Footprints
What footprint do you want to leave on this earth, after you are gone?
1.
Mind: Do you want there to be more knowledge,
truth, and clarity in the world (concerning what?)?
We don’t know what we
don’t know yet. From my experience, we can only make decisions based on what we
know. We have no choice as to where we are born or whom we have as parents.
Sometimes the best of families have a great outlook on life because they had to
work hard to get value in their lives. Although, I didn’t have a wealthy
upbringing, I had a vast wealth of knowledge about my surroundings than others
because I grew up on a farm and learned how to be self-sufficient. I would love
to teach my children to balance work and play, family and self, experience and
exploration to be able to learn as much as they can about the environment that
they find themselves in. I would rather leave a legacy full of life experiences
that teaches my children to explore.
2.
Body: Do you want there to be more
wholeness, fitness, and health in the world, more feeding of the hungry and
clothing of the poor? What issue in particular, in this area, do you want to
work on?
I have always wanted
to open an old fashioned general store with bulk foods and soda fountain. I
started the business plan a few years ago and called it ‘PinchSugar’ after a
cooking term that learned from my grandmother’s cookbook. This store would be
designed to look like an old general store and the merchandise would be what
you would get from a Bulk Barn. It would have rows of glass jars with a
selection of bulk baking items and recipes to try. I grew up eating homegrown
foods from our own garden and preparing everything from scratch. I try to cook
as often as I can for my children so we don’t eat much processed foods. Baking
from scratch not only saves money but it can be therapeutic as we get out of
our fast paced environment to travel in the slow food movement and spend more
time with our families. I would love to see this dream business a reality and
more people cook wholesome meals with their families.
3.
Eyes & Other
Senses: Do you want
there to be more beauty in the world, because you were here? "What
specifically do you want your life to contribute towards-- art, music,
photography, clothing...etc?"
I love photography and capturing a
moment in time to remember how I felt at a specific time. We can never get time
back and by taking a picture we can at least take the memory with us. I started
this thing a few years ago of taking a picture of the kids with their hands
reaching for the sky, at different places on certain milestone days. This helps
us celebrate where we have been and what we have accomplished. I want my
children to take those memories with them because those moments will eventually
be a blip in time and become a part of who they are as people.
4.
Heart: Do you want there to be more love and
compassion in the world (for what?for whom?)?
It’s hard to believe
we still live in a world where senseless and cruel acts are still happening.
Society has lost the very reason they are existing….their connections from the
heart. (heartstrings) We met and greet many people, who and why we meet we may
never fully understand what makes it all work. I would like to leave my
footprint that I have made a difference in my friends, family’s life by being
present when I am with them….truly present and there for them. Compassion
starts from self, if we take care and honor ourselves we can be at peace with
who we are then we can share that with our immediate family and friends. We are
only as good as our inner thoughts. I taught my children to ‘Pay it forward’
and to participate in volunteer work at a young age. We have been very lucky to
have people pay things forward to us when we were in need and it’s important
that we as a family continue that nature of giving and ‘pay it forward’ to
someone else.
5.
Will / Conscience: Do you want there to be more
morality, justice, righteousness, and honesty in the world? "If so, what
areas of human life or history in particular?"
If I can help others
appreciate what they have and learn to be leaders in their own lives then I
would feel that I am successful. Having character and integrity goes hand in
hand with being able to be an example and lead ourselves to reach higher goals.
My focus is my moral compass and rationalizing my actions based on what I want
to present to the world as my character. How we conduct ourselves during trials
and tribulations becomes the armor that we wear. When can protect ourselves
against those things in life that are uncomfortable by staying true to where
our moral compass is pointing and the direction we want to do. I love to read
and research stories of people going above and beyond their expectations.
Lately, I have been reading about Romeo Dallaire and what he endured to save
the Rwandans from genocide in 1994. He was up against all odds as the world
just watched and didn’t help to stop close to a million people from being
killed (20% of country’s total population) His commitment to his moral compass
to help and protect those in need has earned him the honors and recognition
beyond measure but has left him with post traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) that
he carries in his heart for those who he couldn’t save.
My footprint would be
to make changes in the way we education society about PTSD and mental illness
caused by trauma. We are strong but still soft and squishy; we can get hurt if
do not take care of how we react to what happens to us. Sometimes the worst
scars are not seen by felt by the heart and mind. If I can find a way to help
people realize their potential to overcome hardships then I feel it is a good
moral direction for me.
6.
Human Spirit: Do you want there to be more faith,
compassion, and forgiveness in the world? What ages of people or what parts of
human life draws you in?
If I could focus on
anything in the future, it would be the value of forgiveness. We can be our worst
enemy by living in the past and holding onto past expectations. People change
but sometimes we don’t change our expectation of them and we are left
disappointed. If I could leave less baggage and carry more free thought then it
would allow me to grow into new directions that I may not have seen before.
7.
Entertainment: Do you want there to
be more lightening of peoples' loads, laughter, and joy in the world?
I think spending time
with loved ones can never be replaced. A quote I really like is “Life isn’t
measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our
breath away”.
I try to make the
most out of life and explore new possibilities each day. Part of my career goals
is to be a research manager, business consultant or life coach. If I can help
someone achieve a life’s dream, then I would feel accomplished as well.
8.
Possessions: Do you want there to be better
use of resources, more and savings in the world? A greater emphasis on quality;
not quantity?
Since I grew up in a self-sufficient
environment, I would like to go back to that way of living after I have
successfully completed my employment years. I love being able to grow a garden
and recycle pieces to make art or make use of something again. My dad is very
good at taking anything and making something new so it can be used again. I
would want to be more resourceful and less commercial because we only have one
planet and its best to keep it healthy.
9.
Earth: Do you want there to be more protection
of the planet and more exploration of the world (as opposed to exploitation)?
I think we still have a lot to
discover about ourselves, our planet and each other. At times I don’t believe
we are the only life forms but I have not proven theory on that so it’s best to
not worry too much about it. It’s
amazing how we overlook such beauty in the way nature exists and function. It
continues to grow no matter what we do, somewhere, something is growing. I would like to take the time to really truly
enjoy this planet by travelling to remote places to see and experience the
world from a different perspective. I would rather backpack across a country
and experience the local flare than to be in a spa on a resort.
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