M is for Make Peace with Others and Maybe It is for Mark, Too

 

M is for Make Peace with Others and Maybe It is for Mark, Too

I’m continuing with April A to Z using my list of topics that I made over a month ago for the A to Z’s of Being 63.

I think that the older I get, I just want to live in peace with others. By the time you reach 63, you are tired of conflicts and tired of drama. That brings me to my funny story of the day regarding making peace.

I signed up way back when for this April A to Z Blogging Challenge. I’ve participated several times and really enjoyed it. On Thursday morning, I was visiting the spreadsheet of all the writers so that I could comment on other’s blogs. I’ve been faithful to do this. To be honest, I’ve been disappointed that so few new people have commented on my blog. Imagine my surprise when I perused the master list, and my blog is not listed. I immediately emailed the folks in charge and questioned why I’m not on the list. I saw my blog on one of the first spreadsheets. Why isn’t it there now? As I finished typing my email, I found myself very near tears. I work in a church, and this is Holy Week so we’ve been working very LONG days and there is a ton of minutiae that goes into planning all of the services. I’m approaching my final exam in my online Sociology class, and I haven’t had time to study. I’ve been writing late at night and early in the morning to complete my A-to-Z posts . . .and I was TOTALLY disappointed that my blog is not even on the list. I literally had to sit at my desk and breathe slowly – and say to myself, “I’m 63 . . .not 6. This is a minor issue in the big scheme of life.” You may be thinking I’m overreacting but just think about when you are at your tiredest (not a word – when you are most tired?) and the straw that broke the camel’s back happens . . . that is how I felt. In the first paragraph, I told you that I’m tired of conflicts and drama, yet I was creating it in my own head OVER MY BLOG.

Today, I have had to MAKE PEACE with myself. Maybe I only signed up with my topic and failed to go back and actually sign up to participate? I have no idea but what is done is done. I need to MAKE PEACE with the fact that I might not have lots of visitors to my blog.

What about other people in my life? I definitely want to make peace with them – to be at peace with them. Are there folks in your life with whom you wish you could make peace? There are a few – maybe one or two – with whom I should make peace before it is too late.

M is for Mark, too

In May, we will celebrate our 38^th anniversary. Mark has been such a faithful husband. There have been some years where I truly though we wouldn’t make it but we have stuck it out together. Now that our nest is empty, we are in such a good place in our marriage – maybe the best place we’ve ever been.

Mark is an identical twin and they still look VERY much alike.

Our wedding day – look at that mustache!

He is a great wedding date!

He was a great groomsman when our son's friend needed ONE more to match the bridesmaids!

He is a great friend!

We love to go to the beach!

Mark is a great traveling partner -- here he is at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Mark is the most amazing Pops ever and THE BEST Barbie player according to Granddaughter #1.

Mark is a great dad!

Mark hates to have his photo taken but was a good sport (ish)!

Our daughter and I are a lot alike and Mark has always been the perfect buffer between us - Laura used to say that her daddy was her hero!

Mark is an extrovert all the way -- here he is making a toast at a rehearsal dinner!