A Heartfelt Journey
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I have been pondering the meaning and influence of gratitude. It seems such a simple, unimportant aspect of life, yet, there is great power in its practice, or lack thereof, whichever the case may be.
Mother Nature
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It was a Saturday, and we had committed to spending the day with our granddaughter so her parents might have time to just be themselves instead of parents, if only for a short while. Fortunately, while breezy, it was a lovely sunny day, and I had planned activities that we could quickly pivot to as a toddler’s attention span seems to adjust every few minutes. From playing chase outside, giggling with each other as we lay on the grass gazing at the sky, to more structured activities like playing golf with the golf set her grandfather had gifted her, we were keeping her busy. Read more “Dear Trees, Thank You for Your Gift of Shade”
Mindfulness
 At just a few months short of 3 years, my granddaughter is fascinated by much in life that I have begun to take for granted. She notices small insects as they travel to and from wherever they were going, notices the breeze as it talks to the trees and loves to feel the sand from the beach as she sifts it with her hands. At the sound of a plane she immediately scans the sky to identify where it is headed and is also ever quick to find the moon, night or day. I had forgotten how often the moon is visible during the day having relegated it to only my night time viewings. At this thought I wonder what other things I have missed by deeming the timing is not right. Â
Heroes Among Us
Her petite stature belies the underlying strength and conviction with which Lucy Thoms-Harrington experiences life. Indeed, on our initial meeting, I noticed her calm brown eyes and easy smile but these were accompanied by a presence that meant business. It wasn’t a ‘get out of my way’ impression but rather an ‘I am here and we’re getting things done together’ presence.  For several years my encounters with Lucy were brief, (she was working full-time and then some with travel thrown in on a regular basis) however, this consistent strength and conviction to her belief system was apparent. The truth was important to her. Fair and equitable treatment for everyone was paramount. And women’s rights? Ask her a question or address something about women’s rights and the passion in her voice and the light in her eyes many times communicated more about how she felt than the words themselves.Â
Heroes Among Us
We are all teachers and yet we are all students when we allow ourselves to witness another’s story. I truly believe that everyone has a story of interest with lessons we can learn from and be inspired by. I know I have experienced this with many different people throughout my life. People that have given me hope or insight into how things can be better. Sometimes they have been the light on the path when there is darkness, the encouraging word to believe in myself when I didn’t, but more often than not, they have shown me a different way to approach this thing we call life and for that I am eternally grateful. These are my heroes.Â
Mindfulness
The whirlwind of the holidays is quickly approaching with meals to plan, people to entertain, houses to decorate and gifts to buy. In the midst of this joyous chaos it is easy to become overwhelmed and begin heading in too many directions, leading to feelings of less joy and more resentment.   Dear friends, one of the keys I have found in recapturing the joy and celebration in life during chaotic overwhelm, is simple gratitude. Taking the time to be intentionally grateful for the blessings in my life.Â