Being "Rich"

"I'm rich - I'm rich in memories

- like the time I jumped off the swing rope into the lake...

or the night I won the basketball championship...
or the time I was the only one that caught the sunfish, 
even though I was a girl and the youngest...

or the times we went to the zoo and I climbed the rock climbing wall."
Rosie, age 9

This was a conversation that my daughter initiated on the way to our "emergency evacuation" to the woods last week, in our (successful) attempt to turn our "lemons" into "lemonade."  Truth be told, times have been a little challenging lately.  This house "flood" was the second we have had in eight months.  Our home just got back in order a few months ago from the first water leak.  This one ruined more than half of our new living room floor.  Our house is ripped up, with three kids at home on "summer vacation."  But you know what?  None of that matters in the grand scheme of things!

Understandably, there has been some talk of finances.  Talks that the kids aren't supposed to hear, but have sometimes ended up hearing, due to the fact that parts of the house are closed up due to the construction.  We are much more confined in the smaller space.

My daughter understands that it will take a while to recover from this flood, that we will need to watch our spending more carefully than before.  So this is where she was coming from when she stated that she was rich - she was focusing on the things she does have, like being "rich in memories."

She couldn't be more right!  We are ALL rich!  I'm very rich in memories too -- like the day I gave birth to that beautiful girl!  Or, the day I first laid eyes on my mom at the age of 22.  Then, there was that fun night when my husband and I "crashed" a Texas wedding and had the time of our lives, meeting the most wonderful people!  Or, the day I realized my dreams of bull riding would never come to fruition by the fact that I couldn't stay on a mechanical bull for more than 3 seconds at a time, while my family roared with laughter as they watched this embarrassing display!

There are also the memories I have of my grandparents, who are no longer here in their physical form, but  who have enriched my life by the beautiful memories and their spirit, which I hold close.  Those memories are truly a gift to me!

When it comes down to it, all that truly matters is that you are rich in memories.  To be so means you have truly lived!

Rosie creating more memories during our stay in the woods.

Thought of the Day:  What memories are you "rich" in?  Please feel free to share!

Have a wonderful day!