Begin Again

As May rolls to a close,
June flows on the scene.
June to me is a month of new beginnings.

Spring becomes Summer.
Days become warmer.
Life becomes more relaxed.
Men become fathers.
What will your new beginning be?

You are only restrained by your own self.
Travel doesn't have to be across the globe.
Go explore the next town.
You don't need to be the next Steph Curry;
but try paddle boarding, or hiking, or kickboxing
or whatever activity tickles your fancy.
Men who are blessed with offspring,
be a role model, a guide, a coach, a teacher.

Dust off the dirt from planting May flowers
and begin again.
June is yours!

Sacrifice

On this Memorial Day,
I'd like to take the opportunity to share my gratitude
for the servicemen/women who have given
of their time, their youth, their family, and their lives
defending us and this nation.
Too few folks these day realize the magnitude
of the sacrifice they make.
It seems the patriotism for this country
is seeping out of every crack and crevice.
We need to find our way back to acknowledging
what these folks fought for,
saluting their sacrifice,
and realizing it is in their selflessness
that we enjoy so very much.

Thank you!
You are all so very brave and courageous.
I appreciate you.
I comment you.
I salute you.

Exit, Stage Left

This quote sums me up.
This is how I try to volunteer.
This is how I wish EVERYONE would behave.
The world could be extraordinary!

People who shine from within
do not need a spot light.

Going off grid for a while.
I'll be back next week.
While I'm gone . . .
please do good deeds ~
not for the glory,
not for the accolade,
not for your photo or name in lights,
but because it is simply the right thing to do.

Courage

Courage doesn't have to be forged on a battlefield,
for no one knows the battle you face.
We each walk our own path,
unique to our own selves and circumstances.
No one realizes what mine fields we've crossed,
what surprise attacks we've survived,
or what injuries we've overcome.
For some . . .
Courage is simply the next step.

Be courageous.
Take it.

Reignite Your Passion

Whether it is writing,
dancing,
singing,
travelling,
hiking,
working out,
speaking out,
helping out,
or something else . . .

now is the time . . .

reignite your passion.

Take a leap of faith
into the great unknown
and follow that dream!

A Beautiful Thing

To give without the chance of reciprocation,
to do without the opportunity for thanks,
to work without the expectation of accolade,
THAT is a beautiful thing.

Booyah!!!

So a dear little Ch-Angel friend, Cathy, sent me a big long email.
This quote was actually a precursor to that email.
The quote struck me much more than any of the rest of it.
It is one of those 'short but sweet' and horribly true lines.
Read it.
Let it seep in to your core.


There is a big difference between a human being and being human.


Booyah!!!

Walk Away

We must constantly remind ourselves
that our time, our thoughts, our actions, our selves
are valuable and vital.
We must walk away from the nonsense,
the drama,
the negativity,
the garbage that tries to seep into our lives.
Remember who you are.
Know that you have much to give.
Realize that you are above the mayhem.
Understand that you are not abandoning the weak;
you are giving them the opportunity to stand on their own
and do things for themselves.
Shoulders back.
Head high.
Smile.
Walk Away.

A Novel Idea

Now here is something extraordinary to consider:

Be nice.

Stop looking to create drama,
to stir up trouble,
to condemn,
to belittle,
to ruin another person.
You gain nothing by putting others down.
You appear childish, petty, and insecure.

A friend of mine says, "Kindness is Coolest."
It costs absolutely nothing to be polite.
Go, make the world a more beautiful place.

Go be nice.

Together

If there are any hockey fans out there,
last night's Lightning/Penguins game was brutal.
Within the first period,
two Lightning players were carted off the ice.
As a member of 'The Thunder," our collective hearts stopped.
But, as is so often the case with this team,
there was a banding together of brothers; a unification of teammates.
They rose above the obstacles, in honor of their fallen ice-mates,
rallying in unanimity, they beat the odds - on opposing ice -
and achieved victory.
Some people had to step up.
Some folks filled more space.
Some players had to skate a little faster.
Some skaters had to defend a little more.
But together they did what little thought could be done.
There is no 'I' in team.
Together we can achieve momentous things.
We must unite.
We must amalgamate.
We must come together - as one - for the good of all.

Embrace Your Inner Kid

Wait til you're older, they said.
Wait til you're bigger, they said.
Wait til you're an adult, they said.
There was never any mention of
bills and taxes and buying and selling
and children and worries and losing folks
and homes and cars and health and working
and stuff.

But . . .

What they neglected to tell you
is to always keep your childlike heart.

Believe.
Trust.
Listen.
Learn.
Sing.
Laugh.
Play.
Love.

It makes all that other stuff a wee bit more bearable.

STOP

When life seems to be too hectic;
when the rat race seems to be gnawing at you;
when imbalance becomes the norm;
when chaos leads the dance;
when you cannot seem to catch your breath;

STOP!

Regroup.
Reconnect.
Refocus.
Redirect.
Reprioritize.

Breathe.
Begin again.

Learn well

I wish you battles -
and victories.
I wish you betrayal -
and loyalty.
I wish you pain -
and tenacity.
I wish you tears -
and joy.
I wish you hurt -
and happiness.
Without adversity,
we do not acknowledge the grandeur of surmounting it.
Without setbacks,
we do not thrill to overcoming them.
Without some heartache,
we do not understand the brilliance of joy.
Take from every situation only the positive,
leaving behind the negative of the lesson.
Learn well.

Spring Cleaning

I'm always running a little behind,
but Spring Cleaning is essential - no matter when you do it.

Be sure to unclutter.
Remove the things that needlessly take up space.
Throw out the things that have negativity attached.
Toss the dirty, broken, useless items.
Sweep away the dust, the dirt, the filth, the things that make you sick.

Now . . .

Replace them with things that make you smile.
Exchange them with positive stuff.
Insert items that make your heart happy.
Give yourself room to become a better you.
Plant seeds that will bloom into extraordinarily beautiful surroundings.

Oh . . .
and clean your house, too.

Grateful Heart

Sometimes things happen and we are terribly saddened.
There is defeat or pain or loss.
The most difficult step you take is the one AFTER this pain.
And, when you venture to put one foot out there
for that tentative, scary, soul-defining step . . .
do it with a grateful heart.
Yes ~ a grateful heart.
You might be scared to death.
You might be bitterly angry.
You might be overwhelmingly sad.
But with a grateful heart, you've learned.
And wherever that next step leads - you will be stronger, wiser, better.
Grow from defeat.
Learn from betrayal.
Carry with you the positives of what you've lost.
Know that what you've gained is a blessing.
This is your course.
This is your path.
Carry on . . .
head held high,
shoulders back,
more tenacious than ever . . .
with a grateful heart.

Hey Mom!

Mom:
Finder of all things lost.
Kisser of all boo boos.
Mender of all things broken.
Baker of all things yummy
Teacher of lots of life's lessons.
There is no task too grand for a mom.
There is no mountain too high, no hole too deep.
Never awaken Momma Bear - the result could get quite ugly.
There is something softly special and spectacularly super about a Mom.

We are blessed with little gifts,
no manuals, no handbooks,
just the love in our hearts with which to be guided.
We share each victory.
We agonize with every defeat.
We ache to make everything right.
And a simple "Love You Mom" is payment enough that brings tears to ones' eyes.

God bless you Moms out there.
God bless you Moms that are also Dads.
God bless you folks who stepped up to be Moms.
God bless you folks who have accepted this beautiful challenge;
for there is no greater achievement, no greater blessing,
than to create, shape, mold, and bring forth life.

Happy Mother's Day!

Sing

A bird does not sing because he has an answer;
he sings because he has a song.
~ B. Johnson

We all have a song.
We all have a tale to tell.
We all have a story to share.
We are each important.
We are each vital.
Sing your song.

Sing

Hope

Not sure of its origin,
but I'm loving this quote:

Hope is the anchor of the soul,
the stimulus to action,
and the incentive to achievement.

Ah, HOPE!

Gather

As we age, we realize that things don't last forever.
Stuff breaks, gadgets become obsolete, and rust happens.
Relationships change and folks move on.
And, inevitably, people pack their earthly bags and take that beyond journey.

So, while you are here, while you're on terra firma,
realize what truly matters.
Gather your friends.
Gather your family.
Gather together.
Gather memories.
Gather moments.
Gather love.
Gather what can fill your heart and never be removed.

Gather!

Carry On!

When met with resistance,
carry on.
When people start talking,
carry on.
When positive change is a result,
carry on.
When there is assistance given,
carry on.
When you make a difference,
carry on.
Some folks will love you.
Some folks will not.
If you're doing the right thing ~
Carry On!

Leap

Wise words from John Burroughs:

Leap, and the net will appear.

I could spend hours expounding on this,
but there really is no need.