Tonight as I stood outside appreciating the beautiful day we had, I started talking to a neighbor with whom I just absolutely adore.  A few things came to mind during those few minutes interacting with him.  Our initial conversation stemmed from the landscaping we were doing and the stone wall currently being built out back.  As we stood there admiring the work being done by my landscaping team, I thought to myself how cool it was that even though we were both supposed to be doing other things (I who deserted my husband during dinner preparation and he who was cleaning up the yard for guests who were soon to arrive from out of town), we decided to take that time out and just talk anyway.  We don’t usually do that.  It is always GO-GO-GO!!! 

     Even though it was initially all about the wall and the landscaping, it quickly turned into an unexpected conversation about the two empty lots next door and the kind of people we would want to have build on them.  I told him about these two couples that are interested.  I tried to describe them to him and the first thing that came to mind was that they are family and they really wanted to live beside each other so that they could help raise each other’s children.  How cool is that?  It takes a VILLAGE…Right?  The next thing I said while trying to describe them was how they are the type of people whom by just simply being around them, you automatically want to be a better person. They have this love for children that is incredible.  He just smiled.  Then you could see the wheels spinning as he thought about what I had said.  “It takes a village,” he said.  I agreed. 

      It was getting pretty dark out and we sat and pondered that for a bit.  He then told me how he had been thinking about things like this a lot lately.  About the importance of surrounding yourself with people who have a positive energy and people who aren’t always knocking others down.  He wants more of that in his life as do I.  Do you have people like that in your life?   People who just have that energy.  People who build you up instead of drag you down.  I find myself striving more and more for that energy…for those kind of people.  I want to be more like that myself, MORE LIKE THEM.  Those who build you up… those who aren’t judging others all of the time, those who do not advertise their good deeds but instead do them in private with no need for recognition…those who are not always trying to one up you with material possessions in this life that is SO temporary. 

    Which person are you?  Have you ever sat back and thought about it for a little while?  If I am to be completely honest with myself for a moment, I think I have been both of those people.  I have discovered that the more I surround myself with people who are judgmental, the more judgmental I become.  The more I am around people who are negative, the more negative I become.  Personally, I find it absolutely exhausting being that negative person and I know it is exhausting to others because I have been on both ends of the spectrum.  The more I am near those who are giving, positive and kind, the more I want to be that way.  The more authentic and true I am to myself, the more authentic I am to others.  It is not rocket science, it is just all about positive or negative energy and which one you choose to create.  I love to draw on the positive energy of others.  It is absolutely infectious.   

     My neighbor has said he has felt that feeling of people who just suck the energy right out of you like a vampire.  We laughed about that.  We have all been there.  I do not want to be that person…that vampire…that negative energy.  Which one are you?  Think about it for a moment if you will…

Who are you?  Who are you…REALLY?  Are you AUTHENTIC?  Do you build others up or tear them down?  Do you take time out to be giving even when you don’t really have the time?  Are you really in check with the blessings in your life or do you always just have to have MORE?  Is your IDENTITY your THINGS? 

     I cannot speak for you, only myself.  I would say I have some work to do.  I would also say I have a lot to give and a lot that I do give.  I would say that I am unbelievably blessed in my life and grateful for those blessings.  I would say that I need to work harder at building those in my life UP.  I would say that sometimes I take my loved ones for granted.  I would say that I need to be more a part of that “Village” everyone always talks about.  I would say there is always room for improvement but man is this life short.  I would say there is no time like the present…No time like NOW. 

Just some food for thought… 

~N