Hope for Hope and Where I could Find It

         I asked a question of a Zebra (rare conditions) group of which I'm a member: how do they manage to have hope for the future?

Some General, Gentle, Grounding of Grief

        I've a lot of friends and whanau who have lost much, this past while. So since it's on my mind, I'll share something with you.

        Take this as you will.

From Memes, to Memories, to Meanings

        Sometimes I struggle as one who serves in the "inspirational" genre, especially on social media.  It can be hard to be a struggling empath with a quirky, sometimes sarcastic and/or dark sense of humor when trying to balance honesty, inspiration, light, and syrup: oh those memes, quotes, misquotes, plagiarism, and one of the worst: cliches!

Pseudo-Zen, and My Choice to Embrace What Is

I call it, "pseudo-Zen."

The Broken and The Giving

        In the past I have shared things that have touched me, that others have done, and given a little peek into why. This week I'm taking a similar approach, and I'm grateful to have been given permission to do so.

When the Light Goes Out

        It's January.  Time to think about something new.  This is not a "new year resolution" but simply something I realized as I was going about, and thought I'd share with you.

Facets of Smiles and Tears

Don't cry because it's over.

Smile because it happened.

~ disputably attributed to Dr Seuss 

Which is why it's perfect for this post.

Lessons of a Lifetime in a Year

        As we find ourselves winding toward the end of another year, I have to take a moment to think about what that means, and for me in particular.  So if you'd like to come along, I'm happy to take you along with me.  Maybe something I end up saying will have something meaningful for you; if possible, perhaps for us both.

From the Pages of My Mind

        On the PB Community Facebook Page, we often discuss ways and means of finding the ability to get through and move forward after our more challenging situations we've had to face; since the most basic premise of the PB Project has been to allow people to feel they are not alone in their struggles, I have always felt it to only be fair that I share whatever I feel would help in that effort.  This week, I thought I'd share a little of my inner thought processes; this time, part of it comes not from posts I've shared elsewhere, but actually from working through things in my journal.  Perhaps it can help demonstrate some of what I've meant when discussing that topic.

A Relatively Short Moment of Truth

        I posted this earlier this week in a more personal spot on social media, and was encouraged to share it, here.  Inasmuch as this is actually something that really does resonate with me - lately, in particular - I figure I might as well, since that's why we're here.  So, here:

Forcing the Force of Forced Gratitude

Forced gratitude.

Sometimes just taking energy we feel like we don't have

and forcing ourselves to look at things differently can save our sanity....

Amazing, Awe-Inspiring, and Remarkable, Remember?

        What a crazy life this is, and yet awe-inspiring and amazing, if I think about it.

A Bittersweet Break for a Day

        Hello my friends.  I'm just taking a moment to think out a few things, so I hope you don't mind if I take you with me?  Well, I suppose if you do, you can just stop reading, and no harm done!

A Letter to a Grieving Friend

        I had another post ready for this week, but then my feeds became inundated with grieving friends and notifications of great amounts of loss in the world, and so things changed regarding my plans for this week, and you get this, instead.

Endure to Enlighten the Shadows We Traverse...Someday

       I know, I've been a little dry on the posts, lately.  My apologies, but life happens, and sometimes we just don't have it in us to maintain the steady rhythm, you know?  Since the PB Project has been all about trying to help us all know that we are not alone in what we face, even if what we each face is not the same, I'm just going to let you know that part of that has been about trying to find ways to give self-care during a rather rough patch, these past months.  I've explained that on the PB Community Facebook Page, but not as much for you.  So there you go.

A Little Dose of Reality

        This week, I want to approach something of a bit of a sensitive nature.  I truly hope that those for whom it might be a bit triggering will allow me to finish my point before giving up on me, because it's about how we face our own mortality when - well, faced with our own mortality.  It really shouldn't be too bad, but I like to give people the heads up.

A Little Try for Gratitude Couldn't Hurt Too Much!

        Hello, my friends!  This week I'm going to try to prove myself as not being a hypocrite.  Actually, I say that because I sometimes feel like one, but really, I think I'm just proving that I know it is often easier said than done!

Perfection in the Personal Paradox

        Hello, again.  I promise I'm still around, and working toward progress.  You'd be surprised at how many drafts from over the years I have sitting there, started but not feeling "right".  But that actually plays well with the idea that I've thought to share for this week.  Let's see if it gets out for you to read!

        It's a little raw, just so you know.  But that's how it's been, lately, and what falls out of my mind is usually filtered through whatever is on it at the time.  Pretty sure that's the way it works for a lot of things, for a lot of people.  Anyway, here we go.

My Friend, I Just Want You to Know...

Dear Friend,

        I know you're going through a tough time, right now, but I just want you to know...

It's Okay.

Okay, so maybe it all isn't really okay.  But that's okay, too.

Maybe just take some slow, deep breaths while you read this post,

and let it help you come back to center.

You might just found it was just what you needed.

You wouldn't be the only one, I promise.