Author Archives: mrssmithslifeunexpected

The idea that we are somehow safe and can pursue our lives with little thought towards risk is a hallmark of our civilization. We have comfortable homes we live in. Most of our jobs are not so physically challenging they could cause us injury. We drive to and fro and even travel long distances inContinue reading “Safety is an Illusion”

Life is a mystery. We think we have a plan, that we have it all figured out. That is a comfortable lie we tell ourselves to get through our days. In reality, the story line turns on a dime, throwing all well made plans in disarray. We have no way of knowing how the storyContinue reading “Don’t Wait”

Life rolls on. One day follows another. We make plans. We set goals. We work. We sleep. We dream. We think we have a clear vision of the future, and then the fog rolls in…and there we are. What was once so visible is now shrouded in mist. What we once believed achievable is reducedContinue reading “It is OK to Pause.”

Sometimes, well a lot of the time, things do not work out as we would like. Life is as full of disappointment as our heads are full of expectations. How a body weathers disappointment has a lot to do with determining a person’s quality of life. Quality of life has more to do with whatContinue reading “Gaining Traction After Disappointment”

This year is winding down. Looking over my shoulder at the tumultuous path, I can’t believe we made it this far. So much has happened in our little world that has forced us to focus on things closer to home and on the people who matter the most. Left struggling with what it takes toContinue reading “I Can See Clearly Now”

Everyday when we engage the world around us, our attitude has more influence over how we fare than almost any other variable. There are instances throughout the day we make unconscious decisions about our circumstances that cause us to veer off the track we would prefer. Life is not simple. Things are not black andContinue reading “Gratitude 2022”

Life rolls on hour by hour, day by day in a mostly ordinary way. Looking out my windshield at the world, I wonder where we are all going in such a hurry. Life seems so frenetically paced anymore and our purpose oblique. We get up and get busy. We need to do this and weContinue reading “Lost in the Mundane”

The Autumnal Equinox is here, Summer has ended. The days are getting noticeably shorter. There is a coolness to the nights promising an end to the stifling humid summer air. Swimming pools have closed, school buses are rolling and the rhythm of daily life is settling in. With every seasonal change a sense of anticipationContinue reading “Autumn is Rolling In”

Stepping outside one’s comfort zone is never easy. The higher the motivation and greater the passion for the thing that drives one to expand one’s horizons; the easier it is to take that step into the unknown. Stepping into the unknown is a venture that inevitably leads to personal growth. Growth can sprout from obstaclesContinue reading “An Introvert Pretending to be Extroverted, Vending at Festivals.”

We start out life with the building blocks of genetic and familial traits. These are the most rudimentary building blocks that we have to work with as we develop our personality and approach to life. Many things go into the mix that makes us into the person we become. Our immediate family has tremendous influence,Continue reading “What I do is Who I am”