Saturday 28 February 2015

10 things everyone should learn as a child

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/10-things-everyone-learn-kid/10 Things Everyone Should Learn as a Kid
Smiling Kid
“There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other wings.” ~Johann Wolfang von Goethe
In 2010 two major life events marked my life forever: my father lost his battle with melanoma and I become a mother.
Both events came unexpectedly. My father was only fifty-six years old and had never been sick for one day of his entire life. Also, I had other plans at the time, focusing heavily on my career, so I did not want to have a baby just yet.
But life is what actually happens to us while we are making all those plans. I remember being six months pregnant at my dad’s funeral, and my baby did not move at all throughout the entire day. It’s like she wanted to stay quiet so that she would allow me to focus on my grief.
In 2010 I lost someone I loved and then I gained someone else. Here I am now, four years later, enjoying my life as a mother, simply adoring my daughter and being very clear about all the things I want her to know. And still, so desperately, missing my father.
This is my list. I could add another 100 things, of course, but I learned to keep things simple. And really meaningful. So here it is:

1. Cherish every moment you spend with your loved ones, and don’t take them for granted.

To say “I’m sorry” or “I love you” to a picture on a grave is the most painful experience ever. Be careful to not get there.

2. Sometimes, your only available transportation will be a giant leap of faith.

Take a deep breath and take that leap.

3. Other times you’ll be afraid of failure.

It’s okay, we all are. Just go for it. You’ll either succeed or you won’t. Either way, you’ll not live with the regret of never trying.

4. Do more of those things you enjoy doing.

Explore as many activities as you can. Finding your passion is not a myth, but it is surely not as easy as it sounds, so be open and curious. Experiment. Learn.

5. Embrace challenges.

And don’t be afraid of change. Look for opportunities all around you.

6. Happiness is a right you give yourself.

Be happy with who you are. Accept yourself, have patience with yourself, and love yourself unconditionally.

7. What you see in the movies about love is not all the truth.

Love is not only about passion and romance. It is also about doing the dishes together after a Christmas family dinner and then falling asleep exhausted in each other’s arms.

8. Nobody is perfect.

So don’t look for the perfect person. Just look for the flawed one who still makes your heart sing.

9. Be present.

Go only to those events or meetings  you actually want to attend. Saying no will not hurt other as much as you’d think. They will get over it. What you can’t do is recover a lost moment of time.

10. Don’t settle.

If you are not satisfied with one result, take action, go deeper, or try a new approach. Don’t do anything only because “you have to” or because others expect that of you.
You can’t avoid pain; it comes with life. The only thing you can control is how you react to it. This is one of the most important life lessons I learned back in 2010. I will never forget my father. And I will continue to teach the lessons above to my daughter for as long as I live.
Smiling boy image via Shutterstock

Wednesday 25 February 2015

The Beautiful Promise of Spring

http://easyhomeandgarden.blogspot.ca/2014/04/50.html
This link courtesy of my dear friend Shelley
Thank you


Beautiful spring things to look at


My sweet bundle of Love
My own personal Lion King



I love spring flowers




Chinese symbol for LOVE♥




I love pink especially hot pink this spring


Hush, Can you hear it?

The rustling in the grass,
Bringing you the welcome news
Winter's day is past.
Soft, Can you feel it?
The warm caressing breeze,
Telling you the sticky buds
Are bursting on the trees.
Look, Can you see them?
The primrose in the lane,
Now you must believe it -
Spring is here again.
~May Fenn, It Must Be Spring

Verse posted by my dear friend Dani on Facebook
Thank you 

And spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the spirit of love felt everywhere
And with flowers and herbs on Earth's dark breast
Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Monday 23 February 2015

Rose Quartz and the beauty of books


A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.

What book are you currently reading

Jacqueline Kennedy reading to her daughter Caroline
I love books and these vintage black and white photographs
My Son and his son reading his book

Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind,
flight to the imagination
and life to everything
Plato


http://www.buzzfeed.com/jenniferschaffer/i-am-i-am-i-am?bffbbooks#.kvnL3B80y

Beautiful words and the link was posted by my dear friend Nooshin
Love you 

“In our village, folks say God crumbles up the old moon into stars.”
—Alexander Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich



☮•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.•°*”˜“Reading˜”*°•.¸☆
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵Ʒ..•°*"˜ ☼¸♪♫is the sole means´♪♫ ~Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵Ʒ.
.(ړײ)/ .. by which we slip, involuntarily,

.«▓ .. often helplessly, into another's skin, 
. ╝╚ .. another's voice, another's soul.” 
☼¸.• ♪♫ Joyce Carol Oates ˜”*°•.¸☆



Congratulations Julianne Moore 
here shown with Kelly Ripa

Still Alice was a heart wrenching movie

I love watching the Academy Awards and loved the way Lady Gaga sang

everyone was remarkable


http://www.theguardian.com/film/gallery/2015/feb/23/the-best-of-the-oscars-2015-in-pictures?CMP=fb_gu
Academy award moments



Good books perfume flowers
and a lady is all set
Smiles
Unsure of where this photograph was from
Perhaps Facebook



I love rose quartz............


Sending you some loving rose quartz energy today. Rose quartz crystals carry a very gentle and soothing energy and they help give comfort to your heart and soul.  Robyn Nola http://www.robynnola.com/

Sunday 22 February 2015

Soulful Sunday

Do not let Sunday be taken from you If your soul has no Sunday, it becomes an orphan.”

Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week”


Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines, 2015  My Son and his wife and their son just returned from their fabulous February vacation.
















Our laughs limitless
Our memories countless
Our love endless








Saturday 21 February 2015

Saturday

"February Twilight"
I stood beside a hill
Smooth with new-laid snow,
A single star looked out
From the cold evening glow.
There was no other creature
That saw what I could see,
I stood and watched the evening star
As long as it watched me.
~ Sara Teasdale



Have a fabulous Saturday and enjoy it in every way


Beautiful blossoms will soon be before us


Giggles are good for the soul

Beautiful spring blossom latte


Me and Mr. Lego man in Chicago



ღϠ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ
"We all need to be shown kindness and
we all need to express it. Acts of kindness
connect us to one another."
~ Author Unknown ~
ღϠ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ Ϡ₡ღ

Thursday 19 February 2015

Happy Lunar New Year Good Fortune Awaits

Today marks the beginning of the Seollal holidays and a brand new start to the lunar calendar year. It is a time to celebrate with your family and love loves as well as a time for paying respect to your ancestors. During this festive period, you may see people travelling in hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) and carrying gifts for their family. On the morning of Seollal, ancestral rites are usually performed in order to pay respects to the family members of times gone by. After the ritual, a generous feast is had and games played. It is quite a fun time.

We wish you only the best for the New Year that is at hand and hope that everything turns out the way you want it to. Happy Lunar New Year!

How Lunar New Year is usually celebrated in Seoul South Korea

From Seoul Korea on Facebook




Happy Lunar New Year from my home and heart to yours with love
Good fortune awaits us all








Photographs taken at Starbucks on Lunar New Year
2015

❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥
"Once a happy thought gets started, 
you can't help but feel warm-hearted."
~ Author Unknown ~

..


Asian accents and angel wings bless my home



My lucky purse from Seoul on my door
Enter with a happy heart


Logan's Sheep for Lunar New Year
Love Ewe




Chinese calligraphy Love Sign


How to celebrate an authentic Chinese New Year
On the first day of the Chinese New Year, roosters crow to mark the arrival of New Year. The younger generation visits the older generations and receives New Year gift money from them. ‪#‎ChineseNewYear‬‪#‎SpringFestival‬


Red she said

☆.´ `. ღ ❣•*¨*•.¸¸(͡๏̯͡๏)¸¸.•*¨*•❣

(͡๏̯͡๏)(͡๏̯͡๏) ♡ THURSDAY 

( , , )( , , ) ★ BLESSINGS ☆
¯**´¯**´¯ 
═════════ღ❣•*¨*•.¸¸(͡๏̯͡๏)¸¸.•*¨*•❣ღ════════

Chinese Calligarphy
New Year 


I love this song by Little Dragon
Good Fortune










Beautiful asian accents for this Lunar New Year
Photographs from Facebook

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Year of the Wood Sheep friends!
"Sheep year is time for healing, kindness, and diplomacy. Sheep correlates to the Western sign Cancer, the sign of the mother and nurturer. So what is of value in Sheep year is intimacy, family, and close friendships. We can be more caring, gentle, and sensitive with each other. This is the year to develop a wild heart, open to love and acceptance on all levels.
Another theme of Sheep year is to express your creative side. Now is the time for artistic development and cultivation of beauty.
People born in Sheep years (2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967,1955, 1943, 1931, 1919, 1907) are artistic, kind, inspired, very empathetic, and naturally creative. They appreciate beauty in all its forms, and are connoisseurs of the best life has to offer. They can find success in artistic fields, especially the healing arts. With a tendency to be introspective, Sheep require solitary peaceful moments to replenish. Sheep often struggle in youth until their first Saturn return at age 28 – 30, but as they age become stronger and discover their true calling. The most fortunate part of a Sheep’s life is when they are an elder.
The mildness of Sheep can hide an independent streak. In the wild, Sheep are surprisingly tough and able to tolerate sever weather and scarcity of food. Sheep have this natural ability to survive when one must, and are far stronger than they appear. A Sheep can be calm and charming, yet is very focused and determined. A Sheep won’t be told what to do, stay at a job they dislike, or be forced to compromise. If you are not a Sheep favorite, and Sheep does have a small select group, Sheep won’t confront you but will just go their own way. So keep the peace this year while developing your spiritual path and exploring creative adventures in the arts."
Above from the Spirit that moves me on Facebook


From Seoul Korea on Facebook
Happy Lunar New Year's day! On Seollal, we perform charye, ancestral rites, to worship the ancestors. On the table for the ceremony is a variety of food items including rice cake tteok, meat, fried Korean-style pancake, fruits, etc. After the ceremony, we share the food.


I Believe...
A Birth Certificate shows that we were born.
A Death Certificate shows that we died.
Pictures show that we lived!
I Believe...
That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.
I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I Believe...
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I Believe....
That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I Believe....
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.
I Believe....
That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I Believe...
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I Believe...
That my best friend and I can do anything, or nothing, and have the best time doing it.
I Believe...
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I Believe...
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I Believe...
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I Believe...
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life ... forever.
I Believe...
Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.
I Believe...
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.
I Believe....
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything.