One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.

This week I have been doing a lot of thinking. Achievement is a big word.
 To some people it is so important to achieve greatness, or wealth, popularity, notoriety, and sometimes they lose focus on what is important and miss the little achievements. Take me. I haven't achieved any of the above, but then I do live my life for the moment. I am not famous, or wealthy (far from it!) and I have never been "Miss Popular" because I am what I am and as much as everyone likes to be liked, its not my main objective in life.
I didn't leave school with many O level passes, I didn't go to college or University. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd, did some really stupid things but somehow I muddled through. I managed to always work, and keep sane somehow through the bad times.

In 1988 I moved to Devon and met my hubby. It was also the year I entered a driving competition. Driving has always been one of my passions, so it seemed like a good idea. I won the title of "Best Woman Driver of The Year Southern England" I won a car, a years worth of fuel, and a host of other goodies. It was a pretty cool experience. :-)
In 2000 I passed a diploma in "Horse Mastership" with an A Merit pass. That was pretty cool too. I also managed to re train an Ex working hunter, aged 16, who had been turned out in a field with the cows for a year, to become a stunning event horse, chosen for a team and gaining 12th individual out of 120 horses, at a county 3 day event. He was 22 years old when we did that. 
But these are just things. Yes I was proud of myself for a while, but nobody outside of my family would have known who I was, or been impressed and that didn't matter. I have always been a Jack of all trades. Try anything once, but never had ambition.
What got me started on this is last weekend when I came out of an agility round with Lily. It was a clear round, and I knew it was not going to win the class, but she worked "with" me, I handled it well and as we came out of the ring I hugged her and sat on the grass with her, with a lump in my throat. I felt like a King at that moment. When Olli won and qualified for the Olympia semis I was over the moon, but I was actually more pleased with him last weekend, when he got a clear round, on a tricky course and was unplaced. Twiggy getting her weaves in the ring is a massive achievement to me. I am that strange emotional woman who looks so happy when I just lost :-)
Little things are so special.
I want to do well with all my dogs, and yes I would love to get them all to Agility Champions, but I am not a gifted handler. I also started this lark a bit late on in life, so can not compete with the experienced top handlers, but I love every minute with my dogs, working them, and learning so much about how they work. I am currently training Georgie, now 7 months old, and yes I am determined to kick arse when he starts competing next year, and he will be awesome, but if he isn't then I will still enjoy him and have a laugh, and cry at the great moments. 
My greatest achievement happened in 1991 when I gave birth to my daughter. There is nothing in this world that can beat that feeling, and even though she is untidy, and can belch better than most men, she will always be my proudest moment. The day I met Rog, changed my life and I dont know why he chose me, (well I did pin him to the floor til he submitted!) but I am so glad he did.

I am not "Great" but then I am the greatest Mum.
I am not "wealthy" but that depends how you measure wealth.
I am not "Popular" .....but there are 8 dogs in my house who may argue that. Especially at feed time!
Life is weird, its a strange journey through good & bad, and we lose people we love, we get hurt by so called friends, and there will always be someone better, prettier, faster, richer  so make the most of what you have. My life is hopefully about halfway though, with a bit of luck and a good tail wind, but when my life does flash before my eyes it will be amazing to watch :-)