Week Twenty-Eight

“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.” ― Ansel Adams

Here are a few of the photos I took while we were camping in Yosemite Valley. It was an incredibly neat experience to hike and stay there. The splendor of the scenery was almost overwhelming at times. While we were hiking, I would have to stop every so often and just take a giant deep breath and try to look around at all that was surrounding me. I couldn't help feeling so small. It was a tinge of perspective for me though. Experiences like that always make me think about how tiny we are compared to everything in the world. And then I think about how God made every detail, every piece of dust, the glitter of the sunlight, the height of the mountains, the greenness of the grass. The same God who created all of those mountains and fields wants to know who we are. It never fails to blow my mind. It's so simple yet so crazy all at the same time. And why do I always forget it? It's amazing to me. Why would a God who has the power to create a whole world, want to know about tiny details in our life? Because he also loves. That's why. We care about people because we love them. We want to know if a friend had a good day because we love them. We want to know about friends' interests, likes, dislikes, dreams, aspirations, struggles, goals and passions because we love them. It's only natural. And where do we get that from? God. He's the same way. I truly believe that He cares about even the most silliest of details in our lives. Even though we think it's insignificant, He takes interest in it. Life is only made up of the small things after all. :] Whether you are happy that you found the right shoe size in a store when you thought they didn't have it, or that you got accepted into college, He cares. And He wants us to tell him about it. 

Because he cares. 

Because, well, he loves us. 

You.

 Me.

Them.

Us.

All.

So, try this for fun -  Next time your favorite candy becomes an ice cream flavor, tell Him about it. :] Next time you get the job, tell Him about it. Next time you find a nickel in the parking lot, tell Him about it. And then, thank Him for it. :] It's so easy to forget to do, as it too often slips my mind, but I'm realizing that it's even easier to actually do it.


happy conversing [:

Week Twenty-Seven

I left my heart in San Francisco. <3

I know I'm horribly late in posting, so my apologies. :) My mother, brother and I are visiting relatives and friends in California and I've been so busy I haven't had time to write about it all.

We've been on go-time ever since we landed and finally are enjoying some downtime. When I was little, we never really "saw the sights" so to speak, so this trip we squeezed in quite a bit of traveling. Among some of the places we visited were Point Lobos, Carmel, Santa Cruz, and then we spent four days in Yosemite. But this post is going to be focusing on where we went in between all of those stops... the lovely city of San Francisco. :)

This was a special day for me. It was meaningful, and I'll tell you exactly why. Back in the early 50's my Grandmother and her close friend packed their belongings up and took a bus to San Francisco to get involved in acting. They lived in an apartment and were there for five or more years until my Grandmother met and fell in love with my Grandfather. It was so surreal to be in the same city she had been in, and walking some of the same streets that she had walked so many times, so long ago.

My Grandmother passed away four years ago, but she's still so dear in my heart. A year or two ago my mom and I were back visiting my Grandfather in New Hampshire and I was nostalgically looking through my Grandmother's drawers and came across her scarf box. I found this old red, white and blue scarf that had the words "I left my heart in San Francisco" on it. I asked my mom about it and she told me about my Grandmother's life in San Francisco and that she probably bought the scarf when she was there. I brought it back home with me thinking that if I were to ever go to San Francisco that I would bring it with me in her memory. She was such an amazing woman and she inspires me so much. She went for her dream and took that step that many of us are afraid to take. She had such style, ambition, and poise. She had a sense of humor, a heart filled to the brim with love, and was the best cook I ever knew. But above all, she was strong, and didn't let anything bring her down. Someday I hope to become like her and to pursue my dreams just like she did.

I brought that scarf with me to San Francisco and had it tied to my bag the whole time. I know she was smiling down on us as we journeyed through that exciting city she once called home. <3

Here's to you, Grandma...your life has become a story that will be told and retold for as long as I live.

 

 

Week Twenty-Six

 So, one thing that has been on my bucket list to do, was to buy a Ukulele, and learn how to play it. :] I finally went out and bought one and I absolutely love it! It makes me all happy inside when I hear the cute sounds it makes. It's such a beautiful instrument. I hope I put it to good use. :]

Sometimes I get a mind block where I think along the lines of; I won't ever get to that, and certainly I couldn't do something like that, or that's too silly of a thing to do, what would people think? But then I realize that's all a bunch of rubbish. It's all mind games, really. Nothing is stopping you from doing new things, little things, or big things, except well, you. Take a deep breath. Now think of that one thing you've always wanted to do. Obviously nothing is as easy as it sounds, but that doesn't automatically make something impossible. It's good to keep in mind that anything worthwhile in life is hard work. That's one universal truth about life that I sometimes misplace in my head. But, if you can set your mind to it, and work up to something, I believe that there's nothing stopping you from reaching it. <3 

In the words of a great philosopher...

"If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good"- Dr. Seuss

A smile. Because I'm really not a melancholy person, despite some of my weekly posts. :)

Happy Summer!

 I hope yours is a lovely one filled with sunshine and happy moments.

xx

Week Twenty-Five

She ate her words.

Week Twenty-Four

 Tick-tock-tick-tock.

Time is always in a hurry. Why? It has to catch up with it's dearly beloved, Future. A long time ago, Time was introduced to Future and they fell deeply in love. They were betrothed, but tragically became separated. Every time Time tried to catch up with her, his name changed to Past. Ever since, he attempts in vain to catch her, to see her face once more, ease his aching heart, but it cannot be. So he keeps track of the day by a ticking song he used to sing to Future. Maybe she'll hear it this time he says to himself. But it isn't so. Yet, he still awaits the day that his dearly beloved becomes Today... tick, tock, tick, tock.

Because it's late and I can't think of anything to say, I get to make up random nonsensical theories about Time. :]

Week Twenty-Three

 Once upon a time there was a girl named Vanity. She lived among people like you and me, but in her mind they were dull. 

Her favorite pass time was admiring herself in the mirror, for she was indeed a beautiful girl. She knew it, everyone around her knew it, and she knew that they knew it, but the choices she made to go about her beauty was wrong. Day by day she looked in the mirror more and more, and day by day all the people around her, even the ones that loved her dearly, slowly grew apart from her. But she didn't know it, nor did she care, at least at the moment. All she thought about was herself, and herself only. For, why would she want to think about anything else? Surely nothing was more important than herself. She was beautiful after all, wasn't she? 

Well, after time, the people in Vanity's life moved on, but she didn't see. In fact, she almost forgot about them, she was too busy looking at herself to see anyone else. And she thought that that was all that mattered in the world.

But, I'm afraid this tale won't be a 'Happily Ever After' one. You see, because even though we are free to choose, we are never free from the consequences of our choices. 

So, one day when Vanity was intently adoring her perfect face in the reflection before her, something happened. She couldn't see her reflection anymore, and it startled her, it even made her angry. Why couldn't she see her lovely face staring back at her? Vanity did not think it was a funny trick, but a mean one. All she wanted was to look at her face just a little bit more. She cried and cried for help, but nobody answered, nor ever came. Then, with a horrifying blow, she realized what had happened; she was on the other side of the mirror, inside the mirror looking out into the world. 

Poor Vanity was stuck. She was stuck in time, in an empty world, watching life go on without her. But wasn't that what she had always wanted? To be stuck in time, to never  grow old, to never develop wrinkles around her sparkling eyes, nor grey hair, or saggy skin? But how things had changed, all she wanted was her family now, and her friends. She didn't care that her face was streaked with tears, she didn't care what she looked like anymore. But it was all too late. 

She was immortal now; never fading, forever beautiful...she should be happy shouldn't she?

Week Twenty-Two

 

 

|Cracks, cracks everywhere, but that's how the light gets in.|