Category Archives: Sharing Life Stories

Me in the Middle ~ #Wordprompt ~ Tense

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I was waiting for a WordPrompt from WordPress that would prompt some inspiration to write about. Now there’s a weekly WordPrompt and I was getting ‘tense’ because, as the month of September went by none were motivating me. There’s a lot of thoughts going through my mind about the word ‘TENSE’ (the last word for the last week in September).

Sketch by Mary Lou

“Live in the Present Tense, facing duty at hand, without regret for the past or worry over the future”

~ William DeWitt Hyde ~

This is me right now! Trying to stay in the present tense and doing what I need to do to meet each day in the most life-giving way. I want to live a simple life without stress or worry. I don’t need a lot of stuff. I just want to be happy in the here and now. The sands of the hourglass are slipping by and life goes by so quickly.

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Pixabay Image

“Holding on to anger, resentment and hurt only gives you tense muscles, a headache and a sore jaw from clenching your teeth. Forgiveness gives you back the laughter and the lightness in your life.”

~ Joan Lunden ~

Each of us has crises and traumas in our lives that leave us stuck in an unhealthy place. Stress and tension is a part of life. Some is good and some is destructive. How we navigate through it all by either giving up or moving forward means all the difference. I’ve learned a lot by visiting the past crises and tensions in my life, the bad along with the good, and putting in place a awareness from the lessons I’ve learned from my past. So, living in the past tense and learning from the past tense are two very different things. Revisiting the past to learn and move forward is freeing. The past and all the experiences in my life are what has made me who I am today. A person who is resilient and works through stuff, and understands the whole picture of a life well lived.

“As soon as you have a language that has a past tense and a future tense, you’re going to say, ‘Where did we come from, what happens next?’ The ability to remember the past helps us to plan the future.“

~ Margaret Atwood ~

Me in the Middle ~ #WordPrompt ~ Free

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Image by Pixabay

Looking back on my life, I’m asking myself ‘When did I feel free?‘ ‘What moments, as far back as I can remember, brought me a sense of freedom and joy?’

The past is gone. The future is not here. Now I am FREE of both! Right now, I choose JOY!

~Deepak Chopra~

Childhood ~ My early years of walking to the park in the next town over is a joyful memory of feeling FREE. It had a playground with swings, slide, wading pool and merry-go-round that I learned confidence and risk taking. The park also had a nature area with a stream that we could explore. There was no sense of fear in me as a child when I was at that park and I don’t remember it being crowded. The sense of joy and freedom guided me to move forward into a world that, in spite of the dangers and risks always there, I wanted to choose life.

A little girl swings high on a wooden swing on a cloudy day.(Pixabay)

Road Trip ~ On the Road Again ~ The feeling of being FREE when I’m ‘Goin’ places that I’ve never been. Seein’ things that I may never see again’. A Country Road is the best escape! Windows down, favorite music playing and the feeling of the wind blowing my hair.

Image by Pixabay

Leaps of Faith ~ Sometimes we need to take risks in our adult lives when we don’t fully know how it will end and what the outcome will be. Once the decision is made there’s a feeling of being FREE and a sense of hope and joy that decision will bring an improved life. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. Those leaps of faith are always teaching new lessons about life!

Image by Pixabay

Finding Peace ~ It takes a while to realize that Life has no easy answers. No one else can give you those answers because you need to find them within yourself in order to find peace. This makes you FREE to just live your life fully and confidently that you have what it takes to bring you through no matter what comes your way.

Listen to the Wind, it talks. Listen to the Silence, it speaks. Listen to your Heart, it knows.

~ Native American Proverb ~

Me in the Middle ~ #WordPrompt ~ July

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PLAY ~ “Play is the highest form of research.”- Albert Einstein

Susan Crouch Watercolor

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” ~ Mr. Rogers

My fondest memories of PLAY were mostly while being outdoors. From the time that I was little and throughout my childhood, my parents, especially my mother, made an effort to teach us through nature. Water was always a part of the teaching and we’d take family rides to streams, lakes and oceans. I learned to be respectful of the natural world while finding joy and relaxation as I played with a freedom not found indoors. I learned there were limits to that freedom and listened to the warnings of any dangers I might find in my adventures.

Me at the New Jersey Shore

My oldest brother was the nature lover in the family from the very beginning. His interest in collecting birds, fish, turtles was what drew the rest of us into exploring the best spots to explore the great outdoors. One place was a nature park with walking trails, streams and a pond where I could go ice-skating in the winter. I used to follow my brother when he explored the streams and sometimes wade through the water with him.

Me watching my brother explore

When I grew up and was raising a family of my own the best family play was visiting the county/state parks in the area. My five energetic sons could take off and explore which helped them release stored up energy. Their father and I could find ways to relax with a good book, take long walks or just sit beside the calming water. For me, water has always been my source of play and relaxation.

  • Wells State Park~Upstat NY
  • White Water Rafting
  • Atlantic Ocean ~ Florida
  • Persian Gulf~Oman
  • Ireland~Atlantic Ocean
  • ACAC Waterpartk
  • Ocean City NJ

Now, just turning 80 and slowing down, I’m content to play with my ‘Water’colors. It’s a playing that keeps me centered during these troublesome times. I love the watercolor by Susan Crouch of the child playing at the shore.

And Wordle!! I play Wordle! Haha!

United We Stand; Divided We Fall

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Thank you to all of the bloggers who show courage during these ugly, dark times and still speak in a voice that doesn’t follow and still maintains their heart convictions and integrity.

joyful2beeblogs

American Flag American Flag

                                                                                                                                                                           I’ve lived almost 71 years full of varied and interesting experiences with people of many different races, cultures, and religions, which I feel gives me a broad understanding of a large sampling of people’s attitudes, lives and feelings about life.

Through traveling I’ve met other people of different cultures  from Mexico, Canada, Germany and Switzerland. Traveling is a mind expanding experience.

I’ve traveled…

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Me in the Middle ~ Crushing It ~ Part I

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At the beginning of 2022 I was gifted with a year-long mixed media on-line workshop ~ Crushing It ~ Artfully Inspired Life by Joanne Sharpe.

Mixed Media means all types: Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache, Inktense Pencils, Watercolor Ink, Gel Press, Stencils, Fountain Pen/Ink and Watercolor grounds.

Six months have passed and I can’t say enough how much I look forward to each month’s lessons. It’s helped me to find focus during the uncertainty of all that’s swirling around me.

So here is Part I of the past six months of artwork in my journal:

If you’re interested in finding out more about Joanne’s workshops, here’s the link: https://joannesharpe.com/online-classes/?doing_wp_cron=1655930741.8427019119262695312500

See you in Six Months for Part II