The Roads We Travel

I visited my daughter last week. It was my great privilege to volunteer in her classroom for five days in a row. It is such a wonderful feeling to watch your daughter teach.....to watch the children as she holds them in the palm of her hand....to watch the light bulbs turn on in a child's mind...to play games with children......and also to have the time to reflect on the power a teacher has on children. A teacher's influence is incredible.

One afternoon on the way home, we stopped to capture this picture. I'm captivated by it. I'm not sure I would have believed this was a real place, without seeing it with my own eyes...I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have believed it was simply a road in a neighborhood....but it is.....A road in the North Pole....that's actually very close to Santa's house!

This picture has helped me think about the roads we've traveled....and how one really doesn't know where a road in life will lead. Since my daughter is an only child, friends have always been very special to her. While she was growing up we made sure that she played with lots of children. We often lived near families that had 4 or 5 children....so she had instant access to children. Spending time with friends has been a big part of her life because we valued making friends and having opportunities for her to do things with friends.

It was our honor to meet one of her new friends this past week. We went to dinner and enjoyed getting to know her. We were also able to spend time with the teachers our daughter works with.... When your only daughter lives over 4,000 miles away....it's important for this mother to know that a new road has led to friendships.

We've traveled many roads and lived in many places....we have learned that the special friends one makes along the way gives life meaning. I'm counting my blessings for our special friends....those people we've met along the way who have shared our lives with us.....and enriched our lives with their friendship.....and for my daughter's friends.....I'm blessed....and I know she is. To Friendship..... Love and Hugs!