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The Road Less Traveled
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
~ Robert Frost
Friendship ~ Love
Friendship is a quiet walk in the park with the one you trust
Love is when you feel like you are the only two around.
Friendship is when they gaze into your eyes and you know they care.
Love is when they gaze into your eyes and it warms your heart.
Friendship is being close even when you are far apart.
Love is when you can still feel their hand on your heart when they are not near.
Friendship is hoping that they experience the very best.
Love is when you bring them the very best.
Friendship occupies your mind.
Love occupies your soul.
Friendship is knowing that you will always try to be there when in need.
Love is when you will give up everything to be at their side.
Friendship is a warm smile in the winter.
Love is a warming touch that sends a pulse through your heart.
Love is a beautiful smile to which nothing compares:
A tender laugh, which opens your heart,
A single touch that melts away your fears,
A smell that reminds you of the tenderness of heaven,
A voice that reminds you of the innocence of youth.
“May you live all the days of your life.” ~ JonathanSwift
He strolled in with a Daffodil
He held in his hand.
A symbol of love
And our growing life plan.
A smile and a card
A kiss and a dream
A love everlasting
A most wondrous thing.
A small yellow flower
That touches my soul
A moment in time
I’ll never let go.
As another day comes to a close and Spring begins to wane with summer just out of reach, I begin to daydream and remember:
Time has a way of rewriting the stories, of easing the pains and magnifying the celebrations. It has a way of healing our hearts and our souls of long lost loves and heartfelt pains. It is able to cure the deepest pain and in doing so help us to go on and make us willing and able to truly live again.
In a way, what remains is only the best of the moments and the highlight reels.
I think of this as a blessing, a second chance to give thanks for all that has come before and all that is in store. It gives us another chance to learn from the past and by learning we are able to look back with fondness and daydream and plan for the future while enjoying each moment we are fortunate enough to experience.
The years have gone by with a speed that was unfathomable at 18. The years have become our past and if we are fortunate we have a story that is progressing into a novel we would be proud to have our children and grandchildren read.
What lies behind you and what lies before you are tiny matters compared to what lies within you.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Now I look with happiness at my daffodil, a beautiful yellow flower that symbolizes all the promises of new awakenings.
My daffodil, showing me that the true gifts in my life are the unexpected pleasures and joys that come my way.
My daffodil, reminding me of the “Daffodil Principle” where one woman accomplished a masterpiece by planting 5 acres, one bulb at a time.
I know that I am on the right track, always searching, always hoping and always, always loving.
Life is our most precious gift.
~ Live Life ~
“A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.”
~ James Allen
It seems as though a lot of us, the hopeful romantics of the world, spend our lives searching for that special person who can compliment us. We have a dream, whether real or not, who’s to say, but we believe and by believing we strengthen our resolve to find this individual. We keep searching for this “soul mate” that we know is out there just beyond our reach.
The logical, pragmatic ones do not have to worry about this; they know that they are their own master; the ones who control their own destiny and provide themselves with all of the self sustaining influence and materialisms that they need to live their lives to the fullest.
We, the romantic ones, are attracted to the love story. We have been brought up believing that the fairy tale is possible. We believe it is not only possible but mandatory. They, the pragmatics, see the world with a whole different perspective. They are a part of a world that sees in black and white, in right and wrong, in yes and no. While we, the hopeless (or hopeful) romantics, see the world in vivid colors. We dream in color and we live in color. Whether right or wrong, we live with our feelings out there for the world to see.
Herein lies what I believe is the ultimate difference between the two philosophies; one sees the world as he imagines and dreams it could be and the other sees the world as he believes it is. One thinks nothing lasts forever and the other believes that it will, should and does.
As different as they are, both aspects of life are sustainable to a relationship. The problem occurs when we, as one type of individual, try to change the other into what we want this other personality type person to become. As long as we know, going in, that no matter how much we want this other type person to feel what we feel, or think what we think, it probably is never going to happen.
We, as idealists, approach life through all that we perceive it to be, we believe in soul mates and in happily ever after.
The analytical ones, who see the world as they have proven it to be, believe in what is here and now and believe that whimsy and fancy is only for the young.
As we dream big, we still want that great, great dream of love to someday come true for us and we wonder if two of the romantic, emotional souls could ever truly love forever or if the intense emotions would tear them apart and lead them down a road filled with tempestuous turmoil. Is it possible, we wonder, for two of the discerning, more logical souls to find true, never-ending love and happiness or are they just content with companionship and never really feel the passion that can sweep over the true romantics of the world?
It sometimes seems as though these logical ones see the person they are with as someone to love instead of, as the romantics feel, the one great love. The romantics seem to keep searching, hoping that their soul mate will appear, sweep them off their feet and pledge their undying love. It seems that no matter how content they may be in the here and now they keep thinking and truly believing they can have it all. They believe that with their resolve and passion they can mold Mr. Logic into Mr. Romance. By believing this, the romantics may not realize that maybe, just maybe Mr. Logic is a romantic in his own way and maybe he’s happy with the life he has chosen. It also seems that the logical ones are hoping that the sentimental, romantic types are some day going to become realistic and logical and not so sensitive to the utopia of the moment.
I have spent a good part of my life watching what I like to refer to as the great love stories or great love affairs of history. It is uplifting to know that they do exist and are rewarding in their own right. In my search for the great romances I am starting to realize that maybe there can be a blending of the two personality types and maybe it is this blending that helps to form the true love stories that last and endure.
Is it passion that turns some sagas from the ordinary into the extraordinary? Is it the blending and meshing of the souls that constitutes a lifetime love affair? Or maybe what embodies a complete love affair, full of passion and logic, with each of the two complimenting each other and nourishing each other, is the differences between the two with one being the leather and the other the lace.
The glue that holds them together and keeps them in love and helps them to maintain faithfulness may be this understanding of each other and the complimenting of each other that forms an unbreakable bond. It may be the complete trust and belief that this love will last the test of time and will endure forever. This love is a partnership, a friendship, a passionate love affair and all who are fortunate enough to find it are blessed beyond belief.
You’ll Always Come Back When There’s Sand In Your Shoes
~ Old Florida Folklore
In the years following graduation from high school, I spent a few years in time, though a lifetime in memories, in a small town along the Gulf Coast, on the panhandle of Florida. It was a time in my life filled with new adventures and a developing love for the ocean that has continued to grow over time. This area of the Gulf Coast, in the late 70′s and early 80′s, was quiet, peaceful and virtually unregulated. It gave me a wonderful outlet for adventure and my first taste of real freedom, what more could a teenage girl want?
This part of the country is affectionately known as The Emerald Coast, The Forgotten Coast and also the Redneck Riviera. As extreme as the names are, the perceptions and ways of life here were also as extreme. The residents here are a breed unto themselves, rich in a history of a romanticized piracy and a fierce independent spirit, they taught me lessons about living off of the ocean and off of the land. During my time here I learned to appreciate and admire the diversity of the Gulf and the people who call it home.
To borrow a line from an old country song…
I can skin a buck, I can run a trot line and a country boy can survive.
~ Hank Williams Jr.
I was immediately drawn to the mystique of the Gulf with it’s amazing, blue-green waters and the beautiful, white sandy beaches. Amazingly, this area of Florida was virtually undiscovered and I could spent hours walking the shore or frolicking in the sun without ever seeing another soul. These times, spent walking the shoreline in solitude. gave me a peaceful feeling and a deeper understanding of the true joys of my life. The people who lived here and who loved this area and their way of life, gave me a deeper appreciation for living in the now and enjoying the life that I have chosen today.
It was here that I was introduced to two delicacies that are still close to my heart… Apalachicola Bay Oysters and Tupelo Honey. Apalachicola is the last place in the United States where wild oysters are still harvested by tongs from small boats. These Apalachicola Bay oysters are considered to be some of the finest in the world, if not the finest and it is said that their uniqueness is due to the right mixture of the water flowing from the rivers in Georgia and Alabama, mixing with the saltiness of the Gulf of Mexico waters. Whatever the reason, I, for one, think they are the best I have ever eaten. Tupelo Honey is also exclusively native to this area and is harvested in the swamps of the Apalachicola and Chipola Rivers on the panhandle of Florida. This river valley is the only place in the world where Tupelo Honey is produced commercially. Real Tupelo Honey is a light, golden, amber color with a distinctive green cast. It is absolutley delicious, distinctive and has been compared to a rare wine. Unlike other honeys it is only harvested in April and May and also unlike other honeys will not crystalize or granulate.
I always look back fondly to this time of my life and I feel fortunate for having been given the opportunity to experience this area, this time and these moments.
Years later, after I had moved away and had children of my own, I would visit this place and always get an excited stirring in my soul as I caught my first glimpse of the Gulf of Mexico. More times than not, I would stop the car, grab my camera and take pictures of the ocean, the shrimpboats, the skies and the shoreline; the beautiful shoreline of this alluring, enchanting and captivating coast.
As this new year unfolds before me I am I am filled with expectation and excitement for the ride ahead… a new year, a new slate, a new beginning. A year in a lifetime spent with the one I love.
I imagine a new year filled with more adventures and more love. I look forward to a year even better than the last, a year full of promise and promises coming true.
I hope to always look at the positive instead of the negative,
the magical instead of the mundane,
the amazing instead of the mediocre.
I hope to fully experience the wondrous gifts that are before me on a daily basis.
I hope to always remember that Life is our most precious gift.
My New Year’s Resolution is…
LIVE LIFE and HOLD ON FOR THE RIDE !!
A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.
~ James Allen
Every man dies. Not every man really lives.
~ William Wallace
It is not length of life, but depth of life.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I’ve come to realize that we are the choices we make in life. We are the end result of each and every decision that we make along the way. As each day unfolds before us we are given the opportunity to write our own one act play or to design a masterpiece.
When our days here come to an end we must remember that what we leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments but what is woven into the lives of others. All that is left in the end are the memories we’ve made and the memories others have of our lives. Our lives will live on in their hearts and in the stories they tell.
Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think. ~ Horace
Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today. ~ James Dean
There are people we meet in life that bring us out of ourselves, they help us to realize that life truly is a treasure that is meant to be savored and enjoyed. These people approach life in a way that make us stand up and take notice. They give pieces of themseves to us and by knowing them we strive to be better people ourselves. These are the ones that design the masterpieces. These are the ones that we always remember, the ones that even years after they are gone, bring a smile to our face and a twinkle to our eyes. These are the ones that inspire us to live our lives in a way that will touch others. These are the ones that have a piece in our individual masterpieces.
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ~ Maya Angelou
Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened. ~ Dr Seuss
As Thanksgiving approaches I am reminded once again of the blessings in my life and I wake up each day giving thanks for all that is around me.
Life is such a treasure, it is amazing that we can become so bogged down in the problems we have created for ourselves that we forget what an absolute miracle it is that we are here at this moment in time and are able to choose our life’s course. Our freewill to decide how each day is going to play out for us is truly amazing. At any point in time we can change our attitude and by doing so can change what we perceive our life to be. We are what we think we are.
I am thankful for the wonderful man that I love and who loves me in return. I am grateful for my friends and family who are a delight to be around. I am excited that as I have entered a new phase of life, the simple things are once again the important things. Waking up to a beautiful sunrise or settling down to a breathtaking sunset are only two of the most spectacular sights life has in store and they are here daily if we will only take the time to open our eyes.
“ The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. ” Helen Keller
Today I woke up and knew without a doubt that my life is absolutely lovely and that each day of the last few years have been a gift and a treasure. I am truly the most fortunate person in the world to be living my life. I am in love, happy and enjoying all that is before me – Bring on the day!!!!
(Image by Josephine Wall ~ Crystal of Enchantment)
My living room is full of rainbows. Reflections on the walls show the magnificence of the complete spectrum.
I am amazed.
Amazed by their beauty
Amazed by the splendor
Amazed that such a simple sight can bring such joy.
All of a sudden the whole room is aglow with rainbows,
And I smile…
I am transported back to a time when my children were younger. It’s funny how the concept of time changes as we age and mature. There were summers with my children that seemed to last forever. They were spent exploring, learning and enjoying our time. Because of them I continued to look at the world through my “rose colored glasses” and was able to expect the best out of life. We spent a lot of time reading and watching old movies and one of our favorites was the movie Pollyanna. When we first saw this I was amazed at the idea of rainbows covering the walls and transforming the ordinary and mundane into the extraordinary. I have carried this idea forth and love hanging crystals to watch the rainbows dance. I’ve realized that the simplest of things can bring the most joy and happiness to life.
I have come to realize that there is always hope for a future made up of the dreams held onto tightly even if the dark shadows make it impossible to see. Only by believing and having faith that it is out there is it possible to expect and know that there is always a rainbow. I am living proof that a life can go from one of despair and unhappiness to one where each day is an absolute joy. Each day I count my blessings and know that I am truly blessed.
In the movie, Pollyanna plays a game with life that she refers to as the “glad game.” The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation. She looks for the best in everyone and always tries to have a positive outlook on life. I have always loved the idea of this game and try daily to make it a part of my world.
Each of our lives are filled with chances daily to see the good in the world and the positive aspects of life. It is up to us to choose whether we live this way or we live looking at the negative or bad parts. I believe completely that we make our own realities by the thoughts that we think on a daily basis. It is up to us to draw a magical world of splendor and fascination or a world filled with troubles and tribulations into our realities.
When I see the light reflections from prisms or crystals I am reminded that even in our darkest times we can climb up from despair and make our individual world a wonderful and magical place. We have to only look for the magic in our everyday life.
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.
But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.
But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.
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