This blog measures up!

A few days ago, Jude honoured me with a This Blog Measures Up award, and to officially accept it, I have to do three things, 1. Say something nice to a man in my life, 2. List 6 ways you measure success in your life, and 3, choose five bloggers you think measure up, and pass the award onto them. ...Well, I’ve been putting this off because I honestly didn't know if I could fulfill my obligation to accept the award.

I don't have many men in my life - there's the guy at the corner store, my partner's brother, and her father, and one or two online friends, but that wasn’t the problem; I figured what the heck, the fellow I end up choosing to say something nice to would probably look at me quizzically for a few moments before or after he smiled, and then it would be over with. I mean, what harm would come of it, right? Most people think I’m a bit odd anyway.

The problem I’ve been having, however, is with the second part of the requirements. You see, I've been thinking that I've not been very successful in my life. I haven't done anything special really, I've not accomplished much of anything, I don’t have a job, other than my newspapers, - haven’t had one for nearly 20 years, and I've not even been able to live up to my own expectations and values, let alone anyone elses. How do I measure success if I feel I’ve not been successful?

I’ve been thinking about this, and it’s funny you know, how the stuff life throws at you seems to be so very relevant to where your head is at the time. It’s as if the mere act of your thinking somehow causes the universe to send you the resources you are needing to get on with your thoughts and consequently, your life. So I’ve been thinking about these things, and then last night, somewhere around eleven thirty it hit me; I've been measuring myself up to ideals not to reality. And I have many things I've yet to do before I can expect to live up to those ideals, and even if I'm never able to, success can still be measured by the acknowledgment of the effort put towards those goals.

My successes are my own no matter how small they may seem if I look at them out of context. They have to do with where I am now in my life, not where I hope to be at some future time. It is after all the journey that counts, and so without further explanation, here are six ways I recently have to measure success in my life.

1. The fact that I'm finally, after so many years of inaction, taking responsibility for my life and doing what I need to do to move ahead, one step at a time.

2. After 10 years of discord, my partner and I are finally getting along better than we ever have, and for the first time in our relationship we can both honestly say we are truly happy to be together.

3. Over these last four months I've written a couple of stories that I am very proud of. I've joined the Victoria Writer's Society, I've read one of my stories during an open mike night, and I've sent another off to a publisher, for approval or disapproval, come what may. I am taking steps to fulfill a promise that I've made to myself, that I will one day be a published writer.

4 I joined a local social group, and went to a party this past Friday night, without knowing anyone there, without my partner, who stayed at home with a cold, and, after having isolated myself for so long that I lost most, if not all, confidence in my ability to deal with face to face interaction. I had a wonderful time, and I volunteered to help the organizer of the group maintain a portion of the groups website, and I think I’ve met a few woman who could possibly become friends.

5. I have friends in my life who I know will be there for me when I need them, who have been there even when things have gotten rough, and who know themselves I will do the same for them however I can.

6 Well that's it; I’m afraid I’m unable to meet the numerical requirements of the award, but they are more than enough for me, because right now after having written this I'm feeling much better about myself, and the mere fact that I am now able to measure those successes in a realistic way, I think, is the biggest success of all. ... Oh, I guess that's number six. :)

Oh, I almost forgot, when I went to the corner store this morning, I told the fellow behind the counter that he was such a nice guy when he took three cents out of his own pocket to cover my having been short changed for my purchases. He smiled and said, “I try to be.” ... Three cents isn’t very much I know, but some people set such restriction on themselves and on others, that there’s no room for acceptance or charity.

Now comes the easy part of meeting the requirements to officially accept this award,, choosing five who I think measure up and passing on the award.

1 Annie, because her determination and passion for writing has been an inspiration to me and I am sure to so many others who read her blog.

2 Lane, because she has a wonderful way with words that comes from her heart, as well as from her astute observations and ability to translate what she sees into something we can all relate to, even if we’ve never experienced it before ourselves.

3 Helen, for being someone who’s living the life, but still doesn’t have an ounce of pretension, and is one of the sweetest, on the road to success, people I have ever met.

4 Tomfoolery, for having the soul of an artist, a poet, a writer, and, an all around very decent human being, who just happens to be very clever and witty in her communications with others. Not everyone misunderstands your meaning TF. :)

5 Gypsy, because I enjoy her photography, and because she was one of the women that I met at the party on Friday night, who I’d like to get to know better, and who for some reason, piped up while I was introducing myself, and told everyone that she thought my writing was great. Thank you Gypsy, you have no idea how that helped with my being able to relax and just be myself that night.