Mondo Beyondo

It is that time of year again
Time to dream BIG
Let it all out
Put them onto paper
Give your dreams a chance to speak
No dream is to small, silly, or to big
All dreams need to be heard
Time to set them into motion
Send them out into the universe
Say them out loud

Pick up your pen
Open up your heart and mind
And begin writing
List out all of those wild dreams you have
**teaching, **traveling to Bora Bora, **riding my bicycle cross country
Reach high
Go for it
Dream BIG

It is amazing what can unfold when you put it out there
When you let the universe know exactly what is calling to your heart
Little things happen
Seeds are planted
And somehow your dreams come true
I was skeptic at first to
But believe me
Some of my wildest dreams on my mondo beyondo list have come true
And really, what do you have to lose?
So pick up that pen and get writing

If you aren't sure how to start
Check out the Mondo Beyondo online class
It is all about dreaming big
Andrea Scher and Jen Lemen will guide you through
Opening your heart and
Giving your dreams a voice
And each year you will want to write a new list
Great things happen when you put your dreams out their

Happy dreaming!

christmas 2011

Gathered together with family and loved ones
An entire weekend of celebration
Rides inside of a suitcase
Laughing
Surprises at the door
Cheering on the Giants
More laughing
Unwrapping gifts all at once
Special presents under the tree
A delicious breakfast feast
Unwrapping gifts one at a time
Cousins gathered together
Singing
Laughing even harder
Memories created
Smiles shining from faces
Laughter filling the air
A beautiful Christmas weekend

release

I was looking forward to releasing all that no longer served me from the minute I read about it on Pixie's blog.  What a perfect way to end the year and to let go off all that I have been carrying around.  I do not have a fire place or all the beautiful materials that Pixie created her bundles with.  But I had a piece of paper, a pen, a silver bowl, a lighter, a loving boyfriend who so willingly joined in, and an intention.

After many long working hours we sat outside beneath the awning on the deck as the rain trickled down.  The cold air waking me up each of us sat with our thoughts.  Quietly we let the pen pull the words from deep inside.  Dredging them up and giving them a voice.  We let it all spill out.

Tears filled my eyes as the pen pulled out these feelings...I am not good enough to be a teacher...The inner struggles of taking the next step in getting my writing out there....And letting go of the darkness I have been carrying on my shoulders.

It felt so freeing to let them each speak as I wrote them down.  He lit his piece of paper first, then mine.  It was beautiful watching them each burn.  The smoke rose into the air taking all of those words with it. The fears, the struggles, the darkness.  All of it drifted away from us.  He put his arm around me and pulled me in close.

Doing this with him was beautiful.  I am able to stand in my own shoes each day wearing the clothes that are truly mine, and he stands besides me, loving me.  I love that he took the time to write his own thoughts down and released them from deep inside.  Everything about that was beautiful.

I feel lighter now.  Ready to welcome 2012.  I also feel incredibly grateful for all the adventures I was on in 2011.  It was a beautiful L.O.V.E filled year and I  feel like the luckiest girl alive.  I stand here with my palms open welcoming the light.

This will definitely become a yearly tradition on each Winter Solstice.  Releasing, reflecting, and stepping into the light.  Thank you Pixie, for opening my world to this beautiful ceremony.  

your heART makes a difference

Feeling so blessed 

To have the opportunity to share my words

At your heART makes a difference

I would love it if you came by to visit me over there today

Happy Wednesday!

family love

The time fly's by so quickly
Christmas lurking right around the corner
In a few short days
I will be gathered with my family
Laughing, joking, soaking it all in
Happiness filling the air

I am so grateful for them
The time we spend together
How close we all are
The humorous things that arise
What a beautiful thing to be a part of

I stand here today with gratitude in my heart
For each of them
How unique they all are
The kindness that is in each of their hearts
The family bond that brings us together

What a blessing to be surrounded
By so much kindness and love
I am forever grateful to be a Belthoff

Wishing you and your family
Kindness, love, laughter, and smiles
As the holidays draw closer in
And you come together to celebrate

beauty surrounds her

She wanted to know how I got here
What path I took
How I knew what road to travel down
But the truth is you never know
You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other
You do not know where you are going to end up
In fact there are moments when you think you will not even smile again
But you do
You always do
There is always a rainbow on the other side
A gentle hand lifting you up
Pointing you in the right direction
Individuals you never dreamed of are there
And they guide you
They help you to heal
And they open up your eyes to amazing beautiful sights
Things that were in front of you this whole time
When that dark cloud of gloom was following you around
But sunshine has peeked through and for the first time you can see
And you are in awe of the beauty and love that surrounds you
You realize how magical this place is
How much beauty is around every corner
And all you have to do is wipe the sleep out of your eyes to see it
Yours eyes are open now
So incredibly wide there is beauty around every corner
And you are grateful
So incredible grateful
For wearing your heart on your sleeve
Putting yourself out there
And continuing to step deeply into the umknown
Life is filled with so many unexpected surprises
And you are soaking in the glory or each of them

gratitude

This community provides so much support and love
Holding my hand as I gently take each step forward
Listening, reaching out, lifting me up

Great things happen when we come together
Holding up the mirror
Guiding each other to truly see

We are not meant to travel this journey alone
Each of us is interlocked together
We are stronger when we lean on one another

Thank you for your support
For helping me to see
And filling me up with so much love

I am truly blessed to have you in my life

the beginning of the aftermath

Dealing with the aftermath is never easy
Speaking aloud the fears I am navigating through
Scares me more than the fears themselves
Feeling isolated and alone
As love swirls around me
Trying so hard to engulf me in it's essence

the beauty of gathering

Sharing our stories is what it is all about.  Sharing deeply who we are, the struggles we face, the roads we travel.  Sharing our dreams, our heartache, our insecurities.  Sharing all of it.  This is what is truly magical.  It takes strength to show up exactly as we are.  Five pounds heavier than we wished, dust on the floorboards, fears of not having anything of value to add.  But we show up none the less with our hearts on our sleeve.  And we are seen for exactly who we are.  You with your wide expansive heart,  your wise business sense, your adventurous spirit, and your quiet wisdom.  Love, pure love swirling around as paint get whisked onto paper and things get glued down.  Hearts opening, truths revealing themselves, and supportive love holding everyone up.  Realizations unfolding that we are all the same and we all are fearful of something.  Each of us sees that we are our own harshest critiques.  But as we gather we hold up the mirror for one another.  Reflecting back the beauty that we see in each other.  This is magic of gathering.  Sharing stories, making art, laughing, crying, and showing up.

where i've been

I have been busy over here
Settling in
Navigating my path
Finding where it all falls together

The sun is shining deep in my heart
A smile goes from ear to ear
I have a little dance in my step
And a song in my head

It is a good place to be
Where are you these days?

What has been shifting in your world?

sacred spaces

It was the small spaces she had to carve out
The ones specifically meant for herself
A trip to the coffee shop
A stroll around the pond
A tiny alter deep inside her closet
It was these sacred spaces that she needed
To keep herself aligned
To continue moving forward
Merging together with another requires some thought
Care and attention to detail
The journey of each others hearts cannot be lost
They must be taken into deep consideration
She knew she had to create these spaces for herself
There are some things she cannot compromise on
And although he might not understand it
He respects this sacred ground
He is happy to see her smiling
Dancing around the room as if she were a child
This brings delight to both of them
As together they each soak in their own sacred space

forgiving the past

It was the past he was most determined to forget
Storing it under lock and key
Then throwing the key away
Hoping that it would stay hidden in the dark forever

She wondered what he was hiding from
Why he did not want to face it
She wondered what scars lay deep below the surface
Not given adequate attention to heal

She knew well the struggle it was to face the past
Accept the decisions that had been made
Choosing to forgive mistakes
Then step openly into the future

She knew the tug of war that went on inside of her
Before she opened up her own locked box
She was grateful she found the key
Amazed she had the courage

She knows it is his own battle to fight
But she just wants to see him happy
Free from inner demons
Smiling widely from deep inside

in between

She wanted to make a wish
Closing her eyes
Transporting herself to a different time
Another moment
When things were more settled
Her heals dug firmly in the ground

But she knew herself better
She knew that her wishes were only that, wishes
She knew she would have to go through the struggle
Take the difficult path
It was always that way with her
And she knew that

Along her journey she learned so much
Patience, kindness, love
Showing up and wearing her heart on her sleeve
She learned about being vulnerable
And saying she knew she just needed kindness
She learned how to speak from her heart

And now she stands in limbo
With half her life here
And the other half there
Dancing between the two
Placing her things gently
Not wanting to disrupt the flow of life

She knows how to blend into the background
She knows how to disappear
But this time things are different
He wants to know how she is feeling
He doesn't want to see her cry
He wants them both to be happy

She is no longer dancing alone
She no longer has to step into the darkness
Afraid of what will be waiting for her when she turns on the light
She comes home to someone
Who loves her and holds her close
And together they step into the future

forever

Forever

I looked the word up in the dictionary because I wanted to know what it meant

"Without ever ending, eternally, continually, incessantly, always"

"An endless or seemingly endless period of time"

That is what I found

That is what they say it means

But what I wonder is

Does anything last forever?

Is there anything we we can rely on, forever?

Should it even be a word in the dictionary?

Should it be a word ever spoken from our lips?

Is there anything in your life that has stayed the same since it began?

Anything that has lasted forever?

Everything changes

Ebbing and flowing with time

Seasons come and go

And so do people

We grow and learn

Never the same forever

Nothing is the same forever

Yet we toss around the world

Speaking it from our lips as if it holds power

But what power could it hold when we never keep the promise?

What ground does this forever word have to stand on?

What does forever really mean?

Gratitude

Feeling so much gratitude in my heart

Each and every day

Filled up to the brim

Love, kindness, laughter

Each of these things are a part of my daily life

They weave their way into everything I am doing

From the smallest task to the biggest decision

They show up

Ready to take on the world

These three elements guide me

Carry me safely on my journey

There is much I have to be thankful for

An amazing family that is always there for me

Great friends who hold up the mirror and don't let me stray to far off my path

Finding the love of my life and spending beautiful days together

Two wonderful jobs that I enjoy going to

A great apartment to come home to each and every night

Sunshine

Laughter

Smiles and tears

The ability to take adventures with creative souls

Conversations deep into the night

You wonderful individuals who show up here and support me

And the joy of having each day 

The list could go on and on

I am grateful

As I write this I am smiling from ear to ear

My eyes filling up with tears

I am so deeply blessed

Thank you

sharing my words

Today I am over the moon excited
I have had the honor to share my words in two other places today
I hope you will take the time to stop by and visit

You can find me over here on Jen Lee's site
Sharing how I tend to my soul
And take time to listen to what my heart needs

Also my very first post on you heART makes a difference is up
I feel so blessed to be a part of this incredible collaboration
There have been so many beautiful things  already, and we have just begun

The rain drops are falling from the sky
So curl up under your covers with your tea in hand
And come stop by and say hello
You know I love seeing you

standing tall

She stood tall
Even when she felt others around her drifting away
She knew she had to keep reaching
Continue dreaming
Stretching, growing, loving
This was the journey she was cultivating
These were the steps she was destine to take
So she stood tall
In the face of adversity
When others didn't belive in her
She believed in herself
And she pressed on
Standing tall in who she was
Going after what her heart was singing
Letting go of the things she could no longer hold onto
Allowing new things to wash over her

She stood tall

your path

The path is laid out before you
All you have to do is have the courage to take the first step
Each step you take opens you up to a world of possibility
New adventures
Things you never even knew existed before
Learning, growing, healing
As you meet new individuals
Your heart opens up
You learn to be a little gentler with yourself
Embrace your individuality
Forgive yourself for past mistakes
You learn how to show up in a room full of people
As yourself
Boldly standing in who you are
And feeling confidante, strong, and alive
You delve deeper into what moves you
And you soak this in
Allowing these simple pleasures to be a part of your daily life
You begin to listen to what your heart and mind are saying
Standing peacefully with the two
Wiser for taking the time to get to know yourself
You allow your path to open up before you
As it ebbs and flows so do you
Taking risks
Laughing wildly
Feeling the sun shine down on you
This is your life
And you are going to continue to soak it in

what I know to be true

. . . holding hands warms my heart instantly
. . . laughter is the key to happiness
. . . you have to let go of your pride in order to move forward
. . . when it is warm and the sun is shining there is only one place to be
. . . feeding the ducks feeds my soul
. . . beautiful sunsets shared through pictures messages is amazing

Life is good

there is always beauty

There is beauty in the small spaces
The unexpected places
Where you think nothing can survive
It does
Digging deep roots
Heading for the sun
Pushing through the dirt
Shining for all the world to see

Truly living

Heart out for the world to see
Not hiding behind her fears
She proudly dangles in the breeze
Allowing the wind to take her
Guiding her on her journey
Never alone
Swirling in love and delight for the world
She feels light
Filled with hope
Dancing amongst the stars

stolen moments

It was in the small moments
During the space between
When our hearts opened up
In these small pockets of time
We stood next to each other
Laughing
Sharing
Just being in each others company
Stolen moments
Embracing the quiet
Painting our stories
Sharing our dreams
Knitting our hearts together
Soaking in these precious moments
We hugged them tenderly
Filled with gratitude that they happened
Stolen moments
Creating a lifetime of memories

Your heart makes a difference

Your heART makes a difference
It opens people up
Lets them know they are not alone
Brings out smiles
And knowing tears
What you create is important
It comes from your heart
And needs to be shared with the world

I am so honored to let you know
That I will be sharing pieces of my heART
Over here at

With other inspiring individuals
I would love for you to stop by
And join us
As we choose kindness
Practice self care
Be creative
Live with gratitude
and create from the heart

ready for take off

Ready
To spread my wings
And fly
Ideas are swirling
Lifting me off the ground
Feeling weightless
I take off
Headed into the unknown
With tools inside to help guide me
Following my heart
I flap my wings
Higher and higher I go
Heart smiling
Looking out towards possiblity

Soaring

They stood on the edge of the shore together
Looking out towards the future
Filled with possibility
Growth
Discomfort
They knew they would be
Stretching
Reaching
Filling up their wells with
Love
Support
They have each other to lean on
When they grow tired they know they can reach out
They know they are never alone
They would all fly together
Towards their dreams
Soaring in the wind

forgiving yourself

Sometimes before we can move forward we have to get our hands messy
Dig deep down into the dirt and pull out what we have been holding onto for so long
We have to come face to face with our demons
Own our truth
And continue to push forward

It is not always easy to face our dark side
To forgive ourselves for decisions we have made and risks we have taken
But in order to move forward we must do that
We must be gentle with our hearts
And realize we are all only human

Forgiveness opens us up to light
Heals our soul
And allows us to step boldly into the unknown future before us
It lets us see again
And feel the heart beat of the world

Take that one tiny step towards forgiving yourself
And see the path that will begin to open itself up to you
Step onto this path and push yourself forward
Step by step you will feel your heart open up
And the worries in your mind will be set free

I am grateful for...

*spending time with family
*phone conversation with a good friend
*true love
*short walks to feed the ducks
*soaking up fall
*moving my legs
*heading off for an adventure in a few short days
*time with friends
*capturing the world around me
*being let in to someone's world
*kindness
*text message love

wanting to spill open

The words are in my mind swirling around
Yet unable to be transferred to the paper
Each time I try to write them
My hand freezes up
My mind stops
Tiredness sets in
I know I need to give them life
For me
For you
I know we both need to hear them
Because as humans
We all go through the roller coaster ride of emotions
And we all just want to connect
So for now I am show up on the page as is
Disheveled, unsure, stuck
Knowing that is ok
As long as I continue to show up

surrounded by beauty

I used to be a wall flower
Trying my hardest to blend in
Never wanting to draw attention to myself
Thoughts always running through my head
But words never spoken

Over time I have come out of my shell
I stand deeply in who I am
Not afraid of being seen and heard
I put myself out into the world
And embrace what flows my way

I am fortunate to be surrounded by beauty
Individuals in my every day life that make my heart sing
We have heart opening conversations
Sharing between us sacred thoughts, ideas, and feelings
We take the time to truly see one another

In life we are all a part of many different worlds
Each of them connected through one source, yourself
All of these little circles play a significant part in your life
And for each of them you must show up
As yourself and let yourself be seen

Who you are matters to the circles that surround you
Your being adds to the beauty
Your thoughts and words are impact full
And necessary to be spoken
You just being there is an integral part of the equation

When I hid in the background I was missing out
On all the beauty and opportunity that surrounds me
I was afraid
As I slowly stepped out of my protective barrier
I saw that love was there to hold me gently

I am so grateful for the relationships I have formed
For the kindness that others show me day after day
For conversations, laughter, a wave hello
My heart is overflowing with joy
From all the beauty that swirls around

I would not be here today
Had I not searched for what moved me
Had I not found what inside me really makes me happy
Had I not bravely stepped out and showed the world who I am
And now I stand here with my heart wide open

standing besides one another

We stand beside one another
Accepting each other for who we each are
Being kind
Listening
Laughing
Soaking in the every day moments
The ones that passed by before
Without a thought
They have a new sparkle to them now
It is as we are both seeing them for the first time
We hold hands
Watching the world unfold before us
Ready to take it on

jumping in

Why does it take me so long to begin
To dig deep in and get my hands messy
Why do I procrastinate immensely
Dancing around the subject
But not diving in
Why do I day dream about it
But do not actually do it
Why do I hold myself bak
Why do I tighten up
And not let go
I need to jump in
Even when I do not know the outcome
I need to loosen up
Not be held back
Simply just go for it

writing

She never knew that her words would heal the hearts of others
She never knew that they would matter
If you told her years ago that what she wrote would ease another's fears
Make them not feel so alone
She would never believe you
Even if you assured her that you knew it was true
She would not be able to grasp it
She always wrote for herself
Directly from her heart
The words pouring out onto the paper
She spoke of what she knew
What she learned
What she knew to be true
She had to show up on the page
She had to free the words from her mind
Releasing them into the universe
And here she stands today
Not keeping her words bottled up
Showing up here
Opening up
Inviting others in
Living, feeling, smiling

deeply rooted


She was hopefull that this day would arrive
And it did
Not how she expected
But it came

Before it's arrival she prepared
Tending to her heart
Soaking in the quiet moments alone
Learning what moved her
What made her dance
Made her laugh

And now she stands deep in who she is
Fully present with what is surrounding her
Laughing with her whole heart
Soaking in the happiness that swirls around

Grateful that she took the time to wait and listen

moments can change your life

There are moments in your life that happen. Moments you could not have thought up or dreamed about because you had no idea such a thing could ever occur. But somehow these moments present themselves. You are given the opportunity to embrace them and let them flow with you, guiding you along.

These moments are stepping stones in your life. Taking you from one place to the another. However, describing them as stepping stones does not seem adequate because these moments are life changing.  Opening up a whole new door of possibility. Breathing life into your tired heart. Holding you gently. Nudging you along. Encouraging you to keep your head held high.

Many times the individuals who change the course of our life forever are gone in the blink of an eye. Leaving you feeling in awe at the power of connection between individuals. So many people in this world. So many individuals we pass on a daily bases and interact with. But only a select few stirs ours heart and wakes us up. Only a handful have the ability to creep in and see below our outer protective barrier. Why is it that certain individuals connect and others do not? What is it that pulls us deeply into each other? What forms the space between others?  It is interesting to be roaming the roads of life. Meeting so many different individuals. Traveling down one path and then getting directed somewhere else all because of a brief encounter.

Strangers can open us up. They can stand before us and accept us exactly as we are in the moment. They do not know the past. They do not know our struggles. They just see you before them. Your heart in your hand ready to be revealed. You stand there in all of your being radiating who you are. And you never know if you will walk away with something new.  A new opportunity, a new friend, a new chance to take.

letting go

And the day came
When she dug her toes deep into the sand
And simply let go
Surrendering to the universe
All it has in store for her

beautiful life

It was here that she knew the journey was worth it
The struggles and the pain
They all helped to clear her heart
Open her up to see what it was that would truly feed her soul
There were many dark nights when she was lost
Stumbling and almost giving up hope
But she always pressed on
Stepping one small foot in front of the other
Unsure of what lies ahead of her
But knowing she had to continue down the path
And now she stands deeply rooted in love
So full of beauty and kindness
Her heart is overflowing with joy
The smile on her face radiates
As she twirls in the sunlight
And soaks in the beautiful life that she has created

the magic

There is magic in the air
And this time of year always brings me back to 2008
The year that my life changed courses forever
The year my eyes were opened up to a whole new world
And my heart was opened up to a whole new kind of love
Magic, swirling around
Enveloping me with hope
Nudging me forward
And kindly encouraging me to step deeply into myself
The woods was a safe haven for me
To show up, as I was
Not all put together
Scattered, bruised, and unsure of the path I was traveling
The woods accepted all of me.
There was magic pulling me in
And it held me gently
Each year at this time my mind travels back
To the paths I walked
The smiles from strangers
The kindness in the eyes of those I just met
New friendships were forming
A new understanding of me was taking shape
At the time I had no idea that those woods would change my life forever
I had no idea the power that magic held in this life
But it does
And I am living proof
I was once afraid of the world
And now I stand fearlessly in front of it
Embracing all that comes my way
And those friendships that were formed under the stars
They help to guide me on my path
And remind me of what lies deep within me
I am forever grateful for the magic that the woods held
How it enveloped me with safety
And opened my eyes to a loving way of living

Connecting

Life is a constant flow of individuals
Floating in and out of our lives
Some fall deep into our every day
Seeing us through thedarkness
Nudging us along as we face challenges
Holding our hand and laughing with us

Others stay only for a brief moment in time
Flying in right when we seem to need to them
They dig deep into our heart
And we are never the same
Even after they float away
The mark they left on us reminds us of their beauty

It does not matter how long an individual was in your life
What matters is the connection that you shared when you were together
The memories you created
The secrets you whispered
The skin you shed to show your true self
Theses connections push us a little father
Help us to grow a litte bit more
And bravely we can spread our wings and fly

No Regrets

It was not suppose to happen like this
But then again how was it "suppose to happen"
We both knew the circumstances surrounding the situation
We both knew where we stood
What we were getting into
Where it could possibly go
We knew it the entire time
Yet we did not let that stop us from opening the door
We did not let that stop us from telling our stories
Sharing pieces of our hearts
Taking each other along on our journey's
Knowing the reality never stopped us
And now here we both stand
I am here and you are there
And I am really glad we never let those things get in the way
Because I value the moments we spent together
I treasure the smiles and laughter
Even if they were fleeting
I am so grateful our paths crossed
And for a brief moment in time we let each other in

moving free from the past


Isn't it amazing when we first lose something we are devestated
We feel like we can not go on without it
But time moves us forward
And slowly we let go of the pain
We free ourselve from the loss
And we move on
We forget that we were ever missing anything at all
We forget what life was like when we had it
Because we have gone on and created new memories
Filled our hearts with new love
In life things are constantly changing
Never staying the same forever
At times this can be troubling to our hearts
But it is really a beautiful thing
It allows us to embrace each day
The small treasures
The moments
Everything coming in to fill up our wells

And shape our journey

trust

Listen to what your heart has to say
Trust that it is leading you in the right direction
Do not be afraid of the path you are traveling on
Let go and observe the miracles before you
Your inner pixie will be your guide

opening up to each other

You have crossed over into my world
A stranger before
Now slowly making your way in
I created space for you
Opening up
Sharing pieces of my story with you
It is beautiful to watch you do the same
To learn about who you are
Where you come from
What makes your heart move
No one knows what the future will hold
So I keep these moments close
Embracing each one
Grateful that our paths have crossed
And shined light upon both of us

tell your story

You are writing the story of your life each and every day
You are creating beauty and magic
Weaving together interactions deep into your heart
Do not be afraid to share that story with the world
The world needs to hear your tale, all of it
The good times as well as the not so good times
Giving voice to the dark moments
The ones you want to forget about
Will allow you to release them
It will bring an inner healing to your heart
And give strength to others, knowing they are not alone
Tell these stories
Own them
We all make mistakes
What is important is how you handle them after the destruction
Do not continue to bury them deep inside
When they are down their they stew up negative emotions
You do not have to continue living through that
Release your stories into the world
Hold your head a little bit higher
And step deeply into the world
You are filled with light
That deserves to shine
Shine brightly, shine brightly

when the time is right

The time will come
And only you will know when that is
You will see things a little differently
Your heart will let lose what it was gripping

No one can tell you to make that choice now
No one knows what you feel
What you see
What you have been through

You must trust the process
Allow the world to wash over you
Surrender into the unknown
Listen to what your heart whispers

T.W.A

Go west he told
Follow your heart and go west
I love that he knew that thought was breathing in my mind
Here in the east I feel like I do not fit in
He could sense it
And he took the time to speak with me about it

Conversations with him feed my soul
His words lift me up
And hold me gently
Thoughts and ideas flow easily
And together we help each other through
As the time seems to fly by

He chooses his words carefully
Giving me space to voice my feelings
He opens up to me
And I treasure the stories he tells
Both of us never passing judgment on the other

You never know where friendship will bloom
Where secrets will be whispered
Laughter will be shared
And hope will be infused

Sometimes it comes in the most unexpected places
But there is a bond there that you both cannot deny
You help each other
Listen to what the other is saying when words are not spoken
And really see one another

These conversations are sacred
These moments in time leave deep marks on your heart
And both of you are forever changed because of the other

encounters with beauty

Do not forget where you came from
How you have been tended to along the way
Your roots run deep
Many people have become intertwined within you
The brief encounters
Fleeting moments
A smile shared with a strange
Deep conversations held around the fire of life
Side splitting laughter
A long embrace
A friendly hello
All of these moments leave a mark
They help to guide us along on our journey
Do not forget that you are where you are today
Because of where you stood yesterday
Each interaction cracks us open a little bit more
Connects us to the earth
And brings us deeper to knowing ourselves
Give thanks to those who have held your hand
Reached out to you
Listened when you hurt
And giggled with you in the rain
Life is beautiful when shared with each other

traveling

We are all traveling somewhere
Headed in a direction
Even when we do not realize it
The world keeps turning
We keep spinning
Never sure of where we are going to end up
Even when we plan where that will be
A bend in the road appears
A new path is taken
Completely out of our control
The best that we can do is to roll with it
Accept what comes
And keep pushing forward
Life will always continue to go on
Whether you are ready for it or not
So try your best to embrace the hiccups
Let the rough times travel through you
Do not cling to them
And let them weigh you down
Let go
Be open
Feel free as you travel
The journey is beautiful
Open your eyes to see it

In the storm

I am standing here
In the storm
Feeling hurt
Disappointed
Learning how to continue forward
On a different path

I wonder
Where I went wrong
What I could have done different
Why do I have to go through this struggle
It makes me feel small
Insignificant, disrespected

Throughout the journey
I was kind and respectful
I came to the table with an open heart
And now here I stand deep in the storm
Feeling the pain

what I would want you to know

If you were here
Sitting beside me
This is what I would want you to know
This is what I would tell you
This is what I would hope you would understand
And be able to truly feel and believe

You are amazing
You are doing a lot in this world
Even when you feel like you aren't
I wish I could open your eyes to see the impact you have
On all that is surrounding you

Your smile is contagious
You are friendly
Kind
Caring

And you work really hard
I know you do
So what if it is not your dream job
And it isn't what you thought you would be doing

And so what if it is serving people drinks
Or bringing them their food
You are doing something for another
You are putting yourself out there
And you are not doing it haphazardly

You are doing it well and with pride
And it doesn't matter what you are doing
What matters is that you are doing it with pride
That is what is important

You show up and you care
Everyone around you can see that

I know it is a struggle for you to be where you are
It is a struggle to think that you haven't accomplished anything
Or that you haven't gotten anywhere
But really you have

You need to take that measuring stick of yours
And you need to adjust it
Because you need to see that you really have come far
And the most important thing is that your happy
That the world is feeding your soul
That you are just out there living each day
Embracing what comes before you

Because there is going to be one day
When there is not going to be another day after it
And you don't want to have the regret that you didn't take the chance
You didn't say what you wanted to say
You didn't just go out there and do it
And you don't want to be miserable throughout your entire ride here

Nobody wants to see you miserable on your entire journey
You have the personality that you won't let that happen
And you have the personality that you will succeed

Realize how strong you are
How much you do
How brave and amazing
Kind and caring you are

Realize you are going to get ahead
You are going to make it
You are going to be someone you are proud of
But know that you should really be proud of that person now
Because you are incredible
But if you are struggling with that
Know that the day will come
There will be a moment in time when you will be able to step back and say
"Man, I am awesome"

And when you speak those words
I want you to speak them directly from your gut and from your soul
And I want you to feel them truly, honestly feel them
Because you are someone pretty awesome
And you deserve to be happy
You deserve to accomplish any goal you set your mind to

Just keep putting yourself out there
Keep stepping forward
Continue to not worrying about what other people are doing
Or allowing other peoples expectations to creep in
Forget about others peoples ideas for what you should be doing

Realize that you
Exactly as you are
Is exactly where you should be

You are well respected
You are loved
You are an incredible human being

your story

Lately I have struggled to put words onto the page
Maybe I was avoiding showing up
Maybe I was to busy
Maybe I wasn't ready to face something
There are many maybes that can be put down
But one thing I know for sure
Is that I stopped telling my story

I kept putting one foot in front of the other
Moving, but never really advancing
Blindly jumping from one thing to the next
Keeping my story inside
Under lock and key

I felt more lost than ever
All jumbled up and tangled in these vines of containment
The freedom that comes with putting myself out there
Was buried deep inside me
The clarity that comes from connection when you tell your story
Was non existent

I felt as if I had been dropped onto the floor
Shattered into many different pieces
And totally unsure of how to put myself back together again

My story
The pieces that make up me
Not my job, where I live, what I drive
But my truth
Needs to be shared

It is important for each of us to show up
Tell our stories
Really allow others in
And embrace the moment

Each of our stories
Is vital to the ebb and flow of this world
And it needs to be told

How are you telling your story?