It's Clear...

It became clear to me today after some quiet time and conversation with a friend yesterday that it's okay to not know. My journey from safe and "the known" is moving to the unknown and with awareness and shining a little light on it, it's not so scary. I put pressure on myself to think I should have all the answers  because it will make me and those around me more comfortable . As fear was setting in, my reflex thought is to make it go away and/or fix it somehow. But today I am resting in the "present moment" with the unknown and will let it sit beside me and maybe one day soon we will become very good friends.

New eyes...

Words I read in a book today (about descriptive writing) said "the problem with eyes is that we get used to having them.
Case in point: Genn built a big fort, taking up my whole living room and when I got up this morning she had taken it all done, but did I notice that? NO... my eyes had gotten use to my surrounding and I couldn't see what was right in front of me.
More words from the book: " the beholders eye, requires attention. If we look closely enough and stay in the moment long enough, we may be granted new eyes.

A good reminder for today - when in the present moment long enough - I see with new eyes!

Stuff...

As I was walking into the Target Store today I noticed a few people walking out with big plastic bins. Now I think the bins serve great purposes but my first thought was " oh I have quite a few empty bins in my garage so that must mean I have less STUFF then I use too because they were all full at one time" and to me that is a good feeling. I am not a great collector or things but I do have "my stuff" that is taking up more room then it needs too. Like my HUGE pile of scrap material. It is taking up (and then some) a very big book shelf in my room. I have tapered it down ( I know it would be hard to believe if you saw it) and gotten myself to throw out piles - but the mountain remains. My goal is to make things out of the scraps but I hope that if there comes a point when I need to let go - I can. So in this present moment I am celebrating my empty bins and piles that I WAS able to throw out.

Pickles...

I made sweet pickles for the first time this week. It was SO much fun to take cucumbers from my garden and transform them. I love looking at them in the jars and because they are canned they will last until I need them, so when the cucumber season is over I will still have pickles to eat. My next attempt is to try dill pickles.
I'm the kind of person that needs a little help and support when I'm starting something new. After having done it, it seems really easy but not having ever experienced it, I felt intimidated. I am proud of myself for asking for help and it was really fun to do it with someone else. Even other things in life that aren't always intimidating it just is fun to do it with friends.

Thank you for being a friend...

Others Stuff...

In the past couple of weeks as I've been writing down my gratitude for the day it gives me time to pause. When I look around my life and see all the things people have given me or I've acquired from someone I am left amazed.  It's all a combination of others life's intertwined with mine. I love no matter where I look I can smile and remember the person who was attached to whatever it is and it's like a quilt that has been sewn together from random things - all mismatched and I LOVE it!

Mother Natures Resources...

A few years ago my mother because of health issues had to move from where she was living to a high rise for the elderly to be closer to my sister "just in case".  When she moved she gave me three used trash cans that were containers to catch rain water ( I used them for rain water too). So this morning as my trash barrels were full from our generous rain the other night I watered my garden and plants around the yard. I love using mother natures resources!!! I also am ( with the help of a dear friend ) making a collection of herbs (some local some not) to use for my family. Nature has so much to offer... in this present moment I am grateful!

Thanks - Giving

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  It doesn't come with a lot of advertising and consumerism. It's a day to be mindful of all the things to be grateful for.
Most days I am very grateful for so many things but I've started ( again) writing them down. It's interesting to see the list. At the end of the day I can't help but say "WOW" at all the things in my life there are to be thankful for. It's different to actually see it in black and white then to just randomly think of them during the day. I just like the work "thanks - giving", gives much to ponder.