This document printed from the University
of Illinois Extension Tent Poles at http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/macon/
Birthdays...
April 11, 2006
Rexlyn Nicole
Community and Economic Development Program Coordinator
Macon County Unit 2535 Millikin Parkway
Decatur, IL 62526
Phone: 217-877-6042
FAX: 217-877-4564 rxnicole@uiuc.edu
This month is one of my daughters' birthday...and with that it got me thinking about what birthdays are all about...celebrating of life...the joy of growing older and more mature....the excitement that comes with a new age. And I started to think about how that applies to other things too. When there is a day that earmarks a change....whether it be the day the trash goes out...a day that you pay the power bill or a day that you age one more year....it becomes significant in the way you do that day. You take the time to achieve the goal for that day. Why not make every day a 'birth'day?! Find something to do each day and make that day significant for it. You can leave a flower on an elderly person's porch day. Find your socks that are missing day. Drive to the country and enjoy the ride day. Touch the hand of your spouse, your child, your friend day. When you stop the focus on yourself for a day and put that light on someone else...or something else you will find it easier to achieve something that is good and also makes you feel better too!
If you look at life as a tent, do you know the importance of tent poles? When putting up the tent, the tent poles are hard to deal with, they are cumbersome and yet without them, there is no tent. The tent poles are there for support. They are the backbone of the tent. They are the foundation of the cover against the storm while camping. Tent poles are in your every day life as well. They are there propping you up when times are tough. Do you know who and what your tent poles are?
