My word for 2016 is ATTEND.
Although I don’t think attending is a superpower, some days I wish it was. On those days, I think if one more person promises that he or she has the superpower to right all wrongs and save US from THEM, I daydream about sticking a pencil in my (or someone else’s) eye. On my better days, however, I choose to acknowledge that while I have no superpowers and am responsible TO the World – I’m not responsible FOR it. I’m responsible FOR my life and how I choose to live it.

To that end, I will attend to what and whom I can. And I’ll remember that I don’t have to attend every argument, drama or political whack-o-doodleness to which I’m invited. Each Sunday , I’ll share something here – an image, a poem, a song or maybe even a story that’s helped me attend to what I can that week.

I have a local friend named David.  We met more than 25 years ago, when I was trying to sell him Trust and Employee Benefits services for his company.  I didn’t make the sale, but I did make a great friend.  Over the years, I’ve come to understand that one of the things that’s helped make David a such cool dude is that he’s in a family of strong, compassionate, powerful, creative, and brilliant women – his wife, daughter, sisters, and I’m sure his mom was too, although I never had the honor of meeting her.  David not only ‘gets it’, he attends to what’s important.

This post isn’t about David though.  It’s about one of his sisters.  Mel is strong, compassionate, powerful, creative, brilliant, and blind.  She also attends to what’s important.  If you or anyone you know has a body with visual impairment, I hope you’ll read more (and share) about one of the ways she attends, here.  And in this recent blog post, Mel provided some words about cancer treatment for which I’ve longed. Thanks Mel, attend on!

What kind of attending have you experienced or witnessed lately?