Open up POSSIBILITIES!

Photo taken by ~ Douglas McCall

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” ~Shel Silverstein

Today's entry is going to take a slightly different turn.  Normally, I get up, search the self-acceptance quotes and find something to reflect on that speaks to me.  If you are getting to my Blog through Facebook (which 99% of you are) then you know that I am currently in St. Louis, MO.  I am here for a conference..a music education research conference.  While I have gained some great information to take back to the classroom...this conference has meant a great deal more to me.

Yesterday afternoon, I took some time out to "be a tourist."  I only went 2 places, the Shriner's Hospital and the Gateway Arch.  Both were inspiring.  If you ever have the opportunity to visit a Shriner's Hospital, Mason or not, you should.  These hospitals' sole mission is to provide specialists medical care for children at no cost to the family.  Transportation is even covered by the Shrine Temple in the city the child is from.  The local Shriner's drive the child/family to the hospital (even if it several states away) and wait with them.  These generous men, through their time, industry and money, open up possibilities for these kids that they would not normally have.

While I was in St. Louis, I saw the Gateway Arch multiple times from a distance.  I must admit....among the 30 and 40 story sky-scrapers, the Arch is not quite as impressive.  I have no doubt that when it was built, it was magnificent, but as time has marched on...it is now buried in a metropolis.

However, when I arrived at the base of the Arch, it was a very different experience.  I started off by walking down to the shore of the Mississippi River.  At this point in the river, the river did not seem that wide, but to the early settlers and the Western expansionists, I am sure crossing it with covered wagons was a truly daunting task.  Our ancestors opened up possibilities for an entire nation.

I did all the "tourist" things....took pictures of the Arch, rode the tram to the top of the Arch and took some more pictures.  Interesting to note, there is an entire National Park underneath the Arch.  You can't see it when you are looking at the Arch, but once you find it, it is very impressive.

Then I sat....at the base of the Arch...and read.  I probably sat there for an hour or more.  It was wonderful, I am currently reading several books, but yesterday I was reading One Person/Multiple Careers by Marci Alboher.  It is a very good read, I highly recommend it.  After some quiet reflection...in a place where so many people embraced the possibilities ahead them, I realized that Cheerful Acceptance is about embracing possibilities.  It is the act of accepting who you are so that you can move forward and size control of all the possibilities ahead of you.

What possibilities lie ahead of you today?  Can you find just 5 minutes to change the self-talk, accept who you are use the that acceptance to open up a new possibility for you? Have a GREAT day!