Only One? Impossible.

Over the course of my life reading books has always been a joy for me. Being given the chance to walk through other worlds, times, dreams, truths, reading a book has always been a welcome escape. My library isn't enormous but it is a good size and over the years, it has traveled everywhere I have gone. My books are like old friends and some have been with me since I was nine years old (The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit Trilogy.....). To say I love my books would not be an overstatement. 

In all of the years of reading if you were to ask me to decide on one favorite, I couldn't do it. Yes, I love to read and re-read the classics, many of them have taken up permanent residence alongside Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Anne Rice, and many others. My favorite? I can't say that I have just one. What I do have are a few 'Go to' books. These are books that always seem ready with advice or a calm word to soothe my busy mind. Clarissa Pinkola Estes penned a book titled, "Women Who Run With the Wolves". On any given day, I can open it to any page and find a word of guidance or assurance. Joining Clarissa's book are a few others, Richard Bach's "Illusions", and Beverly Rollwagen's, "She Just Wants". 

Today, Clarissa's words are, from the chapter "Homing: Returning to OneSelf".....uncanny sometimes - this was what I read....“The psyches and souls of women also have their own cycles and seasons of doing and solitude, running and staying, being involved and being removed, questing and resting, creating and incubating, being of the world and returning to the soul-place.” 
This passage seems apropos to the place I'm at in my life, returning to the soul-place. Creating my place. I feel comforted by her words.

Richard Bach offers something more akin to a Magic 8 Ball. *Laughing* Yes, I am serious. You know how you used to concentrate so hard on a question regarding your hearts most desired wish, shake the 8 Ball and then flip it over hoping for an answer or guidance to help you gain your heart's desire? That is sort of what it's like to open a page of "Illusions". Today I opened the pages and it spoke these words...

“You are led through your lifetime by the inner learning creature, the playful spiritual being that is your real self. Don't turn away from possible futures before you're certain you don't have anything to learn from them. You're always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past.” 

Food for thought and thought to ponder.




To say, "Finally," would be inaccurate but another of my favorites that I go to just to quiet my mind was a gift from a friend. She always put great thought into the gifts she gave me and this one, even though we are no longer friends, is still a treasure and makes me think of her and smile. Beverly Rollwagen's "She Just Wants", is a fabulous compilation of everyday thoughts that women have regarding what seems so simple yet so complicated - everyday life. I think my favorite piece is this one.....maybe....I can never choose just one, so I'll share this one...

"She just wants to let the lazy water fall around her. Someone calls it rain, but that comes with sky-splitting speed. What she wants now is the calming steadiness of a shower. The water should not be cold. She should feel every pore of her body being filled. She will tip her head back, open her mouth and receive what the sky gives. This is a perfect way to drown."

There you have it, a brief, tiny peek into my library. It is my sincere hope that you also have a way to escape and a means to find your way.

Thank you for stopping by and thank you for taking the time to read my rambling thoughts.

Be True

Day two of the 30 Day Challenge - Missy is to blame, she was doing this and I thought to myself, "Self...WTF are you waiting for? You keep saying you want to get back to blogging, here's your kick start!"

Today, the challenge is to talk about something I feel strongly about. Hmmmm, where to begin?
The things that are important to me run a very broad and diverse path. My family, my friends, our military, my country, and my future. All of these things rank in the top for me and all of these things require the same thing from me, simply to be the best person I can possibly be.

Yes, I have said this before, and I shall go right on saying it because every day is a reminder of what needs repairing, what needs boosting, what needs my attention, and what needs my love. My life is far from perfect. Just like most people, I face challenges along the way that I have sometimes thought would get the best of me. They haven't. Nothing, and no one, can ever get the best of anyone unless we give them that power. Empower yourself, you'll be happy when you do.

So what is important to me? Holding my head up (even though some days I fail at this), being honest (with myself and others), caring about myself as much as I care about others, and loving without conditions and without judgement (this can be tough). Ultimately, my words have not changed for years and my belief has not faltered. If everyone worked everyday at being the best person they could possibly be, the world would be a much better place and the world could understand true forgiveness and grace. I'm working on being a more graceful person and any help I can get along the way is greatly appreciated.

In closing, now that I've told you what is important to me, would you tell me what is important to you?

20 Random Facts .... About Me (Because I knew you were dying to know)

 

1) People who butcher the English language drive me nuts.















  2) I was once a photojournalist and it is still the best job I ever had- I still love photography but only if it's at my leisure

  3) I cherish my friends

  4) If I say, "I love you." I mean it.

  5) I LOVE LOVE LOVE my ink.

  6) Roller coasters are AWESOME

  7)  Ramen - I can prepare it a hundred different ways. My favorite is simple, with nothing added except the flavour packet. Yummmmm

  8) I'm allergic to apples - WTF?!?















  9) I enjoy laughing....a LOT

10) I trust everyone, until they prove they cannot be trusted. Then, even if I like the person, I probably don't trust them

11) I have lived in Ethiopia  & Germany

12) Fast cars get my heart going. Think of Homer and how he feels about beer, that is how I feel about fast cars.

13) I have lived in 8 of the continental United States.

14) Raspberry is my favorite fruit flavor... or is it Mango, I can never make up my mind

15) I don't believe in regret. I think regrets are a waste of time and energy. Life's experiences have helped to make me who I am, the good and the not so good. How can I regret that?

16) Red is my favorite colour. It isn't the only colour I like but it is the one I always return to.

17) If you fuck with someone I love, I will make your life miserable. I will make you wish you had never met me.  Seriously.











18) Pretty sure I have A.D.D. It takes me 45 minutes to unload the dishwasher because when I start putting dishes away, I find other things that need doing as well.........

19) I have had a multitude of careers in my lifetime and enjoyed them all, I still don't know what I want to be but isn't life supposed to be full of adventure?




20) I have a recurring dream about alligators. I've had this dream since I was a little girl and the dreams change
a little from dream to dream but the alligators are there, and I'm usually naked. I look hot in my dream though so it's all good.

Outlook Good

 If you were to say to me, "Don't let the sun go down on me." 

I'd ask, "Why not?"

 Life offers us each a landscape for a backdrop of beauty that is always with us, even if we don't notice it.

Waves of beauty can wash the soul clean.

Life is a dream, you create it.

Look for the beauty. It is all around you.

Sigh.

Smile.

Love your life. 

If you don't like the life you have, change your mind. 

Remember, you can fake it until you become it. 

Oh, life's challenges. Suffering, it is brought upon us by our own desires. My desire is that the people I love and care about would stay in my life and never leave me feeling sad, or empty when they are gone. Wishful thinking never hurt anyone...did it....? I guess sometimes, it does.

Look for the beauty, try to find the good and the
positive. This is what I tell myself, even when I can foresee the heart break on the horizon. I guess that idea helps somewhat.



Today, I am having a difficult time seeing past the heartbreak and catching sight of the beauty. Some days, like today, I simply don't WANT to be the 'strong one'. Despite how I feel, I will be strong, I will push through it, just like I do every single time. Some times though, when your heart is broken, it never quite heals fully and it is times like these (now) that it is most difficult for me to keep my head up above the waves.

Live Your Story!

"I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom." Clarissa Pinkola Estes

I will stand there, smiling, with my feet planted firmly on the earth, arms stretched open wide, and my head thrust back, feeling the joy of life as it washes over me.

Any pain I feel, will be life reminding me that sometimes, what my heart desires is not what is meant to be.

Diana Taylor

The Freedom To Run

Getting lost in our thoughts and ideas of what we expect from ourselves, from others, (from life) can cause us to doubt ourselves. Don't doubt yourself, feel content in the knowledge that you are preparing yourself for the next step in realizing your true potential in this life.

“we all begin the process before we are ready, before we are strong enough, before we know enough; we begin a dialogue with thoughts and feelings that both tickle and thunder within us. We respond before we know how to speak the language, before we know all the answers, and before we know exactly to whom we are speaking.”
― Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype