“Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are.” Jose Ortega Gasset

Good morning and happy Monday! Yesterday I felt about as good as I have in months. Maybe that was because of who I got to spend time with, but is wonderful to feel so much better. This will probably be my only post this week. Natalie is on spring break and she and I are getting away together. Looking forward to spending time with her, relaxing and hopefully both of us rejuvenating a little.

I am very fond of the quote. “Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are.” Think about that for a few minutes. To what do you pay attention? And maybe just as important. Why, do you pay attention to that?

What I pay attention to is directly connected to what I truly value. What I pay attention to are things that I believe matter and things I have given value.

When I examine my life there have been times that has been healthy and there have also been times that has been very unhealthy. For me personally this idea is connected to who or what has impacted my belief about what really matters.

Here is a big, big idea from Paul in Romans. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2

Having a terminal brain tumor has caused me to focus on what really matters to me. I have been working on that for years. I made the connection to mind set and began to understand that the patterns of the world were not always consistent with what I believed really mattered.

I do not get to tell you what should matter. That is your decision. I can share what matters to me and I can and will listen to what matters to you and why it matters to you. I would also want that conversation to include. What are some patterns of the world that maybe really don’t matter in the long run? How has the culture we live in impacted our beliefs about what matters that simply create stress, anxiety, depression, shame and disappointment?

You matter and how you live your life matters. “Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are.”

I experienced on of my life’s greatest joys yesterday. My 5 day old grandson slept on my chest for over an hour. Liam is my second grandchild. Amelia, 14 months old my first and she also took a long nap on Grandpa’s chest her first week of life. Grandchildren are one of the greatest joys on the planet. I have and as long as I am alive will pay very close attention to my grandchildren. So who am I?

I am Grandpa Mead and it is one of my life’s greatest joys and blessings.

You are loved and of great value. Have a beautiful week and I hope to be back soon.

Peace,