A little Angel-ou

Maya Angelou wrote:

I can be changed
by what happens to me,
but I refuse
to be reduced by it.

Self Defense

So, another true story that screams life lesson.

About a hundred years ago,
in the midst of taking taekwondo,
the school dabbled in jiu-jitsu - ground grappling.
As luck would have it,
the owner's son, a several degreed black belt,
picked me to teach. Oh goody!
So, we are rolling around on the floor.
For a very long time.
I am (was) very flexible and kept getting out of holds and bars.
I finally freed myself of his grasp entirely.
I stood up and walked off the mat.
He was not a happy camper and kept requesting my return.
I replied, "You're teaching me to defend myself.
Why would I return to a place where you want to hurt me?"

Still think I'm talking about a dojo?
Still think I'm talking about taekwondo?
Still thinking I'm talking about jiu-jitsu?

I am, emphatically, talking about self defense!

Control

So many of us
try to control everything.
There are some serious control freaks,
and then there are those
who attempt to be meticulous with
time and goals and dates and achievements.
People ...
there are only two things
you will ever be in control of:

Your attitude
Your effort

Keep those in check
and you're going to be fine.

Amazing

That first step
is always a doozy.
Whether it is
literally your first step,
a new school,
a fresh job,
a first love,
a new home,
a heartbreak,
a graduation,
a wedding,
a vacation,
a birth,
a loss,
a set back,
a victory.
Taking that first step
is always the scariest effort
that you can put forth.
Once that's taken ...
you're already a warrior.
Carry on.
You're going to be amazing.

Storms

Do not be dismayed
by the storms in your life.
They do not always come
to disrupt your days;
but rather
to clear a path.

Table for One

Comprehend the value of your being.
Realize how integral and important you really are.
Understand you're beautiful.
Appreciate your worth.
Know what you bring to the table
and never be afraid
to dine alone.

Thank You

Today is Summersgiving.
Who knew?
It's basically Thanksgiving while it's warm.

Since it needs to start somewhere ...

I am thankful for the day.
I wake up appreciative for another chance.
I can do some good and make a difference.
I am thankful for my family.
My hubby is a keeper and my kids are my heart.
Moments with them make my day seems better, lighter, fuller.
I am thankful for my extended family.
My brothers may not all be speaking but they speak to me.
Maybe, one day, they will once again unite.
My nieces, nephews, and beyond create a beautiful array of hope and love.
I am thankful for my friends.
Some of these folks far surpass 'friend'.
They have gone beyond 'framily'.
They are truly and simply 'something else'.
I would not be what I am and could not imagine life without them.
I am thankful for my battles.
I may have been knocked back and knocked down
but every tribulation has been met and defeated with grace, determination and grit.
I am thankful for my blessings.
What God has brought into my life, what has been listed above,
is a reason to rise each day with joyous anticipation
and to rest my head each night with thankful appreciation.

Another RWE

You can never do 
a kindness too soon
because you never know
how soon it will be too late.

Get out there.
Be kind.

The Special Ones

In your lifetime,
you will make an abundance of acquaintances.
You will have a few good friends.
And then … there are
The Special Ones.

The ones who can see
the sorrow behind your smile,
the love behind your anger,
and the reason behind your silence.

Keep those people.

Life

My grandfather was known
to want to show folks his scars.
We laughed at that as kids.
Poking fun as he told his stories.
As I age,
I am realizing that we all should
follow in his footsteps.
We may not have actual battle wounds,
but we all have scars.
Broken hearts.
Battered egos.
Devastating pain.
Fractional defeats.
Anxiety-ridden questions.
These are not things to hide.
These are moments to share.
Your heart is mending.
Your esteem is growing.
You've overcome your
pain and defeat.
You're taking baby steps
each day
toward a new you.
We experience these things
not to limit or deter us,
but to bolster us
and to allow us
to offer, to the next fighter,
a tale of victory.
A champion. You.
Life.

The Moment

Stop!

Stop waiting.
Stop waiting for the weekend,
for summer,
for pay day,
for the right person,
for the stars to align,
for the weight loss,
for the perfect wave,
for the opportune time,
for the fairy tale.

Happiness is found in
The Moment.

What's in your luggage?

What do you choose
to cart around with you?
What do you keep packed up
and dragging behind you?
Is it the weight of the past?
Is it the heaviness of your anxiety?
Is it the sorrow of things gone too soon?
Is it the bulkiness of worry?

Unpack that nonsense.
Leave those bags at the next station.

Travel light.
Carry sunshine on your shoulders;
compassion in your actions;
kindness in your heart;
and love throughout your soul.

Life is not a burden
to be trudged through.
It is a blessing and a gift
to be explored.

Thankful

I know it's not November,
but perhaps I'll start a movement.
I would like to urge folks
to be thankful EVERY day.

Thankful for a new day.
Thankful for the sunshine.
Thankful for the rain.
Thankful for family.
Thankful for memories.
Thankful for laughter.
Thankful for nature's beauty.
Thankful for connection.
Thankful for hugs.
Thankful for time.
Thankful for support.
Thankful for hope.
Thankful for love.

If you have shared,
provided,
allowed,
reciprocated
any of the above with me ...
then I am
Thankful for you.

Storms

Storms don't always come
to destroy everything.
Sometimes, they come
to simply clear a path
we didn't know
needed clearing.
There is a cleansing
in that rain.
There is a brilliance
in the lightning.

There is a beauty

in that rage.

Keep searching

An indomitable spirit
in a weighted frame
is constantly in battle
with itself.
You cannot
profess positivity
and scream foul
at the same time.
They cannot exist
simultaneously.
If you choose
the bright side,
your negative happenings
become stories to share,
blocks to build on,
experiences with which to console others.
It is ok to stumble.
Hell, it's ok to
fall flat on your face.
It is not ok to stay there.
It is not ok to blame others.
It is not ok to expect others
to always pick you up.
Your best source of strength
lies very deep within you.
Keep searching.

Purpose

It is a grand notion
to think you've found
your 'purpose in life.'
I really believe
that that function
is ever-evolving.
We serve one purpose
as a young adult;
another as a spouse;
another as a parent;
another as a friend;
another as a worker;
another as a volunteer;
another as a caregiver;
another as we age.
And each of those
has its own ebb and flow.
Find your purpose -
in every phase -
and serve it well.

Make Life Beautiful

Today is
National Make Life Beautiful Day.
EVERY day
is make life beautiful day.
But ... let's work extra special hard today
to see beyond the hate,
the look past the hurt,
to focus on tiny victories,
to acknowledge the positives,
to embrace what's good.
If you cannot see what's beautiful,
be what's beautiful.

What will you focus on?

The world
can really make one sad.
There seems to be
so much anger and hatred,
bitterness and ugliness,
sorrow and despair.

The world is also full
of so many beautiful reasons
to be happy.

What will you focus on?

Share Yourself!

Someone out there
needs your song,
needs your poem,
needs your story,
needs your strength,
needs your victory,
needs your grit,
needs your heart,
needs your hope,
needs your love.
Share yourself!
You have no idea
who needs you.

What are you fishing for?

What are you fishing for?
Compliments?
Promotion?
Fame?
Fortune?

Don't forget
to enjoy the sun,
the spray of water,
the excitement of the hook,
and the vast expanse
of where you are.

Fish all you want.
Catch the moment.

What a Gift

In sudden loss
there is no time
for bracing or preparing.
It is just a hole.
A gaping wound.
An unending ache.
The chasm is bridged
with faith and friends
and support and love.
And then we must learn
to carry with us
the goodness and joy
that our departed ones
shared with us.
It is an homage;
it is an honor;
it is a blessing
to carry their essence forward
so that others can know
what a gift we were given.

What's In a Name?

Having spent a full day
enjoying the great and grand outdoors,
I took note of something
that many folks might take for granted.
The vistas we were blessed with
stretched literally for miles.
Slopes and hills and mountains and flats.
Each and every area filled with shrubs and trees.
They did not compete with one another.
They did not belittle one another.
They complimented each other.
The towering pines;
the mighty oaks;
the flowering rhododendron;
the weeping boughs;
the brilliant leaves;
the tiny flowers.
Each bringing its own beauty.
Each providing its own charm.
Each sharing its own qualities.
They did not seek titles.
They just grew and existed
in all their glory.
Still think I'm talking about trees???

Moments

I've been sharing photos of a brief vacation with the hubster
to a Florida beach.
I was enamored with the moments
where I found myself alone or with very few people
to absorb all the beauty that surrounded me.
The white, soft, cool sand
gathered in snowy dunes.
The multi-colored, clear water
that went on forever.
The sunshine that poured out all day.
Yesterday,
he and I took another adventure
to the Blue Ridge Parkway
between Balsam and Waynesville.
Completely different sights.
Just as indescribably breathtaking.
Every outlook was another opportunity
to realize how magical God is.
The layers and layers and layers of mountains
fading into a blue horizon.
The incredible shades of green
as every tree wanted to grab your attention.
Wildflowers lining each curve
and nestling in cliffside crags.
Photos will never do justice
in sharing the inspiring moments
I've been blessed with.
Go - have a moment.
See what's out there.
Find your moment.

Ooze Happy

I would strongly urge
each and every one of you
to stop what you're doing
at some point today
and take a good, long look
at all the blessings around you.
There may be loss,
but there is hope.
There may be hurt,
but there is support.
There may be pain,
but there is love.
There is beauty
in everything around you.
Soak it in.
Absorb it.
And share that joy
with those around you.
Ooze happy.

Honest and True

Often times we want to make this
big, dramatic impact
and we end up tongue-tied, bug-eyed,
and blithering.
Here is what I've learned:

The biggest impact you can make
is how you live;
the tiny efforts you make
each and every day
with love, generosity, kindness,
sympathy, compassion, and hope
in your heart, in your hands
and in your hugs.
Integrity and morality.
Faith and fortitude.
You don't need a stage
or a microphone
or amazing speech.
You just need
to be honest and true.