Simple Pleasures & Gratitude

I'm grateful to have so many blessings...things that I have often taken for granted.

Yesterday was filled with simple pleasures, fun and lots of gratitude...

My girls were like "pigs in mud!"  It was so great to see them so filled with happiness and joy...the simplest things can be so meaningful.  I didn't mind that we were not dressed for the occasion, but allowed them to just be kids and; have a good time playing.  =)  I managed to splash around a bit too...

my toes in the water...

So for me, yesterday was a bit of therapy and reflection on what the important things in my life are.  Enjoying the moment with the ones you love, letting go of the things that hold you back and spreading sunshine wherever you go.

I have had a "mission statement" for myself for over 10 years now...(wow, it's been that long!) and one of the things I had written down was to "spread sunshine wherever I go."  I used to say that some people light up the room when they leave, because they are so negative!  It's true and you have to "protect" yourself from their bad energy...I usually try to kill them with kindness!  Doesn't always work, but you move on and focus your thoughts on the good things you want for your life.  Holding a grudge is like a cancer...it eats away at your very core and doesn't allow you to grow.

When I look at my life and start to feel sorry for myself, all I need to do is look at the circumstances of another to find my gratitude.  I've been looking a lot at Elizabeth Chalker and the torturous suffering she is facing alone.  Her story has moved me..moved me to the core and into action.  I contacted her and asked if I could do a special project for her using her clothing...she sent me a box full of things & I cried taking each item out as I read her letter to me.


Here is Elizabeth, before Lyme...                                     and here she is after years of misdiagnosis...

http://helpElizabeth.net

Here is some of my recent work for the Victorious For Elizabeth project.  

Please share with those you know and find out how you can help here:  http://networkedblogs.com/53wHQ