choices

November 25, 2020

Day Three of a Week of Gratitude

Let us be grateful to

the people who

make us happy; they

are the charming

gardens who make

our souls blossom.

~Marcel Proust~

It’s Thanksgiving Eve, 2020.

Sigh.

I understand there are probably many people spending this holiday alone because of Covid restrictions. I understand the frustrations. Honestly I’m not sure what’s worse, not being able to go or going and then feeling guilty for going.

Regardless of the choice you make, may you be blessed, safe, and well.

I’m enjoying sharing pictures with you. Today I am sharing many so be prepared.

They’re pictures of young dogs and senior dogs, new friends and old friends, places we’ve been and places and people we loved. Thrown into the mix is a single photo of a kitten who just refused to give up.

May they make you smile.

I am blessed and so very grateful.

I am…

B…simply being.

~Peace~

February 21, 2018

“How would your life be different if…You stopped allowing other people to dilute or poison your day with their words or opinions? Let today be the day…You stand strong in the truth of your beauty and journey through your day without attachment to the validation of others”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Bein

Journaling has helped me be more positive and grateful for the gifts I’ve been given while appreciating the work I’ve done.

I’ve had wonderful teachers. I listened attentively, absorbing their words and gleaning from their wisdom.

I’ve encountered challenging lessons. I studied each course, working hard to master each task assigned.

I’ve written daily, digging into my past, asking difficult questions about my family and the roles I’ve played over my lifetime.

I’ve been patient, praying for an open mind and a forgiving heart, all enabling me to learn and grow.

Slowly, after months of quiet soul-searching, I feel there’s been an internal shift. The weight of my past–all those over-stuffed bags I’ve carried around all these years–is reshaping itself. I’m beginning to feel more steady and stable; self-confidence is crowding out fear allowing me to feel I am in control of where I go from here. I’ve prepared. I am ready.

All those lessons and life experiences have been building the foundation for my future. I’ve been undergoing a slow metamorphosis. My guardian angel is urging me on–reminding me this is my 65th year. Stay aware, Barbara, she advises, time waits for no one.

I am ready–to thrive, grow, and enjoy every single day.

I am grateful.

I choose…
to live by choice, not by chance;
to make changes, not excuses;
to be motivated, not manipulated;
to be useful, not used;
to excel, not compete;
I choose self-esteem, not self-pity.
I choose to listen to my inner voice,
not the random opinion of others.

And so it is…

I am…

B…simply being…

God bless.

~Peace~

May 17, 2017

Choices

My guess is, we all have regrets when it comes to the choices we have made along this journey called life. If we could go back and make changes, would we?

Here’s the deal, at least from my point of view from my little room in my little corner of the world. To borrow from one of Clint Eastwood’s movie titles, some of the choices I have made fall under good, some under bad, and more than I would like to admit to, the ugly.

The good choices are easy to see and share. No surprise there! These good things happened because I listened to the kind, patient, and wise people who miraculously showed up in my life. That word, miraculous, is no exaggeration. By the grace of God, they became my guides, holding my hand while supporting me through the challenging times in my life. Without them, I cannot imagine where I would be today.

Those choices that fall under the bad and the ugly, are not so easy to share. But. These are the things that I feel drawn to share. These “conversations” are my way of paying back and paying it forward. Being easy–not part of the deal.

I found a quote that hit home with me today. It’s from the book, Writing From Life, by Susan Witting Albert, the quote credited to Harriet Goldhor Lerner:

Telling a “true story” about personal experience is not just a matter of being oneself, or even of finding oneself. It is also a matter of choosing oneself.

With that, I am off to get some rest.

I am.

B…simply being…

I wish you love and peace. God bless.

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