Sunday Post: People: Who Are the Most Important People in Your Life?
Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is PEOPLE.
When I saw the theme, I immediately began thinking of the most important people in my life. First, I thought of my husband. We’ve been married over 45 years and still enjoy sitting on the couch, watching a good movie and walking down a country lane, hand in hand, talking about anything and everything under the sun. Yes, I know, we are so very fortunate.
A WORD TO THE WISE: Every relationship has its ups and downs and no one is perfect. We all make mistakes…don’t be ashamed to say, “I’m sorry!” Be consistent, be compassionate and think before you speak.
Then I thought about my children and grandchildren. I love spending time with them…and count myself fortunate that they enjoy spending time with me as well.
WORD TO THE WISE: Parenting young children is a difficult task…you need patience and energy and lots of love. We all make mistakes…don’t be ashamed to say “I’m sorry!” Be consistent, be compassionate and think before you speak.
Then I thought about my friends…some I’ve known for many years. Jane and I met each other when we were only two years old…we played house and Superman and colored in coloring books and had picnics together in the park. When we each got married, we continued that friendship and now, after sixty-three years, although we live thousands of miles apart, we are close in heart and soul.
WORD TO THE WISE: Friendship is a skill we need to teach our kids…how to care for and respect one another. We all make mistakes…don’t be ashamed to say, “I’m sorry!” Be consistent, be compassionate and think before you speak.
Then I thought about the friends I have made this past year in the blogging community…especially those who blog about writing and illustrating for children. There are dozens of them…authors, illustrators, librarians, teachers, moms…and they inspire and encourage me to pursue my dream of seeing my own children’s picture books on the bookshelves of libraries and homes around the world.
Does this dream sound familiar? Would you like to pursue your writing in an unbelievable setting? Have you always wanted to go to Italy, but hesitated because you didn’t want to go alone or with a group of travelers with whom you have nothing in common? Here is your golden opportunity to spend a week in Italy, learning and writing with a fantastic group of like-minded women.
A writer friend of mine has organized an amazing retreat for women writers in Florence, Italy. It will take place from April 7-13, 2013. I cannot attend, but you might like to go. Julie has an overview of the retreat on her website, plus specific information about the Program, Faculty, Accommodation and Rates. If you do register, please let Julie know I sent you!
We have ten more days for nominations to give a dozen free copies of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cookingto schools or other childcare facilities. Nominate your child’s school, or your own school if you are a teacher, in the Show Me How School Initiative by leaving a comment and telling us why you’d like that school or classroom to have this book. If you don’t have young children, but know people who do, please tell them about the free book their child’s school can receive! Please tweet this or spread the word across any of your social media networks. At the beginning of October we will use Random.org to choose 12 lucky schools.
Author and educator Susan Case just did a fantastic review of Show Me How! on her Kindergarten Basics blog. Click on the link if you’d like to see what she thinks about this award-winning resource that makes planning activities and spending quality time with your kids a SNAP!
Want to scoop up a copy of Show Me How! while you can still get FREE SHIPPING and a BONUS GIFT? Please visit my book’s website.
Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?
http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/
Related articles
- Sunday Post: Splendid…Places, People and Things (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
- Sunday Post: From a Distance…Parenting Solutions (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
Posted on September 23, 2012, in Julie Hedlund's Writer's Retreat, Show Me How! School Initiative, Sunday Post and tagged Julie Hedlund, parenting advice, Sunday Post, Susan Case, Writer's Retreat. Bookmark the permalink. 47 Comments.
Lovely post, Vivian. So true that the basics of all relationships are the same. “We all make mistakes…don’t be ashamed to say, “I’m sorry!” Be consistent, be compassionate and think before you speak.” Thank you for this. And great shout-out for Julie’s Renaissance Retreat!
Thank you so much, Beth…so glad you liked it.
Wish I could be among the lucky ones who will bask in the Tuscan sun and enjoy the amazing activities Julie has planned…maybe the next time!
It is a lovely post Vivian and like Beth I agree the true basics with any relationship, loved one, or friends is the same “we all make mistakes… don’t be ashamed to say sorry, be consistant and compassionate….” It is something to live by. Lovely shout out for Julie’s Retreat. I so wish I was going…. sigh! Maybe next time, and we both go…lol!
Hi Diane…thank you so much! And yes, what a lovely plan…we should start saving our pennies.
Perfect post Vivian Family are the most important people on earth , Thanks for sharing nmy friend
Thank you, Jake! Family ties are so important…but also difficult sometimes…after all, we chose our friends, not our family members. Perhaps if we encourage kids to learn to resolve famiy conflicts when they are young, they will be better at long-term relationships later on.
What a lovely post, Vivian, and so very true. It’s the people in our lives, the relationships we have, that matter more than anything. Thanks for sharing. And I wish I could go to Italy, but it’s not in the cards for me just now. I’ll have to hear all about it when they get back
Family is so very important! And good friends as well! Glad you liked the post, Susanna…and regarding the Renaissance Retreat, perhaps 2014 for us…if Julie does it again. It really sounds like an amazing opportunity and experience.
It is good to hear of someone who has been in a relationship for so long – not something we hear of too often these days.
Hi Colline…thanks for stopping by and commenting! I won’t say a last relationship is always easy…we’ve had our share of bumps along the road…it’s definitely hard work…but worth it.
Shows though that you have not given up on it – and that you haven’t taken the easy way out
Vivian, you always tie Jake’s prompt in so beautifully about children, and today you covered all relationships.
My hubby always asks, (referring to marriage), “Do you want to right, or do you want to be happy?”
Oh, that makes me smile, Tracy…I’ve heard that before.
Is he the one that wants to be right…or are you? 
As long as one of the people in a relationship wants to be happy, instead of being right, you are good to go. 
Although I guess I,personally, don’t ever HAVE to be right…because I KNOW I am. 
So I guess you could say I am the one that wants to be happy. 
Hope that brought a smile to your face.
Beautiful post today Vivian. It moved me!
Oh Pat…thank you…every person is a precious being…to be treasured and cherished.
One of my favorite pieces of advice is: “The relationship is more important than being right about something.” Nice post Vivian.
What a wonderful insight…thank you so much for sharing this with us. How can we encourage people to step back from wanting to be right…and instead, start wanting to uplift each other?
Not sure that it’s a “battle” that can be won… looking at history. But, it can’t hurt for each of us to own our own stuff and work from there.
I think that is all we can do…own our own stuff.
Unless we are willing to give up a ‘normal’ life and become a full-time activist and either lobby or legislate. Perhaps we if we do our best to be loving and caring and nurturing and limit-setting and consequence-expecting and self-esteem building with our little circle of those we can influence, we will have done a good thing. 
I really appreciate your insightful comment…history is not encouraging. 
this is one of your best post Vivian…so many relevant points you talk about…loved it…and the images
Thanks so much, Jo! I appreciate your kind words…and I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. People are number one for me…things are just…things.
congratulations for sticking…a long marriage like yours is definitely inspirational
I like the fishing picture. Thankyou for following my blog. I will put yours on my reader too.
Thank you, Connie…we had a wonderful time on that fishing trip…our son came to visit from Chicago and we all went fly-fishing…what fun!
We always have fun when we go fishing…and we never keep the fish…it’s just lovely to be in that type of pastoral setting. For me, it’s a challenge to see if I can get the fish to take the fly…I’m thrilled when they get off the hook…then I don’t have to pick them up and unhook them.
Thanks for following me!
Sensational Christmas photo Vivian! I definitely know where I’m going wrong though- I almost never think before I open my mouth. Constantly averting disaster!
I’ve always wanted to see Florence and some day hope to persuade the better half, but will take a look at your friend’s visit plans, just in case.
Hahaha…well, speaking before one thinks is at least a little better than writing and posting before one thinks! Once you click the send button on the computer, your words will live on…forever!
The retreat is quite inviting, Jo…thanks for giving Julie’s plans a look-see!
Lovely interpretation of people.
Thanks for stopping by…glad you liked the entry into Jake’s Sunday Post.
Thank you so very much!
Loved this post and am salivating about that retreat!
Thank you, Lisa…glad you enjoyed the post!
The retreat is extremely inviting…I’m sorry I can’t swing it…but I wish I could.
It’s amazing, isn’t it, Lisa! I wish I could make it happen…but it’s just not in the cards for me. However, I wanted to let others know about it because there are still a couple of places left…and it is a super opportunity for any woman writer who wants to go to Europe!
Very giving post Vivian.
Italy will be a blast, I’m sure!
As for the book, I am associated with Friends for Mental Health – an organization that supports people who support their family members who are plagued with mental illness.
Within this area are of course – the children of people who are battling mental illness.
Friends for Mental Health run an art therapy/activity group for small groups of children to share and gain a good sense of themselves against difficult odds.
I think, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking, would be a wonderful tool for the animator. (It is in the Montreal area)
thanks for the wisdom here
Lesley…I so appreciate your thoughtful comment! I will be happy to enter the Friends for Mental Health in Montreal in the nominations to win a free copy of Show Me How! I’d also be grateful if you would pass the information along to their directors…the book is available for shipment to Canada through my website and also on Amazon.
The Renaissance Writer’s Retreat sounds amazing, I know.
Very nice post, Vivian. Thank you for visiting my blog – hope your day is a grand one!
Hi Carol…thanks for stopping by…glad you liked the post! Loved your blog.
Loved this post. Just the message we all need to hear now and again.
Thank you, Laura! Coke and all the big companies think it is worthwhile to spend billions of dollars on saying the same thing over and over in order to get people to buy their product. Perhaps if I continue to post about building self-esteem, helping kids gain confidence in themselves, using compassion and respect in all of our relationships…that message will be embraced by many.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
Beautiful post Vivian. I truly enjoyed reading it.
ps thanks so much for taking the time to look at my blog.
Thank you, Carol! Glad you liked the post…and I was happy to visit your wonderful blog.
“We all make mistakes…don’t be ashamed to say “I’m sorry!” Be consistent, be compassionate and think before you speak.”
Well said (x3), Vivian!
Thanks for the kind words, Nancy! Saying ‘I’m sorry’…and really meaning it…can smooth many bumpy roads.
And I guess if we are consistent, compassionate and think before we speak, we won’t be saying ‘I’m sorry’ too often.
This is a beautiful post. I’m glad I got it again via WP.
Glad you liked it, Eliz! Thanks so much for stopping by.
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