letters across the miles

Dear Kristine,

How was your "Kick Off to Summer trip?  I loved seeing some photos on your blog.  It cracked me up to see Chilis in one of them because my second job is at Chilis.

What fun things did you do and see?  What is your favorite memory from your time away?

Memorial Day weekend around here was filled with rain, wind, and cold weather.  Not the usual kick off to summer.  I can't believe that it is already almost June!

I love this time of year and am looking forward to the sunshine, flip flops on, and time spent outdoors.  Dustin and I may be heading to Chicago in a couple of weeks to catch a few baseball games.  I have never been so would love to go.

I have been busy around here with all different creative projects.  My mind is working at warp speed and my hand can't keep up to get all of the ideas down.  I just opened up sign ups for the next round of Love Notes and can't wait until we start.  Registration is open until June 15th.  I hope that you will join in.  It is the one year anniversary of the project.  I can't believe that it was a year ago when I started it.  It has been so much fun to host each session and I love looking back and seeing how it has evolved.

This weekend I am hosting a little girls art date with three girls.  I am looking forward to getting them together and digging into some creative fun.  I love working with children.  Their honest demeanor and try anything attitude is always such a blast of fresh air.

I wonder when I lost my try anything demeanor.  When I became afraid of getting hurt, or not wanting to put myself out there.  I wish I could go back to that one moment when the switch flipped and tell that little girl to continue on that path.  That it doesn't matter what others think, all that matters is that in your heart you are happy.

It is amazing how as a child we are fearless and as we get older we try so hard to get back to those roots.  To live without fear, embrace the moment, let loose and just have fun.  I want to dance around like no one is watching and fall deeply into joy.

Hope you are settling back into home and reminiscing about your time away.

Sending you so much love from NJ

xo
Jennifer
{08}

seeking

Seeking the space
To plant the seeds
Tend to the roots
Watch the flowers grow

Seeking the time
To let it all marinate
Water the plants
Watch the flowers flourish

Seeking
Tending
Watching
Knowing

in the works

Ideas swirling in my head
Writing
Unearthing
Connecting
Pulling things from the ground
And shining light on them
I am giddy with excitement
A good kind of nervous about walking this new terrain
I can feel in my bones this is needed
I know in my heart I need to push on
I stand here certain of the direction I am going
I know there will be twist and turns
And I look forward to navigating that path
I want to work with people
To encourage them to write
To uncover their stories
To find what may have been hidden
I want to stand beside them and listen as they share
So much power and goodness comes when we share
I want to provide ideas and prompts to stretch them even further
This is all currently in the works
I cannot wait to share it with you
And hope that you will want to work with me
Together we can heal through writing

energy

There is a living, breathing energy that you put out into this world
It affects each individual you interact with
The cashier at the local bookstore
The friendly lady who makes your Chai Tea each morning
The bike rider you wave to as you pass
Your energy swirls around
When it is positive and filled with light it lifts others up
When it is negative and dark it drags others down
Your energy sets the tone within the environment you stand in
It happens instantaneously
Without any thought or gesture, it is simply there
An aurora around you
Filling the room and affecting others
What mark do you want to leave with the individuals you interact with
What feeling do you want to infuse into a room
The choice is yours
The control is in your hands
Which choose are you going to make

~~~
p.s.  Yesterday I posted over on your heART makes a difference.  I would love for you to stop on by for a visit and read how we are all in this together.

letters across the miles

Dear Kristine,

Happy May!  Have you gone on your Kick Off to Summer trip to Maine yet?  I know I have said it before but I so love that you guys take a Kick Off to Summer trip.  What a great tradition and a beautiful way to spend time together.  Can't wait to see some photos of your adventure.

I love that you have a view of the city from your office.  There is something so amazing about the feeling that comes from being in a buzzing city.  So much to take in.  People going from here to there.  Stories around every corner.  What a great place to sit and write during the warmer months.

I have been soaking in all the sunshine that May has brought us.  Being on my bicycle is complete and total freedom.  It clears my mind and makes me feel so incredibly happy.  It is the best therapy ever.  I love this time of year.  I will definitely share photos of my adventures.

I have been trying to carve out some time for myself and a little self care each day.  In the morning when I have a bit of extra time I will pick up a favorite book and soak in a few inspiring words to start my day.  It has gotten me off on the right foot when I do it.

Why is self care the last thing we think of to do?  So easily and willingly we take care of others but taking care of ourselves requires a bit more of a push.  I always drain myself to the core before I take the time to care for myself.  It is just not the way to do it.

How do you nourish your soul?  Any ideas for working self care into your normal routine?

Sending you so much love today.  I hope the sun is shining down on you.

xo
Jennifer
{07}

bloom

I was feeling as if there wasn't enough space in the world for my ideas
As if everything I thought of had already happened before
Feeling hopeless, lost, inadequate
Having nothing genuine to infuse into this space

But the spring time blooms bounced me back to reality
So many of them the same, but each uniquely their own
Each one evoking a different feeling and emotion
The slightest change of light shifting providing a new perspective

There is space in this world for each of us
To grow, to bloom, to share
We are uniquely ourselves
No one else has experienced what we have before

We need to stand tall in our light
Share our brilliant ideas and the love that is breathing in our heart
Boldly say what is we dream of doing, than wildly chase after that dream
We need to know that when we bloom we radiate hope and love to others

Lets all bloom together
Put on a magical show that will take the worlds breathe away
Lets cheer each other on, lend a helping hand
And fill the world with color and light

the struggles of being human

There is so much I want to say
So much I wish you knew and felt
I want to rip open your heart and feed an intravenous tube deep into it
Filling you with the love we have for you
Pumping in the deep respect that we feel for who YOU are as an individual
We may not have a way with words
We may not always show how we feel
But my goodness we feel
We feel so deeply
And it hurts even more because we do not know how to navigate those feelings
We do not know what to say
How to act
When to jump in
And when to let you swim
We feel as if we are floating on our own islands
And all we want is to be together
To be seen
To be loved
To be cherished for who we are
We are not perfect, but no one is
And even though we do not speak the words we feel
We still feel them
We are facing our own struggles
We are navigating our own paths
Lost in the forest
Scared, feeling alone and unsure
And you to are navigating your own journey
We wish we could do it together
We wish we were strong enough to say we don't know how to do this
But instead we get mad, we turn inside, we hide behind the reality of what is
We are struggling
Drowning
Longing for you to come home
But what is home
Where is the place that you feel safe, loved, at peace with yourself
We know how strong you are
We know the brilliance in your sense of humor
The way you make us laugh
Your smile when you are with the little ones
We know the big bold heart you have
How hard you try to keep it all together
How smart, loving, and kind you are
We love you for YOU
For the exact person you are
We do not want to change you
We do not want you to be anyone other than who you are
We just want you to know that you deserve the best
You deserve to be happy, respected, and loved for YOU
You do not need to change for anyone
You do not need to prove who you are
We all stumble
We all fall
We all make mistakes
But we do not have to pay for those mistakes for ever, and neither do you
You are beautiful
You are amazing
You are one of a kind and you deserve to be fully loved for you
You have nothing to prove
My wish for you is that you go out into this world and find what moves YOU
Not what speaks to another, but what it is that really truly makes you happy
I want to see you dance, smile, and soak in the glory of how awesome you are
I am so grateful I know
So happy I get to spend time with you
And now is your time to shine
To say to the world you are here
 You are ready
And you are going to live your passion

front porch musings

I love this time of year
Sitting on my front porch
Reading a book
Writing
Chatting with a friend
It makes me so happy to feel the fresh air
And soak in the sunshine
My best ideas come to me when I am outside

Today a special visitor and his four legged friend stopped by
I loved the surprise of the moment
We live around the block from one another but don't see each other that often
I am hoping more impromptu visits like that happen this spring and summer
Maybe even spend some time together on the front porch
Or a walk around the pond

The fresh air wakes me up
The longer days light up my heart
I have a little pep in my step
A smile across my face
And an open invitation to join me on my front porch
To sit with me and share your stories
I would love to hear what is living in your heart