It's a Goode Life: Common Sense Commentary ~ GOODEness Gracious

My husband says I am chalk full of "common sense commentary" as he calls it. Now this is usually not said in an endearing way...but rather an "ok smarty pants " kind of look. Truth be told I think he might enjoy some of my random observations (as long as they aren't during a movie and involve me pointing out why a certain scene really isn't possible...).

So, in honor of yet another year gone by, I present to you:

Common Sense Commentary: Random Observations of 2009

A kind ear and smile is the best gift you can give someone who is having a bad day.
People truly rise and fall according to the bar of expectation you set for them. Same is true for the bar you set for yourself.
Your thought life is your life's navigator. It can lead you to spiritual fulfillment, peace, success, destruction, turmoil or hell on earth. Self-fulfilling prophesies are truly amazing things.
If someone wants to show you their butt--either literally or figuratively--there is really nothing you can do but step aside and let them. It doesn't matter whether they are 2 , 20 , 45 or 90 years old .
You should never limit your goals or dreams based off of your current resources or circumstances.
God's love still conquers all.
It truly is amazing what you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit (thank you very much Mr. Truman)
You should always take more pictures and video of your kids... even if you take them everyday ;)
Playdoh and storybooks can remedy about any kind of bad day --whether it is a boo boo on the playground or a tough day in the board room.
2 year olds are the reason parents consider having babies again (NO, I am not hinting at anything--just observing how little rug-rats can tug on baby strings)
Some people are mean, but most are just different... different goals, values and interests. You are wise to recognize the difference in yourself and others and respond accordingly.
There are very few things that are as black and white as the paint most people brush them with. There are 2 sides to every story and most things are far more complex than a 30 second sound bite.
Some folks are full of themselves. Feel sorry for them. They aren't in on the joke.
"Always" and "never" should always be avoided and never be used in peace-oriented discussions.
Outside of professional work, there are more important things than grammar and spelling. While we should all strive for proper writing skills in our social realm, demanding perfection in others regarding simple mistakes needlessly embarrasses them.

To put it bluntly-- if you don't know the difference between there, their and they're or your and you're-- I still care about your thoughts more than your grammar. (Feel free to email me if you want to know the difference, but by all means don't be intimidated by it :) ).

For those of you who care about this, I don't mean to step on your toes. I just know how silly I feel when my mental glitch kicks in and I automatically put "their" in every sentence. I KNOW the difference, but my brain misfires--kind of like when I write "the" when I mean to write "they". (Stepping off soapbox)
Most people just want to be heard. If you listen, you might learn something.
Life should be approached as a young child approaches life. Excitement, anticipation and unapologetic enjoyment. Have you ever met a sarcastic 2 year old?
Jazz is good for the soul and the creative mind.
A kind word can heal a hurting heart or help someone see something in themselves they have never seen before.
An open door and open mind can build up a person and a team.
Dreading something is often far worse than the something you are dreading.
Sometimes people disappoint you, but that is ok. Adjust your expectations and move on. What they do is on them. How you respond is on you.
A wise man recently told me: Everyone has an agenda, don't apologize for it. Be transparent and proud of what you stand for.
Some people just want what they can take from you, others want to contribute to the value of your life. It is wise to recognize the difference and respond accordingly.
Making something great happen for someone else is truly one of life's joys.