Victory

Ah, sweet victory!
That lofty feeling of slight superiority enriched by hard work and dedication.


What is lost in translation
is that that lofty feeling,
that surge of success,
that thrill of the moment,
is not only when you beat an opponent.


I believe, even more,
that victory is achieved during loss.


What you gain from defeat is far more educational
than what you take away from a win.
You gather motivation,
you earn respect for your determination,
you inspire yourself and others,
you fight to improve,
you choose to try harder.


Victory is far more than winning.

Tenacity

Tenacity, as defined in the dictionary:


The quality of being tenacious, or of holding fast; persistence.
The quality of retaining something.
The quality or property of holding together firmly.


Almost as vital as breathing,
one must become tenacious.


It is in your persistence, your retention,
your relentless pursuit of standing firm in your faith,
your conviction, your dedication and your determination
that you can take even the tiniest step
toward whatever it is that you desire.


Do not be deterred.
Do not be detained.
Do not be dismayed.


Focus. Filter. Faithful. Forceful.
Tenacious!

Grief

Grief never ends,
But . . .
Grief is not a state, or a place to dwell.
It is a process or a passage
through a sometimes inconceivably
impassible tangled web of crazy.
It is not weakness.
It is the birth or rebirth of strength.
It is a new opportunity
to build on the foundation of what you lost;
to create a library of the most beautiful memories ever.
Some days, those memories will knock the wind out of you.
And some days, they will be the only thing keeping you moving.
Grief is not final.
Grief is growth.
Grow!

Your Noggin

You have two ears, two eyes, and two nostrils.
That would lead one to believe it is TWICE as important
to listen, to watch, and to sniff out the truth.
And I'm sure you've heard that before.
You have one mouth!
This would lead one to also believe that
it is only half as important to use that gift.
I do not concur.


I think it is singularly more vital
to open your pie hole!


Listen.
Watch.
Sniff out the truth.
Then SPEAK your mind.
You have value and worth and merit.
Your thoughts, your ideas, your ambitions
are just as integral as the next guy's.
You need not ram your notions down the throats of others.
But you have every right and reason
to offer them up to others
so that they might listen, watch and sniff out their own truth.

Children

Children are such a precious gift.
They do not come without challenges,
but nothing worth having ever comes easy.


Whether they are your own,
or just beautiful souls entrusted to you . . .
for a short time or for eternity . . .
Instill them with love.
Fill them with self worth.
Drape them in compassion.
Teach them kindness and humility.


Stand in front of them to teach.
Stand behind them to protect.
Stand beside them to encourage.


Embrace the blessing
you've been given.

Memories

One of my favorite things about memories
is that they are mine.
You may remember a different version.
I enjoy what I recall.


Yesterday was filled with dipping into the well
of wonderful memories.
While wandering around a local festival,
hubby and I chatted about having taken both
sets of parents to that particular area.
We wanted to take a photo of us on the same bench
we had taken a photo of his parents.
Event goers were not really being too accommodating.
We walked the pier and chatted about having my parents there
and how much they liked it.
Sometimes, during memories, my eyes leak.
And that's ok.
It's just a little love that doesn't fit in my heart finding a way out.


I hope your memories are happy ones.
I hope you dwell on things that make you smile.
I hope, at times, you might leak as well.

Blindfolded

Helen Keller is quoted as saying:


"When we do the best that we can,
we never know what miracle is wrought in our life,
or in the life of another."


It is also said that
you have never really lived
until you have done something for someone
who can never repay you.


So work for a cause, not for applause.
Live life to express, not to impress.
Do good works with intention, not for attention.


Face each day 'blindfolded'.
Do good because it is the right thing to do,
not because you are hoping for benefits.
The benefits will come without your seeing.
Walk in faith that your kindness
will create a better path.

Hope

Orison Swett Marden said:


"There is no medicine like hope,
no incentive so great,
and no tonic so powerful
as the expectation of something tomorrow."


Hope.
It is an extraordinary component of life.

Smile

When you are elated . . . smile.
When you are joyous . . . smile.
When you are happy . . . smile.
When you are confused . . . smile.
When you are bothered . . . smile.
When you are irritated . . . smile.
When you are angry . . . smile.


When the emotion behind the smile is genuine,
it tends to spread like wildfire.
When you force yourself to smile,
in spite of your situation,
you tend to trick yourself into a happy state.


You can hear a smile on the phone.
You can feel a smile in a conversation.


Change someone's day.
Share a smile!

Grow

Growing old should be embraced.
It is a privilege denied to many.
We've all heard or read that. And it is true.


What is even more amazing
is being allowed to witness the growing
of others.
I'm not talking growing old or growing up,
but more . . . just growing.
To be permitted to see another human being
evolve into something amazing,
to have ring side seats to the
blooming of a soul.
To watch as someone realizes
a hidden talent,
an untapped potential,
or a indefinable purpose.
What a gift!
What a joy!


Go Grow!

RAK 'em up!

Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day!
One of my most favorite things to do.
Do a good deed without any chance for a thank you.
Perform some nicety without opportunity for reciprocation.


Pay for the person behind you in the drive through.
Leave a few dollars for the person behind you in the grocery store.
Bring food to a homeless shelter.
Help a neighbor with their groceries or bringing in their trash cans.
Let someone in front of you in traffic.
It need not be some grandiose gesture.
Just a little kindness.
It is amazing the sort of ripple you can start.


Go . . . RAK 'em up!

Do What Moves You

Benjamin Mays said:


"The tragedy in life does not lie in not reaching your goal.
The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach."


Dream big!
Hope!
Thrive!
Wish and plan and
do what moves you.

Heart Beep

Firstly, Happy Birthday to brothers Cal and Dan.
No, they are not twins.
They are actually separated by two years.
I hope your day is wonderful.


Kids say the darnedest things.
When my daughter was very little,
she was snuggled up against her daddy.
All of a sudden she became all wide-eyed
and very excited.
She sat bolt upright and exclaimed,


"I can hear your heart beep!"


It was terribly precious and cute at the time.
What I find more precious is that we still say it.
When I am all curled up against my hubby on the couch,
entrenched in some movie or sit-com or cooking show,
I am enveloped in warm memories,
overtaken by a tender smile,
and say,


"I can hear your heart beep!"


Have a beautiful Valentine's Day.
Share the love.

Thank You Ch-Angels

This blog is intended to be a positive start to your day.
It is supposed to bring a smile to your face,
pluck an occasional heart string,
wrap you in warmth and security,
and maybe even help you move beyond an issue.


I write in honor of my mother,
a Ch-Angel that journeyed home way before she should have.
I write in honor of the countless Ch-Angels
that have touched the lives of so many others.
Those unsung heroes that lived their lives either to
improve the lives of others,
or by simply being themselves
and having an impact far greater than their own knowledge.


Those beautiful souls that,
even though they may have moved on from this earthly realm,
they have a permanent residence in our hearts and in our lives.
Those incredible supporters that
walk quietly through each day unaware of
how graciously and beautifully they've touched another life.


Thank you ~
to all you Ch-Angels.
Thank you for the inspiration.
Thank you for the motivation.
Thank you for the aspiration.
Thank you!

A little Zig

Sometimes,
you find yourself in the middle of nowhere,
and . . .
sometimes,
in the middle of nowhere,
you find yourself.


Love what you find.

Band of Brothers

Today is a special day.
A day to recognize one of my many brothers and his birthday.
I'm not quite sure what my parents were doing in early May, but all four of my biological brothers were born between January 31st and February 14th.
My two step-brothers were born shortly before that.
I am a lucky girl to have such a Band of Brothers.


They may not always communicate with one another,
and it may be months before I actually speak to them,
but they are there!
I feel them!
I sense them!
I am certain of them!
They are and have always been my safety net.
They encourage me, stabilize me, push me, taunt me, tease me, and love me.
I couldn't ask for a better group of gentleman to call family.


Happy Birthday Jim!
Happy Birthday too to Eric, Skippy (RIP), Bill, Dan and Cal.
Love you all.


For those of you with just one brother - I hope you're close.
I hope you realize what you have.
For those with more . . . I understand your pain
and I share in your joy.


Enjoy your Band of Brothers!

One of My Favorites

Angel's Wings


Angel's wings, embrace me, from the wicked of this Earth
Sheathe me in your feathery steel, protect my heavenly worth
A downy soft encasement to fortify my soul
A powerful light to guide me on a path to make me whole


Angel's wings, do comfort me. Soften the trials ahead
Grant me strength in faith to walk where I am led
Ratify my resolve to overcome what may
Offer me your solace to seek another day


Angel's wings, please lift me, to the heights of God's design
His glory rise ten-fold more than any inkling mortally mine
Soaring just below me, I ask for loft bequeathed
To my pinnacle of purpose with a winged net beneath


Angel's wings, provide me, a blissful journey to His throne
A celebratory ending to a beginning of glories unknown
Guide me home sweet angel whispers when my clay shell's been wrung dry
Lay me down softly on Angel's wings and carry me home on high!


~ Lyn Marinello

Light

There is a brilliance within each of us.
As children, we beam with enthusiasm;
glow with joy;
shine with pride.
As we age, that light sometimes gets dingy,
diminishes,
the brightness fades.


Sometimes, we think we've lost it completely.
This couldn't be farther from the truth.


That light,
YOUR beacon,
simply awaits your attention.
Dust it off, clear the cobwebs,
clean off the bulb.


You are meant to shine!
You are a gift to this earth.
You have a path to illuminate,
for yourself and others.
Radiate with all the glory that is you.


Go . . .
Light up the world!

Saturday Morning Exercise

Let my soul
smile through my heart
and my heart
smile through my eyes,
that I may scatter
rich smiles in sad hearts.


~ Paramahansa Yogananda

The Master

This is apparently Zen Buddhist text and I'm loving it!


The person who is a master in the art of living
makes little distinction between their work and their play,
their labor and their leisure,
their mind and their body,
their education and their recreation,
their love and their religion.
They hardly know which is which.
They simply pursue their vision of excellence and grace
in whatever they do,
leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing.
To them, they are always doing both.


Go and master your life.

Success

Success is:




Taking that first step on an unknown course.


Getting up just one more time than you were knocked down.


Gritting your teeth through the pain and everyone thinks you're smiling.


Falling to sleep at night knowing that your talents and abilities
were used in a way that served others.


Believing that you can.

Priorities

I have let you know prior that when I see things repeatedly,
I know it's a sign that I'm supposed to share it.
Normally, it's just a word or a specific bit of content.
Today, it was an actual list that I saw not once,
not twice,
but THREE times!
And, from three very separate sources.


And so . . .
your priorities for today ~
and EVERY day . . .


Eat
Drink
Laugh
Love


Could it be this simple?
Methinks . . . YES!

Life

People whine and cry about the cold.
People whine and cry about the heat.
Folks complain about working too much.
Folks complain about not working at all.
Some wish they looked different.
Some wish they looked like everyone else.


Here is the blunt and honest,
complete and total truth!


LIFE is beautiful!


You are exactly as you are supposed to be.
You exist for a reason.
You have meaning and purpose and value and worth.
There will ALWAYS be something to complain about.
The grass is the same no matter where you live.
You simply have to care for it to make it lush and green.


Embrace the Life you have.
It is a gift.
Open it daily, if you are so blessed, and enjoy whatever is inside.


Life . . . go live it!

Butterfly Kisses

From Hawthorne:


"Happiness is a butterfly,
which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp,
but which, if you sit down quietly,
may alight upon you."


Be still.
Be quiet.
Enjoy your blessings.