The Universe has many things in store for us. Some we see, some we don’t, and others we simply just ignore. I believe it guides us, and I believe it gives us what we need, not in a material sense, but in a way to bring our spirit into balance, and make us more balanced individuals.
I believe we are set on a path from the moment we are born. Where that path leads, no one knows, not even the Universe. Every decision we make is another step down the path, and with each step comes a cosmic readjustment. Our place in the world is reassessed, and what we needed before that step is different than what we need once we’ve taken it.
I am a firm believer that the Universe gives us challenges in our lives to not only test us, but to make us stronger. It allows us to take strength from our accomplishments, revel in our successes, and view our lives from a different perspective that we may not have allowed ourselves to experience without a gentle push. The Universe gently nudges us in the direction it knows we need to go for our own personal growth.
The words destiny and fate, when applied to our lives, bring to mind a grand, world altering purpose, like being the chosen one in a mythical story. But personal destiny needs be nothing more than living a healthy life, creating a happy family, or being the best person you can possibly be. Sometimes, and in fact, most times, personal destinies will never be appreciated by a great many people. Only those that matter. And for a humble person, this is all that will matter.
And it is this way of living that will inspire others to do the same. You plant a seed that will spread among the people who know you, and in turn know them; a few seeds turn into hundreds, and into thousands. Millions of silent destinies existing together to change the world for the better.
Ride the wave the Universe creates for you and realize we’re all chosen.
I have never really written a Bucket List, but I do have many items in my head that I’d like to do in my life. I started putting them down a couple weeks ago when I started planning ahead for this Bucket List blog post, and it was funny how the simple act of writing them down in my journal made them come alive in a way that simply holding them in my mind didn’t accomplish.
When I was younger I was bitter and 
I’d love to remember what it was like to feel the innocence of childhood. To revisit those who have gone, and walk away with a fresh memory that would only be moments old, instead of the fading 40 year old memory I now have. To hear their voices again, and see them smile at me. To taste Gram’s cooking, and Auntie’s baking, and Grandpa’s bread. To feel the joy we all felt when the family was together, sharing old stories, and making new ones.
Ireland isn’t exactly what I’d call a tropical getaway, but the history and culture of Ireland has interested me since I was a little boy fascinated by leprechauns.
From a trip to the Bahamas in January 2009.
