One day the sun guides you with its glorious rays, the world spins in its usual manner, then out of thin air, in the blink of an eye, the cliché is yours, under a sullen sky, plans become fractured. Life is altered in a skipped heartbeat that was slow to join the rhythm of the others. My emotions feel awkward. They seem wilder, body feels heavy as though pewter crowds my veins, but I don’t walk in their shoes. Meeting challenges head-on distracts heart and mind, but in the hush of turmoil, I imagine their emotions will morph into wild too. Until then, questions soar like baseballs out of a batting machine. Some answers remain elusive. Others may be clear as morning dew but tricky to swallow – digesting turns into a test of the human spirit. What comes next? Only uncertainty is for certain.
The holiday break has been wonderful spending time with family, and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, as well. As we’re about to ring in and clink to a new year, I’m sharing some wisdom from an older post…thoughts to ponder as we decide what changes to make for the next twelve months. Are we going to do things the same way and expect different, better outcomes? Or are we going to make necessary changes so that the outcomes reveal the hopes we hold?
I haven’t made resolutions, but I am in the middle of working on a new poetry collection that will be released in the spring. And a few more book ideas simmer on the horizon, too. There’s nothing like creative projects to keep our minds busy in that feel-good mode. So, I will welcome 2023 with open arms, excited for new possibilities. Below is that wisdom I mentioned…it’s all about finding and keeping a balance…
BALANCE SHEET OF LIFE:
The most destructive habit………Worry
The greatest joy………………..Giving
The greatest loss….Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work…..Helping Others
The ugliest personality trait…..Selfishness
The greatest “shot in the arm”…….Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome……Fear
The most effective sleeping pill……..Peace of Mind
The most crippling failure disease……..Excuses
The most powerful force in life……….Love
The most dangerous act…..Gossip
The world’s most incredible computer….The Brain
The worst thing to be without…………Hope
The deadliest weapon………………………..The Tongue
The two most power-filled words………I Can!
The greatest asset………………….Faith
The most worthless emotion……….Self-pity
The most beautiful attire……………Smile
The most prized possession………………Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication…..Prayer
The most contagious spirit…………..Enthusiasm
LIFE ends when you stop DREAMING.
HOPE ends when you stop BELIEVING.
LOVE ends when you stop CARING.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ~ C.S. Lewis
Wishing you all a safe and fun celebration and a very Happy New Year!
Comments are closed, but I look forward to seeing you all in 2023! I’ll return some time in January.
We are graced with their presence, beauty colors our universe like an endless ceiling of bright blue sky. Then one morning we wake with heavy hearts, realizing they have gone, as though sneaking out in the middle of the night without a word, their existence seemingly nonexistent. Iron-gray clouds move through that lovely cloudless sky like a brush stroke of lingering gloom. We suspect the sun has an attitude, refusing to rise. And each new day magnifies the question: Did words accidentally slip from our tongue landing like poison? Then we reflect to a deeper layer, flipping a switch because maybe it’s not us. Maybe it’s them. A surmising… to soothe the bruises on our hearts.
We used to hear them, giggles in the distance, running behind bushes, hiding against stucco. Houses on the block, vacant? Not devoid of humans, but maybe lacking excitement to frolic beneath sun’s rays, sing with the robins, gaze at acrobatic squirrels in the tall oaks. Perhaps, sneaky screens stole that amusement, those precious, memory-making moments spent outdoors.
I hope your holidays were wonderful in spite of last year’s tumultuous reputation. We enjoyed two long weekends and the festivities, even though quieter than in past years. We missed the big, noisy, family gatherings, but everyone is healthy, so we couldn’t ask for more.
Those who know me well, know that I love sunrises and sunsets, so I had to share a new photo from a recent walk with Copper. Another awe-inspiring sunrise for the rebirthing of a New Year.And speaking of a new year and motivation to reorganize, I am sharing a Balance Sheet of Life (below) that I received from my sister. It has traveled through an email thread, so I don’t know where it originates from. But I thought it offered great food for thought as we begin a new year with optimism that life will be more peaceful for all. I hope you find this balance sheet helpful.
Do any of these concepts stand out for you? Would you care to share? I’ll go first to break the ice. 🙂 Last year, worry and fear took up too much rent space in my head, so my goal is to evict them with gusto! Following their eviction comes Peace of Mind. On a creative note as I lay the groundwork for a new book, I plan to focus on the two most power-filled words, “I Can!” Now if you feel like sharing, it’s your turn! I’d love to hear how this Balance Sheet of Life might benefit you in this new year.
BALANCE SHEET OF LIFE:
The most destructive habit………Worry
The greatest joy………………..Giving
The greatest loss….Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work…..Helping Others
The ugliest personality trait…..Selfishness
The greatest “shot in the arm”…….Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome……Fear
The most effective sleeping pill……..Peace of Mind
The most crippling failure disease……..Excuses
The most powerful force in life……….Love
The most dangerous act…..Gossip
The world’s most incredible computer….The Brain
The worst thing to be without…………Hope
The deadliest weapon………………………..The Tongue
The two most power-filled words………I Can!
The greatest asset………………….Faith
The most worthless emotion……….Self-pity
The most beautiful attire……………Smile
The most prized possession………………Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication…..Prayer
The most contagious spirit…………..Enthusiasm
LIFE ends when you stop DREAMING.
HOPE ends when you stop BELIEVING.
LOVE ends when you stop CARING.
So please share this BALANCE SHEET OF LIFE.
FRIENDSHIP ends when you stop SHARING.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ~ C.S. Lewis
WISHING YOU ALL BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD, THE COURAGE TO MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING, AND MANY HUGS TO COME!Lauren xo
The recent tragedy of George Floyd’s murder and the civil unrest that followed inspired me to jot down the various thoughts whirling around in my mind. I have more to say noted on the pages in my journal. But instead, I chose to try a another new form of poetry: a butterfly cinquain. So my words are few, but the message is huge.
Then yesterday on my walk with Copper, I came across these two displays – both profound and moving in their own ways. I couldn’t walk by without taking photos, so I give credit to my compassionate neighbors for acknowledging the ongoing injustice and the senseless murder of George Floyd, and for spreading much-needed love. This heart is one of many on a sidewalk that I admire everyday, and the collection began when Covid wormed its way into our lives. Even so, spreading the Love is part of the solution in every situation that brings pain. I thought this beautiful heart was a fitting end to what I’ve tried to convey.
My heart is still heavy, but Hope for change is not lost. 💗
As summer bids farewell for yet another year, Autumn prepares for her entrance, and doesn’t she look lovely! With season changes, I’m often compelled to reorganize and do some fall cleaning. So, to begin with, I rearranged the furniture in our living room, something that has become an annual tradition and a way of inviting new perspectives wherever we choose to sit…
Maybe now we have the chance to watch the sunrise out of the big window while sipping our cuppa tea or coffee. Or we have a better view of a roaring fire when winter drops in for an extended stay and hot chocolate is on its way. Or the opportunity is more fitting to sit closer to someone we love for a treasured, intimate conversation.
Whatever the benefit, there is something about this change that offers a newness, a revitalizing start as we near the ending of 2018. I also love the coziness of this season – the warm hues, and the spicy aromas in the kitchen. I’ve already bought ingredients to begin pumpkin bread baking – one of my holiday baking traditions that everyone loves. So you see, this simple switch is like clicking on the refresh button on life. Even a small change can add a pinch of extra spice to this time of year.
May this season of Autumn bring a refreshing newness to your life, as well.
P.S. Copper sends his autumn wishes, too, (with lots of kisses).
This photo was taken by my daughter. ❤🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁❤
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author 