Its Cold!

In 2001 in Canada they built a hotel completely made from ice. That year people booked that hotel solid from Jan - April and paid in the area of 3 -4 thousand dollars per room. Come April the hotel began to melt and from that point forward each year they rebuilt this hotel in December and the hotel still fills with people.

Whats worse then the people who pay that much to go to this hotel that those who invest in such a venture. The question was posed to me today...what am I investing in? What am I vesting my time, money and effort in? Good question. We spend our lives so wrapped up in 'things' and stuff when ultimately it will all burn up in the end. Whats worth investing in are people .

Relationships are what keep us going forward and moving on even through the worst of times. Im making a solid effort, something I haven't done in the past couple of years, to invest more time in friends, family and meeting new people. Its amazing what happens when I just smile at someone, they can't help but smile back. Think about how many people you could put a smile on if you just would smile at....then in turn they would turn around and be more likely to smile at someone else. Effectively you could effect hundreds of people simply by simling at someone. Then take the next step, go up and talk to someone you dont know. Its not easy to walk across the room and catch the eyes of someone and initiate a conversation. I love meeting new people. It gives me a charge to hear about their lives, their interests and the things they do. :)

I wonder what it is that makes us hestitate to invest the time in each other? Is it we are so self absorbed that we don't stop to think that there are people...people around us who really need us to stop and spend 5 min or even 30 minutes talking to them? I know what it feels like personally when someone stops and truely asks me how I am doing. Its a heart felt question. I think people in general can tell right off if you are asking from the heart or if its a question, as much as hey how are you doing....and the typical reply...fine. I refuse to answer 'fine'. I think one word replys are just as bad as asking the question that gets the one worded reply. Even if all I say is Im doing pretty good, or Im doing much better now.

This past week I have had several opporunities to connect with people. Some new and some long time friends. It feels good to connect. It is almost as if you are given a dose of adrenaline to move forward and accomplish what next lays ahead. I want to be more of a person who spends that time investing in those around me again. I can honestly say its a whole in me....that Im looking to fill again.

Education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living. John Dewey

There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. George Sand

Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. Helen Keller