Paradise is waterproof boots and a puddle.

Welcome to the first installment of Paradise in Front of Me (PIFOM) Friday! Each Friday, hopefully with your help, I'll complete the sentence, "Paradise is . . ." 

Please leave your reflections from the past week in the comments section below. Simply finish the sentence "Paradise is . . ." Or, even better, send me a picture of your PIFOM moment from the week, and I'll choose a couple to highlight each Friday. 

To get things started, I present my daughters in the photos above. After a recent rainstorm, they saw an opportunity. They said they wanted to go outside. I said, "It's raining." They said, "So." In retrospect, the white stockings were probably not a good idea.

I came up with the idea of PIFOM Friday after taking these pictures. By dedicating myself to posting each Friday, I'm forced to be looking out for moments like this every week. It encourages me to slow down and be more aware of the small things taking place around me. I hope it does the same for you.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone, and please share your PIFOM moments with us each Friday.

For the past 15 years, I've worked in the education field. Along with seeking ways to live a more fulfilling life, education is my passion. I have taught in two state public school systems, an exclusive private school, a private education company, a Third World country, and I currently homeschool my two young daughters while operating a tutoring business. Ironically, my greatest achievement as an educator came in the classroom in this picture. 

A pervasive theme throughout Paradise in Front of Me is that of young people trying to succeed despite an utterly broken educational system. When I walked into the classroom in Cuyalí, I shuttered at the lack of resources. I wondered how in the world anything could be accomplished in such a setting. However, I quickly learned that the human spirit can conquer anything. The children of Cuyalí were a determined group. In me, they saw an opportunity to learn and grow. In return, I learned a valuable lesson. I didn't need expensive books and a mountain of supplies. In order to succeed, it was necessary to take advantage of the resources at hand. Time spent fretting about the obstacles in my way was nothing more than wasted time. In the end, as the book details, the kids rose to the occasion. In that little classroom in Cuyalí, miracles happened.

I've always marveled at great photography. As soon as the newest issue of National Geographic Magazine lands in my mailbox, I can't wait to open it up and scan the breathtaking pictures. It seems to me that photographers must possess an innate ability to see things others don't. I imagine they view the world differently than others. They are more willing to slow down and truly live in the moment. Something that one may see as ordinary or miss altogether, a great photographer may perceive as an extraordinary opportunity. Take, for example, Dave Jordano who chose to photograph a different side to the Detroit we often see in the news. I love this quote from the story: His city, he says, is not the one of “death and decay” depicted in many stories but one of “human activity and movement.” To me, this is another example of the message I try to convey in Paradise in Front of Me. In next week's post, I'll talk about another article I read and how it inspired me to grab my camera and head out into my community. Do you enjoy taking pictures? What inspires or motivates you to pull out your camera and click?

The Castle is a 1997 Australian film about a family that is being forced out of their home by the government and airport authorities.  I stumbled upon it on Netflix and enjoyed it immensely.  To me, it captures the theme of Paradise in Front of Me.  The father, Darryl Kerrigan, is determined to save his home.  He has a unique perspective of his house and sees all that is wonderful with the life he has built.  His unique view of the world applies to friends and family as well.  Where others see fault in the people and places in his life, Darryl sees the good.  The story is told by Darryl's son, Dale Kerrigan.  If you've seen the movie, let me know what you think.  If you're looking for something to watch this weekend, give it a try.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the film:

"He reckons power lines are a reminder of man's ability to generate electricity." - Dale Kerrigan referring to the fact that his father likes the power lines in his backyard.

"Dad never stops marveling at the beauty of the greyhound." - Dale Kerrigan

"Dad thinks all of us are tremendous." - Dale Kerrigan

"Dad had a way of making everyone feel important." - Dale Kerrigan

"I reckon we're the luckiest family in the world." - Darryl Kerrigan

"It's a beautiful place, especially this time of year when the water level is down." - Dale Kerrigan referring to a lake where they have a weekend home.  

"You can't buy what I've got." - Darryl Kerrigan arguing with lawyers about why he won't accept an offer on his home.

Does that look like a good sledding hill to you? My daughters waited patiently all day for a snowstorm that was expected to bring 2-4 inches of snow to Roanoke.  Well, we ended up with about 1/2 inch and by morning a lot of it had melted. To my surprise, my daughters threw on their snow gear, grabbed the sleds and headed into the backyard. For about 30 minutes they went sledding ... and had a blast. They never complained, only asked that I give them a "big push" to help them move through the grass to the snow farther down the hill. 

I often envy my children. I'm amazed at their ability to look at life as a series of solutions rather than problems. As babies, they have little balance but still try to climb stairs. Then, we put up gates and they say, "That won't stop me." I see 1/2 inch of snow and think it's a shame we can't go sledding. They see 1/2 inch of snow and grab their sleds. 

I strive to be more like my children every day. I want to complain less and channel my energy towards solving problems. Like them, I want to see opportunity in every obstacle. It's a challenge, but I have great role models.