Time Well Used

Now we wait. (Molly)

No. We Breathe. We Pulse. We Regenerate. Our hearts beat. Our minds create. Our souls ingest. Thirty-seven seconds, well used, is a lifetime. (Mr Magorium)


~ Mr. Magorium's Wonder Imporium


Todays quote is from a movie that came out in 2007. I only saw it once and I loved this line. They are waiting and Mr. Magorium in his wisdom illuminates the fact that no time is ever wasted and we can choose to make each and every second whatever we want.  Thirty-seven seconds, well used, is a lifetime.  I have taken hundreds of thousands of second for granted in my 33 years, yet some of the greatest things that have ever happened to me occur in only a few seconds. Like yesterday when we were grocery shopping and my son came running up shouting Mommy with the enthusiastic pure joy that only a 2 year old can manifest and gave me the biggest hug in the world, as though we had not seen one another in days, not minutes. And then the shared, knowing smile with the elderly woman buying her milk beside me, as she watched, likely remembering her own babies long grown.  It all took place in about 8.5 seconds...but they were well used variety.  My soul definitely ingested.

I am always complaining that I don't have enough time...but I am going to start using my spare 37 seconds more effectively. No more waiting.

Peace My Soul

AMAZING PEACE  by Maya Angelou

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft.   Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound.
We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war.   But true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, and comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace.  We look at each other, then into ourselves,
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation:

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul.


I am not really one for poetry, but I love this one by Maya Angelou.  We all crave peace, in our hearts, in our families, in our lives, in the world. We recognize it instantly when we feel and we want so badly to hold on to it, but can't.  But each time we offer love, a hand, a kind word, compassion or understanding we invite it in again. 

As Christmas inches closer and closer, I always feel at peace more often, even among the chaos of office Christmas party drama, holiday shopping and family celebrations.  I hope you do too this holiday season, no matter your faith or circumstance. Embrace it when you feel it and don't let go, and if you feel it slipping away, invite it in again. and again. and again.


Peace, My Brother
Peace, My Sister
Peace, My Soul

I am only one

I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.  ~ Helen Keller

I have loved this quote for years, and it can apply to so many things and situations.  I watched a documentary on the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last night and I was so sad at the horrible destruction caused by greed for money and cheap fuel, but I felt helpless to do anything about it. And then I remember this quote. Maybe I can't fix the oil spill, but my daily decisions make a difference. Odds are pretty good that I can't boycot oil and gas entirely, but I can choose to walk a bit more and drive a bit less.  Will that stop climate change or prevent more oil disasters, probably not, but it can't hurt.  I am still one and while I can't see myself becoming a tree-hugging, bike peddling, organic food growing, earth mother; I can see myself being a little bit greener in 2011.

The same holds true in other areas I care about. I can't solve world hunger and I admit I cry everytime I see those World Vision Infomercials on TV.  I can do something. I can buy an extra case of soup at the grocery store for the local food bank. I can buy my son four birthday presents instead of five and donate the extra money to charity.  It might not make a big difference in the statistics, but I like to believe that even the small acts of charity and kindness matter to the people on the receiving end.

As the old year comes to a close and new year is around the corner it is always a time for me to reflect on the past year and make plans, lay intentions and have hopes. (I don't like the term resolution, it so inflexible and permanent, which life never is!)  So in the new year, I am going to use my 'one' more effectively. Because I can't do everything, I refuse to be paralyzed with sadness, complacency or inaction. I will do something that I CAN do.

Blessings on you and your family this holiday season!

Tis' better to live your own life imperfectly than to imitate someone else's perfectly ~ Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert

I am no Martha Stewart.  This is a painfully obvious fact. But I love my family and I love my home and I most of all, I love having people over to come and enjoy the two together. So tomorrow I am hosting my in-laws for an early Christmas and my own family next week-end. I spent the day shopping, cleaning, cooking (well, okay...more like preparing than actual cooking) and everything is coming together pretty nicely, if I do say so myself.  So the house isn't decorated in Sarah Richardson's high style, the food won't be 5 star restaurant quality, and the absurd amounts of tape used in the wrapping process is clearly visible on the gifts, but I have better things to do with my time than participate in the never ending quest to achieve someone else's idea of perfection. Like take a nap by a blazing fire on a cold winter afternoon...which I think I'll do now.

It may not be perfect according to some people's standards, but it's all mine and it's perfect to me!

Joy of Normal

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day, I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return." ~ Mary Jean Iron


I read this quote for the first time two day ago on one of my favorites blogs (Enjoying the Small Things by Kelle Hampton) and since then I have read it over and over and over and over. It may be my new favorite quote of all time because I think that may it contains the meaning of life.  I have also seen this summed up as  This too shall pass.  People often use this phrase during difficult times, but the truth of it is the same during the amazing times, and everything in between.

My mom (the greatest mom in the world) has tried to instill this concept in me my entire life.  Appreciate the moment for what it is. Be where you are.  I know it, I understand it, but it is easier said than done.  When my son was a newborn, the first weeks were so difficult, recovering from the physical trauma, the sleeplessness, the breastfeeding drudgery and I remember thinking, I can't wait until he is bit older and can hold his head up, stop spitting up, stop changing diapers. I can't wait to sleep more than 2 hours in a row...

Now he is nearing his second birthday and those first few groggy days seem like a lifetime ago and I wish I could remember exactly how he felt in my arms as rocked him to sleep. I know there were moments where I was aware of the treasure I had, but I know I did not acknowledge it enough. So this is something I am always working on, especially where my little man is concerned.  So right now, I am going to tuck him in (again), kiss each chubby little finger and thank God for all the amazing joys in a normal day.


Blessings on your eyes, blessing on your children. Blessing on the ground beneath you...

No time like the present

"Blessings on your eyes and on your children. Blessings on the ground beneath you. Where ever you walk, I go with you." The Red Tent~Anita Diamant

There is no time like the present, so they say.  I'm still not sure who 'they' are, but I'm pretty sure I agree with them.  Since the only moment we ever truly have is the one we are living right now, it makes sense. So here I am, fingers quaking...embarking on my first ever blog.  

I wanted to blog about something important, something interesting, even something - profound. Since I couldn't come up with a topic worthy of any of those descriptions during my hectic days as a mom,  wife,  daughter and public servant, I have decided to keep it simple and share some of my favorite quotes and passages form all different places that mean something to me, and maybe they mean something to you too.  (...and then maybe we can be connected in some special and amazing way, and we can share titles of our favorite books and photos of our kids, and then meet in Las Vegas for a book festival or something...but wait, I am getting ahead of myself...)

The quote above is from one of favorite books of all time.  I can't even really put into words why I love this quote so much, which explains why Anita is a best selling author and I'm not.  I just think it sums up all the goodness you want to for people, in all that they see, in where they are now, and in their future. And that people should know that love will follow them where ever they go (not in a creepy stalker way, but in a your-are-always-in-my-heart kind of way!). I think everyone should use this as a greeting and farewell, sort of a long-winded Aloha (which I thinks means welcome, good-bye and love).

So, Blessings on your eyes, and on your children. Blessings on the ground beneath you...