There is something very special about being a grandmother. It's kind of like a tickle, a kiss and a smile dancing all around together in your heart. Well that's how I feel about my grands anyway. And I bet anybody who has had that special undeniably twinkling connection with their grandmother or grandfather can absolutely relate. Maybe different words, but similar sentiment. I hate to hear them cry and cringe when I see them get into trouble. Now don't get me wrong, there are moments when I say to myself, "now that just don't make no kind of sense, they need to beat that ass", but only of course when I think it's warranted and not as a general rule. Suffice to say, I coddle them and am tender-hearted when it comes to my thoughts and feelings of parenting, discipline, and how the world needs to respond to them. After all, I am their Sugar!!!!

So when it came to Thanksgiving and I went to the house to be with them, they had a special request of me. It's the holiday; I'm pretty well rested since I wasn't hosting the festivities even though I did have to cook the turkey, sides and dessert. And because they greet me like a rock star celebrity with hugs, cheers, and chants of "Sugar, Sugar, Sugar", there is only a ‘Yes’ in my spirit. So I easily agree to whatever it is without even knowing. Hell it can only be so raucous or risqué.

Well it seems they wanted to do a Vision Board with me. Now I have heard of and seen them, and saw a couple they had done previously. I thought they were nice and the concept was good, but I really didn't put any energy, stock or attention to the actual doing of one – until now. They were so excited and really grasped the activity and not for activity sake but were thoughtful about what was going on their board while I was still stuck in the "I don't know what I'm doing" phase. Slowly and methodically, after following their example of leadership and focus and vision, I began to go through magazines and cut out words, phrases, pictures, etc. that began to shape and form meaning for me. They completed theirs while I was still perusing and thinking and trying to concretize how all this really works. But somewhere in all of it, the light came on and it came on really brightly for me. They were finished and had moved on to the next thing, and there I was……. But I got It!!!

I wasn't able to finish mine that night, but I purposed it within myself to complete this activity. So I took home the board, clippings, and some ideas. At one point I thought to myself, "my life is an empty slate and I can create it as I see fit, so I don’t really need to do this board". Then I came to myself in truth understanding that this grandiose pronouncement was actually lazy avoidant behavior. So for the next 3 days at various points and lengths of time, I looked for the material, articles, words, quotes, and pictures that matched or were symbolic of my vision. I purchased magazines, took some from the gym, got colored ink writing utensils so that it would be visually appealing, and I did it. And while I was doing it, I continued to do a self-assessment to make sure I wasn't creating a Wish Board rather than a real Vision Board. For me the difference is that a wish is something that is passive, and has no power to come into being, it's just a nice pretty picture slouching lazily in the brain, and there are no consequences for it not being satisfied because a wish has no soul. Aaaah, but on the other hand, a vision is an active intentional energy that seeks itself through forward progress, thought, and behavior and steers the visionary in a direction of accomplishment, agreement, and realization. So when my Vision Board was completed, I was so happy and grateful, giving special thanks to my grandbabies for so effortlessly leading me on such a worthy internal journey. I hung it up where I can see it, and remember, and know, and be encouraged, and inspired and do.

All that to say…… As we mature, we sometimes forget to dream and imagine and trust that as long as there is life, there are many blessings and magical wonders that may be realized in us and for us. True vision is ageless. Dreams are not meant to be rusty. Imagination is vivid and starkly alive with brilliant colors and shapes and sizes. If and as we are born for a set time, I don't think that God gives a pause button where He stops manifesting His Majesty within us. It is written, "Where there is no vision, the people perish". He allows and permits us to relax, repose and enjoy the lives we live. But I believe that He even wants us to be active in the enjoyment and during our opportunities and seasons of reclining. I don't want to be remembered by people saying "she was already dead, but just wouldn't lay down and let the funeral happen." I want them to say, "She raised hell getting up to heaven. I'm sure gonna miss her and her dream having vision living self".

Let's look, plan, and keep pushing with our eyes wide opened and focused. And if we should find our vision blurry, or muddled get us some corrective lenses so we can get back to the business of being a breathing organism of the creative experience. And hope with hope that just as for me God has sent 2 little sweethearts, that The Great Deity will provide for and encourage us all to take on the lesson that A Child Can, May, and sometimes Shall lead us on.

And A Child Shall Lead Them