Rest...

Catnaps...

No rest for the weary...
Rest and relaxation...
Bed rest...
Rest stops...

I "Googled" the word 'rest' and the following results appeared on my screen...

rest¹

rest/

verb

1. 1.

   cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.

   "he needed to rest after the feverish activity"

   synonyms:

   relax, take a rest, ease up/off, let up, slow down, have/take a break,unbend, unwind, recharge one's batteries, be at leisure, take it easy,put one's feet up; More
2. 2.

   be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position.

   "her elbow was resting on the arm of the sofa"

   synonyms:

   lie, be laid, repose, be placed, be positioned, be supported by More

noun

1. 1.

   an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in strenuous or stressful activity.

   "you look as though you need a rest"

   synonyms:

   repose, relaxation, leisure, respite, time off, breathing space,downtime; More
2. 2.

   an object that is used to support something.

   "a chin-rest"

   synonyms:

   stand, base, holder, support, rack, frame, shelf More

The definitions that spoke to me in an "aha moment" are "refresh oneself, or recover strength" and the synonym that especially stood out to me was "recharge one's batteries."  

Why do we feel guilty when we take time to rest, recover and recharge?  The dishes, laundry and to do lists aren't going anywhere; they will be there when we get up...trust me.  Taking a sick day? PUH-LEEZE (misspelled for emphasis) - most of us have to be on our virtual deathbeds before we allow ourselves the "luxury" of a day in bed...but that is just the "prescription" most doctors prescribe for a cold or flu.  Stress fracture or any sprain...rest the muscle, give it a break. We can even take advice from the video industry when they say "please be kind and rewind." (Okay...that may be a stretch but it's still applicable nonetheless.) ;-) 

This posting came to me in the healing and aftermath of the passing of our precious and beloved "dog child," Bailey.  

So it is with this posting that I continue to honor her life, after all, her example of "stopping and smelling EVERYTHING" was the premise of this blog, per se.  So, in closing today, I say REST in Peace, Dear Bailey! Enjoy the big dog park in the sky; we love and miss you so very much!

Oxymoron...

Jumbo shrimp...
Baby grand...
A cactus in the shape of a heart?

During a morning walk, I saw this little piece of irony along the walking path.  Upon seeing the cactus, I had an "aha moment" and thought that it was the perfect combination of protection and softness...and a natural expression of the state of our hearts most of the time. We put walls up to protect us, to protect our hearts. 
Scripture even advises us to do this..."Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23 NIV).

Unfortunately this "strategy" is usually implemented only after our heart has already been bruised or broken.  

Fool me once, shame on you...fool me twice, shame on me.

Once we experience the gut-wrenching pain of a broken heart, we vow to never let anyone do that to us again, to never allow ourselves to go through that pain so we develop "spines" and build walls to keep the remaining pieces of our heart protected and future hurts at bay.  For some, that growth comes a bit slower, after their heart has taken multiple hits; for those few individuals who can truly "turn the other cheek" and "forgive and forget"...or whose "character radar" is more fine-tuned, those walls or spines never develop.  Their hearts remain intact and beat free from any emotional scarring.

Regardless of which "bucket" you find yourself, consider yourself lucky.  If your radar is better than most and your heart has never been broken, be thankful you were spared the pain.  If your heart is on the mend or was broken but healed, "never be ashamed of your scars because it simply means you were stronger than what tried to hurt you" (author unknown).

And regardless, be thankful for nature's little gems that speak to us per se and touch our souls.  

Pandora Bracelet of Life...

This isn't a posting about a remarkable image I saw in nature or my daily life, however, it did produce a thought-provoking "aha moment" nonetheless.  Recently I've been thinking a lot, and I mean A LOT, about friendships. Perhaps this is because of our "recent" move TO a great city which once again required moving away FROM friends a.k.a support network, gal pals, sounding boards, etc. ??!?

In writing that, the Girl Scout song comes to mind..."Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold..." but I digress.

While leaving friends makes me sad, my heart sings and I am so very grateful and blessed by the friends and memories I am fortunate enough to have accumulated through all of our moves, experiences and jobs over the years.  Like a Pandora bracelet full of symbolic charms, my life's bracelet is garnished with the "BFF bead" - the friend you've known the longest, who knows you - the good, the bad, the ugly, the braces, the heartbreaks, the childhood playmate, etc.  You know the one...the one person outside your family who you cannot remember not knowing.  Then there are the "school mate beads", the "college beads", the "prayer warrior and women's small group beads" (or men's group or group for whatever your special interest or hobby may be) who help you grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally to become the person you were meant to be.  Then come the "professional beads," those individuals, who have mentored and advised you along and throughout your career, helping you to develop and become more polished as you maneuver the whole "life/work balance/what do I want to be when I grow up" dance.  And, last but certainly not least...the "beads" gathered from each city you've lived. Sometimes these "beads" come into your life through a job you worked, a group you were involved with, a Zumba class you took, through a friend of a friend, or just living next door and/or across the street.  

For me, my Pandora/friendship bracelet of life includes precious "beads" added from my hometown, schools attended, six cities in four states, seven jobs, two professional associations, and six women's small groups.  Thank goodness for email, social media and Skype!

Through all my moves and "first days on the job," I discovered that making new friends is the toughest part of the transition.  People are so busy these days, it's hard to find time for the friends you have, let alone squeeze in time to make new ones. In addition, by the time we're adults, our walls are up and we tend to be a little apprehensive and jaded when it comes to friendships and letting new people in (let's face it, by this time, we've been both on the receiving and delivering end of being wounded - many times over).

It was so much easier when you little.  Not only did you get recess, snack and nap times, if you saw someone new or sitting alone, all you had to do was walk up to them and ask "Want to be my friend?" and the friendship was forged and the deal was sealed, per se...  

I cherish my "friendship bracelet" - the one accessory that never goes out of style.  I take it out often, especially recently, and remember and acknowledge each bead as I look at pictures or recall a memory that results in a smile, laugh or head shake.  "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold..."

Blank Slate...

WHERE did September go!??!?  It's been a while, and honestly longer than I would like or planned, since my last posting in part due to days flying by, lack of enough hours in the day and great intentions/"area of opportunity" execution!  Hope you enjoy my latest "aha moment"...

Clear blue skies as far as the eye could see. (Incidentally, I used my photo with tree tips so you had some idea what you were looking at! <smile/wink>)

This got me thinking that each day is like a blank slate - a "do over" if you will.  We recently moved to follow our passions and dreams so I feel this clear blue, blank slate of a sky is saying to me "You can do/be anything, (well, almost anything...my "low gag factor" takes being a doctor out of the running); the world is your oyster, dream big, anything is possible if you believe, have faith, and are willing to go for it!"

I imagine this is the same excitement a painter feels when staring at a stark, white canvas and just before they transform it into an amazing work of art, vibrant with color. (PBS' Bob Ross comes to mind.)

So, with eager anticipation and an excitement that is bubbling over with "what can be," I look forward to getting out my paint brush and leaving my mark on the blank slate of life, per se. 

One Scoop or Two...

While taking in the sights and various bites of sugary heaven recently at the Austin Ice Festival, my "aha moment" came in the form of a crunchy waffle cone filled with sweet frozen vanilla custard goodness.

That cone and its contents evoked a profound thought and revelation.  In life, one scoop is never enough, we want a second scoop.  The first bite or scoop was so good, we want more...sometimes we sign up for the extra helping before even trying the first because we anticipate the first being so good that we "plan ahead," "save time," and "indulge a little...if just this once."  

However have you noticed...the first bite is always the best?  That, when we splurge, indulge, and ignore that 'little voice' to throw caution to the wind that we usually feel disappointment, regret and an emptiness in the extended experience?  That, overindulgence in anything eventually and predictably leaves us with discomfort, dissatisfaction, and remorse?  How many times have you said to yourself "I should have stopped while I was ahead!" or "I shouldn't have taken that second _______ (fill in the blank with your weakness or Kryptonite)!" ?  We've all said that to ourselves at one time or another...I know I have and unfortunately too many times to count.  You'd think we would learn but we rarely do...and if we do, it usually takes A LOT longer than it should.

The saying "less is more" pops into my mind and that phrase rings so true for a reason! Going forward, I am going to take one scoop and be content with what I have; live in the moment versus the future and savor my one scoop...per se. 

When You Wish Upon A Star...

I am taking a slight detour from my format of posting pictures I personally took (I did not have my camera with me, and even if I did, I would not have been able to capture this shot). This image comes via Petros Giannakouris/AP and is a photo of the Perseid meteor shower in the village of Fanos in central Greece. (You not only get personal perspective here, you may also get some interesting tidbits of FYI's, such as the fact that this specific light show occurs every August.)  We happened to be out this morning...very early this morning...with our dog, which proved to be and provided an unexpected treat.  The annual Perseid meteor showers happened to be going on and I was fortunate and lucky enough to catch a glimpse of two "shooting stars!!!"

What struck me about this moment was the feeling of child-like wonder, excitement and anticipation I felt while gazing into the dark sky, hoping and looking for a white tail streaming across the relatively black morning canvas...and making a wish when I did. (Then the grown-up part of me thought "Gee, I hope a bird or a bat doesn't drop a surprise on my face or in my mouth!!!" So much for child-like abandonment!)  

The "aha" lesson or reflection I walked into the house with was the desire to have more of these "shooting star moments"...those precious moments in time where and when we are able to quiet our "grown-up selves" and let our "inner child" have its frolicking moment of playing and splashing in the fountain of life; when ice cream dripping down our cone and hand doesn't instantly conjure up thoughts of dry cleaning and stain sticks, where instead we focus solely on the sugary goodness of joy, per se, that we have in our grasp.       

Standing Out Among The Crowd...

Sitting outside a couple of mornings ago, I noticed my neighbor's flowering bush.  While my photo doesn't due justice to the color of the flowers, in person the buds are a vibrant and breathtaking red.  What I found interesting about this moment, and why this image caught my eye, was how the red flowers stood out from the rest of the surrounding foliage; how it stood out from the crowd if you will.  The flowers are unique in the scene; they bring an unique presence and beauty that the trees or grass just cannot provide.  My "aha moment" was the realization that we need to follow nature's example more often.  We need to celebrate our unique qualities, talents, perspectives...and even our quirks.  We need to be proud of, rather than trying to hide, conform or tone down those traits that make us different from others.  Rather than shying away, we need to stand out from the crowd...per se.        

Getting started...

Hello and welcome to my blog!  My husband and I, along with our dog, recently relocated to Texas and it's amazing what this move has done for us. Sunshine is an amazing thing!!! Coming from Chicago, we were a "little" short on this vitamin D source. Since our move, I've been blessed to have some time to recharge my battery, do a little self-reflection and follow our dog's example of stopping and smelling the roses.

It was during one of my "slowing down" mornings, while enjoying my french vanilla/hazelnut infused cup of java and listening to the birds chirp away, that I read a LinkedIn post by Claire Diaz-Ortiz that really spoke to me.  In her post she shared the greatest advice she received, which was to do nothing for five minutes every morning, Mondays especially.  In doing so, she suggested, one is able to pause before "life comes rushing in on you" as she put it.  After following Ms. Diaz-Ortiz's prompting, I took in the sounds of the morning, looked up and really noticed the beauty around me.  It was in that moment that the idea for this blog came to be.  I've always been a fan of "capturing the moment" with a photo.

So, as I take in the scenery that until now would have gone relatively unnoticed, I will be sharing images and items that caught my eye and spoke to me, per se, and the thoughts that followed by taking a moment to slow down, look around, and take it all in.