Gratitude....

On this seemingly most American of holidays, I am grateful for many things....
I am grateful for the friends that picked me up out of the hole of despair I had fallen into during my divorce in 2002. They not only held me up, propped me up, cheered me up and boosted me up, they also encouraged me to save my money for a trip to Italy. Then, after many months of saving and planning, we went the first week of March 2003 (the same week the war in Iraq started).
This photo was taken in a small town on the Amalfi Coast, I could guess which, but I have no real recollection. I it is interesting to me as it is a photo of a father and daughter eating their lunch on the front steps of a building used as a Post Office. It reminds me of my observations that Italy, while a thriving country is still in many ways not quite in the 21st century. It is quieter and more easy-going than America, at least on the surface.
Back to us....
We are so very fortunate.
We have reliable electricity, food, water, and security on a level unknown in other parts of the world.
And, in many ways we are spoiled.
We take these things for granted.
These days we are starting to feel a bit of a pinch.
We are worried about where our 401k's are going.
It seems that we forget how very lucky we are.
I believe that everything will be alright.
God's in charge.

And they call it Fall....

Well, it hardly sounds spectacular enough.....
The trees!
How absolutely incredible that they put on this display just before their long winter nap.
Brilliant is what they ought to call this time of year.
This tree is so much more, in the flesh, so to speak.
So much more yellow, orange and aflame.
Went on a little photo safari with my pop this morning and this was what he wanted to show me.
Perfect.

I am blessed....

Well, to tell you the truth, I am more than blessed. I have the distinct pleasure and privilege to photograph wonderful people. And, I am amazed that God saw fit for me to be able to do this for a living.

Seems like a very long month.....

We have been shocked,

We have been sad,

We have been inspired,

We have been exhausted,

We have been rejuvenated....

We are moving...

Unexpected for sure,

worrying, yes,

but exciting too.

When the company that you have worked for 35 years

closes......

What do you do?

Grieve.

There is so much change going on around me that I can hardly

breathe....

But....

I believe

that there is something

Wonderful on the horizon, if only we will

walk in the right direction,

and be willing to see things differently.

BREATHE......

Big breath...

whew...

I am hopeful.

I am tired,

I am hopeful.

breathe...

Long ago and far away....

It seems like a million years ago.

But in reality it was only 25 years or so...

We were young, making money, spending it,

traveling, carefree....

We had no children,

we had few bills....

We were young, foolish and happy...

We visited St. Augustine, Fl.

And....

We moved on.

We got "real" jobs,

made tons of money,

bought homes,

had children,

got involved in PTA's,

made Kool-aid, cookies, after school snacks,

cup cakes, birthday cakes, patty cakes,

We nursed sick children,

helped them with homework,

got them off to college,

and now we are re-connecting to the

carefree people that we once were.

trouble is.....not everyone wants to

reconnect....

We can't always understand why friends want to

forget.

Did we do something they can't forgive?

Were we not there for them when they needed us?

Or

are there other memories that they simply cannot tolerate,

that by simply being with us they cannot ignore?

It is so strange.

So hard to fathom...

We may never know the reasons.

Maybe we aren't meant to....

Lavender......

Lavender is the smell of serenity.......
I am addicted to the waves of heady sweetness that emanate from my wardrobe drawers as I open them to put away clean laundry. I find myself unable to resist the cheap hit of lavender found at the "dollar store" in the soap aisle. I scarf up as many of the small boxes of Yardley lavender soap as a basket will accommodate, run home and hide them all in various secret places so that the whole house will have a faint aroma.....
When we traveled to rural Canada last year we visited a lavender farm.
The tour guide remarked that when the harvest came in, everyone on the job would become very "laded back" from working in a constant state of serenity.
That's where I want to work,
next time around.....
Smiles!

Taking the easy way out......

Of this week.....

Someone sent this to me this morning, and I reflected how true it is....

A group of university graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit one of their honored professors, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.
Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of porcelain, glass, and crystal cups with some being rather plain looking while others were expensive and exquisite looking. He then asked them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.
When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress."
"The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups. And then you began eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this:"
"Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have."
"Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups."
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have." "Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy the hot chocolate in your life."

Happy Friday!