Some Brief Thoughts This Beautiful Mother's Day Morn

My passion is ...my family. I can't imagine life without any of them...yes, even the dogs!

My parents always told me ......if you can't think of anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Everyone has feelings and feelings are very fragile. This is a valuable life lesson. Words are important. They can wound deeper than anything you can physically do to a person, the wounds are so deep they are often unseen. They can also inspire someone and lift them higher than they have ever been. It all goes back to "it's not so much what you say, as it is how you say it." It is the thought, the feeling and emotion behind the word that gives it so much strength.

My childhood ambition ...To write books! I love to write, to meet my characters and help them tell their stories. I feel like characters in a story need to be multi-dimensional. You need to really know your character, not just in the moment, but on a personal level, what has led them to this moment ~~ how they became who they are and how they react, in order to tell their story well.

My favorite memory ...there are so many to choose from, I couldn't possibly say. I have been blessed. This is very true. I have so many good memories from early childhood right up to now; choosing one to be my favorite would be like trying to select my favorite snowflake~~ they are all so beautiful and unique, how can you possibly choose?

Why I write ...it's a great creative outlet. I love to write...many genres...many ideas. I read somewhere that you should, every so often, write something that is outside of your comfort zone ~~ maybe something in a different genre. It tests you and stretches you and gives you a different perspective to look at and write about.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...ahhhh.....that is ever changing (lol)

My first job ......was working with autistic and schizophrenic children. That was awesome, life altering. You can really make a huge difference in someone’s life if you just take the time to care and show them you care.

My best moment ...was becoming a mother ~~ how can you possibly top that?....well, okay, my son's graduation was pretty awesome too! I have never felt so much pride before ~ you know how they say you are so full of pride you feel like you could just burst...I had always thought that was an exaggeration, but it's true! My inspiration ...definitely my son. I hope someday to be able to live up the image he has always made me feel that he had of me. Just a thought....

It seems days like this when the family is gathered near, I get nostalgic. Thinking of days gone by...happy thoughts...and the memories that lie ahead waiting to be made. What are some of your memories and happy thoughts? Happy Mother's Day!

Do You Need Inspiration?

Its habitual. Every day I sit down at the computer and open my email. Like most people, there are those spam emails you try fervently to get rid of, the e-mails that make you smile that come from friends, e-mails that draw you back into reality and responsibilities, perhaps even some newsletters.

It started like a typical day, checking emails. In a newsletter from a writing group I subscribe to, I received an email with this link...."Do You Need Inspiration?" Good title. Good post. Little did I know it was a harbinger for the day ahead.

Like many of us who are getting older, there are some days when life's responsibilities seem to ...landslide. Today was such a day. Today was one of those day that is a series of photographs in the memories that live in my mind.

It started with an inspiring "Kodak moment" playing out in the realms of my memories. Like a slide show of my son growing up, a barrage of happy "memory photos" of his past: running outside and playing with the dogs. Today, my son graciously put the dogs' new doghouse together for them before he left for his "Western Civilization Since 1648" class. (Alas, he is now in college, no longer a little boy.) Gryffindor (the husky) seemed to be admiring my son's handiwork and the new house...sort of...I guess, she was sniffing around supervising at any rate.

As he left for class, I left to check on my mother as she is getting along in years and health concerns have been catching up with her, seeming to compound over the past several months. Today was one of those days that leaves me concerned with her living alone as she so adamantly insists. When I arrived this morning, she had fallen. She twisted her ankle, it is swollen and is painful, but, luckily, doesn't appear to be broken. I made sure she had eaten and stayed with her as she laid down to take a short nap as the day had taken its toll on her. Enter the second "Kodak moment" slide show ~~ where I was growing up and our roles were reversed, she was taking care of me. (Sigh. They say the day comes when the roles reverse and the child becomes the parent. I suppose that time has arrived. I only hope I can care for her as well and as lovingly as she did for me.)

Then, I came home to find Gryffindor in the doghouse....well, her head was in it, the rest of her was laying on the grass... I suppose she was thinking of calling in her own design team to decorate her new abode. This dog is full of personality and has a wonderful sense of humor!! Scooter (our Yorkie) had been outside chasing butterflies and decided it was time to take a break and come inside. As he happily lopped across the yard (still watching the butterflies) he suddenly jumped backwards, jaw hanging open in surprise. A snake sat up in the grass staring at him. Gulp! The snake slithered away without incident and Scooter ran quickly towards me, into the safety of our back porch. Apparently Scooter was bringing a friend along with him as a butterfly quickly flew into the porch and lit gracefully on the screen, unfurling the most beautiful pair of indigo blue wings... I think I found some inspiration.

http://www.simpletruths.com/a.aspx?af=184&mo=OSOL