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Posts tagged ‘Fun’

Dec 10

Under Our Feet

“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” — Henry David Thoreau

“When it comes to the beauty of nature, time stops, the space becomes silent and the soul falls asleep while awake!”― Mehmet Murat ildan

After an off-leash romp in the woods, Abby returned wearing the woods.
And a big grin.
Sasha came up behind with the same delight.
Coats of joy.
Evidence of frolic.
A big mess to brush out.
Worth every stroke.
A release of energy and enthusiasm to generate even more.
Go off leash every day.
Untie from tasks, rushing, shoulds, have-tos, busy work, transactional.
Unbound, untethered, free-falling into felicity.
Nature invites all to the playground of expanse and exploration.
Breathe. Drink. Taste.

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” —Henry David Thoreau

“To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Oct 30

Catching Joy

“Every day is a good day. There is something to learn, care and celebrate.”― Amit Ray, Walking the Path of Compassion

“Life is a dance. Mindfulness is witnessing that dance.”― Amit Ray, Mindfulness Living in the Moment – Living in the Breath

Joy is a verb, an action, a decision.
May you dance with it daily.
Inhaling and exhaling, deeply.
Celebrate and keep opening this wonderous gift of life. 

“Breath is the finest gift of nature. Be grateful for this wonderful gift.”― Amit Ray, Beautify your Breath – Beautify your Life

Oct 19

Goofball Mode

“Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.”- Orhan Pamuk

“The dog lives for the day, the hour, even the moment.” – Robert Falcon Scott

Abby loves chasing tennis balls. She’s diversifying her fun practices to include frisbee catching as well. When I went out to throw a few, she saw an opportunity to diversify further by grabbing my glove that was hanging out of my pocket and frolicking ensued. She must have sensed that I needed to lighten up and enter goofball mode, a place she and Sasha spend a lot of time in. Game on.

May we all enter goofball mode daily to lighten up, have fun, finding joy in the ordinary where it resides awaiting our attention, participation and engagement.

“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.”― Anne Lamott

Jul 30

The Essentials

“Let the wild rumpus start!”— Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

“Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it… it’s just easier if you do.”― Byron Katie

Let your imagination roam, wander.
Uncharted territory.
Off path.
Allow unknowing, mystery.
Invite wonder, awe.
Embrace light, laughter.
It’s a big big big world.
Inside and out.
Explore, get lost, be found again.
Wild essential things.

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”—The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Jul 9

The Smallest of Things

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”— Winnie the Pooh

“From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.” – Dr. Seuss

May you live today twice.
Once being present and awake, weaving it with joy and delight.
Twice in memory, discovering simple moments, the smallest of things fill the heart.

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” – Dr. Seuss

May 6

Light Already Present

“I am going to notice the lights of the earth, the sun and the moon and the stars, the lights of our candles as we march, the lights with which spring teases us, the light that is already present.” – Anne Lamott

“I am thankful that thus far today I have not had any unkind thoughts or said any harsh words or done anything that I regret. However, now I need to get out of bed and so things may become more difficult.” – Sylvia Boorstein

In the dailyness that is life, notice the light;
Witness the magic in the ordinary;
Participate in the day with gratitude and grace – for self and others;
Reignite your sense of humor and wonder;
Invite and allow fun into your space;
Do what is yours to do and nothing else;
Worry, fear, complaint steal too much time;
A quiet moment to reset, to renew, to begin again.

“Spirituality doesn’t look like sitting down and meditating. Spirituality looks like folding the towels in a sweet way and talking kindly to the people in the family eve though you’ve had a rough day.” – Sylvia Boorstein

Mar 13

The Chase

“Laughter is God’s blessing.” – Joseph Prince

“A sense of humor… is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.” – Hugh Sidey

Abby was well-pleased that she was able to sneak a pair of socks outside. When I went to pick them up, she grabbed them, began flipping them in the air and the chase began. In simple things, in laughter, in silliness of something as small as this, our load lightens, and joy opens the window to let fresh air in.

Chase joy and laughter today. In a smile, in play, in simple moments, delight awaits discovery, a blessing delivered.

“Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment.” – Horace

Jan 23

Winter Fun!

"Do anything, but let it produce joy." – Walt Whitman

“Do anything, but let it produce joy.” – Walt Whitman

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” – Henry David Thoreau

Nothing like a hill, a saucer and a sunny winter day to reignite a sense of wonder, adventure and fun.
Simple moments.
Small delights.
The fabric of a life well lived.
Let joy enter to do its work in you and spill over to others.
Put an exclamation point on this day!

“I had too much fun was no one’s last regret ever.” – Jonathan Heatt

Jan 22

Playground Time

“The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable.” – Carl Jung

“The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable.” – Carl Jung

“Dreams are the guiding words of the soul. Why should I henceforth not love my dreams and not make their riddling images into objects of my daily consideration?” – Carl Jung

Run to the playground of imagination every day.
To the swings, the slides, the monkey bars.
Un jar, uproot, undo, loosen, flip, flop.
Sing. Dance. Laugh.
Balm for the soul, surgeons for the heart, respite for the mind.
Dream, discern, act.
Seize this moment, this day alone.
Recess is in session.

“Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success.”― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Oct 26

L’Chaim – a toast “to life”

“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” – Greg Anderson

“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.”― Pema Chodron

Today I share my birthday with Abby, my golden retriever, chaser of squeeky tennis balls, boss of fun, best friend of Sasha and queen of joy. She’s 5 today and I have 5 in my year as well. The other number is irrelevant.

I have no advice for my younger self since there are no do-overs. Maybe that’s the advice. There are no do-overs so be present in your life today. Stop asking permission from others. Don’t bother with approval either. Both waste a lot of time and energy.

Each of us are here for purposes, not just one. You find them in different parts of life, through time, through trial and error. Contemplation and reflection are good but action is required to move into your unfolding, evolving and fruition.

Get outside of yourself to connect and be kind to others, discovering the threads that tie humanity together. Laughter is a must because there are plenty of things in life that will require a sense of humor. Travel lightly. Put down the unnecessary and pick up what brings you joy and peace.

Stop comparing, complaining and criticizing. Do your best and assume the best in others. Forgive and forget – the most important gift that you give yourself. Let it go and dive head first into today.

Gratitude and pain co-exist. Gratitude lightens the burden and feeds hope. Faith is the foundation that explains the unexplainable, carries you when another step is impossible and gives meaning to this very short time here walking the earth.

Do not wait for a birthday for lessons. Learn and apply them daily. Be fully alive, thrown out of the nest to open your wings and fully spent at the end of a good and generous life using all that God gave you.

To another year full of twists, turns, adventures, struggles, joy, laughter, poetry, change, growth. L’Chaim – “to life”

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.” – Erma Bombeck

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