Life Well Lived 14: I’m Possible
Nothing is impossible. The word itself says: I’m possible! – Audrey Hepburn When my sister and I were young, we cleaned our rooms, changed our bed sheets and dusted the house on Saturday mornings. Then we walked to the Roland. There, in a theater full of kids, we watched an hour of cartoons then two movies. One I remember best was Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Recently, I learned the shy actress Audrey Hepburn didn’t think she could become an outgoing character. Fortunately for film lovers, somewhere along the line, the character Holly Golightly went from impossible for Hepburn to an Academy Awards nomination and an unforgettable icon. BTW, I just read Breakfast at Tiffany’s and am amazed by the differences between the movie and novella [a quick, excellent read]. When you were a kid, what did you do on Saturdays? What was a favorite movie? How have you taken an impossible opportunity to: I’m possible? Replies invited. Comment below. * National Book Festival This Saturday and Sunday [September 26 and 27], join live, interactive question and answer sessions online with best-selling authors. Ask Library of Congress pros about copyright and preserving photographs. Free. Here’s the schedule. Cultivating Change A transformational journey and deep dive into historic, social and personal racism. The four-part program is for those who desire a deeper understanding of themselves and their connection to others in a society of systemic racism. OMA Center for Mind, Body, Spirit Pittsburgh hosts this online program led by best-selling author Anita D. Russell, MED, CPLC. Starts October 8. Cost $80. Limited to 25. Information. * This Week’s Special Offer Each week, my Featured Art is offered at 25% off [plus any discounts offered by my Galleries]. Shop here. Thank you for visiting my galleries and for your purchases. They support Succeed and Soar. NOTE This image was photographed with a Nikon Coolpix camera. The JPEG file was ‘developed’ in Adobe Photoshop Elements 14, first via the Dry Brush filter. Then the colors were enriched and lighting enhanced.
Path to Joy: 12th of 12 – Your Magnificence
Let us remember that within us there is a palace of immense magnificence. Teresa of Avila The last of these Twelve Paths to Joy is: Allowing Our Magnificence. This concept aligns with the United States’ founding belief, written by Thomas Jefferson:We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Now, add these uplifting thoughts: Limitless is your potential. Magnificent is your future. Gordon B. Hinckley Be magnificent. Life’s short. Get out there. You can do it. Everyone can do it. Everyone. -Andy Serkis When we focus on special gifts that allow happiness, what wonderful lives become possible. What joys can bloom in the world. Read the entire Declaration of Independence that begins: When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for a people to dissolve political bands which have connected them with another … I hope you enjoy this “Paths to Joy” series. I’m working on a beautiful little book. When it’s finished, Join My Mail List and you’ll be the first to know. Each “Path to Joy” and its art is in this special section here at Succeed and Soar. Stop by for refreshments, and be sure to view The Right Cut [Kut Kings] video. This true story about a barber shop on wheels will warm your heart, make you smile and shed a tear of joy. A Path to Joy Arts Meditation: Your Magnificence What I like best about the picture The glowing flowers. Why They’re like a meadow of Independence Day fireworks, seeds grown into fields of bright possibilities. What does this picture teach? I understand each Illustrated Wisdom is a symbol-rich reminder from my heart and soul to my mind. This one teaches that I exist in a field of many who glow with magnificent talents. How can these insights lead to joy? Marianne Williamson gives a great answer, We are all meant to shine, As children do. We were born to make manifest The glory of God that is within us. Read entire poem Seek joy! NOTE: These ‘Paths to Joy’ are adapted from The Treasure Chest, an old book I found years ago. Page 117 contained “The Twelve Rules of Happiness.” Of special delight is using paints markers and ink to illustrate meditations inspired by this wisdom. The technique is adapted from the book Visual Journaling, Going Deeper Than Words, by Barbara Ganim and Susan Fox. For information about and to purchase the art, visit Sandra’s Galleries.
The Road from Casper
Life is mostly froth and bubble, Two things stand like stone, Kindness in another’s trouble, Courage in your own. — Adam Lindsay Gordon A MEDITATION: The Road from Casper The time has come to frame my letter from the Flying J Truck Stop. The penciled message contains a business card with hand-written promise of “One free Lg Fountain drink” should I ever drive through Casper, Wyoming again. The note also delivered the two postcards I regretted not buying, plus my payment. I’ve kept them for decades because beneficence flew thousands of miles, from a stranger, above a sometimes-stingy, mean-spirited world. Plus, the writer’s kind response delivered the brightening energy that uplifted my life, especially when considering Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s words, “ In every moment, something sacred is at stake.” Purchase “Road to Casper” photograph. Prints start at $9.49.
Because You Live. Thank Goodness!
To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, Whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 to 1882) A Meditation: Emerson was a philosopher and poet. He was born in Boston and attended Harvard Divinity School. Emerson believed that — because everything is connected to God — everything is divine. In an 1841 essay, this transcendentalist encouraged people to: Find their own life callings instead of following society’s expectations. Develop their own voices and understandings of life (rather than relying on others’ opinions). Be honest in all relationships. His essay, “Self Reliance,” reads in part, Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events. Great men have always done so, and confided themselves childlike to the genius of their age, Read entire essay. Because you live, these opportunities await! Thank goodness! Perhaps a place of divine providence for one man is the way he’s helping thousands breathe easier through the laughter he’s caused by giving breath to a tiny, drowned lizard. Click on the picture below. Enjoy. The Wisdoms Collection Shop Enriching and Beautiful Posters Click Here
Autumn Treasures
“Memories are the treasures locked deep within the storehouse of our souls; to keep our hearts warm.” — Becky Aligata A Meditation Once upon a summer, I played tag and softball and ran races with Madeira Street’s other ten-year-olds. Lunch was chipped ham and sweet pickles on Miracle Whip-slathered bread chased with Tropical Punch or Pink Lemonade or Cherry Kool-Aid. We played Tic-tac-toe, hangman and checkers on porches and watched television cartoons until dinner. At sundown, the ice cream truck’s jingle promised sparkling shaved ice drenched with pineapple or watermelon, strawberry or grape syrups. Now sometimes as leaves fall at eventide, I think of playmates running under streetlights, calling through the twilight. “There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place, where colors are brighter, the air is softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.” Elizabeth Lawrence The Wisdoms Collection Shop Enriching and Beautiful Posters Click Here
Thanks-Giving
If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is “Thank you,” that would suffice. — Meister Eckhart Traditions change. Now, some celebrate Friendsgiving and feast with families born of their hearts. Wherever the meal, consider sharing thankfulness for those present, along with the mashed potatoes, string bean casserole and pumpkin pie. Plus,gratitude attitudes boost health. Sprinkle in holiday jokes [Question: Why was the Thanksgiving soup so expensive? Answer: It had 24 carrots.]. RealSimple.com offers 111 things to be thankful for. Their list includes the snooze button, baby giggles and Caller ID. What would you add? Thanksgiving. Yum. NOTE: After creating the cornbread for the featured image, Pati Finich made a similar one on her cooking show. Can’t find my recipe, but here’s her Poblano, Bacon and Cheddar Skillet Cornbread. Enjoy! Onward and Upward, The Wisdoms Collection Shop Enriching and Beautiful Posters Click Here
You Deserve Delight
“Dedicate yourself to the good you deserve and desire for yourself. Give yourself peace of mind. You deserve to be happy. You deserve delight.” — Mark Victor Hansen Hansen’s words remind me of those who plant crocus, hyacinth, daffodil, tulip and iris bulbs as the harvest season ends. When days cool and nights lengthen, some gardeners create spaces where withered roots can later send up shoots that bloom despite the ice and snow. Flower beds can be joy bank accounts for dark and dreary times. We do deserve joy. Delight can be planted. Onward and upward, The Wisdoms Collection Shop Enriching and Beautiful Posters Click Here
Success: Six Ingredients
Decades ago, I wrote the six ingredients of a successful life on a manila folder and tacked it on my sewing room wall. When I find that advice from time to time, I recall that success is an interior, self-defined experience and am gladdened. For all of these years, I thought this wisdom’s source was unknown. Ahhh. The internet finds many things. The success advice is from William C. Menninger. Next, I sought a quote to accompany the six success keys and found Thomas Jefferson’s words, “One man with courage is a majority.” Imagine a world of majorities who create success with these six ingredients: SINCERITY: honest, genuine, trustworthy PERSONAL INTEGRITY: upright, whole, moral HUMILITY: modest, free from pride COURTESY: polite, respectful, kind WISDOM: good sense, sane, smart CHARITY: caring, offering assistance, good will Onward and Upward Sandra Gould Ford Shop the Inspiring, Beautiful Succeed and Soar Collections Click Here