For now, all the girls are close.
Theyâre in town, really. Two in the same house. Plans changed for one and brought her back to Charlotte. Another will leave for school in the fall, but it wonât be far. The youngest? Sheâs got budding wanderlust in the 37th degree.
I donât blame her.
Sheâs the one who has lived in one town. Sheâs the one who has seen Charlotte – or east Charlotte, anyway – as only a waning wasteland of faltering lifestyle. They all want to see the world. I imagined Iâd be the one with a passport and plane ticket next to them.
I realized recently that any globetrotting they do will likely be without me.
Iâm grounded by the jobs and commitments that make our lives possible. No regrets, though. Through the years, to see them grow and yearn for surroundings beyond the 704 – or back to it, as was the case for one – is what we want for our kids.
Before the weekendâs up, here are three posts worth checking out on a lazy Sunday.
Why your attitude is everything
Keith, of Success Magazine
I had such a rough patch in December. Not much had changed going into January, except for my attitude. I discovered Success Magazine from work. My job is to encourage our Independent Business Owners to keep going. Sometimes, I need that reminder myself!
Your mind is a computer that can be programmed. You can choose whether the software installed is productive or unproductive. Your inner dialogue is the software that programs your attitude, which determines how you present yourself to the world around you. – Keith
Whatcha duin down in that hole??
Courtney, of Blog Me This
Probably the greatest moment for realizing the value of a friend are those times one isnât near. Then, stark value of one comes to light in the biggest way. Courtney captures beautifully just what kind of friend is the most golden in your time of need.
There is no judgment, blame or shame. There is an open heart ready to listen. And whatever you tell them will not go any further. It will not be on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram 5 min after you told them. – Courtney
Making space for who you and what you love with finite time
Britt, of Britt Skrabanek
I live best when I live in the moment. Itâs important to realize the value of those moments, especially for who and what we love. Brittâs post breaks down how our time isnât limitless with those we love – and how to make the most of what we have.
Prioritizing time for the things you love is pretty cut and dryâI want more of this in my life, so Iâm going to make time for it. What can be harder is choosing not to make time for the things that donât serve you. Which means, you have to learn to say âno.â – Britt
Let me know what you think of any of these posts in the comments!
Just a dad ... 
Great post, Eli. These blog posts were excellent and I noticed a theme. When we step off of the treadmill of consensus conditioning, and we begin to trust ourselves and choose accordingly, we reclaim our lives from the societal expectations we are taught from early on. We make better choices, we feel freer within and our relationships are so much better. Thank you for sharing these.
Thank you so much for sharing these posts with usâam always on the hunt for great new reads â¤ď¸ I love your dayghtersâ Wanderlusting hearts. Maybe the time isnât right for you right now, but that time will come and Iâm sure youâll enjoy the feel of that passport between your fingers and freedom in your bones. I miss those days too. Hopefully soon.
Also I try so hard to keep a positive mental attitude, because like you sharedâour minds really are computers that can get programmed. Thank you for the reminder, my friend. Xoxo
Thanks, Charlotte! I have a list of posts to use on weekends. I would love to be able to take the girls to see the world. Or at least Norfolk, Va. Maybe Boston.
It’s not easy always to maintain a positive mental attitude – but I think being open to it always helps. In my toughest times, I will fin myself feeling desolate. But something will trigger something positive … I’m just waiting for a reminder, and it hits.
love all of these choices that you shared – all about how we choose to live and not let it do what it wants with us. glad to hear about the girls, you know i totally identify with this
We have to schedule the priorities or the urgent will take over and our time slips away. Hope all of your girls get to see the world.
i can’t believe the girls are all old enough to fly the coop…surely not your baby, though.
My granddaughter left home at the weekend. She’s 22 and has never live away from home before – apart from some house/pet sitting. She’s moved in with two girlfriends from church and it is going to be very, very interesting. LOL she is not the tidiest of people. Mum is turning her bedroom into an office. Dad will miss her like crazy, but not her mess.
Awww…. You are the bestest! And that is actually one of my favorite posts. Sometimes I need to read my own words, huh? Thanks for the pingback! â¤