The Consistent Positivity May 19, 2010

Hey you,

Yeah, you. The person writing this. What’s up with you? You’ve been somewhat inconsistent lately. You’ve been neglecting your blog, you’ve been quiet around those who love you, you’ve been moping around a bit… What’s up with that?

Yeah, you’ve got some stuff going on. You have a right to be depressed. You are entitled to be down from time to time. But these slumps… these low periods… can we knock them off? They’re not good for you. It’s nice to see you happier.  Don’t give me that look. Don’t look at me like ‘What do you want me to be happy about?’ You’ve got plenty to be happy about.

You’ve got those 2 gorgeous boys, first of all. Yeah… there’s that smile. You know they’re the apples in your eyes.

You know your parents and brothers love you.

You know your husband does.

You know your real friends do. And you’re actually quite blessed by a very large number of those. Even though you know you kind of suck at calling them back! You’re good at writing… just not calling. Hopefully if they’re reading this they can understand that you get very emotional on the phone and just don’t like weeping in front of your sons.

You know you’re blessed to have a home, food, health and the ability and sanity to recognize all of that.

You know most importantly of all you’re blessed with a FAITH so deep it pumps the blood through your veins.

So what’s up with the slumps??? You can be sad when the chips are spilled on the floor. But let’s be consistent about the fact that all in all, life is good. Your life IS good. It’s not easy. But it IS good. It IS blessed.  It IS fortunate.  And you are surrounded by souls that constantly remind you of that.  Maybe not the same souls on a day to day basis but each day a new soul surprises you by showing you how wonderful they truly are.

So hold on to that. And be the constant… be the smile that always lights up your own room. Be the consistency in the life of your children. In the eyes of your babies. In the heart of your own soul. Because no one else will be. You will. You can and you need to.

Go ahead. Give yourself a hug. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Toss those curls and blink those big brown eyes. You can do it. You can be the consistency in your life. The consistent positivity. After all, what better reality check can you give yourself than to admit no medicine will work better on your soul than the positive light at the end of the tunnel?

With Love,

You

Happy Mother’s Day May 9, 2010

Just wanted to wish a wonderful Mother’s Day to all the mamas in the world… to my own mother, of course, the most beautiful mama in the universe. 🙂 She’s done everything for us since I can remember (and way before that). She’s doted on us, loved on us, fought for us, taken care of us. You name it. She still does. She is my role model and shining star. Te quiero mucho, mamita linda.

To my Tias… my aunts… who I love very much… for their support and love… for their “carino” and their concern… for their humor… they’re like extra moms… Las quiero mucho.

To my Abuelitas… The one who recently went up to our dear Lord in Heaven and the one who is still here with us on Earth. My beautiful grandmas that I adore. Thank you for blessing me with your presence and knowledge and wisdom.

To my Mother-in-law… for raising my husband and his brothers… for taking me into her family… for being a kind, loving woman who always put motherhood before all else.

To my Baha’i moms… I have two… Two wonderful women that I am very blessed to have in my life… and I am unfortunately very bad at calling… one who I have known since I became a Baha’i and one who I met when I moved to Texas… both like family to me… both whom I love so much… especially for their support during my darkest moments… I love you both and think of you often. Thank you for your prayers and kind words.

To my mama friends… in NJ and TX who I always admire… for I know the work you do and the love you do it with. For understanding my trials and tribulations with my kids as I understand yours… for being like family to my boys and allowing us into yours…

To my endometriosis sister mamas… who so truly know how blessed we are to be mamas…

To all the mamas in the world… for making the world go round and round…

Thank you… Thank you…

Below is the painting my 6 year old son made of me… he named it his Beautiful Smiling Mommy. Sigh… I love being a mommy. ❤

Beautiful Smiling Mommy

My Photography: Purple Berries April 29, 2010

Purple Berries

Kindness of the Soul April 28, 2010

It’s the kindness that does it. It could be in a split second. It could be in a lifelong friendship. It could be through a smile. Or a look. Or a hug. Or an emotion that radiates even through an e.mail. But it’s a kindness that just shines through, straight from the very core of a person’s soul.

I believe we all possess that kindness – we just don’t all display at all times. Maybe we keep it in reserve for those special people that we feel deserve it the most. Maybe we only let it loose on special occasions.  Or maybe it’s just a sporadic release that lets it hang out. Who knows how each of us operates.

What I do know is that I love the warmth I feel when I’m touched by it. Sometimes you feel it for a split second. A quick smile from a stranger on the street. Or a few minutes. A kind exchange with the nurse at the doctor’s office. Or you realize it’s there to stay. A new friendship with an amazingly kind soul. Whatever it is, that warmth has changed you and added to the kindness of your own soul. You now have more kindness to you. Thanks to that other warm, warm soul.

I’ve been blessed with many wonderful friends. Some I’ve kept for long periods of time, some for short periods, some I can tell will be here for life… some have been around forever, some have come to a point where the friendship has run its course, some have just joined the party and plan to be here till the end… either way, they’ve come for a purpose and I’m grateful for the kindness their souls have all brought. I love them all and have such appreciation and gratitude for the good times and lessons learned.

Like I said in the beginning, what makes that friendship special at that moment in time is what radiates from within: the kindness of the soul.

My Photography: Playing in the Rain April 27, 2010

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?

My Photography: Rose in the Rain April 21, 2010

Rose in the Rain

My Photography: Funky Flower April 18, 2010

Funky Flower

Quote to Share April 17, 2010

No man can hope to accomplish anything great in this world until he throws his whole soul, flings the force of his whole life, into it. It is not enough simply to have a general desire to accomplish something. There is but one way to do that; and that is, to try to be somebody with all the concentrated energy we can muster.

— Orison Sweet Marden

Quote to Share April 7, 2010

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.

— John Ruskin