Tag: #lifestyle

Stemware and Prozac

~ blacklilymusings ~ Leave a comment

alcohol-glass-wine-glasses.jpgIt was my first Act of Self Care.  Stemware in my hand like Jazz playing gently from my stereo makes me feel Special. I remember when I made the Choice to do the Little Things.     So every night when I went to bed I would reach for my Special Stemware.  The ones I saved for Company or Family Dinners.  It was Cool to the Touch and I loved how Pretty and Clear the water looked as it Swirled into the Glass.  After Getting my Special Green and White Pill called Prozac from it’s Friendly Orange Bottle I would Head to Bed.  I felt Luxury in that Moment.  I realized Regardless of my situation, I could Make Life Special.

It’s the Little Things.  It’s the Chocolate Stashed Away.  It’s Jazz.  It’s Coconut Soap.  It’s Four Dollar Tulips.  It’s Dog Cuddles.  It’s Neighbour Smiles.  It’s Birds Chirping.

Take the Time to Create Luxury.  True Luxury is Free.

Sorry Kids, Yes I Stash Chocolate.

I Love You.  Luxuriate Today.

xoxo

When Ten is One Hundred

~ blacklilymusings ~ Leave a comment

pexels-photo-951232.jpegWe go through things in Life that make our legs Concrete.  Our joints become hot and sore from Stress.  Our knees Tremble and Shake. An Elephant takes Residence on our Chests.  Making it hard to Breathe.  Laundry Piles become Everests.  The dishes in the sink Taunt us.   The soft light of Dawn becomes Blinding and Painful.  Sleep becomes our only Escape.  Our Beds become our Safe Zone. And also a Torture Chamber if sleep Eludes. Smiles become Frozen in Place.  Completely Incongruent with our Broken Spirits.

But Life Calls.  So we Rise.  We dress our weak Bodies.  We Pray and Pray and Pray.  We feel Fleeting Courage for a Moment only to have Fear Rise and Pull us Downward once more.  Everything we knew and trusted in is Pulled into Question. But we Cling to Hope.  Slug the Coffee and Face the Day.

There’s times in Life when Ten Percent is One Hundred Percent.  Don’t Judge Yourself.  Ignore those Who Do.  You’re Rocking Your Pain.  You Got Up.  You Faced the Day.  I’m Proud of You.  The Sun Will Come Out Again.  I Promise. And You Will Fly.  Stronger.  Higher. Faster. Than Ever.

I Love You Warrior Tribe.

xoxo

Sound

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There’s certain sounds that pull me into the Past.  Of Special Memories.  A time of Innocence.  I’m not Brushed Up on my birds, so I can’t say the species, but when it sings I am a Young Girl staying at my Auntie Sharon’s sweet little Cape Cod style home.  Tucked in the Birch Trees.   Up in her Darling Bedroom under the Eave.  Krista Lee’s Room.  The window is slightly ajar and there’s a bird singing.  The same one I’m hearing this Morning.

There’s also the sound of the Crow.  When I’m out walking my dog on the Ravine behind my house it’s Call takes me back to Hunter Lake.  I can see the Tall Balsam Firs behind my home dancing in the New Brunswick winds off the Atlantic Ocean. I can see the railroad tie fence and the little white Barn.  And the Crows circling overhead.  The Fir Tree Dance was one of my favourite memories of Home.  I loved watching them out my window.  So Strong and Powerful and so Graceful.  The Soothing Sound of the Wind.

As I sit by the Elbow River, coffee in hand and rubber boots swaddled in Spring Mud there’s little Ducks making their Swath through the Water.  Their little feet paddling so happily under the water and their gentle quacks remind me of The Pond.  I loved throwing my Rubber Boots on as a child and trekking through the Pasture.  A plastic bag of leftover bread in my hand.  I would call out to them, and they would come waddling up the Pasture to greet me.  So Comical in their Perfect Incoordination as their little Orange Feet tried to Hurry them Along.  There was nothing better than watching them Dive so Excitedly into the Water and Peck the pieces of Bread out of the Calm Waters.  The setting so Peaceful and Pure.

Today I’m going to Seek out Nature.  I’ll walk Charlie at the Elbow River.  I’ll sit and Listen to the Birds.  And Memories of Today and the Past will intermingle.  And my Gratitude will Float Upward and the Corners of my Mouth will too. Thank You Beautiful Life.  Thank You Beautiful Earth.  Today I will make Time for the Birds.  And my Heart will Sing.

Have a Happy Day.

xoxopexels-photo-917494.jpeg

 

Fear vs Love

~ blacklilymusings ~ Leave a comment

“Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and the openhearted vision of people who embrace life.” – John Lennon

The last two days I’ve chosen Fear as my Dwelling Place.  Not because anything Happened.  Just because I focused on Hurt.  The Past. I chose to Isolate.  Harden. To Shrink.

Then a girl in a Unicorn Sweater showed up.  Bearing two kinds of Cheetos.  So we sipped  Hot Chocolate and ate Cheetos till our fingers were sticky and orange.  And slowly the Warmth of her Love and Spirit made mine come out of Hiding.  I stuck my head out of my Lonely Cave and Smelled the Fragrance of Peace.  Love and Liberty.  She spoke of Unconditional Love and it’s ability to Bring Health.  To Heal the Giver even more than the Benefactor. And my Heart Unthawed.   A Spiritual Spring as the snowflakes fell outside my window started to thaw my Heart.  A warm wind blew. The wilting flowers of Joy and Love and Passion once again started to  tilt their heads to Her Sun.

I don’t even know what to say as the tears run down my face as I am typing this.  But I fiercely Love my Esther.  I didn’t know when I met you last summer and we sat on that hot bench that you would be a Mentor.  Decades younger and yet my Mentor.  My Unicorn Sweater wearing, Joy emanating, Cheeto eating, little piece of Magic.  How did I ever get so lucky? I am Humbled at my blessings in Her.

My Heart is so Happy. Thank you my Fearless Esther.  Your Bravery and Love Heals Me.

I love you Esther, and I love all of You.

xoxopexels-photo-413707.jpeg

 

 

 

Humility

~ blacklilymusings ~ Leave a comment

That Word used to make me Itch.  I though it meant Desolation.  Drudgery and Destitution.  I have learned it means Life.  Liberty and Light.  I didn’t understand that the Flow of Life doesn’t truly happen until we are Humble.  Humility opens your eyes  to Blessings.  You see Life as your Ally.  The Dawn as your Friend.  Challenges become Opportunity.  Disappointments become just a Change of Dreams.   Abasing experiences become a chance to prove we aren’t above the Menial, the Lowest Place.  That we can also be Servants. Where we get to feel Resilience strengthening our Core and we find out Hope is truly an Anchor.  I’m Grateful my Heart Still Beats.  I’m Glad today I get to be One in Billions.  Breathing this Oxygen.  On this Beautiful Jewel called Earth.  Spinning in the Milky Way.  The Gift of Humility helps me to See my True Reality.  I want to always nurture Humility.  It helps me see Magic.

Have a Magical Day!

I Love You

xoxosunrise-sky-blue-sunlight-67832.jpeg

 

Free Style Consultation

~ blacklilymusings ~ Leave a comment

pexels-photo-994234.jpegToday is Your Day.  I’m at home all day today working on my computer.  Send me all your Style Questions and I’m your Personal Stylist today.  I look forward to chatting with you!  No Question, No Fear, No Insecurity is too Small or Insignificant!

Oh Yes, and Zero Obligation to sign up for anything.  I don’t Operate like that. I actually Love helping people.

I Love You.

xoxo

 

Anti Cliche Living

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pexels-photo-281260.jpegMonday Blues.  Sky Blue…because the Skies the Limit!  One thing I hate is Cliches.  Because basically, it means I’ve Settled.  Because the Majority feel a certain way, or has a reaction, it makes it Okay.  Today the cliche Monday Blues is bothering me.  Monday’s are Awesome!  I get a whole week ahead of me!  I get to Plan and Design it.  I get to Create My Dreams.  And Wednesday hasn’t rolled around yet to make me feel Panicked.  If there’s a day to dread it would be Worry Wednesday.  That’s the Day of Reckoning for me.  The MidWeek Crisis, I call it.  Insecurity bubbles up.  The day I break out the red sports car and put frosted tips in my hair, so to speak.  The day of poor choices and radical moves as I realize my week is slipping away.  So here’s to Motivated Monday.  Tenacious Tuesday.  Worry Wednesday will become Wonder Wednesday.  Wonder Woman Wednesday.

We Got This Ladies!!  Oh Yes, Men Too!

I Love You.

xoxo

Silence

~ blacklilymusings ~ 1 Comment

pexels-photo-917494.jpegDawn for me came Early.  As I sat enjoying the Silence, my thoughts went to my Father.  Silence was a big part of his Life.  Early Morning you would find him on his patio, in his rocking chair, sitting in Silence.  Enjoying the Views of the Okanagan.  Or in his recliner, in the Study, Serene and Silent.  Being in Dad’s Presence made my heart Still.  I felt Safe and Not Judged.  He had a Way of Silently Role Modelling Goodness and Integrity.  Passion and Hard Work.  Words were Few, and Works were in Abundance.  Dad is Gone now.  But as when he Lived, His Silent Testimony of Light and Goodness continues on.  This Morning in the Stillness I’m Grateful for Truly Silent Light.

I Love You Dad.

xoxo

 

Twilight Of Youth

~ blacklilymusings ~ Leave a comment

The Twilight of Youth.  The Dawning of Middle Age.  Im Forty Three.  I’m Enjoying the Sunset on the Horizon of My Youth.  It’s Quite Serene to be Truthful.  Youthfulness is Wonderful.  Truly Something to Be Treasured and Enjoy.  But It’s Busy.  A lot of Vanity.  A lot of Figuring Out.  A lot of Seeking and Shedding.  A lot of Challenges that Build our Spiritual Muscle.  So Imperative as the Sun Sets on Youth that we’ve gained that Spiritual Muscle.  We will Spend a third of our lives in Middle Age.  Our Best Years in my Opinion.  Where we get to Enjoy the Fruit of those Years Of Youth figuring out Who we Are and What we Love. Where Entitlement Ebbs and Gratitude Grows.  Self Absorption has Ended and we are Others Focused.  We’ve Grown in Wisdom and Understanding of What Brings Joy.  There’s a Stillness and a Grounded Feeling to Being Middle Aged.  So Here’s to Sprouting Grey Hairs and Skin that Doesn’t Bounce Back Like It Used to….it’s a Small Price to Pay in light of True Liberty.

Here’s to Middle Age Liberation.

I pexels-photo-66997.jpegLove You.

xoxo

Salt

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pexels-photo-277253.jpeg“They are the Salt of the Earth”.  I can’t tell you how Often My Beautiful Friend says it.  Walking along the Boardwalk in Victoria.  Speaking of Her Dear Friends.  Pam in Particular. Nadia probably has No Idea how it Stayed With Me.  How I Pondered it.  How it Inspired Me.  Again, on Sunday another Dear Friend spoke of Salt.  The Ultimate Flavour Enhancer.  The Savour of Life.

So how does it Apply to Me, I ask? How can I be Salt to Others? How do I add extra Value to Life for Others?  Do I make their Lives have a little extra Oomph?  Does Joy seem more Full when I’m in their Life?  Is their Step a little Jauntier? Their Smile a little Broader? Does the Sun feel Warmer and Brighter?  Are Sorrows a little Easier, seem a little less Daunting? Do I Motivate, Strengthen and Inspire?

But the Biggest Question is, Can I be that without needing to be Noticed?  Salt gives of Itself and guess who gets the Kudos?  The Cook.  The Recipe.  The Ambience.  The Venue.  The Salt never gets the Praise.  But Yesterday, I didn’t Salt the Chili properly.  I’m telling you, I was sure glad for the Salt Shaker.

So here’s my Chance to Say Thank You.  To My Salt People.  Nadia, You are My Salt Today. I love you Dear Girl.

Thanks for Being Salt.

xoxo