...12.20.09...

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

breathe in...

there are snowflakes

softly falling

through a slightly

sunlit sky today.

breathe out...

all is calm.

all is bright.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...believe...

I believe in a new days discovery.

I believe, in the beauty of nature.

I believe, in the kiss of the rain.

I believe that true friends are rare.

I believe in charity, without recognition.

I believe, in extending a helping hand,

to those in need.

I believe, in preserving the dignity of humanity.

I believe in the innocence of children.

I believe that one, should never let their heart,

do their thinking.

I believe, in the goodness of humanity.

I believe, that true trust, is like interest earned, on money in a bank...

it comes with the passing of time.

I believe in wisdom.

I believe in the beauty of a starlit sky.

I believe in promises kept.

I believe that America, truly is the land of opportunity.

I do not believe, that most dreams come true.

I do believe, that dreams can lead one to the path,

of ones inner desires.

I believe, that many listen, but do not hear.

I believe in honesty and integrity.

I believe, in a mothers love.

I believe in a fathers pain.

I believe, in placing ones family first.

I believe that many successful people,

leave in their path,

countless orphans of success.

I believe, when the sickness is sadness,

laughter is the cure.

I believe, that a good work ethic, can serve all of us well.

I believe in good wine and good friends.

I believe, in a time each day, to give thanks.

I believe in forgiveness.

I believe, if one can forgive a friend,

then surely, one can forgive family.

I believe in the power of the written word.

I still believe in hand written letters.

I believe the first cup of coffee in the morning,

is the best.

I believe...it's important to believe in something you care about.

I believe, in sanctity of life.

I believe that each day of life,

is precious

and a treasure of limitless value.

~ Joe Fazio

probably...

my most favorite

shadow so far...

light + object= shadow

HEY HARRIET

has more.

i believe?...

just BE.

robin.

...oh Christmas tree...

just BE.

robin.

...sarah...

i pledge myself to uphold

the high purposes of the

National Honor Society

to which I have been selected.

i will be true to the principles

for which it stands;

i will be loyal to my school;

and will maintain and encourage

high standards of

scholarship,

service,

leadership and

character.

woot-woot sarah!!

one of many proud moments.

yesterday.

today.

tomorrow.

just BE.

robin.

...12.13.09...

this year...

the gift of yourself...

this doesn't mean that we don't want to give of ourselves during the holidays.

Actually, that's what we're desperately trying to do. obviously,

we're not doing it very well.

that is why many of us end up feeling depressed and discouraged

as we pack away the ornaments.

how did Christmas slip out of our grasp, again?

this year why don't you try to give them

the

Right Stuff?

on the first day of Christmas, i gave to my true loves:

the gift of my undivided attention.

on the second day of Christmas, i gave to my true loves:

the gift of enthusiasm.

on the third day of Christmas, i gave to my true loves:

the gift of creative energy.

on the fourth day of Christmas, i gave to my true loves:

the gift of simple seasonal pleasures.

on the fifth day of Christmas, i gave my true loves:

the gift of tenderness.

on the sixth day of Christmas, i gave to my true loves:

the gift of beauty.

on the eighth day of Christmas, i gave my true loves:

the gift of communication.

on the ninth day of Christmas, i gave my true loves:

the gift of surprise.

on the tenth day of Christmas, i gave my true loves:

the gift of wonder.

on the eleventh day of Christmas, i gave my true loves:

the gift of peaceful surroundings.

on the twelth day of Christmas, i gave to my true loves:

the gift of joy.

"be ready at all times for

the gifts of God,

and always for new ones,"

meister eckhart urges us

in this season of giving.

be ready at all times

to give those you love the

simple abundant gifts of Spirit.

if you do, they'll

give you Christmas gifts

you'll never forget:

happy smiles and contented hearts.

and you won't want to exchange them.

~simple abundance: a daybook of comfort and joy

sarah ban breathnach.

may you not be hurried.

take time to enjoy

the simple pleasures

of the season.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...jack frost...

the shadows

here

are

subtle.

after uploading

the picture

from

my camera

i

see

jack frost.

he looks

mischievous

sitting on this branch of snow...

as if he is daring

the sun to melt

him.

but

that is not going to happen...

not at 16 degrees.

he is safe, if only for today.

do you see him?

shadows, shadows, shadows.

big, small, subtle, bold.

they are here again...

at HEY HARRIET

join in the fun.

see you there.

just BE.

robin.

...tending to your joy...

gloom we have

always with us,

a rank and sturdy weed,

but

joy

requires

tending.

~barbara holland

cold

snowflakes

lights

pine boughs

scents of the season

warmth

laughter

love

don't forget...

to tend to your joy.

just BE.

robin.

...kay louise compton engler blanchard...

grandma

one of the women of whom i spoke

of shaping my life...

finished her earthly journey

with my mom by her side...

in the early morning hours today.

kay louise compton engler blanchard

born june 10th, 1926

died december 9, 2009

memories: many memories

stringing buttons to make necklaces

cutting up wall paper sample books for projects

walking down skunky-hollow

the house on hewitt lake road

...Christmas's there

and summers.

the compton house in tustin

...sleep overs.

sitting out on the porch under a blanket listening to it rain

pineapple cookies

her love of reading books

doing crossword puzzles with a pen

her hair styled just so...

and one of the very, very few people...

who call me robie.

i was able to say good-bye

to her on monday.

she was still able to know us.

i kissed her head.

i held her hand.

i said good-bye.

we will see you soon.

just BE.

robie.

...12.6.09...

i open the door. the gorgeous guest

from afar sweeps in. in her hands are

her gifts--the gifts of hours and far-seeing

moments, the gift of mornings and evenings,

the gift of spring and summer, the gift

of autumn and winter. she must have searched

the heavens for boons so rare.

~abbie graham

december's gifts--

custom, ceremony, celebration, consecration--

come to us wrapped up,

not in tissue and ribbons,

but in cherished memories.

this is the month of miracles.

the oil that burns for eight days,

the royal son born in a stable,

the inexplicable return of Light on the longest,

darkest night of the year.

where there is love,

there are always miracles.

and where there are miracles,

there is great joy.

gratefully we weave the golden thread of the

sixth principle of simple abundance--

JOY

into our tapestry of contentment.

at last we embrace the miracle of authenticity,

changing forever how we view ourselves.

our daily round.

our dreams.

our destinies.

days we once called common,

we now call holy.

~simple abundance: a day book of comfort and joy

~sarah ban breathnach

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...borrowed shadows...

cats

do not think

that they

are little people.

they think

that we

are big cats.

this influences their behavior in many ways.

snowing big flakes today.

no sunshine fore casted...

well...for quite some time.

enjoy your sunshine

if you are lucky enough

to have some today.

enjoy the shadows

at HEY HARRIET.

just BE.

robin.