Tuesday, April 24, 2012

If I Had My Life to Live Over....

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If I had my life to live over,
I would relax more.
I wouldn't take so many things so seriously.
I would take more chances.
I would climb more mountains,
and swim more rivers...
Next time
I'd start barefooted earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I wouldn't make such good grades
unless I enjoyed working for them.
I'd go to more dances.
I'd ride on more merry-go-rounds.
I'd pick more daisies.

 - Frank Dickey-

      The older I get the truer this rings! I have wasted too much time in my life stressing and worrying about things over which I have no control. The worrying leads to fear which leads to anxiety which uses way too much energy. It has aged me before my time.  I wish I was braver, less afraid to try new things. I take too many things personally and my life much too seriously. I "beat myself up" much too often over the most insignificant and mundane things. I am a "pleaser" and a perfectionist, which has caused some conflicts in relationships and friendships. I am much too hard on myself.  I don't take enough time to savor my successes before thinking about or moving on to the next "thing" (whatever it is). I need to laugh a bit more and enjoy each moment. Breathe. Let go. Slow down, feel the joy and enjoy the life journey. Where there is life, there is hope - I think I'll go and pick some daisies.

"Enjoy life, this is not a rehearsal."

Vienna (Billy Joel)

Thursday, April 19, 2012

If It's Not Love, Then Simply Let It Go

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Let It Go (Words and Music by Michael McLean)
http://youtu.be/5vMOpFe9nU4

    I finally did something that was really hard, but I have known I have needed to do for some time. I wrote a letter to someone with whom I have been estranged for quite some time. I'm sure it will come as a shock to this person, but I had to do it for me. I had to do it so I could heal. It is someone with whom I have had a very complicated and sometimes volatile relationship in my life. I'm sure you can relate, because we all have them in our life. But what a relief, to finally be able to write what I have wanted to say for so many years but have been unable to express sincerely until now. The best thing about it was that I was able to write it out of a place of love and forgiveness.

   Love and forgiveness. The meaning behind these two words can be so complicated. Sometimes they are very difficult to use in the same sentence, especially when they relate to deep hurt, wounded lives and egos, innocent mistakes and innumerable moments of anger and frustration.   I am still working on being able to forgive past hurt and love beyond pain. So, what do I do about it? Well, like the song says, I have to learn to let some things go. Ruminating and rehashing over the events and situations won't change them, it just adds to the pain every time I choose to relive it in my mind. Every time I relive it, I become a "victim" over and over again. So, I have to choose to put my mind on something else, or do something else to get my mind off of whatever I am ruminating about because whatever I choose to "feed" will grow larger. "You can't change what has hurt you so, but you will heal if you can let it go". What exactly does "letting go" mean? This quote expresses it quite well:

Let Go...

To "let go" does not mean to stop caring, it means I don't do it for someone else.
To "let go" is not to cut myself off, it's the realization I can't control another.
To "let go" is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.
To "let go" is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.
To "let go" is not to try to change or blame another, it's to make the most of myself.
To "let go" is not to care for, but to care about.
To "let go" is not to fix, but to be supportive.
To "let go" is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.
To "let go" is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.
To "let go" is not to be protective, it's to permit another to face reality.
To "let go" is not to deny, but to accept.
To "let go" is not to nag, scold or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings and to correct them.
To "let go" is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it comes, and to cherish myself in it.
To "let go" is not to criticize and regulate anybody, but to try to become what I dream I can be.
To "let go" is not to regret the past, but to grow and to live for the future.
To "let go" is to fear less and to love more.

(Author Unknown)

"There's so much of life that can't be lived
    when you're still holding on to hurt and anger deep inside, let it go.
Letting go opens up the heart.
There is a new day hungry to start.
You can't change what has hurt you so,
   but you will heal if you can let it go.
All that's wrong in your life, let it go.
All that is worth saving is love.
Love will hold you tight.
Love lifts the burden and love shines the light.
Only love nourishes the soul.
If it's not love, simply let it go."
   

Monday, April 9, 2012

“It's not art for art's sake, it's art for my sake. ” (D.H. Lawrence)



Beauty is found in anything that delights the senses, nourishes the soul, fires the imagination.”
Thomas Kinkade

Thomas Kinkade (January 19, 1958 – April 6, 2012) was an American painter of popular realistic, bucolic, and idyllic subjects. He is notable for the mass marketing of his work as printed reproductions and other licensed products via The Thomas Kinkade Company. He characterized himself as "Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light", a phrase he protected through trademark but one originally attributed to the English master J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851). He also claimed to be "America's most-collected living artist".

"What I paint touches on foundational life values. Home, family, peacefulness. And one of the messages I try to constantly get across is slow it down and enjoy every moment." - Thomas Kinkade

     One of my favorite artists was Thomas Kinkade, who recently passed away from natural causes. He was 54 years old. I have tried to pinpoint what it was about his art that appealed so much to me. As a young girl I tried my hand at painting via a "paint-by-number" set of pictures that looked similar to two Thomas Kinkade paintings (they are proudly displayed above my bed in my bedroom).  My "paint-by-number" pictures turned out pretty well for an amateur, but took A LOT of time and patience. It was easy to "color in the lines" of those pictures and make them turn out well; but, doing one by scratch would have been a whole different story for me. I am in awe of those who possess this talent. Unfortunately, I do not possess this artistic talent. I do, however, possess an appreciation for brilliant artwork. Thomas Kinkade's work falls into that category for me. He was a brilliant and talented artist, in spite of what some of his critic thought. He appealed to the masses, who knew what they liked - and they liked Thomas Kinkade.
 

 "The concept that an artist would be revered by popular culture is an immediate dismissal of his relevance as an artist." - Thomas Kinkade

    We used to have one of his galleries in our small resort town. One of the things that my husband and I did for our 15th wedding anniversary was to take a peek inside of his gallery. Thomas Kinkade described it like this:  "Our galleries are soft (Thomas Kinkade galleries). You don't echo when you walk in. It's comfortable. There's a fireplace burning. There's a person sitting here who's not an art expert. We don't hire art experts. We hire people who love art and love people. And when you walk in, you're greeted, and the experience is entirely different." That was exactly what we found when we entered the doors of the gallery. It was like stepping into another world, set apart from the world, a warm and welcoming "homey" environment. It was such a joy for me to be able to view the various prints and imagine what it would be like for me to actually own one. It is easy to imagine yourself getting lost in one of his paintings because, as he said, "Everyone can identify with a fragrant garden, with the beauty of sunset, with the quiet of nature, with a warm and cozy cottage."

     Art and "The Arts" enrich our lives. This is why we need to be certain that they continue to be an important part of our culture. The Arts are what brings joy and variety to our often dull and uninteresting daily lives. I was blessed to grow up in a home where my mother and father valued The Arts. Growing up we listened to a variety of music in our home, including classical and jazz. As my sister and I got older, my mother took us to the theater, to the ballet, to the symphony and, yes, I even attended an opera (even if I didn't stay through the entire preformance). Mother encouraged me to explore and develop my talents in The Arts. As a result, I learned to play the piano and to sing in choirs. I participated in the Summer Drama Program that was sponsored by the local Recreation Program. I also participated in plays and various other theatrical endeavors throughout my High School experience. I even had the priviledge of writing and directing a play for the same Summer Drama Program after I graduated from High School. As a result of growing up in this environment I have a great appreciation for good music, beautiful artwork, good literature, dance and theater. I love to view a good concert or ballet. I enjoy walking through art galleries and seeing the paintings and sculptures on display there; but  probably my favorite venue is the theater. There is nothing like the live theater to stir the imagination and transport you to another time and place, a snapshot in time. One of the final events that my Mother and I attended  together was a performance of  "The Phantom of the Opera" in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is a memory that I will never forget.  

     Unfortunately, I haven't had the resources to expose my own children to the same things that I was blessed to be able to experience. I have tried, as much as possible, to share with them my love of music and musical theater via recordings, videos and CD's. We have tried exposing them to art and art galleries, but the lack of interest on their part limited us in our desire to push them into attending them. I do, however, have beautiful artwork displayed around my home, in hopes that they will appreciate what "real art" is. I have been able to take my daughters to see a ballet production of "The Nutcracker" and they enjoyed it. All of my children have, at one time, played musical instruments and have an appreciation for the hard work, skills and talent it takes to play an instrument well.

     I am very grateful for the blessing of having the arts in my life. They have enriched my life in many ways by bringing their beauty and inspiration into it. It has truly nourished my soul. I have attempted to share a bit of my appreciation for the arts with you via my blog. I hope you will take a few minutes to click on the link below and enjoy a musical and visual "enriching escape". I hope you enjoy it!


BE SURE TO VIEW THIS IN FULL SCREEN ON YOUR MONITOR FOR FULL IMPACT.
Vincent (Don McLean)
http://youtu.be/tNdYLGAxcWA

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Eagles in a Storm

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"Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.

The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.

The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's power to lift us above them.

God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them."


  "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

(Thank you to Susan Compagner for the information for this entry)

I Will Rise (Chris Tomlin)
http://youtu.be/qHJplQYA03E