celebration |

A year ago today, I was coming out of a bit of a fog in my journey. As I was reflecting on the places my journey had taken me to, I couldn’t help but think of the numbers of people in the world who may be walking through the fog of life unable to see what was in front of them or where their journey would lead them. I could relate to how the heart reacts and wanted to share a few of the insights I had gathered along the way.

I sat down and embarked on a new chapter in my life by signing up to write a blog. I was terrified. I have always struggled with opening my heart by journaling because I was very protective of the treasures that reside within my heart. I skipped the journal and went straight for the very public, open forum of blogging. I had no clue what I was doing (sometimes, I still don’t). However, I wanted to share hope, encouragement, and wisdom in a way that might help at least one other person in this big, wide world know that they could keep traveling their journey and make it through the difficult times.

The response has been overwhelming. You, my readers, have become an amazing part of my world.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. Thank you for your patience as I have been learning each step of the way. Thank you for your continued support as my life commitments have pulled me away for longer periods of time than my heart has desired.

WordPress notified me that as of today, I have been blogging for one year. What a rewarding journey.

I hope that you will continue to read, find inspiration and hope.

Thank you for sharing this part of my journey and enriching my life as only you can!

bubble celebration

today i am celebrating. it’s so great to stop…appreciate…celebrate. for those of you who read my blog yesterday, the trade delegate meeting/reception was sooooo fun! i had a great time. what in the world was I worried about? right? isn’t that how it goes? now, if you haven’t read yeaterday’s blog and you feel a little in the dark…guess what…you’ll have to read it. it’s not a blogging ploy. it will just catch you up.

today, i am celebrating simple pleasure. i love simple pleasure and in my heart i celebrate them in a big way. above is a picture of my grandson when he was younger with bubbles. kids celebrate the simplest of things. they clap, laugh, jump, scream. bring out a bottle of bubbles and there is no further reason necessary….the celebration begins. puts me to shame sometimes. when i get into my spoiled mode that wants the perfect celebration…i reflect on what will bring on celebration in the heart of a child and i’m reminded to keep it simple.

back to my celebration today. as challenged as i felt about this trade delegate meeting, i pushed through and attended. the group was much smaller and intimate than i anticipated. i met a new friend potential. i shared and they listened intently. i even tried to get a Chinese man, who spoke no English, to understand what i was saying (help)…and my husband did his thing…worked the room. i enjoyed watching him do what he loves to do…talk (completely new story…he’s quite the talker! lol). i was really adjusting my crown (photo a couple of blogs back…wink, wink) and walking out of that reception room like a boss. feeling on top of the world. i let that celebration spill over in to my day today.

in addition, i spent a lovely amount of time this morning having a coffee (that’s what we do in NZ to get together and visit) with a special friend. it was cold and rainy outside, yet my heart was warm and celebrating the special opportunity this girl-time produced. i love the smell of the coffee (yum…celebrate….breathe in that gorgeous aroma), a simple snack (avocado…OMG…one of my favs…on a new cracker…gotta get some), and a delightful, beautiful friend (loveliness personified…absolutely celebrate this lovely lady). joy. joy. joy. does the heart good. makes it sing.

do i need to spell out why we do what we do when we celebrate? the benefits of celebrating simple pleasures is so important. it lifts the soul. cheers the heart. makes the challenges of life (big and small) easier to bare. can you stop for a minute, look inside your heart and find a way to celebrate something simple like a child would. a shared cuppa (cup of…coffee, tea, anything), the company of a friend, your child/grandchild, a warm, soothing bath….to name a few. If not, grab a bottle of bubbles and see if it doesn’t just make your heart begin to sing!

here’s to overcoming challenges and celebrating simple pleasures…from the abundance of my heart today…i hope your heart will sing, dance and rejoice!