Winter

Every winter,
When the great sun has turned his face away,
The earth goes down into a vale of grief,
And fasts, and weeps, and shrouds herself in sables,
Leaving her wedding-garlands to decay -
Then leaps in spring to his returning kisses.~Charles Kingsley

Happiness

Gather the crumbs of happiness and they will make you a loaf of contentment.  ~Author Unknown

Believe in Yourself

" People become quite remarkable when they start thinking they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success." 
~Norman Vincent Peale~

Believe in yourself today! Be your own cheerleader. Tell yourself you can achieve the seemingly impossible. Watch your goals come to fruition when you surround yourself with positive thoughts. Refuse to entertain a negative mindset. Fill your thoughts with all that is good! Make your day count.

The Burden

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." ~Lena Horne~

Ideas

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." ~George Bernard Shaw

Spare Moments

"Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Oh, Dear!

"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little course, and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice. Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Kindness

Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns.  ~Author Unknown

Stained Glass Windows

"People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." ~~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross~~

We all know people who are an absolute delight to be around when things are sunny and going well. They are funny and warm, kind and gracious. It is a joy to have them as friends.

We know fewer people who are equally delightful to be around when things are not going so well. These special few manage to be funny and warm, kind and gracious, even when going through tough times, when suffering or needy.

No one invites suffering or dark times into their lives, but it makes its way just the same, into most of our lives. During those uninvited trials, I can strive to be a gracious person, to keep a smile on my face. I will focus on the blessings that are present.

Explore ~ Dream ~ Discover

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

~Mark Twain

Apropos

ap·ro·pos [ àpprə pṓ ]

adjective Definition: just right: appropriate in a specific situation

preposition Definition: in regard to: on the subject of
Apropos tomorrow's event, I'll see how I feel.

adverb Definition: incidentally: by the way
Apropos, do you think we should delay the announcement?

[Mid-17th century. < French à propos"to the purpose"]


Apropos


I love this word.  I remember the very first time I heard the word.  I loved how it sounded.  I loved the way the word trickled off my tongue and made me smile.  It was a fun word.   I liked it even more once I learned the word's definition.  I decided then and there I owned the word.  It rather defined me.


That was over 25 years ago.  I had forgotten the word....tucked it away amongst the memories that collected like forgotten toys in a dark and dusty place.   I had also forgotten how to live up to the word's meaning.  I did not always act or say the appropriate things at the appropriate times.  That was then....


This is now...
I have reclaimed the word.  I don't know what each day will hold but one thing is certain;  there is something appropriate to say to every person you meet, for every situation.  Words are powerful.  Apropos.  Words can cut you to your knees or ignite that inner spark.    


I hope my blog is a catalyst to motivate and inspire.  Much of my life was destroyed with words.  I was not a strong enough person to fight back, emotionally or otherwise.  It is with the remainder of my days, I hope to reach out to others in a positive way.  

The Power Within

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

~Leo Buscaglia

Trees

"Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,We fell them down and turn them into paper,That we may record our emptiness."

~Kahlil Gibran