True Wealth

Good day everyone! It seems I don't currently have the time to write everyday and for that I apologize. With the holiday's quickly approaching I thought it might be a good idea for us to do some quotes pertaining to gratitude, family and the season. I hope you enjoy!
Today's quote:" Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow" Aesop 

I have chosen this quote as it is a topic which disturbs me quite a bit in this spoiled generation in which we live, especially at this time of year. When was the last time you took stock of your life and truly appreciated what you have been blessed with?  When was the last time you can remember never wanting something more than what you already have? What is and is not truly important to you? These are some of the questions I am asking of myself today to make sure that I am being grateful for all that I have. Would I like to have a new microwave or a bigger house, maybe more money in the bank account? Absolutely. Who wouldn't? But do I necessarily need those things? Not one bit. I would rather have a delicious dinner with my family, under the roof we all share,  where everyone enjoyed the company of everyone else and was just happy and content to be in that moment.  I would much rather have a heart  that is bursting with love and happiness than a full bank account any day of the week. There is too much pressure put on this society to acquire more than we actually need as a sign of success and power. Unfortunately, that means that all too often the things that really matter, like family, love, happiness and the beauty that surrounds us every moment of every day, are sacrificed for that way of life. We are so absorbed in seeking what we are told is the grand prize to realize that without appreciating the smaller things in life and the people who are there to constantly love and support us, that  the ultimate prize we have envisioned for ourselves will seem hollow. I invite you all this holiday season to remember why the holidays are so special. It is not for the gifts we will give or receive, but the people and the moments of joy and companionship we will share together.
Namaste, be blessed.

Worry Wart

Merry Meet! Although I have been struggling these last couple days with the task of writing, this quote caught my attention and seemed to fairly scream "do me! do me!"..lol. So with no further adieu..here is today's quote.

“If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.” Dalai Lama XIV


I am, admittedly, a constant worrier and sometimes need these gentle reminders to just..let it go. I have stayed up all night many times trying to figure out ways to solve issues in my life and face challenges that may be on my horizon. My husband tells me" what can you accomplish at 2 am when everything is closed and everyone is asleep" and my reply is always that I can think, get a plan in motion inside of my head so that when the time comes I am ready to act. Of course, it never gets me anything except bags under my eyes from lack of sleep because I don't know for certainty how it is all going to play out because it is not currently in motion. While all the world is asleep, so too is whatever the event that has caused me to worry. I think the key to it all is learning to trust. If I can trust in my abilities, trust in others to help where it is needed, trust that everything will be as it NEEDS to be, that there is ALWAYS a solution to every problem that may arise, then there really is no need to worry at all. If I am capable of doing something to change the outcome, then I can take those steps to do so and feel productive and a sense of satisfaction when the problem is then rectified. But since I sometimes can't control what happens, can't control the lessons we each need to learn and the circumstances that herald such knowledge, then what purpose does my worry serve? None. It just drains the energy that I could be spending in a more positive and productive way. I ask you all, try not to worry so much in your lives and try to remember that it is full of possibilities for each and every one of us. As Meryl Streep so cleverly stated in the movie Dark Matter, "Worry is interest paid on trouble that hasn't happened yet".
Namaste, be blessed.

Gotta Have Faith

Good day all. I have been away dealing with an injury so I hope you will all understand my delay in writing.I have struggled with just the right quote to cover what is uppermost in my mind today but I have come up with this one..."Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. " Voltaire

What is it to truly have faith in something, to believe, without a doubt, of it's existence? Now, I am not strictly talking about a religious faith here, I am speaking about faith in all it's guises. Do you have faith in yourself? Your family? Do you have faith in the future or in your ability to overcome anything that crosses your path?  I know I do. I know that I have a purpose and that the Universe will see to all my needs. I know that I will do what I was born to do, carry the burdens I was created to shoulder and be all that I need to be to everyone I need to be it to. I have faith that I am an important part of a bigger picture. I have faith in humanity, knowing that sooner or later we will all get it right and I have faith that my life will be blessed, repeatedly, as it has already been. All these things, I cannot see, or touch, not at this moment anyway, but I believe, with my entire being, that these things are a certainty. Just as I know the sun will rise and set, that the seasons will change and that the tides will turn, I know these things too, are a part of my reality. Having faith gives our lives a sense of enchantment, of possibilities and hope. It is fuels our souls and gives our existence meaning beyond what can readily be experienced in this moment. I pray that everyone can find some faith in some one or something and let it guide you towards a future of bliss.
Namaste

In Our Own Hands

I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday..today's quote: "All of life is a journey; which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there." Patrick Whiteside "The Little Book of Happiness"

There are so many people in this world who have the misfortune of thinking that they have no power or control over their lives. They allow life to lead them where it will, content in being pulled along by it's currents on a trajectory to an unknown destination. Whether it is because of age, sex, religion, race or circumstance, too many people forget that it is THEIR lives, that THEY are in control and that THEY have the power to alter their circumstances, their perceptions, their course and their attitudes towards a destination of THEIR choosing. Now, I am not saying that it will be easy, in fact I think it is probably one of the most difficult things a person will ever do. The first step in the process is the realization that you are not where you want to be. Perhaps you don't enjoy your job and have always pictured yourself doing something else for a living. Maybe you are not happy with the place you live and have always wanted to pick up and start again somewhere new. These alterations to your way of life can be as simple as deciding you will no longer eat a certain way to as complex as changing the very person you are by removing the things in your life that you feel are holding you back. Once you have realized these things, then the time comes to make a plan to actually change them. This is where your determination will come in to play. How badly do you want it? What are you willing to sacrifice to get it? What obstacles will you have to overcome to achieve it? You will have to make sure that you are willing to put in the work, endure whatever hardships may come because of it and push past them to obtain it. You have to be focused on that goal by not letting anyone or anything deter you from reaching it but you also have to be grateful, acknowledging the people and situations that have helped you along the way. Life is always a better place when you have people to share it with. There is no glory in alienating those who have loved and supported you, only regret and sorrow, which too, can be changed. We can all be anything we want to be, have whatever life we want to have and reach for the stars. It is within OUR power to do so. I wish you all the strength and courage to reach for your dreams and to live them out in happiness.
Namaste

Breaking the Pain Barrier

Good Morning everyone, today's quote: "Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding." Khalil Gibran

I am almost positive that this quote has more to do with emotional and mental pain however this could pertain to physical pain as well. If one were to break their arm climbing a tree for example, they would then understand the dangers of climbing a tree. The repercussions of choices made and the pain those choices can cause us and other people, are swathed in lessons just waiting for our acknowledgement. A broken heart for instance, can teach us to to be more careful about who we give our emotional selves to and to what extent we allow them to get to know us. Although these things are painful to have to go through, and I do not wish pain on anyone, the things pain can teach us about ourselves and those around us are invaluable lessons. We learn through pain what we are capable of, how far we can go before it's too much, how much we are able to endure and what we can overcome. We learn to listen to our bodies when pain signals that we may be injured or ill and we learn to listen to our instincts by learning who we can trust and what the face of malice may look like when we have been the target of those wishing us harm.  There is an abundance of knowledge to be gained by the events in our lives that because of the pain they cause, most people would look at as unfortunate or cruel. I invite you all, the next time you are suffering from any sort of pain, to look within and see what it is teaching you at that moment. Perhaps by threading it in silver lining, the more positive aspects can replace some of the impact the damage has caused with a sense of understanding and peace.
Namaste, I wish you all peace and a wealth of blessings this day.

Taking a risk

Good morning one and all. Today's quote is by one of my all-time favorite authors, Anais Nin.  "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom".

I am sure that everyone has had those moments in their lives where they had to take a risk in order to gain something positive in their lives. I know that I have sat at those crossroads many times myself, afraid to make the necessary changes that will improve my situation, yet loathe to let the circumstances remain as they are. It is never an easy fence to be sitting on and can sometimes actually do more harm than good to us when we are indecisive about what we want for ourselves and our lives. While we wait for our courage to build or the moment to be perfect, we can become complacent with the way things are. Complacency can lead us down the road of self-deterioration because we are no longer taking stock of our lives, goals, dreams or ambitions. We begin to settle and claim that this is just our lot in life, that nothing can or will improve and we begin to make excuses for ourselves and our choices. These actions are the product of our fear. All the "what if I fail" scenarios coming to the forefront of our minds. We become overwhelmed and frightened, hesitant to make that leap from the fence to the changes that await us. This limbo can be more detrimental to our well beings than any cost we may have to endure to change. When we make the conscious decision to go into an unknown territory or direction in our lives, we open ourselves up to a whole new world of experiences. We have the opportunity to learn and grow, to become more of the person we always envision ourselves to be and less of that frightened person who used to stare back at us in the mirror. We can expand our minds, renew our beliefs and fill the empty spaces within us that at one time felt all consuming and unchangeable. Our perceptions and attitudes on life can change and we can become enhanced in all areas of our existence. Personally, I think the pro's outweigh the con's tenfold and hopefully, this will give you something to ponder at the very least when you're calculating your own choices and thinking about the changes you want to make to better your life and situation.
Namaste 

Honesty

Good day everyone. Today's blog is dedicated to Howard, a man who has inspired me with his simple act of honesty.

Today's quote: "A lie will easily get you out of a scrape, and yet, strangely and beautifully, rapture possesses you when you have taken the scrape and left out the lie." Charles Edward Montague, Disenchantment

There is no doubt about it, being honest can be one of the hardest things a person ever does. There are consequences to it, for taking that responsibility and claiming that truth. Such is the reason so many people go about their lives trying to avoid it. It can have harsh penalties; the loss of a relationship, position or enterprise or perhaps hurting someone you love or respect. Often times those we are honest with react as if we have betrayed them, when in fact our ability to be honest with them has actually solidified their importance to us. Yes, honesty is a double edged sword sometimes and some might wonder why we tell the truth at all. Lying can be so much easier on us. It can make us seem more important, make others think we are more valuable to them and mask the things that can hurt. It can get us out of trouble and get us the things we think we want and need out of life. But even the best liars in the world cannot stop the inevitability of those lies being found out and when that happens, the damage done by the act is so much worse than it would have been if we had just simply told the truth. Lying diminishes us as human beings. It belittles not only ourselves but those we have lied to. It disrespects the foundations of our relationships and causes mistrust. It falsifies our character and dirties our very souls. It hurts those we love and changes their perceptions of not only the person who has lied to them, but every other human being on the planet as well, causing a riff in humanity. Lying is a poison to our entire species, causing illness to the mind, heart and soul of everyone. It takes courage to stand up and take responsibility, especially knowing that there will be consequences to our actions. When we are honest with ourselves and those around us, we are defining our characters, showing our intelligence and honoring each other.  I would much rather be someone that people can trust and look up to than someone who ends up all alone in this world because their motives are questionable and tainted. Who would you rather be? 

Namaste , may you forever be blessed

Appreciating The Positives & Negatives

Good day everyone, today's quote: "Every positive value has its price in negative terms... the genius of Einstein leads to Hiroshima. " Pablo Piccaso

This quote is all about maintaining balance and also, I think, how that balance is necessary for us to be able to determine the value of the world in which we inhabit. It is this balances that teaches us how to  appreciate, how to be grateful. For instance, without knowing the anger and feelings of hate, we would not be able to truly appreciate the value of love in our lives.  Without knowing pain, pleasure would not be that ultimate feeling we strive to recreate in the activities we do or the company we keep and without the experience of death, we would have no appreciation for life.  As the saying goes, there are two sides to every coin, a ying for every yang and the ever present vision of the scales balancing themselves which remind us that there is an opposite to everything and that those opposites are there to help us learn, grow and be grateful. Yes, life is all about the positives and negatives of our existence. How we choose to view those things is up to each one of us but I hope that everyone will take this lesson to heart the next time something unwanted comes into their lives. Just remember, it is there so that you can be grateful and appreciative when it's opposite blesses you.
Namaste...may you walk in balance.

A New Beginning

I have decided that I am going to use this space as a way for me to try and focus on the things I am grateful for, the goals I have and my hopes that everyone can benefit from my perspective. I will start each writing with a quote and then I will reach into the meanings of the quote, at least as it pertains to my life and see if maybe I can start a different train of thought for those who may be needing a little light shone into their darkness.

Today's quote: "Remember that today you can not only make a difference in your own life but in the life of others. Stay positive and true to yourself, you never know when you're making a memory" Unknown Author


This quote speaks to me about the little things in life. Those moments when we think no one is watching or listening to us, the little spans of time when we see someone who could use a hand, a hug or even just a smile. Sometimes, the smallest of gestures can make the biggest impact on someone's life and in those moments of giving, we receive gifts that nurture our own souls and enrich our own lives. It can take but a moment to change someone forever, to change ourselves forever and I think that we should all take those moments and let them enhance the people we already are. There is never a downside to becoming a better, healthier, more well adjusted and giving person. There is only an upside. When we choose to  want to love and care for people, to give back what we have been given and to share in our happiness, there is a greater sense of fulfillment and completeness that steals over us and gives us peace. It is a win/win situation. Love brings about love, happiness brings about happiness and peace brings about peace. this is the way of the universe as like is attracted to like. I hope everyone reading this can take this quote for the day and use it to find that sweet balance in their own lives. May you all be blessed and enriched today. 


Namaste

Balancing The Scales

Today has me thinking a lot about the balance of life and death. I am expecting my first grandson in January (December 22 if I have my way!!) and I am also facing the death of a loved one at the same time. It is funny how the scales seem to even out sometimes. One life given, another taken. I have noticed this often in my life. Death following birth, birth on the heels of grief to remind us all of how precious our time here really is and to soothe our aching souls some small measure. Life and death are all about balance it seems. The dark and the light. How is it we manage to smile at a funeral and cry at a birth for those who have passed on and cannot be here to experience these blessed events. Once again, the balance remains. I remember when I was pregnant with my first child and I had what I consider a delayed grief reaction and cried until I could cry no more. I was so overly emotional that my grandmother, whom, at that point in time had been gone for 5 years, was not going to be there to see me be a mother, to hold my baby in her arms and look down into her face with the pride and joy only a grandmother can show. I also remember when I delivered that child, hearing my grandmother's voice, telling me how beautiful she was and how proud I had made her. Maybe it was caused by exhaustion, maybe the medications they gave me, maybe it was just an emotional overload..but no matter the source what I heard comforted me, soothed my very soul. Now I am seeing the scales righting themselves once again in my life and it gives me peace to know that for every pain there is a balm. I will be heartbroken when I am finally faced with the loss that is to come but I will find solace in my grandson, in my belief that this life here is but one piece of an eternal whole and that those we miss and love are really just a thought, a heartbeat away from us. Blessed Be everyone.

Under The Weather

Today has been all about health. I took my daughter to see the doctor, against her wishes I might add (she was actually upset that I was making her miss school!!!) and then when I returned home, my 2 year old great-niece was here waiting for me to watch her and she seems to have come down with something. It had me thinking about the different ways people act or express themselves when not feeling quite up to par. I know that for myself, I switch between being grumpy when I am hurting to being a tad bit babyish when I am just feeling under the weather..lol. My husband tends to send himself to bed when he is ill, and stays there until he is feeling better, but when he is hurting or in pain he rarely says a word! All my girls act very differently when they are ill but they all tend to be very vocal when they are hurting, expecting Doctor Mom to cure all their ails. When sick, my oldest gets incredibly whinny, acting more like a 2 year old than a woman who is about to be a mother within the next few weeks! My middle child tends to get very irritable and this sense of entitlement seems to envelop her. My youngest, although a little whinny and a little cranky, tends to go to bed and sleep until she has overcome the majority of what she is suffering from. From my husband to my great-niece though, the one constant remains and that is they all look to me for comfort and care. I don't mind playing this role for them as long as I am not feeling under the weather myself. Then, sad to say, I usually end up getting a lot more ill because I have this really bad tendency to not take a sick day myself unless I can barely function..lol. My sister lovingly refers to it as my Martyr personality..lol. I hope that with flu season fast approaching that everyone takes whatever measures they can to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy and happy. Llet's face it, being sick is never any fun, no matter if you are 2 or 102. 

Changes

Sometimes the urge to change something about ourselves or our situation overcomes us and is so intense that all that truly matters in those maniacal moments is that we do something,anything different than we normally would have in order to perhaps change our perceptions about ourselves, our surroundings or our circumstances. These changes can be positive or negative, depending on what they are and why you have come to the conclusion that something has to give. Some people make changes to their personal style by changing their hair or buying new clothes,some people get a new car or decide to change residence. Some of us change our careers or our friends and relationships in life; realizing that we can no longer remain stagnant in our current relationships if we are to grow. There are so many different ways that people make the subtle and not so subtle adjustments that allow us to have new starts, new beginnings, new visions of our futures and what we would like, in those moments, to be apart of them. A negative change can result in heartache, loss, grief while the positive ones can help us to focus on our futures, enjoy what we have been given and entertain our lives in a manner which pleases us and those around us. Changes are an important part of the human experience and those who are afraid of change can find themselves being left behind while others around them grow and embrace what their lives have become because of it. My wish for everyone today is that they embrace the changes that will add to their lives and learn from the ones they have made that were maybe not the best choices to be made. This, is my hope.

Thank You Is Not Enough

I did not get to write yesterday as I was hosting a baby shower for my daughter who is expecting her first child, a little boy, that I fondly call Nesa to his mother's dismay! It kept me very busy with all the food that was to be prepared, the decorations that had to be put up to make the atmosphere festive and the presents that needed to be wrapped, but in the end, after all the stressing out about it being absolutely perfect for her, it was better than I could have hoped for. I owe so much to those who helped to make it what it was from the hubby who let me spend all his money on it, to those who helped with cleaning, prepping, decorating, cooking and especially all the guests who came to make it so perfect for her. There are no words to express my gratitude. What should be said or done to show people in a situation like this, just how much you appreciate them? Typically people would send out thank you cards, and we more than likely will do the same, but it never seems to be enough of a gesture. The feeling  is so much bigger and it has always felt so...minimal..to just send out a stack of cards. I hope the people who come through my door to help celebrate all these special occasions with us can feel how important their presence is to us by the foods I have prepared and the thought and planning that has gone into the event. I hope they all know how much I value them by these simple but heartfelt gestures of hospitality. Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves and you can tell immediately what their feelings are. I am not like that. Instead, I show people how much they mean to me by the foods I feed them and the effort I put towards making the experience a positive and memorable one for them. I just hope they know that their existence in my life is priceless.

Gratitude

Today I have been thinking a lot about gratitude. I have had some pleasantly unexpected things happen over the last couple days and the feeling of utter appreciation and gratitude I am experiencing has filled my day with such bliss...I can't even describe it. I have had unexpected gifts given to me by loved ones, both materialistically speaking and more importantly, emotionally speaking. I have had those within my circle show me  that I am appreciated, thought of, cared for and understood. I have been given support, courage and strength in a time of struggle for me and there are no amount of words in the world that could adequately describe how much that truly means to me. I have been given tokens of appreciation and affection, telling me that all I do for those around me does not go unnoticed and that they are grateful for what I do for them. I have had kind words, loving touches and comforting embraces that have helped me to steel myself against the urge to beat myself up over what I deem are my own flaws and insecurities. I know I don't realize it nearly often enough and I know I don't express how much these little things truly mean to me very well, but I want everyone who reads this to know how eternally grateful I am for this moment of clarity and to all who have helped me to be able to see it so well for the magick that it is. Thank you. I appreciate you. You honor me.

To Give Ourselves A Gift

As my last post stated, I am Wiccan, which means that today is my New Year. Most people make resolutions on this day but I think, personally, that one should not need a special occasion to change their lives for the positive. I am of the school of thought that if I have to mark it on a calendar for some future event, then I can't really want to change it that badly. Maybe I am just not really ready to make those changes. If one has to procrastinate it, then one is still afraid of it on some level. Perhaps it is fear of failure that makes us want to put it off, fear of the person you will become or the sacrifices you may need to make or those you may need  to leave behind. Whatever the reason, I just think if one wants to change, they can..in that very moment. So today, instead of saying that I will strive to meet some goal and give myself the next 365 days to accomplish it,  I am going to give myself the gifts that I have been denying myself in some way or another up to this point.  Today, I vow to gift myself with more understanding, more patience, more time and more self love. I will gift myself with more knowledge, all the blessings bestowed on me by family and friends, acceptance, joy and abundance. Today I will allow myself to be at peace with my world, to not worry about whether or not everything is going to be the way I think it should be and  to show my appreciation to those around me for the countless things they bring to my life. Today I will honor myself, and in doing so I honor every teacher and mentor I have ever had, no matter what the lesson they taught. Today, I gift myself with life and not just mere existence. All of this and yet so much more, I will give to myself  on this Pagan New Year because let's face it, if we don't give ourselves these things, no one else is going to either. I hope any who read this today will also gift themselves with the things that will enhance their lives and make them even more precious and special than they already are. If everyone was able to do this, I truly believe the world would be a much more understanding and harmonious place. Happy New Year to all my fellow Pagan's out there. May you all be blessed brightly this coming year!! For all the Christian's out there who may be reading this, I have not forgotten about you... Happy All Saints Day! For all those who fall in between or on the outsides of these definitions, I wish you all a beautiful day full of possibilities.