Here Comes the Sun

It’s the week before school begins in the Northeast and summer is winding down.  I can’t believe how quickly the summer has flown by here.  Doesn’t it seem as if time goes by more quickly every year?

I remember that my parents and elder relatives used to say that and I never knew what it really meant.  Gone are the long lazy dog days of childhood summers.  I remember them well.  Don’t you?

My childhood days were spent on the beach, playing in the ocean waves, picking up sea glass on the sand, and swimming in the pool!  Surrounded by friends, eating PB&J sandwiches sometimes crusted with bits of beach sand.  We didn’t care!  Then going home for dinner, after a long day at the beach, smelling like suntan lotion, chlorine from the pool with bits of salt from the ocean dried on our skin!  A bath and then happily to bed, excited to do it all over again the next day!

Innately for me, every dawn brings promise.  As a child, I wasn’t an early riser and I loved to sleep in, especially on the weekends when I could.  But as an adult, I adore mornings with a cup of coffee and a fresh slate on which to write my day!  I look forward to whatever miracles are coming my way today!

Granted, not always is every day strewn with sparkly goodness.  I know that for sure.  But even when darkness seems to fall on a day, there are still some bright sun spots when we look at the glass as 1/2 full – or with gratitude for even the glass that can be filled!

Greet the morning with a hopeful smile.  No matter what’s on your work agenda, no matter what troubles are plaguing you.  Be grateful you are here today to feel the sunshine on your face as you go about your day.  Send out the intentions for goodness to come to you, through you, for you and in turn, you send out goodness to all with whom you interact today.

Smile.  You are here.  You matter.  You make a difference!

You are loved!

Shine On!

xo

 

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The Ocean…

The ocean stirs the heart,

inspires the imagination

& brings eternal joy to the soul.

~ Wyland

I have always been a beach girl.  Growing up, we went to the beach daily and honestly, I love the beach no matter the season nor the weather.  There is something magical about the power of the sea which calms my tender soul and I am ever grateful for her.

Perhaps being a Pisces, it’s innate in me, that love of the sea.  Two fish swimming is the sign for Pisces which is the last of the astrological signs in the zodiac.  Creativity and passion for writing have always been dear to me, for as you know, I love to connect through writing (hence the blog!).

Summer is upon us, with the start of Memorial Day weekend here in the States.  My beloved beach will be overcrowded now with tourists and beach goers and gone will be the gentle solitude which has soothed my soul frequently.

I am reminded of the quieter times that I enjoyed my solitude at the beach.  Sky and sea met on the horizon seamlessly, blue on blue.  The warm sand beneath my toes beckoning me as the sun warmed my soul.  Scattered shells and bits of sea glass treasures polka dot the sand.  The gentle sound of waves lapping the shoreline like a lullaby just for me.  When I was immersed in the sea, she rocked me, enveloped me, like a mother with a toddler at bedtime.  Gulls flew overhead, calling to friends.  Pipers scampered at the edge where the sand and the water met, tiptoeing quickly in the surf.  At night, the moon reflected on the dark, mysterious  water full of unseen animals who swam quietly by.  Still the waves’ melodious song called to me and I answered, my heart full of peace.

There is so much peace and love at the beach when we commune with her.  Do you feel the same way?  Does the sea beckon to you too?

Shine On!

xo

Sweet Summer

It’s Friday!  The weekend begins ~ just a quick note to send joy your way!  Take some time today to be kind to yourself and to enjoy the wonder of Mother Nature’s gifts.  Eat strawberries, jump in a lake or swim in the ocean, listen to the cicadas in the coolness of the evening, walk barefoot in the grass, on the beach, wherever you are!  Face the sun and let the shadows of worry fall behind you.

Be safe.  Be kind.  Be for just a little while.  Stillness renews our souls and helps us to reconnect soul and body.  Happy Summer to YOU!

Shine On!

xo

A View of the Beach by a Jersey Girl

So as you may remember, I’m a Jersey Girl through and through.  Not the Jersey Shore type of gal, but a Jersey Girl which means that I grew up by the beach.  The ocean beckoned me every summer’s day and even when the weather wasn’t delightful, she beckoned and I answered, surrendering to her call.

To me, the beach is my only drug.  It soothes my soul.  No matter whether the weather is sunny, bright and warm or blustery, cold and cloudy!  The tranquility of the waves, the beauty of the sky as it meets the ocean, the way the waves draw on the sand, soothes my heart, my mind and me.  Even when the storms come and the waves thrash against the shoreline, rising up with their powerful swells, the beach is still my favorite place to be.

Because to me, the beach and the ocean are like life.  Some days are filled with sunshine and with rhythmic waves that we ride along with ease!  Some days are blustery, cloudy and the uncontrollable swells sweep across our lives and take with them everything that we know.  Even when tragedy strikes, it is to the beach that I return, finding my compass again to build another sandcastle baby step by baby step in my life.

With Hurricane Sandy, so many were devastated by her wrath.   Familiar buildings nearby were demolished, swept away by the sea.  The landscape changing completely by the power of the storm.  Destruction that will take years to rebuild has changed so many lives and it is with a tear-stained face that I witnessed so much.  However, months later, we are a part of Restore the Shore, starting over again, rebuilding and changing and making stronger.  It is to the sea that we all are drawn here.

We acknowledge her power, her beauty and her will ~ we bend to her, but we never break completely for we are Jersey Strong.  Time heals us and it takes time to heal, but with strength, love and will, we can rebuild her and enjoy her once again!

Mountains and forests are beautiful but simply don’t hold that magical, powerful draw that the beach has for me.  Perhaps if I weren’t born a Jersey Girl it would be different.

I am forever a Jersey Girl.

I simply can’t be far away from the sea ~

her beauty, her power, and her saltwater flow forever in my veins.

What about you?  Are you a beach, a mountain, a forest or another type of nature admirer?

Shine On!

xo

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/03/02/daily-prompt-places/

Daily Prompt: Places

Beach, mountain, forest, or somewhere else entirely?

A New Dawn

Good Morning to YOU!  I awoke early this morning and I have truly enjoyed such a delightful few hours that I don’t care that I’ve not had much sleep as they were so wonderful to experience that I am feeling even more blessed than usual.  In the quiet of the very early morning (think 3am!) I began my day today, enjoying a fresh cup of my favorite  Breakfast Blend (best price I’ve found thus far so thought I’d share), flanked by ‘the girls’ (our 2 cats) and the peaceful quiet of the early morning.

I am excited because things are starting to roll for me again…I can see the new dawn and a new beginning for me.  I am feeling a new-found energy which I had lost and I think that the taking care of me which I have been deliberately planning is beginning to work its magic!  Yesterday,  I met with my friend KAngel who in her infinite and patient wisdom helped me to re-see my vision that I had formed awhile ago.  I am excitedly working on something new which I’ll unveil soon ~ and KAngel’s been a big part of it.

But since I had so much me time that I hadn’t planned on, I thought I’d just peruse a few blogs this morning that I follow and what a beautiful gift this morning’s array of blog posts was!  In fact, some of them were a few days old and then as I went through the archives, I dug deeper into a few that I hadn’t seen before and the next thing I knew, it was 6am and time to awaken the troops!

Ahh…but I received so many gifts this morning that I thought I’d reblog a couple of them.  This is a first for me so I’m not quite sure if I am doing it right, but here goes!

From Lead.Learn.Live

a-star-is-born

I ended up bookmarking the site www.calm.com and enjoying a bit of the other scenes as well…what a magnificent way to enjoy my coffee this morning!

Thanks for the inspiration of song choice from sunday-songbird-5 which is from Andrea Kelly (sorry, I wanted to put in the lyrics!)

All to the tunes of

I wish you a beautiful day as well!

Enjoy!

xo

Gratitude Day 7 – Timing is Everything

Dear Michele,

I loved how we connected today at the Salon and I feel very honored that you shared with me about the loss of your Dad.  My heart goes out to you as I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for you to lose someone so dear.  What a blessing to have had a Dad who was such a great part of your life ~ and who was both a Mom and Dad to you.  What an extraordinary man he was!  And what an extraordinary daughter he raised!

You are such a sweet, kind and caring person.  I am so glad that you have adopted your darling Frankie!  I love the name and the significance of it! He is truly adorable ~ God’s timing was perfect, wasn’t it?

I am blessed to know you.  I just wanted to send you a hug to let you know I’ll be thinking of you on Father’s Day…Your Dad surely watches over you everyday!  I am so glad you feel his angelic presence!  Thanks for being YOU!

Warmly, xo

Misifusa

Yesterday I went to my favorite salon and while I was getting a coffee before my appointment, one of the skincare professionals was standing there.  She is a remarkable woman with whom I’ve had the pleasure of having facials!  She truly has beautiful skin and when I complimented her on it, she attributed it to her father’s genes.  I told her that she should tell her Dad that on Father’s Day to which she told me that her Dad had recently passed in January.  Insert FOOT here…I hugged her and told her how sorry I was and she went on to tell me all about her Dad.  What a loving tribute to a man whom she said was both Mom and Dad to her!  The connection we shared was instantaneous and I was so happy to share in that moment with her.  When I asked if she felt his presence, she said she did and told me a special story about her new puppy named Frankie and an experience she’d recently had on the beach the past weekend.  I was so happy she’d shared so much with me that I wanted to send her a card to let her know that I am thinking of her, especially with Father’s Day around the corner.

I love my life in that I seem to connect with others so easily sometimes.  It’s like she needed to tell the story of her Dad and I was there, willing to listen and to experience it with her…how blessed am I that she chose me to share with ~ and how blessed is her Dad to have such an amazing daughter!

I hope you connect with someone special today!

xo

Memorial Day ~ True Heroism

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.

It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost,

but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” —Arthur Ashe

On this Memorial Day 2012,  I am reminded of all who have served our beautiful country, the Unites States of America…allowing us to LIVE in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.   Members of my family have served our country and I am proud to say that for I feel it is our duty to all participate in supporting our military in whatever way we choose ~ be it by serving in the forces, by volunteering to help, by commerce ~ even by prayer.

I have had the pleasure of meeting many military personnel in my life and hearing their stories.  What always brings tears to my eyes is the fact that they have faced fear and had the courage that many times we shy away from in our own lives.  I’ve heard it said many times, that they would repeat what they had done because of their amazing conviction, devotion and urge to protect our country and its inhabitants.

Just for a moment today I’d like to ask that you give a thankful thought to all of those who serve our beautiful country ~ be grateful for all that you have today ~ that as you go about your journey to your party, to the beach, to a friend’s house, to a picnic or perhaps to work ~ that you do it safely because of those who serve are watching out for you and me.

Happy Memorial Day!

xo