Blessings

Go out into the world where your heart calls you. The blessings will come, I promise you that. I wish for you the insight to recognize the blessings as such, and sometimes it's hard. But you'll know it's a blessing if you are enriched and transformed by the experience. So be ready. There are great souls and teachers everywhere. It's your job to recognize them.

Sy Montgomery

American Author, Naturalist and Radio Commentator

How many times have you felt totally at peace, in joy, and harmony with yourself, your soul and your world?  When time stopped and you felt totally at one with wherever you were, whatever you were doing and whoever you were with?

It happens to me, from time-to-time, and I know it when it's happening.  I hear the cool notes of harmony resonate with my spirit and see, with clear eyes of the soul, looking out---and in.  It just feels right.  Like when I'm driving a horse and carriage.  Or taking Sweetie Sue for a walk.  Or playing with my kits.  Or spending time with a close friend.  Or appreciating the wonder and majesty of Nature.  It feels good and right and love-ly.  In love.  In light.  In peace.

Another thought is:  how often do you let yourself enjoy and engage in such pastimes?  Are you working too much?  Too hard?  Too intensely to enjoy anything?  Why? 

Step back.  Look at the bigger picture.  You'll be dead for eternity.  So, why not play as much as possible here and now, while you're alive?  I don't think anyone in the cemetary ever regretted not playing enough.  Or loving enough.  Or living-to-the-fullest-richest-and happiest enough. 

It starts (and stops) with you.  Let the beauty, and blessings, BEGIN!

Friends

STONE

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING

THROUGH THE DESERT .

DURING SOME POINT OF THE

JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN

ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND

SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE

IN THE FACE.

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED

WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT

SAYING ANYTHING,

WROTE IN THE SAND ,

"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND

SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE ."

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,

UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,

WHERE THEY DECIDED

TO TAKE A BATH .

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN

SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE

MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING,

BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM

THE NEAR DROWNING,

HE WROTE ON A STONE:

"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND

SAVED MY LIFE."

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED

AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND

ASKED HIM, "AFTER I HURT YOU,

YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,

YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?"

THE FRIEND REPLIED,

"WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US

WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN

IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF

FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.

BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES

SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,

WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE

WHERE NO WIND

CAN EVER ERASE IT."

LEARN TO WRITE

YOUR HURTS IN

THE SAND AND TO

CARVE YOUR

BLESSINGS IN STONE.

THEY SAY IT TAKES A
MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL

PERSON,

AN HOUR TO

APPRECIATE THEM,

A DAY

TO LOVE THEM,

BUT THEN,

AN ENTIRE LIFE

TO FORGET THEM.

DO NOT VALUE THE THINGS

YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT VALUE

WHO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE!

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet

is fighting some kind of battle

Let Your Light Shine

We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled.

The trick is knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.

Ray Bradbury

American Author

Have you ever been in a restaurant (or any public place) and overheard a conversation about less-than-savory topics?  I have.  And, it puts me in a dour mood for the rest of the day.  Sure, I may be overly-sensitive to begin with, but upon hearing a distasteful bit of news, part of me shuts down or goes to the "dark place" inside.  For longer than I should.

Words have the power to teach, taunt, tease and tickle.  Then can enhance our lives or swat us down.  So why, as Ray Bradbury suggests, don't we tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out more often?

A smile, a nod, a wink of the eye.  A connection.  With another--even a tree.  Why do we burrow and furrow, wince and wail when we can laugh and giggle, frolic and folly with one another?  To me it's a waste of life not to partake of the joys and opportunities that present themselves to us.  As Auntie Mame says, "Life's a banquet.  And most poor sons-of-bitches are starving to death!"

Amen.

Smile

There's a wonderful song called, Smile, written by Charlie Chaplin for his 1936 film, Modern Times. 
It goes like this:

Smile tho' your heart is aching,
Smile even tho' it's breaking,

When there are clouds in the sky

You'll get by,

If you smile

thro' your fear and sorrow,

Smile and maybe tomorrow,

You'll see the sun come shin-ing thro' for you

Light up your face with gladness,

Hide ev-'ry trace of sadness,

Al -'tho a tear may be ever so near,

That's the time,

You must keep on trying,

Smile, what's the use of crying,

You'll find that life is still worth-while,

If you just smile.

Then, this from Mother Teresa:

“Smile at each other,

Smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other -- it doesn't matter who it is -- and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other.”

Ever hear that a smile can alter one's mood?  Just the physical up-turning of one's mouth can infuse one's psyche with happiness and hope. 

Worth trying, don't you think?

I know Sweetie Sue does!

It Only Takes a Moment

There's a song that goes, "It only takes a moment to be loved a whole life long. . . "   Very dreamy, melodic and memorable from HELLO DOLLY when Cornelius Vanderbilt sings to Mrs. Malloy.  Unforgettable.

It only takes a moment
For your eyes to meet and then

Your heart knows in a moment

You will never be alone again

I held her for an instant

But my arms felt sure and strong

It only takes a moment

To be loved a whole life long...

Yesterday, for some reason, I started thinking about all the life-altering changes that happened in just that---a moment.  Big things, significant happenstances that greatly altered or changed my life and lifestyle forever---in the blink of an eye, a whisper in the wind, a flick of the wrist.

The best one, of late, going to the humane society on November 14th and finding Sweetie Sue. 

But there are many others that happen in our lives that aren't so happy.  A friend deciding the friendship's over, a car running over one of my kittens on the way to a football game, a tree falling on a house (not mine, thank goodness) a spark igniting a major fire (like in the hills of L.A. usually every spring and fall) a slight, a wink, a nod, a connection--for the good or bad--that happens in a moment.  And changes your life forever.

When these things happen, I ask myself, why, what causes them to happen? 

Is it Fate? Chance? Kismet? Synchronicity? God? Or, just plain good or bad dumb luck?  What powers the energy in the world? And, its outcomes?  Why this and not that?  So many huge changes occur in a split second.  Not choices.  Life edicts. Situations and consequences that happen involuntarily.  Out-of-the-blue.

Do you ever think about this?  If so, what are some of the life changing events or situations that have happened to you?  And, how do you feel about them?

Dream On

The dreamers are the saviours of the world. As the visible world is sustained by the invisible, so men, through all their trials and sins and sordid vocations, are nourished by the beautiful visions of their solitary dreamers. Humanity cannot forget its dreamers; it cannot let their ideals fade and die; it lives in them; it knows them as the realities which it shall one day see and know.

James Allen, 1864-1912

English Author and Poet

Ah yes, the dreamers. . . Life can be hard for us.  The ups, the downs, the gray areas, the rough patches and slippery slopes all add to our angst.  And, we can't shake it.  Or forget.  Such is the dark side of dreamers.

But, oh, the bright side!  The light and love and laughter.  The hope and dreams of a dreamer rival no other.  The gossamer wings of a butterfly, the soaring plumage of the dove, the chatter of monkeys, strutting of peacocks, purring of cats, joy of fancy hats!  So much to rejoice and revel in; so much to adore and appreciate in life, in love, in laughter and, yes, sometimes even in tears. 
All good.  All grace.  All gifts.

What Are Some of Your Dreams?

The future belongs to those who believe in

the beauty of their dreams.

Eleanor Roosevelt

The first week of the new year.  What are some of your dreams?  Have you forgotten them or have you grown weary of pursuing them?  Dreams are important, because they keep us on track of our true selves.  When we fulfill a dream, we fulfill more of our authenticity and live in closer alignment with who we truly are. 

 

When I'm with my kits and pup, I feel most authentic.  They accept me for who I am.  No criticisms or judgments.  No evaluations or recommendations.  We just are.  And that's fine.

When do you feel most authentic?

 

Here's my list:

 

1)  When I'm at home with my pets.

 

2)  When I'm photographing just about anything.

 

3)  When I'm with a good friend.

 

4)  When I'm reading a good book.

 

5)  When someone shows appreciation.

 

6)  When I'm writing my blog.

 

7)  When I'm at a good play, concert or lecture.

 

8)  When I'm at peace with my heart and soul.

 

9)  When I'm in nature. (Especially driving a horse & carriage!)

 

10) When I'm discovering the wonders of life.