Positive Affirmations, Good News and Awesome Things

[Selkie]

Thanks.

We miss so much of this stupendous place we call earth/home because of our "driven-ness".

We hurry and we scurry and we crash at the end of the day.

And, for what gain, if we have missed the beauty of the creation around us and the small but important things that good people are doing one by one every minute of every day.

[havanaholly]

Having nearly died on three separate and quite different occasions, I find staying in the moment extremely easy.

[Deb]

Having nearly died on three separate and quite different occasions, I find staying in the moment extremely easy.

Me too Holly but in a little different way. My past was too ugly to dwell on and the future too uncertain to consider but both were the reason that staying in the moment was more about survival than appreciating life. I've spent so much time trying to survive that I didn't realize how much I was missing that would allow me to *thrive* instead. So I look at the moments in different ways now; taking that precious sense of life that comes from surviving and being able to take it to the next step of finding the beauty/insight that allows me to thrive and grow. It's a wonderful, wonderful thing to step out into the sunshine and call it mine again. And you dear sister, motivate me to keep trying harder to thrive and rejoice in what I *can* do rather than worry about what I can't.

I have a poem to share about overcoming obstacles. Selkie, I know this is one of your favorites and it's your sig line that made me think to post it.

It Couldn’t Be Done

BY EDGAR ALBERT GUEST

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

[Selkie]

Perfect!!

I do love my old buddy Edgar's poems. I used to have a sweet old handbound book of most of his poems. I miss it.

Some folks think his style is "less than" ... but to me, he hits the nail on the head time and time again.

[CheckMouse]

I thought of that poem (It couldn't be done) a few years ago when I tackled my first miniature needlepoint. I bought all the supplies, then left the country and wouldn't be able to buy anything else for it - or get any help. I realized the square pattern wouldn't work for my rectangular room, so I carefully reworked it to fit the space I had. Long after I finished the piece, I was reading through the instructions again, and in small print on the back page it said: don't try to change the shape of this pattern as it cannot be done without destroying the design. More patterns are available here..."

Oops! Glad I didn't read that first!! I guess that goes back to the original post in this thread - negativity is contagious and dangerous.

[havanaholly]

Well put, CJ! You all know what a red flag hearing the words "Oh, I couldn't do that" (whatever "that" happens to be) is to me; it sets my teeth on edge! Just because I can't imagine doing something never stopped me from trying.

[Deb]

I used to have a sign in my office that read: "The impossible just takes a little longer". Sometimes I have to adjust goals and objectives along the way, but I can always make it work........whatever it might be.

[chesterfieldzoo]

Someone did us a favor today (fixed our shop furnace for no charge) so my husband went out of his way to do something for someone else this afternoon. Pay it forward and happy begets happy!

[havanaholly]

Random acts of kindness also go a long way to spread the love.

[CheckMouse]

Well, I've got another positive affirmation - they just keep coming! When I was at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore a few days ago, a decorative clip fell off my purse and I lost it. I thought it was probably in the car, but when I returned to the car it wasn't there. It's no biggie, I can live without it, but it was red medallion that brightened my purse for Christmas and I was sorry to lose it. I went back through the store tonight to get to another store, and as I stepped through the door the thought occurred to me - maybe they have a lost-and-found department! And maybe there's a 1% chance someone thought to turn it in. So I asked at the counter if they had one, which they did, and I described what I had lost. She looked through the items, asked me a couple more questions about it - and there it was! I just thought it was amazing that someone, at Christmas time, was kind enough to seek out a clerk and turn it in to the lost-and-found. I didn't think there were any people who did that anymore!

[Selkie]

Nice!! Kinda restores your faith in the human race, doesn't it?

[Deb]

Deana, that's awesome! I love it when people pay kindness forward to someone else. We just never know how important the smallest act of kindness can be to someone else and I think that it always sets off a chain reaction.

CJ, I'm doing a little happy dance for you about the recovery of your pin. You're right that positive thinking returns positive actions to us. I believe that what we send out into the Universe comes back to us times three and in the past few years I've learned that when I'm more positive, it makes a change for others around me. I know my husband is happier, that's for sure! LOL! But the person who found your pin obviously believes in good karma too and it's that kind of thinking that attracts more positive people to us. Negativity doesn't like positive energy and IMO, if that's all it takes to drive away bad energy then I'm totally dedicated to laughter and light and positive thinking. And pretty pins because sometimes all it takes is a beautiful thing to look at that brings you joy.

I've got a silly this morning to start the day with a chuckle:

[havanaholly]

...funny-pictures-its-nawt-a-doll-itz-an-action-figure.jpg

Shades of Doogster!

[Deb]

For some reason, this quote seems perfect for us here:

“If you have yet to be called an incorrigable, defiant woman,
don't worry, there is still time”

---Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes

[Selkie]

For some reason, this quote seems perfect for us here:

“If you have yet to be called an incorrigable, defiant woman,

don't worry, there is still time”

---Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Thanks - she is one of my favorite authors. Met her once at a conference and she was such a wonderful speaker. She spent time talking with anyone of us that wished to come over to her. She portrayed confidence and purpose with kindness, imo.

[Deb]

Thanks - she is one of my favorite authors. Met her once at a conference and she was such a wonderful speaker. She spent time talking with anyone of us that wished to come over to her. She portrayed confidence and purpose with kindness, imo.

I love her too. I've been gradually collecting her books and lectures on audio and have stacks of journals filled with my notes. She does the reading of all her books on audio so you can hear the poetry and movement in her voice and the ups and downs and inflections that are almost hypnotic which is the trademark of a genuine cantadora. But she knows about the Scar Clan and a large part of my emotional healing has been due to Dr. Estes. She understands the artistic soul and knows that we need to put our hands in the clay, in the paint, in the wood, in our writing.........to run barefoot so we can connect to the earth beneath us but keep our heads in the clouds and always dream.....to find that inner light and then to nurture it so that it grows brighter and brighter all the time and not only becomes a beacon to our inner selves, but it shines out as a beacon to others. She's an incredible Jungian psychiatrist but she's also an incredible woman and if I ever met her, I would lay my head on her shoulder and call her Mother.

I do follow her on Facebook where she writes open letters of inspiration and encouragement. I thought that I'd share this one about cascading kindness here.

Dear Brave Souls... TINY KIND-NESSES

lest we forget, anything one can do to help... helps. Rather than dreaming only, doing is the more valuable currency...

""The smallest act of kindness

is worth more than

the greatest intention."

-- Khalil Gibran

(1883-1931) Lebanese-American mystical poet, and artist

There are many ways of kindness, sometimes by speaking, sometimes by resting together just breathing gently in unison, sometime be acting to tender, to help in such a tiny way, as in the picture, the most gentle assist of hand to hand in order that the music be empowered to flow forth.

Sometimes kindness is giving up, offering up something of value to another. Sometimes kindness is taking the extra minute to iron the collar carefully.

Sometimes a kindness is soft eyes to a child, an elder, a creature, a loved one. Sometimes kindness is silence, not withholding, rather peace without talk-static.

Sometimes it is laughter, oh so beautiful full laughter. I am often as lifted by hearing full bodied laughter of good will and good nature --for laughter that is childlike and innocent, sounds to my ear like a prayer...

I'm not keen on being told how to be kind as in here are one hundred ways to be kind by rote, yet/ but it could be a start if one is not used to seeing how to see ways to ease, lift, others.

Rather, I would ask you to look at everything/everyone you pass and meet, and just ask yourself silently, how can I ease or lift or support or lay some sugar down here.

Then kindness flows. The tidying up of the comforter for when you will next come to your nest/bed. Kindly to the body. The washing of the floor so your feet feel happy walking on clean surface; kindness to the feet.

The bending of a small nail back into the door frame so it doesnt catch anyone's skin. The straightening of things on a shelf so that one's eyes skim over like a wing in flight.

Eating clean [you know what i mean] is kindness to the critical parts of body you cannot see. Smiling at dogs and snowfalls is not futile. It is a blessing way.

Putting out melted water for the birdies in winter. Passing on excellent clothing and shoes and coats to those who can use them.

Praying for those ego thinks dont deserve prayers. Praying for them anyway. Thinking one should do for others and putting oneself under category of 'never.'.. the opposite of indulging self and leaving others out... reverse these two for a while, and there comes kindness to others ...and to self. Make it tandem. That is, acts of proportion and kindness.

You see. You already know. Make the adjustments and corrections to your flight plan. Fly. Seriously, fly.

This comes with love here on a 'snow-storm warning' night, when it is literally raining great big sploppie drops of rain and is not yet snow. But there will be if the rain freezes, a glare ice by morning, and we will all need to be extra careful driving. A friend wrote tonight from the other coast, asking was I well provisioned for the snow storm, and I said, yes, we are a tough lot, if we run out of food we eat shoe leather and if we run out of that, we eat spaghetti made of shoe laces. And then if we run out of that, we go out and hunt snow mushrooms dressed in mushroom costumes so we dont scare the mushrooms. We had a good laugh. Cascading kindnesses. Same to you, for you, with you, dear souls.

Nite Nite

Tuck Tuck

A kiss to your keppe,

Dream Sweet dearlings,

dr.e

[Selkie]

Thanks Deb.

I have quite a few of her audio collection too. Her voice is melodic and hypnotic at the same time.

My avatar and name here on Greenleaf come from her - Selkie - that story is in Women Who Run with the Wolves.

Quite fitting piece you posted for the ending of an old year, the putting away of the "stuff", turning to a fresh page and beginning again.

I found a wonderful card once that said, "My child, begin again".

I enter that in the front page of my appointment book every single year.

It sends the same message as that song I posted - "If everyone lit just one little candle what a bright world this would be".

[Deb]

I found a wonderful card once that said, "My child, begin again".

I enter that in the front page of my appointment book every single year.

I like that! I should write it in lipstick on my bathroom mirror to read every morning. I'm still at that place where I need daily reminders that the sunrise brings a new chance every day. I've always had a problem with demanding perfection from myself and that leads to a lot of frustration when I falter along the way to a goal. Setbacks aren't failure, just a detour. Sometimes I have to reconsider whether my expectations for myself are realistic or not and by doing that, I'm setting myself up for success rather than failure.

[Selkie]

I also like this one especially during a long and bad pain night.

I tell it to myself until it is light out and the day can begin again.

Joy cometh in the morning.

[Deb]

I also like this one especially during a long and bad pain night.

I tell it to myself until it is light out and the day can begin again.

Joy cometh in the morning.

The longest hours are the ones spent waiting for sunrise on a night like that. Your mantra is a good one Selkie and one that I'll adopt. No matter how dark things are, we can always have faith that the light will return and our joy returns with it.

This made me think of you:

[Selkie]

We can take so many lessons from our animal friends. The birds sing no matter what the weather or temperature or circumstances. They lift their little voices in song and bring cheer to the world.

[Deb]

We have a little sparrow that brightens my day every morning. Our porch light is a hanging carriage lamp suspended on a chain. The top is sloped to keep critters from nesting on it but this little guy is determined and so he perches at the very top with one foot on the lamp and the other one clutching the chain to hold on. I have no idea how he sleeps that way, but he seems to be quite content with it. He's there every single night and he always starts his morning songs about an hour before sunrise. I'm pretty sure the words to his song are, "My tail feathers are warm! My tail feathers are warm!" The acoustics are great in that alcove so I can hear him in the upstairs rooms and it always gives me the first smile of the day to hear him.

[Deb]

Speaking of little birdies, I have to share this video. Some of you know that it's a special song to me. I started listening to it over and over after they diagnosed me with papillary cancer (no big deal) and then found out about the MGUS (pretty big deal). With those things hanging over my head, it was an affirmation that I could handle it all and that no matter what the outcome, it was all going to be all right. I still listen to it when I get frustrated or start to fret again and it always makes me feel better.

Rise up this mornin,
Smiled with the risin sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin, this is my message to you-ou-ou:

Singin: dont worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh!
Every little thing gonna be all right. dont worry!
Singin: dont worry about a thing - I wont worry!
cause every little thing gonna be all right.

[Deb]

I hope today brings one of everything to you all!

[Selkie]

Here is mine for today.

"Teach us delight in the simple things, and mirth that has no bitter springs; forgiveness free of evil done, and love to all men beneath the sun." — Rudyard Kipling