Don’t.
Don’t shop
when you are hungry.
Don’t reply
when you are angry.
Don’t decide
when you are sad.
Don’t miss the forest
when you are focused on the trees.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Inspiration
Predicting the Future
Predicting the future…
The best way
to predict your future
is to
Create it!
Hubby bought me this cute little signs years ago, and it now resides in Sweet Little C’s nursery in our home. I imagine us chatting in the coming years about all the things she will do and create and be!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Warmth
Warmth…
A crackling fire glowing in the fireplace,
A steaming bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.
The eyes of your child when they know you are sad,
The hand of a friend whose always by your side.
The fur of your four-legged best friend whose always by your side,
A soft, chenille blanket from a special lady who goes by the name of Mom (II),
An unexpected text with a photo of your grandchild,
A handwritten letter in the mail from a favorite aunt.
The first sip of coffee on a cold winter morning,
A glass of red wine after a long day at work.
Favorite fuzzy slippers you accidentally wear out of the house,
A well-worn hoodie with threadbare elbows.
Memories from a special song,
A tight hug that lasts longer than a pat on the back.
The ringing of the phone at the same time every morning,
and the sound of a Dad whistling while he patiently waits.
An air kiss blown while rolling over in the middle of the night,
An “I love you” on the way out the door,
A smile that greets you when you enter the office,
The privilege of introducing your future daughter-in-law.
The distinct squeak of the door opening at the end of the day,
The comforting sound of a snore you’ve loved for 35 years.
Cheers & Warm Hugs,
Jodi
Smile
Smile…
I know that this may sound cliche,
but won’t you give it a try today?
When you see someone whose eyes are dim,
greet them with a wide, happy grin?
Show those dimples and pearly whites,
it may just be their day’s highlight.
A smile is contagious and fun to spread.
Just do it, you’ll see – full speed ahead!
It could be the cure that heals the blues,
maybe even the common cold and flu.
It’s easy, and it is free to give.
it can even be a kind forgive.
A simple smile can spread some light,
and be the way to make a day bright.
It’s a gesture, it’s a gift,
it can be a huge lift.
If everyone tried this once per day,
imagine how lovely… imagine how gay.
You can turn the world on with your smile
You can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
RIP Mary Tyler Moore – Your smile will be remembered
Everyday Heroes
Everyday Heroes
are everywhere.
I was talking with a friend/work colleague
on the phone just yesterday.
She was driving into town for a meeting,
and we were discussing the agenda.
All of the sudden, she interrupted our conversation,
“Hold on…. Hold on!”
And then I heard her shout in a friendly tone,
“Sir! Sir! Here you go?”
“My hands are so cold!”
I heard a male voice say.
“There are gloves in here
and some food and a little bit of money.”
My friend – an everyday woman on her way to the office –
swerved to the side of the road to hand a homeless man a bag.
You see, she carries several with her in her car at all times
and hands them out when she sees someone in need.
Everyday hero – that’s what you are!
My friend, you never cease to amaze me.
And we can all be heroes…
everyday heroes…
It only takes one small act of kindness
to spread a great amount of love!
What can you do today?
What WILL you do today?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Freedom
Freedom
Remember when
freedom was
being able to pump your legs
on your own
instead of being pushed
so that you could swing so high
you felt you could kick the sky?
You felt the wind
in your face
and butterflies
in your stomach
and you felt
like you were flying.
It was freedom.
And then you would choose
just the right moment
when you would leap
and let go
and truly fly
if only for a moment.
It was freedom.
My hope…
my prayer…
my wish…
my longing…
my yearning…
to the world
and to the universe
is that everyone…
no matter your
gender,
race,
religion,
sexual orientation,
or ethnicity
is afforded the right
and the privilege
to recall that feeling
and to achieve
the reality
of that freedom
we all deserve.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
It only takes a spark
Comfort Candle Bereavement Gift
It only takes a spark
to get a fire going.
Create a spark today.
Be the spark today.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
(PS – thank you JH for the beautiful comfort candle bereavement gift – it touched my heart – you lit a spark)
A little birdie told me…
Goldfinch – Winter – Mars, PA 01-06-17
When you love what you have,
you have everything you need.
(Oh to be so pretty AND so smart!! 😉)
(author unknown)
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Finding Purpose: Why I Blog
Everyone needs a purpose in life.
The older I get, and the more I experience new life (like the birth of my first grandchild), and the deaths of those I love (like the recent loss of my brother), the more I ponder my life’s purpose…. the legacy I might leave behind… how people will remember me.
When I started this blog two and a half years ago on May 18, 2014 – just for fun and on the encouragement of my BFF’s daughter (my McHendy daughter, Jackie), I wasn’t sure what I was doing or what to expect. I think I secretly thought I might be the next Ree Drummond or Rachel Ray and get rich and famous. It was all about me.
But after posting daily for almost 1,000 days, it’s become something very different. It hasn’t brought me the kind of fame or fortune I clandestinely fantasized about in the beginning. But what it has become – is a purpose… a personal mission of sorts… a small way of giving to the world… a place to encourage (and maybe even inspire) people to embrace the simple moments of life to cherish… especially those “in between” moments.
I have a very fulfilling career and full-time job I love that keeps me busy as the Director of Strategic Projects and Office of the CEO for a hospice and home health company. I have a husband of almost 35 years, two grown sons, an amazing daughter-in-law and another soon-to-be, and a baby granddaugher that bring such joy to my life (and of course there is also Charlie!). I have the most amazing BFFs a “girl” could ask for.
Yet, I still believe I need to have something that is my personal legacy, and that is what my blog has grown to be for me. When I consider my few talents and gifts, I have often been told my greatest is that of an “encourager” or “influencer.” I’ve taken many a DISC Personality Asssessment, and I am always an out-and-out straight High “I.” I have taken “Spiritual Gift Assessments” that tell me I have the gift of “exhortation” or encouragement. Hubby tells me I have the gift of “gab!” So why not use that gift – one that comes so easily to me – to benefit others?
I have never had difficulty talking with strangers. My goal in any situation, whether it be greeting the receptionist at an office, the UPS delivery person, the garbage collector, or a less-than-happy cashier at the grocery store, is to leave them smiling. Not sure why it is important to me – but it is.
And that is my goal here too. The goal of this blog is not to “show off” what I have or what I can do or to make you think my life is all peachy and perfect. My life is not perfect. That is not what I want people to think. In fact, my life is far from perfect… like all of ours are! I have an estranged relationship with my mother, I was separated from my birth father for 39 years until six and a half years ago, my brother struggled so severely with alcoholism that he took his own life by stepping in front of a train… I struggle with my weight and have always been “chubby,” I’m not particularly attractive, I have no musical talent whatsoever…. the list could go on. I tell you this not for pity or sympathy or for you to disagree. I tell you this so that it might allow you to know that despite life’s challenges and adversity, we can still seek to find the joy. We can still be kind. We can still feel love. There are still many, many moments to cherish… And we must seek them, and we must appreciate them.
So no matter how busy my day, and knowing there is no monetary or fame reward or prize to be given for posting every day, I still make sure I do. I spend a bit of time, often late at night, writing a post that might encourage you, that might make you smile, that might inspire you to bake or cook something new or paint something, or just look at something differently. It might be a few words that will remind you of something that makes you happy. Sometimes I am typing it at 11 pm with only one eye open. Other times I get ahead by four or five posts and give myself a break. But I still make it a personal goal to post something everyday (that appears at 6am EST) for my dear followers to either start their day (if they are living in my part of the world) or end their day (for my cherished blog follower friends in Latvia or Ireland or Australia or Japan).
So even on my toughest days, I seek to find something good and encouraging, because in encouraging you, I am rewarded in an even more profound way than could be achieved with fame or fortune. I feel my life has a personal purpose. I feel I am giving something of value to the world. I feel I might be remembered… for being kind. I might be creating my legacy.
Do you think about your life’s purpose? Your legacy? What you will be remembered for?
None of us know when our last year or day or breath will be, so my simple message is: Cherish the Moments!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Today I will choose to be kind
Today I will choose to be kind –
most especially and intentionally to those who are not.
I will remember how precious and fragile life is –
and seek to cherish the moments.
We may not remember days or weeks or months,
but we remember moments.
And life is made up of moments –
ones that bring joy…
And others that bring grief
and sadness and loss.
I will cherish those moments too
and allow myself to feel them.
For a heart that cannot grieve or feel sadness or loss
cannot also feel the fullness of joy and love and hope.
Today, and every day, I will seek to choose to be kind,
and I will also embrace the kindness of others.
For every moment
is what makes up a life.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 