Category Archives: beauty

Here’s to you Ms. Dickinson

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The Daily Prompt got me again….POW, right in the kisser.  Here’s what they want: National Poetry Writing Month is nearly at an end. To celebrate it, try your hand at some verse.

~

Air flows in circular patterns,

over the crushed brown grass.

Blades slowly stretch from the earth,

as Spring has finally come to pass.

Trees blossom and new life grows,

reaching from outstretched limbs.

Birds crest on upward drafts,

they are the promise of summer’s warm winds.

The chill of the night air recedes,

giving way to the heat of the sun.

Mother Nature has blessed us,

Her beauty is not to be outdone.

My Muskoka, my words….in print!!

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After much anticipation (and many chewed fingernails) the piece of writing that represents my love for the place I call home has been put into publication.  Unfortunately, it does not link to the article without temporarily registering for the e-version of the magazine which means submitting an email address and phone number, but it is available online with that information.

I understand if you are leery of subscribing and the article will undoubtedly be available more readily after the next addition is out, but if you want to see the published piece you can follow the link here.  Follow down the toolbar and click on eEdition. I’m on page 96.

magazine

(and for the first time in my life, I don’t hate my picture!!)

Regrets, I’ve had a few

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There are always regrets in life – missed opportunities that weigh heavily on us the more we think about them.  I’ve had my share of regrets, whether those regrets have been caused by my actions or perpetrated by my inaction.  There is always a tremendous sense of “what if” at the core of our regrets and that is a force field that is better left unexplored.

I was recently presented with an opportunity that I did not want to regret not pursuing.  I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption and that exploration resulted in me giving notice at my current job and looking forward to venturing off on a new path.  I have never been unhappy at my current job but the winds of change ruffled my hair and made me think about what life would be like in a new place.  That thought was a bit intoxicating.

After weighing the regret of leaving my current job and the many co-workers I have come to think of as family against the opportunity for growth and forward movement with a new team of people, I took a deep breath and chose to follow those winds of change.  That gust of wind caught my sails and propelled me in a direction that I could never have foreseen.

It is a daunting feeling closing the chapter on a life that is so familiar and ingrained in my day-to-day life.  The people who I have come to lean and rely on will no longer be in my daily routine but I can only trust that I made the right decision for myself and know that I am following a trajectory I was meant to follow.

Life is too short to have too many regrets and this is one I did not want to have.  I’m happy to be embarking on a new journey and encountering a new set of challenges and learning experiences.  From the excitement I feel, I know I will not regret making the change and opening my life to a new realm of possibilities.

Have you ever missed an opportunity that you regret?

Under the cover of night – Romantic Monday

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The canopy of stars hung precariously,

while the fire licked the air.

Frogs serenaded the romantic night,

as his hand ran gently through her hair.

She turned to face him in the moonlight,

her reflection held in his eyes.

Her portrait etched in a sea of deep blue,

encircled by sparks, like fireflies.

The night air hovered around them,

warming their skin with its trace.

His grasp on her skin was electric,

 as his fingers outlined the curve of her face.

Her instinct was to move into his body,

and his reaction followed her lead.

She could feel the energy building,

his want, his desire, his need.

The beauty of the night was unequaled,

the passion they felt was intense.

The night slowly swallowed their surroundings

leaving passion to hang in suspense.

clouds

The blanket of darkness surrounded them

as the horizon fell out of sight.

His body became her protection

under the cover of the night.

~

This was written for Edward Hotspur’s Romantic Monday.

Head in the clouds

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These clouds made me happy today.  Spring may actually be here….although the forecast is snow on Saturday.  Fingers crossed that doesn’t happen.

Freedom of expression in the sky.

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And similar….but never the same.

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The power of positive thinking

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The power of thought is amazing…..the more positive the thought, the more positive the result.  Feeding your brain with affirming thoughts allows the mind to grow and flourish, while letting your brain gnaw on the bones of negativity could have devastating results.

abundance of the mind

(image credit: walkwithin.com)

Our brain can only act and react to the energy we give to it. Unlike the information we feed into a computer, it cannot calculate results and comprehend a logical solution unless we give it the necessary tools to formulate the equation.

We need to learn how to harness the power of optimism and fuel our brains with a brazen amount of happiness and joy to achieve the desired result of success. And that success is not just a monetary gain.  Success can be defined as happiness in the home, satisfaction on the job and general good health and well-being.

Negativity and stress go hand in hand. We have all been told at one time or another to “think positive” – but do we ever really stop to absorb the meaning of those two words. If we take the time to step back and see the silver lining that dark, ominous cloud no longer holds as much power as it once did.

Positive thinking can change not only your attitude but your demeanor, how you represent yourself and how you physically carry yourself as well.  You can immediately spot a confident person in their stride, shoulders back, chin up, and know that there are no negative thoughts coursing through their mind.

A positive attitude breeds hope that things will be better.  We teach children at a young age to turn that frown upside down.  What we are embedding in their young minds is that a positive attitude will make them feel better.  So why not heed the advice we bestow on the younger generation who may not fully interpret what we are saying?

Too often we let ourselves be consumed by the obstacles life throws into our path.  We feel swallowed in the churning sea of existence.  But we have the power to make every day a day to look forward to by giving ourselves the choice to be happy.  Life may not always be exactly the way we intended it to be but focus on the good things and the rest will fall into place.  Peter Pan could make himself fly by thinking his happy thoughts.  Let yourself feel weightless by thinking those positive thoughts and put on a happy face.

The voices in my head

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The voice in my head has a British accent.  I’ve never questioned it because she has certainly given wise advice over the years, but when I hear the words spoken in my head, she always has the same accent.  She is not the only voice I hear, but she is certainly the most dominant.

I’ve never questioned her intelligence or her integrity.  And though some may say it is my own voice that I’m listening to, I know the voice comes from somewhere beyond my realm of reality.  I believe in spirit guides.  I believe that although a soul is not attached to a physical body, they roam among us and attach themselves to certain earthly lives.  They give us sage advice when we are prepared to listen or they may just keep us company on our journey through life.

spiritguide

(image credit: acelebrationofwomen.com)

Some refer to the feeling as intuition or even divine breath.  Some call it a gut feeling.  Regardless of what we name it, the feeling is the same.  You inherently know that a decision is either right or wrong and whether you have heard that voice in your head or felt the feeling in the pit of your stomach there is an outside force helping to point you in the right direction.

Some have the ability to understand the message and heed the advice.  Others choose to ignore the signs and forge ahead, mindless of any consequence.  It is up to you to listen – to understand that the compelling feeling of having some hand from above reaching to help you is not your imagination.

Stealthily they enter our lives and they yearn to give us perspective.  They want to help us think outside of the box we have voluntarily entombed ourselves in.  If we learn to cultivate our intuition we may find ourselves believing more in the helping hands that we cannot see.  Give yourself a moment to listen to that voice.  Let their breath of experience help fill you with the knowledge that your gut feeling is right.

My mother has never been a big believer in my spiritual theories.  But in the last couple of days she has admitted to feeling my father’s presence with her in the hospital watching over her and keeping her safe.  They do walk among us and only sometimes do they truly make their presence known.

Leave the dream door open

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Dream big, dream in color and shroud yourself in the cloak of belief that dreams do sometimes materialize.  How truly boring life with be without holding the hope that dreams can come true.

~

Written for the Trifextra Weekend Challenge

This weekend we’re asking for exactly 33 of your own words inspired by the following quote from the book you could win in the WBN giveaway. Good luck!

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” ― Paulo Coelho, Alchemist

Don’t let the cover fool you

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It is true that you cannot judge a book by its cover.  Underneath that pristine leather-bound novel may be a dark and ugly story that will leave you feeling horrified.  However, that weathered book in the corner with the frayed edges may contain the most beautiful and poignant story you will ever read.

We are a social network of people who make judgements based on looks.  Not all of us are like that but the majority of people will cast an opinion based on physical appearance.  And you may not consciously form that opinion but subconsciously your mind works in mysterious ways and there is a perceived attractiveness based on the symmetry of someone’s facial features and their body type.  The fascination of the mind follows but only for those that take the time to allow that to happen.

The more we get to know someone their physical appearance seems to change.  Someone that you may not have found physically appealing becomes more interesting and seemingly more attractive the more you get to know their personality and their true character.

When you meet someone who is physically attractive you are immediately drawn to them.  But that attraction is only skin deep and someone who seemed beautiful on your first chance encounter may become less attractive if you find flaws in the caliber of their morality and emotional depth.

book cover

Let the real story of the human novel seep into your mind before you make a judgement based on the cover of the book.  Take the time to read the first few chapters of each book and give the story a chance to flourish.  The real honesty about that fable is held within those book jackets and not just what is presented on the cover.

The sounds of solace

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Even through the most troubling of times, there is something inherently soothing about music. The dulcet tones relieve the pressure that reality compounds and the rhythm can make the most difficult situations bearable.

I love most types of music but the sounds I find most comforting during difficult times are the harmonic blends of The Tenors. The uplifting tones of their four part harmony bathe me in a warm glow and bring me out of the dark tunnel. The joy they find in singing allows me a moment to pause and rejoin the beauty in the world.

The timbre in their notes carries me to a place of serenity and I am embraced by a feeling of peace. It amazes me how quickly the stress is assuaged and washed over by a wave of calm by simply allowing the pacifying effect of the notes soothe my soul.

As my mom watches the tiny television from her hospital bed, four Canadian Tenors are alleviating my current reality momentarily by singing their lullabies to me. Let the music of life play on.