Dedicated to Elaine Miklos
if someone special enters your life
count yourself as blessed
if someone special enters your life
be grateful and enjoy the rest
if someone special enters your life
you will fly with no wings
Magnolia Flower
if someone special enters your life
all of your being will sing
if someone special is at your door
do not ever ask for anything more
When my own three daughters were very young, I read to them from a book called The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, Ruth E Harper (Illustrator), Nancy M. Leak (Illustrator) that was first published by Tanglewood Press in October of 1993. Chester Raccoon, the main character in the book, is soon entering school for the first time and has never been away from his mother. Chester’s Mother is compassionate and understands the separation Chester is worried about and in so doing says that she will give him a kiss in the palm of his hand each morning. She goes on to tell him that when he puts the palm to his cheek, he will be able to hear her whisper, “Mommy loves you!!” This gesture enables Chester to leave for school with a happy heart.
Now
I have grandchildren, two little darlings, Ayden, 5, and Nadia, 4, who visit me quite regularly, as they only live a 15 minute drive from my home. I was fortunate to build a strong bond with them when they were babies, because for two years, their parents and they lived with me. So, now it is always a tug on the heart, when it is time to say goodbye and little Nadia’s tender heart sheds tears. I had to come up with a plan to soften the departure –it was equally as difficult for me. Then I remembered the book, The Kissing Hand.
So when it is time to leave, I accompany them to their car, and after they are safely buckled in, I gently take their hand, and give each of them a kiss in their palm and press it to their cheek, telling them I am always with them –and if they miss me, just to press their palm to their cheek and a light will go on in my heart, telling me, and I will whisper “I love you” to them in the air, with the wind carrying it back to them!
One day as they were about to leave, and as I approached the door, little Nadia grabbed both of my hands, and kissed them each in their palm, pressing my hands firmly to my cheeks, saying, “Don’t forget, Nanny!” Nadia is so brilliant — as we all have brilliant grandchildren who gladden our hearts!
I was so touched by her love crystal gesture!
Today, Nadia created a new little ritual on her own. She said upon her departure, “Nanny, I have an idea! When you miss me at nighttime, look up at the moon, and say, ‘See you at the moon!’ and when it is daytime, say ‘See you in the sky!’ because we can’t look at the Sun, as it is too bright to look into!” She had the most beautiful smile on her face! I was filled with so much love!
We are so blessed, to give each other love crystals to help us on our journey…
the minute you took your first breath
you were part of the universe
breath gives you life
*
receive yourself
follow your breath deep within
honoring the gift within
*
listen to your story
sit and bask in the stillness of YOU
you were born in LOVE
*
you are of LOVE
your breath makes you one with all of creation
your breath makes you one with LOVE
*
Honor yourself
Honor all those around you
you are of LOVE
confidence (Photo credit: glsims99)
I realize that the more I accept this fact, that I do not know everything and do not have the answers to everything, the more I learn.
I realize that fear is a monster that appears to reside in us and can prevent us from being more confident. Fear leads us to thinking we have to know it and understand it all immediately. Fear brings with it the worry that we will not be accepted if we do not know it all. Fear is a false god.
It is so much easier to live not having to carry the burden of “knowing it all.”
It frees our spirit and helps us to live more honestly, I believe. I thought I was open to many people and to many things. Then I have realized, how uncomfortable I am when I am confronted with a new thought or a different way of thinking. Then I have said to myself: “Wow, Jane, wake up! And smell the roses! Listen to the other’s opinion–you might learn something!”
Why would I be so uncomfortable, if I was not filled with fear? Then the fear takes over, and I wear the mask of confidence knowing nothing!
An illusion!
To truly listen is an art. It means taking away all judgment and allowing the speaker to come into your heart. It means not trying to solve anything for that person. To listen means to listen. Not to have answers ready for them…to BE there for them…to BE there with them in their struggle…to BE present…to BE a present. Those are beautiful words but they sure are not easy to live!
Then I was confronted with another illusion! I do not judge others–do I? Oh, I tell you, when you begin to think…it just goes around and around like a merry-go-round! And confidence does ride along the fence with judgment. When we make a judgment about something, we are making a decision about it, and then we feel more confident with our judgment and go on our merry way! Until—someone comes along and blows our entire judgment to the winds, as happened recently to me regarding myself.
Speaking about feelings, I proudly said, “Well, I am only hardest on myself, not others.! Someone said to me, “Well, we usually do to others what we do to ourselves.” The really ticked me off—dang—another thing I thought I had down pat! I thought no one can get me on that point. But since Tuesday evening I have been thinking about just that statement. Usually when I spend that much time thinking about something someone has said to me, I know there is a truth in there somewhere.
Another idea to look at and it did not make me feel very comfortable.
I have been thinking, “Yes, this is true…I am very hard on myself…and then perhaps I am hard on others in very subtle ways….maybe in subtle ways I do judge others. Maybe I am judging others when I am so darn worried about what they are thinking about me, when in fact, as another friend, pointed out, “Jane, it is NONE of your business what they are thinking! That is their business!” So, in fact, when I waste my moments thinking about the opinions of others about me— I am judging them and harshly…because most of the time I am thinking, I am not a very good person…so then, I think they are thinking that also! That is quite judgmental! And not at all nice, that I think they are viewing me as someone less than good. What kind of a friend am I? I am not accepting them as the gracious person that they are! WOW!
The conclusion from all of this is, I need to accept and love myself so that I can truly love and accept others. I need to accept the fact that I do not know everything and that it is quite alright! I just need to love me as I am…listen more and speak less. But then, what would I have to blog about? LOL
Confidence (Photo credit: wherefishsing)
Water droplet blue bg03 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Cruel, cruel worry came upon my brain to perch
Sorrow was his assistant, every crevice acutely searched
Then came in the rest of the battalion
Leaving a trail of bloody medallions
What is wrong, why are you never enough
What is wrong, hurt is lacing your heart’s cuff
Alone you sit, battle within, pull yourself up and be you again
Feeling mortally wounded with forces of evil up to your chin
Turning each cell, trying to fill each with disdain
Invading and depositing pieces of the blame
Mistakes do happen, will occur with revenge
Struggle and fight, do not allow evil to avenge
For inside deep, within the clay
Love is still with you each day
Fill your being with water crystals divine
Let love rule your artistic mind
Compassion and honesty, gentle and true
No matter the judgment of others…you are you
Let the water of the universe soothe your soul
Love crystals abound and give you control
Goutte d’eau. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
With a sweet thank you, topped with red straberries and vanilla ice cream to
Hikari Yori HikariYori@rocketmail.com
and to dear
petitemagique petitemagique.wordpress.com xuppiecat@msn.com
and to dear
http://theelusivescribe.wordpress.com
for nominating me to receive the SUPER SWEET BLOGGER AWARD! My gratitude to you both is immense!
The Sweet Rules for accepting this nomination are:
1. Thank the Super Sweet Blogger that nominated them
2. Answer five super sweet questions
3. Include the Super Sweet Blogging award image in your blog post
4. Nominate a baker’s dozen (13) other bloggers
5. Notify your nominees on their blog
My five (5) sweet responses to the delicious questions are:
1. Cookies or Cake? Double Chocolate Dutch Cake
2. Chocolate or Vanilla? Orange Sherbert
3. Favorite Sweet Treat? Shaum Torte with Fresh Strawberries and Vanilla Ice Cream
4. When do you crave sweet things the most? Chocolate for 2 minutes every evening!
5. Sweet Nick Name? Cacao!
My 13 *nominees are: The “numerical order is irrelevant!”
They are EACH beautiful bloggers in their own right!
Yes, I was carried away…and nominated 14! Grandma Lin just could not be passed up with this award and when you read her blog, you will know why! LOL Have some coffee, shaum torte and ice cream as you sit back and enjoy these delightful blogs
Blessed with a visit of my four year old granddaughter, Nadia, we set out to have a day of play! What fun!
We began the morning with a little breakfast and then quickly went to the corner table so that she could paint her beautiful creations! My, the wonder of her paintings so capture my heart! Being a four year old, the attention does not stay long on one activity. Dripping watercolor from her fingers, she delightfully requested, “Nanny, can we go outside?” Within seconds we were out the door to experience the sunshine of our Wisconsin weather. We had been at 40 degrees the day before, and now we were at 70! The unpredictable change was so very welcomed! Within that short frame of time, the daffodils planted last Fall were blooming! These caught the eye of Nadia, who immediately spoke, “Oh, Nanny, can I have some flowers for Mama?” Of course we cut a few, carried them into the house, found a vase, and placed them on the kitchen table, until later that day when Mama would return to retrieve her little darling.
From the flower arrangement, we moved again to the outside world and Nadia received her requested swing on the playset. After three or four of these delights in the air, she firmly spoke to me, “Nanny, this is enough swinging. Let us water the trees we planted yesterday!” Nadia organizes the events quite well…and I give her the freedom to tell me what her heart desires –the fault of every grandmother. So away we went to water the fir trees that she and Ayden helped plant the day before. A neighbor had brought them over to me as a gift, and we could not delay in planting them. Late, the previous afternoon, Ayden, who is six, placed his little hands firmly on the shovel and dug away. He was so energetic and one could see the proud sense of accomplishment on his face as he dug into Mother Earth to give her a tree. Today, we needed to follow up and give them their necessary daily drink as all young saplings need. Nadia ran to turn the hose on and returned with anxiousness to give the trees their drink. When that was accomplished we began to rake the mounds of earth that we had not yet smoothed from the day before. As we were raking, we came upon an earthworm!
Nadia exclaimed, “Oh, Starflower! You came back to me!”
Not wanting to dampen her playful spirit of recalling her Earthworm friend from last summer at her home fifteen underground miles away, I said, “Yes, it seems she has crawled a long distance to be with you!”
Nadia was speechless but for the love on her face for this sweetly, squirming earthworm in her hand! She spoke ever so softly to this little creature, “Oh, Starflower, you are so soft and you do not even bite me!”
To which I replied, “Yes, he is so cute!”
And, in turn, to which Nadia responded: “Nanny, she is a girl!”
“Opps! I didn’t know!” I exclaimed.
Immediately Nadia requested, “Nanny, where are her brothers and sisters, and Mama and Nanny, and Grandpa and Daddy?”
“Well, I guess we will need to look for them,” I replied, as I carefully raked the ground, scanning for more of the family, with Nadia peering closely at the brown earth.
“There is one! It is Starmoon!” she excitedly exclaimed. I was amazed at her ability to come up with these original names of her friends so quickly and to be able to distinguish them one from the other — truly a childhood expertise!
We proceeded to discover eight members of the family: “Starflower, the girl and the first friend; Starmoon, Starflower’s brother; Starshine, Mama Earthworm; Starlight, Nanny; Star Sun, Grandpa; Star Rainbow, the father. ” Who would have thought earthworms could have such scintillating names!
I found a plastic bucket in the storage shed, and we added a little earth and water, and then the Earthworm Family. Nadia was so happy with her new pets! What a delightful day! Nadia is such a gentle soul with so much love in her heart–even for the Earthworm!
what is it that comes between the moments of delight?
what is it that causes the heart to take flight?
open yourself with tears
open yourself dispel the fears
the ocean waves crest and fall free
taking chances just to be
the comets scintillate with brilliance from afar
Astronomy For Beginners (Photo credit: AndyRobertsPhotos)
you know you are my love star
Ayden and Nadia
undisturbed by the bare floor
Ayden, 5, and Nadia, 4,building block sky towers!
did not quibble
as they built the towers by the door
but simply…stacked the blocks
with intent concentration
no precarious assumption that it couldn’t be done
or any fear of defamation
they played together
daring, courageously and unabashed
the architects of playland
undaunted by the task
if only Congress
would recognize the fun
they, too…
could give it a run
English: Emotions associated with sadness (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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हिन्दी कविताएँ एवं कहानियाँ
Footprints of Thoughts 
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