Tag: inspire

Leaves and Play…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset was full of clouds but the day was great and pepper and I played like crazy in the midst of it all.

After work, I decided to blow the leaves off the driveway near the house. Since I’m in the middle of the forest, there are a lot of leaves, and it didn’t take long for a deep pile to come up. Somewhere in the middle of it, all Pepper decided it was her pile of leaves and I laughed hard for a little while.

The world is a unique place and maybe we need to take a step back sometimes and just play for the fun of it. The world can be tense and maybe play can remove that stressor from our lives or at least slow it down a little. As I laughed I smiled at this and I’m well aware that my life is filled with play.

With that in mind, explore a little down time. Take a moment and make the world your play place and have fun with all the moments you can. During this magnificent time I am sure that you can find something fun to do.

So as the sun sets on another day, consider well your life and all the exciting things that you can experience with a little play. Enjoy your time and make every moment the best moment it can be, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and remember to rake the leaves..

The chains…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset was again filled with clouds. Rainy huh? Sure is! Still, the rain cascaded across the windows and made music that no musician could easily duplicate. It turned out to be a good day.

I have written twice about Dickens. Here and here.

I was thinking a lot last night about the chains we wear. According to Dickens, we forge our chains link by link. Marley says, “I wear the chain I forged in life… I made it link by link and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will, I wore it.” If you read about it much, you will find many people have different and like opinions about these chains. Whether built of selfishness or material wants, the chains Marley bore were heavy and more.

So, what chains do we bear today? I carry chains that I try to shed daily, but I know many hold on. My chains are forged with lost loves, past indiscretions, and past situations that I did not seize. I forged my chains by being too cautious sometimes, and too aggressive others. I wear a burden built of not doing things to my potential for any other reason than the fear of others. Each day I try to come to terms with what I have built and leave some positive in my wake to lighten that load.

What chains do you wear? Are they the chains of chances lost to fear or avoidance? Do you wear chains that are built of greed or envy? Are your chains built strong to wall you from others, or do you let loose your chains and try to fly? Have you ever thought about your chains and how they came to be?

I have found that some people hold back for fear, and some hold back to have others feel for them. I know people who wear their chains proudly and those that fear the weight of their bindings. I know others whose chains are heavy but will never easily see them there. It is all personal. It is all based on bias and belief.

Funny. Bias and belief are sometimes our foundations.

All I can say for sure is we all need to come to terms with our chains and find a way to build our best self every day. After all, when tomorrow comes, it would be easier to face realizing we live the best life every day.

So as the sun sets on another day, here, hold my chains. I believe in myself and will find the best me I can be and bring others with me if I can. I believe there is more to life than rules and more to love than a simple surface statement. Ultimately, I hope we can all find our peace, set aside our chains, and be free. After all, life is pretty fun if you allow it to be. Make your best day, and set aside your chains, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and where’s the hammer….

Just another day…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset was a spectacular series of scintillating shades. The fantastic moments gave way to a crisp evening waiting for adventure.

I am fascinated by anyone who will say that today is just another day. Of course I’ve said it before and most of us have but when you think about it there is no such thing as just another day.

Take a moment and look at your day. Even if it’s just for the sunset the day is unique and amazing but there is always more. For example today was the first day that Pepper and I were out and about in the big city. It was an adventure for both of us. Today I played in the woods with the puppy, mowed the lawn, played in the garden, wrote, took pictures, and generally was a little bit over the top. Of course that’s what I do.

My point is that we should avoid wishing away our days and instead focus on the wonderful things that we have in them.

Recently I was talking to someone and they said other people made fun of them for talking about good things. With that in mind I know there are tons of people who would rather focus on just how small their lives are. I’ll tell you a little secret, their lives are only as small as they make them. We all have the opportunity to look at something good and make it the focus of our day. We can also look at something pretty horrible and make that our day too, it’s up to us.

So as the sun sets on another day, take a moment and take stock in what you focus on. Take a moment and believe in you. Then take a moment and find the positives that make you better and along the way find your way to a better day, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and I hope you find it all…

Be true…

The sun sets on another day…

I’m sure sunset was beautiful as I saw color in the western sky, but all day was filled with clouds and the murky mists that created steam and fog. It was a great end to a fun day.

I remember an old episode of Gilligan’s Island where our seven castaways did a play about Hamlet. It was very memorable, from the cute songs to the campy store. I thought about everything from the point of view of one line.

In Hamlet, there is a famous line “to thine own self be true” with a follow-up that basically says if you are true to yourself, then you must be true to others. It makes good sense because if you constantly present what is true to yourself, there can be no choice but to show that positivity and truthfulness in everything you do.

There is nothing wrong with being a good person. As of late in the world, many people think being a good person isn’t good. Those people haven’t realized that being a good person does not keep you from having fun. Being a good person does not prevent you from bending a rule or five. Being a good person doesn’t even prevent you from occasionally being a little bad and being good at it. To me, being a good person is being good to others and true to yourself.

I say to you on this day. You can be a good person. You can be true to who you are, whatever that may be, and in the process, spread a little I love your positivity around the world. Of course, if being true to yourself means you’re a negative person or a bad person, I know that happens too, but I genuinely believe it’s better to have fun for the sake of having fun.

So as the sun sets on another day, consider being true to yourself. Consider all the things you can do and show others who you are daily. After all, you are in unique and exceptional individual. Believe in yourself and be true to yourself, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and Gilligan!!!

Listen and hear…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset was a spectacular series of colors melded into the wind. I watched it with fascination as I do everyday just as I would if it were my very first sunset.

I find it amazing that so many people in the world do not listen and do not hear. I have written about this many times but the few thousand people that look at it haven’t changed the world yet, and neither have I.

Wouldn’t the world be a far more amazing place if we just heard each other? When someone tells you something you interpret it based on your past experiences, not theirs. If you hear them and truly listen to what they say you have an opportunity to open your mind to new definitions and new experiences. The journey is not always easy but guess what, it is worth it.

Earlier today I sat listening to someone explain their view on something I am intimately familiar with. I nodded my head and agreed and I listened to each word they said. Moreover I paid very close attention to their approach and the reasons they did things the way they did. They did not align with my experiences but we were not talking about me. I had to open my mind and consider the positives and negatives of each statement they made. I walked away with a slightly different point of view. It is true I still don’t agree with everything that they said or relayed but I understand it and as the days pass it will make me a better person.

I know it is disappointing that I don’t know everything. What a boring world it would be if I did. Instead all that’s necessary is to learn something everyday and hear people when they tell you something.

So as the sun sets on another day, listen to hear and not to respond and in the process learn something new and exciting each and every day. You can make the world a better place just by doing so, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and I hear you..

Together…

The sun sets on another day…

Sunset was wet. Really wet. Rain slammed on the ground and cascaded across the streets and fields. When I arrived at my destination I had to park somewhere I was not sitting in 9 inches of water. Still, the night was good and filled with positives.

I met a young couple today that were very good for each other. As I talk to them one was from the Frankenmuth area and the other was from England. We talked and we left and he was going back home today. That didn’t seem to be exactly on the top of her list of things. Of course I only know a minutes worth of a moment, but I thought about it for a while.

We all find people we like and don’t like. It has been said that the best version of a person is when they are dating or interviewing. I would like to ask for just a moment, why? Why do you have to be in a situation like that to be you? Why can’t we be ourselves all the time? further? Why can’t we be nice, pleasant, and good to each other all the time? Why wait for a secondary moment or even a special moment.

Maybe we should start being good and true more often? After all, being a good person is easy, but letting people know what you really think isn’t bad. No, don’t become antagonistic or a modern day Karen if you feel like it, but instead find the passion within you to be you all the time.

So as the sun sets on another day, you be you and I’ll be me and we will find a pleasant tree to sit and laugh the day away and find the best and exciting way. Sounds like a poem I should write. Be you, and for the young couple, tomorrow is another day but today is the best day of our lives. Let’s make it better if we can, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and be amazing…

Lonely or alone…

The sun sets on another day…

I was listening to people today talk about being alone and was reminded of the differences between being alone and being lonely.

Doesn’t sound like a big deal does it? There is a difference though. Being alone is the absence of other people. Being lonely is feeling isolated.

So why does this matter?

Being alone can actually be a good thing. Without people you can still accomplish much, and both seek and find an inner strength or more that many people may not be able to find. Being alone does not imply happy, sad, or otherwise, it is a state of physicality, nothing more. Personally I sometimes like being alone as it gives me time to do more and accomplish more.

Being lonely is not a physical state, it is a state of mind. A person can be lonely in a crowd, in a relationship, or while they are alone. Being lonely can be miserable, and is rarely a positive thing. As we go through life, being lonely is not fun, nor does it really hold a positive connotation.

So who cares?

Well, I would like to suggest that we may all need to be alone sometimes, but we never really need to be lonely. If you read the above it just makes sense. If you enjoy being alone, it is unlikely you are lonely, and you are at peace with yourself.

Hmm, it makes good sense to find a little peace, and whether you are alone or with people, to find that thing that allows you to not be alone.

So as the sun sets on another day, find a little slice of peace, and don’t feel lonely, feel alive in a world that is full of possibilities. Don’t let others decide if you are lonely, you can decide. Along the way, be the person you want to be, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, love life, and be who you are…

A New Look….

The sun sets on another day…

I was looking around today and all the things that we have to be thankful for. There are a lot of them you know. It is sometimes easy to get lost in the mire. Our mires are deep sometimes, filled with regret, despair, visions of lost love, and so much more. I can say with certainty we have all been somewhere down that path.

It’s OK.

It’s OK to feel and feel deeply. We need to open our eyes and see the wonders of the world we live in. We can rise above and see the baby giggling and laugh with them. We can see the flower in bloom and be amazed, we can see the sunset above and be lost in its majesty for just a moment. There is so much there if we just open our eyes and look.

So as the sun sets on another day, look with new eyes, see the world a little bit differently, and in the process lets try to find a way to happiness each and every day, and if you can, take someone with you. Find more than you think is there, find what you know can be there, no matter what.

Sleep sweet, I like the new editor, and love life….