Still Parents No Matter The Age!

My Daddy...

My parents are alive and healthy.
My mother soon to be 87 and my father 88.

I count my blessings everyday, and truly am thankful for my parents.
A relationship that as grown closer and closer as they have aged.

I know we are not suppose to have favorites when it comes to our children, but is there a golden rule when it comes to favorites and parents?

I think personalities have a lot to do with favorites. My mother being a Leo also ( not that I put any or much substance into "horoscope signs") but the truth is we are very much alike, when I was younger too much alike, on many occasions.

"My daddy" on the other hand has a personality that complaints mine. He is an encourager, accepts, and loves unconditionally. And at the age 88 he is still there for me.

I feel truly blessed to have a beautiful father, and to have parents that have been together for 60 years. They have been a gift to me. And as
my life has changed I have become more and more aware of the blessings of having elderly parents.

Having a "daddy" at my age, is a gift I am so thankful for. My life has had its share of challenges, and my wonderful father has always been there to encourage, love and support
Me....
What blessing, what a gift, what a love....
In awe of "my daddy"

Moving Back In...

Moving Back In

I can't say she's moving back home but I can say she's moving back in.
A two month transitional period for my daughter and her husband as they move from Buffalo back to Rochester for Tim's fellowship.

So I get to have my daughter live with me for two months....

No longer a mommy and me relationship, but a relationship of adult child and mother.

It's been years since we've lived together, I am truly looking forward to the next two months, a special time, special memories, special moments with my adult daughter.

And if you're reading this Nicole, there's no expectations, you will have all the space you need, I love you very much and the "momma"
is very happy that you're back home for a few months...

Loving my beautiful daughter!

The Blossom

The flower doesn't dream of the bee, it Blossoms and the bee comes"
mark nepo

I happen to love this metaphor.
The flower waits for nothing, it blossoms first, then the bee comes...

What do you dream about and what are you waiting for so your dream comes true?

We must blossom first, embrace our inner strength, love ourselves from the inside out and Believe the bee will come!

Its time to be that beautiful flower bud, that grows into a stunning blossom.....

Love being in Awe and wondering what kind of blossom you are?

Life's A Buffet!

Life's A Buffet!

The sign says ... All you can eat!
You know those kind of buffet restaurants, personally I never go. I tend to be turned off by too much of any one thing! Food is no exception.

People on the other hand, are quite tempting. Making connections with people is like being in the buffet line. There are all kinds to choose from, favorites that you can just eat up, other ones that are healthy for you and still others, you know the kind, too much of will end up giving you an upset stomach!

An online dating service reminds me of a buffet... So many choices and yet I only crave one thing ....

A sit down dinner for two!

Loving the Awe of Wondering

"Grand" Motherhood

Years of Motherhood Is Grand...

It's been nearly 30 years ago I became a mother for the first time.
30 years have slipped by with a blink of an eye. Two children later, now two adults and one very empty nest.

I've come to realize the joy of being a mother has passed.
I know I will always be mother, but the mommy stage of motherhood is over. It's been over for years, that's not a bad thing, it's the realization of time passing by so quickly, years changing us into who we are today, and the knowledge of knowing we did the best we knew how to do.

Motherhood, especially those first five years, were years I will never forget and I will always cherish.

My next stage as I move forward, will be a grandmother or perhaps it will be a "Grand motherhood".
A stage that just maybe Grand, knowing what I now know from the gift of wisdom as I have aged...

Mommy, mom, mother, than a "Grand"mother : )

Life is Grand, so embrace each season as life changes into the next season as time continues to move on...

Life keeps me wondering!

Words

Words

Choose them wisely
Share them generously
Give them freely
Pass on positive ones
Feel them passionately
Hold back nothing
Edify always....
Words,
A gift to give someone today...

Drink From The Words You Say

"Drink From The Words You Say"
(Hunter Hayes)

I'm not much of a groupie when it comes to music and their artists.
I don't necessarily follow any one particular style of music. I enjoy all styles, from the oldies like Frank Sanataria to Country ( no rap or heavy metal thank you! ) But I find myself listening or maybe I should say " hearing" the words to the songs more recently, more clearly. I find their meanings more interesting as I have aged, or maybe it is because of where I am in this season of my life.

As I was listening to my car radio the other day I heard a song by Hunter Hayes called Wanted... It moved me in a way that made me want to here more of his songs. As I want to iTunes to check out the song, Wanted I also heard another one called
" If You Told Me To" the one line that I loved was
"Drink from the words you say "
He was speaking about the words that were spoken to him...
I love this metaphor...
"Drink from the words you say"
Learning from words and literally quenching our thirst for life!

So next time you have a chance to listen to someone's words or listen to some great lyrics my hope is....
"You drink from the words that they say!"

In awe of Hunter Hayes!

Within

Within...

"From the inside I saw beauty... But the butterfly was on the outside"aw

We look to the outside for answers acceptance and strength....

How's that working for you so far?

Most of us are still searching on the outside. The outside for love, the outside for happiness, and on the outside for peace...

On the outside there are distractions, complications, a worldly environment that changes from second to second...

The only place we have total control is within ..
Within the heart
Within the mind
Within the soul

Yes, we must search within, within our spirit, within ourselves, within our thoughts.
Within, has the answers to life. A life filled with Love, Joy and Peace...

"Take the time to love what is within and you will love what is on the outside too!"

In awe of love

Are You A Settler?

Do You Settle?

"A tree settles itself by planting its roots firmly into the soil below, settling in one place for years"

The strength of the Live Oak Tree had me wondering about how people settle in life...

We all "settle" in life at different stages. Some settle for a lifetime with the same partner, same home, same town....others, well, have a harder time settling in....

Just how much do you settle for?

Some settle for a relationship that perhaps truly is not meant to be,
Others settle into moving forward from a relationship that is no longer
worth settling for.

Some settle for a job they hate, while others will not settle at all!

Some settle for keeping their opinions to themselves, while others give their opinions whether asked or not!

Some settle all the time, some never settle at all.

Settling makes me wonder, what do we settle for in life... And why do some settle while others don't ..

What does that make the settler ?
Easy going or foolish?

What does it make those who won't settle? Stubborn or smart?

What do you find yourself settling for? And just how long do you allow yourself to settle, when you are settling?

Just wondering what the nature of settling is all about?

A Peace At Home

A Peace At Home

I found a Peace last night in my home for the first time in awhile. I can't quite explain it, but it was there. I had plans to go out but I was so peaceful at home, I didn't want to leave the feeling...
It has been sometime since I had felt that much peace. The peace must have been within, there was a quiet serenity that had come over me. As I basked in the peace, My mind was content as I stayed present to my surroundings.
I must say it was a lovely evening , a peace filled one, spent with the one I love.... Me!
It's a new love I found after looking outside my home, I realized it was here within all along...

Where do you find your Peace?

Just wondering....

The Master Key

The Master Key

Waiting for that door to be unlocked
A key is found
Tried
Failed
Again...
Knowing there is a master key
An answer
Close at hand
Waiting patiently
For that master key to appear
Looking within
It is in your heart
Keep searching
Don't ever give up
It may seem overwhelming at times
But it's there
You have had it all along
The master key is closer than you can even imagine
Keep trying
You are about to open
a door of endless possibilities...

4.18.12 6:04am

Laughter And Weight Loss...

Laughter To lose Weight!

After realizing I love to laugh, I decided to research some benefits of laughter. What I found on the Internet was this....

"The effects of laughter and exercise are very similar," says Wilson. "Combining laughter and movement is great for your heart rate. William Fry, A pioneer in laughter research claimed it took ten minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter. And laughter appears to burn calories, also. According to Maciej Buchowski, a researcher from Vanderbilt University. It turned out that 10-15 minutes of laughter burned 50 calories."....

So if we laughed 8 hours a day we would burn 1600 calories...
Now that's my kind of work out!!

Wondering if I could find someone who could make me laugh all the time? Well, most of the time, I don't want to loss to much weight! ; )

What makes you laugh? This makes me laugh!

Growth

Growth

It's not often we see someone grow
Embrace...
Something growing
Especially...
Right in front of our very own eyes
Imagine...
The ability to watch
Determined...
Like blades of grass
Unstoppable,
It's growth in the springtime...
Renewed
After a long winter season
Timing
Grass doesn't wait to grow
It begins,
At the first sign of spring
As nature nurtures...
I too
Am in the springtime of my life
Growing, embracing, being enlighten...
Difference...
The nurture of nature
The growth
I have wittnessed first hand
Is my very own ...

Written 396 days ago aweider

The Piranha Tank!

The Piranha Tank! Too Funny...

Being a wonderer and loving to gather experiences I decided to step out of my box and do something that was very uncomfortable for me....

As I sat working at my computer one of those 100 dating sites popped up, again! I thought I can't, but than I thought hmmm maybe this could be more material for a book. So I reluctantly started to fill out the information along with choosing a few pictures I was comfortable enough to post.
With great reservation and hesitation I hit the send button...

What I was about to experience next was beyond any of my wildest dreams..

This somewhat, what seemed to be a normal dating site turned into a site filled with piranhas! That's all that came to my mind, I thought PIRANHAS, this must a feeding frenzy....

Within seconds there was hit after hit... So, I'm suppose to be flattered
right? Cause honestly I was sick to my stomach....I thought, what have I done? and how I'm I going to stop this feeding frenzy?

Delete, Delete, Delete a bottom I am eternally grateful for!

So as I assess my options, and come at this experience from the view of
an experiment.... I am shocked and appalled at the number of men who honestly have no clue! ( not all men, thank God)

And if you are a man reading this blog and decide to put a picture on a dating site here are a few rules to follow :
1. Don't use your mug shot!
2. Take off your sunglasses
3. Keep your shirt on!
4. Smile for God sake!
5. If you have to take your own picture, we know it's a picture of you in the mirror!!!!
6. And Really... do you think anyone will answer a request "hey good looking" with no picture? Now that's one surprise I'm not interested in!

And while I'm at it... If you want to chat here's a few more tips
LEARN how to SPELL!!! (at least 90 % of your sentence)
And Saying
"Hey Baby" doesn't cut it
" You're gorgeous" really?
" You're hot!" thanks but no thanks
I could go on and on but I'll save it for another Post!
Cause the piranhas are still hungry...
It's quite an experience!

The good news , I haven't laughed so much in such a long time ...
So to all you Piranhas out there....thanks for the laughter!

Wondering where's that man I Love
When I "need" him?

The Natural Flow

Crossroads

I'm finding myself at a crossroad...
Making a decision I'd prefer not to make and yet making it to allow myself to move forward...

Ever know that something feels so right but you just can't move forward with it and something seems to be stopping its natural flow...

It's like a beautiful stream of water just flowing naturally... When we get in the way of it and step in the middle of the stream we change it's natural flow... We force it to go around us changing its path.

Even when we place others in its path, people in our lives are like huge rocks placed into the stream. It changes the natural flow of its path...

So it has me wondering about the natural flow of life... How much is life naturally flowing if we keep using rocks in the form of excuses and people, and drop them in the middle of our naturally flowing life's stream?

So my crossroad doesn't feel natural, it's flow uncomfortable, the timing just does not feel right...and yet, I have to move forward!

Wondering how to naturally flow forward ....

Free Beer Tomorrow...

"Free Beer Tomorrow"

I heard there's a pub in the UK with a sign next to the front door that says
"Free Beer Tomorrow"...

Needless to say they never give free beer away!

But it is certainly three words that keeps me wondering...

How many people live for "free beer tomorrow"?

Two things are inevitable with that mind thought ...

Tomorrow never comes and your thirst for life is never quenched!

Like life, if we wait until tomorrow
we will have missed Life Today!

Drink Up Today and don't wait until tomorrow, tomorrow may never come!

The Wonder of Living Life...

How Much Is Enough?

How much is enough?

Have you ever been told
Enough is enough?
What is enough?
How much is exactly enough?
Enough already!
That's enough!
Enough of this!
Enough of that!
Enough is enough...
What is enough?
How do we even measure enough?
I can't see enough
I don't feel enough sometimes,
And yet enough is enough...
What if there was really more..
More enough
More enough of this
More enough of that
Then where would we be after
All these years believing
Enough is enough...
The truth is
I can never get enough of you ...

(Written 437 days ago)

A Limitless Sky!

A Limitless Sky....

It was time to head back north after 11 days in the south. Sights, sounds, experiences all locked away in my memory.

Memories which were priceless.

Biking on the beach, seeing dolphins with old friends to walking in the fields of Virginia with the sites and sounds of our historical past with new friends.

All experiences I am grateful for. I feel a sense of peace and contentment as I head back into the known. Having stepped out into the unknown on my own with this "bucket list road trip" I can only imagine what the future holds as I follow my dreams.

Do you dream? Do you follow those dreams?

Today as was driving through West Virginia the clouds in the sky were breathtaking and I thought...
" If I could just follow this beautiful sky, it's limitless, just like my dreams!"

Wondering were my dreams will take me next....

Friends From The Start...

Strangers, Who Were Friends From The Start....

Have you ever met someone, felt so comfortable and at home and realized they were strangers?

Is it possible that strangers never were strangers but friends from the start?

Why do we connect with some people and not others?

All questions that I was made aware of today. People that should have been total strangers according to the world. They never seemed like strangers, but friends that connected in a very unique way from the start.

Two very special people, friends for a reason, lives touched, memories made, a connection on a level beyond what most people create in a lifetime. A feeling of warmth, familiarity, welcomeness, and acceptance. All from what I thought were strangers, only to realize they were friends from the start!

In Awe of people!

The Look Of Love

"The Look Of Love"

I got to witness something this evening that I rarely see....

As my new friend was playing his guitar and singing the song
"Louisiana" to his wife... I saw a beautiful sight, it was the look of love!

His eyes sparkled as he sang to her and her smile lit up her face as she sang along...

Two souls in love, a look I haven't seen in a long time, a look we can all hope for.... The look of Love!

In Love, In Awe, In Wonder....

Boone Hill Plantation...

Charleston Complete!

I couldn't leave the South without visiting a Southern plantation.
There were several I wanted to visit but with a time restriction I thankfully sat near a southern belle who was very friendly and she kindly suggested I see Boone Hill Plantation....

So off I went this morning with great anticipation. When I pulled up to the long driveway with 200 year old live oak trees it took my breath away. As I drive down the driveway and saw the small brick slave quarters I was brought to tears.

After seeing the plantation home
(which wasn't the original home from the 1700) but It was breathtaking! I knew I needed a closer look at the Slave quarters which were original, dating back to the 1700, again as I approached the buildings I was brought to tears.

A sweet African American woman who worked at the plantation saw my tears and said to me "it's ok we've all moved on".... I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by emotions..

Today was an experience I will never forget. Walking around the grounds of the plantation you could sense the history, the people, the difference between the haves and the have nots, the oppression and the wealth...

I can't help but Wonder about the lives that lived on Boone Hill Planation, how they lived and how they were treated. I also wonder about the generations since, and where they are today...

Wondering why it was the way it was?

Follow Your Dream...

Life's Passions

Some may seek, what they may get.
Some may feel, they are all set!
Some may care,
to dare and to share.
Some may follow their heart,
from the very start.
Whatever you seek,
seek out your dream.
Whatever you dream,
follow its life stream.
Wherever you go,
allow life to flow.
Never give up your hearts desire.
Your "Life's Passion",
holds the key for you to admire....

In Love Awe and Wonder....

Just One?

"Just One"

I love traveling and even by myself!
This "bucket list road trip" has been beyond anything I could have asked for.

I was reluctant getting in my car both ways. I knew coming I would spend time with wonderful friends. Then heading home I thought would be very difficult, but today proved to be anything but difficult...

Yet again, wonderful surprises awaited me.

I believe not having any expectations
has been one of the blessings of all the blessings I have received along the way.

Today I met 2 couples, the first one were two women traveling together who said they were teachers and they were. But come to find out the were also nuns with a calling to "resurrect" the environment...
I story I can't wait to hear and write more about.

The second, a lovey couple, a husband and wife with a love story for each other and the South...

So as I ordered my tickets, room reservations, and ask to be seated at a restaurant, people would say to me
"Just One?" at first it bothered me, but by the time my day ended I realized
"Just One" was a great way to be, after all being "just one" gave me an opportunity to meet some very interesting people!

In AWE of what's out there in this big world of ours!

Please Do Not Make Me Turn Around

Please Don't Make Me Turn Around!

It was my last bike ride on the beach before heading back home....We had taken a number of beach bike rides all week long. The longest was five hours, today's was two... But two very magical hours.

As we rode into the wind I knew once I turned around that was it, it meant I was heading back up north soon, it meant it was my last ride on the beach for a very long while... I truly didn't want to turn around...

I knew there was an end in sight but if I kept riding maybe, just maybe my ride wouldn't end!

But what was in store was something I never imagined. A school of dolphins, 20 plus as far as we could see, adult and babies swimming side by side it was an awesome sight!

I am so thankful that I didn't want to turn around today... Had I turned around sooner, I would have missed one of the most magical sights of my life, which may only come once in a lifetime!!!

In awe of Gods perfect Timing....

Church Steeples

Church Steeples

There are many architectural aspects of the church steeple..
It's original influence was from what the first American settlers brought with them from Europe.

Steeples traditionally were topped with a cross, a weathervane, or a decorative finial. For many different reasons.

Today being Good Friday I thought it intresting to focus on the spiritual aspect.

The vertical lines of the steeple helped to visually enhance the lines of the church, directing the viewers' eyes vertically to the heavens.

While looking into the history of steeples I found this explanation quote:

"We were admonished by Christ, who said in John 12:32, ". And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, (I) will draw all men unto me." While signifying what death he would die, this scripture also challenges us to lift the cross of Christ up to the world. When we see a steeple and cross atop a church, pointing gracefully towards Heaven, the church is also lifting Christ up so that all men might be drawn to him and his promise."

In Awe and Wonder of the Beautiful Savanna Steeples and their symbolism.

Harley The Horse!

Harley The Horse!

As I road a bike for five hours today, three of those hours on the beach, I couldn't help but realize the importance of the destination was enjoying the journey! The journey truly is living life to its fullest and being present to your surroundings.

I stopped, took pictures, enjoyed the beauty of my day, the sights, the sounds, the people...

I rode with others and as they had a destination in mind all I could think about was being present to the journey in front of me...

By doing so I saw so many incredible sights, there were dolphins, turtles, a beached stingray, to name a few and I met a horse named Harley....

As we came off the beach into a town there was a horse farm... And a beautiful Clydesdale... A women was feeding him carrots outside the fence. My riding companions kept riding but I had to stop (again). Even Harley had a story...
To me he was a beautiful Clydesdale, to Budweiser he was a reject, his looks, his markings were not good enough to be a Budweiser Clydesdale horse... So Harley was put out to pasture in South Carolina on this horse farm.

And I wondered....

A stunning Clydesdale horse "not good enough" in the eyes of it's owner... Yet to the women who came daily to feed him carrots and to myself he was a beautiful stunning horse.
Like people, someone may "think" we are not good enough, but the truth is we are a treasure to others....

In awe of The Journey!

The Dreamer Dreaming...

The Dreamer Dreaming...

I use to dream a lot... Now, not so much when I am asleep, but more often when I am awake...

Lately I dream about life, passions, yearnings and desires...
Many of those dreams I dream about, I share them with friends, I put them out into the universe, I talk to God about them...

I'm understanding the power of "speaking life into life" thats nothing new. Many wise philosophers over the years have spoke about living life.

In scripture, Jesus says:
"Speak things that are not, as though they were " one of my favorite quotes in the bible.
Jesus also called the dead to life,
When he spoke life into Lazarus, Lazarus came out of the dark tomb into the light and became Alive once again...

Is it time for you to came back to life?

You don't have to be dead to realize you can speak life into yourself or someone else.
"Speaking life" is a metaphor for being present to living...

"Life, at an awakening level of being present to the joy and blessings of what we have to experience right in front of us NOW"

Dreaming about life, coming back to life, embracing life are all part of life..
It's called "Living" life...

What are your dreams? Are you living them? Are you embracing your life Today?

Keep on dreaming and enjoy your life, as all your dreams come true...

Dreaming of Love, Awe, and Wonder.

Ask...

"Ask And You Shall Find"

Traveling into unknown territory can be frustrating... So much to see, but it is usually off the beaten path. It boggles my mind to think of all the people to meet, places to see, and things to experience! And yet, all the maps and GPS's in the world can't get you to those hidden treasures that are so priceless to experience without asking...
So if you don't mind,
Ask and you shall find...

The Wandering Wonderer : )

The Window

The Window

I stopped and saw this plantation home which was rebuilt in 1868.
It's history: the original home built in 1700 was burned to the ground by General Sherman's troops in 1865...

This window caught my eye and got me wondering about the lives that looked through that same window nearly 150 years ago...

Could they have ever imagined where the world would be today?
Can we even imagine where the world will be in the year 2165, 150 years from now?

In Awe of History...

On The Road...

On The Road With Life Metaphors...

I started out this morning into the unknown, wondering what I would learn about life...

I was in awe of several life metaphors I became aware of as I was driving 10 hours.

First, I realized I had too many maps, too many GPSs...

The problem was every one of them had different choices of routes to choose from, I became overwhelmed and confused on which way to go... I even turned around after I started and took a different route...

And I thought "how many people influence us with their different thoughts and we get confused?"
I decided to use what I was comfortable with which was my hand held GPS. Being comfortable with the decisions of our own and not influenced by others was my lesson with all those map choices!

Also being the driver having to look forward for 10 hours made me think, we should live in "A Drivers Seat " than maybe we would be forced to be present all the time and keep focused on looking forward and not looking back (at life).

One last metaphor was the weather. I found myself driving thought the rain, the storm, then the sun finally came out! Again like life if we just can get through those cloudy and stormy days, The sun will shine once again...

Lastly I listened to Dr Wayne Dyer for about 8 hours his wonderful book called "Excuses Begone".. I highly recommend it!
One main point of the book...
"If you can't say 100% what you're thinking is TRUE than change your thought!"

Wondering about wondering...