...12.28.14...

Secret #1:

every single 

moment say Yes

to Life (& don't

be afraid to say no

in order to do that.)

*********

today, after some reflection

i decided i'm never going to

pretend i know anything

about Life ever again, other

than there's a word for it.

like there's a word for unicorn,

though no one has ever seen one,

except from far away & maybe

it was just a trick of the light.

~something like magic

brian andreas

today.

the first day in several.

the sun.

is shining.

i don't know.

i think.

it just makes.

the day seem better.

some how.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...something like magic...

something like magic

on remembering how to be alive

brian andreas

"Not long ago, I was at a sprawling party with a lot of people I didn't know. 

Halfway through  the night, I found myself a quiet place on a bench in the garden.

I'd been there a couple of minutes when a woman came down the path & sat at the far

end of bench. We nodded at each other. Neither of us spoke.

We sat in the dusk together & listened to the cricket songs & thought our own private thoughts.

After awhile, she stood up. 

Sometimes, she said, you just need to remember the most important thing.

Then she smiled & made her way back to the party.

Long after she left, her words floated quietly in the dark. It felt like she had 

given me something precious in those words:

you just need to remember the most important thing.

She didn't say find the most important thing. Or make a list with the most important

thing at the top. Or ask someone else what they think is the most important thing. No,

it was much, much simpler than that.

It was remember the most important thing. 

Because we already know what the most important thing is.

Our work here is to remember...

...I hope the stories here are a reminder to you. A reminder to stop & see the world again 

for the very first time. When you do & one day not long after,

your most important thing ripples through you like an immense wave of light,

I hope you'll see why I say it's something like magic.

Because you'll see it's been there all along in the heart of you,

waiting for you to remember you're alive now &

everything you are is LOVE."

my brian, gifted me this book for Christmas.

i will say it again.

i LOVE storypeople.

brian andreas.

this is a snippet of the preface.

today.

for the rest of this year.

and into the next.

you just need to remember the most important thing.

I hope you've had a day of making memories.

that you will cherish.

for many days to come.

Merry Christmas.

just BE.

robin.

...12.21.14...

find a place to relax.

arrive fully in the room,

in the chair or on the floor, and in your body.

relax your face, soften your jaw.

let the shoulders drop and feel relaxation move down the arms like honey,

warming the hands, relaxing the fingers.

relax the belly, legs and the feet.

feel the breath washing tension away.

let the mind and your breathing become one.

melt like a sugar cube in a warm cup of tea.

feel a warmth of benevolence wash through you.

feel your breath slowing and flowing

effortlessly like a river of peace through your body,

through your extremities,

through your spirit.

feel spaciousness replace tightness

and feel the limitations of your body merge

into the tranquility of space around you,

quiet and slow down your thinking,

let your thoughts float quietly above you.

don't struggle to turn off your mind,

just let the thoughts be transparent.

open you heart compassionately to your emotions,

accepting them and soothing them.

feel the well being of the body,

let it expand to all areas.

let the benevolent breeze transport your imagination to a floating reverie.

feel the body traveling high above the noise and tension.

see the world as small and the notion of calm

grow greater and greater, stronger and stronger

with each breath in.

with each breath out,

release struggle and see it fly away

like the release of doves.

feel the walls of your existence unfold into

the brilliance of a beautiful cosmos where entities are in existence solely

to sooth your tensions and nurture you with strokes of calming ointments.

get quiet,

still and eagerly anticipate that something

good is about to happen.

bring a favorite feeling to mind,

then to our body and spirit.

listen and watch for a symbol,

a word,

an essence,

a sentence,

or a vision

in this moment or in the near future.

one that brings you strength

and confidence balanced

with peace and surrender,

acceptance and compassion.

when one comes to you,

write it down.

post it or find an image of it to keep around.

or begin writing with this sentence:

"when i am calm i am gifted with..."

~the awe-manac: a daily dose of wonder

~jill badonsky

"listen and watch for a symbol,

a word,

an essence,

a sentence,

or a vision"

it will continue.

my sentence.

i whisper it daily.

as often as i need to.

it has become one with me.

that's how it's suppose to work.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...you don't have to even wrap it...

"We were sitting in the studio this morning, each with our own cup of coffee or tea, looking at stacks & stacks of boxes & unpacked orders. YIkes. We probably should’ve been perfectly frantic & anxious… 

But suddenly the light came in just so & you could see the steam rising from the cups, almost like a benediction. Even Bing Crosby in the background singing Mele Kalikimaka was like a prayer of thanks. We all knew there was more than enough work to keep us busy until February of next year, but it felt more important to just sit there in that moment quietly & breathe & be grateful.

Grateful because we get to work with people we love, sending stories we love out to the whole world. Grateful beacuse we get to work with people who remember what’s important. Enjoying the moment. Doing happy dances now & then. Having chicken soup for lunch. Seeing these beautiful faces almost every day…

We want to take a moment to thank you all, too. For giving us a chance to do the work we do. For giving us a chance to love the world our own way.

& we hope in these next days, you take the time to enjoy the moments that show up in your life unexpectedly. Like the dance of steam from a coffee cup in sunlight. Or a child happily drawing at the kitchen table, humming their own rendition of Jingle Bells. Take time to see the faces of the people around you & remember that we’re all doing our best to love the world in our own way.

It’s one of the things we like to remember in this Season of Light…

with love from us all,

The Crew at StoryPeople

P.S. It’s easy to forget when you start running around getting that last minute thingy, but really truly, one of the best gifts you can give the people you love is to take a moment & put your arms around them & tell them exactly why you think they’re a fabulous human being. It’s something they’ll remember long after these days pass.

& just to be completely practical, you don’t have to even wrap it…:-)"

with love, us

just wanted to share.

the heart of storypeople.

this is why i (heart) them.

they help keep the feet grounded.

so the spirit is free to soar.

light + objects=shadows

Merry Christmas.

enjoy the moments.

just BE.

robin.

...12.14.14.

The other day Brian wrote a new story & put it on Instagram (& we like it so much we wanted you to see it here, too.) It’s called Clear Directions

http://bit.ly/1BjOWyZ (This link will take you right to it!)

About an hour later, here’s a message he got from one of you:

I don't know if you have moments when you wonder if what you
are doing matters.

I wanted to tell you that your story about stopping and listening
mattered to me today. I heard my children's voices laughing,
fighting, bossing, laughing... And didn't feel tempted to give them
any direction, I just loved them madly.

'I just loved them madly'. We like that. Because with the holiday madness in full swing for all of us, we all need a reminder to simply stop & listen. To breathe in & out & let everything in your world wash over you & remember that the gift of life is amazing.

Sometimes it is as simple as having someone reach out & gently put their hand on your arm (or in a Facebook post, if you’re like us & happen to be very far away) & say Why don’t you just stop for a moment & take it all in?

Take in the happy chaos of fifteen conversations at once. The punctuations of laughter. The feel of the warm air on your face as the heat kicks in. The quiet moments when you look over at the people you love when they don’t know you’re watching. The way you just want to soak it all in.

We hope you take a moment & breathe that in. Just love them madly. & remember it’s a very good thing to be here together with the people you love…

That’s it. Carry on…:-)

with love,

The Crew at StoryPeople

thank you storypeople.

such a great reminder.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...she laughed...

I’ve always found that saying something true, she said,

 is a good way to start.

Well, he said, some cats are fat

& she laughed.

Way to go for it, she said.

~storypeople

he isn't fat.

just big boned.

light + objects= shadows

enjoy the moments.

just BE.

robin.

...12.7.14...

  i tagged this photo as "she grew" 

i love finding these in random places...it means she reached her potential.

she spread her wings and flew.

a physician once said,

"the best medicine for humans is love"

someone asked,

"what if it doesn't work?"

he smile and said,

"increase the dose."

i was looking through.

my couple of drawers of old cards today.

for the last Christmas card.

we got from my grandma Byers.

she passed away.

on this date.

in 1993.

i've tucked it away, i guess.

somewhere, further than i remember.

grandma was the best medicine for love. 

a kind, quiet, gentle spirit.

that lives on, daily, in our hearts.

inez christine johnson byers.

thank you for always providing.

the extra dose.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...little candles light the darkness...

Little stones make big mountains. 

Little steps can cover miles. 

Little acts of kindness give big smiles. 

Little hugs can dry big tears. 

Little candles light the darkness.

May your day be filled with little things.

the sun peaked out.

from under it's blanket.

briefly this morning.

it is a little thing.

that will be added.

to the other little things.

that will take.

this day.

from an ordinary day.

 to an extraordinary one.

find your moments.

light + objects= shadows

just BE.

robin.

...keep peace in your soul...

december wallpaper.

please feel free to copy and use.

enjoy the december moments.

just BE.

robin.

...11.30.14...

open arms

If you are lucky someday, you’ll stand, surrounded by people you know, or in the dark of night, quietly by yourself (it does not matter where exactly) & Life will fill your whole self &

 it will spill out a little with each breath you take

 after that & you will give your promise to hold the world safe, for as long as it takes

& then, afterwards, you’ll go about your days, wondering what has changed & you won’t see for a long time how it happens in small moments.

When you smile at someone you do not know. When you speak up, though it is easier 

& quicker to just keep moving. 

When you stop & hold the hand of a friend who can no longer go on 

& you speak in a low voice that only she can 

hear & you say these words (or something like them):

I would not want to be in a world without you in it.

& if you are lucky someday, maybe after one of these moments,

 you’ll understand why Life filled your whole self 

& all you could do was open your arms to hold the world close 

& remember how to Love.

~storypeople

last night we had an alumni basketball night.

my husband is the varsity boys basketball coach.

 he had a vision.

and the help of many.

 brought the spirit and life.

 back to the gym.

the way it use to be.

when we alumni walked those floors.

it was an amazing night.

filled with laughter and love.

for the past, present and future.

my photos, today.

are those of november.

from '09, '10, and '11.

we are looking at 2015 approaching quickly.

my how the time has flown.

embrace the moments.

they are the memories that build who you are.

they are the times that carry you through.

enjoy.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.