10 Things

List ten things you would hope to be remembered for...

Wow. Well this has a plethora of possibilities. I will try to be realistic but it is a strange hour of the morning so I can make no promises. Haha!

1. My willingness to listen without judging. Honestly, I find it amusing how many people come and talk to me about their deep thoughts and hurts. I do not know what causes them to open up to me (which makes it hard to answer them when they ask why they would tell me when they do not normally share such things with others...) but whatever it is, I am grateful that I have it. It gives me the feeling of... purpose.

2. My writing. I am constantly working on something it would seem even though it is not always the same piece. To be completely truthful, I have at least 20 stories (if not more) floating about my computer memory and also saved on my little memory stick (I cannot as of right now remember what it is called... a jump drive?). I know people like my writing, the way I write and my ideas... it is simply a matter of sticking to the project and finishing a great work. Perhaps one of these days...

3. The good things I have said rather than the less thoughtful words that might slip from my tongue. I mean, lately there have often been times when I remember things that my parents or ecclesiastical leaders have said that have built me up or reminded me to stay on the right path. Although I might remember a few choice words that I would have wished never to have heard from my parents, they are not the first ones to cross my mind when someone asks me about my parents. Believe it or not (Mom), when this question comes up a flood of the good memories come and I am thankful that the Lord blessed me with such influence in my life that I can draw experience from for later when I may not know what else to do.

4. My hugs. I love hugs. I love to give hugs just about as much as I love to receive them. Why? Oh, it is a rather simple thing. Because I know how good I feel when someone stops to take the time to embrace me (even when I am having a good day and do not particularly NEED the uplift) I want to "spread the love" so to speak. It was rather confusing a few months back when a certain person I knew complained that my hugs were simply too much. I never really thought that one would need to change their hugs from person to person. I mean, sure, there are some people that I give more meaningful hugs to than others but I never would have thought that I would be told that my hugs were too overwhelming. Well, to each his own I suppose.  But most others I hug love my hugs and I am good with that. 

5. My constant smile. "Do your best not to frown, you never know who is falling in love with your smile." I am not sure who said that but I remember hearing or reading it once in the eighth grade and it has stuck with me ever since. Not to say that I am always smiling for I have down days just like everyone else, but how much easier it is to smile and how much more uplifting it is when you trigger smiles in those around you! Side story-- I always found it funny in my Leadership class back in high school how, on those days when I was not displaying my usual sunny smile, my teacher would take one look at me, ask if I was okay and promptly tell me that I could take it easy that day and continue down the line of students making assignments for this or that (this also was the case whenever Maria was not in attendance but you know...). So apparently, when I smile I look healthier and of a better mood. Weird, I know. Haha! But really, I love the feeling that comes through smiling at others and getting a response that is in kind with what you have given. It simply makes the world go 'round.

6. My love of Christmas and all things pertaining to the season that surrounds the holiday. Sure, Scrooge may have made history with his "Bah, humbug!" ways but how much better would it be to be known for loving Christmas always? Not letting oneself be completely let down if the traditions that you have grown up with are not seen to, or if you did not get what you "wanted" for Christmas. To be sure, I love all the gift giving and cookie frosting and family time that usually happens around this time of year but I pray that I never lose sight of the real "reason for the season". Really. Think of it. Without Christ having been born, we would not have Christmas (or if we did, I doubt it would have quite the same spirit around it).  Every one with a birthday (which of course means everyone, period) is worth celebrating and how fitting that on this one birthday of the year, that celebrates the birth of the One who came to Earth and gave it all, we would celebrate it by giving gifts to each other and not just to one person. It is an act of service, I think, and in doing such we are serving Christ if we are doing our giving in love and the Spirit of Christ(mas).  I cannot express to you how much it pains me to not have enough to give to everyone I love but I know that someday, somehow I will have the means and at that time I hope to give my all, my whole heart along with those thoughts and gifts. 

7.  My cookies. Laugh if you will but I know that some of my favorite memories of my Grandma (my dad's mom) are of the times she would make food for my family and me. For example: when we would be in Arcata/Eureka for a Sunday, after we went to church, we would go to her's and Grandpa's home and could pretty much bank on the fact that she had made a fresh loaf of white bread on which she would put generous helpings of egg salad and cut them in half for us. It was a simple thing but the love in it is what made it so memorable. I love my Grandma and miss her. She always remembered that I did not especially like Snickers (although everyone else in the family loved them) and thus when she and Grandpa would come to visit she would bring a bag of Snickers and a bag of Milkyways. "Remember that Cassidy gets the most Milkyways," she would always say before putting the bags on the table for us to omnom on to our hearts' content (or at least until Mom drew the line). It truly broke my little 11 year old heart (if I remember the time correctly) the first time Grandpa came to visit after Grandma's passing. He brought one bag of candy and remembered that "everyone" loved Snickers. He tried so hard to fill both his own shoes and those left by Grandma that I could not turn down the offered candy making sure to eat two or three in his sight and thank him for them. (Eventually I acclimated and started to like Snickers.) I cannot wait to see them again.

8. My tender heart. I know, kind of opposite of the whole smiling thing but still. I am kind of ridiculously fragile at times. This does not always lead to tears but once my trust is broken or my good thoughts of a person are marred it is kind of hard to get back on good terms with me simply because I do not like to be hurt by the same person more than once (seeing as being hurt once is once too many). But of all my weaknesses, this would be the one I would not be so ashamed of people remembering. 

9. My family. Why? Because, I would like to think that by the end of my days I would still have a good relationship with all my loved ones and have people know how much I love them and the reasons that I love them aside from their being the closest people to me. 

10. My testimony.