Dreary day today. I enjoy a dreary day every now and then. Makes for good napping and enjoyable book reading but I did neither today. I was glued to the tv watching college football and tea partying. The clouds were spitting rain when I walked Penelope. The birds loved it, so did the squirrels. Had more birds today than on the last sunny day. Father Sky drew another melted vanilla ice cream colored overcast sky today and his clouds kept the blue sky from peeking through. He kept the clouds so close together I didn’t get to see Mother Nature’s watercolor painting of the sunset.

I seem to miss Chiefy more on these overcast rainy days. I know we’d be sitting but the fire in the library reading a book. He’d be reading some presidential tome or collection of obscure poetry and I’d be reading something unscholarly or the latest best seller. It’s so romantic to sit by a roaring fire, content and quietly reading, listening to the fire crackling, and look up and see the one you love looking back. Many happy memories sitting by the fire in the library with him. Be kind to your love ones and let them know every day how important they are to you. We never know what tomorrow will bring.

My quote ghost writer cousin sent me some quotes today. She loves quotes, too, and occasional sends me some she’s found. I love this one and it set me to pondering today in the lady den. It’s attributed to Neil Gaiman. “The only thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as you can.”

We are all definitely unique and march to the beat of our own drums. Some of us travel our life in step with the crowd, never bold or courageous enough to step out of line and make our own path with our own drum. I’m a coward and don’t march well by myself but I’m learning that I can step out by myself and make it on my own. I’m old enough to realize that I can control my drum sticks. The beat I choose is of my own making. I think that’s one of the perks of being older. It’s okay to just say, “No,” if I don’t want to. I can sit in the swing and watch the birds all day long if I want. No pressing family needs dictating me a schedule.

We all have a story to tell that no one else can tell. If we stay in step with our dreams, we’ll have wonderful stories and experiences to share with our families and grandchildren. We can collect our families’ stories and pass them along. We need to write these stories down. As older members of our families die, we have no one to answer our questions on family history. When we McMurrays’ gather for our holiday dinners, the stories of our childhood antics make us all choke with laughter. The young ones need to write our antics down before we’re gone. Well, never mind, they might have to do some powerful editing!

We all have our own voice, our own vision and our own mind. We can use our voices kindly or harshly. We can criticize or compliment. We should think well before we speak. A word spoken in anger never goes away. My daddy use to tell us, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, keep your mouth shut.” That’s good advice cause once you verbalize it, you can’t take those words back.

We all need to play, too, and learn how to let go and let the wind ruffle our hair. I don’t think we ever get to old that we can’t enjoy a good time and a good laugh. This summer I inner tubed down the Toccoa River in Blue Ridge, Georgia, with my grandchildren. This was the most fun I’ve ever had. I felt like a child, laughing and screaming, and for a few moments experienced the pure joy of being a child again at 67 years old.

I hope I never get to old to play and dance and enjoy life. I might be at Shady Oaks one day, but my friends and I can break out the Scrabble board or split up the poker chips for a rowdy game of Texas Hold’em. The Lord wants us to dance in the sunshine and splash in the rain puddles. Play is not just for children. Playing fuels your imagination, creativity, and improves our mental health. And don’t forget to dance along with the music in your life.

We have to have faith in God’s plan for our lives. God wants us to have a joyful and purposeful life. He wants us to spread his life and love to those around us. We only get one chance at living in this beautiful, wonderful world. Let’s each make a conscious effort to write and draw and build and play and dance and love and live.

“But whatever you do, find the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it. And you will make a difference that lasts. You will not waste your life.” — John Piper