Treasure Hunt

Unfortunately for me, retail has no weekends.
But, for the rest of you,
the weekend is a grand time for a treasure hunt.

Hunt up some friends,
go find some treasure:

The precious laughter between you;
pearls of wisdom;
the gemstones of memories;
rings of honor and courage;
brilliant and priceless time together.

The best Treasure Hunt EVER!

Volunteering

Volunteering.
What a joyous concept.

To offer yourself, your time, your talent, your efforts,
without expectation of
notoriety, acknowledgement, distinction, or benefits,
for the betterment of others.

Volunteering:
It is NOT about the income.
It is ALWAYS about the outcome.

Hug Away!

This morning, I am inundated with hugs and hug phrases and hug memes.
So, I'm thinking today's blog should be about hugs.
I've written already about the importance of squishing someone.
The vital role a tender embrace can have for one's day.
Today, however, I'll be speaking of the INTANGIBLE hug.

The hug we send through email.
The hug we give through the written word.
The hug we offer through a warm and tender smile.
The hug we present with an open ear.
The hug we bestow with broad shoulders.
The hug we allot with a tender heart.

This is just as vital as the real thing.
Hug someone today.
Whether it's a real squish or the intangible ~
Hug away!

Oh I Like

So this little nugget awaited me on my calendar this morning:

Contentment is not
the fulfillment of what you want,
but the realization
of how much you already have.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Oh I Like!

Adversity

There are times when all we meet is adversity.
Whether it is financial, mental, emotional, or physical;
it can be debilitating.
Or not!

If we did not have winter, spring would not be so renewing.
If we did not have storms, rainbows would lose their magic.
If we did not have trials, victories would not seem so grand.
If we did not taste of adversity, blessings would lose their impact.

It's Truly Beautiful

So, I have a couple of friends
who have been having a rough go of things as of late.
But . . . as God's grace and life will do,
there is a light beaming down on them now.
It's Truly Beautiful
to see them come into their own.
It's Truly Beautiful
to see them realize their own potential.
It's Truly Beautiful
to watch them understand their value.
It's Truly Beautiful
to witness them blossoming
into the healthy, incredible, amazing people
I've always known they are!

I am wishing the same for you.
Go be amazing!
YOU are Truly Beautiful!

Ooh-Rah!

There is nothing quite so sexy as a person in uniform.
Even more sexy is the code of ethics that they follow.
One of my favorite Marine codes is:

Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome

It might be because I watched my mother do this for eons.
It might be because that's the way she raised us.
But I truly believe that this is vital to one's existence.

There is no 'best' job; no lucky chair to sit at; no favorite pen to use;
or silly things like that.

You are given a set of circumstances every day.
Your task, of which you are MORE than capable,
is to do your job, to the best of your abilities,
with the tools you've been provided with,
in a timely, productive and positive manner.

I learned to operate a computer mouse with my left hand,
because the boss was left handed.
I wanted to play competitive golf, but there was no girl's team;
so I beat 20 boys to get on the travel boy's team.
You create your own limitations.
Why?

Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome!
Ooh-Rah!

Wield Wisely

The weight of your words
can be mighty.
You can absolutely crush someone
with a single phrase.
You can obliterate their hopes,
annihilate their dreams,
destroy their self confidence.

Or . . .

With a simple smile,
a properly placed back pat,
a sincere round of verbal applause,
a heartfelt hug of oral optimism,
you can change a person's entire day,
or month,
or life.

Choose your actions,
choose your words carefully.
They carry great power.
Wield them wisely.

Grace

Grace is defined as:

elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.

Grace is displayed as:

not attending every drama you're invited to,
not participating in every argument that's started,
not addressing the inane insipidness of others,
not partaking in idle, harmful gossip,
not stooping to play in someone else's filth,
remembering your values, your morals, your ethics,
and choosing your own path.

Sometimes,
walking away without uttering a word
speaks absolute volumes.

Go . . . be graceful.

One of You

So a little Ch-Angel friend brought this to my attention
and I wanted to share it with you.
Far too many of us judge ourselves by society's standards.
Society is a bit askew ~ in case you didn't notice.

How cool is it
that the same God
that created mountains and oceans and galaxies,
looked at you and thought
the world needed one of you, too?!

You are worthy of absolutely everything.

Give

When you are at your lowest,
give.
When you are at your saddest,
give.
When you are at your weakest.
give.
When you are at your loneliest,
give.

For it is in giving,
that we receive the most.

I Have a Dream . . .

I think world peace is out.
There are far too many whackadoos out there for that.

Instead,
I dream of moving beyond the pains of the past,
I dream of letting go of the betrayals,
I dream of existing surrounded by love and positivity.

And honestly, that is all up to me.

What do you dream of?

Celebrating Skippy!

Today is Skip's birthday.
My 'little' brother.
My nomad, roaming, singing, dancing,
to the beat of his own drummer kind of guy.
My partner in many crimes.
My co-conspirator in many capers.
My golfing and hiking buddy.
My secret handshake friend.
My dog-whispering, guard-rail crashing,
hand-holding, spirit raising pal.
I really miss you.
Hope your birthday is full of all the things
you find ever so splendiferous.
How could a birthday in Heaven not be?

Happy Birthday!
Hib!

Tug of War

Sometimes it seems as though our days are spent
tugging on a hundred ropes from a hundred directions.
We are struggling to pull and yank what we want
a little closer to us.
We are fitfully toiling to gain a few feet, give up a few feet,
gather back an inch only to lose it again.
Our hands are raw, our arms are sore, our backs are weary,
our bodies are fatigued and our mental self is exhausted.

Here's a thought . . .

Let go!

You cannot win every competition you are in.
You don't even need to attend every one.
Focus on what you can fix.
Focus on what matters most.
Focus on what's right in front of you.
Choose the rope that makes a difference.

Tug, with purpose.

Static

Static.
White noise.
Pollution.
Negativity.
Can't.
Won't.
Don't.

It is only noise.
Listen, instead, to your heart;
your passion;
your ideals;
your faith.

Don't be hindered by the static.
Be motivated by your dreams.

Uncomplicated

A simple smile can change a day.
A helping hand can change a life.
A kind word can alter one's course.
A soft shoulder can lessen a hardship.
A willing ear can ease the angst.
A loving heart makes a difference.

Superpowers

You, my friend,
have superpowers.

You have within you
the capacity to destroy, hate, gossip, lie, cheat and belittle.

You have within you
the ability to empower, love, filter, speak the truth,
do the right thing, and build others up.

Which superpower will you play with?

Ch-Angel

So, my Ch-Angels are so diverse and amazing and inspiring
that they sometimes come from foreign lands.

One of my favorite Ch-Angels comes from Italy.

She is a breath of fresh air whenever I see her.
She holds me together when I feel like I'm falling apart.
She understands my angst.
She listens.
She loves.

Grazie PT!
You, my dear, are extraordinary.
Thank you . . . for YOU.

PPT

For all those potato heads who believe I live on fairy dust and rainbow sprinkles . . .
here's a bit of startling news for you:

My life is not perfect!

I know! Calm down. Relax.

The difference between you and me, though, is that I choose to see
the positive;
the good;
the kind hearts;
the beauty;
the love;
the silver lining ~
no matter what.

I do not dwell on the negative.
I choose not to whine and cry and spread ugliness.

I choose, instead, the Power of Positive Thinking.
PPT

Today, I wish you a little of your own PPT!

Be careful

From Margot Fonteyn:

The one important thing I've learned over the years
is the difference between taking one's work seriously
and taking one's self seriously.
The first is imperative, the second is disastrous.

Be careful.

Crossed & Bent

Sometimes,
in the midst of a conversation,
something will be said that strikes a chord.
Yesterday, whilst chatting with a Ch-Angel,
this very thing occurred.

Crossed & Bent
Although it sounds like how I feel, it is much more than that.
In the realm of that conversation,
it was in reference to hoping for a good outcome.

"Let's keep our fingers crossed and our knees bent."

It just seemed very poignant.
So . . .
today, and always,
I hope you're 'crossed & bent'.

Normality

A shout out to Edie for bringing this to my attention.
This, my friends, is brilliant and I am a huge proponent of being
ANYTHING but normal!

Normality
is a paved road:
it's comfortable to walk,
but no flowers grow on it

Commit 2 Fit

Every New Year sees a massive influx of
folks who are determined to get in better shape.
That is NOT what this is about.
I have to admit that I saw this phrase somewhere,
but it hit me in an entirely different way.

You cannot just run on a treadmill
til you lose the weight you're looking to lose.
You cannot do a billion curls
in hopes that you're going to turn into Schwarzenegger.
It is an entire, whole body transformation that needs to occur.

Commit to balance.
Commit to nutrition.
Commit to health.
Commit to good choices.
Commit to sweating.
Commit to education.
Commit to caring.

When the WHOLE body is well, you are truly fit.

Commit 2 Fit!

3 Things

From Henry James:

Three things in human life are important.
The first is to be kind.
The second is to be kind.
The third is to be kind.

Transformation

Shed the old,
the tired,
the bedraggled,
the worn,
the frazzled.

Resolutions need not be
yearlong commitments.
Instead,
each day is an opportunity
to be a new and better you.
Learning.
Aspiring.
Reaching.

Happy New Year

To all you painters;
a fresh canvas.
To all you writers;
a blank page.
To all you wanderers;
a new path.
To all you dreamers;
an open vista.
To all of you;
a new year.

Make it what you want.