Concluding the Year by Demonstrating Compassion with Gratitude While Practicing Unselfish Behavior

As this year comes to a close I hope we can take time out of our busy schedules to reflect upon and embrace the positive experiences that we may have had in 2017. I understand for some it is easier to recall the sad or difficult experiences like when my mom unexpectedly passed away on November 1st and when my brother-in-law passed away on March 3rd. Even with such sad events a person can leverage the positive aspects in the celebration of their lives.  Although I will always miss them I am fortunate to have many loving memories of spending time together with them including numerous phone conversations with my mom, which I am grateful for. I am also thankful I was able to be a part of my brother-in-law and Kathy’s sister’s many family events at their home including barbecues, family dinners, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, all demonstrating his unselfish behavior and love for his family.

I am grateful I took the time out of my busy work schedule to gently assist my mom with numerous things before and after work daily and on weekends. I will always have many memories of my mom including how she picked up on mobile devices very easily and our many conversations about them. I will never forget her homemade cooking including scones, shortbread, chicken dumplings with large homemade noodle dumplings, chicken cacciatora, swiss steak and spaghetti as well as other meals she prepared with love.   We both enjoyed classic movies which always lead to some nice conversations. I am thankful that I was at the hospital with her on her last day and was able to hold her hand and kiss it (too many tubes to get close) as I cried I said my final good- bye to her. When I was holding her hand I felt she knew I was there to comfort her. Although my mom has passed away I am fortunate I did not take the attitude of being too busy to assist her. That act of unselfishness on my part now allows me to have my loving caring memories of her. I plan to continue to practice the same compassionate behavior without overstepping my boundaries as I continue to assist my dad.

Kathy and I are grateful and count our blessings daily that together we are able to face the many challenges and obstacles sometimes presented to us mainly because of my blindness.  You may want to read about some of our challenges and obstacles in Celebrating 30th Wedding Anniversary with Gratitude. One reason, out of many for our gratefulness, is when we were able to overcome a large obstacle we faced near the end of 2016. Thankfully Kathy and I partnered together to overcome an extremely unstable job situation due to possible layoffs for me.  If that was not stressful enough at the same time Kathy and I were in great jeopardy of losing our home we have been renting for almost thirty years due to the owners decision to sell the house. Fortunately we decided to purchase the house which has been our home for many years. Our home had become very comfortable and safe for us. It is also easy and safe for me to navigate around in the house as well as in our neighborhood. This skill that enables me to safely and easily navigate as a person without eyesight in our home and other places is due to my many hours of orientation and mobility training I had after I went blind. During our housing search we tirelessly researched places in Georgia, Illinois as well as many other locations we could possibly move to.  That time of job and housing instability was extremely stressful causing fear and anxiety, Kathy and I managed together to make it through that challenging and difficult period of uncertainty due to our deep love and devotion to each other.

We are very much looking forward to another exciting year ahead that includes all the bumps and turns in this precious road of life.  We will also continue to practice the act of unselfish behavior.

How do you cope with the unexpected loss of a loved one? How can we better use time management techniques to increase our potential for unselfish behavior to assist those in need or less fortunate in 2018? Does anyone have any examples of how you have helped others or demonstrated compassion? Does anyone have any tips to share to help us all make the time that is needed to help others even when we think we are too busy? Or maybe someone has tips to help reverse the attitude some might have of I do not need to help because others will.

We all look forward to hearing your valuable comments and stories to propel us forward with a trajectory of success and happiness in the upcoming holidays and New Year.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.tipton.39

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton 

Comments

[Debbe Kennedy]

Dear Bill,
Thanks for your patience with me. Things will improve shortly. Not sure what happened on your blog, but it is working now!!!
Have a wonderful holiday before our extra long talk! Great IDEA! Hugs to you and Kathy,
Love, Debbe

[Bill, address. [email protected]]

To Bill.
Thank you for helping me with my computer, and many other things that helped me through my difficult times.
Your Dad.