Leap of Faith

"You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result."

~Mahatma Gandhi

 

Many of us have great dreams. We tell ourselves "One of these days I will have..."or "I will be..." and that's about as far as we get. The primary problem with "one of these days" is that it most often ends up being "none of these days." The nicest thing about today, however, is that it is one of those days perfectly designed for doing whatever must be done to make your dreams come true. 

-Kate Nowak

May today be the day you begin making your dreams come true by taking a leap of faith.

change of perspective

I choose to be that...

May you always be aware that even in the most difficult situations you always have a choice.

The Stone

"There was once a wise woman traveling in the mountains who found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and she opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked if she might give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime, but a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman who had given it to him. 'I've been thinking, "he said," I know how valuable the stone is, but I'm giving it back in the hope that you can give me something much more precious. I want you to give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.'"         
 ~Anonymous

Sometimes we forget what is truly important. We gather things that we believe will make our lives better, easier, more valuable. But what we fail to realize, is the love and light within us is far more precious than any thing could ever be.


May you always recognize that it is what lies within us that matters most.

Time to Dance

“...and those who were seen dancing
were thought to be insane by those
who could not hear the music.”
                                              -Friedrich Nietzsche

May the power of the music within your soul, resonate in both your feet and your heart so that you have no other option but to get up and dance.

A Beautiful Life

Dear God,

thanks for this

beautiful life

and forgive me if

I don't love it 

                enough.

Each day is a new beginning. You have been given this gift to spend as you will. You can choose to spend your time seeing only the bad or you can use it to do and see good. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone and something will be left in it's place....let it be something good.

If you would like each day to be a miracle, see the miracle in each day however small it may be. Be aware of what you can do today to make this day different, to see the beauty in each moment.

May you always understand that each day is a gift, wrapped in beauty and filled with miracles.

just be

 

go   for   long   walks,
indulge  in  hot   baths.
question your assumptions,
be kind to yourself,
live for the moment,
loosen up, scream,
curse the world,
count your blessings,
just let go,
just be.

(carol shields) 

May you always be willing to live for the moment and just be. 

Moving Forward

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; Forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.  ~Emerson

 

 May you always find a better use for your time than sitting in judgment of yourself or others.

Stained Glass

"People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."

~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Regardless of what is currently taking place in your life right now, you have an inner light that shines through even in the darkest days. You have the ultimate power to choose the luminosity of your light. The question is...how bright will your light be today?


May you always be willing to let your inner light shine bright.

Surf Lessons

"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf."

~Zinn - Jon Kabat

                                                                       photography by Ted Robinson

What many of us forget as we journey through this crazy sometimes chaotic life, is that we are not limited human beings, but beings with infinite potential.

As we navigate the waves of everyday life, we often times feel overwhelmed and overpowered by our circumstances. The tumultuous waves crashing down with majestic force can leave us fearful and sometimes paralyzed. But it is the surfer who becomes one with the wave who realizes that in order to tame the waves you must be willing to ride them. Sure, sometimes you will be caught off guard by that unexpected wave and it will take your breath away, but in time you will come to predict the rhythms of the ocean and you will be better prepared for the next set.

May you always be able to welcome each wave with the grace from within.

Give the gift of Love

"So Faith, Hope, Love remain these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE"

~1 Corinthians Chapter 13

May today you be willing to give the greatest gift of all; give the gift of love.

May you always be willing to see the Fairy Tale in your ordinary life.

1000 Poems

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death. 

~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

In a poetry festival in Madrid, Luzinterruptus, a guerrilla lighting artist filled 1000 envelopes with poems written by 17 poets.

 He hung the poems by the leaves in the garden of the Madrid poetry festival for three days.

On the last evening 100 visitors were offered the opportunity to have a poem sent to their loved one with the light inside as a reminder of a time past when correspondence was sent via post.

1000 poems by mail

When I look at these pictures I am moved by the beauty of these letters floating in a garden filled with love.  It is as though the words have taken flight and are seeking their proper destination. As we prepare for Valentines Day, I encourage you to illuminate your own words of love and inspiration and send them to someone special. For the greatest gift one can give is to love another.

May you always be willing to give the gift of LOVE.

10 Ways to LOVE

10 ways to 

LOVE

listen

without interrupting

speak

without accusing

give

without sparing

pray

without ceasing

answer

without arguing

share

without pretending

enjoy

without complaint

trust

without wavering

forgive

without punishing

promise

without forgetting

Input = Output

May you always be willing to toss out your negative thoughts of low self esteem and embrace the smart, strong, beautiful person you are.

Follow Your Heart

"It's impossible" said pride. "It's risky" said experience. It's pointless" said reason. "Give it a try" whispered the heart.  ~Anonymous

Remember, the best of you will never be found by listening to the voice of fear and doubt. Instead, it is in the quiet whisperings of the heart that you will find a message of everlasting hope and infinite possibilities.

May you always be willing to follow your heart.

Psalm 23

The LORD Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23:  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green [1] pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest [2] my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. [3]

Fabulous Friday

"Funny things kids say to define LOVE"

 

blues brothers

When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
- Rebecca - age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
- Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
- Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
- Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
- Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
- Danny - age 7


"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"
- Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
- Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."
- Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikkas on this planet)




"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
- Noelle - age 7


"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
- Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
- Cindy - age 8



"My mommy loves me more than anybody.
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
- Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
- Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
- Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
- Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
- Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an image)
- Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."
- Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I Love You' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
- Jessica - age 8

Funny Things Kids Say

May you always be willing to find the magic of LOVE through the eyes of a child.

Keepers

In life you will realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you, and some will teach you. But most important are the ones that bring out the best in you. Those are the ones worth keeping around.                                               ~Anonymous

For many of us this is an all too familiar scenario. Most of us have been tested, especially if we have children. Some of us have been used and left empty, and we have all learned that in every situation there is a lesson. It may be how to behave or how NOT to behave, however there is always knowledge to be gathered in each encounter. 

By recognizing the purpose of the people in our lives we acknowledge that there are individuals who see and appreciate us for who we are. They are the ones who know our hearts and encourage us to be better and live our best life.

May you always be aware of the Keepers in your life.

Love without Limits

"There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer;
No disease that enough love will not heal;
No door that enough love will not open;
No gulf that enough love will not bridge;
No wall that enough love will not throw down; 
No sin that enough love will not redeem...


It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake - a sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all...if only you could love enough, you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world."

~Emmet Fox

When we realize the power of unconditional love, we open the vault to live a life filled with joy and peace. May we embrace this month of February as a reminder that we are all interconnected and when we love without limits, it is then that we can begin living without limits as well.

May you always be willing to love without limit.