Beauty

 “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson 

God visits my garden every morning and I do my best to join him there. I am always amazed by its beauty in the rich color and peaceful energy.

Concentrate on the beauty around you today. Take the time to look. You may be surprised by what beauty there is in your own backyard that your busy life simply hasn't allowed you the time to see.

Today, I am grateful for the mighty winds that cast the clouds across the sky, for singing insects that remind me that life goes on just as it should whether I notice or not, and for squirrels that prance beneath my feet making the way to my bird feeder.I am grateful for the opportunity to work, for whispering leaves and for grass that feels cool beneath my feet. I am grateful for the exquisite beauty of shadows cast by a rising sun, for crisp tender vegetables from my garden and for wind chimes that add music to the air.I am grateful for family and friends who make life full and help me see the world through another's eyes. I am grateful for beginnings, for hard work and hope for a bright tomorrow.And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May your day be filled with beauty as you go forth toward your future.

“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say” Martin Luther King Jr.








photo by ricorocks

Consider your words, today. Listen to your tone of voice and the message your words send to others today.  Sometimes, it isn't what you say, but how you say it that matters most. Of course, that does include those things you do not say.


If you hear yourself responding to others by saying, "But, I didn't say anything!" , take that as your cue to listen to the message you are sending to others. Hiding behind ambiguous words, or practicing the fine art of "not saying" something is a dangerous art.


You may think you are fooling others, but it seldom works. Your message comes through loud and clear even if the listener cannot "tell you" exactly what you said to send the message.


To maintain a positive outlook on life you need to be honest with yourself and honest with your words. 

Evaluate your words, today, and make sure they are expressing the message you really want others to hear. 


Today, I am grateful for cloudy skies that shelter the world from the radiating sun, for rain that will replenish the earth and for squirrels that raid the feeder. I am grateful for a mind that thinks, a mouth that speaks and a heart that feels.


I am grateful for family and friends who offer me strength, for strangers that offer a hand and for bees that buzz from flower to flower. I am grateful for another day to live and learn and laugh.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May your day be filled with joy and your words bring peace and comfort to those around you.

Photo by Nerian 

"It is hard to let old beliefs go. They are familiar. We are comfortable with them and have spent years building systems and developing habits that depend on them. Like a man who has worn eyeglasses so long that he forgets he has them on, we forget that the world looks to us the way it does because we have become used to seeing it that way through a particular set of lenses. Today, however, we need new lenses. And we need to throw the old ones away." Kenich Ohmae

Consider your view of the world today. What lens are you viewing it through? How would it change if you viewed it through a new set of lenses? Take a risk today and try out a new set of lenses with which to view the world.

I often hear pessimists proclaim that they are not pessimists, They claim they simply see the world the way it is. How sad that they cannot comprehend that we all choose how we see the world. There is no "how it is". How it is changes with our perspective, with our life experiences and with our state of mind. 

If you want to see a better world today, change your lenses.

Today, I am grateful for kittens, for puppies and for baby birds as they begin their journey into life. I am grateful for gardens brimming with fruit, for soil rich in nutrients and for room for roots to grow. I am grateful for buzzing bees and fluttering butterflies.

I am grateful for the changing of seasons that brings great beauty to the landscape. I am grateful for  babbling brooks and mighty rivers. I am grateful for family and friends who share my life and bring me joy.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you go forward with boldness as you risk the changing of your lenses today. May your vision be sharp and your heart be full.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”




photo by pschubert






Too often, we go through life pointing out all that is wrong with the world without making an attempt to do anything about it. This holds true of many who are attempting to develop a positive attitude.  Instead of using our attitude to change the world, many of us hit road blocks and declare that we cannot maintain a positive attitude because the world around us is negative. 

If you find yourself in situations where those around you dwell in the negative, it is up to you to be the agent of change. Whether your stumbling block is a relationship, your job, financial worries or simply your choice of friends, you hold the power to change how you see it and how you react to it.

I challenge you today to rise above those things in your life that threaten to hold you back. See beyond the immediate circumstances and find all that is good and just in your life.  Be an example to all you meet today and watch the world around you change.

Today, I am grateful for the drenching rains that cooled the air and provided water for all living things, for the glory of sunsets and the awe of sunrise. I am grateful for eyes that see, for ears that hear and a heart that feels. 

I am grateful for quiet mornings, star filled nights and fireflies. 

I am grateful for family and friends who share my life, for cats and their quiet intelligence and for dragon flies.

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May your day be filled with goodness and light as you learn to rise above the negatives of the world. May your vision be sharp and your heart be warm as you work to be the change you want to see in the world.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

The morning glory meets each day with joy and stands proud in all its beauty. How much greater we are than the flowers of the earth, yet we have not yet learned to greet the day with such dignity and hope.

You may argue that I simply don't understand you circumstances. You are right. I don't. I can only say that the flowers of the earth do not give up when the soil is dry or water is scarce. They extend their roots to reach the water.


May you extend your roots today to reach that which gives you life and brings you joy.


Today, I am grateful for the cool morning air that gives my soul rest from the oppressive heat. I am grateful for birds that sing, winds that blow and the promise of a cold front arriving soon. 


I am grateful for a cool home, for electric fans and the electric company. I am grateful for yapping dogs in the distance that bring their family's joy. I am grateful for neighbors who make me smile, for family that makes me strong and children who bring joy to the world.


I am grateful for the air I breathe as it brings me life. I an grateful for the hummingbird that hovers over my head expressing his gratitude for cool fresh nectar in his feeder.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. may your day be rich and your heart be full.

Hope is not a dream ...

“Hope is not a dream but a way of making dreams become reality.”

photo by jillallyn 

When life gets tough we all have the tendency to look around us and begin to wonder if our hopes and dreams are simply the workings of a foolish mind, but when we face struggles is exactly the time when we need to focus on our dreams and have hope for our future. Giving up or giving in the the circumstances  paves the road to more difficult times.

If you are facing difficulties in this struggling economy, this is exactly the time when you need to focus on your dreams and maintain hope. Remember that nothing is as it seems. Opportunities are everywhere. Keep your mind sharp and your heart full of hope so you will recognize them when you see them.

Above all, remember to be grateful. Find the things in your life that you are grateful for and sing it to the universe. The very act of releasing those positive thoughts and those grateful statements frees you to receive all that is good in the world. 

If you are struggling, today, get out the pen and paper. Make a list of all you have to be thankful for. I promise you, your thoughts will shift. Your energy will shift from positive to negative and you will see the opportunities as they arise.

Today, I am thankful for quiet time to write, for cool mornings before the heat of the day and for growing things. I am thankful for a clear, sound mind to approach my day, for a sense of humor and for the vision to see beyond the immediate surroundings.

I am grateful for those who share my vision and for those who are yet to join me. I am grateful for family and friends that make my life complete. May their days be filled with joy. I am grateful for new opportunities, the insight to see them and for the courage to pursue them.

I am grateful for life and beauty and this wonderful world that surrounds me.

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May your dreams be big and your hope unwavering as you go forth into the world today.

“Dreams are like stars...you may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny.”

Photo by by Yasin Hassan - 





Consider your dreams today. Whatever they are, wherever they lead--they have come to you because you can achieve them. 

Today, I'd like to recommend the book Wake up and Dream  by Pat Mesiti published in 1994. I came upon this book in a little shop piled high with an assortment of books ranging from the metaphysical to romance novels. This easy-to-read book is both down to earth and inspiring, as the author blends personal experience with motivational quotes from a range of sources. Although not religious per se, he does provide scripture when appropriate, but maintains a good balance that makes this book suitable for Christians and non-Christians alike.















Today, I am grateful for cool summer evenings and birds that lull the world to sleep. I am grateful for time to read, time to feel the wind against my skin and time to watch my garden grow. 

I am grateful for fresh clean air to breathe, for sunshine to soothe the soul and for raindrops that glisten in the golden rays of sun. I am grateful for stars, for friends and for the people I have met who have lightened my load. I am grateful those I have yet to meet for they will bring me what I need to learn.

I am grateful for family that brings comfort, that keeps me grounded and  brings me great joy. 

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May your day be filled with strength and courage as you work hard to pursue your dreams.