Early Mornings

One of the benefits of living in Canada is that summer days are super long – with the sun rising at about 5:30 am and setting around 9:00pm.

Mornings, at this time of year, are so beautiful. There's a softness to the air, and a promising newness to the day that is announced with joyful birdsong. Where ever you live, I encourage you to experience sunrise this week. You may find that once you do, you will want to continue waking early.

It's so peaceful and quiet at 5:30am. It gives me time to feel more connected to nature; to calmly reflect on my life and what my goals are; to appreciate the things I have, and yes, to really enjoy that first cup of coffee. It is a part of the day that I have fully, completely to myself. Awakening at that hour allows me to greet the day at my own pace; feeling calm, I'm ready to welcome the rest of the day and all that it holds. 

Since I live in the city, this photo helps me in imagining what an early morning at the ocean holds.  You might find it helpful, too.

(Summer on the Sunshine Coast, BC - 6am or so)

Picture yourself on a deck, the cool, soft morning air surrounds you like a gentle blanket.  It's so peaceful and quiet here; there are only the sounds of small songbirds twittering with joy and the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore below.  Close your eyes and take a deep breath in.......ahhhhhhhh. Let all the air out of your lungs and notice how your shoulders begin to relax. Take 3 or 4 more breaths like that, filling your lungs with the cool, fresh, cleansing ocean air.  As the sun rises and warms up the day, things seem to appear brighter.  What a beautiful way to begin the day.

Your One Wild and Precious Life

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
Mary Oliver

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/265

Cue's & Mis-takes

I read this quote on another Blog this morning and wanted to pass it on.
http://philosophersnotes.com/

"Even enlightened beings burn their bagels once in a while. It’s important to maintain a sense of humor because this is how you will stop being afraid of making a mistake. You’ll make some, but so what? That’s why they’re called mis-takes. Humor relaxes the uptight ego. You get a new cue from your inner Self and simply say, ‘I missed my cue, so let’s do a second take.’Your willingness to take the risk of making a mistake is actually an expression of courage and a willingness to grow from them. Mistakes are about getting the blessing in the lesson and the lesson in the blessing.”

Michael Beckwith
http://www.agapelive.com/index.php?page=3

Above all Have a Good Time!

I visited Washington, DC last week. Among the many amazing sights to see there are some great museums. One is the American History Museum, which displays Julia Child's 'kitchen' from the set of her long-past PBS TV shows. It was a thrill to see this display and it reminded me of why I have such a high regard for her. She had such a lust for life.

Julia persevered no matter how many times she was told 'No'. She was open-minded, experimented and, tried new things.  She learned new languages, adapted to new cultures and found new ways of doing things. To me, she seemed fearless. Ultimately, she persevered and kept doing what she loved to do.  When she'd make a mistake – like dropping a chicken on the kitchen floor, she'd laugh, pick the bird back up, brush if off and keep cooking.  I admire her zest and joie de vivre – her willingness to do what she really wanted to do, even when others said it couldn't be done. Sadly, she's not on the planet anymore, but she continues to inspire, through books (cookbooks and otherwise), a wonderful current film (Julie & Julia), DVDs of her cooking shows and this terrific display.

The quote shown in this photo is really how she felt about cooking – but it could easily be interpreted as how she lived her life.

What a great motto to live by.

Who inspires you?

Find Your Grail!

Monty Python might not be everyone's cuppa tea, but I love the message in this song from Spamalot. Find your Grail!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yRlnSgu-bY&feature=related

Be Teachable

"It's a mistake for anyone to think that he has lived too long in his old, unsatisfactory ways to make a great change.  If you switch on the light in a dark room, it makes no difference how long it was dark because the light will still shine.  Be teachable.  That is the whole secret."
Vernon Howard from "The Power of Your Supermind".

http://www.anewlife.org/html/home.html

Sing, Dance, Praise, Love

"May today be peace within.  May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be.  May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.  May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.  May you be content knowing you are a child of God.  Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you."
Mother Theresa

Arctic Light

Here is a beautiful tribute to light, something we (in the Northern Hemisphere) get to enjoy more of in the month of June.  Be sure to have your speakers on, the music is a lovely compliment to the time-lapse photography.

The photographer is Terje Sorgjerd. 


http://vimeo.com/24456787