Adventure

I don't need thousands of dollars
and a tour guide
to have an adventure.
I find adventure everywhere!
In the woods in front of my home.
In the meadow behind my home.
On a car ride with my husband.
Through the eyes of my grown children.
In the laughter of a baby.
In a trip to the grocery store.
Allow the wonder
of absolutely everything
to wash over you.
Absorb the colors, the smells, the sounds.
Take note of the quiet or the busyness.
Learn to love every second of every day.
It is all a gift.
It is all an adventure.

My Own Spin

Those that know me well,
know that I almost always put my own spin
on just about everything I do/say/write.
If there's a specific recipe . . .
it's more of a guideline.
If there's imperative directions . . .
it's more of a guideline.
So . . . today's quote was taken
from one Carly Fiorina and . . .
it's more of a guideline.
I made it my own!!!

Life is measured
in love and positive contributions.

It really is no more complicated
than that.
Folks, make it simple.
Keep it simple.
Do the right thing, all the time.

Love.
Positive contributions.

Enjoy your weekend.

You're Welcome!

Today is
You're Welcoming Day!
Imagine that.
A holiday with manners.

Be grateful for all your blessings.
Be thankful for what you have.
Be humbled by the goodness.
Never forget your
You're Welcome.

Thankful Heart

With a thankful heart
I greet the day.

Thankful for family.
Thankful for friends.
Thankful for laughter.
Thankful for hard work.
Thankful for joy.
Thankful for blessings.
Thankful for a new day.
Thankful for adventures.
Thankful for memories.
Thankful for gifts.
Thankful for hugs.
Thankful for life.
Thankful for love.
Thankful for

YOU!

Greatfull

See what I did there?

Each of us is infused
with innate and undeniable gifts.
Talents we can cultivate
and give to one another.
Blessings bestowed
with the intention of sharing.

We are each
full of greatness.
Yes, you!
You are full of greatness!
Go and share all that you are.

Realize

The first step to gratitude
is to realize
how very blessed you are.
You're awake.
You're alive.
You're moving.
You're thinking.
You're interacting.
You're feeling.
You're loving.
Don't take these things for granted.
Realize the value of
every
single
second!

The Cost

The cost of not following your heart
is spending the rest of your life
wishing you had.

Take baby steps.
Learn new things.
Leap.
No regrets . . .

Take A Hike

No, really!
Today is National Take A Hike Day!

So whether it is down a country road,
along a sandy beach,
through a quiet forest . . .
get out there!

See!
Enjoy!
Experience!

Take A Hike!

Hmmmmm

Something to ponder
especially in these volatile times . . .

Consider how hard it is
to change yourself
and you'll understand
what little chance you have
in trying to change others.

That is all.

G.I.V.E.

G-ranting
I-ncentive to
V-ulnerable
E-ntities

Today is National Philanthropy Day!

Whether it is stuff you don't use,
money that you can live without,
time to share your talents . . .
GIVE it today.

Your kindness begins a ripple
that flows much further
than you could ever know.

Scars

My Facebook page's meme says:

Never be ashamed of a scar.
It simply means you were stronger
than whatever tried to hurt you.

We all have scars.
Some, sadly, are visible.
I tend to call them battle wounds . . .
from fights in which I've been victorious.
Some, more sadly, are not visible.
These are inflicted on the heart,
in the psyche,
on the soul.
Much more tragic.
But the victory over them is magnified ten fold.
You always have the option
to succumb to your wounds or battle through them.
Even when you are having a bad day,
when everything seems to be against you,
when bad luck might be your only luck,
remember
that you have been triumphant over every bad day so far.
Your track record is pretty good.
You are stronger than you think,
and braver than you know.
Go ahead . . . show those scars!

World Kindness Day

Today is World Kindness Day.

No matter where you are.
No matter what you're doing.
No matter who you're with.
No matter how you're feeling.
No matter the weather.
No matter the circumstance.

Be Kind!

The Big Three

I kind of really like this quote.
Sadly,
it seems a great majority of us,
can only juggle two of these.
We struggle so hard
to grasp and deal with all three.
Let's try a little harder, eh?

There are three constants in life:
change
choice
principles

Enjoy Every Second

Time is so fragile,
so precious,
so fleeting.
See what you can see.
Do what you can do.
Laugh. Love. Live.
Embrace each moment.
Revel in each victory.
Learn from each defeat.
Listen to every story.
Share what you have learned.

Relish your worth.

Absorb each minute.

Snuggle whenever you're able.

Enjoy every second.

Hey! I Know You!

Hey!
I know you!
You're that amazing person
who does extraordinary things
with great passion
paired with grand kindness
to be a better person
than you were yesterday
and to leave the world
just a little more full of love
than you found it.
Thank you.
For being here.
For being you.

Gotta Love Benny

A fabulous quote from Benjamin Franklin ~

Life's tragedy
is that we get old too soon
and wise too late.

Differences

There will always be differences among folks.
Some will believe Point A.
Some will believe Point B.
There are even some Point C and D folks, too.
And that's ok.
What we need to come to realize
is that beneath the race, the color, the religion,
the points . . .
we are all of the same bones.
We all believe we should take care of each other.
We just believe in different paths.
We all believe we should be healthy.
We just believe in different paths.
We all believe in the pursuit of happiness.
We just believe in different paths.
And that's ok.
It's nothing to fight over.
It's nothing to get ugly over.
If we could come together for the common belief,
instead of reaching 'yours' or 'mine',
we'd all be better off.

Strength

STRENGTH

     ~ by Lyn Marinello

The strength it takes to say goodbye is strength beyond compare

The abyss you face in solitude is deep and dark and bare

Nothing to hold on to, vacancy below

An emptiness without escape, affection with no place to go

A pain that aches beyond mere words, a void that can never be filled

A longing that cannot be found, countless tears forever spilled

A yet, the second hand continues. Time just marches on

This big blue ball keeps spinning. It doesn't stop because they're gone

The hurt begins to ebb, the flow always returns

A song, a phrase, a moment, rekindles misery that burns

Grab a hold of memories, minutes etched upon your soul

Precious bits of things you shared, frayed threads that keep you whole

Keep those close at heart, they are yours and yours alone

Harvest every ounce of good from the seeds that you have sown

Do not mistake your grief as a sign that you are frail

Let the desolation cleanse you, a release in every wail

Remember during dismal times, not to wallow in deep despair

Dwell, instead, in the blessing of the time you were allowed to share.

for Holly, and Tonya, and Susan, and Nancy, and Mary, 

and so many others . . .

and for me.

Fall in Love

Fall in Love
with waking up
with exercise
with relaxation
with reading
with art
with pictures
with listening
with hugging
with hope
with learning
with exploring
with compassion
with inclusion
with thinking
with kindness
with civility
with laughter
with love
with each other.

Choice

Every single day
you have a choice.

How do you approach a brand new 24 hours?
How do you deal with less than common sense?
How do you deal with blessings?
How do you deal with hatred?
How do you deal with love?
How do you deal with ignorance?
How do you deal with knowledge?

Each question set is separate and yet, inclusive.
How you choose to perceive things
makes a massive difference.
If it benefits you, are you grateful?
If it diminishes you, are you mournful?
I will always choose to try to see the good.
I will always choose to find the positive.

Things may make me angry, or sad, or befuddled,
but I will always take the course toward happy
whether it is bumpy, full of pot holes,
or strewn with detours.
The final destination
is a much better place to be.

Every! Day!

There are miracles.
There are blessings.
There is hope.
There is beauty.
There is kindness.
There is love.
Every. Day!

If you're having trouble
seeing those things;
then BE those things.

Be That Person

It is November - National Inspirational Role Model Month.
I want to remind you,
as we greet this beautiful month,
that any person can be a role model.
You don't need money or fancy things.
You just have to care and live in that moment - always.
None of us are perfect.
We all fall short, and that's ok.
Doesn't matter your upbringing.

Be the person you needed
when you were younger.

Such a beautiful and simple concept.