The Beach Boys in the Winter

-by Scott Sullivan

This time of year I always listen to The Beach Boys. Their music exudes a warmth and youthfulness that is especially appreciated on cold winter nights.

My favorite is God Only Knows because it highlights the critical anabolic connection between the self and those in our community . . . our “life-team.”

I often think about the possibility that connection and positive relationships are a universal human value.

How about we all pledge in 2012 and beyond to spend more time showing gratitude to those people in our lives who help us to maintain, and even enhance, our sense of well-being and self-esteem?

Let’s get specific here: Who are the people in your life who build you up, who help you see possibilities where before you only saw obstacles, who challenge and engage you from a posture of mutual respect and love?

Here are mine:

Will
Never have I met a person with a more robust personal constitution, yet who is still curious about the world around him and those who live in it.

Neila
She has a reservoir of empathy so deep it sometimes overwhelms her, but no one on this planet gets me the way she does. Ours is a cosmic connection.

Tess
Her smile warms my heart and her voice makes it skip a beat. She cares about her family like no one I have ever known.

Larson
A person of deep passion and great gifts who is not afraid to speak his mind and to speak from the heart. I would not change one thing about him; he is a treasure.

These four people are my nieces and nephews. The youngest is 10 and the oldest almost 13! I was blessed with the opportunity to help raise each and every one of them .

So that leads me to four more people to acknowledge . . .

Their parents: John, Jill, JC and Stephanie. They are all related to me by common experience and challenges, and some by blood as well.

Finally I am grateful for Randa. She has all of the gifts of the eight mentioned above, and she is my best friend! Lucky ME!

My self esteem is inextricably linked to my community’s esteem and these eight people are one heck of a team to have on my side…THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Who would you like to thank for being a part of your community?

Do not be shy, post it here for all to read, you will feel amazing once you do…