Giving Myself Permission

FINALLY...

2012-01-24T13:20:00.002-05:00

Finally, I am starting to feel better! I have been down with the flu...OH, I do hope no one gets this nasty bug...it had me down for a week! So today, I am trying to play a little catch up...I have deadlines looming over for some "SPECIAL" art work that will be available with the release of my book...
PERMISSION SLIPS...for your heart and soul.
There will be more to come on when the book will be available for ordering...and where you will find those links!
This is a terribly exciting time for me! I have managed to get some pretty wonderful women to review the book before the release date!! Again, I will post that when it is available too!
STAY TUNED!
I am ever so appreciative of my HEALTH today! And I am giving myself permission to work on my projects till my Muse needs to sleep!

LIFE IS GOOD!

Sharing myself...

2012-01-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

. opening up...
. being vulnerable...
. expanding...
. believing in the REAL ME...
. showing my weakness and my strength...

Today, I am connecting...opening up to look for opportunities to form connections.
I am exposing myself...more so than ever...I do not usually show my vulnerabilities...but I know that they need to be revealed in order to grow...to grow closer to others...and closer to myself. I am exposing the REAL ME today, and I have great hopes that by doing so I will be accepted with love.

I am appreciative of the courage that I am showing myself today...allowing others to hear my story...to see that I have weaknesses as well as strength...hoping that by doing so I will form new bonds...grow...flourish...expose my soul and my truths...

Today, I am sharing myself...

LIFE IS GOOD!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Message...

2012-01-13T13:49:00.000-05:00

.reach out and grow...
. pay close attention...
. know you have the power of choice...
. see your layers...
. dance...
. laugh...
. love...
. BELIEVE IN YOU!

Today, as I sat and did my little affirmation mandala, I noticed that there were a lot of the same elements in this one as in many this week...As I sat with this I realized that I must really appreciate the messages that were brought my way.

This week seemed to have a theme of being aware of my movements...focusing on the significance not the success...of allowing myself to be happy and to stop trying NOT to be...to be positive...and to choose my dreams...To be grateful and know that I carry strength, beauty and forgiveness...and most of all a great deal of Love.

To be aware of all the layers that make ME...ME...and that they are all good layers, even if at times I cannot see that. And on those days when I cannot see to remember to dance...because you get to choose how you act and react.
So, today, I am paying attention and appreciating the messages from my heart.

LIFE IS GOOD!

dance...

2012-01-12T12:43:00.001-05:00

Some days you just have to dance!

Today, I am reminded that no matter what is going on you always have a choice...So, my choice today is to dance...dance despite the fact that I am tired and that the studio is torn apart and difficult to work in...despite the fact that my older kitty is having kidney failure and I know must be put down soon...despite the fact that the house is a mess and they are coming to appraise it!

Some days you just have to dance...you have to take all those "despite" thoughts and know and appreciate every thing else that is going on that is good. Realizing that someone else has much bigger fish to fry than I do...realizing that all those despite are just temporary and they will all work out and are really very small in the big scheme of things (well all that is but the kitty)
SO today, I dance...
LIFE IS GOOD!

Layers...

2012-01-11T16:27:00.000-05:00

viewing the layers...
. I see where there is growth...
. I see where there are dreams in the making...
. I see where there is confusion...
. I see where there is blockage...
. I see where I am letting go...
as I view my layers.

I am aware today of the many layers that I have...some I expose...some I do not. But as I look at them today I am appreciating the difference in all of them...the good of them...the bad of them...the growth...and the confusion all making me into the person I call ME!

I am aware today, how these layers are complex and sometimes sit on one another other times they blend together as if they are one. How as I appreciate them I can see where I am peeling some off and growing new layers...I am proud of my layers today, I am happy with each and every one of them...I am content...

LIFE IS GOOD!

Choosing...

2012-01-10T12:40:00.000-05:00

Today, I am appreciative of being able to choose...I can choose the way I look at things, the way I respond to things. What it is about choice that I notice today, is that it can change my perspective, it can change my mood, it can change my life if I allow it to.

Today, I am choosing to be grateful for all that I am.
Today, I am choosing to appreciate the strength that I have to not only overcome obstacles, but to allow myself to be open to all the possibilities before me.
Today, I am choosing to see the beauty of my life...of my creativity...of my voice.
Today, I am choosing to forgive...not only myself but others.
Today, I am choosing LOVE.

Today, I am opening up my appreciation to allow myself to release and explore.

LIFE IS GOOD!

Movement...

2012-01-09T17:12:00.001-05:00

As i move forward, I will be aware:
. to be myself
. to know what I long to create
. to BREATHE
. to focus on the significance NOT the success
. to be happy
. to be positive
. to CHOOSE the dream.

Today, I listened to a webcast by Patti Digh, if you haven't read her books or you don't know who she is, introduce yourself to her via her website...37 Days You'll be glad you did!

So after listening to her and following some of her prompts i came up with my list of things to let go of and things to create this year. The above list is my life line for the year and I so appreciate having listened to that webcast today. I so appreciate the place I am in life at this moment. I so appreciate the people who surround me. Today, I am aware that I have so much to be thankful for and I am moving forward feeling totally blessed.

LIFE IS GOOD!

Grace...

2012-01-06T12:17:00.000-05:00

Grace...

the inner beauty that radiates outward...
surrounding me with hope...love...and beauty.

Often when I think of the word GRACE...I hear the words that people speak before a meal...but today, I am aware that grace exists inside and around us. It is our spirit that radiates outwardly...it is the feeling I get when someone touches my soul...it is really a matter of opening up my eyes to see its presence around me.

Today, I am appreciating the grace around me...the sun shining and the brightness of the day...the "good luck" that I feel...the love that surrounds me...the gift of good friendships...the comfort of my home and studio...talking with a stranger and forgiving...just allowing myself to be.

Grace...a feeling that allows me to live graciously...giving me hope, love and beauty...allowing me to trust that everything will be alright even during hard times...giving me a generosity of spirit...unconditional love...and the ability to see my blessings...

Today, I am appreciative of the grace that is in my life...

LIFE IS GOOD!

Burst of Spirit

2012-01-05T09:08:00.003-05:00

I actually did this journal page yesterday, but it was a day filled with things I had to do...but it has actually served me better to revisit it today and REALLY understand what the appreciation of the day was...and the message.

Up and out of the house early I went to take my 85 year old Mother to the Doctor, she can hardly walk anymore because her knee is bone on bone...the news was either have surgery for a knee replacement, or hope that the cortisone shots will give her temporary relief...The jury is still out on what will be done, but she is NOT really wanting to do the surgery....and then there were errands to be run, and a haircut...and when I came home...I found that my dishwasher was not functioning properly...So I got out the book, took apart the dishwasher, and cleaned and tweaked it...not once but 3 separate times...and guess what...a new dishwasher now will be purchased as I am sure that the motor is not working fully as it no longer drains properly...

However, I worked through everything with a happy spirit...and I accomplished a great deal by placing my energy into the things that were most challenging. I felt energized both physically and mentally...allowing me to tackle things without feeling overwhelmed...I felt confident as I worked on the dishwasher...allowing me to believe in myself, knowing that I could take care of the things that needed to be done without stressing out....I felt vital and alive.

This burst of spirit...this renewed energy allowed me to go beyond myself...it allowed me to face the tasks that perhaps in the past I would of avoided, because I might not have thought I could handle them successfully.

Today, I am so appreciative of my burst of spirit...it allowed me to get through parts of my day without giving up...giving in...or giving way to fear. Today, I am aware that acknowledging and being aware of this energized spirit will always help me to overcome anything that I feel is standing in my way...Today, I know that my burst of spirit is helping me to grow.

LIFE IS GOOD! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seed of Appreciation...

2012-01-03T10:48:00.001-05:00

Today, I am aware of my appreciation for the present...living in the moment allows me to quiet the inner critic that sometimes taunts me...I am finding the meaning once again and the value in the here and the now...re-discovering the joy of the moment...leaving the uncertainties of the future to unfold as they will...

The lesson I have taken away from last year is to live in the present...to immerse myself in every moment possible...as I learn to grow.

Today, I plant my seed of APPRECIATION of living in the moment...and not allowing the fears of the future to enter.

LIFE IS GOOD!

January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T09:33:00.000-05:00

When I drew this Zentangle I saw a shoe within the strings...So here are my thoughts this morning on my appreciation for MY SHOES!

I have traveled 60 years in my shoes...and although there have been some hills and caves I would not trade my shoes for another pair. I have learned a great deal about myself because of the different paths I have gone down in my shoes...I have learned lessons...and have taken detours that took me nowhere...

The shoes are worn in places bringing me a comfort of familiarity...they still pinch my toes when I am traveling unknown paths bringing an uncomfortable feeling, which I know will pass as long as I continue to break them in.

These are my shoes...no one else can travel in them but me. They have served me well over the years and although at the moment they feel a bit new on this road...I will continue to travel...I will continue to move forward slowly and carefully...I will continue to appreciate each and every step they provide me.

LIFE IS GOOD!

January 1, 2012

2012-01-01T10:25:00.002-05:00

I woke this morning to the sun brightly shinning...that always makes me smile, but this new day of this new year I sat by the window and appreciated how good it made me feel and it will set the tone for the day...

I have chosen this year to feel my appreciation, to acknowledge it, to honor it, to be ever present with it. This year I will not allow myself to disappear...I choose to stand...I choose to allow myself to recognize myself...my stories...my life...my loves...my creativity.

I am giving myself permission to APPRECIATE all that I have and all that I am!

LIFE IS GOOD!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-31T10:12:00.001-05:00

10...9...8...7...6...

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new year...well, 12:01 tonight does...So I have wishes for myself and for all who venture here..

I wish that you see some of your dreams come true. That you are surrounded by love, laughter, and that you make wonderful new memories. May your glass be filled with creativity, spirituality, and trust from within. May you be blessed with good health and peace, and that you discover gratitude every day. May your soul guide you toward all of these each and every day, and may you listen to your voice and discover your potential to be aware of and bring all these blessings your way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
LIFE IS GOOD!

Appreciation

2011-12-28T09:46:00.002-05:00

Every year I pick a word to focus on...and this coming year of 2012
I have decided on the word...
APPRECIATION

Webster defines Appreciation:
ap·pre·ci·a·tion
noun
\ə-ˌprē-shē-ˈā-shən, -ˌpri- also -ˌprē-sē-\
Definition of APPRECIATION
1
a : judgment, evaluation; especially : a favorable critical estimate b : sensitive awareness; especially : recognition of aesthetic values c : an expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude
2
: increase in value

My definition:
To appreciate each other...to appreciate what I write and paint...to appreciate LIFE, and LOVE, and the wonderment of the universe. To have courage to listen to my heart and appreciate what it shows me...To let go of some of my old notions...to appreciate my spirit...to appreciate intimacy...to appreciate my creative unconscious and allow it to flow freely...to jump off the cliff and fly or out of the boat and swim...to embrace my inspiration ...

APPRECIATION: to turn toward my inspiration from within and get my arms around it!

LIFE IS GOOD!

My Christmas Ornaments

2011-12-26T09:08:00.000-05:00

I painted funky little birds on chip board cut outs for Christmas this year...It was so much fun...all of them were similar in design, but different in colors...This one is mine...although in my haste of last minute creating...I forgot to photograph all of them...
LIFE IS GOOD!

Blessings

2011-12-23T09:58:00.000-05:00

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=2007134554829&source=jl999

Turn up your volume...a beautiful Christmas blessing for you!

LIFE IS GOOD!

Words of Wisdom for the New Year....

2011-12-19T13:57:00.000-05:00

Ms. Bronnie Ware, a woman who worked for years with the dying, wrote a list of the top 5 regrets people say aloud on their deathbed...WORDS OF WISDOM!

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly,in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved.Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip.But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks,love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again,long before you are dying.

post on her website: http://www.inspirationandchai.com/Regrets-of-the-Dying.html

Protector...

2011-12-09T10:18:00.000-05:00

Today, I am aware that I have a tendency to shut down...run...hide...when I feel fearful. What is it about fear that does that? Most of the time the fear that I am feeling is not from something that could hurt me, but rather from something that is good for me...does that make sense?!

NO...not really...what am I afraid of? Afraid that I just might be happy...or successful...or loved?

Today, I am giving myself permission to wrap myself up in warmth...the warmth that I feel from the inside out...the warmth that can keep away the fear...the warmth that allows me to know that I am safe and that:
LIFE IS GOOD!

Directions...

2011-12-08T09:43:00.001-05:00

Today, I am looking at the directions that I am going in...I feel as if I am all over the board...Trying to finish projects...trying to stay centered...trying to be true to myself...trying to please others...trying to do it ALL!

Today, I am looking at the out going and the incoming...finding the gaps and the empty space...allowing myself this morning to surrender to the silence that lies between them all...

Sometimes my head will run past my hearts wishes...sometimes my heart surpasses my head...sometimes I feel as if I am going so fast that I blur everything...other times so slow that nothing is in focus...

Today, I am looking to the silence...trying to see the way to go...trying to weave my nest with all the tools available to me...my heart...my soul...my head...all coming together to make sense of everything...Today, I give myself permission to relax in that silence...not having to make anything happen today...not putting demands on myself...not needing answers at this moment in time.

Today, I am standing in the silence that lies in between all the directions I am going in and I know that I will see the right direction clearly when I am ready and I know that:
LIFE IS GOOD!

Time...

2011-12-07T18:15:00.000-05:00

I have spent almost all day here in the studio emerged in paint and paper and pens!
What a treat...I did not leave the house at all...

What is it about time?...it seems to slip through my fingers and before I know it the day has passed...sometimes noticed by me...other times not. What is it about time? We give it up..we give into it...we have to much of it or not enough...What is it about time? We rarely give ourselves the time that we need in order to heal...in order to create...in order to be whole...in order to move forward. What is it about time? That we can't seem to manage it...except it...or get enough of it...

Today, I pampered myself with the luxury of time...doing it in my time...in my space...
LIFE IS GOOD!

My light...

2011-12-06T08:22:00.001-05:00

Today, I am enjoying my light...the light from within that allows me to see myself clearer...I am taking responsibility for the choices I have made...not beating myself up for not doing some of the things on my list in order to do the things that are most important to my heart instead at this time...I am enjoying the quiet of this morning...having my coffee and picking up paint brushes and pens brings a lightness to me and makes me smile...Today, I feel at ease having completed my intention of once again coming into the studio early...I see that I am moving forward with my light and truth...I see that my heart is full of happiness..

Today, my light surrounds me...I am very aware that:
LIFE IS GOOD!

Balance..

2011-12-05T08:33:00.000-05:00

Today, I am going to remember to balance myself...more so during this time of year with the holidays...there are things I have to do...there are things I want to do...and there are just things to do...So balance now is something that must be done.

For myself I am trying out my new wings...I am working on projects...I am going to bake and make things...I am going to be aware everyday to connect with my gratitude...allowing myself to rest to better serve myself and others...to open up wide and see all the happiness that surrounds me...and to clean out the cobwebs that sometime cover the window of my soul...

Today, I am going to remember to balance myself...allowing the love that I feel inside to release freely...

LIFE IS GOOD!

Just Be...

2011-12-02T08:34:00.002-05:00

Today, is a difficult day for me...I have lost someone who had touched my heart...my spirit...and I will go this afternoon to say good-bye to her...I will hug her sisters knowing that their loss is much greater than mine...

I often put up a strong front...part of that is because I may not want to show that I am hurt...vulnerable...partly because I learned that showing your emotions was a sign of weakness...but today, I will allow myself to just be...to express my feelings...to wear my heart on my sleeve...to be soft and gentle with myself...to be loving and kind toward myself...and to be the real ME...

Today, I will allow myself to expose my love for those who touch my heart without being afraid of the outcome.

LIFE IS GOOD!

Beginning my Journey Again....

2011-12-01T09:27:00.000-05:00

In order to begin my journey...I must learn to trust myself...to love myself more...to break out of my safety zone...to concentrate on the moment...to live out loud more...to leave my nest...to break my shell...to listen closely to my hearts song.
In order to begin my journey...
I MUST TAKE RISKS...
I MUST BELIEVE IN ME!

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 30 Just Begin...Again

2011-11-30T08:20:00.004-05:00

Just Begin…Again

Artwork by: Patricia J. Mosca
Poem by: Royce Addington

JUST BEGIN...AGAIN

The most Sacred Place dwells within our Heart
Where Dreams are born and Secrets sleep
A mystical refuge of Darkness and Light
Fear and Conquest
Adventure and Discovery
Challenge and Transformation
Our Heart speaks for our Soul
Every moment while we are alive
Listen…as the whispering beat repeats
Be…gin Be…gin Be…gin
It’s really that simple
Just Begin Again

Today I am aware to be present. To breathe deeply and let my life today be present. Careful not to project to far to the past...careful not to project to far to the future. Today, I am aware to be present and face the sun of this day. To let the dreams of this day take me to flight. To stay present is often a difficult thing to do...we are usually in such a hurry to get to the tomorrow that we sometimes neglect the here and the now. Today, I am aware to be present...to float here in the freedom of the day...to loosen the spirits of yesterday and not project into tomorrow. Today, I am aware to be present...present in this beautiful day gifted to me. To collect my messages from within and gather them together. Today, I am aware to breathe and fly and then breathe some more..strong, deep, spiritual breaths that will allow me to experience this day to the fullest as I head toward my dreams.

LIFE IS GOOD!

(somehow post # 29 got lost in the switch...but it was there once!! LOL...it was about putting up my very small Christmas tree! LOL)

# 28 Venturing forward...

2011-11-28T11:15:00.003-05:00

In 2006 I got on my "get known nationally now" tour...It was the year that I bravely put myself out there...I submitted articles and art work to national magazines...I had the great honor to be published in many of them...I also got rejection slips...but I did not quit because of them...I continued on in-spite of them...

Then some magazines started reaching out to me to contribute...how cool is that! By 2008 I had been published 16 different times in around 6 different magazines...some with just art work...but most of them had articles that ranged from 2 pages to 4 pages...I even had a blog that was highlighted in ARTFUL BLOGGING

By the time 2009 arrived I was deep into care giving for Michael and I let myself slip away from my art...from submitting...from myself.

BUT NO LONGER!

Today, I sent out a submission article...My first of many I hope to do again...however it is no longer my "get known nationally now" tour...but rather I am writing again because I have to...I have a voice that wants and needs to be heard...and I am no longer leaving myself by the side of the road....BECAUSE:
LIFE IS GOOD!

# 27 Sunday Gratitude

2011-11-27T10:14:00.002-05:00

I am taking time today to look at all the blessings in my life...I am humbled by them...This has been a week of reflection about those blessings...With Thanksgiving being this week it causes one to actually look at and see how fortunate one is.

I have been making a conscious commitment to feel the gratitude...to honor it...to thank those who are in my life...to reach out and help another person...to show the love I feel for others by doing small acts of kindness...

By doing this I am feeling a huge connection to my life...I am not detached, but I am ever present in each day...I feel happy and content...I feel loved...and I am very aware that:

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 26 It's HERE!

2011-11-27T10:13:00.002-05:00

It officially happened...BLACK FRIDAY marked its beginning...The Holiday season has arrived....IT'S HERE! Now mind you I have seen it in the stores since October! Seems to me that you can barely get to Halloween and the stores are decked out in there Christmas decorations...carols are playing in the background...

I MUST BE GETTING OLD!!!!!!!!

I remember the good old days when taking time to enjoy each holiday as a separate day was the proper thing to do! First you would take the time to MAKE your own costume for Halloween...grabbing things from your parent's closet to become a gypsy or a bum...grabbing a pillow case to use to collect your goodies...a time when people freely gave out cookies and popcorn balls and apples! Now people purchase mass made costumes and give out "healthy" granola bars...if they allow the kids to go out at all...

Then came Thanksgiving...taking days to prepare this feast! Everything home-made, with family coming from miles around...now there are store bought pies, and even turkey can be delivered to your home! NO cooking...or even going to a restaurant is preferred to cooking and cleaning up by many!

Santa always arrived the day after Thanksgiving...you saw him first on his float while watching the Macy's parade! It was then that the stores decorated for Christmas making the season come alive with color...picking out that special gift and wrapping it yourself. Now Santa is there before Thanksgiving, and you can order gifts over the net fully wrapped with a signed card attached!

Don't get me wrong...certainly I am not "BAH HUMBUGGING" Christmas...but the joy that it use to bring to me is waning...I am vowing this year to bring back the simple joy of the holiday...I will bake...I will make home-made gifts...I will sign my own cards...I will read the Night Before Christmas to my grandson...I will make it through the holiday without feeling stressed because I did not make it to Black Friday to get the "GOOD DEALS"...I vow to love a little deeper...smile a little more...sing more carols right out loud...and laugh a little longer. Because after all...

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 25 Corrective Lenses...

2011-11-25T09:55:00.001-05:00

Most mornings I get out of bed...make my coffee...feed the cats..and come into the studio to do my morning affirmation and then to get on this machine! After which I make a mental list of things that I need to do. I can't say that I truly take notice of much else during this time...I certainly don't think of the things that I don't need to do...

WHAT?

Well, I know I don't need to make sure that the birds are singing...I don't need to make sure that the earth is spinning...I don't need to make sure that I am breathing...these things and many more take care of themselves, without me having to do anything at all! You know...Earthly things..
And then there are the man-made things that I don't have to think about...things that unless something goes wrong with it I rarely ever think about...heat and electricity...cable...internet...you know the things that make life SO much easier.

So this morning I am taking time to notice...and one of the big ones for me is my glasses! My whole world would be fuzzy without them...I would not be able to drive...or type here...or paint...or see the things I love in clear view...BUT someone invented corrective lenses and I am SO GRATEFUL to them. Today, I am going to take time to notice a little more of the things that surrounds me...knowing that once again I have a new day to play in...that gravity holds me in place...that the sun is shining...birds are singing and I am typing...and that my corrective lenses give me the ability to take this all in..Giving me the simple knowledge that...

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 24 Giving thanks...

2011-11-24T07:46:00.000-05:00

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=WQ26144948
(turn on your sound!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to be thankful for...and that is what I am going to focus on today.

To often we all get caught up in the everyday routine of life that we overlook the things right in front of us that bring us joy...happiness...love. On Thanksgiving that is a day that we set aside time to STOP...LOOK...LISTEN to those things. However it only takes a few minutes every day to be thankful, I am taking those minutes every day...allowing the glass of life to be half full rather than half empty...I am sending my heart felt thanks for all who come here and read this blog, for the comments...for the support...for the reaching out...for the love I feel.

My Thanksgiving Day wish is that we all stop for a moment and think about some of the things, and people we are grateful for in our lives. Making a list in our heads or on paper. We each have so much to appreciate. When we take the time to acknowledge our many blessings, especially at this time of year, we utilize the power of gratitude in a way that benefits us and those around us in a profound way.

LIFE IS GOOD!

#23 Actions speak louder than words...

2011-11-23T07:51:00.002-05:00

What we say and how we say things with our words carry a lot of weight, but it is our actions that bring those words to life. Everyone knows the saying..."Actions speak louder than words"...And many times the two do not line up...and it is then that I realize that it is easier to talk about doing something than it is to actually do it. Yesterday, I had to take a good look at my words and find the alignment between them and my actions.

I talk about my dreams...I dream about my dreams...but I also realize that it takes energy to bring those dreams into reality...and over the past year, even though some of my dreams have started to take shape, I have lost some faith in myself...And I realize that talk without action is a form of self-sabotage for me...

I discovered that my actions haven't really caught up with what I am saying I want for myself...So, I started to align my words with my actions...I am stepping forward with making my dream that has come into realization (my book that is coming out next year) even BIGGER by doing some of the things I feel are necessary to make it a success...

I continue on today with it...and tomorrow...and the next day...bringing it all to reality with each step...I am once again bringing together my actions and my words allowing my truth to be seen and heard!

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 22 Status Quo...

2011-11-22T09:53:00.006-05:00

I have come to realize that I am one who really likes the status quo...Life as I know it!... CHANGE...well, not so much!! However, I also realize that change does happen and the status quo of life goes out the window, with or without my consent.
So WHY resist it??? It does me no good to...I can try not to have it happen...I can stomp my foot..try to do better...but in the end that doesn't really change anything and it works against me rather than for me.

Now mind you, I DO NOT, go about making changes at random...sometimes things just happen...somethings in life just change...and I know I have to stabilize and preserve myself in order to help myself survive and grow...
But the problem comes when I am attached to the status quo and I do not honor my growth...when I become comfortable even if the situation serves me no purpose...stunts me...or even knocks me down...

So...my question is how do I get the courage to challenge the comfort of the status quo?

I am finding that although there is pain involved with this...it can also be a bit liberating...letting go...allowing the flow...taking the risk...clearing out obstacles...Ah yes...the status quo...sometimes I just have to kiss it goodbye and trust that change IS going to lead me forward with my growth and happiness...

Today, I am trusting!

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 21 Late...

2011-11-21T23:39:00.002-05:00

I am posting this late tonight...my day went by rapidly...but the biggest thing is that I must of moved the wrong way or done the wrong type of bending, but I was in a great deal of back pain...I am not much of a complainer really...but today, I seemed to be doing a lot of "oh my back" or "my back really hurts"...In the past I haven't done much about my aches and pains (a sure sign of aging!)...but today, I took my good mother's advice...took some Aleve and turned on the heating pad and laid down to rest!! Again, I rarely spend the day lounging around on the sofa...in and out of sleep, but today after doing the things I had to do...well...it just seemed the only thing to do to stop myself from complaining about my back...

AND GUESS WHAT!
I actually feel better...YES that is right...Mother does know best!! LOL Now maybe the next time I have a cold I will mix up a batch of her honey and lemon mixture to cure that cough!! Sometimes it takes age to realize that you should listen to your mothers advice!!

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 20 Education....

2011-11-20T12:14:00.002-05:00

OK...I freely admit it...I did not go to college...I choose to become a mother at the tender age of 21...I freely choose it...adding another child 18 months later...and then I was divorced before I knew it...So, I choose a trade, I became a hair stylist in order to support my small family...

It seems to me, that I have a way of knowing what it is I need to know in order to travel through life...I styled hair for years and it was a creative and artistic expression...I then learned the art of custom picture framing which taught me to once again use my natural ability to match colorings and use my hands to build frames...and then FINALLY after many years I allowed myself to actually pick up paints and then ultimately use my thoughts to become writings...

So what have I learned from this way of life...I have learned that we can learn things by taking a course of study in an academic environment...we can go through experiences and we can learn from them...we can also gain knowledge through intuition, (a gift that I seem to have developed) BUT most of all I have learned that no one way is better than the other...

I was artistic at a very young age and I gravitated toward it...but for some reason this did not work well for others so I stopped...(actually I was a closet writer and artist!! never really exposing it to many people) I was not allowed to cultivate it as it was not the logical approach to knowing things...so I felt undervalued and misunderstood...It took me years to finally work my way out of this judgment.

I have learned that my life experiences...my common sense...has it own specialness...that even though a certain type of intelligence tends to be valued more than others, no way of knowing is better than another...Certainly if I wanted to be a Doctor..a Lawyer...than a formal education would of been the way I would of had to go...but I aspired to be a creative person...and now, years later, I am comfortable in that skin...and I realize that I have benefited not only from what I have learned...and how I have learned it...but I respect all the ways of learning...and I believe that we each follow a path that is completely right for no one but our self. I continue to learn as I grow...and I continue to expose myself more and more each day...and I continue to shock myself with the knowledge I have collected over the years...

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 19 Happy Heart...

2011-11-19T11:02:00.002-05:00

My heart is happy today...and I am finding so many reasons to smile...

I just finished a short exercise for a friend who is writing a book..I wrote down 5
things I was grateful for...then quickly 5 more...a deep breath and then 5 more till I had 20 wonderful grateful things listed...showing me what truly makes my heart happy.

Happiness really is so easy when we allow it...it can come in just a few minutes...For me, it can come from the warmth of my first cup of coffee...the sun shining brightly on a crisp fall day...writing here...holding someones hand...laughing from my core...painting...daydreaming...or even the silence of the night...it comes especially when I am in the company of those my heart treasures...silly jokes...knowing all the words to a song...so many small moments that come at different times that I am enveloped in happiness.

Allowing myself to take the time to reflect on what makes my heart happy brightens my day...satisfies me....allows contentment to overtake me...

I am making happiness a priority...I am writing here every day...I have gotten out my paints...I touch and am touched by others...and I am finding that I always have something wonderful to smile about...and my heart is happy!

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 18 Reflection Friday...

2011-11-18T10:29:00.002-05:00

I have been spending time this week in thought...thoughts about my past...my present and perhaps even my future...Thoughts that have run the scale of emotions... and I am walking forward with the realization that the more I focus on the positive things...the more positive I feel.

I have laid myself bare at moments...and I have also allowed such happiness to enter that I could burst with joy...I have seen the goodness that is in my soul and I have felt the anger...my attitude and my behavior this week has come from some unresolved issues...but my happiness has come directly from my heart...

Today, as I reflect on this week, I feel humbled...my eyes feel open...my heart feels full...Today, I venture forward with a loving respect for myself and others...a nurturing compassion...and I am allowing the goodness of life to fill me up.

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 17 Untitled...

2011-11-17T08:32:00.000-05:00

Did I cheat yesterday by coping a poem here instead of putting down my thoughts?
My thoughts were muddled yesterday morning...November is a difficult month for me...It is full of deep seeded memories from my past that surface every year...and this year is no exception.

I try to get by each day by accepting my memories...I turn them over...I hold them in my heart and rock them gently...As I have gotten older I can even accept them as being part of who I am...but nonetheless come November my thoughts become muddled...

Today, I am feeling better...although today is a birthday of sorts for me...it is a day when I really know that I can put others before myself...it is a day when I realize that sometimes the hardest things we do are also the things we do with the most love...it is a day when my life changed so many years ago...

Today, I focus on love...instead of feeling helpless...today, I remember the goodness of life...today, I hold myself upright and feel my truth...today, I allow some tears, but smile deeply...today, I am a grown woman who knows that all I have gone through in my life has brought me to this place and time...and today, I am happy...today, I will celebrate life and love.

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 16 Sharing a Poem

2011-11-16T08:39:00.002-05:00

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 15 In the moment...

2011-11-15T10:14:00.003-05:00

I am starting to take hold of my own financial situation...I will admit it...I have not been the one to do this in the past...it was always done for me until the past few years when I had to do it...but now, I am looking a head to the future a bit more...but I realize that although it is important to save and plan, it is almost as important to live in the present moment...

I am taking this moment to arrange certain financial things because it is the RIGHT time...because it will help me in the long term...

Having survived the past 4 years what I realize the most is if I release myself into the moment of the day...that I am actually preparing myself for the future...For I am aware that things happen in life...that you really cannot prepare yourself for the unexpected...

So...I am starting to take hold of things that I use to leave to others... knowing fully that there will still be situations that I will be totally unprepared for. I am releasing into the moment today... I am present...I am aware that change always happens. But by being in the present moment today I look for the balance between what needs attention and what doesn’t...

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 14 LOVE/HATE

2011-11-14T10:04:00.000-05:00

Technology...I have a love/hate relationship with it!! Today, it seems to be on the negative side! I am taking an online class and I can't seem to get the video loaded for it...and when I do try to watch the video it is all choppy and broken sentences!
I have reloaded my software for quick time twice now...I have cleaned out the cookies...and cleaned up my server...SO WHY IS IT NOT WORKING?!?!?!

On the flip side...I love that I can meet people from all over the world...I love that I have information at my finger tips...I love that I can communicate and share who I am and what I do...

It's just that today is NOT one of those days!! So I am going back...I am taking a deep breath...And dog gone it....I am going to make this work!

OH YES...
LIFE IS GOOD!

# 13 Sleep...

2011-11-13T09:03:00.002-05:00

I have always had a great deal of trouble sleeping...I am not sure why this is...maybe I think I am going to miss something good if I am sleeping, like a child who does not want to go to sleep...maybe my head reels with all the things I still have and want to do, and there are not enough hours in a day to do them all...maybe my thoughts keep me awake...I am not sure why I don't sleep well, but it has been going on for quite some time...

BUT THEN...there are those days when I could sleep ALL DAY...when I crave nothing but sleep...and I am not sure why that is...maybe it is my body's way of catching up from the lack of sleep...maybe it is an escape of sorts...maybe I am allowing myself to shut down...

I have had 2 days of sleep now...I mean really long sleep...and I feel refreshed...I feel as if I could take on anything...my mind feels sharp and ready to tackle whatever comes my way...I feel rested...

Sleep...it is required of us...we need it to refuel...re-energize...and I need to remember this...allowing myself to find a happy medium between little sleep and full on all day sleep...Learning that sleep brings me to this place of full energy.

Today, I am rested...I am ready...

LIFE IS GOOD!

#12 ... Choices

2011-11-12T11:34:00.003-05:00

Over the years I have followed certain paths of silence...where I do not share my thoughts with others...how I am really feeling...I smile when I really don't want to....but I am making new choices....I am telling my truths when I need to...softly and gently allowing my thoughts and feelings to be released...I am making a mental shift that allows me to approach anything with fresh eyes, and I can make that choice at any time without being fearful...fearful that I will be rejected...fearful that people won't understand me...

I am starting new with these choices...Giving myself permission to show myself...reveal who I am...I am remembering to leave room in the process of new beginnings to be kind to myself...because it takes time to become accustomed to anything new...knowing with each new choice of exposure I learn...I grow...I move forward.
I am moving forward...without fear.

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 10 Compass

2011-11-10T08:45:00.003-05:00

I wear a beautiful silver locket around my neck on most days, the last gift that Michael ever gave me...within that locket is not a picture, but rather it is a small compass...a compass given to me so I will always be able to find my way...As I sit here today playing with that locket...opening it...closing it...feeling the smoothness of the circle and the beauty of the design...I relax and ask myself what do I need to be aware of today.
...and I realize that I need to be aware that I also wear it to remind me of my own inner compass...

Sometimes I look for answers outside of myself...I ask advice of others and although at times it is helpful I realize that it is only partially helpful...that by getting back into this ritual of asking myself questions each morning I am once again seeing that the answers to my personal questions can most often be found by looking within...that I always have access to the part of myself that knows what I need and is my own inner compass. I am re-learning to hear, trust, and embrace the wisdom that lives within me...several times within the past month I have seconded guessed myself...listened to someone else and did not follow my own inner compass...only to find that I would not have had to do things twice if I had just had that faith in myself...once again realizing that when I second guess myself I go against myself...allowing me to easily go off course because I am not following my own inner compass....

So, this beautiful silver necklace...this compass... will serve as a reminder to myself...
...look inside...you are your best guide...you know the why's and the how's...all you have to do is start to answer your own questions!

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 9 Dreams DO come true...

2011-11-09T00:53:00.002-05:00

One night I put myself out there...I submitted a book proposal at 3:00 in the morning while the world was asleep. Perhaps it was the cover of the darkness of the night that made me brave...perhaps it was because I was so tired that fear could not touch me...perhaps I was stepping to the edge in order to fly...I just know that I pushed SEND and once that was done I could not retrieve it...I could not regret it...I had to let it GO and see what would happen...

So I fast forward to this night...under the cover of darkness once again...for the first time since that submission I saw the lay out for the book in the making! I saw my own book over the net in all its color...with all my art work...with all its words looking back at me...and it made me cry...I cried because it really is happening...I cried because Dreams really do come true...I cried because I believed in myself one dark night...I cried because I was happy...excited...proud of myself.

Its funny how sometimes we can give so much credit to others and never credit to ourselves...how we believe and trust and cheer on others...but rarely do we do that for ourselves...But tonight...under the cover of darkness, at 12:47 (which makes it the 9th of November) I am doing that as I sit here in my studio...I believe in myself...I trust myself...and I am cheering myself on as I reach up and look for that next dream floating right above me.

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 8 Midnight Conversation

2011-11-08T08:54:00.003-05:00

I had my usual midnight conversation with a friend of mine last night...we both have trouble sleeping (although I must admit I am getting a bit better at it)... this habit of midnight conversations has been going on for years, especially when we need each other to hold a hand...or listen to a heart story...share some joy...we are friends...we are sisters of sorts...we understand each other...

Which has made me think about hurdles this morning...hurdles that I have gone over...around...through...some that still lay on my path (and her hurdles which are much different than mine) The difference is how we think about these hurdles...I tend to get mad at that hurdle...let it be known that it will not stop me in my tracks...that I will jump...run...scale...use a crane ball to knock it down...use TNT to blow it up! I will dig at it...chip at it...till it is no longer an obstacle in my way...I will not let it stop me...I will not give into it...I will find a logical and sensible way to get rid of it and if that is not possible I will destroy it somehow. That hurdle will not win!

So, that is what I told her last night as one of her hurdles started to crumble down and she shared that joy....We are all so much bigger than those hurdles...we are so much stronger...braver...we have to follow our hearts and not let anyone or anything stop us or hold us back...All we really have to do is decide that we are going to move forward regardless of what hurdle is in front of us!

LIFE IS GOOD!

#7 I want...

2011-11-07T07:09:00.003-05:00

For the past several months I have been changing my house around...giving it a fresh coat of paint...and new furniture...all which was long over due...along with this project I have found myself saying "I want"...Saying "I want" is so much different from "I need"...because of course I did not really "need" these things...

Then this morning across my mail box came my Bone Sigh for the day from the soulful Terri St. Cloud...A beautiful woman whom I have had the pleasure to know over the net for over 5 years or more now (some day we will meet in person!) and BAM...I was hit over the head and had to share her words with you today...THEY ARE POWERFUL!

i want

“ i want to really really live.
i want to laugh til my stomach tightens so much
that it aches and my legs hurt from my slapping
them.
i want to cry from my gut and let the tears wash
me to where i need to go.
i want to hear the singing of my heart,
and let the sounds echo inside me
and i want to dance to that music.
i want to fill with compassion and touch
someone's face so gently that they can feel
the caring in my fingertips.
i want to love so deeply that my cells vibrate
with it and just standing near me you can
feel the buzz of the vibrations.
i want to know that i'm worthy and good
and i want to leave self doubt on the highway.
i want to touch the sky and recognize my
soul in it.
i want to walk in the rain and drop to my knees
in gratitude for this gift of life i have been given.
may i never ever forget what a gift it truly is. ”

~terri st. cloud

Thank you Terri for bringing to light what I REALLY WANT! Thank you Terri for being part of my life...I am so grateful!

LIFE IS GOOD!

# 6 Grateful...

2011-11-06T13:17:00.002-05:00

Here it is early November and the weather is beautiful today...a chance to get outside and enjoy the splendor of it...taking time to be grateful for this day...
Which brings me to the decision of taking these writings in the form of Gratitude on Sundays...

Today, I am over come with a feeling of warmth...and the willingness to find ways to share that with those that I love by letting them know how I feel. Letting them know how grateful I am to have them in my life...and promising myself to open myself up more...letting them know that I value them...

I am choosing to be conscious about how and when I express my feelings...and I am doing that more openly lately...believing that the more I do this the stronger my relationship with others will eventually become...

Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to know and share love.

LIFE IS GOOD!

#5 Polly Anna

2011-11-05T10:45:00.005-04:00

As a kid my favorite movie was Polly Anna (the one with Haley Mills)...I had the doll that was my best friend at the time and I just loved her way of thinking...I have been accused of looking at life in a "Polly Anna" sort of way over the years...And I will say that I am very proud of the fact that I look at things with "rose colored glasses" more often than not!

So, why am I writing about Polly Anna...because an observation was made that perhaps I am masking the feelings of grief (or at least masking the feelings of all I have been through in the past 4 years) masking them by "thinking" that I am moving forward when really I just might be covering them up...confusing them...running away from them..

As I sit with myself this morning and roll this over...I am honest with myself and I do feel myself moving forward...I feel myself moving toward a different way of life...and it makes me happy...it makes me laugh with a sense of freedom....it makes me smile...writing is a form of self discovery for me...and as I write this I know that I am not substituting the here and the now because I really want to escape...That even though I have times when I still feel pain and fear I know that I allow those feelings...I do not hide from them...avoid them or mask them...

So to answer myself and the observation...

I AM moving forward with a smile on my face and a song in my heart...bright sunshine and blue skies...(as Polly Annaish as that may sound!! LOL)

LIFE IS GOOD!

#4 Reflecting

2011-11-04T07:02:00.000-04:00

As I reflect on this week I can’t help but be aware of the changes that are appearing before me…knowing that there are so many steps that take me down my winding road of life. Each day, I am provided with new opportunities…As I sit quietly with myself this day, I am aware that there are times when I have felt that I have been in a never-ending circle where my actions and choices have led me nowhere but to where I have already been…that I have been stuck…making the same choices over and over again because I knew of no other way to choose…or felt that it was the only way I could choose.

I am noticing my actions…reactions…choices…I am understanding more…taking a more active role…finding that my past does not have to dictate my future…that I am free to move beyond some of the limits I have placed upon myself…make new choices…take new actions…be awake to the truth…find my own freedom…

As I reflect on this week I am aware that I am re-nesting…learning to test my wings again…re-awakening dreams…finding a faith in myself again…laughing…happy...evolving.

LIFE IS GOOD!

#3 Changing...

2011-11-03T09:32:00.000-04:00

Change...I am changing...moving forward a little more each and every day...Sometimes it is necessary for a part of us to fall away before another part can come to life...I know it is a natural and necessary part of growth, but it is also often painful or if I am not aware of what is going on it is confusing and disorienting...but I am realizing that when I am confused that is often the message that tells me a shift is taking place...We know a lot of these shifts as they approach us...(coming of age...getting married...having babies...losing loved ones)... as we move through the seasons of our lives there are many times that we are saying good-bye to somethings in order to move on...(a broken heart from our first love...divorce...our children leaving the nest...death)

Lately I find myself breaking down the protective wall I have placed around myself...I feel I am safe...I feel I am healing...I do not feel confined or restless or unable to move...I am moving outside the shelter I have needed for a long time...

With this comes a mixture of happiness and sadness as I say good-bye to a part of myself and make way for something new to emerge in its place...I am evolving...I surrender to this process...with love and gratitude and welcome the new with an open mind and heart ready for the next phase of my life.
LIFE IS GOOD!

#2 Taking Care of Myself

2011-11-02T14:46:00.004-04:00

Today, I had a colonoscopy...something I have been putting off for years, but after the shock of losing my friend, Marc, I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. It’s easy to keep putting self-care off...easy, that is, until I get sick, overwhelmed, or exhausted, and suddenly don’t have the energy to care for the people who count on me...I am beginning to understand that taking care of myself is neither selfish nor indulgent; it’s just plain practical. And after today, I wonder why it is that I put this off so long...Maybe it was the memory of the one I had in 1987 when they did not use anything to put you in that "twilight" zone...but more likely it is because I put myself so low on the totem pole that I rarely got to myself...

I have found that putting myself first means that it may be necessary to say no to someone else in order to say yes to myself. “I am caring for myself so that I am better able to care for others”...the best prescription for taking care of myself is small, daily rituals... taking one half-hour for myself either at the beginning or end of the day to meditate, journal, or just be...which is a ritual that I am trying to get back to.

Making some small gesture where I put myself first every day will help me care better for the ones I love. Sometimes I just need to be reminded to breathe...
which is why it is my newest tattoo...right on my wrist so I see it every day!

BREATHE...I did that today, after I took care of myself...
LIFE IS GOOD!

#1 TRUST

2011-11-01T10:48:00.006-04:00

#1...TRUST
The beginning of the challenge of writing on this blog for 30 days straight!
So, I ask myself...how do I do this? What do I write about? I use to do a mandala journal every day...painting a small circular drawing and then finding the meaning within that space by asking myself...What is it that I need to be aware of today? It worked for me and I kept those journals for years...I even have a blog (which has long since gathered dust over the past year) if you care to look at that you can view the many years at: FROM THE INSIDE OUT

My mind wraps around this challenge and I need to trust today...trust myself that I can get back into writing...trust that I have something to say...trust that my words will be able to flow from within onto these pages...TRUST.

MY INTENTION FOR 30 DAYS OF NOVEMBER 2012

Today I set the intention to place my trust in the universe. I will take a few moments every day and turn my focus inward... picturing the universe as a protective energetic force enveloping me and quieting my fears...feeling the comfort and assurance that the universe will take care of me...
My fears about my purpose and the shape my life is taking can sometimes seem overwhelming, and even though I want to go in a certain direction, life sometimes leads me down an entirely different path. Understanding that this is the way of things, however, helps me realize that my life is not always formed by my intention but by the universe itself. By putting my trust in the universe today, I will lessen my apprehension and let my life unfold as it is meant to.

LIFE IS GOOD!

NABLOPOMO

2011-11-01T10:23:00.002-04:00

National Blog Posting Month
Mail from Mary came today, and she is participating in NABLOPOMO or National Blog Posting Month...My head wrapped around the braveness of it, committing to writing every day for the month of November...I shook my head and thought NO WAY, could I do that...Could I stand the failure after starting out strong and then falling on my face after a few days?

WHY SO NEGATIVE? Do you NOT have faith in yourself? (the Angel on my shoulder asked) but being Halloween the little devil on the other side laughed loudly and fiercely...I shook my head again, this time so hard that the little devil tumbled down off my shoulder and fell hard on the ground hitting its head, stunned, unable to move for the moment when I decided (with the Angels help) GO AHEAD...GO FOR IT...WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE?

So dear Mary....I will stand beside you...I will write with you...I will do my best to follow your lead...No promises...just my best effort will be released! May the keyboard be with us!!!
Life is Good!