What an Amazing Life

It was on our 6th Wedding Anniversary that I took this photo not realizing the significance it would have on the rest of my life:

Nearly a month before this Anniversary trip I read the diary of a woman who lived in the early 1900's. She lived in a mansion, had maidservants, and just about as much inherited wealth and splendor as anyone could wish for in a lifetime. I remembered thinking "What a life she lived".

A week or two later a show caught my attention. A woman in her 30's was making pottery with her feet. I know, feet, but it captured my attention long enough to hear her story. She lives in Mexico and she has made pottery from the natural clay dirt all her life. She uses tools handed down to her from her mother and grandmother who also made pottery all their life. This was not her choice, this woman grew up making pottery. It was her life. And I was just amazed by it. For one moment (or less) I though of running away to Mexico to make pottery with my feet, because it sounded like such an amazing life.

Then this photo, we were on our anniversary trip, we stayed in the most beautiful hotel I have ever known. My husband lovingly planned the trip and made sure every detail was in order, without my knowledge, so he could surprise me.

From the window in our room I could see this ship. And later we went down to the dock to hear the story of the ship owner. He lived on the ship and took it around for tours. From harbor to harbor, showing it off to tourists, and townsfolk, allowing them onboard for a price. To hear him talk about his life you could feel an air of boredom. To him it was ordinary, every day life. And even though he was tired of it, I couldn't help but think 'how amazing' to live on a ship and see new towns all the time.

For the next couple of days I began thinking of all of these amazing lives. And realised that in each example the person involved thought their life ordinary, boring even. It was just 'how they lived', 'how they made money'. And then I looked at my ordinary life. I am a wife, a housewife at that, and a mom. Is there anything more ordinary? Then I realised some never find true love. Some that want children are not able (sadly) to have them. And children in the home is temporary, they grow up, they leave home. Some live with basic needs unfulfilled. Some never achieve the dream of family. Or know the joy of being surrounded by loved ones. Some search their whole lives for this and still never find it. My heart goes out to them. And I looked again at my ordinary life, hugged my husband and kids and thought "What an Amazing life".

What makes your life amazing?

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