Tag: inspiration

Soul Sunday

Good morning, soulmates. We are experiencing an extraordinary and lovely weekend here. What is more beautiful than the lush, fully green, fully ripe, late spring days, hinting at the free-spirited summer around the corner? My regular readers know that Sundays are devoted to poetry, a poetry workshop of sorts. Usually I write a poem, although sometimes I share a poem by another poet who has moved me. As always, I strongly encourage you to share your poems, or at the very least, to write one. Writing a poem is the perfect way to have a conversation with your heart and with your soul. Here’s my poem for the day:

Beautiful Days

Today is beautiful outside. We don’t often count the beautiful days.

The counted days are the fierce, savage days,

which insist on being experienced by rapid force,

And held in our memories by fear and prowling.

The beautiful days leave the door open, with a soothing invitation,

to bring inside, the calm, clear colors, and the soft shimmering of the outside,

to softly cleanse and to shine up and to clear up the view,

for the inner core of our very being and awareness.

The beautiful days are gentle and quiet and nourishing,

and far more prevalent than we ever truly care to admit.

The dramatic storms, with their ravenous anger and destruction,

hold us in rapt attention and rumination and trepidation.

The vicious days have made industries of defense and calculation.

The beautiful days just offer themselves freely. Love requires no invitation.

Soak in the beauty of the day. And expect more beautiful days.

Storms are just angry reminders to remember to count the beautiful days.

The storms are just intermittent nudges to bask in the plethora of beautiful days.

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Bonus thought for the day: It doesn’t really matter what happens. We have very little control about what happens, in most cases. What matters is how we handle what happens.

Happy Furthday!!!

Josie (collie, who turns 3 today): It’s our shared birthday today, dear Ralphie! May I be the first to wish the both of us, a very lovely and Happy Birthday! (prim, beautiful and alert with white-tipped tail swishing, like an overgrown, elegant fox)

Ralphie (yellow Labrador retriever, who turns 4 today): Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! (jumping around and licking everything in sight, hitting a few notes on the piano with his chin and leaving some dog slime on the keys, grabbing a now formless/headless toy and running around the house with it, tail going like a helicopter blade)

Trip (Boykin spaniel, who is a little over a year old): Treats!!! Does this mean treats?!? Does this mean lots of treats?!? Does this mean extra treats?!? Huh?? Huh?? Huh?? (springboards off of the couch and exuberantly and fearlessly jumps on top of Ralphie, despite $600+ dollars worth of training to stop this behavior, so as to not be mauled by Ralphie, a large dog who has 70 pounds on him, and a huge retriever mouth, full of sharp, white teeth. Ralphie, despite having a saint-like amount of patience, has shown that even a Labrador retriever’s renowned patience has its worldly, and understandable limits.)

Camera pans on Ralphie, the yellow Lab, dreaming of what his perfect birthday would look like: Ralphie, swimming in the pool from dusk to dawn, with his whole pack, humans and dogs, all swimming with him, and throwing his disgusting, wet, soggy toy into the pool endlessly for him to retrieve at the surface, and even from the bottom of the pool, and then clapping for him, enthusiastically, each time, as if we have never seen him do this 800,000 times before. Ralphie only comes out of the pool once, for a whole, hot, delicious steak, fresh off the grill, without even having to beg for it.

Camera then pans on Josie, the elegant collie, dreaming of what her perfect birthday would look like: A day when herding Ralphie, while he is swimming in the the pool would not be necessary, because Ralphie would not be in the pool. A day that the squirrels stay in their own nests, in the neighbor’s yard, far, far way, so that she does not have to worry about those icky, little squirrels dirtying up our trees and our lawn. A day when there will be no deliveries from Amazon Prime, so she can save her voice. A day when Trip would stand still long enough, so that she could tidy him up, licking him carefully, as if they were both Fancy Feast Persian cats. Josie, enjoying a long, long, long wonderful walk with no kids roller skating nor skateboarding on the sidewalks, to disturb her peace and comfort.

Trip, the boisterous Boykin spaniel: F*ck birthdays! I do whatever I want to do, every day!! Give me another treat!!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Monday Fun-Day

Image

This feels like the story of my life, lately. The mystery of why I came into the kitchen (well, I might as well get a snack, while I’m in here) . . . . why am I looking at my calendar? Am I sure that I even wrote on my calendar, whatever it is that I am searching for? . . . . Oh no! Something smells mildew-y. I forgot to put the clothes in the dryer! . . . . Where are my glasses and phone? Oh, they’re on top of my head and next to my ear (frightening true story) . . . Did I already take my vitamins? . . .

Funny quote for people who grew up in the 80's, especially those who are forgetful or have mom brain. #quotes #funnyquo… | Funny quotes, Inspirational quotes, Words

Pin by ???????? on Funny! | Funny quotes, Real life quotes, Just for laughs

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Holding Space

Image

I saw this on Twitter from the Inner Practitioner’s feed. This “holding space for someone” is such a hard skill to learn, yet it is so valuable. I thought that I would “hold space” for these instructions, on my blog, so that it is something that we can all pull back up, and refer to, as a good reminder.

Thank you, readers, for your constant support. I am so grateful for the part you play in my blogging experience. Enjoy your day. Have some fun!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

A Thought Collection

Sometimes I look at some of my journals which are filled with thoughts that make me ponder, make me feel, make sense to me at a deeper level, and that’s all that is needed. I don’t need to expand on someone else’s genius. I’m just grateful that they shared what needed to be said. Here are some of my favorite latest thoughts, gathered from other brilliant sources:

“He who has peace of mind disturbs neither himself nor another.” – Epicurus

“What some people call stress, I believe is rebellion of the heart.” – Iyanla Vanzant

“Rejection is almost never personal. Though it comes naturally to treat it as though it is a barb aimed at our very being, that instinct is confused, mistaken and does absolutely no good to heed. That reason most rejection is not personal is that it can’t be. Most people don’t even know us well enough to reject us personally. They are usually saying no to a small sliver of what we offer the world. More often than not, the reason they say no is that the offer does not seem like a good fit for them and their needs.

If you are a size 10, you’ll have to pass on the size 3 jeans. Even if the size 3 jeans are the best in the entire world, the jeans are of no use to a person who cannot wear them.” – Holiday Mathis

“With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures, and some books, I live without envy.” – Lope De Vega

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Destination Point

I spent some time over the weekend, reading through a pile of magazines that had grown to the size of a small toddler. I love how “skim-able” magazines are, you get tidbits here and there, a few photos that really catch your eye and imagination, and even the advertisements aren’t annoying. You can spend as much time on any content, in any one magazine, as you like, and then quickly turn the page. I love the tactile experience of magazines. I hope that magazines never go away, in their physical form.

I got through playing with my magazine toddler in the span of a couple of leisurely, relaxing hours, while sitting in the delicious sunshine. I ended up with a much teenier, baby pile of tear-outs for my decorating idea file, and also for my writing idea file. One page that I tore out came from one of my favorite features of HGTV magazine. Every month, HGTV magazine features 3-4 houses in a particular part of the country, in an article entitled “Copy the Curb Appeal”. This article shows houses which most of us would agree have an appealing, unique, “stop and stare” element to their outside veneer, making you almost yearn to go inside of the house, or at least to find a non-threatening, non-stalkerish reason to linger for a while, outside of it. The creators of the magazine break down the individual elements of the house’s facade (i.e. paint colors, house numbers, lighting, etc.) for you to try to get that same kind of look for your own home.

We all know these eye-candy houses, in our communities, that deserve to be featured in this type of article. I imagine that a lot of us hope that our own houses have that kind of curb appeal. When we try to sell our homes, the realtors always put a heavy emphasis on curb appeal, as it is the first impression anyone will have of our homes. I like what one set of owners said what happened when they spruced up their home’s outward appearance:

“Once we painted it vibrant colors and planted a lush garden, it stood out. Now neighbors tell us it’s a destination point on their walks!” – Brooke and Bob Nickman

Isn’t that a wonderful compliment? It means something to be “a destination point” in any form, doesn’t it?? Destination points are places where people make a point of going to, because the energy there is so good, so enticing, so moving . . . . We love being in places that are “feast for the eyes, and food for the soul.” I was thinking that destination points, are a good thing to ponder and to meditate on, at various stages of our lives. Where are my destination points on my walks, on my drives, where I go out to eat, where I shop, where and who I go to visit? Why are these my destination points? What feelings are evoked at these places? Does my home feel like a good destination point to me? Do my relationships? Does my self-talk feel like a good destination point? The word destination is really just a longer way of saying “destined”. Do the experiences, and places, and people in my life feel like they are my true destiny, or do I need to shake things up a bit? Is my outside facade still a good match for my inner workings? There are so many questions that can come from these two innocent words, “destination point”. And the questions can remain as light, and as flimsy as a one-dimensional Hollywood backdrop, or the questions can get as deep and intricate as understanding all of the different elements that make up just one brick, of just one home. And in the end, it never really is about any one destination, is it? It’s always more about the feelings, the anticipation, the experience of getting to, and then the feelings being felt at any one particular destination point, along the way of the precious journey of our lives.

Top 40 Destination Quotes (2021 Update) - Quotefancy

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Monday Fun-Day

Image

Happy New Week, friends! These past two weeks I have been completely off of my regular schedule and my regular routine. It feels good to feel like the reset button has been pressed. I like time periods that are full of a lot of everything (activity, food and drink, excursions, people, events and celebrations, etc.). These time periods are lively and fun, but they are certainly unsustainable for the long term. When you finally return to your old routine, you welcome it back, like a long lost friend or a well-worn pair of slippers. What had become dull and boring, all of the sudden becomes the normality that you crave. And it feels so peaceful and good and joyous to be back to the natural, regular rhythms of your own daily life. Today, instead of feeling like it’s just another agonizing, manic Monday, it feels more like a new starting gate to the beginning glimmers of a pleasant summer to come. And there is no need to start sprinting out of the gate. Summer is full of long, leisurely days. It’s okay to slowly amble out, taking time to smell the roses along the way . . . .

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Quietly

Image

I’m not a quiet person. No one has ever really accused me of being quiet. No one in my family really is all that quiet. My family tends to do things big, and loud and in numbers. Interestingly, my sons have the tendency to get into serious relationships with ladies who are only children. My eldest son flew in with his girlfriend (an only child) last night. I kept watching her, wondering what she could possibly be thinking/feeling, while digging into a seafood boil with a cacophony of loud, cackling people, while going through piles of family pictures, and all of the while, three energetic dogs swirling all around her, throughout the night. If she hated it, she’s an excellent pretender. She’s lovely. My middle son has dated his girlfriend (also an only child) since high school. Recently I heard her describe our family like this, “They’re loud and there are a lot of them, but they are so much fun.”

Still, relatively speaking, I notice that I have grown quieter as I have aged. I do like to “hide in the corners” more, and just observe. I find myself wanting to really just soak it all in. Watching my family, never grows old. Marinating in what really matters in life, is the most alive I ever feel, even when I am being unusually quiet and still.

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Get Out of the Way

I love this video! Imagine loving to eat anything that much. Did you run that fast to the coffee maker this morning? I came close. Who knew that meal worms could be that motivating? What’s your meal worm? What motivates you so much that a whole flock of showy flamingoes would knowingly step out of your way, as you zoom towards your prize? Knowing your motivators is a superpower. Knowing what motivates you, is what will help you to propel towards your goals. Usually we have at least a vague sense of our goals, but a lot of times we don’t reach our goals because we go at them the wrong way. We don’t take steps that motivate us, and we lose interest quickly. A great way to figure out what motivates you is to think of times that you felt the most proud of yourself, and/or the most fulfilled in your life. List those times. Look for commonalities. Things that compel you to take action, are things that motivate you. You are motivated to take action towards the things in life that you are doing or would do for free (even if you are paid to do it).

Another trick to figure out what motivates you is noticing what you think about when you wake up every morning. What excites you about your day? What are you eager to get to? What do you find yourself talking about frequently? These things are your interests and your passions. These things are the rewards that will motivate you to take action. Perhaps honestly reflecting on your passions and motivators, may help you to shape, and even to reshape your goals in life. Remember, Fabio loves mealworms. I don’t love mealworms. They aren’t my motivator. Mealworms are kind of gross to me, actually. I’m betting that you don’t love mealworms either. They aren’t your motivator, at all. And that’s okay. Variety is the spice of life.

I love writing this daily blog. I don’t get paid to do it, but I would be so lost without it. I think about writing first thing when I get up in the morning. I think about my blog throughout my day. I think about things to write about in the shower, and when I am getting ready, and when I am walking around, doing my chores, etc. I question every event in my life, with the frame of: Would this be a good topic to write about? Quite possibly I would actually do the Fabio speed-paddle to my computer every morning, if I had to, just to fire up WordPress. Writing is one of my mealworms. It’s a delicious, juicy, nourishing, personal made-for-me mealworm, that I would have a hard time living without.

A friend of ours is going to be retiring in the next year or so. Interestingly, some of the things that he wants to do in retirement, are a few nights a month of bartending, and also, being a tour guide in a local aerospace museum. I thought to myself, “Wow, our friend is a very social guy. He obviously likes the idea of being with big crowds of strangers. He probably likes the idea of meeting new and different people all of the time. These are the types of activities that excite him and energize him. Being in social situations and crowds is a huge motivator to him, obviously.” Now, neither of those activities appeal to me at all, but it delights me that our friend knows himself, and he knows what he wants to do. I find other people exploring, and then knowing, and then doing their own unique passions, so inspiring and interesting. I don’t want Fabio’s mealworms, but I am vicariously thrilled with his passion for his mealworms. What are your mealworms? It’s a great thing to meditate on this weekend. You might surprise yourself. Feel free to share your mealworms in my Comments section. It might inspire a few of us flamingoes to try something new. It might remind us flamingoes, that we can fly.

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.