Category Archives: inspiring

The Watchers

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As I child I would lie in the grass for hours, watching the clouds and their ever-changing patterns to see what images I could find in each collection of vapor that passed by.  It is still something I love to do, but sadly I don’t get to do it very often anymore.

Recently I have begun to notice patterns in the snow, especially the patterns created as that snow clings desperately to the bark of the trees.  The position of the snow and the melted remnants of snow around it created what I saw as a panda bear feeding himself.

panda

This is the image I saw this morning.  The snow pattern on the left made me think of Santa Claus.  It wasn’t until I looked more closely adding the image to this post that I saw the face on the right of what may be a youthful member of the chimpanzee family clinging to the tree.

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If this was my Rorschach Test, I hope I passed!!  Do you see what I did, or do you see something entirely different?

The long overdue and a relatively new – thank you post (and an update).

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**At the same time I was posting this yesterday, the brilliant and funny Edward Hotspur nominated me for a Versatile Blogger award as well.  This weekend was better than the Oscars for me….although I was not appropriately dressed in gown and stiletto’s.  But my reaction may have mirrored an overly made up actress after a few glasses of wine.  Thankfully, my dog will never tell.

Here is the original post:

I am a bad blogger.  Not in the sense of my writing, I’m pretty confident that I can string some meaningful sentences together and I don’t foresee an end to my nonsensical ideas any time soon (sad but true).  However, I was given The Sunshine Award a while ago by Pretty Little Dreamer  and I failed to mention that award when I received it.  And today, I was thrilled to receive the Versatile Blogger Award from confessions of an online dater.   Thank you both so much….it is truly appreciated.

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There are rules involved with these awards, but I like to throw caution to the wind and alter the rules slightly.  So many blogs grab my attention for so many reasons and there are too many to list here.  Sufficed to say, they make me think, they make me laugh and they make me cry.  I encourage you to peruse the list of bloggers that I follow.  Their words reach me on many different levels and I am developing some friendships with these kindred spirits.  They encourage me on a daily basis to continue my writing journey and they inspire me with their words.

As for me listing things about myself, it would be a short and uninteresting list.  Your viewing pleasure would be better served by clicking on the links to the pages that make me want to keep writing and free the words that long to be written.  The people behind these blogs are talented, funny and genuinely nice people and I truly hope I can follow in the grand footsteps they have left behind for me to follow.

Soul Mates and The Red String of Fate

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I posted this early in my blogging days, but really wanted to put it out there again.  It still really resonates with me, and after meeting so many like spirits and hearing stories of their bliss, it seemed appropriate to post it again.

“The Red String of Fate is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese legend.  It is based on the premise that the Gods tie a red string around the ankles of those who are destined to be soul mates and will one day marry each other.”  Wikipedia

Some believe in the notion of having a soul mate and some do not.  I am hanging precariously balanced in the middle, only because I hold a strong conviction that the term should encompass much more than meeting your future spouse.  I have speculated this topic in my convoluted brain on many occasions.  Perhaps my definition of soul mate is too broad for the original intent for which it was created.  A soul knows instinctively when it has met a match.  True soul mates are not defined by a relationship, but merely joined by a common feeling, an intuition that you are meant to be a treasured part of each other’s lives.  You have assuredly had several friends in your life that inherently know you.  They understand your thoughts without you having to say a word.  They are a true kindred spirit.

I believe in reincarnation.  I trust that souls, lifetime after lifetime, strive to find each other again because they are meant to be connected.  Whether they are destined to be bound by the sanctity of marriage or merely cast as soldiers on the same proverbial battlefield, they are instinctively drawn to one another.  There is a compelling sense of familiarity, much like the feeling of deja vu – that firm belief that this experience genuinely happened in the past – and intuitively you are connected to each other’s energy.

Although my perspective on soul mates goes beyond husband and wife, I am fortunate to know many married couples that can, in fact, claim that they did marry their soul mate.  A chance encounter or a moment of serendipity, however it happened, their meeting had purpose.  Their love and respect for each other continues to grow through prosperity and adversity because their souls have known each other since long before their first physical connection.

Those ancient Gods may have had altruistic intentions, but just maybe they temporarily lost their peripheral vision. Conceivably their red string had a bigger purpose for tying two souls together that extends beyond marriage and perhaps that notion was lost in translation.

Although the red string may be nothing more than a fable or a well presented myth, it nevertheless gives us hope that people are brought into our lives for a reason.  The responsibility lies within us to discover what that reason is.

The start of my writing journey – thanks Mr. S.!!

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Today’s Daily Prompt is – Tell us about a teacher who had a real impact on your life, either for the better or the worse. How is your life different today because of him or her?

There are always teacher’s that will stand out in my mind for various reasons.  My Grade 9 Geography teacher spoke in such a monotone voice, I almost failed the class because I could not train my mind to pay attention.  But the one teacher that will always stand out as the person who helped to create the person I am today is my Grade 6 teacher, Mr. Stimson.  He truly loved his students and it showed in his teaching.  His lessons were not all taught in the classroom and did not entirely come from a syllabus.

We learned to be respectful, we learned how to survive outdoors during his Wednesday cookouts and we learned how to be decent human beings.  We learned that learning was fun.  His class was our first real introduction to creative writing and I never looked back.  Several years ago, after a very lengthy teaching career, he retired.  I know many people of all ages who had the pleasure of being in his class and every single one of them refer to him as their favorite teacher.   Upon his retirement, I wrote this poem for him.  Thanks Mr. S!!

 Inspiration

Words of Inspiration

He stood at the front of the classroom, a smile upon his lips,

A comical expression on his merry face, hands upon his hips.

He led us through his rhyming lesson, many not paying attention,

But something he said piqued my interest and I delved into a creation.

A whirlwind of thoughts flew through my mind, eager to be set free.

Nobody knew before this moment, that there lurked a poet in me.

Words and phrases I’d never known, spoke music in my ear,

Expressing my feelings in a rhyming prose, and this I did not fear.

He encouraged us to be individuals, to learn, to absorb, to think,

And when we achieved these remarkable heights, he’d always be “tickled pink”.

He is the epitome of teachers, a leader to some and a friend in many ways,

And for his attention and encouragement, I wish to give him praise.

His words of inspiration, helped me to reach inside my heart,

To find out what I hold inside, that tells me and others apart.

I have a special gift, a creative flair, that is very much my own,

But without his help, his caring words, it’s something I’d never have known.

The promise of you

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Thank you Edward Hotspur – you have inspired me to think deeply and more often about romance.  Cheers to you.

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The Promise of You

I know you’re out there somewhere, searching for me as much as I’m searching for you.  You may already know me, but maybe we’ve never met.  You know that I’m sensitive, something that not many others know about me because I don’t like to feel vulnerable.  You appreciate my quick wit and you love the fact that I scream at the television during football games.  You value the fact that I’m more tomboy than girl and I can be ready to go in 20 minutes, from shower to door.  You smile at the thought of me choosing to spend too much money on a good bottle of wine rather than settle for a cheap imitation, and you know I practice the same theory in relationships.

Perhaps our paths have already crossed but the timing was off, or perhaps we’ve never been in the same space, but I know you too.  I know you’re smart and charming, you’re not too tall and your arms will hold me tight and make me feel protected.  I know you are funny and your face  lights up when you laugh.  And I know you have a bit of a bad-boy streak, but you grew out of most of it.  You still get that glint in your eye when you remember some of the things you got away with in those bad-boy days.

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Conceivably, you have met me but have not taken the time to realize I am everything you are looking for.  Perhaps we need to spend more time together, talking over drinks, laughing at the same jokes, looking into each other’s eyes and truly seeing each other and not just looking at each other.  Maybe when you look deep enough into my soul, you will see more than what simply meets the eye.  Maybe you’ve already seen it and are too afraid to say anything.  Maybe our friendship is of such great value to both of us, we are afraid to see what could lie beyond for fear of ruining the relationship we have now.  Perhaps our platonic romance is still gently fueling the fire that may evolve into a raging inferno.

Look at me again, but see me with different eyes.  Gaze deeply and see who I truly am beyond the perception of me.  Look at the cover, but open the book to see what the story is really about.  I’ll bet it has a great ending.

Inspiration is a wonderful thing

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My fellow blogger, Rutabaga The Mercenary Researcher has nominated me for The Very Inspiring Blogger award for which I am greatly humbled.  There is something special about being recognized by fellow writers and knowing that your words resonate with them.

So there are some rules to follow….

'Tis the award ~

1. Display the award logo on your blog.

2. Link back to the person/s who nominated you.  

3. State 7 things about yourself.

  • I love a capella music
  • I think Valentine’s Day is a cash grab for businesses – we should celebrate that love every day
  • I don’t think I could survive without coffee, and I’m not willing to find out
  • I could never be a vegetarian
  • I am a die-hard NFL fan
  • I have expensive taste when it comes to red wine
  • I’m happy 99.5% of the time

4. Nominate other bloggers for this award and link to them

So many of you bloggers out there inspire me with your photos, your poetry and your words.   I wish there were more hours in a day to read and visit more blogs.  I need to win the lottery!!  Here are just a few that make me want to continue my journey.

May we all continue to receive the beautiful gifts of words and imagery from those magical places in our minds!!

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

Thanks Dad!!

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This post is in response to the Daily Post Challenge – Quote Me.

My favorite quote is actually something my dad used to say and it never left me.  We, like 90% of families in the world, went through our hardships and during those undulating financial and emotional times, he would never let anything steal the smile from his face.  He would always say “where there’s a will, there’s a way” and somehow, we always found that way.  It really speaks volumes about the man he was and the lessons he taught us about perseverance and never giving up your dream.

I should have actually used this quote in my earlier post today, it would have been quite fitting!!

Recognizing the people that cause me to think

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I needed to post something positive after being glued to the TV all day and following the events in Newtown.

At the end of November, Homesick and Heartstruck nominated me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.  I mistakenly filed the notification email and feel guilty about not saying a very tremendous THANK YOU!!   When fellow bloggers recognize your words as having affected them in a positive way, it is inspiring to feel that your words truly do matter.

The rules of the award are to dispel seven myths about myself and nominate fifteen other bloggers for this award.  I’m not sure if there are seven show-stopping bits of drivel that won’t send you running in another direction, so I will save you the ocular discomfort of having to read them.  As for nominating only fifteen bloggers for this same honor, I can’t choose only fifteen.  Without sounding completely trite, all of the bloggers I follow inspire me in some way.  Your comments keep me motivated, your likes cause me to smile and the words in your posts make me laugh, make me cry, but most of all they make me think.  I find you all very inspiring and hope that you will post the award on your side bars!!

Recently Angie at Angie’s Grapevine nominated me for The Blog of The Year for 2012.  Another honor which I greatly appreciate.  It is always humbling being recognized by fellow writers for just doing something I have a passion for.  Some other blogs that fuel that same passion in me that I would like to recognize are:

Angie’s Grapevine – she strives to post every day and is very encouraging with her comments

Dianne Gray – I would like to have her brain in my head

onthehomefrontandbeyond – thought-provoking reflections on life

Homesick and Heartstruck – poignant stories of struggling so far from home

Honie Briggs – keeping the blogging world amused and connected

Teeny Bikini – always amusing, I love to laugh

(And though I know some of you listed above no longer accept awards, I wanted you to know that your words inspire me!!)

Congratulations! on being chosen for the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award!

The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

  1. Select another blog or other blogs who deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award;
  2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award;
  3. Include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award at the Thought Palette and provide these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)
  4. Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them
  5. You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience
  6. As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

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Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different!  When you begin you will receive the ‘1 star’ award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star!
There are a total of 6 stars to collect. Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs – and even if they have already been given the award by someone else – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Badges – there are six badges for you to collect – you can either ‘swap’ your badge for the next one each time you are given the award – or even proudly display all six badges if you are lucky enough to be presented with the award six times!

Thank you for the shout-outs and I hope we can all continue to inspire each other!!