No Foolin’ April Rabbit Rabbit

Happy April 1st Rabbit Rabbit Day!

If you’ve been here for awhile, you know what to do – say rabbit-rabbit-white-rabbit-white-rabbit for I wish you a blessed April abundantly full of love, laughter, health and joy!

Also, it’s April Fool’s Day and while I don’t have any foolishness up my sleeve, I’m here to remind you to be aware of the tricksters out there – those funny bunnies that like to play jokes on you! Are you one of those who do that too? What’s your favorite April Fool’s memory? Please share!

May you continue to shine your heartlights on all! Our world needs more kindness and love…

Shine On!

xo

Let It Snow!

There’s a child-like delight which sparks me up every time it snows! I’ve been this way since I can remember. I LOVE SNOW!

I love to watch it fall – so gracefully to the earth.

I love to be out in it and try to catch the flakes on my tongue! LOL

I love to take the pup out in it and watch him interact with the fluffy white flakes that cover his fur as he tries to figure out what it is and dances around in it. Silly boy!

I love the special quiet hush a snowfall brings. I’m mesmerized by its beauty and that serenity that comes for me when it snows.

All is well in my world. I hope and pray that it is in yours as well.

Shine On! (Or shall I change it up to SNOW ON!)

xo

Hearts Afire

Last night I didn’t sleep well. Tossing and turning and having the strangest of dreams. Did you have a similar night? I kept dreaming about hearts, the ones deep within our chest cavity, almost to the point that I wondered if I were going to wake up this morning. But here I am…so smile…all is well.

Perhaps it is the unrest in the world barging into my unconsciousness…

It’s Pinktober again with all the pink splashed across the pumpkins for Breast Cancer Month. Being that I’m many years since diagnosis on New Year’s Eve of 2001, I hoped to write today to remind us all to be grateful for each and every day. Because we just never know when a curveball could arrive to knock us out of our comfy spots…not that to my knowledge I have anything brewing, but that small whisper in the back of the brain never quite leaves me, even when I do my best to muffle it. Breast Cancer Awareness Month in all its glory doesn’t help either…if you know what I mean.

However, I’m still here. Still counting my blessings. Still getting up every morning with a heart full of gratitude for just the smallest of gifts and the Presents of Presence to know in my heart that I am still here for my family and friends, still doing my best to make a positive difference in someone else’s life everyday. At least that’s my goal…and so far, so good.

I hope today finds you happy and healthy. I hope that your heart is full of love and that you take a moment to find the Presents of Presence for there are many. Just being in the moment is a gift that you give to yourself and to others. Enjoy this day for there shan’t be another like it. God bless.

Shine On!

xo

October 2023

Good morning!! Happy First of October 2023 to you! Did you remember our tradition? Saying Rabbit-rabbit-white-rabbit-white-rabbit! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, just click on the link!

I’m very excited for this month! While the beginning of the school year always revvs me up with the new chapter that it opens, October begins the meaty part of this next chapter. It’s where we feel the shifts that are happening, all the inner work that we’ve been working on begins to show its progress and between the foliage changing with its jeweled colors, the trees (and our) letting go of what no longer serves us and the leaves reminding us to ‘be-leaf’ (giggle giggle – silly pun intended) in our selves…well, what could be better at this very moment?! Oh yes, and a full harvest moon!!

I awoke this morning with so much gratitude in my heart. While I’m always thankful to even wake up in the mornings, today was a bit different. There’s an energy in my giddy-up that I don’t want to ignore. I want to celebrate it – celebrate you – so thank you for being here with me all these years.

Now do you see why I’m so happy? I hope that you are as well…

Shine On!

xo

Happy Sunday Happy New Year

“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 a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Good morning! Happy Sunday and Happy New Year! I can’t believe we’re in the year 2023! Does it seem as startling to you this morning as it does to me? Perhaps it’s just that I haven’t had enough coffee yet! 🙂 But time truly flies when you sit quietly and reflect as I’ve been doing this morning. Reflecting and being present and also taking care to think about the future. Because isn’t that what we do on New Year’s Day?!

It’s a fresh start beginning with January 1st. While I’m not one for declaring my resolutions for the coming year, I know many people who do. Instead, I’d rather take stock of what I have, count my blessings with gratitude, and plan for the future with lots of hope mixed in.

Faith. Hope. and Love.

I’ve been through a lot over the years while I’ve been writing to you. I’ve battled breast cancer (yesterday marked 21 years since my diagnosis). I’ve lost both of my parents. I’ve cleaned out and sold 4 houses for family due to deaths. The marriage and relationship with his family ceased to exist. I’ve endured open heart surgery and Covid. Those are just the biggies. I’m sure there’s more, I just can’t think of them right now…But what I’m getting at is this: what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger…and I’ve learned how strong I innately am!

As I held my sons last night after we watched the ball drop together in Times Square, I began to get teary. The three of us stood together in a unified hug, as it should be. We are family. We have endured so much together. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been so worth it.

I got teary because I am so grateful. I know how precious life is. I understand that life can change in a moment’s notice. When I look back over the last ten years, so much in my life has changed. So much in my sons’ lives have changed and while we don’t know where this new year will take us, what I do know in my heart is this: we will do it together and there’s no place I’d rather be right now than with them.

So as I sit here with a kitty on my lap, the boys and pup asleep upstairs in the early hours of the first day of the new year, I send you love, gratitude and a gentle reminder to always remember to enjoy – the presents of presence – in your life!

Shine On!

xo

Reason, Season and a Lifetime

A teacher is a candle who spends their whole life giving light to all of their students.

I never knew there was a World Teacher Day until I saw it on my calendar, so here I am. Because as a retired Spanish teacher, and a blogger who uses – SHINE ON – to end her posts, well, it was only fitting for me to write today.

Perhaps though I’ll go in a bit of a different direction. Because I think that the world is our classroom and all of her inhabitants are our teachers. Each relationship we have teaches us something else. We learn much from the people in our lives. That poem about reason, season or lifetime seems fitting at this juncture. We are blessed to learn something from each relationship we are in. I found this poem by Brian A. Chalker which I think explains it very well. Read on…

Reason, Season and a Lifetime

People always come into your life for a reason, a season and a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, or to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually. They may seem like a godsend to you, and they are. They are there for a reason, you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die, Sometimes they just walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season. And like Spring turns to Summer and Summer to Fall, the season eventually ends.

LIFETIME, relationships teach you a lifetime of lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway), and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas in your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. Thank you for being part of my life…..

My heartfelt gratitude to all of you with whom I have been in contact, had a relationship, and learned from as my teachers. You have shaped my life in amazing ways and I am truly grateful for all of you.

Shine On!

xo

Walking On Snow

There’s just something beautiful about walking on snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you’re special.

Carol Rifka Brunt

We had a little snowstorm here and it was delightful! I adore when it snows! I could watch the flakes falling for hours as it feels so peaceful to me. The sounds of snow falling is magical and Buster (our new Golden Retriever Christmas puppy) and I were out in the middle of the night while it was snowing a few times and it was chilly, but well worth it. Because nature’s soothing sounds of snow falling, while the world is asleep, I find amazing. To see him trying to capture the falling flakes was adorable and to witness his first few steps on snow (which he had never experienced before) made me giggle, even though I was trembling in the cold. He, who has a double fur coat, was non-plussed as he rolled around in the snow! Ah, the joys of having a new puppy!

I love this quote as it felt so true, especially when we were out a few times in the snow and as it kept falling, our footprints were erased for the next time he had to go outside. Each time, it felt special! There’s nothing like walking on newly fallen snow! It’s as if you’re blazing your own trail!

I think that’s what our lives are for – blazing our own trails (with or without snow). Taking the time to enjoy those precious quiet moments with those we love, cozy and happily being with loved ones, spending time just being in the present. Noticing all the glorious presence in nature and our world.

May you all have a lovely weekend. Keep your heart lights lit and gather your loved ones together with gratitude in your heart for all of the blessings we have.

Shine On!

xo

Thunderbolts and Lightning

Thunderbolts and Lightning! When I hear those words together, they make me think of that song by Queen called Bohemian Rhapsody. Do you know it as well? Did those words together make you think of it too?

Well, last night we had a wicked storm here and as I watched the storm roll in, the lightning flash and heard the thunder roar, I thought of how good storms can be to clear out what isn’t working and to electrify the atmosphere so that change can take place.

I used to be afraid of storms, but I’ve changed the way I look at them. While I am careful with lightning and such, I find storms more fascinating now that my mindset has developed and changed.

Because storms change life up. Sometimes it isn’t in a good way, but in the end, we learn and grow from storms. For if we didn’t have storms, we wouldn’t learn from life’s lessons. We wouldn’t increase our understanding of human behavior. We wouldn’t develop our innate talents. We wouldn’t find our community that supports us. Without storms shaking us up, we would stay stagnant

So let’s cheer to the storms – To the lightning that shines in the darkness where we may fear to tread. To the thunder that rolls in with strength. To the rains that blanket the earth with much needed water to help growth.

Did you have storms where you are? Are you a storm watcher as I am?

Shine On!

xo

Mr. Groundhog Returns!

I am very excited to share that I finally had a sighting of Mr. Groundhog (aka Fatty)! I haven’t seen him in months and was worried that the other more active wildlife here had perhaps taken off with him. But much to my surprise, he popped up into my yard and I was able to greet him with a happy smile.

Now I know many people may not be as enthusiastic as I am when a groundhog who has a large labyrinth underground has made it through hibernation only to pop back up, but I am! A few days ago after the farmer across the street had tilled the field, I watched a few groundhogs scampering across the street in the recently turned soil and hoped that perhaps one of them was mine.

Fatty is looking pretty lean so I hope that his munching on the dandelions (of which I have a ton in the yard right now) will fatten him up again happily after his long winter’s nap. Now I just have to wait and see if Mrs. Fatty returns as well!

Of course, you know I am anxiously awaiting a sighting of my darling bunnies. So far, I haven’t seen them, but I am keeping a watchful eye out!

Which by the way, reminds me – Today is…

May First which is….Rabbit Rabbit, White Rabbit, White Rabbit Day!

Shine On!

xo

Happy Blessed Easter

I wish you all a very Happy Blessed Easter. May an abundance of Easter blessings be yours. Above is the stained glass window from my childhood church which brings me back to the decades of Sundays I spent looking at this amazing window.

When I saw this photo, it touched my heart in ways that I hadn’t predicted. Something so very familiar and yet from so long ago brought a tear to my eye in a nostalgic way. Have you ever had this feeling? It’s the tenderness in the moment wrapped in the gratitude for their love.

May you all stay well. May you keep gratitude and joy in your hearts. Please continue to shine your heartlights for all to see for we need more light in this world. God Bless.

Shine On!

xo