For Today... August 22

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Outside my window...it's overcast and rainy, but hopefully I can get a walk in later.

I am wearing...yoga pants and a long sleeve tee.

I am thinking...about my phobias. It's hard to have an irrational fear...especially one that most people don't understand that hinders every aspect of life. Why is "Well, you just need to get over that" the first thing out of everyone's mouth? Don't you think I would change my brain if I could?

I am thankful for...for my husband. he supports he through everything. His picture should be displayed beside the definition of "For better or Worse" in the marriage dictionary!

From the kitchen...probably a fresh local peach and some greek yogurt. That's my favorite snack right now!

I am creating...HA! Nothing right now. My computer is still being grumpy and I can't scrap or anything. I have been doing some writing though...

I am reading...Healing Mind, Healthy Woman: using the Mind-Body Connection to Manage Stress and Take Control of Your Life by Alice D. Domar, Ph.D, and Henry Dreher

From the learning rooms...just taking my reading further. I can't seem to get enough reading material about how the brain works  and mind-body medicine lately!

I am hoping... that the wise people I confide in are right and confronting will help the anxieties subside.

I am hearing...the tv...I love PBS. Listening to a show about classic theme parks of America...and a lot of the ones they are featuring are in or near Pennsylvania!

I am going...give it my best and remember, that's all I can do.

Around the house...well, I need to vacuum AGAIN (thanks to the freaking dog). Other than that, just the usual chores to keep the house running. I should probably decide what's for dinner so I can be rounding up the things to prepare.

I am remembering...to breathe and use my tapping points when I begin to feel panicked or anxious. It isn't always helping, but practice helps...right?

Quote to commit to memory... "Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security." -John Allen Paulos  I need to print this on the inside of both palms!

A few plans for the week...well, house work! I also am doing pretty well keeping my exercise schedule. I am LOVING my Karen Voight Pilates!! I have a new part time job doing some writing, so that is first on the list.

One of my favorite things...is the fact my husband is so willing to comfort me. Even if I need to sob at 4 a.m. when he has school the next day.

Photo for Thought...if you know anything about me at all, you know I love the beach. One of my favorite places is Tybee Island, GA. I follow the Tybee Sea Turtle Project on Facebook and saw that they had another nest hatch today! All but two of the hatch-lings made it out to sea...ghost crabs were responsible for the two casualties. It's sad but it's nature I guess. At least the majority made it and will grow up to one day return to Tybee, Edisto, and Folly Beach to nest again! I wanted to share a turtle picture. Aren't they the most amazing creatures?

This is a shot of one of the baby turtles from a nest on Tybee! Head over to the Tybee Turtle Project page to see more!

A Lesson from Peaches

There are a lot of people that think you can't have fun unless you are in some huge city with loads of buildings and attractions. I say sure, cities are fun to visit, but living there just isn't for me. I love small towns. The slower pace, the friendly faces, the little shops just bursting with treasures waiting to be discovered...I love it all! The town I live in is even better because we are in the middle of a bustling center for fruit farms, and summer is the perfect time to enjoy it. There are tons of places to buy locally grown fruit and vegetables, and anything that can be made with said fruit and vegetables! Well, today I was taking one of my 'round-the-town walks and came upon this happy little table full of locally grown fruit!

It wasn't even a whole block from our house! I could smell the peaches and apples before I could even read the signs. I love that. Now, you would think there was someone manning a table like this. Why, no one just leaves produce (or anything else for that matter!) out without supervision unless they feel like giving it away for free or getting robbed...right? Well, these people did. All this beautiful fruit was just there to choose from and a little jar was set up for shoppers to honestly leave the money for what they buy. Since I was exercising, all I had was my phone...so no yummy fruit for me, but I stopped for pictures!

I just love the fact that I live in a little town where someone can set up a fruit stand in their front yard with a money jar and just leave it there. All day. Unsupervised. The romantic in me loves that...but my practical side was screaming "What in the world are you thinking! People aren't this honest! They will rob you blind!" 

But you know something? The stand was still there, fruit, money and all, when I came back by an hour later. There was even a quart of peaches missing and a few dollars in the jar. And that's when I learned a lesson. I need to be the trusting person I always have been...jaded though I may be. Even coming from our last neighborhood where anything and everything you left outside could be plundered, I still want to believe that most people are genuinely good. There are still other people in the world that believe that too, and that makes my heart smile.  

Not that I needed one, but my lesson today made me love peaches even more. (Yes, only by association, but hey, I'm a visual person! What more did you expect?!) From now on, no matter  when I see apples and peaches, I am always going to remember that little fruit stand a few houses down from mine...and smile.

For Today... August 2nd

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Outside my window...it is dark. I'm up way too late again.

I am wearing...jeans and a long sleeve tee shirt, but I should be wearing jammies!

I am thinking...about an impending event that I am dreading. But you know something...I didn't cause it, it isn't my fault, and I there is nothing I can even to do change it. I just have to push through it when it gets here and help my family do the same.

I am thankful for...for this spiritual awakening and new spiritual path I have found. It's taken me nearly 16 years to get to this point, but I am thankful for that and the fact that I am learning more and feeling wiser and more empowered every day.

From the kitchen...well, it's too late for that...

I am creating...HA! Well, the story there is this: I am not going to be able to digitally scrap for a while. I have to do some things with my files, hopefully to help out the computer. I hope to get back to it soon...but I'm not sure if or when I would get to make the next desktop! I hope it doesn't come to that!

I am reading...The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

From the learning rooms...well, I rediscovered StumbleUpon.com and have been searching things about yoga and spiritually. Oh, and vegetarian cooking.

I am hoping... for continued positive changes! Not hoping... expecting!

I am hearing...the fan, the TV, and my husband walking around upstairs.

I am going...to have faith and know that everything happens for a reason. Everything has it's purpose. I only have the ability to control myself, so that's all I need to worry about.

Around the house...well, I need to vacuum AGAIN (thanks to the freaking dog), and more laundry. A few dishes. Other than that, reading and researching!

I am remembering..."When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." -Lao Tzu  Also, a bit of a change would be "When I let go of what is, I see what might be"!

Quote to commit to memory... "A bend in the road is not the end of the road...unless you fail to make the turn" ~Unknown

A few plans for the week...well, house work! I will keep up with my every-other-day Pilates schedule (two days so far!!!) and definitely read read read!

On of my favorite things...being lazy with my hubby on his day off.

Photo for Thought... isn't this a beautiful Mandala? Well, aside from being beautiful, I've learned it is also for meditation! "Mandala" is a Sanskrit word meaning circle or completion and it is simply a concentric or geometric image used in meditation. This use began in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, but anyone can use a mandala for any type of meditation! I thought this one was particularly beautiful! The image is linked to the store in which you can buy a print...this mandala is Colseaword Mandala No.3 by the artist Alaya Gadeh. Hope you like it!