I couldn’t help but capture the fun of my kids splashing in a huge puddle in their rain boots. I almost ran in myself… 🙂
Playing in the Rain
Good News: There’s Always Plenty April 22, 2010
I was trying to find articles with GOOD NEWS to share. Man, that is hard sometimes. The media loves to focus on negativity. It’s a real downer. Yes, there are tragedies that stand out. Tragedies that break your heart, rip it to pieces, anger you to shreds… but there is so much more love and happiness out there that for some reason we as humans just don’t seem to focus on.
So I decided “You know what, dude?” I can think of plenty of good news, all on my own, to share with the world.”
All over the world today, there were tons and tons of healthy, beautiful bouncing babies born. New little souls to give more life to this wonderful planet. Parents and families were joyous and celebratory at this momentous addition to the clan.
All over the world, sick or terminal patients lived another day. They were given one more day with their loved ones, one more day to right their wrongs, tie up their loose ends, spend time with those they choose to, and enjoy each moment that they have. They are using each breath wisely and judiciously, appreciating it for the valuable treasure it truly is.
All over the globe, children laughed and played. That sound, that glorious sound of a child laughter, like the peal of bell, beautiful joyous contagious music, the most sincere of laughs and the most happy of giggles. The universal sound of happiness and freedom that requires not a common language to be understood.
All over the earth, people hugged one another. Whether it was in triumph, in greeting, in love, in sympathy, in friendship, whatever the motivator, there were hugs. Gentle ones, tender ones, tiny ones, big bear ones… HUGS. Glorious, affectionate, loving hugs.
Everywhere, someone avoided a car accident. Better yet, someone survived some kind of accident. Or a fire. Or a tragedy.
Everywhere, people made up. A fight ended. A friendship rekindled. A relationship reunited. Peace was made.
Everywhere, someone’s life was saved. By EMS workers. By a stranger. By a doctor. By a mother or father. By a teacher. By a waiter or waitress. By an enemy. By the person least expected.
All over the planet today, someone smiled and it made someone smile back. It spread like wildfire. From him to her to her to him. Some because they enjoyed it, some because they were confused, some because they just felt like it. But a smile is a smile and it’s contagious nonetheless. So smiles were bountiful all over the world.
What other wonderful news can you share?
With a Smile April 16, 2010
I’ve been pretty quiet for a week. I apologize. I’ve had a cold and I’ve been tired. Not the best of excuses but at least nothing terrible. Just quiet and a bit on the busy side.
I wanted to thank the good people of the world. I truly mean that. Thank you, good people of the world.
The people that truly are good – that live their own lives every day with the intent to do good, with the intent to be a good soul, with the intent to bring good to the world. To do their own job the way it should be done, not with malice or mischief, but with kindness, compassion and a smile. Not to be a floor mat to walk over, but to be gentle and loving and to be a person worth respecting.
This week I’ve run into so many examples of that. Kind, good people that do jobs that most people associate with crummy people… jobs that you come to expect negativity from – but I’ve run into people behind those jobs that are truly good souls. People who radiate a kind and vibrant energy that reminds you good people DO exist.
So thank you good people of the world… for living life to the fullest capacity of your soul… and doing it with a smile.
XOXO
Woodenheadedness April 4, 2010
I was once asked to define the term “woodenheadedness.” Is it even a word? I thought. Wooden head. Gosh, that could mean so many things. I looked down at my desk and tapped it gently. Knock on wood, I thought. For good luck, right? I never understood that. What would that do? Wood seemed more like a road block to me. Like something blocking the truth.
Like a way to say I don’t see you.
Woodenheadedness… If my head were made of wood…Would I be able to process life and thoughts and actions properly?
I think I would not be able to see that there is anything past my nose. It is just me. It is just what’s in front of me when I look in the mirror. There are no problems bigger than mine. No sadness worth more than mine. No troubles more troubling than mine.
I wouldn’t want to acknowledge that people around me can suffer as much as me, let alone more than me. I’d be like a big block of wood – porous to the fact that nothing is so big it won’t fade away. In my world. In my branch of the world. In my small wooden little world. My small little wooden head. My problems are huge.
Woodenheadedness seems to me to be the ability to be stubborn. To be negatively willful. To be set in your ways despite the best intention of others. The mighty oak that’s so sturdy it ain’t changing for anyone.
Woodenheadedness seems like a bad thing to me.
If I can’t see past my own nose… What would the world be like?
It would be me callously walking past the homeless woman on the street, not even acknowledging her existence. Not feeling a hint of sadness or guilt or shame at my prosperity – not realizing the fortunes and blessings I have in being able to be with a home as opposed to without – but to have a block of wood for the center of my head not allowing me to feel an ounce of compassion.
It would be me thinking “WHY ME?” when I have to suffer the consequences of any mistakes I have made. When I spent too much money and my credit card bills are sky high, when I didn’t take care of my health and now have to make tough life decisions, when I didn’t give it my all at work and got passed up for a promotion. I would be channeling my inner wood by bemoaning my ills when poor countries are joyously thanking that they’ve survived calamities and tragedies far greater than mine.
The woodenheaded would be the person who says to the depressed person “I can’t deal with your problems” and walks away from a friend when they need that friend the most. The woodenheaded says “I am better than you and cannot approve of your lifestyle” to the person who has trusted them with their truths and feels justified in their supposed morals. The woodenheaded says “I am saved and you are not.” The wooden headed is not a friend. Wood cannot survive fire. Wood rots when faced with mold. Wood cannot handle extreme conditions of all kinds.
The woodenheaded has no room for soul in their head. No room for anything but a big block of self. They cannot see past that damned wooden nose.
That is what I think when I wonder about the word woodenheadedness. The propensity to deny that the world we live in is greater than one’s own tiny little branch of a mind on the giant universal tree. Such a big, hard word to say, and it just about breaks your heart, doesn’t it?
****
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Silliness
Ok some silly jokes…
A horse walks into a bar.
Bartender says “Why the long face?”
Wait – it gets worse!!!
A man walks into a bar.
Man says “Ouch!!!”
Ok I’m done. Please don’t stop reading my blog! 😀
Quote to Share April 1, 2010
Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.
— Zora Neale Hurston
Motivational Video: Nick Vujicic – Life Without Limbs March 31, 2010
I have never even in my life been as humbled as I have been by this video. Thank you, dear God, for allowing me the privilege to stumble upon this amazing man today. I hope he reaches all of you the way he has reached me today.
Novela: Cube Chapter 2 March 29, 2010
CUBE, A Novela by Antonia Blanca
All copyrights reserved – work may not be reproduced without express written permission from author.
Chapter 2: THE STORE
Justine
Ugh.
“Ow, what?” Trent said gruffly. “What was the pinch for?”
“For staring at that girl,” I said as I nudged my head in her direction. That young thing in her tight jeans and skimpy shirt walking around like she’s all that. Checking out my husband. Knowing he’s my husband. And he likes it.
“I didn’t even see her, Teeny,” he said, slightly irritated, slightly embarrassed.
Yup. Just like you always look when you’re checking out a girl and I catch you. Whatever. Am I that ugly these days that I’m not enough for you to look at anymore? I know I haven’t lost all the baby weight yet. But I’m trying. I’m trying. Damn weight. And I try to put on make-up and all but I just don’t have the time to do all that fussin’ and messin’ like I used to. When I do, you tell me I look like a fool – “We’re just going to the store, Teeny” you say.
Gosh I’m fat now. Big old frumpy mess. But I had two kids. I have a mama bod now. But I still have curves. I’m still pretty, right? Doesn’t that count? It’s not like he looks all Adonis or anything. But he gets to stare and drool at the next young thing with tight jeans and shirts and make me feel like poop. And I wasn’t so brazen when I was that age. I would at least look embarrassed if I caught a married man staring at me in front of his wife. She didn’t even care. She should’ve been ashamed of herself at least.
One day I’ll be prettier again. One day he’ll stop wandering… right?
***
Stay tuned next time for more characters and more of Justine, Trent and Carla.
Lifting Me Up 
Leave me some blog love! April 3, 2010
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Waiting to hear from my uplifting friends!