Thoughtful Thing

Things don't mean a thing, is what most of us know when it comes to real life.  What really matters is LOVE.  Except when a gift is received from a special person close to your heart.  Then the meaning of the gift can multiple, like it did for me on Mother's Day.  The necklace I received is beautiful, but it's more than that.  It represents the infinity love that the children and I share.

I will wear this necklace with pride and happiness.  The necklace came with a meaningful message that rings true.  We are part of one another.  The circle of Love will continue forever.

Mother's Day

Cheers to all amazing - hard working - all loving mothers out there!

Some of us do not live near our mothers here on earth, and some mothers have left us to be in heaven.  Some mothers are not with their children on this day.  Their children might be living elsewhere, or their children left this world too early.  This is a day that for some can mean heartbreak and sadness.  My wish though is that we can honor our mothers and celebrate the beautiful gift of motherhood.  Cheers to all awe-inspiring mothers!

Roses

I stepped outside by the side door of the house this morning, and I smelled a sweet welcoming scent.  Against the wall is my little rose garden.  There are pink roses for brightening the day, white for remembrance of loved ones, and to new beginnings. Then the most potent of them all: the red roses, a reminder of the most important thing in life.  To love and be loved.  I am surrounded by a tempting scent from the roses, and their beauty is a joyful sight for my heart.  There are more colors of roses, but  I am satisfied with these.

With the meaning of each different colored rose, together these beautiful flowers represent life as a whole.  While I remember lost loved ones, I am hopeful for the future when I look at the white roses.  With pink elegance, there is gratitude for the people that I adore in my life.  The powerful message of the red roses is true.  Love is within me, and it surrounds me.

Stop and smell the roses.

Pacing myself

What does listening to your body mean?  For me, it is paying attention to the sensations that are both physical and emotional within my body.  Sometimes the sensations are somewhat intricate and small, and at other times they are large noicy symptoms.  The trick is to listen and pay attention. Many of us are brought up with the notion to "toughen it out" if something feels uncomfortable, may it be physical or emotional.  That can be like driving your car straight through a stop sign, instead of stopping and paying attention before continuing.  So stop for a moment and notice what your body is telling you.  Otherwise a crash could be the consequence.

I've learned the hard way that I often listen to my body afterwards, when it is too late.  I am by then so depleted of energy that I can barely function.  The key is to stop in time.  I know that I need to move through life in a slow pace.  With every activity, I need time to rest until I'm ready to get going again.

In the moments when I feel well, I get caught up in how wonderful it is to be active out there in the world.  If I don't pay close attention when my energy is running low, I might pay for it for days.  Like this past weekend for example.  I felt stronger so I went for walks, out for lunch, and to an event.  That could be nothing for a lot of people.  For me (and other people) that is battling a chronic illness, that was a lot.  By Monday I could hardly get out of bed.  Why?  Because I hadn't listen to my body in time.  My whole body was screaming to slow down several times, but I was deaf at the moment.  Only to really hear what my body needed afterwards.

Now I am giving my body plenty of rest, and mixing in some gentle yoga stretches, reading, writing, and going for short walks with my dog.  Movement is vital and so is rest.  It just needs to be the perfect balance between the two, and it is different for every person.

I am slowly finding the rhythm that works for me.  It is a stop-and-go-stop-and-go rhythm.  Which rhythm in life works best for you?

One foot forward

The old saying "it doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down, what matters is how many times you get up", rings true for most of us.  It's not just about getting back up on our feet, it is also about how we do it.

For the first time this week I felt strong enough to go for a walk, and I had three choices.  I could walk the streets in my neighborhood, take a steep walk up the mountain, or a slow walk on the beach.  As the water-lover I am, I choose the beach today.  Not to sunbathe or swim, but to slowly put one foot in front of the other towards health.  Once in a while I had to stop just to take it all in.  When I look out over the ocean, hear the waves meeting the shore, and breathe in the salty air, I feel an inner peace that only water can bring me.  It is life, and for me one of the best therapies in the world.

I took a few steps backwards in regards to my health this past week, and today I was able to take one step forward again.  It's a constant Foxtrot dance, one slow-two quick-quick-steps.  Sometimes the slow step is forward, and other times the two quick steps goes sideways or backwards. Like how this past week was.  Now I'm hoping for the reverse for a while.  That I'll move forward with two quick steps each day. I realize that part of this dance is not in my control, but I'll try to the best of my ability to move as smooth as I can to life's music.  All the while with my head held high.  Come and dance on the beach with me ...