A little inspiration

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
~Theodore Roosevelt

Thank you to those who have gone before and failed, later to succeed at their dreams; not only failed, but failed miserably and given the rest of us inspiration to keep dreaming and striving. Thank you to those who know living life to fullest, at times, means hard work, sweating, and wanting something so bad you are willing to fail again and again, until you succeed.

I'm in the arena, and although I have seen defeat, I'm learning how to win - because once you step into the arena if you're listening, sweating, starting to make your way through the punches and more persistent than the one throwing the punches, victory can't be far. The old saying for success is right: if you fall down seven times get up eight. The best part of stepping into the arena is feeling life.

Step into the arena. You'll know your living.

A new way to be healthy

If your play interrupts your work, you're healthy. If work interrupts your play,
you're broke. ~James O'Hara

As an adult/parent, finding time to play can be a challenge. Taking the time to play can be another type of challenge; like when the time actually arrives and a nap sounds so enticing. How easy it is to forget how to play like a little kid, with no time restraints except for bedtime.

I'm reminded to let me kids play and enjoy their "free" time before so many other activities and school start to take the time up. I hope they will learn to use their imaginations, and continue to let them grow and wander.

I think I need to be healthier; let more play time interrupt my work.