October Life Lessons and Love

I love October. It’s my favorite month. This was a great October. However, I must admit that there was a rough week in there. A really rough week. It was the week before my birthday. I let a couple of incidents bring me down. I certainly learned a lot of hard lessons this month. It was a real eye opener. Lessons that open your eyes are always good. Lessons that open your heart are even better. After my anger subsided, I learned a lot about compassion, respect and understanding. And another good part is…after you are down, the only way back is up! That’s the best part.

So on this Sweet Monday, I am grateful for life lessons and love. I will continue to learn and grow. I know that there will be ups and there will be downs. Today, I will focus on the ups.

*I am grateful for birthdays.

I arrived to work the Thursday before my birthday to a decorated cubicle courtesy of my co-worker. It was so thoughtful. I loved it. It lifted my spirits. It was a great way to start a birthday.

My aunt took me to a tea house for my birthday. She invited my daughter (who came all the way from San Diego just to be there) and my other aunt. We had such a good time. We went to the tea house on my actual birthday. It was nice to have a birthday this year on a Saturday. It was a fun and relaxing way to start the day and weekend. Afterwards, we went to a boutique and my aunt surprised me with a candle that I was planning to purchase myself. I was waiting in line to buy the candle which was waiting for me at the counter. The storeowner wrapped up my gift quickly so that I wouldn’t see and my aunt presented it to me at the store.

After the tea house, I arrived home and I was surprised by birthday cards, birthday flowers, a birthday sign, light up balloons and even a birthday pinata. My first birthday pinata ever.

The next day, my sister and niece prepared a delicious birthday breakfast for me. My sister asked me what kind of cake I wanted and I told her that I wanted a chocolate chip cake. It’s not my favorite flavor but she made it for me for my birthday a few years ago and it was such a special memory. I wanted it again.