Grace in little things

Little, littler, littlest…

August Break Prompt : “Little”

Okay, I got a bit behind with August Break.

Thought about it everyday

but have really just be soaking in

the heart time

with my brilliant, beautiful, fun and funny niece Jessica.

We are beach bound as much as possible

and loving it !

 

But as Susannah says, we’re in the home stretch with this challenge.

Going to try and get back in line.

But still enjoy my time with Jess

to the fullest !

Happy Monday, Beautiful Ones !

Haiku My Heart–Making my Season Merry and Bright

I’m checking the list.

Doing only what feels right.

Love, joy, season’s bright.

 

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I think the perfectionist of old in me has finally truly got it.

There is no such thing as a perfect Christmas.

No amount of decorating, baking or fretting will make it so.

And there is no way to make someone else’s Christmas perfect either.

What there is is joy in giving wherever you can and without expectations.

Little things that make someone smile.

And not expecting everyone to smile, either.

Just giving because your heart feels open to do so, and because you know that it is part of your purpose on this Earth.

And loving what is.

And fiercely loving the people who are in that close circle around your heart,

not with the packages under the tree,

but in the kindness,

the loving gestures,

the real Love giving

that lets them know they are deeply loved by you.

This is what Christmas means to me now.

If it brings my heart joy, I will do it.

If it brings me stress or worry, it will be off the list.

I am making my season merry and bright !

Big Love to all of you, Beautiful Ones !

Be kind to your awesome self today !

 

for more haiku love, visit rebecca at recuerda mi corazon.

Haiku May Heart–Filling up

Fill the inside up

With joy, love and gratitude.

I need to start from there.

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Working really hard here to keep my insides filled with the good stuff.

This darkening season is always a challenge for me.

I have picked up my gratitude journal and placed it by the bed, so the last thing I do at night is write a few things I am grateful for that day.

I have re-dedicated myself to my meditation practice, with the help of Deepak Chopra and Oprah’s Desire and Destiny 21 Day Meditation.

Next steps include bundling myself up and getting outside everyday for some daylight, even as my body cringes at the idea of the cold right now.

And also working with cutting back on comfort foods and sugar and putting nourishing stuff inside this one vehicle I have to get me through life.

I think the one thing I really, really have to work on is having self-compassion.

Even if I was to do everything in my power to help myself with my seasonal depression symptoms, (in other words, be perfect ! ),

there will always be days when the dark over takes the light.

After about 30 years of this, I know that to be true for me.

I need to learn to give myself compassion on those days, especially.

And keep looking towards the light.

Fill your insides up with the good stuff, Beautiful Ones !

Happy Friday!

For more haiku beauty and a loving community of haiku writers,

visit recuerda mi corazon every Friday.

Haiku My Heart–Going Tiny…

Look into tiny

In the midst of overwhelm

You can find Heaven.

 

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I had already taken some “tiny” photos this morning when my Magic Maker/Artist friend, Elizabeth, posted this link on on Facebook, about “tiny studies” in your creativity.

In a week that has felt overwhelmingly grey and rather heavy,

the notion of going tiny,

looking at a pebble,

making a stitch,

taking one bite,

going in for a macro shot

feels comforting and manageable,

and just whelming enough.

I am going tiny and accepting the grey, in its many, many shade, today.

May your day be just whelming enough too, Beautiful Ones!

Happy Friday !

For more haiku, another sweet kind of tiny, join in at recuerda mi corazon.

Sunday Morning Grace with Purpose

“Purpose” – 6X6” canvas collage

I hope your Sunday has beautiful moments of grace in it.

Big Love, Beautiful Ones.

Weekend Sweet Spots

So this weekend was kind of boring. Nothing special. At least, on the outside.

It involved a lot of errands that I would have usually done during the week, but the “monsters” kind of interfered with my energy level last week.

It involved household duties like lawn work and sprinkler fixing for David. And for me, normal laundry and bigger stuff like washing the dog crate bedding.

It did not involved lounging in a chair by the sea, or really celebrating the shortest of all seasons here in New England as I would have loved to do

but looking back on it, it was a “take action” weekend for lots of odds and ends

and that kind of gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Some sweet spots included :

stopping at the pet store for dog food, and finding this big, long, fluffy friend for Chica in the clearance aisle !

I also printed out quite a few pieces of my art work and created some cards, a few of which went into the mail this morning with surprise birthday wishes inside.

Sunday was National Waffle Day ! (oh, no, did you miss it ?!)

Waffles are a fav of the hubby so I made up a batch and we had breakfast on the back deck to celebrate.

I also spent sometime doing my Rock Fairy duties. The staff at my oral surgeon’s office is doing the Light The Night Walk for Leukemia in September and I have donated a custom bag of Rock My World Rocks to hand out to the participants.

Their team is called “Angels and Heroes” so each rock has that on one side, and some inspirational words from the Rock Fairy on the other.

I love being able to spread the love in these little ways! I will be dropping these off today when I go to my last follow-up appointment after having my wisdom teeth out in May. The tongue is still slightly tingly/numb on one side as a result of that long ago surgery but there are days when I forget about it most of the time so that is  good sign that I may just heal up completely over time.

(The flowers on the back deck this morning are celebrating the rainy day !)

So while not everyday can be about the big, juicy celebrations,

taking the time to notice the simple graces in the every day is what makes life feel special and well lived, don’t you think ?

What was your sweetest of simple graces this past weekend, Beautiful One ?

I hope you took the time to notice and celebrate them a bit.

Happy Monday !

Haiku My Heart – Ocean Song

cresting ocean waves

stir my spirit’s deepest depths

my soul’s ebb and flow

***********************

I think I am the best me when I am by the sea.

Loving it so.

Last day here, so back to my sandy spot.

Happy Friday, Beautiful Ones.

please visit rebecca at recuerda mi corazon for more haiku my heart

The Chick’s got Tricks !

You gotta hand it to Mother Nature…

On the same morning that she gave me this :

(which was supposed to be one to two inches…not !)

she also gave me this :

blooming redder than red in my studio.

Everyday miracles, right, Beautiful Ones ?

I hope you have a happy and miraculous Sunday !

Big Love !

(I added this to rebecca's postcard from paradise - taking the time to notice beaty and grace in your world. Check it out here. )

Grace In Small Things...

(art journal page detail - digitally altered)

So I have to say thank you to all of you wonderful blogland friends for the hugs and prayers, support and wisdom, and just plain LOVE you give me everyday and especially when I express a need for it.

I haven't really said what I have been worried about for two main reasons. One is that this a challenge for David and I as a couple, and I wanted to maintain our privacy, as this is my blog, my blogland pals, and not his world so much.

The second was because I really, truly believe that if you keep the focus on what is wrong, you get more of it. So yes, I am being challenged by life's bumpy road, but I am choosing to focus on how to get over the bump rather than on the bump itself.

I talked to David about sharing a bit of what is going on and he was fine with that. He knows that my friends are concerned for me. I also was thinking a lot about what my darling Sherry said, about how maybe sharing some of my "angst" as she called it could help someone else too. We are all in this together, right ?

That said,the bump we are working with is financial. Like so many people in this country and around the world, money is becoming an issue in our home. There are all kinds of solutions and permutations, and possibilities for surmounting this bump. None of them are completely clear right this moment and some of them are pretty low on the optimal scale. But today, I just know we will be okay. As a good friend who is facing some crises of her own told me yesterday, "If it ends up all going to pieces, we will still have each other, our dogs and kitties, and we will be okay." and that is so true.

So I am choosing today to celebrate a few things that are so good in my world, some wonderful Grace In Small Things, some of which are not small at all in my book. The bump...she is still there, but in this moment on my path, this is what feel like the right thing to do.

1. My neighbor Stephen wrote me am email in response to the card that I put in his mail box yesterday. He said he cried healing tears at this loving remembrance of his "Kath", and that my note helped him more that I could know. Hmmmm....my heart feels so good about this.

2. Acorns are everywhere on my walks with Chica. Are they not the cutest seeds ever ?

(a shot of some treasures from my walk)

3. David so appreciated lovely fall mum plant I left for him on the dining room table along with a mushy card saying how together, we can get through anything.

4. My friend Darlene is quitting smoking and I have become her smoking cessation coach ! Who would have thunk it ? Not Me, that's for sure. With love, laughter and much bitching where bitching needs doing, we will get her through this !

5. My blogland friends give me such love and appreciation that it blows me away. It feels like such a gift to have connected with women like these, loving, brave, funny, and so very talented. I get them, and they get me. What more could a Big Heart Walking ever want ?

(Big Heart on the back deck)

Here is a beautiful song for you, my Lovely Ones. Listen and know that you are loved by this Big Old Heart.Have grace-filled Wednesday !