Advice from an empath...

There are so many things I want my grandchildren to know. I’m going to attempt to talk about the ones that I think are most important but know that there are likely many more things I have to say.

First, LOVE BIG - Love with all of your heart. See the good in people and the good in life. When you see the good, you feel good. If you look at the bad, you feel bad. Love is such a great feeling. Love can be directed to another person, an animal, a view, a feeling or some many other things.

Loving another person is such a wonderful feeling. It’s a sense of belonging and caring. When you feel that love back, there is not a better feeling in the world. Whether it be a friend, a parent, a child, a lover, a spouse, or any other family member, the feeling is amazing. I love so many people in the world and it makes me warm inside.

Jim, David, Tiffany, Isabelle, Jack, my brother Al, my sister-in-law CeCe, along with many other family members and many, many friends. And then the animals I have had over the years. I had Shelby for 16 years and even though she is gone, I love her so much. When I see a picture of her I remember how lucky I was to have had her for so long. And people I have loved and lost like my dad. I still have love for all of them.

ITS OK TO MAKE MISTAKES - Everyone makes mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up over it. You are loved and making a mistake does not change that.

BE PATIENT - Patience truly is a virtue. Without patience, you get stressed over things you shouldn’t. You can’t control others so being patient keeps you calm.

DO NOT JUDGE! EVER! - Never look at another at someone and assume you are better than them . You have no idea what other people are going through. You have been very blessed in your life but not everyone has. They may not have had the opportunity to learn the things you had the opportunity to learn. There are always two sides to every story. Maybe they didn’t have parents that helped them study, maybe they didn’t have a home with regular meals. You just never know what is going on so don’t be quick to judge.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF - You are amazing and can do whatever you want in life. You are beautiful, smart, funny and loving. Don’t ever let anyone convince you that you are not every one of those things.

LAUGH - Laughter really is the best medicine. Every morning, before I even get out of bed Jim and I find something to laugh about.

TRAVEL - Travel the world. Learn different cultures. Learn different languages. Be open to learning traditions in other cultures. See the world with wide open eyes and take it all in . Enjoy the sights. There is so much beauty in the world.

To summarize, love life, love people, love yourself!

I love you so much Isabelle and Jack!