Smelling the Roses

I'll admit that I'm always in a hurry, and I'm always giving myself deadlines, goals to meet and I'm pretty much my own worst critic. I hardly ever stop to smell the roses. I notice them, admire them from a far, but then I'm on to the next task. It's easy to get caught up in the rush of a daily schedule from work to play. Many people get stressed out during vacations- and it's easy to get caught up in the fray. 

One of the things I must practice is appreciating the here and now, the present moment. 

This is essential for a writer, observer and an artist. Part of art is getting caught up in the moment, whatever that moment may be. 

It's one way to feel grateful for what's around you. It's a different perspective. 

Is it easy? No. It's very difficult because most everyone is doing the same thing- complaining, rushing from one place to the next. And yes, I've done my fair share of complaining, but sometimes the healthier and happier choice is to appreciate the here and now. 

Magical moments

As a writer, it is important to observe and explore the world around you.

I've been stuck in a rut lately. But I'm trying to be more appreciative of the world around me. 

Even though I wasn't in the mood to go anywhere, I went with my parents to Branson, Missouri for a break from it all. 

They dropped me off at a shopping center, where I had hoped to find a place to write, but instead, I found two dancing fountains. 

Sometimes I believe that things happen for a reason, and I believe it was no accident that I walked by the fountains when this song played. 

The song is "I Lived" by One Republic. 

I recorded both fountains, and I was able to put the videos to the music. I hope this moment inspires you, as it inspired me. 

Star Canopy

This scene from The Croods is amazing!
I finally watched this movie, and I was impressed with the story line. But this scene is probably my favorite.
The Croods have always lived in the dark, and they finally venture out into the world. This is the first time that they have ever seen stars. And this scene captures the wonder and awe they experience.

A Serene Sanctuary

It was a place to get away from it all. Away from the crowd, the tourists, and many people that came to the island. 

Not many people knew about this place, or walked down this path, but I was grateful for that. Here I could spend some time surrounded by the beauty of nature. I could listen to the water lap on the shore, watch the people walk across the bridge towards Dragon Head rock, and I could just be for a little while. 

At the top of the stair, not far from the path, an orange fruit stand was waiting for me, my mother impatiently setting up our daily display of crops and crafts. The hemp bracelets were mine, and some people bought them, but all I really wanted to do, as they prattled on about their day, or what country they were from was go down toward the water and listen to the waves. 

Something that everyone should read (But especially women)

I found this on Pinterest, and it made me cry. 

My Daddy has always told me to be myself as well, but due to the ridiculous nonsense that society spews, we all are told it is our job to keep someone in our lives. Well, it's not, especially in the realm of love. Don't change what you wear, say, like, dislike or any part of you for a guy, because that guy isn't worth it. Just be you. 

Never underestimate the power of a beautiful day

About Time: A movie review

I wanted to see this film since I saw the trailer. It didn't look like your typical chick flick, and it seemed to be a deep story about life. I wasn't disappointed.

We follow Tim, who narrates the story and watch him make mistakes over and over again. Some of these mistakes he can fix, but others are permanently etched in time, and they are best left forgotten. Once Tim's father tells him about the family secret, the ability to go back in time, he advises Tim to use this gift for something important. Tim decides that the most important thing is to find love. But along his journey, Tim comes across other reasons to use this gift, and learns valuable lessons with each decision he makes. He grows up, and faces more complex problems, some with no solution but to walk away. With each rewind, he steps through life and sees ordinary events in a different way. 

About Time is a beautiful film about life, and those little moments we take for granted. Those worries that eat away our time and energy can get in the way of the unforgettable details . It's about moments that we wish would last forever. It's about days we don't want to live again. It's the amazing, complex and unpredictable pattern of life, and how happiness is something we make through the little things in our day. 

I recommend this profound, wonderful film to people in their twenties and on. Especially my generation, where we worry about what we haven't yet achieved. Life may not be perfect, but we can make life worth living by appreciating what we have, spending time with those we love and doing all we can. 

This film delivers a heartfelt message without being cheesy and cliche. It takes moments we all recognize in our lives and puts them in perspective. 

My favorite quote from the movie:

"We're all traveling through time together, every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride." - Tim

                                                 About Time

When will I learn?

To let things go
To live in the moment
To believe in myself
To stop worrying
To laugh instead of cry
To live instead of die
To act before I think
To carry everything but the kitchen sink
To appreciate all I have
To heal my wounds like a salve
To pursue my deepest dreams
To smile instead of scream

Each wistful moment
Each precious hour
Can be sweet
instead of sour.
Is it a switch inside my mind
set to cruel or set to kind?
What is this pattern?
Is it healthy?
Must I crave
to be so wealthy?
Material things
are never enough.
No matter how hard
I try to act tough.

So who am I really?
Am I kind?
Am I sane
or going out of my mind?
So many questions
and so little time
to think instead of act,
and not make up my mind.
It may be a story
no one wants to hear.
With each passing pain
and each newborn fear.

Sometimes it's silly,
the things that I hide.
I bottle up anger
and keep sadness inside.
I'm probably just like everyone else.
Focusing on others
and ignoring myself.
I forget the wonder
and I don't enjoy the ride.
I watch from a window
made by my pride.

But sometimes in writing
That all goes away.
I remember the good times
and live for today.
I focus on moments
of beauty and life.
I ignore all the bad times
and laugh off the strife.
Where I belong
only God will know.
But I won't belong anywhere
if I choose not to grow.