The TEN things I LOVE on this FRIDAY, JAN. 1^st, 2010!!

1. Joy was one of the emotions that greeted me this morning…haven’t felt her in awhile. I don’t think she enjoys hanging with sadness~ so with some soul searching and decisions, she was one of the first in line this morningJ

2. That for the first time in my life I truly DO NOT care what people think anymore. I used to say it and think it, but never felt that way. After taking a long look at how futile it is to care about what someone thinks when they have no idea where you are coming from and are also seeing through their own life lenses that have nothing to do with you? Well, I feel like I just got a get out of jail for free card- WE ARE ALL RIDING A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR-MYSELF INCLUDED!

3. I love the people who have been brave enough to let their words be heard in this world- those who move my soul- Rumi, Don Miguel Ruiz, Paulo Coelho, Wayne Dyer,  all of the philosophers…just to name a few.

4. I love going outside in the morning and listening to the birds sing- part of they way I meditate I guess.  I individually focus on one bird at a time. It is amazing when you do that, to hear the differences in tone, octave and melody. Talk about beautiful and getting you in the moment.

5.  I love my body. I am grateful for my health and have come to love every inch of my uniqueness. Even the junk in my trunkJ

6. The smile from a stranger- when you look up and catch them smiling at you. Means as much to me for some reason than when friends do…I guess because that person is seeing you for the first time- and something inside or outside, or something you have done, has brought a smile to them. That is pretty cool.

7. How the dog I am sitting- a giant Golden retriever/Shepherd mix- gets up in bed with me and lays, vertical, like a human next to me and falls asleep. Like my own big space heater…

8. The new project I am working on…not gonna jinx it- but it is pretty coolJ

9. Pumpkin pie- I am ashamed to say I ate a whole one in two days:)

10. I LOVE that the sun is out today!!! Makes me happy happy!

Happy Friday and Happy Newyear!

Make it a good one:)

My birthday was yesterday.

I had a party on Tuesday to celebrate life.

In the light of events both culturally and in my little Universe, I was feeling extra grateful for the little things.

The moments, on this birthday, were like single grains of sand to me. No matter how minute in size? I noticed them all.

Like snapshots in time.

Maybe that is part of getting older.

I sat and watched my friends, how very lovely they are. They are kind, generous, successful, strong and open hearted people.

Just noticing how something has changed in me.

Maybe change is not the word, since it feels more like a returning to something I already knew on some level, but was not consciously choosing.

I want to love people for the way I AM. Not for the way they are or I need them to be.

Read that again slowly…

To love a person for the way I AM,  not the way they are or I need them to be.

Someone says something hurtful? Or disappoints in any way? Someone judges me or isn’t there for me like I would want them to be? At this point in my life, what does that have to do with me?

To love a person the way I AM…not the way they are or I need them to be.

Because I AM loving. I want to give a person the benefit of the doubt. I want to be generous in 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th chances. I want to be tolerant of differences. I don’t want to hold anything against another person. To make them pay for a mistake they have made, I don’t want to remind someone of their “faults” or “flaws”.

I want to love.

I always have. It is my insecurities from past crushes and blows that have kept me from fully demonstrating this in my life.

But here, on my 35^th birthday, I find a pure form of this- unadulterated and real- in the form of gratitude.

On this birthday, out of all my years, I received more love than I could take in.

In observation? I believe the reason for this is I have been more generous than I have ever been at any point in my life.

I have been generous of time, my smile, a hug, understanding, listening, loyalty, forgiving and acknowledging a person.

Generous with love.

Life is good.

Life is beautiful.

No matter how many hardships have appeared on my horizon, they have not compared to the thrill of being out to “sea”- moving forward.

The journey…

Love is beautiful.

So on this birthday I am happy for the fact that my shade of view isn’t Jade…

No, I am not jaded.

Shocking with all I have experienced.

I wish the same for you, as you read this-

To remember life is good, life is beautiful, love is the only true constant- when you love someone from how YOU ARE, you will never find a shortage of it.

Celebrate life!!