Life often throws us a curve ball; often when we least expect it. I always say "Some days life is up, some days life is down, but life is always in motion". Comfort comes in knowing that this too shall pass, tomorrow brings a new day. It is up to us how we "choose" to live - spend our gift.
This past week has been one of those curve balls; a difficult journey. A loved one was called home unexpectedly.
Although gone, will not be forgotten. We can celebrate his life and memories. He lives on through our hearts. His smile remains ever present. :) His gift of organ donation gives back to others and blesses their lives...........he lives on.
Received an email this morning, reminding that life does continue. We must always make the best and most of life. Today is a gift from above; yesterday is gone, tomorrow is unknown. The email was a poem about smiles. A reminder that often the best medicine is the simple act of smiling and laughter.
May your life be blessed!
May your smiles be many!
May you always comfort another in need!
May you never forget your roots!
May love of faith and family always provide strength and purpose!
Blessings................
Monday, August 16, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
2009 Vacation
Embarking upon a new adventure, traded up to a 2009 Honda Gold Wing in March 2009 and took to the roads! Tomorrow promised to no one!
March brought a quick trip to Michigan, learning how to dress appropriate to weather conditons & pack light - especially how to keep ones feet warm.
July we set out for destinations unknown, finding back roads, country roads, scenic byways.
Meandering down through Southern Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri (visiting Branson), Arkansas through the Ozark Mountains (Eureka Springs along the "Pig Trail" highway & Hot Springs), Oklahoma (first Gold Wing Convention), Kansas (Dodge City), Colorado through the Colorado & Rocky Mountains (sadly the Pine Beetle is destroying the pine forests), Wyoming (Cheyenne), Nebraska prairies (found abandoned old church - piano still inside - lost in time), South Dakota through the Black Hills (Dead Wood & Lead - towns of times long ago - now leans more toward tourist traps than history past; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation & Wounded Knee - everyone should visit at least once or research the history, sad the history behind a once great nation & how misunderstanding another people and culture became a sad place in American History - learned history never taught in schools), Iowa (wonderful windmill farms along the roads), Illinois and "back home again in Indiana"! About 4400 miles traveled.
Traveling via bike - you experience nature, sounds, smells - pine trees, wild flowers, fresh mowed hay fields, fresh air and yes - oncoming rains! One sees & feels so much more, finding hidden treasures along the way - covered bridges, rivers & streams, water falls, old forts, ghost towns, abandon buildings telling stories & sharing history of years gone by.
We road through all weather - high 90 temperatures & low 100's heat index, sleet, snow & low 30's up in the mountains, rain, severe storms, hail............one learns to watch the navi system, read & "feel" the weather............stop and suit up in rain gear quickly on a moments notice along the road side and hall a** to any cover located.
Venture out of home and car - get acquainted with nature again! Awesome for the soul! You will not be disappointed!
One learns to pack light & for all weather! Blessed with a navi system, helpful tracking weather and severity of storms. Provides assistance in avoiding, preparing or out running bad weather. One can smell and feel the rain coming. Watching an approaching storm, no description accurately describes the awesome light show lightening displays. Like watching a neon light show at a concert - above and below the clouds - beautiful, yet dangerous if caught up in the storm. Leaving the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, site of Wounded Knee in South Dakota at dusk, we spent hours avoiding and trying to out run a severe electrical storm. Ahead of us was an astounding, vibrant light show by lightening and behind us was the most incredible, beautiful sunset! Then crossing though the Bad Lands National Park at 2 am at night trying to avoid buffalo and park animals, yet still racing to avoid & out run the fast approaching storm. Adrenaline rush and anxiety............
Starting the journey homeward to Indiana through South Dakota on I 90 presented one of those memorable moments. Disliking interstates, we try to avoid them. Along I 90 was a country road running almost parallel with the Interstate. No traffic being on the road should have been the first clue.............finding an access point, we took the country road. Shortly there after hearing & feeling objects hitting the bike & us, discovered with all the fresh mowed hay fields grasshoppers had taken to the same country road!!! Thousands and thousands of grasshoppers!! Quickly stopping to discover we were covered and so was the bike. What does one do in a situation like that?? Being a farm girl, I still hate grasshoppers. All I could do was look at my husband, smile to keep from screaming or crying and say "well Hardy, another fine mess you've gotten us into" (Laurel and Hardy - comics from long ago). No recourse but to continue on, slowly, dodging grasshoppers until an opportunity to get back onto the interstate and continue on home!
Would I do it again..............of course! Could not wait until 2010 vacation!
March brought a quick trip to Michigan, learning how to dress appropriate to weather conditons & pack light - especially how to keep ones feet warm.
July we set out for destinations unknown, finding back roads, country roads, scenic byways.
Meandering down through Southern Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri (visiting Branson), Arkansas through the Ozark Mountains (Eureka Springs along the "Pig Trail" highway & Hot Springs), Oklahoma (first Gold Wing Convention), Kansas (Dodge City), Colorado through the Colorado & Rocky Mountains (sadly the Pine Beetle is destroying the pine forests), Wyoming (Cheyenne), Nebraska prairies (found abandoned old church - piano still inside - lost in time), South Dakota through the Black Hills (Dead Wood & Lead - towns of times long ago - now leans more toward tourist traps than history past; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation & Wounded Knee - everyone should visit at least once or research the history, sad the history behind a once great nation & how misunderstanding another people and culture became a sad place in American History - learned history never taught in schools), Iowa (wonderful windmill farms along the roads), Illinois and "back home again in Indiana"! About 4400 miles traveled.
Traveling via bike - you experience nature, sounds, smells - pine trees, wild flowers, fresh mowed hay fields, fresh air and yes - oncoming rains! One sees & feels so much more, finding hidden treasures along the way - covered bridges, rivers & streams, water falls, old forts, ghost towns, abandon buildings telling stories & sharing history of years gone by.
We road through all weather - high 90 temperatures & low 100's heat index, sleet, snow & low 30's up in the mountains, rain, severe storms, hail............one learns to watch the navi system, read & "feel" the weather............stop and suit up in rain gear quickly on a moments notice along the road side and hall a** to any cover located.
Venture out of home and car - get acquainted with nature again! Awesome for the soul! You will not be disappointed!
One learns to pack light & for all weather! Blessed with a navi system, helpful tracking weather and severity of storms. Provides assistance in avoiding, preparing or out running bad weather. One can smell and feel the rain coming. Watching an approaching storm, no description accurately describes the awesome light show lightening displays. Like watching a neon light show at a concert - above and below the clouds - beautiful, yet dangerous if caught up in the storm. Leaving the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, site of Wounded Knee in South Dakota at dusk, we spent hours avoiding and trying to out run a severe electrical storm. Ahead of us was an astounding, vibrant light show by lightening and behind us was the most incredible, beautiful sunset! Then crossing though the Bad Lands National Park at 2 am at night trying to avoid buffalo and park animals, yet still racing to avoid & out run the fast approaching storm. Adrenaline rush and anxiety............
Starting the journey homeward to Indiana through South Dakota on I 90 presented one of those memorable moments. Disliking interstates, we try to avoid them. Along I 90 was a country road running almost parallel with the Interstate. No traffic being on the road should have been the first clue.............finding an access point, we took the country road. Shortly there after hearing & feeling objects hitting the bike & us, discovered with all the fresh mowed hay fields grasshoppers had taken to the same country road!!! Thousands and thousands of grasshoppers!! Quickly stopping to discover we were covered and so was the bike. What does one do in a situation like that?? Being a farm girl, I still hate grasshoppers. All I could do was look at my husband, smile to keep from screaming or crying and say "well Hardy, another fine mess you've gotten us into" (Laurel and Hardy - comics from long ago). No recourse but to continue on, slowly, dodging grasshoppers until an opportunity to get back onto the interstate and continue on home!
Would I do it again..............of course! Could not wait until 2010 vacation!
A life journey through the pain.....
Life should be about beginnings - not endings; past several years have been a journey through both. Sometimes there must be an ending to find a new beginning - the path you were meant to follow. Although endings may be sad & painful, the journey is what makes you who you are - a source from where you draw strength. It is in the valleys that we grow - that we develop determination. "Embrace your destiny" - to thine own self be true.
We all are blessed with special gifts to share. We should strive to surround ourselves with friendships and relationships that "compliment" our own personalities, bring balance to our lives, joy to our hearts and "nurture" our souls. Take time to search our hearts, our desires, cultivate our special gifts, enjoy and develop hobbies, give back, pay it forward, be a blessing to others and take time to LAUGH!!! Laughing is one of the best medicines!! :)
Do you "feel" the passion? Do you "hear" the music? Does your soul "dance"? Reach for the stars. We are only bound by our own self imposed limitations. Each failure is one step closer to success. Walk barefoot in the grass - watch the clouds graceful dance - feel the gentle breeze or soft rain upon your face - listen to the "quiet" - smile - watch a butterfly's graceful, often erratic, flight - gaze up at the stars and see the depths of the universe - allow your senses to experience the moment - be the miracle.
One of the best descriptions I love describing life - life is like a roller coaster, some days its up, some days its down, but it is always in motion. Mistakes are a fact of life, it is often the response to the error that counts. In life we should seek those that don't walk in "front" of us, as we may not follow - that don't walk "behind" us, as we may not lead - but walks "beside" us and is a true friend or soul mate.
A good motto is "always remember where you are now is not your final destination!"
Life is a choice!
We all are blessed with special gifts to share. We should strive to surround ourselves with friendships and relationships that "compliment" our own personalities, bring balance to our lives, joy to our hearts and "nurture" our souls. Take time to search our hearts, our desires, cultivate our special gifts, enjoy and develop hobbies, give back, pay it forward, be a blessing to others and take time to LAUGH!!! Laughing is one of the best medicines!! :)
Do you "feel" the passion? Do you "hear" the music? Does your soul "dance"? Reach for the stars. We are only bound by our own self imposed limitations. Each failure is one step closer to success. Walk barefoot in the grass - watch the clouds graceful dance - feel the gentle breeze or soft rain upon your face - listen to the "quiet" - smile - watch a butterfly's graceful, often erratic, flight - gaze up at the stars and see the depths of the universe - allow your senses to experience the moment - be the miracle.
One of the best descriptions I love describing life - life is like a roller coaster, some days its up, some days its down, but it is always in motion. Mistakes are a fact of life, it is often the response to the error that counts. In life we should seek those that don't walk in "front" of us, as we may not follow - that don't walk "behind" us, as we may not lead - but walks "beside" us and is a true friend or soul mate.
A good motto is "always remember where you are now is not your final destination!"
Life is a choice!
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