Newsletter Messages

September 09

2009-10-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Music To Your Eyes

Autumn comes to town, accenting life's comfortable silences. Invigorating nights that depict the intimacy of a thousand, glowing luminaries against a draping midnight hue. This frame-worthy month is poetically invented, nestled in decadent versus and played out as if music to your eyes.

During these swirling sweetness and light pitched days, lurk in unassuming nooks. Gaze at the clouds and write your name in the sky. Under one roof, fiddle a lively tune. Shoeshine your dull tips and value a perilous path. Your effervescent passion will lean forward and hear you smile.

August 09

2009-09-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

A bit of elbow grease and the squeaky gears

slowly begin to move. The resounding inner

to-do ticker allures August out of it's

ripened summer days and into a frothier,

whipped layer of anticipation. Another

chapter generates.

Enroll. Examine. Enable. Energize. Establish.

Soften tempers and stand shoulder to

shoulder. Whittled or love-worn, wish for

passions and inspirations. Travel light and

understand your silence so that you may

understand your words. A poetically rich

verse is about to be written.

July 2009

2009-07-23T06:52:00.001-07:00

Promenade
A slow, steady summer rain that collects in puddles at your feet, the humming of pool chatter and the benevolent sliver of shade blocking the mid-day sun can lull to sleep any two ton giant that happens to make it's home upon your shoulder.

The striking serenade of July glides from your scalp to your soles. Clear or murky, promenade with affection. Create something that may seem illogical and stand next to what you love as if it were your last slice. Take down the remedy resting up high on your mantel and grow into yourself.

June 2009

2009-06-23T10:32:00.001-07:00

The Quiet Concert

A carousel of exquisite days......bring them on sweet, buzzing June! An absolute nesting spot, perched amongst juicy greens, coconut oil scented breezes and bucket fulls of sherbert orange day lilies, grasping for the center of the sun.

Absorb the outa school smiles, the Cracker Jack ball games and the pastoral fire lit nights that careen about. That coat of armor you are carrying may grow heavy, and your spinning edge a bit dizzy. Pick up the hand that was dealt and don't measure the fall before you jump. The silent changes, the smallest of details, and the slightest of moves can make your blood move and your skin rush.

Pause and listen.....it is the quiet concert of life that plays the loudest.

May 2009

2009-04-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

Fall In

In quiet awe, we witness the infinitely,

ballooning parachute of spring. We reset our

clocks, ride a new tide and sit under the

moon, as all five of our senses are thankful

at once.

Do not feel infested by what to conceal or

reveal. Maybe.........you, be you? The

salvation of acceptance lies within your own

love.

Draw your own constellations, put down your

ammunition and a levied momentum will blow

in. Perfect your hustle and dream of things

bigger than what you let live. Breathe the

sweet air of midnight and fall in. Come full

circle and fall in!

March 2009

2009-03-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

Here Comes the Sun
She found her light and with her inherent healing halo, she shines down fearlessly as the earth opens to a new page. Abundant growth is not only touched, but felt and whether you are striking rock or hitting gold, everything around us has a message.

Find the space to swing your arms around. Spirited endeavors will carry you, making an apparent difference within you. Stick to those calling impulses and be re-introduced to yourself . Drive away from the noise but don't shy from fate.

A change, a conviction, a new light spreads. There is life in movement. Breathe in and begin again.

February 2009

2009-02-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Seduce the True You!

The cold months bump and push into one
another as if in line in a numbing school
hallway. December, January and SHOVE into
February......Ah, but the month of love has
arrived! A small, pale light is rising
brighter with promises unraveling and plans
solidifying with anxious grins. Conversations of
vacations, spring breaks and warmer, easier
days sit on our borders and start to unfurl our stuffy
layers. Boy, does it feel good to see that light!

Love this day for all the things that aren't
in it. Reinvent and release the familiar. Within
change there is power. Create interest and
ease into your days. Learn how to use your
wings and seduce the true you.

January 2009

2009-01-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

Choose To Move

The frigid pressing days of January combust and can swallow up our last few bits of optimism, leaving us to schlep from errand to errand. The discoloration of the season can bully away your spirit. Don't dash though untouched.
Captivate warmth, eat well and start again. Go with the grain and pad your days with calm, comfortable additives. Feel good in your home. Understand your hunger for more, but recognize your fullness. Choose to move, to heal, to dance, to dine, to raise a glass and not sit. Spend your energy wisely and discover your aura.

December 2008

2008-12-14T08:44:00.001-08:00

"Christmas is when we gather up everything
good in our lives. All the warmth and the
light, all the good memories and draw it
close and enjoy it as much as we are able to.
We gather up our children. Make food. Build a
fire. Light the lights. Sing the songs. Come
as close as possible, for as long as
possible. And in the midst of it, people cry
who you never thought had a drop of water in
them."

~Garrison Keillor

No matter what you believe in or celebrate
this time of year, we all have our miraculous traditions
that remind us that (as the song goes) "there
is a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy."

November 2008

2008-12-14T08:43:00.001-08:00

A Remarkable Axis

A full spread of faith and gratitude
crystallize as we congregate warm around an
abundant table. Honor, tradition, laughter
and observance center itself and re-power
collectively between lowered heads and folded
hands.

Unplan the moment. Pause before reacting.
Take the chains down off the doors and
coexist. Discover a new calm and invest in
what is real. Swim in your ability and seek
extraordinary possibilities in the
run-of-the-mill.

Allow Thanksgiving to empty your essence and
interfere with your everyday. This solemn feast
can bolster a remarkable axis.

October 2008

2008-11-05T20:28:00.000-08:00

The Space Between

The compelling season of Autumn has started
to make her appearance, reclaiming and
wrapping earth with her warm grace. Steaming
cups of cinnamon cider are embraced around
bonfires and a sea of mums dance with open
arms.

Scoop out the seeds and pattern your days.
When the cool, crisp weather arrives and
blue-black nights peak sooner, vacancies may
awaken and grow. Rise with those moments as
they breathe.

You just may find yourself pedaling along a
comforting orbit beside a new, but familiar
soul. Let go. Take their hand. The space
between solidifies and a soothing balance
begins.

September 08

2008-10-03T05:20:00.000-07:00

SHINE

The grand shift of seasons grow comfortable,
reposition and settle once more. New routines in full
swing, the divide and conquer mindset builds and long
lists are penciled into your planner.

If your head is full and everyday you stumble. Beat big
with your heart. Come original and construct arches. The
more you take, the less you feel. The past throws stones
in high definition. Rally and exude a new strength.
Express your vision and shine away.

August 08

2008-09-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

Spin Your Umbrella

As Summer closes her doors and we stand at
the entrance of another school year, a
compilation of emotions play out. Yearning
for a new season, fresh fashions, change of
pace, yet still gripping tightly to the ice
cream truck, slow as snail days.

A better moment is rising. Gather your school
supplies and grow wildly up from the bottom with change.
Self discovery is in bloom and the valve to a
new you is ready to be opened.

So spin your umbrella over your head and know
that something will go wonderfully right
today. Fill someone's head as big as a
birthday and share your warmth. On the
fast-track to a new beginning lies a buffet
of unfaltering purpose.

July 08

2008-07-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

The Music In You

Floaty chiffon days and lighter lingering
nights builds a sweeping nourishment
fortified with optimism. Hot dogs and apricot
glazed chicken dress up the grill as friends
and family gather and play longer. A
treasure trove of what the world needs can be
found in every neighborhood.

Summer is growth refined, spiking your hike
with an easier,more fanciful space to be.
This is what happy tastes like.

Don't postpone joy. Let nothing contain you.
Create, don't critique and instinctively
invent. Possess other eyes and dip into a
life-long to-do list. Unplug a better
tomorrow, raising expectations, subtracting
critical unhealthy beliefs. Send those
anxious thoughts packing and feel the music
in you.

May 08

2008-07-05T10:22:00.001-07:00

Find Your Light

The pure honey-filled core of these beloved,
warmer days presents itself with unparalleled
rhythm. The decadent carpets of
green soaking up the lemon, yellow sun
filters through reminding us of the
significant impact of hope. Making your best
days happen allows for a natural, luminous
health to blossom.

Feel good about the everyday. Swings, corn
with small corn handles, pinwheels, ice cream
on noses, a sweet breeze from a ceiling fan
and yards alive with a carnival of color.

Nurture your intuition. Find your light. Cash
in your pride and stretch yourself. Permit
your soul to ingest the good. You are the
possible. Don't wait around any longer.
Accomplishments derive from small, collective
steps. Keep moving. Keep re-imagining. Keep
strong and carry on.

April 08

2008-05-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Seasonal Rehab

A new strength rises deep inside, as the goose
bumps of frost fade and a renewed growth reigns. A
pivotal light fills a better view, building an insulated
bold confidence to tackle new projects and cross
burdens off your list. Choked up with warmer days
ahead, a show-stopping canopy of buttery bliss
takes root and the seasonal rehab begins.

Amazing what a little sunshine can do to your day.

Reveal a tangible vision, live the daffodil principle and
debunk the monsters under your bed. If your soul feels
like it is slipping away, partnering for a change simply
tastes perfect. Find an expansive tree, skyscraper,
ocean or cave to remind you of how enormous life
really is. String your course with a lighter load. Be the
sun in someone's sky. Levitate from within and watch
as your wings take flight.

March 08

2008-04-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Sound of Stars

Spring prances in as a much needed breather, rinsing
the heavy sludge off it's feet. Ready, set, go.....THE
PLANNING BEGINS! First Communions, birthday parties,
spring cleaning, weddings, gardens, Mother's Day,
vacations!

As the hamster wheel turns and you find your
schedule yet again detained, holding you hostage.
Stay afloat by building moments that if possible, you
would prefer to rewind. Find slivers of your day that
make your insides melt. Shape your weekends like
clay, getting a bit messy but turning out one to remember in the end.
Don't seek or expect, just let it be, giving forward,
breaking imaginary lines.

You are worthy of a rich limitless Sunday afternoon in the
middle of the week. Turn Spring on it's ear and listen to
the sound of the stars!

February 08

2008-02-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

Where Serenity Takes Flight

Tart February with it's middle-of-the-school
year blahs marches in and takes a strong
hold. Hibernating over the grueling winter
months can suck the life out of your daily
routine. Looking for an instant, whizbang cure? A
sun-kissed solution for that case of the
gloom and doom?

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow
ourselves to recognize how good things really
are." This quote from Marianne Williamson shakes
away all those condensed, cold restraints
like a bright, red Etch-A-Sketch!

Wiggle off those cooped up cobwebs and
dispose of all those winter blues! Plan a new
destination, rearrange your furniture, visit
a sacred sanctuary and drink in the views.
Switching out a pandemic, gray attitude with
a closer to fine mentality can help light
your way to a place where serenity takes flight.

January 08

2008-01-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

Brave January, with it's bellyful of new years resolutions, bursts in and builds a fire within each of us to turn everything upside down and start fresh. With a clean slate, the possibilities are exuberant and standing at the door of opportunity with pure gumption, feels like an intoxicating high.

You have a daring strength within that you may not even realize.

Don't let the cold, gray days of this month freeze you into a paralyzing trance. Get up on your feet and chase the life you REALLY want. Every day is another chance offered up. Release those hovering regrets and rattle the floorboards! Even the most quietest of days can be full of sound.

November 07

2007-12-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

The Gift of You

As the crisp bluffs of wind scoop up the
fallen leaves and blow them into a dance,
this hearty holiday of gratitude arrives oh
so quietly. Out-shined by the hustle
and bustle of Christmas planning, the magnitude
of Thanksgiving can possibly not resonate until
gathering around an abundant table full of good cheer.

The busy season is upon us.....take one hour
at a time. Do what you can, and let the
rest go. Be present in this
moment and embellish those around you with a
positive comfort, a listening ear and an
attentive smile. The gift of yourself is
truly unsurpassed.

Believe in the power of warm hospitality.
Bow your head and give an honest thanks.
Most importantly, dip your finger in some
Cool Whip and celebrate a joyful feast!

October 07

2007-10-19T04:10:00.000-07:00

She took his tiny, warm hand in her's. With his nose wrinkled up and an ear to ear grin, he gently waddled along side her
down the gravel path. In her unique, calming way, she pointed out interesting objects as his miniature head cocked to one side with a listening ear. Her inventive stories captured
his small attention span and with her twinkling eyes and playful demeanor, he was instantly wrapped in her warm, safe presence.

As I stood, watching them walking side by side, his small voice
fading, it was almost as if I could hear their hearts beating. At first alternating and then growing closer together and finally as one. Funny how in unexpected instances your senses allow you to hear, see or feel things you never thought were possible.

Many of these soundless moments stitched together embodied her easy elegance, beautiful glow and legendary wisdom. Her gifts pass on from generation to generation, timeless, effortless, like a hummingbird floating from one flower to another. Her infinitely kind heart, resilient love and boundless, giving soul will continue to fill our bellies, just as her home-cooked bowls of goodness, sprung from her cozy kitchen, comforted our insides.

Tightly tuck in those you hold dear. Flock together and just be. Gather joyfully. Grow closer to the reason for which you have been here all along....these simple yet powerful moments.

Dorothy "Dottie" Ohmer
Born: September 10, 1934 - Died: September 21, 2007

September 07

2007-09-27T06:57:00.001-07:00

An Old Friend
The first few, crisp days of fall, brimming with it's giant pots of chili, everyone's favorite TV premiers and ooey, gooey caramel apples, drops in like an old friend. In an instant, a rich palette of amber, golden hues paints a picture perfect view nestled outside our window. The sounds of the local high school's drum band can be heard echoing through the neighborhood, giving texture and excitement to a Friday night. Sweaters, lazy football Sundays and cozy blankets warm our insides without becoming heavy.

The visual emotion of Autumn is extraordinary, invoking a deep sense of a place or a feeling bigger than the minute. Swing open your windows. Take a stroll and crunch through the leaves because the world resonates a bit differently at 2 miles per hour.

Search for what triggers those inside flutters. Spritz your day with small, satisfying treats. See a little farther. Find a way forward. A resilient skin allows you to turn everything upside down to see what falls out.

Find delight in harvesting warm humor, new hope and enchanting comforts. The fruits of the season will be sure to visit you.......allow your natural glow to shine and invite them in.

August 07

2007-09-04T05:32:00.003-07:00

A New Routine
As the days fall into a new comforting routine and drift away from the long, soft, free-spirit hours of summer, the transition may require a bit of patience. The season is changing once again and the mad dash to smooth out the ruffles can send you into a tail spin. Quickly scurrying from one errand to another, it is easy to turn a normal day into a rush hour frenzy. Almost as if something suddenly comes along and forcefully shakes up all the pieces of your day, mixing them around and leaving it to you to unscramble, organize and sort.
Choosing to take the slow lane a little more allows life's race to illuminate it's worthwhile side. Unwind at night and breathe in the still of the morning. Planner or no planner, a poised, strong start to your day scoops out a heaping, healthy portion of emotional balance that sticks to your ribs like a peanut butter sandwich. The small, annoying difficulties that seep though during the afternoon will begin to bounce off your shoulders.

One by one the pieces do drop into place. Stress does ease. Smiles do surface and the inherent need to sort, mend and make well during this time of change is abundantly fed.

July 07

2007-09-04T05:32:00.001-07:00

The Good Stuff
Unlimited potential woven deep within is buried at times amongst the strains of the day. When the outside becomes loud and mean, inner, "can do" thoughts can snip at your strings. Have you listened lately to the subtle contents inside that whisper the possibilities? It's within you.....it always has been. This is the good stuff. The world is yours and the opportunities are endless.
A strong, inner compass builds a durable foundation bringing an enriching clarity and focus. Nurture the indoors and downsize the out. Trust your gut instinct and soar with excitement unleashing your ambitions! Swim, drive, run, paddle to the absolute core of what you really want in this life. On the corner of sacrifice, sweat and tears lies a hand-sewn solace only a leap of faith can provide. Believe in the flowing contours of self worth deep down past all the negative pollution, past the rumpled and forgotten passion.

For one extraordinary moment, risk curiosity and embrace what you could be. The right time will surface, igniting a zest for all that brings you great joy. Why not believe the good stuff?

June 07

2007-06-25T04:15:00.000-07:00

Listen To Your Own Music

Living never felt so good. Sweet, sweet summertime with it's rad, blinking fireflies, Marco Polo pool games and lazy lemonade with floaty orange pieces. Mmm mmm summer in a jar...wish I could bottle it up!

And is it just me, or what is it about this season that makes ya wanna go out and buy everything? Are the stores drugging us with all the absolute "must haves" for summertime? Marketing executives sugar coating ads with semi annual sales, colorful, shiny pool paraphernalia and breezy, flowy dresses that scream beachy cuteness. So difficult to resist!

Attempt to be content with life's simple comforts ........but if you find all your rational thinking creeping out the window and you walk out of the store with one too many bags........remember to bring home new possessions that breathe your soul. Being yourself fills vacant inner rooms with indescribable serenity.

Allow summer to heal. Not much else can energize and calm. Dip an Oreo in some cold milk. Dive into the breezy shallows of swaying wind chimes. Throw down your crippled, negative thoughts and weave a blanket of boundless confidence. You will begin to do what you know you need to...authentically. The universe seems to move with you, once you have listened to your own music.

May 07

2007-05-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

Today Is That Day

Questions of our unpredictable surroundings
have become ever more apparent in our
day to day lives. When tragedy topples down
upon us, uncertainty grows like a disorderly,
sticky weed. A catastrophe dampens faith,
pollutes stability, stamps an unwithering
watermark upon our security, all the while
leaving a sick stillness to linger.

Amazing how much all the negative can swallow
up, and yet out of tragedy blooms
an organic sense of connection. Heros emerge
with an unshakable spirit and generosity is
renewed. Faith once again soars and kindness is
inspired by kindness.

The simple moments such as sitting
knee to knee, drippy ice cream and sand
between your toes gives great light. The
effortless, simplistic words such as, "I'll
look after you, I love you" speaks to us in a
new volume.

Do not waste time here. Carry those who you
think may not need carrying. Express yourself
now. Deserve only good now. Apologize now.
Forgive now. Celebrate now. Dance now.
Sing........now. Don't wait. Today is that day.

(My thoughts and prayers continue to be with
the victims and their families of the
Virginia Tech tragedy.)

April 07

2007-05-02T09:05:00.001-07:00

A New Day

Ah YES.....Spring. Makes your insides giggle, know what I mean?
Jump starting your senses, the smell of the green earth as it does it's
flip flop reminds us we are alive.

The first warm day makes you want to drive off in your car far away
from what has been holding you back. Makes you wanna throw your
arm out the window and feel the wind between your
fingers. Blast your music and feel the sunlight dance between the trees.

This is your time, your day, your "feel good," "I am on top and not about to fall"
moment. Dishes are done, laundry is controlable, the world is aligned
and the kids are at peace. Well, even if all those things are not exactly true - it is
warm out and the smiles of pure contentment are contagious!

Know this month that you are worthy of a day drenched in magic.
Release your self doubt and allow ambition to reveal itself. Ground
yourself in courage and believe in the most miraculous of possibilities.
Surround yourself with good friends who make you laugh.
Push yourself to try something you never thought you would.
Get up and go, feel good, be better! Run or walk for a cause, get up early, get
things crossed off you "to do" list ..... it is a new start, a new day.

February 07

2007-02-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

Everyone Has a "Love" Story.

Simple, graceful moments that sweep you off your feet like a sweet, light kiss. A belly warming cup of goodness that cleanses your senses and leaves you wrapped in sunlight.
A few people have shared their "love" stories below. Click on the comments link on my Giving Tree Loft web site and leave your "love" story. After all making love visible can be the most authentic gift.

• a good laugh with someone she just met • planning a vacation • an honest stare after a long, hard day from his loyal dog who sits beside him • unexpected kindness of a stranger • sleeping in on a rainy Saturday and spending the day curled up on the couch with a good movie • the smell of her husband just out of the shower • warm coffee as dawn breaks and the light falls over the tree limbs • getting off work on Fridays • tousled morning bed-head in his red fireman pajamas, slurping his floating cherrios as milk drips down his miniature chin • pizza day • an extra long drive just as the sun is closing it's eyes • the feel and smell of a warm sweatshirt straight out of the dryer • comfortable silences

Picking out the small, lovely celebrations of life can enrich and restore. At times, in the process of seeking out the euphoric, shining, epoch things in life......we tend to overlook the humble ones.

Love fully. Dance with what you can't leave behind and let's all do some living!

January

2007-01-11T04:30:00.000-08:00

Serendipity

Ever have an encounter that leaves you feeling so
sure that you were on the right path? A
hair-raising, first light sensation that wakes you
up on the inside? An offbeat moment that later
reflecting on, makes you pause and grin? A bit of serendipity
is like sunshine in your pocket.

Nature by design? Who knows for sure, but no
question when it is found....there is no greater
revelation. A distinct verification that haphazardly
comes about when we least expect it and with it,
bringing an intense sense of belonging. A rare,
unexplainable connection humbly appears like a
marshmallowy treat floating in a sea of bland.

When you get that undeniable, comfortable feeling
you have visited that place once before......
what could be more unfaltering?
When someone comes into your life as if riding on angelic wings.....
what could be more divine? It can be given many names.....
fate, deja vu, destiny......but whatever you call
it, collect it. Keep it warm and close. Raise a glass and toast
to it. May a year of splendid serendipity fill your
soul and breathe wind into your sails!

December

2006-12-11T16:20:00.000-08:00

Home for the Holidays

This beaming holiday season of pure, silver light
peers crouching and in a whirlwind, swoops down with
it's huge, pillowy wings. Even with all the chaotic rush
this time of year, a calming, familiar place
appears. Divine adolescent depictions of a time held
deep within ourselves submerge. Details, not of
material things, but simply of those which made us
feel safe carries us back and lights our way.

I can still hear my father's whistling to the
clinking, clanking piano keys of the Charlie Brown
Christmas soundtrack. I can see the soft wrinkles of
my mom's silky robe as she sat nestled in the corner
of our couch on Christmas morning, smiling with her
steaming coffee cup. My sister's hand still sits
warm in mine as I am sent back waiting nervously at
the top of our creaky stairs as we asked our parents
for the fifteenth time....."Had Santa finally arrived?"

Now discovering home in my own family brings about an
abiding cadence. I am overcome with a sense of
security as my seven year old's bright eyes
stare up at the sky on a crisp, moonlit night and my
two year old jumps up and down on bubble wrap as his
contagious giggles fill the room.

Pick at the seam of the bigger picture this season,
unraveling a memory far greater than expected.
Savior the smallest of details and as Dorothy said
it best...."There is no place like home."

November

2006-10-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

Elevate

November is a time to pause and give thanks. A time to gather. A time to drink up all the humanity that surrounds you and I. A time to stand still even if it is just long enough to catch a glimpse. A time to feel. A time to listen. A time to breathe in those sacred moments amongst family and friends. A time to quietly sit with gratitude. A time of connection. A time to well up with tears hearing the innocent voice at the end of the table saying grace. A time to celebrate simplicity. A time of recognition that will elevate your soul and transform your journey.

Lay with appreciation for a while. Swim amidst the unselfishness of others. This is the time.

October

2006-10-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the Ride

As a child, picking out who you wanted to be for Halloween was an exhilarating time of year (and collecting all that candy was not all bad either!)

Some kids had in mind what they wanted to be all year long. Some changed their minds (conveniently after their parent's went and bought the outfits) and others chose to dress up the same, year after year.

As adults, letting go of expectations, finding our "own way" and recognizing our own super-hero strengths can be splendidly liberating. So, whether you plan your every move, change your mind until you get something you like, or take comfort in doing the same thing year after year....it is in the process - not the product that matters most.

While the smells of warm pumpkin pie and sweet caramel apples fill the air and the season of change falls upon us .....enjoy the stops along the way. When the journey starts dragging at your feet.....strike up your favorite song and sing out-loud. Turn out your lights and watch as your freshly carved pumpkin sparks it's glow and enjoy the ride!

September

2006-09-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

The Start of Something New

As the summer days dwindle and the smell of school supplies fill the air, an excitement for a fresh start bubbles up within us all. The world seems to begin again with a sense of innocence as new experiences arise and old ones are revisited. It is hard not to get swept away by that "Back to School" feeling. A change in routine seems to shift your perspective and drench your thirst for feeling alive.

These past three months were packed full of small events that took me back to when I was younger and quietly volunteered a little break from that mundane day to day routine. When my summer began, the role of "motherhood" (at times .......may be otherwise known as the "enforcer of ALL rules and regulations") had taken over my everyday life while watching over my two boys. I needed a change. I was coasting through my days standing still. So, I made a decision to set aside this "mother-hen" role of mine for a moment and instead I jumped on a trampoline and giggled till my sides ached. I ran through the freshly cut, summer grass barefoot diving with a net attempting to catch butterflies and after spending a whole afternoon at the swim pool flipping in the water, eyes bulging from my cool speedo goggles, I felt like I was 10 years old again.

Chances to make my world new had been slipping past me daily, unaware. Whether you are experiencing a whole new feeling like having your first baby or an old, familiar feeling comes rushing back through the eyes of your grandchild, I hope you take the opportunity you have been given to start something new, plunge in full speed and just "let go" even for a few moments this month!