“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” – Mary Davis I realized today that it’s been a hot minute since I sat down and made a gratitude list. It’s certainly not for lack of content. But here are just a few things on my mind. There are so many more things to…
Category: blessings
Too Much is Just Enough
“If you love something, love it completely. Cherish it, say it, but more importantly, show it. Life is finite and fragile, and just because something is there one day, it might not be there the next. Never take that for granted. Say what you need to say, then say a little more. Say too much….
Every storm runs out of rain
Yesterday we had a bit of nasty weather roll through the area…but not before leaving a lovely parting gift. And then how fun is this. Check out the full double rainbow (at least much as I could fit into the frame.) Then look at the exact same frame about 20 minutes later. (Don’t miss the…
Good question
“What’s something most people don’t understand?” Today I got a notification on my phone saying that I had an unusual jump in traffic on my blog. This made me smile a bit, but it also made me super curious. “Traffic” has never been important to me when it comes to writing here. This is mostly…
Many happy returns
“There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate.” Today is National Flower Day! Personally, I think flowers should be celebrated every day, but I’ll take any excuse to make a floral run. Wouldn’t it be great if we could create a day for all of our favorite things? I…
Many Thanks
“Do not complain about growing old. It is a privilege denied to many.” – Mark Twain I’m on the cusp of a new trip around the sun. Age has definitely brought about some changes – especially in recent years. A few new wrinkles…a few new pounds…a few new aches and pains…weird sleeping patterns. Sometimes it’s kind of…
What to do with 21 bananas
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop For whatever reason, I was thinking a lot today about little things we can do to brighten each other’s spirits. The other day I found a handmade gift of a ring for me and a collar for Finn on my front porch…
As long as we’re here
“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” = Walter Hagen Both of my fur-boys seem to enjoy stopping to smell the flowers. And it always reminds me to pause in appreciation. We are given so many tiny opportunities to savor, if…
Present
“If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is be present in the present…Gratefully.” – Maya Angelou The best part about long walks outside with my dog is that it is the one time I am sure to be fully…
13 Necessary Virtues
Today I stumbled upon something kinda neat on LinkedIn. It was a more extensive post than what I’m including now, but below are the 13 Necessary Virtues according to Benjamin Franklin in The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Some pretty lofty standards for moral living, but I also thought it was timeless food for thought and effective…
Visible
“As the world fights to figure everything out, I’ll be holding doors for strangers, letting people cut in front of me in traffic, Saying good morning, keeping babies entertained in grocery lines, stopping to talk to someone who is lonely, being patient with sales clerks, smiling at passersby. Why? Because I will not stand idly…
14 years
WordPress reminded me yesterday that I first posted with them 11 years ago. Prior to moving over to this platform, I’d blogged somewhere else under a different title. In all, I’ve been blogging for 14 years. Some more diligently than others, but 14 years. I briefly scrolled through my first posts and I started thinking…
Nothing
Today I’ve done nothing. After the frenzy of Christmas preparations and baking/decorating dozens upon dozens of cookies (a few samples below) – not to mention managing a load of work stress, today I’ve done absolutely nothing. Or to put it another way: 1.) I rested. 2.) I chose not to make plans. 3.) I recovered…
Minions and Memories
“The truth is, not everyone can change the entire world, and not everyone needs too. All we can do is give as much love in our lives as possible, treat ourselves kindly, and leave the world a more positive place than we entered it. That is all I can ask of myself, and I try…
Reality
“Your brain will constantly rewire itself to suit the information that you feed into it. If you constantly complain, gossip, find excuses, etc., it will make it much easier to find things to get upset about, regardless of what is happening around you. Likewise, if you constantly search for opportunities, abundance, love, and things to…
Nostalgia
Saudede – /souˈdädə/ – an emotional state of conspicuous melancholic or profoundly nostalgic longing for something or someone that one cares for. Tonight I took Finn for a long walk after work, which started with my normal obsession with fall leaves and colors. But then we started to notice trick-or-treaters trickling into the streets and…
No Words Necessary
“Spread the love of God through your life, but only use words when necessary.” – Mother Teresa I was looking through my photo library this evening and was startled when I noticed how many little love notes I’ve stumbled upon recently. Some I’ve already posted, but I thought it was worth posting them all as…
Thirty-One
“We’ve been infected with the idea that love is an emotion only felt between two people. But love is universal. An energy. A contagious force. A gift. To offer money to a homeless person is to love. To save a worm from the sun is love. To smile at a stranger is love. To be…
This and that
“It is the small joys and little pleasures that the greatest of our days are built.” – Mary Anne Radmacher Day thirty actually had a number of small joys – something I don’t always say about a Monday. But today was kinda fun for a myriad of simple reasons. Anyway, just a very nice day….
Of gardens and gratitude
I noticed this evening that the days are definitely getting markedly shorter and it made me just the tiniest bit anxious. The loss of daylight can sometimes contribute to seasonal blues and I’m really not ready for it. So I thought I would share tip (abbreviated – click on the link for full text) from…
The Luckiest
I’ve decided that I want to start every week with an impromptu walk in the park after work with one of my kids. What a wonderful surprise! Now that my boys are grown with lives of their own, even the most ordinary activities together are cherished. A walk in the park – something I do…
A good crappy day
“People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank…
hey there, friends 