Success

... Lately we've spent a lot of time pondering the word. Mainly due to Scots future career decisions and my current situation of coming to the end of an internship and school and not really knowing where to go next. We want to be successful in life, but what does that truly mean? In New York everyone spends so much time working, and becoming "successful" I sometimes fear they are all missing the true successes of life.  In this world when we hear someone say, "man, he/she is very successful" we automatically think of success as material matters such as big money, big career, big house, expensive cars, expensive clothes, expensive phones and computers. It's got me thinking--is this really the definition I want, when I think about being "successful?" I don't know. But then.... the weekend happened.

WARNING: Picture Overload. 

On Saturday Scot & I had the opportunity to spend the day volunteering with a service organization from our church. We were out providing service to those in Breezy Point who had lost literally everything to Hurricane Sandy. It was so devastating to see what had happened to these wonderful people. We felt so privileged to be able to help in whatever way we could. During the middle of the day, we met the sweetest older couple who's house had been flooded  4 feet deep throughout their living room, kitchen, and entire first floor. They lost so much. We had to throw out all their furniture, and special belongings as well as  tear down their walls in order for them to be replaced. We cleaned out their crawl spaces under their house and took out all the insulation. They were so appreciative of our help, and as we parted with a prayer, the sweet old man raised his head with tears in his eyes for the service we had done for them. It's those moments that make you feel so blessed to be alive. To be part of this world. To feel the love between strangers. To feel successful.

At that moment I decided I would redefine the word of success in my mind, to a much better and wiser one than the world views. A definition derived from a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.This is to have succeeded. "

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We were so grateful to have such a wonderful day of service. 

As for the rest of the weekend, it was super fun. Saturday night we went out for Thai food with one of Scots friends from high school and his wife who live in the city. Derek & Amanda Walker. It was a blast, and REALLY good food. 

And then last night we had the treat of having our family on the West Side come over for dinner. AND we got to meet our new baby niece--Violet. 

she is so precious. 

We fed the family some yummy Lasagna, veggies and warm french bread. It was delicious and so fun to see them! 

  Blue eyed little sweetie.

What a successful weekend it was. And we loved every minute of it.