Kamara Marsh

On the cusp of one of my milestone birthdays earlier this year, I came up with the following list of “golden nuggets of truth” learned from being grateful for a life well lived:

∫ Giving to others far exceeds receiving.

∫ Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.

∫ I’d rather be remembered for my good qualities (like being kind, compassionate, etc.) than for my accomplishments.

∫ Choosing to be at peace with others is better than striving to be right.

∫ There is a big difference between listening to others and actually hearing them.

∫ Fighting to be first to speak often establishes a good reason why something shouldn’t have been said in the first place.

∫ The quality time spent with those we love will stand out in our memory more than the menial tasks that we were striving to complete.

∫ Being kind to someone for the sake of looking good to others defeats the purpose of being kind.

∫ Being angry is never without reason, but very seldom a good one.

∫ Letting the day end being angry not only ruins a good night’s sleep, but can cause lasting damage to relationships with those who mean the most to us.

∫ The worst day with a loved one we’ve lost is far better than the best day without them.

∫ We can’t fully comprehend joy until we’ve experienced deep sorrow.

∫ True strength is developed during times when we’re at our weakest.

∫ You don’t have to let someone else’s opinion about you define who you are and who you become.

∫ Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.

∫ Knowledge is gained by first accepting how ignorant we really are.

∫ Some of the happiest moments in life are often the smallest ones.

My hope is that after reading this you will be more cognizant of what you value most during the upcoming holiday season that is soon approaching, and make conscious decisions that bring you closer to what (or who) is most important to you.

Kamara Marsh is a Michigan-made Licensed Professional Counselor and award-winning artist from East Lansing now residing in Alpena, where she combines her gifts of art and healing to reach the world, one person at a time. She can be reached at esimorp@att.net.