Smeyele!

Today is National Smile Day!

A smile
can change the whole direction
of someone's day.
A little display
of sincere kindness and happiness
can overwhelm another person.
A glimmer of goodness
from a face full of joy.
But not just any smile.
We all know those 'forced' jobs.
You'll want to ensure fortitude
in that grin.
Smile, not just with your mouth.
Smile with your eyes.
"Smeyele!"
Smile with your whole heart.
Smile with your entire being.
It is not only infectious.
It is comforting.
It is healing.
It is beautiful.

NOT

Pope John XXIII voiced this:

Consult not your fears,
but your hopes and your dreams.
Think not about your frustrations,
but about your unfulfilled potential.
Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in,
but with what is still possible for you to do.

LIBTYFI

No,
I didn't just mash a bunch of keys
and call it a blog.
It is an acronym.

Leave It Better Than You Found It

This is a crucial life lesson.
I believe it started in the National Parks,
where you are to leave nothing but footprints
and take nothing but pictures.
Leave the beauty for the next soul.
But . . . it is infinitely expandable
throughout the entirety of life.

A work place.
Nothing changes if you don't voice your concerns.
A community.
A little love and attention does amazing things.
A charity.
Every hand that gently, lovingly, selflessly steers it
makes for tremendous waves of positivity.

A stranger.

Smile. Be kind. You've no idea the impact.

Remove the negative.
Dispose of the ugly.
Bring peace and hope and faith and love.
It changes everything.

LIBTYFI

At Ease

This Memorial Day,
we acknowledge all of the brave men and women
that have given absolutely everything
in service to this country
and in protection of our freedom.
Proud cannot scratch the surface;
admiration is far too meek a word;
inspirational doesn't bring justice;
Respect, in its grandest form,
is what is owed to you.
And while we honor you
and acknowledge your efforts
and pay homage to your sacrifice . . .

At Ease.

Time

You can spend all your time
learning how to impress
or how to empower
or how to wheel and deal
or how to climb
or how to sell

or

You can go DO those things.

Be inspired by your victories.
Be motivated by your failures.
Be ignited by your passions.
Be fierce in your convictions.

Time ticks by.

Reach Out

Reach out and touch
somebody's hand.
Make this world a better place
if you can.

Remember that song?
Great tune!

And now that it's stuck in your head,
maybe you'll go do it.

A life that touches others
goes on forever.

Oh, the Lessons we Learn

A little Seuss-ical?
Perhaps.

But, I believe that every person
should work just a brief time in either
retail or hospitality.

Oh, the Lessons we Learn!
Flexibility
Resilience
Multi-tasking
Math skills
Integrity
Conversational skills
Personal worth
People skills
Salesmanship
Sarcasm
Persistence
Patience
What really matters
What doesn't matter at all

I've been in customer service for over 40 years.
I'm still alive.
And better for it.

Excellence

Excellence is not a skill.
It is an attitude.

Go ahead.
Read that again.
Let it sink in.

Believing that you are capable
is much more than half the battle.
It is the key piece to every battle.
Practice is simply
the physical manifestation
of belief in yourself.

Now,
go be excellent.

Good Health

The six best physicians EVER:

Sunshine
Water
Air
Rest
Diet
and
Exercise

Visit them regularly.
Enjoy good health.

Beauty of Life

Saw this within another post
a few days ago and
said to myself,
"Self, this is YOU!"

This is how I try to live
every single day.
How about you?

The beauty of life
does not depend
on how happy you are,
but how happy
others can be
because of you.

Love One Another

We have got to find a way to love one another.
There will always be bullies.
Life is full of them.
We've got to raise our children
to stand up to them,
love them through their pain,
or walk away from them.
There will always be hate.
Life is full of it.
We've got to raise our children
to stand up to it,
love through its ignorance,
or walk away from it.
We also need to teach our children
that they will not be good at everything.
Sometimes they will win.
Sometimes they will lose.
Do both gracefully.
Sometimes they will do well.
Sometimes they will not.
Be proud of your effort.
Celebrate your victories.
But also celebrate the victories of others.
Don't ask them to fail,
because you cannot reach their heights.
Life would be incredibly boring
if we were all the same.
Embrace the differences.
Love One Another.

Sunny

A cloudy day
is no match
for a sunny disposition.

The choice is yours.

91:4

Saw this in a local Dalton's.
It was a HUGE piece.
If there was a smaller version,
I would have snatched it up in a heartbeat.

Angel wings artwork and Psalm 91:4 beneath.

He will cover you with his feathers,
and under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield
and your protection.

Beauteous!!!

Ch-Angels

I am so blessed.
Surrounded by so many Ch-Angels:
those folks that give selflessly,
help relentlessly,
offer unconditionally,
love unendingly.
There is no hope of
recognition,
award,
acknowledgement.
There is only heart.
It is beautiful and inspiring.
It is humbling and hopeful.
Thank you . . .
for all you do
for everyone else.

Messy

D.H. Lawrence is quoted:

The fairest thing in nature, a flower,
still has its roots in earth and manure.

Hmmm.

To say that life occasionally gets messy

is kind of an understatement.

To say that, intermittently, we are covered

in dirt and crap is a fair assessment.

But what will you do with that.

Do you whine and complain?

Do you shrivel and whimper?

Or do you take root and bloom?

Bad situations will always occur.

I find myself stronger and more motivated

after every single one.

Go and bloom.

Become something even more beautiful.

Mountains

Having just come from Wyoming,
I can tell you about some mountains.

There are many ways to climb a mountain.
Since there was still snow out there,
some trails were closed.
Now, that didn't stop people from
grabbing poles and snow shoes and
heading into the great unknown.
We stuck (mostly) to the trails at hand.
Some folks actually learn rock climbing there.
Yup . . . straight up the face!
Some places you can drive nearly to the top
and take a short stroll.
And some people just go into the woods
and blaze their own trail.
There is no right way.
(Other than leaving only footprints.)
There is no better way.
Each person is different,
so each path is different.
Find your path.
Climb your mountain.

Enjoy your view!

Be Kind

There are so very many selfish
and self-centered people out there.
Without care or conscience,
just doing what they want because
they see no purpose in anyone but themselves.
This is sad.

The simple act of kindness
costs nothing
requires no education
takes very little effort
and makes an absolute world of difference.
Don't lie.
Don't tell stories.
Don't fabricate or manipulate.
Just Be Kind.
Smile.
Hold a door.
Be polite.
Say please and thank you.
Spread compliments like
cream cheese on a NY bagel.
Be honest.
Be sincere.
Be genuine.
You have so much to offer others
which, without realizing it,
improves your self worth exponentially.
Go.
Be Kind.

Beauty

Beauty is abundant.
There is beauty in a hug.
There is beauty in a conversation.
There is beauty in silence.
There is beauty in a heart.
There is beauty in love.
There is beauty in family.
There is beauty in hope.
There is beauty in friendship.
There is beauty to behold
just about everywhere you look.
See with open eyes.
Look with an open heart.
Absorb all the blessings around you.