Celebrate endings, for they precede new beginnings.   Jonathan Lockwood Huie (It's almost a given that today's quote has to be about endings or some sort of completion because it's the last day of 2012.)   Endings and beginnings go hand in hand. They have to.  You cannot have a beginning without something having ended.  Only once in history can I think of a beginning occurring without an ending preceding it.  Otherwise an ending comes before a beginning.  The older I get the more I can appreciate endings.  The better perspective I have on them.  And the older I get the more peace I have about celebrating some of them!  Some things must end and should end in order to make way for a new thing.  And whether we admit it or not, whether we know it or not, we all want new things to happen.  We really do.  Celebrations will look different depending on what the ending is.  Celebration doesn't always mean balloons and loud music, sometimes they come through an acknowledgme

There are two ways of thinking about painting, how not to do it and how to do it; how to do it -- with much drawing and little color; how not to do it -- with much color and little drawing.   Vincent van Gogh in a l etter to Theo van Gogh, April 1882 Life is a little bit like today's quote from van Gogh.  Some of us live life focusing on the drawing - the details - and have very little color.  Others of us go for the color and forsake, to a degree, the drawing - the details.  Unlike painting, according to van Gogh, one is not wrong over the other but somewhere in between the two would be the best I would think.  If you look at some of van Gogh's paintings I feel like you can see where he might have struggled between the "how to do it" and the " how not to do it" (as he admittedly loved color so much but knew he had to focus more on the drawing) and that seems to be reflected in his life as well.  In the end he wasn't able to find the

Extroverts want us to have fun, because they assume we want what they want. And sometimes we do. But “fun” itself is a “bright” word, the kind of word that comes with flashing lights and an exclamation point! One of Merriam-Webster’s definitions of “fun” is “violent or excited activity or argument.” The very word makes me want to sit in a dimly lit room with lots of pillows—by myself.   Laurie Helgoe, Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength HAHAHAHAHA!  This is so true of me.  My idea of fun is browsing a book store for as many hours as I want by myself ( usually ).  Or I think it is fun to be with one other person in a quiet coffee shop.  I have been frustrated when extroverts try to convince me that my "fun" isn't fun at all.  It is for me just like theirs is for them.  I don't begrudge them their ideas of "fun" so I wish they would respect my version of it, and some do.  It's the ones who can't fathom that there are peop

Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.   Frank Herbert If you want true freedom, which is liberty, then you must practice and incorporate discipline into your life.  It seems backward but it is true.  The only way to true liberty is to live a life of discipline.  I'm not talking about the kind that is exerted over us by governments or power hungry people.  I'm talking about the kind of discipline that comes from within.  Choosing moderation, denying selfishness, participating in behavior that is defined by integrity - ethics - responsibility, etc.  When we seek freedom we become slaves to unrealistic expectations and desires.  We are never satisfied or fulfilled but always reaching for something that doesn't actually exist.  We think freedom comes through pursuing our desires but it really comes through allowing discipline to be part of our lives.  In what may seem an ironic twist to us freedom becomes very clear in a life

You should not buy anything that you are not willing to give away.   Unknown On the surface today's quote seems to be about that favorite topic of mine - not hoarding and not having clutter in your home.  On the surface I suppose today's quote is partially about that BUT I'd like to go deeper than the surface.  (Shocker eh?)   Today's quote to me speaks of  generosity  and  selflessness  or selfishness.  Are you willing to bless or gift someone else with what you just purchased?  It could range from a cup of coffee to groceries to paying an overdue utility bill to fill in the blank .  And if you aren't willing to, why not?  What stops you?  Is it your own financial state?  Is it not being able to take the person's need at face value?  Is it simply that you are feeling selfish (because whether we admit it or not we all do feel selfish more than we would like to recognize)?  Does your generosity have a "cap"?  Have you placed limits on how generous y

My experience of life is that it is not divided up into genres; it’s a horrifying, romantic, tragic, comical, science-fiction cowboy detective novel. You know, with a bit of pornography if you're lucky.   Alan Moore Ha!  I love today's quote!  LOVE IT!  And the truth of it is so stark that it kind of hit me upside the head.  Life is not one kind of genre, it is many all mixed in.  If  our  life was  actually  written out critics would hate it, they would rip it apart for its unevenness and inconsistency.  But isn't that what life is?  Things can be going along just fine and then BAM!   Out  of nowhere the genre switches because of a relationship or a circumstance.  That's life.  Life is  adventurous  and if we lived just one kind of genre the adventure would be missing.  We need all the genres in order to keep things interesting, to keep us growing forward, and to create the kind of legacy we are looking to leave.  Have you found  yourself  living just one genre of li

The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.   Barbara Kingsolver Hope.  The word holds promise, anticipation, expectations, confidence.  What do you Hope for?  Have you figured it out?  Life lacks sparkle when we have no Hope.  We all Hope.  It's impossible for us not too but sometimes the Hope scares us so we try to deny we have any.  But it's there.  Skating around the edges of your heart and breathing life that you need into your soul.  It 's the denial of its existence that causes us to live outside of it.  Don't do that.  Allow it to infuse you, allow it to whisper to you.   Let it live in you and you in it.  Too often we look at Hope as something for others, unattainable, inaccessible so we stay far away from it.  It's like the house in our own neighborhood that we drive by everyday and admire but think we can'

I never change, I simply become more myself.   Joyce Carol Oates I have LOVED my 30's.  LOVED THEM.  Why?  Because I have settled into my skin.  I'm still doing some settling but mostly I've become comfortable in myself.  So while it seems to others, and even myself, that I have changed I haven't really.  I've just become more myself.  Some people have decided they don't like who I am and we have parted ways.  That's okay.  Some people have decided they do like who I am and they have stuck around.  That's okay.  And yet others (probably the ones closest to me - family and spouse) have decided that they don't know who I am and they are watching me settle in and the jury might still be out!  Ha!  That's okay too.  There are days that I look at myself and wonder, "Who AM I?"  And there  are days that I'm not sure if I like who I am, who I'm not, who others think I should be.  And then I remember that I'm settled  and  settlin

Joy is the best makeup. Anne Lamott What's that glow?  It's called Joy.  No amount of makeup applied can compete with Joy.  When it comes to women, their makeup can be flawless and beautiful but if they don't have Joy then they look dull and uninspiring.  When it comes to men, their face can be clean shaven - or groomed well - and they can smell good but if they don't have Joy then they are dull and uninspiring.  Joy is for both genders, it does not apply to just one.  Joy transcends the surface of our lives and comes from deep within to bring a glow to our lives.  It is the best accessory, the best makeup, the best practice anyone can incorporate into their lives.  Where does Joy comes from?  How do you find Joy?  It is allowing your days, your very life, to be touched by the simple and small things that come from gratitude.   Being grateful is the beginning of Joy.    It's allowing hard circumstances to be met with something deeper than the surface and letting

Solitude matters, and for some people, it's the air they breathe. Susan Cain All the introverts in the house 'holla!  Seriously.  I read today's quote and I resonate loudly, "YES!"  I know I desperately need solitude, even from my own family.  I need time by myself and that includes no kids, no husband.  Just me.  It's what I count on to get me through work weeks of interacting and being that outgoing introvert that I am.  When I get my time of solitude I breathe it in deeply, so much that I almost gulp it in and become breathless with how much I am taking in and trying to store up.  In fact, I crave it so much that even 8-10 hours of it isn't enough, I have to  re-acclimate  to people coming back into my space and it takes me a while to feel welcoming toward people inserting themselves back into my space.  Sad but true.  That's how much solitude means to me.  That's how much I need it.  How about you?  Can you relate or does the idea of solitud

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.   Ralph Waldo Emerson Oh gosh.  I am so grateful for the friends in my life that I can be stupid with.  Whether it's a silly stupid, an emotional stupid, or just plain stupid.  I'm so grateful for the ones who put up with me and my stupidity.  And I've got a few that have gone the distance with me.  I've got some that I know I am being stupid but I still go to them because I know they will put up with it and still love and even like me!  How about you?  Do you have people in your life that you can be all kinds of stupid with?  I sure hope so because Emerson is right, it is a blessing! 

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.   Harper Lee It's an art of sorts to get outside of yourself and purposefully place yourself in the shoes of another.  It's an act of selflessness to consider another's perspective.  Have you ever let go of your irritation with someone long enough to try and understand where they might be coming from?  Have you ever made the choice to go beyond the surface of someones behavior and try to  understand  their depths - where they speak and behave from?  We cannot really know another person until we make the decision to "climb inside of his [her] skin and walk around in it."  Until we make a decision to come to an understanding of who they really are below the surface we won't understand them. And when we make the choice to do that something happens - we have compassion for them.  We don't have to agree with them to

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. William Arthur Ward Today's quote makes me laugh.  Mostly because of how true it is.  As soon as you read today's quote did names immediately come to mind of those who fit the pessimist, optimist, and realist?  Which one are you?  I think we all want to be the realist, adjusting our sails to handle the wind.  But we aren't all the realist. Some of us are the pessimist and some are the optimist.  Sometimes we can be any of the three depending on the winds. A warmer wind, for example, is easier for me to adjust my sails to.  A cold wind usually brings out the complaining in me.   We all need a variety of these kind of people in our lives.  Pessimists help me to be more optimistic or realistic.  Optimists usually point me toward realism, although sometimes I fall into pessimism.  And realists help me gain perspective while I can share with them optimism...and sometimes

Though I may be efficient at the family table, I linger at the table for two.   Laurie Helgoe, Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength There's a problem I have.  And today's quote helps me sum up my problem.  I am what you would call out outgoing introvert.  It means I can do extroverted things or behave in extroverted ways BUT for shorter lengths of time and I am exhausted afterwards.  My job outside my home happens to be a front desk receptionist.  Um.  Hello extrovert behavior anyone?  I have to interact, I can't crawl into my cave that I love and have decorated.  Here's where my problem occurs.  A lot of people only see me in the role of front desk  receptionist   i.e. being an "extrovert".  What they don't see is before and after.  Before work I don't do a lot of talking or engaging - I'm pretty careful with my time before work each day.  After work?  Same thing.  I try to stay pretty quiet and boost up my reserves f

Darkness forces our focus on the relevant, while the irrelevant fades away.   Seré Prince Halverson In darkness we are forced to adjust our sight to what really matters.  The path ahead of us, obstacles in our way, the finish line (so to speak).  What isn't important to our journey melts into the darkness and is unseen because it does not matter.  In darkness all that matters is what will help us get through.  Sometimes we don't even know that something or someone is irrelevant in our lives until darkness envelops us.   I went through a dark time a couple of years back and it became very clear that there were certain people in my life that had become, unfortunately, irrelevant.  They melted into the darkness and I haven't heard from them since.  I bet that I have also been irrelevant in people's lives and I have melted into their dark times.  Sometimes the darkness is the best way to prioritize.  It helps us to adjust our perspectives and see what really does matter,

The more one judges, the less one loves.   Honoré de Balzac When we place ourselves in a position of judging others because they don't have the same views (political), beliefs (religious), lifestyles, careers, fashion sense, etc then we also place ourselves in a position of loving others less.  There isn't room for judgement and love.  One overpowers the other and when we give in to judging we have chosen to leave love behind.  There are times when this is more evident than others.  Times like election season, when controversial topics are highlighted because of a tragedy, etc.   There is a huge difference between opinion and judgement.  We cross over from holding an opinion to judging when we engage in pompous behavior, mocking others who hold differing views/opinions, using foul language to get our point across, and treating others with derision because they don't agree with us.  We silently turn to judgement when we feel the need to use social media to post pictures,

Silence is more eloquent than words.   Thomas Carlyle It would be a mistake to not acknowledge the tragedy that has befallen our nation in the past 24 hours.  Unspeakable evil has occurred and precious lives, young and older, have been taken.  Put into motion is a grief that will last years for the families directly involved and impacted.  Put into motion is a fear that has settled into the minds and hearts of those who witnessed this atrocious act.  A community has been shaken by a devastating event and nothing will ever really be the same.  I would venture to say every parent is heartbroken and every human touched by this unspeakable evil. The responses of those who aren't directly impacted but yet touched have been interesting.  Many have taken up their own personal battle cry for their particular views on gun control and God.  Those are the two topics getting the most talk from this tragedy.  I have allowed *you* your opinion, please allow me mine.  It is not the time to ta

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.   Attributed to Hanoch McCarty I think a very clear picture of today's quote is seen in the TV show "Intervention".  That show makes me sad.  It gives a very clear picture of a person who is so beaten down by life circumstances and choices that they turn to drugs, alcohol, prostitution, etc to "cure" what ails them.  Except it ends up being more "ail" than "cure".  And as the producers interview these sad people it almost always comes out that they are trying to numb the disappointment of who they aren't but want to be.  Somehow, along the way, they got sidetracked from their true self and became this person even they cannot recognize.  They try to convince themselves and others that they like this person they are.  But they lie.  They lie to themselves.  Their disappointment in who they want to be but think they can never be hangs heavy on them like a

You cannot dream yourself into a character: you must hammer and forge yourself into one.   Henry D. Thoreau Developing character. a solid one, takes work.  It cannot and does not just happen.  A character with substance, one that draws others instead of repels them, requires a little sweat equity.  You have to put some muscle into it.  Just as a lump of clay, untouched, is unappealing so is a character that is untouched.  To make the clay something that is appealing both to eye and practicality some muscle has to be flexed and some work has to be done.  Have you ever seen a potter work the clay?  It's not like "Ghost", just sayin'.   To get the clay to mold, to form into the vision the potter has for it, to be useful, the potter has to apply pressure, work, remove bits.   Every piece of pottery that makes it from lump to finished piece has sweat equity invested in it.  So it must be with our characters.  If we invest some sweat equity it will show, if we put no wor

There's nothing that keeps its youth, so far as I know, but a tree and truth.   Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. I may be totally off on today's quote but oh well!   It's my blog so I can interpret as I want!  Ha!   We all are aging.  No matter what we might try to maintain our youth we fail.  We are all aging.  No amount of botox, surgery, fast cars, etc will help us with the quest to stay youthful.  So why not focus instead on the things that matter and do keep their youth?  I'm going to bypass the tree part of Holmes quote today and go straight for the other, more important in my opinion, part.  Truth.  When we choose honesty we choose youth because the truth never ages.  It maintains its youthful glow.  The picture I get in my mind is that of wrinkled skin versus smooth.  When we choose lies and falsehood we create wrinkles.  And what do we do with wrinkles?  We try to smooth them back out with cremes and such.  We try to cover them up and hide them.  We put a lot of

On with the dance, let joy be unconfined.   Mark Twain To be confined means to be limited or restricted in some way.  It means that you are held up or in bondage (whether that is physical or figuratively).  So to be unconfined is the opposite.  It means we have the ability to be footloose and fancy free.  Twain's advice in today's quote is much deeper than how most may read it on the surface.  Joy cannot, indeed should not, be confined.  It should be allowed to dance throughout our days and our lives, unhindered by circumstances or physical restrictions.  Joy is possible even when the surfaces of our lives indicate it shouldn't be.  Joy is able to transcend the immediate and introduce a dance to get us through.  Joy is something that cannot be fettered, its strength breaks the chains that restrict us.  Some days the dance joy introduces is a waltz, other days it is hip-hop.  The dance of joy in your life will look different with your days but let it have its way and make

When we clear out stuff, we make room for people.   http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/2011/10/31-days-to-organized-home-day-one.html This is not a new topic to the 365.  :)  Obviously, however, it is one of my most favorite topics! I love clearing out stuff that we haven't touched, used, thought about in 6 months or more.  In fact, I'm getting ready to go through some tubs again and see what we can get out of our home because it is taking up space. My house isn't a place where stuff is takes precedence over people but I practice keeping our material possessions to a minimum because I don't ever want it to get to a place where it does.  When I watch shows like "Hoarders" and see how family members and friends don't feel welcome and feel pushed out of their loved ones life because of stuff I feel sad.  How tragic to send the message that this thing (whatever it may be) is more important than a spouse or someone else who loves you. This got me to thinki

Most people, if they had really learned to look into their own hearts, would know that they do want, and want acutely, something that cannot be had in this world. C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity We are all looking for something.  Something that has meaning, worth, value, inspiration, and purpose for our lives.  Not one of us is exempt from this search.  The results are in and clear.  It's nothing in this world that will answer that quest.  What we each are seeking can only be found outside of this world.  It can only be found in something beyond ourselves.  Lewis knew what he was talking about, he went from searching this world for answers and being left still wondering to searching beyond himself and finding exactly what he was looking for.  The answer is found beyond ourselves.  The answer is found in a Creator who created us.  He is the One with what we seek.  He holds meaning, purpose, value, inspiration, and worth for our lives.  Nothing else comes close.   Nothing .  No amoun

Do something wonderful, people may imitate it. Albert Schweitzer  I love today's quote all on its own but I also love when I hear or read stories that back it up.  I'm a firm believer in doing acts of kindness, random or not, and inspiring others to do the same.  And I do believe that the majority of the time people are inspired to commit their own acts of kindness once they have been recipients.  Just today I read on FB from a friend's status, " went through the drive thru at Starbucks this morning and the car in front of me paid for my order.. random acts of Christmas season kindness made my day!!"   Wonderful and kind acts don't have to be  grandiose  in scale (financially, materially, etc) - just  grandiose  in thought and intention. A $4 coffee is grandiose, not because it was $4 my friend didn't have to spend but because someone, a  stranger  , extended beyond themselves to another person. And of course what is the response of my friend? She's

Live your life from your heart. Share from your heart. And your story will touch and heal people's souls.    Melody Beattie Our greatest stories, those which leave the most impact, come from our hearts.  And what comes from our hearts are stories that have laughter, sorrow, healing, pain, and everything in between.  The best stories have a little bit of all, even the pain.  For our pain can be someone else's healing.  When we share from our hearts we are telling a story of grace, of redemption, and of hope.  Just like the stories from the hearts of others can be a soothing balm, a life lesson, or a myriad of other things so can our stories be as well in the life of others.  But they have to be shared from the heart.  If they are not then they will not accomplish what they could, the potential of the story won't be reached.  Our stories will only be heartfelt when they are lived from that place as well.  Don't be afraid of your heart, live from it and share from it. 

Your own soul is nourished when you are kind.   Proverbs 11:17 Feeling low?  Kinda down in the dumps?  When was the last time you reached outside of yourself and extended kindness? If it's been a while then that may be why you are feeling a little low.  Something incredible happens when we reach out beyond ourselves - beyond our own circumstances (that may be grim), beyond our own selfishness (we all are), and beyond our own moods (we all get in them) - we experience nourishment.  Our souls lift and become lighter, our perspective on our own circumstances alter slightly, our selfishness is exposed to light and we can deal with it, our moods change course.  At least this is my experience when I extend kindness, especially when I'm not necessarily feeling it right away.  Sometimes, I admit, I have to take a deep breath and put a smile on my face and go what feels like the "extra mile" but then as I get into it I find it is good and right to do and before I know it I a

I don't really want more time; I just want enough time. Time to breathe deep and time to see real and time to laugh long, time to give You glory and rest deep and sing joy and just enough time in a day not to feel hounded, pressed, driven, or wild to get it all done-yesterday.   Ann Voskamp Yes.  Voskamp says it perfectly.  It's not necessarily more time that we may want (although we may think so initially), but it's enough time.  Enough time in each 24 hours of a day to breathe deeply, to not feel pressed for more time but just enough time.  Enough time in each 24 hours to feel like I'm not rushed and I've missed deadlines that never existed.  Enough time in each 24 hours to "stop and smell the roses", whatever form that takes for each of us.  Enough time in each 24 hours to be grateful, to look at life and see the beauty in the midst of the busy.  And for me, and maybe you, a believer in God - enough time in each 24 hours to stop and see his hand in m

A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.   William Styron Word.  *grin*   So true and how do I know?  I've experienced books that leave me with many experiences and at the end of the book I am reluctant to close it and end the story and my time with the characters.  I love it when an author can do that for their readers.  What is also so fun is that everyone has different authors that do this for them, we don't all like the same authors so that's why there can be so many authors and titles within genres.  I love reading, I'm pretty sure this doesn't surprise any of you.  And I love it because it opens up adventures for me and you.  Styron is right, we can live several lives while reading.  I think through several books that I have read that this has  occurred.  One series this has definitely happened with is    Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series .  Talk about living several l

We can't outlive our lives if we can't get beyond our biases.   Max Lucado I've been thinking a lot about biases lately.  We all have them and if you deny that you have them you are, well, a liar!  :)  Seriously.  We all have biases about a variety of things.  I decided a few weeks ago to challenge one of the many biases I have.  Have you ever done that?  Have you ever purposely sought out information on the opposing view so that your bias can be reformed or strengthened?  It can be tough because in the search to understand the bias (opinion) opposite ours we are usually required to examine the parts of our own bias that aren't 100% accurate.  Nobody likes to concede to the "other side".  It requires humility to see through your own bias and acknowledge the opposite.  It requires grace to be in relationship with those who hold opposite biases than you (on the controversial topics, I'm not at all referring to the silly little biases we have regarding cof

Find out what you are afraid of and go live there.   Chuck Palahniuk What are you afraid of?  I don't think Palahniuk means snakes either.  I know I certainly don't!  Go beyond the surface things that immediately come to mind and get deeper.  Are you afraid of...succeeding?  Failing?  Trying a different career?  Living away from family?  Picking up that hobby that has always interested you but is so out of character?  So you see what I mean, and what I think Palahniuk means as well. Go live in the place where your fear lives and conquer it.  Go live there and find it isn't as scary as your mind told you it was.  Go live there and fail in order to succeed, yes they go hand in hand!  Don't let fear define you or your life, go and put it in its rightful place.  Fear has a place in our lives and if we treat it right it will help us grow and develop and do things we never would have thought we could.  And what makes me tremble in my heart won't make you tremble in you

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.   Eleanor Roosevelt Don't allow people to tell you who you are and who you should be.  Don't allow people to tell you what you are suited for and what is above or beneath you.  When you allow people to define you then you have given them permission to control your life.  And generally what happens is when someone else is controlling your life you feel inferior, even if they are telling you how amazing you are.  Because generally they only think you are amazing if you are performing/behaving up to their standards. Once you don't, they don't think you are amazing, they belittle you and push you to be better which leads, oddly enough, to feelings of inferiority.  You have the choice whether or not you will go through life feeling inferior.  If you have given anyone permission to make you feel inferior you also have the choice to deny them access any longer.  The choice is always yours, even when you are told it isn&