...the story goes...you are granted 5 talents...now what??

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” (Mae West)

...God has a way of speaking to us when we least expect it, the best part of the whole thing is He provides exactly what we need to hear at exactly the right time...it is in those moments we are (i believe) provided with His wisdom, or rather wake up and smell the humus moments...

so the story goes...or rather a refresher, just in cases...
a man had servants and bestowed upon them talents, one he gave 5 to, the next 2 and the last one he gave 1 talent to...he returned after awhile & each brought forth their original talents &...
...the one who had started with 5 double it and so did the one who had 2 but the one with only one talent decided for fear of his master to hide it and do nothing with it...the master was ticked b/c this man did not even try to gain interest in what he had or take the risk with what was given to him...the master scolded him and said since you found no use give it to those who doubled what he was given (mt. 25: 14-30)...i am sure you heard a better more poignant version of this; but the message is clear...

...this is the message that was give to me this past sunday and then the priest went on further to discuss the meaning behind it...remember God knows what we need to hear, His medium can come in all forms even sometimes the most obvious...this sunday it was right in my face...God gives us talents of all kinds, yes ones to serve our church, our neighbors, our families, our community, and even those ones that we often decide or choose not to use b/c we do not want to take the risk of messing up...a talent that is so risky that the very thought of it pushes us to hide it or not use it; and then we find ourselves looking back and thinking, regretting how we just wasted what was given to us or rather even worse not even realizing what was there for us to grab and run with it...then poof its gone or given to another that will use it to the max...

...so my message that i am passing on...not a 100% certain but what i do know is sitting in that pew i realized i did not want to look back and think why didn't i take the risk, why did i let the talents given to me to fall by the wayside, why did i not use to the max what God gave me...why am i so afraid to jump and know that God will provide the parachute and sometimes even when that parachute doesn't work He will provide me with another back up...we, not HIM, are the ones that hold back...we are the ones that can't let go, jump and see what he truly has in store for us...you never know it could be better than we could ever imagine....

...the other aspect that made sense to me, if we are given a talent and we use that talent, that is when we are truly giving love away for all those around us to feel...think about it, if beethoven decided it was too risky and because of a physical disability not to write, compose or play would we ever know what sadness can sound like...or if van gogh decided it was not important for you to visualize a beautiful starry night, would we ever have known this masterpiece...

or would we every know what is like to use your talent to serve the world if it wasn't for mother teresa's humility and living by philosophy of that "...If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one..."  do not worry that you can't feed a whole country but that you used what you had and fed one...and the list goes on...but what all these and so many who use their talents have in common is that by giving you what God bestowed upon them, they have shown you love through music, through beauty, through compassion and giving, through whatever talent is theirs to give...that is how we truly love and can love everyone...

....i once said that if i do nothing in this world, the one thing i would like to do is leave this world a better place than when i began...this can be achieved through using my talents that i was given...then i know nothing was wasted and gave it my all even while giving my all i could quite possibly fall in the process...

so now i ask, the talents are yours what are you going to do with them??? will you take the leap of faith and go for it and see what you can come up with...all it takes is letting go and doing...

at some point we have to stop being hopeless and BECOME hopeful...

...it takes a hell of a lot more energy to be hopeless than to be hopeful..

“they say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” 
(Tom Bodett)

if you happen to take a gander at the internet or a newspaper, or listen to the radio, or watch TV...you are probably feeling a little hopeless...so much violence, so much hate, so much anger...so many people are questioning whether walking out the door is worth it, b/c who knows what will happen...that I cannot answer for you, however i heard once, "don't let the fear of living stop you from living"...i am not going to spend the next however long this post should last talking about what happened, however I will say, may God have mercy on all those involved, and that i will be praying for peace, and love..."love conquers all"...not hate....i will also go on to tell you what i did see in the last few weeks, that allows me to believe that HOPE is out there...

....hope is there when i hear the excitement in the voice of my niece over her 10th birthday party...hope is reading about a young girl, who keeps on fighting and bringing smiles to those around her, whose heart/body although may have some physical defects shows no defects whatsoever when you meet her and witness her outstanding personality...hope is watching my students take a few extra moments and some patience to work with a student with special needs...hope is watching not 1 but 2 workers at local restaurant run after the bus so an older gentleman can catch it...hope is honoring people's memories that we have lost, by allowing them to live on through our love...hope is reading a great article about a woman who saw the beauty in cake decorations, no matter what they look like...hope is having someone to love and to be loved...hope is watching people fight & beat cancer & other diseases...hope is watching two people under the eyes of God and in front of their family & friends proclaim their love...hope is witnessing all people from all walks of like work together for a greater cause than just their own...hope is in smiles, and hugs, and laughter, and even tears...hope is looking to the sky and watching the heavens shine bright b/c of all the bright stars, and knowing our hearts are sad but our lives were that much brighter b/c of them...hope is new babies, and new life...hope is knowing that a bad moment cannot last forever...hope is so much more than this post ...hope is not the things we see, read, or hear about on a daily basis, hope is found all around us, we just sometimes have to look a little harder to find it...it is there, it never goes away...
...so the next time you read, see, or hear something that makes you feel so hopeless, don't stop there but rather look around and find the things that make you feel hopeful...and then take that hope and use it to turn hate into love, conflict into peace...use it as your motivation to live for a better world...  

stop & think at all this footprints that have touched your life...

& you have to think...WOW, God loves me that much that He put them in my life...even if it was for the briefest of moments...they were there, to show you a part of life you may never have experienced before...even those people that may have caused you strife or struggle helped shape that part of your life...

"...surround yourself with people who make you hungry for life...touch your heart...& nourish your soul..." (unknown)


i have been blessed to have so many people that God placed throughout my life, who for whatever reason caused the world around me to be forever changed & my heart to forever to be better...& i most likely told you a story or two about them, throughout my non-existent blogging career...but yet for some reason the topic seems to have resurfaced so why not, give a little shout out to some...

...so who are those footprints...it is the woman who taught me some of the greatest philosophies in the world, who is my biggest supporter, who is always there...it is the girl who said a prayer with me...it is the kids that make me see the world through their eyes...it is guy who holds my heart and allows me to dream...it is the patient that showed me even after their body can't exist any more, that their being will be loved forever in the hearts of others...it is the parent who showed me unconditional love, especially after their heart was broken...it is the friends that do not have to be near to keep touching my life...it is the lady who quietly sits in the chair, waiting and watching & then speaking only to impart wisdom...it is the teacher that taught me, the greatest lessons don't always come from you but rather the students that fill your classroom...it is the stranger i came across, that flashed a smile when i needed it the most...it is the relative who shows me how cool family really is...it is the person that shows me a whole new perspective for the purposes of discussion and nothing else...it is the kid that shows me, there is always time to be a kid...it is the child with a disability that lets me see the world through their eyes...it is the siblings that turned out to be one of my best friends, who no matter the time you call them, or the favor you ask them, they come through, even to just be there...it is my person encouraging to go for it & that anything is possible...it is those of you that have showed me love, who took the time to be there, who celebrate with me, it is YOU....

so for you...YOU know who you are, thank you for those moment, the lessons, the love, the being there, for YOU, thank you for allowing me to be touched by in such a profound way...cheers, my heart will forever be grateful...

true love...not only in the fairy tales...

"...I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough... (n. sparks the notebook)

...to attend a wedding I think is quite an honor, in my opinion, in that I mean, the couple wants YOU, yes you, to share in one of thee happiest moment of their lives...how awesome is that, where you get to experience God's greatest gift of love...

........I have been blessed to be in many moments of love...one of them this past weekend, when I got to witness and be in the moment with my best friend, my big sis, when she married her person...& even though I may show some impartiality, just a tad...it was a grand moment...a moment filled with love, filled with family and friends, filled with a beautiul couple who have their own fairytale...      

    

       ...it's a story filled with bumpy roads, wild adventures, highs & lows, and lots of happy endings & beginnings...

     ...& in the end, the beginning, the middle or how this moment came to be, the details won't matter, but what will matter is the two people who told their story on 7.18.15 -- a story of a girl walking down an aisle towards the man of her dreams, of a boy watching his future wife, & his heart melting all over & remembering why this moment was so worth it...of a love that has no limitations...of family &  friends coming together to celebrate their love and their lives...who at that moment shined with happiness and love & had an amazing night...so cheers to that moment, & all the many amazing moments they have yet to create and live in...

         ...to marisa & doug -- it was a top night! all my love 

...

...

figuring it all out...

or rather letting it figure you out...

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” (Albert Einstein)

i am 32 1/2 years old, and hopefully have no where lived half my life...and i would hope that i have figured some things out...although i must say that every time i think i have figured it out, i realize there is a lot more to learn...and that maybe i will never have it figured it all out...maybe that is what life is figuring it out everyday and never having it always figured out...cause when that happens, that could be the point where God says you have figured all you needed to figure out and that is where it ends...maybe that is what makes life interesting the whole idea that you have no idea how to be or to do this thing called life...we all have that unique ability to learn and understand but to never quite have it figured out???

i guess getting older lends a hand in this belief, b/c i think when i was 20-something, i thought i had figured it out...first let me define my "IT" --> it is knowing what you are doing with your life and who are doing it with, if there is such a person, it is knowing where are going tomorrow, where you have been and where you will be going 5 years from this point...it is knowing your goals and your dreams, and going after what you want, it is seeing what is right before you and thinking this is it...it is having it together, wrapped up in a bow, ready for delivery, it is staying the course b/c that is what you know works...

...BUT as each year goes on, i find myself thinking the complete opposite...and that could very well be the point...(or it could also be that i am babbling, b/c that is what i do best :)...the "IT" is not knowing 100% where you are going tomorrow but rather knowing that what you did yesterday to help you learn for tomorrow, so as if to not to repeat the mistakes but rather to relish & repeat the victories...and that today is where you need to be and that should and will be ok for you, to not worry about the 5 minutes or 5 hours from now but live in this moment, b/c no matter what you have no control in what will happen, but you do have control in the living & being in the moments of now...that in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years you have an idea of what your life may look like, but if it appears to be different that can be ok too...it is loving an accepting those people that you happened to have bless your life and knowing/realizing each moment with them is a blessing and that by having them touch your life, you are that much better...it is still about knowing your dreams and goals, but understanding that dreams and goals can change just as each moment passes by, and accepting what is right now for all that is, right now, but realizing that right now will be so different in a few moments...it is being prepared to jump, to dance, to sing, to listen, to do whatever life calls you to do in every moment...it is knowing that it will not always be put together in a nice box with a ribbon, it can for sure come that way but it could also come in a bag, or not even wrapped but knowing that is what life is at the moment, a life God intended to be lived not planned or figured out...a life He wants to be proud of, but more importantly wants you to enjoy...

...maybe i nailed it, or maybe i did not even come close, one thing i do know is that it is better to stop racking my brains to figure it out and let it just play out and the midst of it playing out, let myself be in all of it...


“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” 
(Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul)

...2014 the year that was...

& 2015... the year to come...

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” (Allen Saunders)

...well, here i am on the other side of 2014...miss me?  i know i kind of did a disappearing act and now have resurfaced after an amazing year...there was some laughing, some crying, some moving, lots of changing, some more moving, lots of celebrating & so so much more...but i came out in the end...hopefully that much better than when i started in 2014; who knows but let me tell you it was one hell of a ride...& now i am ready for 2015...i am ready for my next adventure, to start the next chapter or rather is this a whole new book altogether...we shall see; i am guessing that it will be an adventure in itself...however for this chapter, or the new book, it is not just me and the world, it is also me & my person (& the world too)...ok God, i am ready to turn the page & ready to see the story that will be written...2015 i am ready...but before we go there, 2014 deserves a little nod (& also a flipagram (i just learned how, 2015 is going to be a big year); check it at the end of the page, yes i am a uber dork, somethings never change)

(a thought, maybe this is my version of the christmas card where you write the letter telling everyone what has been going on in your life, the one you are so excited to get & read...your cue --> to just smile & read on...)

...so 2014 what did you throw at us...well we took lots & lots of pictures (which if you know me i was not so thrilled about) but ohh the memories i will have...i witnessed dear friends & family tying the knot, which i love weddings so i could not be happier to celebrate them....i also traveled to wild & wonderful west virginia (be very jealous); not once but TWICE that was where one wedding happened & i also got to see my sister get honored b/c lets face it she rocks (she is my sister after all) and then i watched my brothers open a 2nd restaurant (shameless plug for business here is there facebook page; HangOverEasy, Cincinnati if you be so kind to like it, i would be much obliged ;) , i could not be more proud of them...i know they will do well & will continue to make moves (again i am their sister after all)...i also attended my first one direction concert & let me tell you the only thing that kept me sane was the fact that my nieces were on cloud 9...otherwise let me just say 1 bajillion screaming girls, teenagers,  & women (yes, i said grown women) all at once, got the mental picture, not enough tylenol in the world...nah, it wasn't all that bad, but word of advice ear plugs...we did quite a bit of celebrating, my niece sabene, turned 1, & francesca turned 4, & the other ones (remember i am blessed to be aunt 8.5 times) turned 7, 11, 9, 5, lots of parties, lots of celebrating life...ohh & we celebrated the end of me being single, it was quite the party, there were scarves, pianos, colorful drinks, and lots of stories (PG people) and of course pictures...& to finish the year, i decided to get myself hitched...NOW that was fun, so much fun that it flew by so fast that i am having a hard time remembering all the events that occurred throughout the day (mental note & word of advice, if i do it again; which i am pretty happy with what i got, so most likely will not, i will be taking pictures myself throughout the day so as to relive it instantaneously)...in all reality, it was one of the greatest days of my life, a day where i walked down the aisle to stand next to my best friend & pledge our love, our life, in front of our family & friends under the eyes of God...from the ceremony to the party i could not have asked for a better day, it was my fairy-tale come true, i was a princess for the day...and all those people, people who have touched our lives that came to be a part of the celebration & TRULY made it what it was, my heart will forever be blessed & will FOREVER hold that memory of november 8th...so how do you finish a year after that -- you buy a house, get a new car & have a baby! --> made you look/read; not at the moment for any of those... :) (deep breaths people, i am so glad only 4 people actually read this otherwise i would be getting some phone calls)...we take it one day at a time, we celebrate holidays as a new family with new traditions, we go on weekend trips, we continue to figure us out, we live...

...so long 2014, you were GREAT, thank you for the memories...can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for us... 

...wishing you & your families a very blessed & safe 2015...CHEERS!

*DISCLAIMER -- YOU HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR, or JUST PERHAPS SCROLLED TO THE BOTTOM, so, THANK YOU, now GO AHEAD CLICK THE LINK, a LITTLE RECAP OF 2014...enjoy, hugs to the faces!!! 

2014...this is it....

“...CARPE. HEAR IT? CARPE. CARPE DIEM. SEIZE THE DAY BOYS. MAKE YOUR LIVES EXTRAORDINARY...” (JOHN KEATING IN DEADS POET SOCIETY)

“YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT REAL LOSS BECAUSE IT ONLY OCCURS WHEN YOU’VE LOVED SOMETHING MORE THAN YOU LOVE YOURSELF.  I DOUBT YOU’VE EVER DARED TO LOVE ANYBODY THAT MUCH.” - (SEAN MAGUIRE IN GOOD WILL HUNTING)

...the saying is something like...life is not measured by the breaths you take but rather by the moments that take your breath away...& at some moments in life, it seems that the breath of life is completely gone when we lose the ones that we love...today, a famous actor passed away, an actor who brought laughter, who brought characters to life, who transformed himself into characters we loved, who we wanted to be friends with...he brought life to television, to the movies...& by no means, but through media, do i have a connection to this actor, my heart goes out to his family and friends;  b/c there loss is great one...they will be in my thoughts & prayers...

...just as this man, and among those other loved ones that left us too soon, i guess it makes us stop and think...did we seize the moment, did we seize the day...did we "make our lives extraordinary..." & for that matter are we taking these very moments of now and living so that when we look back...we have loved, we have laughed, we have cried, we have held on tight until we could hold on no longer, we have taken every ounce and lived...

                                “OUR JOB IS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE NOT JUST DELAYING DEATH.” 

(PATCH ADAMS IN PATCH ADAMS)

...in seizing this very moment, are we going the next step and improving upon what we have, or are we settling...don't just wake up and do life; wake up and live life, wake up & improve life from what it is...smile because you can, hug because you can love, laugh because life is funny, cry because your eyes need it, dance because your legs want to move, help others because that is what life is about...

...awhile back i wrote a blog post (well most of them read the same; what can i say i am a broken record); about one of my students, saying if i could leave the world one thing what would it be...& there is the answer, simple and as true as it gets, to not only live each moment like that is all i have but to live life by improving it, so tomorrow is better than today...so that like so many others that have touched our lives whether on a daily basis or just like Mr. Robin Williams who we only knew from afar...we are that much richer, our lives are that much brighter, & the world is that much better because of them...

...cheers to the sky for the stars in the heavens are that much brighter tonight...

..."Thank you for choosing "Magic Carpet" for all your travel needs. Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop. Thank you. Goodbye, now. Goodbye. Goodbye. Thank you. Goodbye..."

-Genie, Aladdin-

...its the big moments that create life & it's the little moments that define us...

"...most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." (marilyn monroe)

...recently over a discussion about kindergarten graduation that went on far too long than it should have; the topic of celebrating moments came up...my counter part vehemently disagreed that kindergarten graduations probably didn't need to happen &  how we now live in a society where we praise kids to the point they do not even understand the concept of failure (which i do agree with; kids get passed on, don't get cut from teams, etc...but that's another blog for another day)...but to my argument i was not going down that road because otherwise we would have agreed, argument would have ceased and we would have moved on...i chose a different path; which meant we did not see eye to eye; which is usually the case and keeps things interesting :)...

...the topic; yet so trivial is...should kindergarteners have a graduation, or rather should we celebrate those little victories??(now granted my counterpart,  would say that i am spinning it towards me; & maybe i am;), but hear me out)...should we take a moment out of our busy schedule and appreciate and celebrate not just the big ones but all the little ones; not because we have to but because we CAN...because we have the opportunity to be in that moment (yes i said it & they will engrave it on my tombstone, be in the moment) and to celebrate life...life often times sucks, and we always here about the negative why not celebrate all the positives...maybe that is what i was trying to say when i was so effortlessly arguing my point...life was meant to be celebrated no matter the victory or the effort; & that is why a kindergarten graduation should be celebrated or anything that you deem a celebration should be celebrated...

...besides why wait to celebrate...think of all those people that thought or didn't have the chance to celebrate that moment that they thought was so insignificant and would give anything to celebrate the little and the big...they would give anything to do so and we have the chance so why aren't we...for that moment do not worry about what it means; if it is too much or too little just celebrate it...take the moment for what it is and cheer them on, hug them, high five them or whatever the celebration is; just be a part of it, all of it...

...in reference to graduation and being a part of a celebration of life...a few days ago i found this clip (posted by someone on FB) and i thought, "WOW", to be so powerful and moving in such little time, in one minute you can sum up what most people cannot do in an entire, book, article, or even a blog ;)...& the source is even better, usually we are used to mr. jim carrey cracking jokes or poking fun, but here in this 1 minute clip he sums it up...i will not give too much away, but he challenges those young minds to push for being in this moment and taking the path not because of fear but because it is something your heart desires, and exploring this concept that you may fail even if you choose the safe route so you might as well LIVE and take the chance on doing what you LOVE...(** a little ironic kind that i am positing this belief and lesson b/c it came from his father & it's father's day;)....

...do these tie in together, you may see it or may not (& there i am yet again blabbing on & on about my convictions)...however if you take nothing, please take this...don't miss your opportunity to celebrate life in all its capacities, and while you are in the the midst of celebrating life, don't forget to take chances...

...to all the father everywhere (no matter how you define it)...wishing you a happy father's day...many blessings to you always...

don't blink...& life will pass you by...

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” 

(Allen Saunders)

...i probably have written a blog or two about this very topic...life being so precious, making every minute count, realizing what you have in front of you instead of what lies behind you or ahead of you; being in the moment of now...maybe the older i get the more i realize this, i look around and think what happened to last month, or i see my nieces and nephews and cannot believe how much they have grown; or i see people that i have looked up to and how their lives have changed...or just how much my life has changed as i get older...no, i was not sitting at my desk looking out the window at the rain, & started to think about my life and  how i can't remember the days when i did nothing and had not a care in the world, and then i decided to write a blog and subject you all to, "ohh how time flies, and blah, blah..."  nah, well maybe a little;), or maybe it allows you to take a moment and be in your life when everything else is passing you by...

...kenny chesney (yeah yeah i know not everyone is a fan of country) but he actually has 2 songs that refer to this topic...take a moment and just listen...don't blink  or the good stuff  

...i want to take you back...think about what has happened over the course of your lifetime; you were a kid, you played in the hot summer days and did not come in the house until the street lights came on, all the kids in the neighborhood played kickball or bloody murder, life could not get any better than that, and then in a blink of an eye, you are in high school, going to dances, and parties, getting your drivers license, crushing over and over and maybe falling in like, and then you graduate, and move on to college where you are the ruler of your world, no one tells you when to show up to class or how/when you get to hang out with your friends, you wake up when you want to, shower when you want to go, eat what you want to, take naps as often as you want, go to the bar on a Monday or Tuesday just because; it is complete freedom and eventually you realize you have to decide what you want to be when you grow up & graduate; then you move into the real real world, where you have to pay for things you never knew were paid for, and you get a job, maybe a house if you are real big kid, and maybe get married, have some kids, or not, but you are living in this adult world...and all of sudden you stop and think what happened, i was just 12, riding my bike, or going to the prom, or raging it in college....you never stopped moving and life moved with you to bring you to this place, to this point in your life...

...and now the minutes turn into hours, into days, into months, into years & there you are thinking time stops for no one, yesterday was the year 2000 and now it is 2014 (like who ever thought they would see 20??; i remember people saying earth was imploding in the year 2000; i hope no one bet the house on that one;)...no matter how much you want the moment to pass you by or to hold onto it, it is gone before you know it....maybe that is why this topic is one i tend to revisit so often, why i am obsessed with time or rather the idea of the absence of time...if you know me at all i hate time; it puts so many restraints on living (there is also the fact that i am always late;)...to be without time would make moments last indefinitely...the moments that take our breath away, that make us smile, that make us laugh til our bellies hurts, that even make us cry, that humble us, that allow us to believe and hope...the moments that inspire us, the moments that change us and give us a new meaning...moments that will never and could never be replicated even if we tried; that is why we don't want to let them go...however; i know that is not how God intended it, He wanted us to move forward in time, He wanted us to learn, and realize that life can and will get so much better than what we already think is the greatest moment of our lives...He didn't want us to stay in that moment because if we did, then we would be stuck and nothing would ever grow, & there we would be, just seeds in the ground rather than a tree with branches...we often forget the moments that are no longer there actually provide the solid base for the branches to grow and leaves to change...

...so BE in every moment, stop and SMELL the smells surround you, SEE all that you can see, TAKE in all that your memory can hold, LOVE beyond your hearts capacity, BELIEVE in not just the possibilities, but the impossibilities...do it all and don't wait because before you know it there will be no more time to wait...

happy mother's day...a little shout out...

...the saying is God knew he couldn't be every where so that is why He made moms...

...whether you think that or not...i believe God did send me my mom, God always sends angels to those that He loves & if my mom is any indication of how much I am loved, then I am over the moon and back and beyond loved...

if you actually think about it, moms take on a roll with many thankless days; on days where they get sh*t on, (literally and metaphorically); & they are the only ones there to clean it up, usually ;)...where they do the  background work and then sit back & watch it unfold...where they love so much they know when to hold on and when to let go...where they believe in your dreams  and more importantly just believe in you...

...they wipe our tears, hold our hands, laugh with us, cry with us, they teach us about life and help us to grow...they show us how to be strong and to live by faith...they do without knowing...and without expecting...

...so today and hopefully everyday give your mama a hug and tell her you love her and then look up to the sky and thank God for the angel he brought into your life...

happy mother's day to all moms :)

serendipity...what does that actually mean...do we really know...

...we know how to define, serendipity, by what others have come up with in regard to this word that actually when you look it up; it makes you more intrigued, it makes you smile because you want to know why it happens or when it happens...

some say that serendipity is "fortuitous happiness" or a "pleasant surprise"...it is noun, that is described as..."finding something without looking for it..."..."an unexpected meeting that changed your life..." ...and the list goes on...it boils down to an occurrence in ones life that ends up being a good thing; or a random happening that ends up being a great story or a happy ending...it can be defined as happiness occurring without expecting it but relishing in the effect that it happened to you; probably at a time when you needed it the most...

...this weekend as i drove down the road...a thought occurred to me; at that very moment that i drove the road; so many events were happening at that very same moment...not all of them great but they were happening...i guess it is the occurrence of life...the one that i seemed to be forever in my mind were hospital moments...mainly because if you think about it, they are the happiest and saddest places to be in...your life is/could be turned upside down and then the very next moment you are on top of the world...people say their good-byes, people hear some of the worst news of their life; people think at certain points that their life will not go on pass that moment in the hospital...but at those same exact moments, people often hear the greatest news of their life; babies are born, people are saved, miracles happen, & life continues to move on...

...the correlation between a hospital and a serendipitous moment, maybe none or maybe the greatest serendipitous moments ever...a pleasant surprise, when someone pulls through, or the words you never thought would be uttered, are, "you are cured..." fall upon your ears, or "..it's a girl or it's a boy, or BOTH... & everyone is healthy..." or even the hardest of words of all, "i love & will miss you; but i will forever be with you..." & at that very exact moment as your perfect person takes their last breath, a warm beam of sunshine comes through the window and you know that this is their way & God's way of saying, ..."life will go on & i'm ok..."  ...hmmmm....

a serendipity moment, what if all moments were just that...what if everything in life was fortuitous happiness...i know we have those moments when life just wants to kick us & then slams the door on us; but why hold on to those moments when the very next moment you could be experiencing could be a pleasant surprise...just sayin'...might as well enjoy...

--> a little clip from a movie that happens to be titled, Serendipity...  & you should also visit the actual Serendipity in NYC, check it (225 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022)  FROZEN HOT CHOCOLATE = YUM!--> the meaning has to be good if it has its own film & coffee/chocolate shop!  

side note...Happy Easter...Christ is Risen...may all the blessings of this Easter season find you and yours today and always...

who says what is 'normal'...be brave...hold someone's hand...

**this one is a three fold blog {& a bonus}; maybe to make up for my lack of blogging; or rather i find a common strand in these stories...it's all about perspective right...**

1~..."what makes us normal is knowing that we're not normal.” 

(Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood)

...i read this story of a teacher being approached by one of her young students; this student struggled in school, and some times got made fun of; but his heart was joyful; and his personality out shined most kids...so one day the teacher was helping the kid and the kid stopped and looked her straight in the eye and said, "...i don't think i will ever be normal..." and she stared at the young student, who was waiting with eagerness for her (who in her mind was far from normal) to provide him with a profound answer...and she paused thinking what could be the best way to ease his mind, so he could see himself as 'normal'...and she thought...

...who defines normal -- according to sources (i googled it), normal = "usual or ordinary; not strange or mentally and physically healthy"...well that is the technical definition & if you google the image of normal, you will see what looks to be the bell curve...can you really define normal, yes the technical definition but really think about it; b/c what i see and experience as normal may be totally different than what you see/experience...and in fact, i think the more you want to define normal the further from normal you are...normal is what YOU define it is; and allowing someone else to define THEIR normal...normal for me is being the best of you and functioning the best way you can in your world...if it is up to me i would rather be NOT normal that way i know i am the opposite of ordinary or that i am a little unusual (if you met me i totally fall into that one); it makes what i call my LIFE that much more interesting...

...the teacher thought again & she stared at him, his hopeful eyes and said, "who defines normal anyways...be the best you can be, and don't worry about being like everyone else...you are special because you are you"...now she knew as she spoke these words, this student probably may not grasp completely the concept of what she was saying...& it wouldn't take his everyday fight with school subjects or bullies away; but she hoped that one day he might realize that his normal is the best kind of normal...& the rest is just details...

2~“... what you think is right isn't the same as knowing what is right.”  

(E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly)

....my junior high years are a blur, i know i wasn't a very kind person and i thought i was better than most...not so proud to admit that...i know they helped form me into what i wanted to be as a human and not to be (i know profound thought; but seriously i was not nice; prefer not to repeat)...i also learned an amazing lesson; i would like to say it came from a teacher's lecture but rather their classroom...as students we probably stare more often at was is on the wall rather than what we are supposed to be focusing on; & this stare provided me with one of my greatest lessons...it hung right above my teacher's desk. a poster ~"...what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular"...a difficult concept to grasp & to hold on to and to actually apply to when you are that young; but it holds so much meaning...i don't feel like this one needs an explanation or how it applies; for it has applied and still applies to my life...so before your next move, stop and think...

3~...“Courage is found in unlikely places.”
(J.R.R. Tolkien)

...Hold a Hand...  ...if you clicked on this link...you would have read about a young girl who was in accident with a school bus...first let me say, by the grace of God, she is ok and recovering and luckily everyone else is ok...now let me tell you about the gentleman mentioned in this story...that morning he was taking his mom to work and normally his mom goes a different way but for some reason, call it divine intervention, he drove her that way to work...and when they came up on the accident...he saw what was happening and left his car and ran up to the car...now i don't know the words that were exchanged but all i know is he took the girl's hand and held it until the ambulance showed up...he was her calm, hopefully a sense of peace for that girl who was probably so scared...God sometimes needs a little help, so he sends us angels to us in human form & i have to say on this morning...my big brother, tony, was an angel to this girl, and he just held a hand... :)

Bonus...~“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”  

(Nelson Mandela)

...i think this song; brings full circle this blog...so no matter what; be the best YOU normally or abnormally can be ;) and while your doing it; show LIFE how you can be brave...

...the stage is set...but how long will this last...

“The world is quiet here.”

--Lemony Snicket-- 

...people are scattered here and there; some have there books out and are deeply attached; others have joined new and old friends for various reasons, chatting and laughing away & there you sit in your world...maybe a tune playing through your head; maybe just the noise of the room swirling in your head...& then you realize the stage is set for you to have a moment, ALL FOR YOU...a smile immediately joins your face ...and a cup of coffee warms your heart & words fill the page...& all you have is that and peace sets in...

...do you think we actually realize when the stage is set for a moment of peace, of serenity???...do our moments appear to be alike or as each of us are they different...they are where nothing is actually happening but it is as if it still fills our soul with peace, it calms the spirit and brings joy to our life...do we actually realize that it is happening??...if/when we do realize it is happening; what do we actually do with it???...do you bask in it?; do you hold on to it & wish for it to last one moment longer???...or do we just brush it off as just another moment...the biggest difference in regard to these MOMENTS...is that you can pin point the moment where clarity sets in...where life doesn't appear to be so busy that it is closing in on you...where you can just take a deep breath...where time does not exist...where it just is that...

...so as you take a sip & play with the pages in your notebook; you realize, WOW, a moment all for me; a blessing; some times when most needed, & often times just cause you stopped...& just as soon as it came into your life...the moment is gone, you look at the time, your phone rings, people shuffle around and you snap back into life & its gone...so, until next time, & the stage will be???

the question was asked...what would you leave behind?

“the greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively”  (Bob Marley)

one of  my first weeks of  school one of my students asked me if I could leave anything in this world what would it be...& as i stared at this young student i realized that she didn't want a B.S. answer; she really wanted to know what i would want to leave behind...so I thought for a moment...and then I responded with the best response i could think of...& my answer was this --...i want to leave this world a little bit better than when i came into it...

...now i am no mother teresa (try other side of the spectrum), most days i struggle just like everyone else; i know that i am probably not going to find a cure for cancer or some other life-threatening disease (even though that will be one of my biggest prayers); i am not going to be the next andy warhol, or the next whitney houston; or the next serena williams, or the next nicholas sparks, in fact when that moment comes and i am no longer; majority of people will not even recognize my name or remember what i did or who i was & that is totally ok; however i think that for me as long as i brought a little sunshine & a little positivity than i will have accomplished the goal of leaving this world a little better off than before...& maybe that is where most of my blogs come from; the last post i wrote was trying to put yourself in someone else's shoes before being quick to judge or killing someone with kindness instead joining in the negativity...maybe its the little things that allow for us to leave a mark of positivity...that allows for the world to be a different place than when we first came into it...

...so each day my goal...is to smile at the stranger who walks on by; to listen to a student who wants to tell me about their stressful life; to remember to say please and thank you not because i have to but because it goes a long way; to give a hug to someone who needs it; to make a phone call to a friend who i haven't talked to in awhile just to say hi; to say a prayer for someone (who i may not even know) who might at that very moment just need it; to take a deep breath, let go before losing my cool; to send a note of thanks or thinking of you because i can take five minutes; to laugh more often; to take time for me so as to allow time for others; to live in the moment of now rather than freaking out about the future, or regretting the past; to live in the positive because the negativity only takes up space (& nobody got time for that); to not take life so serious because in the end it isn't so much about the destination but rather how we got there; to never miss an opportunity, to hug or hold or say 'i love you'...so each day my goal is to live for the better of this that is all around us, so that the world, that my nieces, nephews, and hopefully one day my kids will be in, will be a little bit better not because i was anything important or moved mountains but because i lived for it to be better...

...one day a teenager asked you;...if you could leave anything to this world what would it be...and you responded???

...maybe you haven't lived until you walked in someone else's shoes...

“whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."  (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

...our mothers (maybe fathers) used to say different phrases of all sorts..."don't judge a book by its cover,"    "...money doesn't grow on trees," "don't burn the candle at both ends," "you can't have your cake & eat it too"...& the list can go on and i am sure on & on...and some of them stuck with us and some of them we never thought about after they were spoken...so as you start to wonder, where is she going with this one & are slowly getting ready to hit the close button & stop reading...i am not blogging about all the words of wisdoms we learned as a kid or learning as an adult; i am sure i have already done that...so moving on...

...we all have our stories, we all know our backgrounds, we all know where we came form, we all have our experiences...the reason for this; it is our life; we should know us and who we are and all that comes with it...but here is where we step out of us...have you ever put yourself in someone's shoes...you know when you are sitting at a restaurant and the server is not the greatest, but is trying, instead of getting angry or impatient have you ever thought maybe her life came crashing down before she started her shift, or just maybe the table before you belittled her...or maybe have you ever met that person with a major attitude, and no matter what, they are just never happy; instead of getting 'tude' back do you ever just keep smiling & quietly say a prayer asking for the grace of God to grant them peace & happiness...or maybe you have a better way of how that doctor should do his job, or how that teacher should teach, or how that person should run their business; but do you really know; have you lived their life, been in their shoes...there are a million scenarios, most of which we can all say we have encountered at some point in our life...so here is a new thought or maybe a change in perspective before even going there, or even before you get there...stop, take a breath, and put yourself in their shoes (am i saying there aren't just poopy people out there, no, there is & God help them)...walk a mile, a minute, a second, a day in their shoes and even if you have been there before; just remember when you were in that minute or that moment, you probably wished someone understood where you were coming from...

...take a minute and think; if you had to walk in those shoes...what would you do...

2013 in review...or rather where did it go & where will it lead in 2014...

HAPPY 2014 -- GOOD-BYE 2013...come on do you actually think that this post would be on time...

"...you don't know where you're going unless you know where you've been..."

...let us rewind for a quick sec...in 2013...

...i started my year in Grand Rapids, working for Mary Ann's Chocolates and decided that i would fulfill my dear friends' new year resolutions (don't worry i am not rehashing the story, one time is enough) & go out in to the world of dating; putting my self out there did not work so i ventured into online dating...a date here & there in the midst of all the fun dating, my job status changed and i joined the awesome forces at design design; at the same moment i realized that maybe God was sayin it is time to go back to teaching; so i started searching out and low and behold i found a few; some in GR and then some in Rochester (north of detroit)...and in the mean time one of my on-line dating extravaganzas hits and i land myself a decent guy...so in the mean time of dating this great guy i do not land the job in GR but rather rochester...so i decided to up and move and leave this great guy...& the big move happens, i return to the teaching world and we decide that we are going to make it work, living in two different states...then at the beginning of the school i was blessed with a new niece, ms. sabene (nick & kate's) graced us with her presence a little early but we were so excited to add a new one to the clan...so as i am surviving the school year and adapting to my surroundings; the so called on-line date that turned into the guy i am dating, into my person, decided to ask me to be his wife...and then we celebrated halloween, thanksgiving and christmas and the year came to an end...the buckeyes were ok but didn't win the big ones; my brothers ventured off into starting another restaurant, my sister started a foundation for kids with cancer, i now have 8 beautiful nieces and nephews (i am little partial) & thank God we are happy& healthy; what more could one ask for in a year...(ok so that was a longer recap than i anticipated & that is 5 minutes that you will never get back, my apologies; ohh well what you going to do)...

...as we look to 2014...where shall we go...

let's see as we start the  new year, God has smiled on me and extended  my vacation for two more days ...so no complaints to start  off 2014...and as this year continues we have a baptism  , lots of birthdays, an end to the my first year of teaching & hopefully celebrating a second year of teaching  , i am pretty sure there may be a party a two, hopefully i get to visit a new restaurant, owned by my brothers & then i (which in actuality is still crazy to think about) will be  living with a boy for the rest of my life  or rather i am getting married , the date is set , 11.8.2014 and let the fun begin... 

...so there is a lot of the actual activities   but what do i plan on accomplishing this year for me on a personal note...well for starters, this blog i basically need to get on it or  stop altogether (you can 't live with this suspense and i cannot do that to you ,  it is not right on my end)...so i think a post a week is what i am going to try and hit; i need to read, read, and read & to do lots more it; i miss it,  & it allows for my brain to have a break from reality...i have to finish ms. jane austen, & i have already got some other good book suggestions,  i want to write more, and sew more, and let go more...and just be, & not worry about sh*t that doesn't matter, or is literally the small stuff (trust me i will be definitely be putting this into practice this year, just ask my fiance), and it doesn't mean anything in the great scheme of things, to be more faithful, (as i am putting a lot in to practice, i think i often forget to rely on faith & must practice what i preach and what i know)...& of course my dear friends left me with some other 2014 resolutions (which they have a pretty good track record so we might as well listen to them)...so as we kick  off the year (& ohh, i forgot one, my a*# and hips maybe shall shrink in 2014 and my overall health will improve, but don't we all want that & world peace too); here is wishing to a happy & blessed 2014 to you and yours...

(**disclaimer, this may sound like 2013, but why recreate the wheel, just keep working at it until maybe one day, one year  i will  check it off...)

"...for i know the plans i have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future." (jer. 29:11)

    

authors & creators, typewriters & computers...this all means what?? & where do you lie???

“You can make anything by writing.” 
― C.S. Lewis

--yes it has been a hot minute...i know you have been waiting on the edge of your seat waiting to see what i will come up with next...or rather you thank your lucky stars that i have shut it for a few minutes...either way i am back at least for 2 more for 2013...& then who knows for 2014...we shall see what it brings...

...i have written probably not one but several posts about words, stories, pretty much all topics that cover or touch the concept of writing...maybe b/c i love to write if for no purpose than to fill the page & hoping that with all the words i use; one word or one phrase might touch you in a way that helps you to look at the world in a new light or even to bring you a little bit of me, or to provide you a break from life; hopefully at the end of each read, you smile, or you laugh (but most likely i'm sure you shake your head; thinkin where does she come up with this)...either way thank you for reading one, five or all...it makes my heart smile...now for the post (i know i am not done running my mouth or the keyboard)...

where am i going with all of this...you will be glad to know several places...lets first start with your story...i am a big fan of creating your own story; however i always say don't forget the author; what do i mean, God...let him be the author why?; because He already has one of the best stories written just for you...and He wants you to create it, make it come to life;  show the world all of you and what you can do...the key is you have to be willing to see what He has written for you...the outline is set for you; just fill in the rest; make your story, your adventure come to life; so when it comes to the end of the story, you can say thank you for the ride...

...we are the creators of our own story...now how you choose to convey your message is up to you...are  you a computer writer or a would you prefer a typewriter??...hold on a minute, i am going some where...

a typewriter -- remember back in the day when computers were not a household commodity; where you were even lucky if your school had them & computer class was a requirement so you learned how to type...(yes i was part of that era; for those that don't remember; thank God for google; go ahead and google typewriter)...with these typewriters; some were fancy enough that had the backspace key but most of the time you pulled out the white out; waited for it to dry and then went back over it; there was even the times when you might have to retype the same paper several times because there was no amount of white out to fix the hot mess your paper turned into...getting the picture...SO if you choose to create your story on a typewriter then you know that it might not look perfect and you are ok with it; you may have to redo (white out) or start all over; however it is not the end of the world; you learn and fix the 'mistake' and the next time you type it out; it looks that much better...you didn't stop; or give up; you pushed through the mess and made a better version...SO...can you handle creating your story via a typewriter??...

the computer -- when computers came around our lives became a little easier...households all over had 1 per house and i am sure even now some households have 1/person; most public facilities (schools, libraries, etc.) have computers for anyone that needs access to one...in fact most smart phones have the capabilities to function as a computer...so basically when you open up your computer, open up word, and start typing, you can instantly start creating your own story...and when you mess up, you hit delete and the mistake is gone (like i do a million times when writing a post) or you highlight the word and cut it out & the best part of all computers have a cut & paste option; you can move things around; insert where you think it fits best or just cut it out completely...SO...would you rather create your story via a computer??...

...so we get to be the creator of the story that God wrote for us; we get to be the main characters and see how it all plays out...& then you get to write or make the story come to life and share it via a computer or a typewriter; while a computer makes it easy for mistakes to be cut out & not even seen as if they never happened...(& not to mention we probably can share it and write it in half the time it takes to write with a typewriter)...A typewriter leaves the marks that make our story that much more interesting; that allow for us to see the marks that allowed us to get to the finish product...allow us to see where the mistakes led us...& the mistakes that may have looked like a hot mess for the moment & may have appeared that as if we might never finish a part of the story, but in the end it allowed us to make the greatest story ever, the story of US...which is not perfect; where one can witness all the mistakes & joys all blended into one; that is life, that is the story that God wanted us to create...

how will you write your story???

“you can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.” 
― Stephen King, On Writing