Amazing Grace

philosophy: how you climb up the mountain is just as important as how you get down the mountain. and, so it is with life, which for many of us becomes one big gigantic test followed by one big gigantic lesson. in the end, it all comes down to one word. grace. it's how you accept winning and losing, good luck and bad luck, the darkness and the light.
Okay I wish I could say I wrote that, but I stole it from my shampoo bottle. In my field, education, professors are constantly talking about our own personal philosophy. If you ask most of your past teachers what their teaching philosophy is they will probably have an answer for you. I always wonder about my own life philosophy, not just my teaching philosophy, but a philosophy that sums up the system of values by which I live. Is it even a possibility to sum up all your values, beliefs, and ideas into a few simple sentences? I think my philosophy will be a never ending sentence with constant editing. Before I will ever feel competent to finish off the sentence, "My own personal philosophy is..." I have come across the idea of love lists. My sister and her college friends made them. I loved the idea of writing out the simple joys in my life, so I have started making my own. Mine always look something like this:
Jane's Love List
starring up at the night sky
late night walks with my friends
anytime walks with my mom and mrs. dancy
doing 3 way calls with my sisters
surprises
singing in my car (with or without others)
reading the sunday new york times
being a spartan
that my brother thinks i am a good dancer
taking bubble baths
patio parties
sunday 5 o'clock mass
coffee and the today show
people who are passionate
my brother's german accent
cute little towns
otter
chick flicks
spoonfuls of my dad's honey
trips to the cabin
getting mail
a good glass of wine
wool socks
dates with my mom
interesting strangers
partner yoga

Believe me this list could go on and on. I dare you to make your own list- you may surprise yourself. What do you love and why do you love it? My love list is always getting longer and longer, but items are never edited out because even if it isn't my main joy now it made me smile once before. One day I will have some philosophical ideas and values by which I live (and when that day comes-it will be the best blog I have ever written), but for now I will live by my love list and take on my shampoo bottle's philosophy by accepting everything with grace.