Are you expressing gratitude

I purchased The Secret, on DVD and on CD when it first came out some yeras ago, Over the yeras I have listened to and watched it many , many times and one of the things that always stands out is the reference to taking time to say thank you. 

It stood out because during several of the periods in my life when things have seemed rather hopeless... sometimes, before I lamented and complained, I would say thanks for the things that were going right. I figured it would only take a second and then I could get to the stuff really bugging me. Often, however, I would find so much to be thankful for, I would forget what I wanted to complain about.

The Secret recommends that you take time out each day to say thank you for all the things you are grateful for. When I started watching the DVD, I was at a low in my life and figured I would give it a try - it could only help. So I gave it ago. Today, I still try to find time each day to say thank you. Sometimes first thing in the morning, sometimes just before bed and sometimes all throughout the day. I do believe it has helped me to realize all the things, blessings, miracles, and magic I have in my life - even on days when things truly seem bleak. I still sometimes complain after my thanks, but more often now, I am filled with joy and happiness when I think of all my blessings.

So on this day, as we continue on our journey to a better us and a better world; let us begin to take time each day to say thank you for all that is in us and in our lives. Let us recognize the blessings, miracles, moments of magic , kindness and goodness in our lives and express gratitude.

In this vein, I am thankful for my family and my friends. I am thankful for all the children, older people, men and women in my life. I am thankful for my dog, my car and my home. I am thankful for heat, hot water, food and drink in my refrigerator, clothes and shoes in my closet, and the things of beauty in my home. I am thankful for all of my senses and my ability to walk and run, laugh, sing and dance. 

And, while I am at it, I am thankful for fireworks, trees, flowers, sunny and rainy days, cool breezes, and autumn leaves. I am grateful for doctors, teachers, motivators, protectors, healers, historians. I am grateful for farmers, artists, mentors, spiritual guides.... Really, once I get started, I could go on endlessly. The point is, we all have so much to be grateful for, if we would just take a minute to say thank you, we might actually experience a glimpse of heaven in our lives.

Let's all express gratitude for all of creation, including ourselves and start our days off with a joyful bang!

"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more."
--  Brother David Steindl-Rast (1926 - present) --

another day of rain musings and sharing

it is a rainy day today and as you know from my prior posts, I love the rain. My back is bugging me today and it is cold so i am not going out to jump in puddles or dance. Instead I am sitting under my favorite blanket while i write this and drinking a nice hot cup of coffee - decaf of course. 

If I can't be out in the rain, snuggled under a blanket warm and toasty is the next best thing. The ultimate would be if I were in front a fireplace and sharing the moment with loved ones - all in due time.

Anyway, I thought I would share with you a newly updated rain post from a prior blog. I hope you enjoy. Please feel free to comment and share. In the meantime, enjoy your day (and night) ... rain or shine...

I was originally going to write about being virtuous. But that has flown from my mind. Instead, as I sit here under my favorite blanket and listen to the sounds of a rainy day just outside my front room window; as I - earlier, opened the window and felt the cool, wet caress of the wind across my face...I remembered just how much I love the rain. I remembered all the things I love to do in the rain. I am enjoying reminiscing about the rain and it is good.

One of my favorite memories is a day I frolicked in the rain with my daughter. It was a hot, rainy day in August. It was during a summer downpour. My daughter and I ran out of the house, into the rain in our lightweight, summer dresses, much to the chagrin of my mother. She fussed a little (she's used to my impulses), but we did not care. We jumped in puddles, splashed each other, got drenched and giggled in girlish delight. We had a great time.

As I remember that and other times of fun in the rain, I can't help but think - isn't it amazing, all the different things we can do in the rain. We can walk and talk in the rain, snuggle and hold hands in the rain. We can lay under mounds of blankets and watch old movies in the rain. We can sing and dance in the rain, eat fondue and stew in the rain. We can have crazy sex or make gentle love in the rain. 

And how many of us actually take the time to think about the beauty of rain? It can be cold and chilling, cool and refreshing, or slick and warm. It can cause you to put on more clothes or totally disrobe. Rain is a great creation. It can destroy as easily as it can create. It helps young things to grow, just as living life to the fullest can help one to grow in many different and exciting ways. And just as too much or too little rain can inhibit progress, so can overindulgence or living life on the sidelines. One can cause illness, addictions or death. The other can cause dust to grow under your feet. When, finally, you get back out into the game of life, you may find that life has left you behind. However, I have also found that sometimes sitting on the sidelines and paying attention can reveal unbelievable insights. And that works because I can catch up. But, I digress...

Rainy days bring out my contemplative nature. So, here I am sharing my thoughts with you. What is flowing through my mind now...poetry

A short verse on rainy day fairies

Rainy day fairies
Who carry the hope of tomorrow
Drop the future on me
and pray
that I am ready

A verse or two from a piece on rain

It is life sustaining
But not the essence of life
It can be cool and healing
Warm and soothing

And though it can be
continuous and damaging
It is a thing of beauty
A gift from above

Ah, rain and raindrops. But it is getting late and I have so much to do. I must bid you adieu. But before I go, for the next week... take a moment each day, stop what you are doing, go outside and take in all the beauty that surrounds you: the weather, the people, the buildings and nature. All of that has been created by a Higher Power, from whom the foundation of all creation stems. That Higher Power created and continues to create just for you and me, and as you are appreciating the beauty of creation, if it is raining and you are too embarrassed to splash in a puddle, catch a raindrop on your tongue. Then smile and know that, though life is not always easy, it is good. Oh, then go find someone special and kiss in the rain. Just because.

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby. 

Langston Hughes (writer 1902-1967)

welcoming new and thanking long term sISTA gIRLS!!!

We want to take today to welcome all the new friends we have made this past summer. As fall approaches and summer ends, we remember, this is not an ending for us but a new beginning... full of possibilities. Falll is a wonderful season of color and learning. It reminds us to let go of the old to make way for the new. SO welcome all of you newbies and THANKS to those who have chosen to stay with us through all of the seasons. We hope you enjoy spending time with us as we enjoy sharing with you.

We here at Sista Girls Cafe hope that you enjoy what we have to say about women and friendships - with an emphasis on  female friendships and being strong women. Friendships are a cornerstone of life and we are glad to have a chance to share our thoughts with you and make new friends. We encourage you to share, like and comment... and... f you enjoy this blog, we ask you to spread the word so that others can read, like, comment and share with us. 

Don't forget to like, comment, and share our page on FB at  https://www.facebook.com/FriendsForLifeSisterGirls?ref=hl

A dialogue between us...here and on FB,  would be great. please comment. Anyway, today is all about you ... my sISTA gIRLS. and in honor of all of us...here is a little poem...

My sista girls

Will always be around

My sista girls

Never put me down

My sista girls

I can trust you

My sista girls

I know you always be true

My sista girls

You are the best

My sista girls

You’re above all the rest

My sista girls

In you I confide

My sista girls

In my heart you abide

My sista girls

Together to the end

My sista girls

My best friends

sISTA gIRLS ... We love you and are glad to be sharing our journey through this life with you

-- author of picture unknown --

i know where the love is and it has made a difference... please share this

is it me? again i ask this question of you... my sISTA gIRLS. is it me?  you know, as a rule, i do not listen to the news. i do not read the news. i spend most of my day looking at beautiful things and listening to beautiful music. i surround myself, in my home, with beautiful things.it is not just that i enjoy beautiful things - i am trying to keep evil at bay.

it does work with me, but as with everything on my journey, it is a hard thing to do. it is hard to let go of my attitudes, perceptions, experiences and focus on just the good and the beautiful. it is hard to focus on the light to keep away the darkness. i know i have told you before - my friends say i wear rose-colored glasses. i still don't think that is true. but i do believe if we each try to seek the goodness in others first and try to be kind, we would all be part of a love movement that would bring the people of this world closer to the world it was created to be... a world of love. but as with letting go, that is hard.

The other day, i and the people i am in a learning group with,  went out to feed people who without our kindness would not eat that night. But we could each spend only seven dollars. and we had to feed a lot of people in two hours. you would be surprised at some of the wonderfully outrageous things we did to make our seven dollars go far. in the end we feed real food - bread, water, pizza and more, to over two hundred people.

and... we didn't just feed them, we talked to them, exchanged names, smiled and connected.  we were not a lot of people. we didn't have a lot of money. we didn't have a lot of time. we didn't have... wait... you know what? it doesn't matter what we didn't have. what matters is what we had. we had each other. we had the desire to make a difference. we had the commitment to help and love. we had the willingness to get what we wanted done without worrying about how we did it.

i am telling you -  love is growing, spirituality is spreading, self-introspection is becoming popular and more people are trying to live lives of kindness, love and peace.

so today, i am lifting up those who are going through hard, sad, tumultuous times. i am holding my heart in my hand and letting the glow of my soul fill my heart with radiant love. and then i am going to step outdoors and hold my heart up to the heavens. i believe the radiant glow of my heart's loving kindness will reach out to the hearts and souls of others. i believe it will touch others and they will wish to spread this loving kindness to others, as well.

i believe we should all hold our hearts in our hands and let the glow of our souls fill our hearts with radiant love. and then step outdoors and hold our heart up to the heavens. i believe the radiant glow of all of our hearts... of our loving kindness will reach out to the hearts and souls of others. if enough of us share loving kindness, perhaps next week we will start to hear stories of overcoming and health, of peace and joy, of compassion and goodness. perhaps we will hear stories of love and kindness and we will know that loving kindness does abound in this world of ours.

if you read this and are moved to comment... please tell me and my friends .... you know where the love is... it is within each and every one of us!!!