“Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it’s all right
Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it’s all right”
I am loving these days of Wintery sun! They are chilled but warm enough to walk outside and not freeze!
The sun shines so brightly every day! I don’t think I have ever seen it so bright! Winter sunshine is the best!
Today is a happy day. 😀 I had work all day and I got to see Diane’s son, Thomas, today. Diane is my close friend/coworker who we lost unexpectedly almost a year ago. I’m blessed to still see her family occasionally. I love Diane and her wonderful family. ❤
Later I'm going to see my good friend for tea.
And in a few days a book I have been waiting eight months for will finally be out! It's part of a mystery series by Dr. Carey Baldwin. Each book can be read alone but they have the same characters and some things in previous books are sometimes referenced briefly in the next ones. I can't wait! 😀
Here is a lovely song for you!
mobile:
desktop:
Isn't it beautiful? 😀
It's one of those happy, cheerful songs, one of those instantly uplifting ones. ❤
Thank you to everyone who wrote me comments! I still have a few to respond to and will soon! ❤ I always appreciate it!
“And now I’m left without, but you’re here within
As I watch the sun go down, watching the world fade away
All the memories of you come rushing back to me
As I watch the sun go down, watching the world fade away
All I want to do is kiss you once goodbye” ~ Jimmy Somerville
This is a song I love and sometimes I listen to it when my grief (about different losses) is at its worst. I discovered this song a few years ago after my dog, Koko, died of old age.
I felt destroyed and like my loss is unbearable. My agony over the loss of my dog felt like it was killing me. Sometimes I still feel that. Shortly after my dog died in 2013, I was so griefstricken and was searching for anything to help me and I stumbled upon this song riddled with love & loss.
It’s a beautiful song about the devastating loss of a friend. It’s very sad but hopeful too.
Grief & loss can feel so lonely but it’s something almost everyone experiences at least once at some point. We almost all will lose a friend, a parent, a pet, a grandparent…and we won’t all experience it the same exact way or handle it the same. But underneath it all, is that sense of loss & grief that most of us will relate to in some way.
“I never cried the way I cried over you
As I put down the telephone and the world it carried on
Somewhere else, someone else is crying too
Another man has lost a friend, I bet he feels the way I do”
I love this line here because it displays empathy. Whatever we are experiencing, pleasant or unpleasant, no matter how unique our inner experience is or feels, it’s very likely someone else, somewhere out there, is feeling or has felt the same way or very similarly.
It’s great to remember that, not just because we can feel less lonely but it deepens our empathy for others and can deepen our sense of connection and oneness with others we know or not know personally.
It’s not good that others are suffering but since there are people suffering like us, it’s good to reach out to each other or share our stories so others can feel a sense of being understood.
Empathy isn’t just about understanding or feeling the pain of others but also sharing in their joy, success, and happiness.
I have been listening to this song and thinking about my friend/coworker, Diane, who I was close to and worked with for almost ten years. She died unexpectedly of a heart attack at work almost a year ago. I experience all kinds of emotions about it, anger, confusion, fear, despair, pain…, sometimes I feel as if I’m drowning or suffocating. But I also experience love & gratitude which I know are strong enough to conquer all those horrific emotions. Love & gratitude won’t burn them out completely but they make them easier to bear.
Grief doesn’t go away usually, but we learn to handle it as the days go on and it heals to a certain degree.
“I’ll never let you down, a battle I have found
And all the dreams we had, I will carry on
As I watch the sun go down, watching the world fade away
All the memories of you come rushing back to me
As I watch the sun go down, watching the world fade away
All I want to do is kiss you once goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye”
Beautiful lyrics! ❤
I feel his pain. </3 ❤
Let's remember the positive qualities of the ones we lost and honor them each day. Bask in the happy memories and the fact we got to know them as long as we did even if it wasn't very long. We could have never encountered them in this life but we did and that's a blessing even with the severe pain.
Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
List the rules.
Display the award on your post of the award.
List 7 facts about yourself.
Nominate 15 bloggers and comment on their post to let them know you have nominated them.
7 facts about me:
1.) I love mint flavored anything! Cookies, candy, ice cream…Mint is just the best! mmmMmmmmm
2.) One thing I have never done is color or perm or do anything like that to my hair. In my whole life I only ever had two hair cuts I think, except for trimming. I just love it how it is. 😀
3.) Oldies music & Country are my favorite.
4.) My favorite kinds of books to read are Philosophy, personal development, Buddhist, and horror fiction books. I also love inspiring novels.
5.) I love wild colored socks with designs and patterns that stand out. Socks are one of my favorite things to buy. When I buy packs and packs of socks, I'm in Heaven on Earth! Lol But I never wear mismatched sox!
6.) I always loved school, elementary school til college.
7.) I cannot stand the feel of soft material rubbing against my skin, especially my hands. It's hard to explain in words. I don't mind wearing clothes but if they rub on my skin it's disgusting. Lol It's kind of like the way nails rubbing on a chalkboard are to some people but maybe not exactly.
I love a lot of blogs and don't like choosing some and not others. I know there's going to be a few I forget. So I took a list of all the ones I can remember this moment and just took fifteen since 15 is the limit!
“Be melting snow.
Wash yourself of yourself.” ~Rumi
❤
Today I woke up with the headache worse than usual when I wake up, but it wasn’t the worst. Now it’s a lot better.
I woke up with this feeling like this life can’t be better than this. I have no money (I haven’t been working because of the weather, my boss closes for wicked weather! ) and I have a chronic headache but life is still beautiful!
I feel so inspired, so beautiful, so hopeful, so grand. The sun is shining brightly through the bare trees, the ground and everything is covered in melting snow and ice and sludge. It’s so hard to walk because my shoes slip and fill with cold slush. And it’s all so beautiful.
I saw a few birds flying by out my bedroom window. Some of my favorite kind of days are cool/warm Winter days that remind me of an impending Spring. Especially when they are covered in snow and the sun is shining brightly!
I love when the seasons collide and mesh together to form a beautiful medley.
Today I’m eating chocolate Oreo cookies with green mint in the middle instead of the original white cream. They are delicious!! Mint is my absolute favorite! The scent of the mint in these cookies is heavenly.
The air is so cool and so sweet today. It caresses my skin so gently and is exhilarating.
I’m generally happy but I also have recurring episodes of severe depression. The episodes often come close together. They last hours,days, weeks, or months. They used to last around three and four months, sometimes longer. And often in the middle I would have less severe, but often still severe, depression. Through the years I worked on myself to be better and better. Now I’m still not cured but my depression is much less frequent. The duration of my depressive episodes usually isn’t months anymore. Usually they last a month or less now. And I don’t have longterm depression in the middle anymore. Sometimes I still have symptoms in the intervals but not always and not usually as bad. Also, I cope with the depression much better now.
This sunny afternoon, I was thinking what a sharp contrast this beautiful feeling is when compared to that deep, dark, depression I lived (and sometimes still live), for years and years.
What a beautiful, sharp contrast.
Just last night I felt somewhere all the way in the back of my mind that I may be detecting an impending episode. But it quickly vanished. I’m so thankful! Because it’s already in me to have depression, I can have symptoms very briefly that end as quickly as they begin. I can usually detect what kind of episodes I am about to be hit with and approximately how long I will have to endure it. And I can sometimes make it so it doesn’t hit too hard. Isn’t that amazing?! I have different degrees of depression, different severity levels, and different durations. Some only last hours to days while others last weeks to months. Some are severe and some beyond severe. Some are suicidal depression and some are not.
But today there’s not an ounce of depression in me. I am very mindful of not being depressed. One of the great things about having to live a life of longterm depression is when I’m not depressed, I never take it for granted. I realize even more how great it is to be happy! I realize not only how incredible it is to live but to want to live.
And today I am even more mindful of it than usual.
I am filled with immense gratitude.
And I am inspired by this beautiful season.
Winter inspires me deeply.
Yesterday I went for a walk to a couple of stores and I went out of my way just to walk more and to take beautiful pictures!
I will share some here!
This is the same picture with two different effects. Kids and their daddy sledding up on a hill having fun. It was so sweet and inspiring to hear their laughter & squealing and see their love. I remember when I was a little girl and would go sledding with my friends and my dad.
I love the shadows and reflections upon the snow that the fence puts there with the sunlight streaming through the slits.
The sun always comes out again. ❤
I love seeing workers doing work outside.
It’s not all beauty & fun though, I heard a few people were hurt and killed in the recent storm and a few died of heart attacks while shoveling the snow including an 80 something year old man and an eighteen year old girl who was pregnant. Seriously?! An 18 year old?! Her unborn baby and her both died. My heart just sinks. My love & compassion go out to all those affected by these terrible tragedies. How heartbreaking.
Last night my mom, sister, and me watched the movies My Girl & My Girl 2. I haven’t watched those movies in many years and never realized how inspiring they are.
Here is a song that the girl’s mom sings on a video in the second movie:
“Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile”
😀
mobile:
desktop:
“Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you”
A beautiful, inspiring reminder to smile even when things aren’t so perfect. There’s always something to smile about!! 😀 ❤
“Life ain’t always beautiful
Sometimes it’s just plain hard
Life can knock you down, it can break your heart
Life ain’t always beautiful
You think you’re on your way
And it’s just a dead end road at the end of the day
But the struggles make you stronger
And the changes make you wise
And happiness has its own way of takin its sweet time”
I love this beautiful Country song, written by Cyndi Goodman and Tommy Lee James and sung by Gary Allan.
It’s so inspiring and touching. And especially knowing one of his real life experiences of deep pain that may have influenced his choice to sing this song and with so much passion.
The song is about how life can be hard and sad and not all good but it’s still a beautiful journey overall.
“happiness has its own way of takin’ its sweet time”
Just because we aren’t happy right now or sometimes doesn’t mean we are destined to be unhappy forever. We can always become happy at any point as long as we are alive.
Gary Allan is a man who experienced true tragedy. He lost his beautiful wife to suicide in 2004. What an unimaginable loss for him and their kids and other family and friends. My heart goes out to them. Imagine the pain and horror they must live with each day.
His wife, Angela, suffered with severe headaches and depression for years and took her own life one night while she was at home with the children. Poor baby. It’s so devastating that she suffered how she did and couldn’t see the light through her darkness. I wish I could give her a hug.
We can want to die one second but just a second later change our mind. Imagine how many suicide victims probably would have changed their minds if only they held on just a second longer. Imagine how many pulled the trigger just a second too soon. The depression, the headaches, the suicidal inclination, for many of us aren’t temporary. They are chronic or episodic and they come and go. Come and go. Appear then disappear. But even though they always come back, and even if they stay a while, they always go again or can if we hold on. It does not always feel as if it will or can end or that we can live with it. But the pain can end and/or we can learn to cope better. And we can still find beauty in pain, both physical & emotional.
“No, life ain’t always beautiful
Tears will fall sometimes
Life ain’t always beautiful
But it’s a beautiful ride”
This song is full of so much strength and determination. So much hope. Instead of giving up and becoming bitter, he takes his pain and puts it into his singing to share beautiful messages with the world.
We can all take our pain, no matter how serious or minor, and turn it into good whether it’s through singing, writing, sharing our experiences or positive message any way we can. Even if it doesn’t reach as many as a famous person’s does, it can still reach at least one. And that is good enough. ❤
This song here can apply to any pain or problems we may have.
Even through his agony and loss he can see beauty in this life. It's ok that life isn't always beautiful. We can seize all the beautiful moments and acknowledge them, honor them, cherish them instead of getting sucked into the bad and overlooking all the goodness.
Just because pain and tragedy and nonsense exist in life doesn't mean beauty and goodness is outweighed or has to take the back burner. Why let the bad side have all or most of the attention and energy? We have a choice where to place our attention. For some people, it may take a lot of practice to generally see the good. But it's always possible.
I feel a pull in my chest and deep beauty well up in it when I listen to this song or read the lyrics.
I just love his gentle, kind of sad, but hopeful voice. It’s so beautiful.
❤
"No, life ain't always beautiful
But I know I'll be fine
Hey, life ain't always beautiful
But it's a beautiful ride
What a beautiful ride"
“A pretty woman makes her husband look small
And very often causes his downfall.
As soon as he marries her
Then she starts to do
The things that will break his heart.
But if you make an ugly woman your wife,
You’ll be happy for the rest of your life,
An ugly woman cooks her meals on time,
She’ll always give you peace of mind.”
An ugly woman?! I don’t think there is such a thing! Lol
Since I’m sharing this song I decided to share a couple of the “ugliest” (there’s actually waayyy uglier ones my sister has of me that she takes of me during moments I least expect it but I won’t be sharing those here – she has them on Facebook though!) pics of me. lol It’s not that I’m ugly but these are pictures I took of myself recently during my horrible sore throat and stuff. I’m totally not in my underwear, just pj shorts. lol And I have chicken legs (natural ones, not because I’m sick) which my mom thinks are hilarious. They aren’t as noticeable in pants.
I took these pictures shortly after I felt my sickness slowly beginning to heal. I was celebrating my desire to “live again” after walking around like a zombie for a few days. lol So for this reason, I think they are beautiful pics!
This is me recovering just after a terrible sore throat and possibly a (mild) kidney infection.
I haven’t been this sick in quite a while. And if I look a wreck, in my defense, like I said, I’m sick but recovering very well!
Don’t you just LOVE the feeling of getting over a sickness?! It’s a wonderful feeling for sure. When I’m listing things to be grateful for, even when I’m not sick and haven’t been in a while, I frequently think of the incredible feeling when a sickness begins to end. In general, most of us feel this feeling of not being sick but we tend to overlook it I think, take it for granted, because we’re so used to it….until we get sick. Then we realize how absolutely wonderful it is to not be sick. ❤
I was letting my dog out in the backyard to go potty and as I stood there at the door waiting (she doesn't like us to leave and close the door on her lol), I felt flooded with gratitude that I felt so much less sick!
I'm sharing this funny song & pictures as part of my one word challenge! My word is beauty. It’s just a funny song, but definitely not true! There are lots of pretty girls who can make some delicious food and love to cook for others and are great loyal, wives, girlfriends, lovers….
This song, while kind of rude, is uplifting!
“Say man.
Hey baby.
Saw your wife the other day.
Yeah?
Yeah, she’s uglyyy.
Yeah, she’s ugly but she sure can cook.
Yeah?. Okay.”
Lol Whaaattt?!?
I can’t cook (but then again, I never even try…)and don’t want to and I don’t keep stuff neat and organized so I must be totally gorgeous!! ;-D
My view is if you truly want to be happy, look for the beauty in everyone. Not just physical beauty but inner beauty. “Look for the light in others and treat them as if that’s all you see.” Also not to assume things especially based on outter appearances. You may think a woman is ugly and it turns out she can’t cook at all and a woman you find stunning may be a great chef!
And not just about cooking but anything. Lol Physical appearance can’t generally tell us much about someone!
This may seem like common sense but some people really do judge based on appearances. I’m not completely innocent of this myself. I don’t ever judge based on level of attractiveness but there have been occasions I just looked at someone and thought this person doesn’t seem like the most pleasant person and the person turned out to be the sweetest thing! Even if we get a first impression that isn’t good, we don’t have to act on it! Let’s give everyone a chance! ❤
(This isn’t my photo but isn’t it sweet?!)
It’s hard though to listen to this song and not want to giggle or sing along! 😀 The tune is quite catchy, wouldn’t you say? 😀
“It felt like spring time on this February morning
In a courtyard birds were singing your praise
I’m still recalling things you said to make me feel alright
I carried them with me today”
I found this fortune on the floor near the door when I walked into work today. It brightened my day and made me smile. And it reminds me to smile at the very next person I look at (which I did! And he smiled back! 😀 ).
Last night I had difficulty sleeping. My grief kept me awake. It tends to do that some nights.
But my adorable dogs know when I’m in serious pain whether it’s physical or emotional and they show me extra love. Lol It’s so cute!! ❤
One of the strange things about grief is how one moment it can be quiet, soft, mellow, calm, easy to bear then the very next moment it can be raw, agonizing, violent, nearly unbearable. It appears and reappears for many of us as long as we live, no matter how long ago the loss occurred. I still feel this for my dog who died of old age in 2013 and others I knew and love.
Last night I was thinking about how in just a few weeks, it will be the first anniversary of my close friend/coworker's unexpected death. It has been a long exhausting journey of grief this last year. Full of beauty & pain. Light & darkness. Love & hope.
One year is just a social construct and it seems strange and interesting to think about it. Our society places so much importance on anniversaries each year. This can be good or be very painful. Or both?
My grief exacerbates to nearly unbearable levels off and on throughout my days. And while it's so hard sometimes, I know that's ok. It will be like that. I no longer try to battle it usually. It's not something to be battled.
It's just a natural reaction to our losses. So I let it appear, do what it will, and then mellow out to the more bearable levels until the next raw flare up whenever it may be.
Sometimes I still have trouble doing this though. Sometimes I want to resist that grief that hurts so much.
Last night as I laid down to sleep, it just hit me. So unexpectedly. My beautiful friend never leaves my mind and my grief never leaves me either. But like I said, my grief now is usually bearable.
But last night as I thought of the first anniversary approaching, the pain came at me like daggers piercing every square inch of my being. I thought of all the beautiful days we shared together in the last decade. All the love she has shown me and the love I still have for her and always will. But last night the happy memories weren't enough to soothe the pain. In some way, they even worsened it. Somehow though, I finally drifted off to sleep with her beautiful face across my mind.
“Oh darlin’ as I lay me down to sleep
This I pray, that you will hold me dear
Though I’m far away
I’ll whisper your name into the sky
And I will wake up happy” ❤
Today I woke up still in that terrible raw state of grief. It's worse than when she died because at least back then the shock of her unexpected death protected me against the agony that was soon coming. But when I think of her, when I speak her name, it's so healing.
As I sat at work today, a memory came to me. It was the Summer before she died. It was July, just after her 58th birthday. I was 28 years old. Diane always treated me like her own daughter. We stood together by the soda boxes in the store I work at. Her job was in the bar kitchen across the street. But she came over to the store to help me when it was busy. She absolutely loved to help people. She was a very giving person.
She often came over just to talk to me or bring me food and tell me something funny. She was hilarious, so full of life. Diane bragged about me to others constantly and always told me how wonderful I am and how she loved me. She was so proud of her sons and always sharing stories about her grandkids. She was so full of love.
I always loved how she referred to her boys as "My Thomas" and "My Matthew" and "My Daniel"
She would scold me when she thought I was doing something not good for myself like if she thought I was not eating enough food. She was always making me food and bringing it to me.
My sweet, sweet friend. I miss her like crazy. The pain is almost physical.
I always felt so close to her.
I remember her black hair blowing in the swirl of the air the fan was blowing that day. I remember her white t-shirt and long denim shorts. And her beautiful voice.
There is nothing significant about this memory. It just came to me in one of my worst moments of grief and stood out. I love how it's just a simple memory of a mundane part of an ordinary day, yet it's so vivid in my mind.
And it's a memory only I have of us together that day. There was no one else here. It feels so unique. But now it's written in stone, for the world to see at any moment of any day. And for that I am thankful.
Today I walked over to the soda box where we stood that day. I longed for her. I longed to feel her near me. My arms ached to hug her.
And as my grief reached its pinnacle and I felt it would destroy me and I was so tempted to repress and deny it, instead I let it ripple through me in agonizing waves. I let my body writhe in agony, I let myself keel over as I clutched my chest which felt like it held something inside physically breaking, as I thought of how I'll never see her again, how she'll never live again, never work again, never see her sons and family and friends again. Never again feel the wind blowing through her dark black hair. I thought of her hearing aids and how she'll never again reach up to adjust them. She'll never again eat her favorite strawberry ice cream or drink her favorite soda, which is also my favorite. Coca Cola. We both have always loved it and we both wouldn't drink Pepsi if Coca Cola was sold out. Lol Instead we drank Mt. Dew.
So I let the pain break me. As much as I wanted to resist it. I let it break me. Then I allowed myself to steal away into the stillness around me and within, the quietude, the spaciousness, the emptiness, that awaits beyond the worst of the pain. The still of this cold, desolate afternoon enveloped me in a soothing, exhilarating kind of way, giving me life & hope.
And I felt beauty. I felt calm. Love. Whole. I felt her in my loving memories and I felt healed to a certain point. Grief, for many of us never completely heals but that's ok.
It will appear and reappear and rise and fall. It will scream some moments, loud and vicious and terrible. And other moments it will softly arise in our self, floating gently and sadly but beautifully across our essence. Sometimes the happy memories will shatter us to pieces and other moments they will put us back together and help heal the darkest pain. And it's all ok. But it won't always feel ok. And that's ok too.
I was so tempted to only see the ugly in my grief today but I remembered my vow to this year refine my ability to see beauty in every moment, even the seemingly ugly ones. To deepen my sense of beauty and strengthen my philosophy of life that life is beautiful even in its darkest moments.
So I let myself stand in quiet and calm and felt the beauty rise and surge within and consume me in its glow.
And it was all ok again.
And all will be ok again.
Acceptance is a beautiful thing. It beautifies the world. We can accept our things that can't be changed and just go with the flow. And even things that can be changed, we can accept that things happen that aren't good while trying our best to help it. Acceptance doesn't mean we don't try to help it. It just means we allow whatever will be, to be and move forward doing the best we can, the best we know how.
I accept my grief and my loss. And I move forward and try to help others in any way I can, often through my writing here & sharing inspiring posts. If it just touches one person, even in some small way, it's truly amazing. ❤ ❤
“It’s not too near for me
Like a flower I need the rain
Though its not clear to me
Every season has its change
And I will see you
When the sun comes out again” ~
Sophie B. Hawkins – As I Lay Me Down
Mobile:
Desktop:
I’m wishing you much love & light today and always,
“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the earth revolves-slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
I shared this quote here before, not too long ago and thought of it again when I was drinking hot tea at work. My tea bags turn red in the hot water and look so pretty. I am inspired by the coloring and the tea itself. Hot tea is my favorite. Not just because it’s delicious but just the very concept or what it symbolizes, at least for me. To me, tea symbolizes serenity & simplicity, warmth, and mindfulness.
Tea always reminds me to live in this moment and savor every second.
I took this picture of my tea at work one day recently and put a darkening effect on it to make the red stand out. (and I put this quote on I read in a mindfulness book for treating addiction) I love how in photos, we can creatively play up certain aspects or details to make them stand out more than they do in actual life. Certain things like shadows & reflections & colors or drops on things are often overlooked in person but in photos we have no choice but to notice. Certain kinds of photography inspire mindfulness when they provoke us to be attentive to details we would otherwise overlook.
The more I look at people’s photos and take my own, the more I notice the wonderful, simple treasures of life in person like mist on leaves and tree branches, the motion of a butterfly’s soft wings flapping in the gentle wind, the reflection of a setting sun on car windows and the window of buildings, the chipped paint on bricks of buildings, decaying window panes on old houses, the shadow in front of me as I walk the streets on a sunny day, smooth stones resting in wet soil after a rainstorm, the edges and lines and repetition of wooden fences, the crisp yellowing pages of old books, the swirl of colorful city lights at night, the small ripples of river water and the large glistening rocks that adorn it, the large arches of bridges, freckles and moles and wrinkles on someone’s skin, and not just things seen but felt or experienced with the other senses, like a soft breeze upon my smooth skin, the feel of hot or cold liquid on my tongue, going down my throat, the fragrance of cold air, the softness of flower petals against my finger tips, the light playful touch of the wind blowing through my long hair, the sound of traffic on a wet day, the taste of chocolate in frigid air (it always tastes better to me in the cold.), and so, so much more.
I love this quote. It is a beautiful reminder that we are HERE. Right here. Right now.
Now.
It’s truly all we know we have. We may have tomorrow all that we have today, maybe even more. But it’s also possible in an instant, it can all be taken away. Buildings we see everyday can suddenly be demolished, beautiful trees cut down, delicate flowers crushed beneath the soles of hasty footsteps, beautiful friends leave or die, one of our body’s beautiful systems stops functioning, we lose our job or place of living. We just never know.
Even if we knew we have forever, it would still be great to be mindful and appreciate the beauty but the point of this quote is that we don’t have forever. All we have is right Now. So it makes sense to focus more on this than tomorrow or yesterday or even later today.
Let’s cherish every moment we have been given.
Here is a beautiful song sung by Ringo Starr about this fact of life!
“You’ll Never Know”
“…with every dawn every day is full of chances
to find some good before it’s gone
You’ll never know which way
a day is gonna take you
theres always some surprise
that comes along to shake you
a simple rule of thumb
thats often been neglected is
take life as it comes
expect the unexpected
you’ll never see exactly where
the road will lead you…”
I find the scene funny and it makes me giggle. ;-D
I love how they included the red cups with all the New Year stuff for when people have their drunken celebrations! 😀
Anyway, I hope it’s a safe and happy one! I hope with everything I have in me there are no tragic accidents like people overdosing on alcohol, getting hit with stray bullets, driving recklessly and killing themselves or others. Every year, along with the thrill of holidays and celebrations and things, there’s also horrible accidents and senseless deaths that could have easily been prevented. I hope it’s a happy start of a new year for EVERYONE and especially a safe one. ❤ ❤
Here is something I share here every year. It's inspiring and uplifting!
In Sarah Ban Breathnach’s “Simple Abundance – A Daybook of Comfort and Joy,” she writes:
“January, the month of new beginnings and cherished memories, beckons. Come, let winter weave her wondrous spell: cold, crisp, woolen-muffler days, long dark evenings of savory suppers, lively conversations, or solitary joys. Outside the temperature drops as the snow falls softly. All of nature is at peace. We should be, too. Draw hearthside. This is the month to dream, to look forward to the year ahead and the journey within.”
She also writes, “…time is the New Year’s bountiful blessing: three hundred sixty-five bright mornings and starlit evenings; fifty-two promising weeks; twelve transformative months full of beautiful possibilities; and four splendid seasons. a simply abundant year to be savored.”
We don’t have to wait for a new year to begin to be inspired to change for the better or to be motivated to try new things. The start of a new year is just made up or a social construct. We can just as soon change our mindset, lifestyle, anything, in the middle of July. And we can keep up the same old habits into the new year. It’s not about the date but about our inner power and desire, motivation & inspiration, which we can tap into any moment of any day of the year. Each moment, each breath is a chance for new beginnings. But the new year is symbolic of restored hope and new beginnings. So let’s let it inspire us to feel hope, love, and empowered.
Isn’t the prospect of a New Year thrilling?! I just love the feel of it each year. I have always found it thrilling but tinged with sadness. I never liked saying goodbye, not even to a number given to a year. I would think it’s sad no longer living in the year 1996, 2002, 1999….whatever it was even though it was also happy. But for the last couple of years, I don’t feel that pang of sadness as much. I haven’t experienced as much wistfulness or nostalgia and I’m not in the mood for it either. Nostalgia and longing can be both beautiful and sad. Bittersweet.
But I’m not always looking to experience bittersweet emotions. Sometimes just sweet is fantastic.
Also, in 2016, there will be an extra day! 366 bright mornings & starlit evenings! An extra day full of beauty, hope, opportunities, & love!!
😀
Today, at least here in Philadelphia(and quite a few other places), it’s still 2015 though so let’s not forget to cherish these last moments of this year, soak up all the beauty & magic of Now.
