Grateful for a great full year

There is no possible way I could end this year on a note of anything other than gratitude.  It tops my list of all time 'fave' aspects of the human experience. It is such a large, affecting and deeply healing concept, defined thusly by Dictionary.com:

grat·i·tude

 [grat-i-tood, -tyood]  

noun

the quality or feeling of being grateful 

or thankful

...... that's it!....... the entire definition of this enormous force for good.  

What a lesson that is in and of itself.... that the things, ideas and actions that are the most profound and effective needn't be weighed down by a torrent of words or dogma.  The definition is simple, as is its explanation, yet its life-transforming effects can hardly be described. 

I am grateful for everything and everyone this year has brought me and taken from me.  A year ago I could not have imagined much of what life now holds and the promise 2012 offers. 

Gratitude, by Louie Schwartzberg

Have a beautiful New Year's Eve my friends.
I am grateful for you!

with thanks & joy 
xoxo

The Ultimate Mulligan

A common theme this time of year is starting over, with a clean slate. And I for one have no problem embracing this potentially cliche concept. In golf, a do-over is called a mulligan, a second chance for the player to try the same shot again, hopefully with far superior results. The best part is, the golfer's previously botched attempt is not recorded as part of his score.

Very often we think of a second chance or new year as picking up right where we left off, with the opportunity of successful moves from here on out.  The only catch is that we still have to deal with all that preceded our current situation.

But what if you could hit the reset button on your life and not just undo your last mistake, but wipe out all the mistakes you've had to work around to get to where you are now?  I don't mean erasing your entire existence, but think about when you reboot your computer.  It doesn't obliterate everything on it.  You don't lose your documents, images or projects you'd worked so hard on.  You merely get to start over with a clutter-free desktop, with programs humming along unfettered by sluggish performance do to things caught in your cache, or open windows & issues clogging up your memory.

A synonym for 'reset' is 'restart' -- literally to begin again.  And that is what New Year's suggests -- an opportunity to start over from a place of pristine, wide-open perfection.  What better holiday gift could one receive?

So let's give that to ourselves -- the grace and space to restart anew.  Come and share your inspiration and success with us on Facebook at LOVE 24/7.  You'll find you're always welcome... and loved ❤

renewedly yours,
Joy

The Gift Tray

Yesterday on my Facebook page I asked friends what I should blog about today. My classy, gracious, and obscenely talented friend Mary Corinne offered this:

"I believe we are born with a tray of gifts. These are the things we do well and enjoy. Never look on someone else's tray and try to BE them by employing those gifts. To be happy is to explore your whole tray and spend your life honing each gift. I have small gifts...ie...I love to iron, sew, wash clothes, mop floors, weed, organize all the stuff around me, smile, laugh..."

After getting to know her a bit, I can tell you, even the smallest of her many gifts is a treasure. 

How wonderful and heartening to know, I mean truly KNOW that EACH one of us comes with our very own individual tray of gifts.  We all have a different assortment.  Even those we have in common, such as humor, are still unique in the way we express them.  Perhaps the best parts about these gifts are the facts that we all get to share and enjoy each others!  I was agog to learn that someone as creative as Mary Corinne loves to iron and mop floors and I immediately sent out a huge shout of gratitude to the heavens for everyone who loves to do those things.... I don't think I've worn well-pressed clothes since living under my mom's roof. Fortunately, I have a dog on which I conveniently blame my slovenly appearance.

But you know, there are things that I enjoy that others find tedious.  I used to write html code as a way to wind down and relax after work; and with that gift have been able to build a number of websites for friends.

This time of year is a perfect opportunity to recognize and be thankful for the gifts that make us US -- and to strive to hone and share them to a greater degree with each passing day and year.  You have so much to offer.  You are such a gift.

joyously yours...

Grinches without their meds

I spent my tween and teen years in an affluent area in Southern California that is routinely mocked by the media for its shallowness and skewed priorities. I quickly became a product of the mental environment around me and fell easily into the role of material girl and label baby.

When I graduated from high school I did not get a car.... that's because I got a shiny new Italian sports car the day I turned 16.  Instead, I received a summer-long trip to Europe as a graduation gift.  A number of school friends thought I was crazy to miss all the parties of our last pre-college Summer together in order to go globe-trotting.  
That was the beginning of my realization that in some way I yearned for more out of life than could be found in the Louis Vuitton section of Neiman Marcus.  I wanted quality.... of thought, not just footwear.

for more warm fuzzies, go to: http://sharpindian.in/funtoo6.php

To date, that rite-of-passage trip has been the single most beneficial gift I have ever been blessed with.  The travel to ten or so different countries, with different languages, customs and (at the time) currencies opened up my thinking in ways I never knew were possible.  I returned a changed girl.  It has taken many additional years and trips to internal third worlds, but after completing several major spiritual treks, I believe I finally have my priorities straight and now understand what life is about, and what it is not.

The frustrated tweeters who feel 'dissed' by their benefactors, whose posts are included in the screenshots featured here, represent what I hope is a minority sector of society's youth. Of course, we are all responsible for defining our own priorities, but I can't help but wonder how many of the attitudes expressed in those ungrateful tweets are a by-product of the environment in which these people live, whether in their families, schools, or just as part of a consumerist society.

How can we combat and cure such misguided, unhealthy, odious attitudes?  I may not be able to sit each of these individuals down to chat with them about the meaning of life, but I can do my best to set an example of gratitude and self-worth.  And if I do my job well enough, perhaps I will inspire someone to do a little soul searching of their own so that they may find the rich rewards of prioritizing things like random kindness, patience, and giving to others less fortunate. And what a gift should they find that in so doing their heart grows a size... or three.

I am very thankful for what I 'got' this Christmas, which in my case was not 'stuff', but opportunities to express a spirit of giving from a heart overflowing with love and gratitude. And I hope to score even more of such treasure next year.

joyously yours...

As If!

How would you act during your day if your life was perfect?
How would you interact with others if everything in your life was exactly the way you wanted it?

What would a perfect life look like to you?
I bet you would likely paint a pretty picture of love, abundance, friendship, companionship, laughter, health, family harmony and so on.

Well why WAIT till everything is perfect to start living this way?
Why not ACT like things are already healthy and in balance and live out from that premise?

"I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be and I finally became that person. Or he became me. Or we met at some point.” Those words were spoken by Archibald Alexander Leach in reference to the man he would become.... Cary Grant.

I admit I am not much into 'acting' myself, or playing make-believe. My guess is this has something to do with having written a couple of dozen plays and running a traveling theater troupe for about 12 years.  So to me this whole exercise is not some sort of real-life cosplay.  It is a choice as to how to lead one's life.  Do I want to be saddled with the mental baggage I toted around yesterday or do I want to approach each day afresh, from a standpoint of wholeness and wellness?

My life is far from perfect.  In fact, from the outside most regular folk would deem it a shambles.  Well, I am not regular folk and just because I have chosen the road less traveled doesn't mean I am on a dangerous path.  Starting with the dawn I am going to strive to begin each day with an attitude of gratitude for its perfection. And I have a sneaking suspicion that if I work at this consistently and buoyantly I can have a Cary Grant experience of my own.

joyously yours
xoxo

Pulling No Punches

Happy Boxing Day!
This UK-based holiday, traditionally recognized as a day to give a Christmas box of goodies to tradesmen, has become a symbol for many things:

• for giving to the poor
• for banks to close their doors 
• for churches to collect and dispense alms
• even boxing up leftovers to share with others
• and boxing up things that are no longer needed in order to give them to charity in the spirit of end-of-the-year clean-out

What a wonderful metaphor Boxing Day provides, not only for sharing our abundance, but dispensing with that which no longer serves or benefits us.  The same can be done with what we have been storing in our hearts and minds.

What ideas and attitudes are we holding onto that no longer fit us?

What emotional hurts are we clinging to, though doing so does us absolutely no good?

What unhealthy, dismal views of ourselves are we mesmerized by and buying hook, line and sinker even though those closest to us tell us we are flat out wrong?

My new Boxing Day tradition - starting today - is to give the old one-two punch to all the nonsense that tries to pose as my life and identity.  I am not just a list of statistics!  Nor am I merely a chronicle of past activities, successes and so-called failures or mistakes.  I am a person with a purpose and great capacity for love and joy.  And I am determined to k.o. anything that tries to suggest otherwise!

So watch out Grinch-like thinking... you're goin' down for the count!

putting on the gloves... with joy xo

Merry Christmas sweet friends

I am down for the count today insomuch as I am feeling far too unwell to go to Christmas dinner. So instead I thought I would share a couple of Christmas treats here with you.

one of the sweetest & most poignant scenes in an animated cartoon

and something sublime from my beloved King's College Choir

Wishing you a meaningful holiday full of love and well-being.
May every day be to you a very merry Christmas.
God bless us everyone.

Home Alone on Christmas

I just wanted to send you a quick note to tell you I will be thinking of you this Christmas.... you who are all alone... you who have no one with whom to revel and as such don't feel much like 'celebrating'.  Perhaps you have ended a relationship.... or, if you're like me, you have not had a relationship this millennium.

Perhaps a loved one has passed... or, if you're like me, your entire family has passed on. 

So what to do when you have no traditions? No one to kiss under the mistletoe, no one to exchange gifts with?

I have found my peace by opening my heart to others, especially those in greater emotional need than I.  I have spent tons of time on Facebook this week, consoling those who feel sad or slighted for one reason or another.  And I have enjoyed contacting friends and loved ones past to tell them I am thinking of them and how they have enriched my life.

I would love to think that my circumstances will be very different next year.  But if they are not, I will just have to find additional ways to share love as well as even more for which to be grateful.... because despite my current trials and tribulations, statistics tell me I have it better than 90% of the inhabitants of the planet.

And so dear one, Merry Christmas to you. You will be in my heart tonight... and my thoughts tomorrow.

joyfully yours
xox

When it's okay to regift

Not sure what to give your loved ones this year?
Especially those who have every 'thing'.
We all want to offer presents that are unique, fresh, inspiring and magical..... and frankly, ones we can afford.
So how about regifting?
........... Do I sense furrows and frowns at the thought?


What if I told you could give everyone on your list gifts they would carry with them every day, gifts that would cause the recipients to silently thank you every time every time they enjoyed your gifts... gifts that would enrich their lives for years to come... gifts they would never need to dust!


Imagine being able to actually give out things like creativity, love, kindness, warmth, humor, friendship.  Who wouldn't love to receive those?


The best news is these are gifts you already have in your possession.  We've all been born with gifts that are particular to us in the way they are expressed: our soulfullness, beauty, talent, intelligence, thoughtfulness and so on.  These are gifts too precious and desirable not to share.  In fact, it would be just plain selfish to hoard them!


The people in your world truly wish for what you have to offer.  Ask them, and I think you'll find that many will say, all they want for Christmas...
is YOU!


joyfully, gratefully yours...

The Magic Kingdom.... within

Walmart is generally recognized as the grand-daddy of super stores.
You can get everything there
at any time of day or night..... at least at the ones open 24/7
and you can get it all at rock bottom prices.

On the more magical side, a similar one-stop-shopping experience can be had at Disneyland.
With a variety of theme lands within the park at large you can visit the Wild West, the realm of fantasy, and even the world of tomorrow, all within the space of a few hours.  You can nosh on burgers and fries or fine dining fare, go dancing, shopping, zip around on theme rides, watch a parade, or just sit and admire lovingly manicured landscaping.

What if you could find the same sort of experience for your soul?  What if there was a single source for everything you desired... for peace, joy, love, fulfillment, wisdom, and so on...
Well there is.
And the good news is you don't have to wade through traffic to get there or jockey for a parking spot once you've arrived.  You don't have to hitch a trailer to your car to take it with you, and you can never misplace it or be robbed of it.
Because it is in you.
It IS you.

Few of us realize how perfectly equipped we were made to handle anything and everything life might throw at us, and to do so with decisiveness, grace and sure success.  We all possess untapped wells of understanding love and strength beyond our reckoning.  Like just about every other worthwhile pursuit, the cultivation of one's character takes diligent, consistent, undiscouraged effort.  But take heart, these spiritual workouts always bear results and it is impossible to backslide or unlearn any valuable lesson you've mastered.

So as we enter the heart of the holidays this week, instead of looking for the good we desire under the tree or even under the mistletoe, why not start by looking within.  I think you will be delighted to find that all the love, happiness, beauty, confidence and success you've ever wanted have always been inside of you... and always will be.  Good comes from within... to be shared and expressed without.  Enjoy sharing yours <3

joy to the worldly yours,
J.

rock star

I was given an assignment by my LOVE 24/7 friend.  He asked me to write something about a guy who .... oh shoot, I can't recall exactly.  It was something along the lines of a guy who walks into the room, a mix of anger, frustration and confusion... I sense his angst and notice his face is tear-streaked.... his ailment is that he has never known love.  I am pretty sure I just mangled that description, but here is the from the heart stream-of-consciousness reply I zipped back... apparently I envisioned a rock star :)

His tempest preceded him

He jerked into the room, in changing shades of both Jeckyl and Hyde

His eyes red & swollen in mixed anguish and anger

He had always had the world at his feet

but now he floated in that awkward space of debris left cometing through space just after the Death Star exploded

He had all the earmarks of a trainspotter

the desperation

the need

the craving

The only difference being that what he most desired was actually good for him... something that would make his life... not ruin it

and yet

.... it went against everything he'd been taught

everything those around him believed

And so the tears flowed anew

in silent salient agony

till at last he allowed his mouth to part just enough to catch a falling droplet of his silent scream

And then the words came

more like audible thoughts really

"............ I can't do this anymore ...............

Everyone wil think i'm crazy

............. not that i care what other people think. it's just that ......................

and what will it do to my family

They think they know who i am!!!!!

How can I.........................

My mom will understand............... in fact she probably already knows.... somewhere.... deep down

....... she's always known actually

.......... that I have not been living the life that is meant to be mine

She always knew who I was even when I didn't

(his despair turning to welcomed understanding)

I mean........ as weird as it sounds, I always knew deep down that THIS is who I really was...... and what I really wanted........ but I lost sight of it somewhere along the way

........... 

and then it didn't seem to matter anymore

not cuz my life was bad

far from it!

In fact life has been great........ I mean reallllllllllllllly great

The stories I could tell you

The things i've seen

Sure I've had my struggles, just like the next guy

but overall I've had fun!

and to be honest, most of my friends envy me

but................

............................................ but ...............................

(suddenly sullen again)

it's not enough anymore

I guess it never was

The things i've always wanted

.......... I knew deep down they really existed

but they seemed so surreal for this world that I just figured they weren't something you could find on earth or in this lifetime

But I was wrong

........... which means I was right

all along

about everything

about a world and love so big it can't be contained within the puny framework our society is determined to be smothered and tortured by

(looking far beyond the walls before him)

I see it all now

see it so clearly

it is all there

within my reach

all I have to do is do the reaching

the rest is all done for me

................. in some ways I've never fit in, you see

my die was cast so early on

sports

rock n roll

girls

oh so many many girls

and yet............................................. so little love

I sing my heart out and reduce people to rubble with a single refrain

I break hearts with my poetry 

They say how tragically unbearably real my words are

how I have changed them with my words

that I have made them happy, made them sparkle, and smile and shine

Ha!

If they only knew

It's like I can dish it out but I can't take it

cuz I've never had it

and now that I can see it I'm almost too afraid to grab it

It's like I'm too paralyzed in my life to let it in

and that's all I really have to do

just 'let' it in

not force it

or go after it

Supposedly we guys value the stuff we have to work for and chase

..... but this is so much better than that.... and so much more beautiful.... so much more real

.......... this is everything i've ever wanted

....... t's even beyond my most beautiful dreams

and coming from a dreamer like me that's saying alot HAHAHA

(sigh)

I'm tired of talking

I'm tired period

exhausted more like it

not in a bad way

more in a cathartic way

.....so..................................."

-- another sigh.... this one deeper.... but much more serene.... his answers were gelling, his soul soothing, and his life changing

I saw before me a man shedding his own dead skin

transforming into the most exquisite creature imaginable.... his true self

He was at peace

Now i was the one in tears

as I gazed in wonder at this perfect being

My eyes widened and I stood

unexpectedly shaky on my feet, so full of the awesome love and truth to which I had just borne witness

He sat

looking more vulnerable than any grown man could possibly look

not weak, mind you.... just real... and unguarded... and incomprehensibly beautiful and brave

Without either of us noticing it, I walked over to him

embraced him as though within angels wings

holding him in impenetrable safety

without hardly touching him

I whispered into his ear, 'i love you'

He let out one last sigh

and something tangible left the room

It was the shell he'd been wearing all those years

the mask and habiliments that no longer fit him.... in fact they never really did

Neither of us spoke

I silently ran my fingers through his hair

My cheek next to his

.... and he just breathed

full, rich, deep breaths

like he was breathing for the first time

He fell asleep in my arms

a sleep (he later said) that was the sweetest he'd ever known

when he awoke he was a changed man

changed for good

.... and for 'good'

I still think back on that day

the day 'it' happened

He doesn't even remember it

or the man he was before it happened

It's like his life up to that point had all been a dream from which he finally awoke

only to find that his reality was much more amazing than his dream

That moment changed my life too

and has been a touchstone for all that's come since

I will never doubt again

Simultaneous Wow... NOW

The other day I wrote about that sweet viral occurrence known as the ripple effect.
Today I am thinking there is an even greater, lovelier, more powerful effect -- that of simultaneous good.

I was enjoying the proverbial 'reason for the season' by watching a touching video account of what things would've been like If Mary and Joseph Used Facebook.

It includes 'likes', the creation of groups, totally believable reactions from faux friends, geo-tracking... all the latest and greatest FB has to offer.  While going with the flow of the video I was momentarily arrested by an entry about the famous shepherds that were quietly going about their business in the hills nearby.  Joseph wrote "Some shepherds just showed up"... and then:

The idea that "they already knew" was what got me.
HOW did they know?
How could they know?

If we go with the idea of the ripple effect then someone must have witnessed or heard about Jesus' birth first-hand and told someone else who told someone else until the news traveled along a line of communication to the shepherds.  But this was not the case.  They got the message, the "good news" straight from the source, from the Divine Love that was there on the scene orchestrating the entire event and keeping the babe safe from the bustling environment of the "inn" that Joseph and Mary were turned away from.

I realized this kind of cause and effect has great implications when it comes to our lives and economy.  Elementary economic theory indicates that their is a trickle down effect when money stops flowing somewhere.  If your boss does not pay you, you can't pay your gardener who can't pay his plumber who can't pay his babysitter who can't pay her bills.... a downward spiral scenario we are confronted with daily.

But what if we are not dependent on others who are dependent on others?  What if we get our information and news straight from the source and are dependent only on the report that comes to us from Divine Love?

When our thought is open and calm, free from the clamor of society's distractions... as was the shepherds'.... then we can tune in and hear the angel's song assuring us of glory, peace on earth and goodwill toward men.... and we can start living out from that premise, that standpoint of good news, and expect peace of mind and goodwill toward us.  And soon, every day can feel like Christmas.

The Priorities of Christmas Present

"But you were always a good man of business, Jacob," faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.

"Business!" cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again.  "Mankind was my business.  The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business.  The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!"

Excerpted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens -- this quote served as my corporation's manifesto en sum.

Disentangling Confusion

Confusion --

it's just like tangled Christmas lights.

Despite your best attempts to put them away neatly the year before,

when you go back to use them they are usually a big ole tangly mess.

It makes no sense and it's lousy,

but that's the way it is.

So what to do when confronted with an unruly tangle?

Where do you start?

If you can locate and get to the plug end, it is a swell starting point, one that is delineated and logical, that will help you plod your way down the line of the strand till you come to the end.

But what if things are such a mess that you can't identify an actual starting point?

It doesn't really matter;

because no matter WHERE you start, you still must start with one small section and work your way from there --

detangling, separating, easing the strand

bit by bit

patiently and without stressing.

Because impatience and stress will NOT help the process and only make things worse.

If you become frustrated, anxious, rushed or irritable all sorts of things can go wrong that will drag out the process even further.

If you pull the strand too hard it will tighten the tangle .... [what a metaphor for pushing the loved ones in our lives... If we push too hard they often dig in their heels, clam up or shut down.]

If you become impatient with your twinklers to the point of rashness, you could pull the strand so hard that you damage or destroy the very lights you wish to see cheerily glowing and winking at you.

Tangled Christmas Light Cupcakes!

To get the result you most desire you must take a gentler, calmer approach.  You must simply massage, nudge and guide each little part of the strand till it is free from its constraints, the problems and messes that are holding it back, and before you know it.... voila!

The entire strand is untangled and free, ready to be used to turn something magically aglow.

And once those lights are up and shining, you will have forgotten all about the ten to twenty minutes of nonsense you invested in getting them into working order, and can spend the rest of the holiday season enjoying all the beauty and pleasure they give you. 


zenfully, joyfully yours...

Sometimes Familiarity is the Spice of Life

Traditional Advent Calendar

We all know the claims made on behalf of variety -
how it is necessary to keep things zippy and flavorful.
Sometimes this is spot on.
There is nothing like a full-bodied blend of complementary elements, whether in a recipe or a symphony.

We've all also heard how familiarity is supposed to breed contempt.
Well to that I offer a hearty humbug!
Familiarity should breed comfort!

Think of many of the things you love most,
the things you may put in the 'simple things' column on your list of joys.
Do you ever tire of smiles from your children?
Hugs from loved ones?
Pretty Flowers?
A perfect steamy foam-topped cuppa freshly ground jo on a cold morning?

Do you love strolling down memory lane with school chums, recounting 'that time when'?
Do you look forward to your family's quirky traditions during the holidays?

I am listening to Christmas music nearly exclusively this month.... well at least until Dec 25th - then I will overdose on Strauss waltzes and Die Fledermaus until New Year's.  This is part of my annual holiday ritual... along with watching a variety of holiday movies, culminating with the Albert Finney musical Scrooge on Christmas morning.... which invariably incites tears and pledges to do better on my part.

Traditions and familiarity bring us comfort and joy.
If we find them dull, boring, or disdainful, perhaps it is our attitudes that need to change, not our circumstances or relationships.

And with that I think I will go pour a chilled glass of my favorite egg nog....

holiday cheer
Joy

Minion Steps

I have a minion!
And I am beaming with pride today, as he has just taken his first bonafide step on his spiritually-mentored path.

Nearly a year and a half ago I volunteered to help out anyone in need of spiritual support.  I had just come off of my personal Mt. Everest of challenges and wanted to be of service to another.  A dear person put out a request for some assistance, and had a quirky set of qualities he wanted in a person he was going to engage in this sort of relationship with.... he got stuck with me!

So now it is my job to show him the spiritual ropes, so to speak, and we have been getting to know each other ever since first connecting in 2010.  You would think a mentor would be the paragon of patience, but instead I have been itching to get started with him, and have had something of a "C'mon, c'mon, let's get going" attitude... not cool of me.  Everyone goes at his own pace and just because someone does not rocket off the starting blocks doesn't mean he won't finish strong.

So here we are... well over a year later....
During this time we have had the sweet opportunity of learning a lot about each other ... finding what makes one another tick, and building a beautiful foundation of trust.

And I am finding out there is much more to this relationship than I would have thought!
I figured I would just wax omniscient now and again, dispensing clever and sage truisms, and that he would nod in wide-eyed wonder.
Nope.

Turns out the whole thing is a work in progress, for us both!
I have blown it several times, lost my cool, and taken things too personally.
In fact, on more than one occasion I have tried to bail on the whole thing!
Cuz it has sometimes seemed too hard and forced me out my comfort zone.... sheesh... so much for the girl who conquered a mountain of challenges.
He has tried to ditch out a few times too.... and yet we have not only outlasted the 'courtship' phase, but yesterday... with no cajoling from me I might add..... he finally committed to making a move and took his first steps with me on our adventure together.

I am so incredibly grateful to get to watch this amazing man grow and become the HE he was always meant to be.  And I am learning far more than I am teaching in the process.

So to my adorable mighty minion, I simply say Huzzah and Bon Voyage.... and thanks for taking me along for the ride.... weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

everso joyously 

Good Salad Gone Bad

I hate to waste food.
I find it physically painful to do so.
So I make a concerted effort to gobble up the stuff in the fridge that is making its way to the spoil zone.... even if it I am not really in the mood for it.

I am always very satisfied at having done so, knowing that I had a good meal and kept food from going bad and being discarded needlessly.
During the holidays we tend to be offered all sorts of comestible treats, which can lead to neglect of the perishables we've purchased that are waiting patiently in the ice box.

Today I pulled a regular favorite Trader Joe's salad from the fridge, and thought it looked a bit tired. But true to my creed, I tucked in, undaunted by the first signs of pekidness.
This act turned out to be utter folly.
A certain sector was slimy and gross.
But there I sat, grimacing with each bite.

Finally it dawned on me.... why?
Why was I doing this to myself?
It made no difference to the salad ingredients
or to the staff at Trader Joe's.
So why would I put myself through that?

Emboldened and full of love and respect for myself, I snapped closed the salad container and summarily tossed it in the dust bin.  And then I took it a further step by drowning out the all-too-vivid memory of slimy veggies with a goodly dose of freshly homemade chocolate truffle cookie dough... using Trader Joe's cocoa truffles no less.

I found the entire experience to be a sweet little lesson on valuing ourselves and realizing that we deserve nothing but the best, and should settle for nothing less.  I look forward to being more alert to this mentality each day, and to viewing others as deserving of only the best, as well.

wishing you a delicious week,
Joy

My Hero..... me!

"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show." 
So begins chapter 1 of my favorite book, David Copperfield

A friend touched on the idea of our past.... and how tough it can be to deal with since we can't change it.

Ahhhhhhhhh but we CAN!

As discussed before, our past does not define us.
it doesn't mean we can change the zany or awful antidotes or specifics of what has transpired,
but we can change their effects, 
which is even better!

When we grow and evolve we often find ourselves no longer relating to ways of thinking that used to seem to be such a major part of us.
As a result, they are no longer part of our lives... nor are their effects
The statistics of my life show that I was abused;
but I NEVER ever see myself that way nor can I fit into that mindset anymore.
So while that may be something someone can point to on my 'timeline'
it is like telling a story about someone else
because it has no hold on me.
It is no part of me.
It does not own me
and frankly I don't own it.
It is just a story
about the world and life I have experienced.
It is not really fact.

The facts are that I am loved and strong and have felt the rescuing and redeeming touch of grace.

The changing landscapes of events really don't matter that much.
They're just human circumstances -- the test kitchens where we get to work on our character... 
and character is what lasts, not the circumstances.

No doubt, you are incredibly busy this season
but while you're driving
or folding laundry
whenever you have a moment to think
please let me know what you are learning,
what profound gracious truths you are understanding and espousing
how your soul is singing

Do you have any idea how deeply i care about your well-being?

toujours,
Joy