Wake me up when September ends...

Where does the time go? From the end of summer, to getting sick, to running my fourth race, September has come and gone in the blink of an eye (or the flash of a camera). It's scary how quickly time passes. Our parents and grandparents weren't kidding when they said it only goes faster as you get older. I imagine it's because we spend too much of our time wishing our lives away. Children don't sit around waiting for something to happen, they make it happen. They let their imaginations run wild. They create and explore and inquire until they are satisfied. As adults we are forever waiting for someone to pick us up or something to come along. Whether it's the weekend, vacation, summer, Christmas, or the love of our lives, we wait and we hope and we worry, all the while missing out on right now.

Of course it is great to have things to look forward to. These days I have much to anticipate and much to be thankful for. I am thankful for the upcoming weekend getaway with my girls, my best friends. I am looking forward to spending another Thanksgiving in a magical place with someone special. And I can't wait for my annual trip to St. Thomas with my oldest, dearest friends (as mentioned above in the weekend getaway :). It's great to have those big moments in life, the times you will never forget. But it is also great to have the quiet times, the moments (like now) when there is nothing planned, nothing to worry about, anything in the world available, but nothing at all needed aside from this computer, this wine and my cozy sweat pants. In between the big things I will try to enjoy the little things. I will surround myself with things I love and try not to let the precious time elude me.

Time it was, and what a time it was

A time of innocence, a time of confidences

Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph

Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you.

~Simon & Garfunkle

These are not the droids you're looking for...

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

Yoda

Peel me a grape...

There is no better feeling than knowing you are home...wherever that might be and whatever that might mean for you.

Let the Rain Come Down

I want to darken in the skies
Open the floodgates up
I want to change my mind
I want to be enough
I want the water in my eyes
I want to cry until the end of time
I want to let the rain come down
Make a brand new ground

~Sara Bareilles

Accomplishment

54 minutes

Who said summer is over?

Boiling Point

Stress. We all know the word and most of us are probably tired of hearing it, but it seems an unavoidable constant in our lives. We stress over different things, yet the toll it takes is universal. This week I am stressed about being sick and unable to prepare for my 5 mile race on Sunday. I watch a loved one stress over work and I worry about his health. I see friends stress about money, relationships, illnesses, and I wonder when it will end. Whether the stress is your own or someone else's, we see it, we feel it, and we do our best to deal with it.

Relax.

We all need to let go a little. Give up some of the responsibility. Let in the good and let go of the bad. Enjoy the journey and don't look toward the end. As long as we live there is never an end...just another day to start over.

Now

We have demons,
addictions,
obsessions.

We have longed,
lost,
pushed away.

We have memories,
fears,
dreams.

But we have hope,
we have freedom,
we have love.

We have now.

Hello, my little friend

The fat, happy, smiling buddha is a symbol of happiness, prosperity and contentment that is embraced by Buddhism, Taoism and Zen Buddhism. Many people today have placed this buddha in their home to attract these attributes.

Hold My Heart

"I want to tell you so, before the sun goes dark,
How to hold my heart
'Cause I don't want to let go, let go, let go of you."

Drink Up

Feeling sick.

Nostalgia



Fall is almost here and as it does every year, it brings back a lot of memories and even a little sadness. Maybe it's simply because it brings with it the most change. As the cooler air moves in I think about the years of going back to school. Whether it was a new year of high school or packing up for college, there was always this feeling of saying goodbye to something good and facing something unknown. The air is different in Fall. There are different smells like apples, pumpkins and fire places. There is a feeling of both comfort and nostalgia. There is a warmth beneath the hoodies and flannel sheets, but a chill in the air that warns you of the winter soon to come. It is beautiful to see the leaves change and a shame that not everyone gets to witness it. Although I say I'd like to live in a warmer climate I wonder if I would miss all this. There's nothing like a great pair of boots and a cozy sweater. Bitter sweet: that's the best way to describe it.

Taking It to the Streets

Scarlet

Con te partiro

Quando sei lontana
sogno all' orizzonte
e mancan le parole,
e io si lo so
che sei con me,
tu mia luna ti sei qui me,
mio sole tu sei con me,
con me, con me, con me.

Strength

It makes me that much stronger

Makes me work a little bit harder

Makes me that much wiser

So thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster

Made my skin a little bit thicker

Makes me that much smarter

So thanks for making me a fighter

~Christina Aguilera

Closed

Oprah

Watching: The last Season Premier of the Oprah Winfrey show.
Thinking: What is my favorite episode?
Realizing: I can't pick one.
Listening: To the screaming fans she is taking to Australia.
Wishing: I had the chance to be on the Oprah Winfrey show.
Remembering: All the amazing things she has done for her fans, all the smiles she has put on people's faces, all the ways she has inspired, all the gifts she has given.

What can you do in your own life to inspire people the way she has? What kind of gifts do you have to give? How will you leave your mark in history?

Lazy Sunday

Staying in on this rainy Sunday.

Peace

I remember...

being at work.

watching it unfold.

calling Crissy.

waking up Peter.

the prayers.

the moments of silence.

wanting to be with friends and family.

the death toll rising.

the disbelief.

feeling sad.

feeling blessed.

exchanging stories.

feeling united.

like it was yesterday.

I remember.

Take a Day Off

Everyone deserves a day off and I learned today that you really don't need a reason for it. I had no plans, nothing special going, but I wanted to take the day off of work. I took a poll on facebook and most people said that I should save my vacation day for when I had plans, but if you think about it, that's like saying:


"Save your good jewelry for a night out."
"Keep your fancy car in the garage and only take it out on nice days."
"Save the good china for when you have company."
"Only send flowers on special occasions."


People should not need a reason to treat themselves. If you want something, go get it. If you love your red heels, wear them everyday.
You don't know if you will get the chance tomorrow.

This is what I got to enjoy today on my run...

Love

Happiness = hand-written love notes.

Félicitations

Congratulations to my dad on his retirement! He seems too young to retire, but that only means he has so much left to enjoy. I wonder where I will be at 55...

Run

It's a great feeling to be doing things I never thought I would do (things most people didn't think I would do). Running is one of them. It's my new love.