Happy Father’s Day to all the father’s out there – including Dan, and those like him, who stepped up after the fact. It isn’t always easy (or economical) but hopefully the good days and the grandbabes make it all worth it.
Dan with granddaughter Genie and Molly💞
Happy Father’s Day to my Father and all those who have passed on over the years. It is incredible now to think of all they did to provide and care for their families.
My Dadwho (long before I was born)worked as a boiler engineer at an airforce training base during World War II.
And Happy Father’s Day to the new generation of fathers out there. These guys amaze me with how involved they are with their children. Not just the fun stuff! These guys are hands on from day one. This new generation of fathers are loving the experience and their children are all the better off for it.
Son Dan with his son Cason – this isn’t a pose for a picture. This is real as it gets. 💞
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day!💞🌞
There are people who possess brilliant minds. There are also people who possess the ability to express themselves simply and comprehensively. I find it fascinating when these people are one and the same – when brilliant minded people have the ability to share their wisdom in a simple and comprehensive manner.
One such fascinating person was Rumi, a thirteenth century Persian poet, who is still sharing his wisdom with us today. (Amazingly, his wisdom is as relevant now as it was in the thirteenth century.)
A year ago, I shared a few of my favourite Rumi quotes in this blog post. Simply brilliant words of wisdom.
There was one quote that has stayed with me for the past year and has had a profound effect on me and my life.
“It’s your road and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.” – Rumi
My first thought was ‘obviously’. We are all responsible for our own lives. We are responsible for the choices we make and we are responsible for the consequences of those choices. Others can walk with us, but it is our life and inevitably we have to ‘own it’.
But then…. I had this realization. Everyone has their own road. Not just me…. 🙄
Everyone has their own road, even the people I care about – even my sons and my daughter and my grandchildren. They have to walk their own road. Even on those occasions when I can walk it with them, I cannot walk it for them. I cannot choose the paths they take and I cannot save them from the wrong turns they will inevitably make. They have the right to walk their own roads and the responsibility to deal with the consequences – for better or worse.
It has been a few difficult years for me (parenting wise), but Rumi’s words have helped me to put things into perspective and it has made all the difference. I am on my roadand have faith that those I love are on the roads that they need to be on, to ultimately get them where they need to go.
That is it for today. Take care and have a great day!💞
This month, I have been working to review and update some of my previous blog posts. I have added new thoughts and revised my thinking completely in some areas. Life changes – we change.
Last night, I came upon this post from October of 2020. Like many of my posts from that year, it focussed on my thoughts on peace
Peace is something I have been struggling with lately. Despite my best efforts, it has been hard to keep from dwelling on people and events that have been disturbing my peace of mind. It is my peace of mind, I should have more of a handle on it. Right?
Except, that is not the conclusion that I came to in 2020 – after struggling and giving it much thought. So for my update today, I need to look back and learn from the past.
The thing I realized back in 2020 is that peace isn’t something that we can just hoard for ourselves or share with those who are in our good graces. Peace has to be shared with everyone – especially those disruptive influences in our lives.
I don’t know if the peaceful thoughts and prayers that I devoted to those who were stressing me out back in 2020 changed them in any way. I do know they changed me. They made me more peaceful, tolerant, and compassionate. I know, I have to get back on track with this, because with all of the chaos in the world these days – contributing more chaos is not an option. 🙄
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞
Happy Valentine’s Day! Wishing Love & Joy to everyone today. Valentine’s Day is a holiday that is typically marketed towards couples. This year however, I am thinking of the singles in our society who have been particularly affected by the isolation that has been a part of this lingering pandemic. For anyone who is alone today and feeling a bit stranded, I am thinking of you and sending hearts and huggs and smiles your way.
Have a great day! If you cannot be with the ones you love, think of them often and do something special for yourself to brighten your day. Thinking of you. AnneMarie 🌞
This month on my blog I have endeavored to share ‘words of wisdom’. On Sundays, I have tried to keep those words as positive as possible. For this last Sunday of the month, I have sourced out ‘words of wisdom’ on what else, but SUNDAY!
“Sunday is a day to clear the mind of all that has transpired the week before.” – Byron Pulsifier
“Have a blessed and beautiful Sunday.”
“A Sunday well spent will bring a week of content.”
“Let this Sunday be a day to reflect, a day of respectfor all you have been blessed, let your joy be expressed.” – Catherine Pulsifier
Sunday is the perfect day to refuel your soul and be grateful for each and every one of your blessings.
“Don’t let thoughts of Monday steal your Sunday.”
“Sunday – Take it slow and give your soul a chance to catch up with your body.”
“May your Sunday be blessed with love, joy, peace, and happiness.”
That’s it for today folks. Take care and have a wonderful Sunday! 💞
My wisdom for today comes from a verse that has become a favourite of mine. My only regret in life, at this point, is that I did not come to realize such wisdom decades ago.
The Paradoxical Commandments
1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centred. Love them anyway. 2. If you do good, people will accuse you of ulterior motives. Do good anyway. 3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. 4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. 5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. 6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway. 7. People favor underdogs but only follow top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway. 8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. 9. People really need your help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. 10.Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
A home is so much more than a building. A home should be where we feel secure, accepted and cherished. A home should be where we strive to make those we love feel secure, accepted, and cherished. Sadly, like so many important things in life right now, our homes do not get always get the respect and appreciation that they need and deserve. Just as a house will inevitably fall from years of neglect, so will homes become nothing more than jaded, faded memories, if we allow them to.
I hope that the ‘words of wisdom’ that I have to share today, will help to revive some home spirit – for the homes we are blessed with today and those that live in our memories.
“Home sweet home. This is the place to find happiness. If one doesn’t find it here, one doesn’t find it anywhere.”
– MK Soni
“Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need.”
– Sarah Bon Breathmach
“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
– George A. Moore
“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”
– Dr. William A. Ward
“The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.”
– Confucius
“Home is shelter from storms – all sorts of storms.”
– William J. Bennett
” No matter what circumstances you leave it, home does not cease to be your home. No matter how well you lived there – well or poorly”
– Joseph Brodsky
Life takes you to unexpected places. Love brings you home.
– Melissa McClone
Our Humble Home
That is it for today. I hope these words of wisdom triggered some warm and fuzzy feelings of home and family for you.
I grew up before the internet, social media, or the like were invented. Even in those days, people often quoted popular ‘words of wisdom’. One such quote that I never cared for was “Anything worth doing is worth doing right”. I am not sure who first coined this phrase but I have seen sources attributing it to Aristotle.
I don’t know why I did not like this phrase back then. Chances are, it was because it typically came from someone who was nitpicking and judging me for what I was doing or how I was doing it. It just annoyed me. 🤨
Nowaday, I know why I have issues with this quote. To me it suggests that, in all of our endeavours, perfection should be our ultimate focus. That does not resonate with me. I am not, nor have I ever been, a perfectionist. 🙂
My mother was an amazing cook/baker. Her food looked great and tasted better. If asked what her secret was, she always replied that her secret was love. She was so right. My mother put her heart into every meal she cooked and the result was seldom, if ever, less than perfection.
During my career days I worked in the construction industry. I dealt with many homebuilders. Some built houses to make money, some built houses that were stunning – straight out of the glossiest magazine. Then there were a few who built beautiful, high-end, custom houses, perfect down to the finest detail. These were houses that had practical, convenient floorplans and quality, durable finishes. These were houses that invited you into a kitchen to prepare a meal or into a family room to relax with loved ones. These were houses where you wanted to live your life and raise your children. These were homes. As I met and became familiar with the homemakers, I learned that the ones who built the ‘homes‘ put their heart into every house they built and who worked with employees and subcontractors who were like-minded. Their results were consistently perfection.
Since I have been on WordPress, and following evermore sites, this philosophy of mine seems to ring true more and more often. I follow sites that are authored by gardeners, writers, nature hikers, animal lovers, photographers, poets – a diverse number of sites. I am always amazed by the love that people put into their homes, their yards, their creative, physical, or mental endeavours. One would never get the results shown by dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s. These results come from the heart. 💝
Today, I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for all who share such sites. It is so special to be allowed to share in the beauty and passions of your lives. There are too many to mention and I would feel terrible for inadvertently missing anyone, but I do appreciate your posts! And they are perfect! Thank you, so much! 💞
Photo by Dan. Golfing at sunrise.Also by Dan. Up close and personal with our favourite squirrel.
Wishing all a perfect Sunday! Take care and I will see you tomorrow. 💞
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 