"Living in the Shadows"

My mother sent me a piece she recently wrote, expressing gratitude for those who have made an impact on her life and she gave me permission to share it with you all. Thank you, Mom, for sharing your heart with us! What a treasure! What a treasure you are! Keep on writing!

Living in the Shadows by Dorothy Overstreet

I have known many outstanding people in my lifetime of 78 years. Those who had great influence in my life were family; Mother, grandparents, Aunt and my older brother and a step-brother and my dear husband of 55 years. Friends through the years when you need one are remembered and cherished.

It is a blessing in life to have deep roots of love and support in a positive way. Those who encourage us look for our gifts and build us up and help us to use our gifts. I am most thankful and grateful for those who encouraged me when I was in the darkness and needed someone. They showed me someone greater than myself and encouraged my faith in God and His love for all mankind. I was given the opportunity to learn the piano during one of those dark days and I shall always be grateful for this. It gave me some confidence in myself and joy in life. I advanced rapidly and continued throughout life to avail myself of music opportunities both vocal and in the piano. Not only to participate but to hear others with musical gifts. Someone to help you believe in yourself amidst a much troubled world and to give you some hope for day to day living are much appreciated and needed. There is no perfection in our world although we work to improve and achieve greatness. It takes a lot of love and forgiveness along the way.

I have always believed in prayer and quiet times for strength, renewal and direction. Nighttime is a time of quiet and rest for the next day. I receive ideas and think through my life during those quiet moments and hours. Sometimes it is a time of release of tension that may build up with stress of problems and activities and concern for loved ones. There is a spiritual being within us that stirs us in constructive ways and helps us over those monumental mountaibs that build up with trials and misunderstandings and expectations beyond our understanding. There are angels watching over us and help us when we are struggling with unknowns. I am thankful for God's world and His help through it. I am thankful for family and friends and their love and caring and contacts.

How truly blessed we are in this world and beyond and the strength we are given to keep on keeping on in spite of our weaknesses. I am thankful for the shadow of folk so much bigger than myself to help me through the difficult times and unknowns, the remembrances of loved one who preceded me and feeling their presence along the road of life and their positive influences that keep us going when we are down.

I could not give recognition to all those special people in my life, but our Lord God knows who they are and gives credit each day for me and gives me hope. He knows my daily walk and the many shadows of outstanding folk I have looked up to through the years of my life and the hope and encouragement they have shown through their love and their lives and their caring for me and others.

God bless you each one. Thank you for the positivie influences and caring. Help me to be a shadow for others and pass blessings on to give loved ones and friends joy and strength in their everyday lives.