hope

Dressing for Success

~ onehopefulyear ~ 2 Comments

dsc_0355-2I woke to a dreary day.

Rain, some of it freezing, darkened the sky, and it was hard to find a bright spot.

Until.

Making a decision to dress for success, I dug deep in my drawer for my golden yellow corduroys. Winter white sweater and scarf. Sunflower earrings.

I’ll make my own sunshine, I thought, and slipped on the final touch: Mel’s bracelet.

A gift from a thoughtful and loving friend, this bracelet brightens my every day – rain or shine. Of course, it’s a tangible sign of friendship … but there’s more than that, because wearing this bracelet is symbolic of hope.

No one among us is untouched by cancer. And Mel’s bracelet reminds us to gather in a circle – one bright, beautiful, colorful bead at a time – to fight it.

If you visit the Friends of Mel Foundation website, you’ll learn about the spirit of Mel Simmons, a woman with a light shining bright as the sun. So vibrant. So loved by many. So determined to beat breast cancer.

Her story is inspiring. And so is the Foundation’s mission to support, empower, and educate people touched by cancer. A Friends of Mel bracelet honors Mel Simmons and her big, bright, and beautiful light.

So … today, I dressed for success because I made my own sunshine and chased away the clouds.

Someday soon I hope it means I helped chase away cancer too.

You can order Mel’s Bracelet in support of the Friends of Mel Foundation here.  

What an amazing Valentine’s Day gift this would be!

In the Company of Strangers

~ onehopefulyear ~ 2 Comments

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I live my life day to day to day – some days more consciously than others – but mostly by habit. Some habits work. Others, not as much. Sometimes I need an adjustment. A refresh. A new perspective. A priority shift.

Can you name ten people who nudge you awake?

I can. And they’re all absolute strangers.

These ten women tilt my head just so. They elevate my thinking, invite me to question, and energize my motivation. I’ve visited with all of them this year in the pages of their books and blogs.

How I love and linger over the artistry and passion in their words. Their photographs.

I’ve read their prayers and admissions, seen into their imaginations, felt their doubts, and witnessed their celebrations. I’ve sat many a morning or deep into the night nodding my head in appreciation of their compassion and humor, the ways they love, and how they parent. Of each, I admire their bravery, talent, and how very boldly they question what is now and what has gone before. And gently, kindly ask us all: What is next?

I’ve been inspired as a writer, photographer, mother, dreamer, doer … and human.

When I was in graduate school, I read The Education of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter. This quote stays within me:

“… when you come on something that is good, first thing to do is share it with whoever you can find; that way, the good spreads out to where no telling it will go.”

So here’s some good … spread it out wide as you can … no telling where it (or you) will go.

  1. Erin Boyle, author of Simple Matters: Living with Less and Ending Up with More – Erin also blogs at Reading My Tea Leaves.
  2. Erin Loechner, blogs at Design for Mankind. Erin’s new book, Chasing Slow, launches in January.
  3. Shannan Martin, author of Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted. Shannan blogs at Shannan Martin Writes, formerly Flower Patch Farmgirl.
  4. Kelle Hampton, blogs at Enjoying the Small Things, author of Bloom.
  5. Elle Luna, author of The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion
  6. Beth at Local Milk.
  7. Linda at Linda Stoll.
  8. Kendra at The Lazy Genius Collective.
  9. Joanna Goddard at Cup of Jo.
  10. Grace Bonney at Design Sponge, author of In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs

Gifts

~ onehopefulyear ~ Leave a comment

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Wrapping gifts is my slow living metaphor this season.

I will not be hurried.

I appreciate every crease of the paper. Every fluff of tissue. Every knot in the twine.

You deserve my best effort.

Believe me when I tell you I am loving deeply with every slide of the scissors and yank of tape. Smooth. Tuck. Fold. Trim when necessary. Match the stripes.

Never one for flashy, the wraps have been simple – my pace, deliberate.

George Winston on the piano. Candles. Some sparkle from the tree and a cup of tea.

Mood wrapping.

I tie the soft, white, cotton string or twist the red and white baker’s twine round and round to bundle my love, all my very best intentions and maybe a few regrets.

But my hands reach, outstretched to you – – a big box full of hope. And my heart.

Christmas comes tomorrow.

You … you are my gift, all year.

 

 

 

Acceptance, Courage, and Wisdom

~ onehopefulyear ~ 2 Comments

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Acceptance.

Courage.

Wisdom.

I first became acquainted with the Serenity Prayer as a young girl. Alcoholism lived through and through my family, and according to information I’ve just found, the Serenity Prayer was adopted as a kind of anthem prayer of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1942.

My grandmother sometimes brought me to the Al-Anon meetings she attended, and I remember my mother embroidering the prayer, framing it, and hanging it front and center in our home – the first thing you saw when you walked in the door.

Funny how I remember a detail like that. Just now.

Probably because it’s now I need it most.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

There’s no doubt times are tough. For many of us. And for as many reasons as there are people. Your reasons may not be mine, nor the reverse, and perhaps we share some common troubled ground.

But I’m hanging my hope for today and tomorrow on that prayer. On faith. On hope. As best I can, as much as I can, for as long as I can.

I will begin with acceptance, moving forward, and saving all my energy for whatever action is needed. I’ll find the courage to act when I can and and however I should, all the while searching for the signs which direct me to that pathway to peace – fairly certain I’ll be pointed in the right directions as need be. I trust in my own wisdom and the collective wisdom of those I respect, honor, and look up to.

Here’s some suggestions for living out the Serenity Prayer in our every day:

  • Do normal things. One way to firmly plant my feet on the ground at times of trouble is to find comfort and courage in the normal. Change the sheets. Respond to student journals. Bring the recycling to the curb. All regular. All routine. All necessary.
  • Restore order. When I feel anxious, stressed, or like the world’s spinning out of control, I look for ways to restore order in my world. This week that means cleaning out the linen closet and reorganizing the pantry shelves which somehow – as I’ve been preoccupied with other things – have taken on a life of their own. Side note: I’m all set with confectioners’ sugar for a good long while.
  • Alternate self-care with other-care.  Now’s the time to be gentle with ourselves and others. Be on the lookout for ways to be kind, tender, and nurturing. Tough times invariably bring out the very best of us, but we need to be well-rested, well-fed, and emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy enough to be so. Remember to laugh. It’s no accident our comedians are the very first to help us sort through our feelings by bringing us a laugh.
  • Look for opportunities to help.  Because they’re out there.

I’m remembering Mr. Fred Rogers who’s quoted as follows:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” – Fred Rogers

When my family, students, and community members look around, I want them to                  see me as one of those helpers.

  • Share.  Your thoughts. Your fears, worries, hopes, and gratitude. Share of yourself. Your resources. Your inspiration. Your ideas. And dreams. Now, more than ever, is the time to reach out to others. We are not alone.

I started this blog as my personal reminder and an invitation to whomever reads … to hope – year after year. I remain committed to that hope – in what’s left of this year, and the next, and the one after that.

Together, we can.

 

Starting Now

~ onehopefulyear ~ 2 Comments

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I know I can squeeze in a half hour of writing time.

If I start now.

That’s really key. Starting now. And it works with anything you might need or want to do, anyone you might need or want to become.

Starting now works with chores, large and small. Exercise. Diet. An earlier bedtime. Better skincare. And cooking dinner.

Starting now moves my pieces around the game board, so I show some forward movement and overcome my own personal inertia.

I sit with my dreams far too long. So starting now gets me up and on with it already, making a shift from … I don’t think I can …  to just watch me.  Stubborn petulance can be one of my biggest motivators. My husband thinks its cute.

If I start now, I’m choosing. I’m active. Successful or not, pass or fail, win … lose … or tie. But if I wait, one more minute’s passed along with another opportunity.

(And who knows what I’ll have to say to myself about that?)

So.

Are you ready? Are you ready to start now?

I am.

Taking Steps

~ onehopefulyear ~ 2 Comments

dsc_0823-2According to the Fitbit strapped around my wrist, I logged close to 7,000 steps by the end of yesterday’s work day.

It’s interesting to think about how many different kinds of steps there are: Long, purposeful strides. Short steps bridging space between this person and the next.  Steps on stairs, up and down, and those errand kinds of steps taken to get things done.  I’ve noticed how my steps slow a bit when my thoughts stall and I don’t quite remember where I was going, or why.

dsc_0725-2Home steps aren’t all that different than work steps, really. Back and forth between the dishwasher and the cupboard, the stove and the fridge, down the stairs to the laundry room, and back up the stairs to fold. Steps walked in circles to pick up, put away,  and tidy. My very favorite home steps: my husband washes dishes  and I dry, walking and talking and loving right there at the sink.

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I take slippered steps down the stairs in the morning to my coffee pot and my writing. I’m ready to take on the world and tackle the list when I lace up my sneakers. I wonder about the steps my sons’ shoes have taken as I curse where they’ve been left and I trip over them, one more time.

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The very best kind of steps are thoughtful and slow. Meandering steps. Steps and stops. Ellipses steps … like pauses … taken almost always on a Sunday with my camera in hand. Smiling steps.  Hopeful steps. Happy steps.

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A Good Hair Day

~ onehopefulyear ~ 2 Comments

It’s a good hair day.

Not only that, but the dress didn’t need ironing, I found matching shoes, and the bed got made. Lunches did too.

All feels right with the world.

I know.

You’re waiting for the shoe to drop. You’re waiting for … the rest of the story.

Don’t wait. Because it’s all good.

2016-10-02-03-09-41Some days – especially after sleeping – I wake up feeling so powerful and strong and confident … and put together, I’m pretty sure I could run for president. And win.

(Especially this election year.)

I notice these days when they come along. Revel. Celebrate. And rejoice.

Happy Tuesday.

Be glad in it.

Saying No

~ onehopefulyear ~ 2 Comments

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There are weeks when life lives you.

Meetings. Appointments. A deadline. Or two. An unexpected delay. Bad timing.

You know.

Wednesday – or maybe it was Thursday? – I thought I was going here, but I needed to go there instead. And I could pencil plans in my datebook, but I’d better be sure I kept my eraser handy.

(At last count, I’ve rescheduled my annual eye exam three times.)

All of that erasing can be stressful.

Until you decide not to give in to the stress.

It’s best, I think, when you realize it’s one of those weeks to just drop the reins along with any other attempts at control.  Just give your way over to the gallop, hang on, and find out where you end up.

I was a little resistant at first, I admit, and hopeful maybe life would slow to a more gentle trot by week’s end.

But it didn’t.

Honestly, when life lives you on weeks like this, our homes show the strain. Yesterday’s coffee cup and water bottles sit side by each on the kitchen counter along with mail and newspapers. Our dining room table’s served up a main course of folders, binders, miscellaneous this, thats, and the others.

Let’s not even discuss the laundry and trail of outfits I’ve lived in this week, left behind like breadcrumbs in case I need to find my way back to sane.

Which is where I was.

Last Sunday.

So be it, stress. Whatever.

Yesterday, I moved from room to room like a butterfly drifting from flower to flower.

Serene and saying no … to stress.

All that chaos. All that clutter. Each piece of evidence that life’s been a little … irregular … tucked away, back where it belongs. Doing what I could to quiet life where I live.

Order restored.

And a little bit of sanity too.

 

 

Blue Plate Special

~ onehopefulyear ~ 2 Comments

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A few weeks ago, one of our neighbors knocked on the front door. He carried a whole plate of delicious in one hand and a dog leash in the other. It was hard for him to juggle both, I think, but he outstretched his hand with that blue plated cake, offering our family a sweet dessert.

And a little love.

We’d had a rough stretch over here on this side of the street.  Awkward stuff to talk about, really, and we stood there he and I, neither sure what to say. So we chatted a bit instead about his dog and probably the weather, but care and kindness were there – passed from his hand to mine, neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend, family to family.

The blue plate traveled back across the street today warmed by  a 3 x 3 array of cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins, just out of the oven.

Once upon a time ago, I learned or read or heard never to return a dish empty. For a long time, I supposed such a custom to be about good manners.

I know now it’s about gratitude.

Each tiny muffin a warm thank you from our home to theirs.

Reaching out from one side of the street to the other.

And heart to heart.

P.S.  If you’d like to bake these oh-so-moist and autumn-inspired muffins, I used a recipe from Inspired by Charm. Mine came out more muffin-like than donut-like. They sure looked cute nested in their crisp, white muffin liners!

 

 

 

Overcast

~ onehopefulyear ~ Leave a comment

DSC_0372 (3)Some days there are clouds.

It may be  your day off. The day you planned to go to the beach. Maybe do a little gardening. Or you thought you’d take a long, leisurely bike ride. A walk. A paddle on the lake.

Whatever you had planned, the clouds took you by surprise. The magnitude. The intensity. They’re threatening. Foreshadowing. Dark.

And you feel a little cheated.

Or worried.

It could be you’re thinking about someone else’s disappointment. Or the reaction of someone you love. Our clouds cover them too, after all. So it’s on your mind and all of that makes the horizon that much harder to see.

But it’s there.

Tomorrow will come – rising, ready or not – and a new day with all its weather will be delivered to your doorstep.

And maybe …just as it’s important to live for today, in the moment, and seize every second … there are also those days when it’s better to look forward to the hope of tomorrow. If there’s anything I know about tomorrow, it’s wide, wide open to possibility and change and all the benefits of today’s experiences.

What I’ve learned walking around in the fog today, will steer me better through tomorrow. I’ll have an umbrella, for starters, and maybe some boots better for walking out there in the mud after it finally rains.

And then,  I’ll find myself a rainbow.