Birthright!

This morning I was up before 5 a.m. I wanted to get on the road early today . Traffic to Kennedy Airport is normally rough . Rush hour would make it unbearable!
Max left for Israel on Birthright today. What an absolutely awesome opportunity! And what a perfect name for this program.Any Jewish child, ages 18-126 can take advantage of this free program. That's right ....free ...as in it costs nothing for this 10 day experience of a lifetime.I am so happy that all 3 of my kids made the choice to go.I am sure that this is something they will cherish forever.
As I was getting ready,I thought about the name of this trip....Birthright. How fitting and appropriate.I kind of wish I had the opportunity to experience Birthright.
It then lead me to think about that word....birthright.The dictionary defines this as any right or privilege to which a person is entitled from birth. So what is my birthright (certainly not a free trip to Israel!).
My birthright is to lead a happy and joyful life.My birthright is to make of myself all that I want to be.Everything beyond that falls squarely on my shoulders.Success,fortune,love,friends,even my health,are not part of my birthright.These are all the fruits of the seeds which I plant along the way.On the recommendation of a dear friend, I am currently listening to The Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews.In the very beginning of the book,Mr.Andrews addresses this. There are no excuses,no one to blame or hold responsible for our lives other than ourselves.No one else made the choices for us. They were all ours to make and that is how we are where we are today.
No matter where  I am or what choices I have made that have brought me to today,my birthright still remains as it was on the day I was born.Every day I have the opportunity,the right and the privilege to choose to be happy and joyful. I choose daily how I want to show up to my life and what I do with that choice.
I would be less than honest if I said that there are times when that daily choice is an easy one to make.Even on those days,when I am feeling low or questioning the great "WHY' of my life,I work extra hard to find my way back to my birthright.
Happiness,Joy and the best me possible!