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| | | | *soft smile*
for a Friend
who reminded Me of the joy of being silly sometimes
Put Something In
BY
Shel Silverstein
Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.
How Many, How Much
BY
Shel Silverstein
How many slams in an old screen door?
Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a bread?
Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day?
Depends how good you live 'em.
How much love inside a friend?
Depends how much you give 'em.
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| | | | It could happen again
(Will Robinson, Tamara Hyler & Bruce Burch)
(sang by Collin Raye)
(spoken)
One frozen night in 1914, at the height of World War I,
the unthinkable happened: all along the entire western front
the British and German soldiers laid down their weapons
in an unofficial cease fire to celebrate Christmas Eve together;
they exchanged gifts and saw each other as brothers
and that peace lasted for 2 more days
when they were ordered back to battle;
in those few days though, men remembered
the reason for Christmas amongst the devastation
and it's a story that should never be forgotten.
(song)
Through the smoke filled night
Silence rose from both sides
Across a bloody battle field
It was a cold Christmas Eve
In 1914
To those who were there
It seemed unreal
This time was still
The spirit moved the soldiers
They laid down their arms
Raised their voices in song
And pretended for a while
That the war was over
If it could happen then
It could happen again
A world torn apart
Could join hands and hearts
To celebrate His birth
And peace on this earth
If on one magic night
We could find again
A reason not to fight
Maybe there's a chance
This time it might last
As opposite sides approached
The roven words they spoke
It was not long before they felt at ease
They shared their cigarettes
What they had they used as gifts
They did not feel like enemies
With candles lit they stood shoulder to shoulder
And on that field they found
True common ground
And as they prayed
They dreamed the war was over
If it could happen then
It could happen again
A world torn apart
Could join hands and hearts
To celebrate His birth
And peace on this earth
If on one magic night
We could find again
A reason not to fight
Maybe there's a chance
This time it might last
If it could happen then
It could happen again
Movie Unavailable? Click here.
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"Tell me, and I'll listen
Show me, and I'll understand
Involve me, and I'll learn"
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain." |
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| | | | When I need to smile......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY
So simple, but so wonderful to watch 'g'
Bring on the Trumpets!!! Bring on the Trumpets!!! |
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| | | | for a Friend
~shared thoughts on music and friendship
~a shared sunrise from my balcony
"I think I should have no other mortal wants,
if I could always have plenty of music.
It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain.
Life seems to go on without effort,
when I am filled with music."
- George Eliot
"Oh, the comfort,
the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person,
having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words,
but pouring them all out,
just as they are, chaff and grain together,
certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them,
keep what is worth keeping,
and with a breath of kindness
blow the rest away."
- George Eliot
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Graphics
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| Riding Wistful Horses
by Alastair Adamson
Sitting here and thinking how
My life much richer is now
For all the ones I've chanced upon
And the tapestry that was spun
There was a time when no one came
No friends to play in childhood game
No one to shelter from the rain
Nor the adolescent pain
Yet in my inner heart I knew
Secrets rare and secrets true
Were wishes horses, all would ride
Other dreamers by my side
Then one day I dropped my guard
I never did something so hard
In my heart I let others in
And found I had a friend
By one's and two's they gathered near
Soothing all my darkest fears
A tapestry we began to weave
And I once more believe
For youth need never fade away
As long as I can dream and play
On wistful horses I will ride
With other dreamers at my side
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| | | | What a great thread*Smiles~Thanks for starting it!
Loving Kahil and Shel, a piece of my own*
Life's Vision
Ever have a vision?
Of what you think will happen?
Of what you wish will happen?
Today, create your own vision
SEE the good in others
LOOK for how you can put forth effort
To begin opening a world around you
That offers so much if you take hold
And let it be what it can be
Be open minded and listen!
Be flexible and give in sometimes
Be one who is helping, caring and sharing
VISION of life is a true treasure
One that can be a rough gem
Polished to perfection
IF you take the time to find it
And live it!
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| | | | First....thank you to all who are helping to make this what I hoped it would be....a place of inspiration, hope, faith, love and reasons to smile.
We all have struggles in life.
We all have battles to fight
Here's to the Fighters!
May they always have the strength
and determination they need to go on.
It Couldn’t Be Done
by Edgar Albert Guest
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it!
Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it;”
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.
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| | | | In Dedication to my Grandfather...who was like a father to me.
This is so fitting...I told him it was ok to go when it was time...
Crystal Shawanda
YOU CAN LET GO NOW
Wind blowing on my face
Sidewalk flying beneath my bike
A five year olds first taste
Of what freedom's really like
He was running right beside me
His hand holding on the seat
I took a deep breath and hollered
As I headed for the street
"You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Oh I think I'm ready to do this on my own
It's still a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go"
I was standing at the altar
Between the two loves of my life
To one I've been a daughter
To one I soon would be a wife
When the preacher asked
"Who gives this woman?"
Daddy's eyes filled up with tears
He kept holding tightly to my arm
'Til I whispered in his ear:
"You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Oh I think I'm ready to do this on my own
It's still feels a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go"
It was killing me
To see the strongest man I ever knew
Wasting away to nothing in that hospital room
"You know he's only hanging on for you"
That's what the night nurse said
My voice and heart were breaking
As I crawled up in his bed and said:
You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Your little girl is ready to do this on my own
Its gonna be a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go
You can let go
~Some of life's greatest moments are hidden in ordinary everyday events~
~Life is not measured by how may breaths you take, but by how many you take away~ |
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| | | | The Awakening
By: Sonny Carroll
There comes a time in your life when you finally get it... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out- enough! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective. This is your awakening.
You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something, or someone, to change or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren’t always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after " must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
So you begin making your way through the "reality of today" rather than holding out for the "promise of tomorrow." You realize that much of who you are, and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you’ve received over the course of a lifetime. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about:
how you should look and how much you should weigh
what you should wear and where you should shop
where you should live or what type of car you should drive
who you should sleep with and how you should behave
who you should marry and why you should stay
the importance of having children or what you owe your family
Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.
You accept the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that’s okay... they are entitled to their own views and opinions. And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a "perfect 10" Or a perfect human being for that matter. So you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare. And you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others. Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.
And, you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by. Then you discover that it is truly in giving that we receive and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of "creating" & "contributing" rather than "obtaining " & "accumulating."
And you give thanks for the simple things you’ve been blessed with; things that millions of people upon the face of the earth can only dream about a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed and the freedom to pursue your own dreams.
And then you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors including participating in dysfunctional relationships. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising. And because you’ve learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest. And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.
Then you learn about love and relationships, how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally and that not everyone will always come through and interestingly enough, it’s not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren’t done for you. And you learn to keep your ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns; anger, jealousy and resentment.
You learn how to say I was wrong and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture. And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you. You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly okay and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say no. You learn that you don’t know all the answers, it’s not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to let go.
Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be, more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it’s wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet "your" standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that "alone" does not mean "lonely" and you begin to discover the joy of spending time "with yourself" and "on yourself." Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know. Self love. And so, it comes to pass that through understanding your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.
Moving along, you begin to avoid toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends. You learn that talk doesn’t change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So, you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind. Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead. You set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.
You learn that life isn’t always fair and you don’t always get what you think you deserve and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment. You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God... but merely a random act of fate.
And you stop looking for guarantees because you’ve learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you’ll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time fear itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.
Then, you learn about money... the personal power and independence it brings and the options it creates. And you recognize the necessity to create your own personal wealth. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. Then a sense of power is born of self-reliance. And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility. Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.
Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you fake a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.
princess
♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥
"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all. |
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| | | | Our Hidden Place
Each of us has a hidden place
Somewhere deep within ourselves;
A place where we go to get away,
To think things through,
To be alone, to be ourselves.
This unique place, where we
confront our deepest feelings,
becomes a storehouse of all our hopes,
All our need, all our Dreams,
And even our unspoken fears.
It encompasses the essence
of who we are
and what we want to be.
But now and then,
whether by chance or design,
Someone discovers a way into
that place we thought was ours alone.
And we allow that person
to see, to feel and to share
All the reason,
all the uncertainty
And all the emotion we've stored up there.
That person adds new perspective
to our hidden realm,
Then quietly settles down
in his own corner of our special place,
Where a bit of himself will stay forever.
And we call that person a FRIEND...
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