what we ourselves are......not go into the theme of the "waiting game".

Matryoshka Dolls

Everyone falls in love with the cute little stacking or nesting dolls from from Russia called Matryoshka dolls. I have several sets I picked up on my trip to Russia. My grandchildren have loved taking them apart and trying to get them to all fit back together. They are painted in bright colors and the sets have branched out into animals, government leaders, sports teams, fairy tail characters etc.
Matryoshka dolls ---derived from "Matryona" a female name referring to a large, fat, strong woman. The first Russian dolls were created in 1890 in children's Education Workshop in Abramtsevo near Moscow. They are used metaphorically as a design paradigm, know as "Matryoshka principle". It denotes a recognizable relationship of similar objects--within--similar--objects that appears in the design.
As I look at this little doll I can't help but wonder if the little doll with 11 more just like it nestled inside "constitute one doll or if they are really 12 different dolls, with separate selves and souls."
My first thought is that this little fat, happy looking doll is the image of the mother with her little ones tucked close inside to her heart as is a "mothering thing" the world over. Or is this just a person with many faces that help her pass through life. The Matryoshka doll could very easily be a metaphor of each of us and our lives. Yes, I have a mother face, a social face, a concerned face, a worried face, a happy face, a sad face and many more-----don't we all? As we peel off our layers, much like peeling onions layer by layer we get down to the "Heart" that is really the center of our lives. These layers are all alike-----but different. "Our spirit and our body are combined in such a way that our body becomes an instrument of our mind and the foundation of our character." Boyd K. Packer It is so interesting how a little wooden doll brought back from a vacation can lead to a metaphor of my life..........

Back Packing in Europe

"These are the magic years......and therefore magic days.......and therefore magic moments."

I cannot believe this cute little boy, my third grandson, is all grown up (16) and heading out tonight with his father and another father and son for a two week back-packing trip through Europe.

I am so thrilled because I was able to take my three girls on many wonderful trips around the world when they were young. When my girls returned from two weeks in Europe or Asia or South Pacific they really appreciated the life they had in America. They took all the different foods, money, languages, different bathrooms, toilet papers, towels and even soap in and in their stride, never complaining. I felt this was the best education I could give them, they still love to travel and encourage travel in their families. Last year my second grandson went to Europe for three weeks with the Young Ambassadors of America. Now it's Richies turn. His dad Big Rich, has no idea what he is in for and it will be the best thing that ever happened to him. He is coming up 46 and pretty set in his ways and has NEVER traveled, sooooooooo. Seems the biggest concern was the bedbugs in the hostels they will be staying in. I made each of them a sheet they can use each night then fold up and pack away each day. At least clean sheets. Wonder how often they will do laundry? If it was up to the kids probably not till they got home. They get on the airplane at midnight and fly to New York. Never been to New York so will do some sight seeing tomorrow. Tomorrow night, they fly to Ireland and on to Paris, France. Here is where the back-packing starts with a train pass through Germany, Italy, Chez Republic etc. So many wonderful experiences for all of them, I can hardly wait till they get home to hear about the BIG ADVENTURE.

MEASURING LIFE

Positive thinking get positive results! I read a cute story about a jar of marbles. This fellow got to thinking.......if life started out with a jar of marbles and our life's expectancy is 75 years that is 52 weeks in a year times 75 years then in a average life you have 390 Saturdays to lay around, watch tv or go fishing. So if you started taking one marble out every Saturday that you have lived, by the time you are 75 that jar would be empty. That's scary, I would have emptied my jar three years ago. I considered planning on living another 10 years and put these in a jar and take one out each week, but that is just like watching yourself die. It's bad enough to know everyday we live is one less in the ones we have left to live. Have you ever gotten a fortune cookie that says "Take control of your destiny!" Don't be adrift at sea, so to speak. You need a clear direction or a goal, then you don't just drift, and drift, gaining pounds, spending money, letting the piles get higher. Get in that boat and start paddling in a chosen direction."One of the surprising discoveries of positive psychology, a field that investigates what leads to happiness, is the contentment and a sense of meaning in life doesn't arise from the usual suspects, like winning the lottery, or being young and beautiful, but from among other things, the pursuit and attainment of goals." Any goal has to be your own idea. A passion of yours and for your own reason. It should be time specific and reasonable and realistic. The goal should fit into your values, beliefs and life's purpose. If you commit it in writing , in black and white, it gives you a more concrete and clear focus. So bag the marbles and go for it, one day at a time!