The Beauty of Kindness

This evening I was touched by the beautiful kindness of an absolute stranger. I was at the gym and had just finished a workout that was intended far more for my mind than for my body. I was quietly stretching by myself, there was no one around me and yet as I sat on my mat and rested my body over my leg to stretch there was a smile and wave from across the way. I didn't recognize the face, nor did I understand the gesture, in fact I was not even certain that it had been a wave at all, but I quickly and warmly smiled back because that's how my heart and head responded. I went about my stretching and finished my workout. As I was beginning to leave the young man approached me. He very politely said that he didn't mean to disturb me but that he just wanted to let me know that he felt I was a very positive person and that he could feel the presence of my positivity. 

That was it. That was all. He smiled again at me and we parted ways. It was just a moment, a brief one at that, but it was a moment that I will never forget and one in which the true beauty of kindness revealed itself.

It was a moment that made me stop. 

It was a moment that reminded me to be grateful for all of the blessings in my life and it was a stunning reminder of how touching and meaningful the smallest of gestures can be. 

"We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do!"

In that moment all of my worries slipped away, I realized that whatever challenges I may be facing will work themselves out and that the power of my positive presence is palpable. 

What a remarkable reminder of what a gift a simple smile can be. 

 xo, 

Onward & Upward!

It's been a while...a long while since I've posted anything of substance and there has been a very good reason as to why. My privacy and my family's privacy were violated. 

Obviously, I fully understand that when blogging any information one chooses to share should essentially be considered public. To this day I have no regrets about anything I've posted. 

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect or even consider that the content of my blog would be used against my family. What would have appeared, and what I am sure did appear as a typical and seemingly innocuous post was used as fodder against my family in an outrageous and totally inappropriate way. This malicious act was committed by a couple of very close family friends, and I'm truly disappointed in them.

My decision to take a brief break from blogging was an easy one, you simply do not hurt my family. The good news is that I've never lost faith in my blogging family. After giving this blog a lot of consideration over the past several months, I have made the decision to begin blogging again!

Why?

Because I have truly missed blogging and it is something important to me. 

I don't let people keep me from what I love and I am certainly not going to begin now. 

And, while I have always known that I was awful at keeping a journal I came to realize that this blog quickly became a beautiful way for me to chronicle my life, interests, travels, friends....

To my friends and family who have supported me, thank you! 

To my fellow bloggers, I am sincerely sorry if we've lost touch, I truly look forward to reconnecting! 

And so with love, gratitude and perspective, I look forward to what's next. 

Heart to Heart

:: Disclaimer | I had planned and still will post a much lighter piece in the coming days :: 

The last two weeks have been a humbling reminder of how fragile life can be. They have also been a stunning demonstration of love, friendship and family. Nearly a year ago my life began to change. In some ways things have changed for the better, in some ways things have become more challenging.  Some changes were more foreseen than others and some have been downright shocking and painful. 

:: truth ::

Last Sunday my best friend and I had a wonderful evening together. We said good night to one another and I began to get ready to crawl into bed. Then my phone rang, it was him. In an instant my heart sank and I knew he needed me and that I needed to be with him through whatever the coming hours would bring. Ultimately, a patriarch passed away; a husband, a father, a grandfather and one incredible man. It was sudden, unexpected and heartbreaking.  I was fortunate enough to have witnessed Max's incredible love, devotion, affection and kindness. His presence and energy were such that by proximity alone you could feel the warmth, love, and gentle manner of his soul. 

:: my everything ::

I returned from Sunday evening mid-day Monday. Only a few hours later my husband received a phone call from his mom. His cousin had passed away. This was also a sudden and unexpected death, he was only 42. To say that my husband and I felt overwhelmed at this moment does not even begin to touch on the emotions of disbelief, emotional exhaustion and sadness that we both experienced. 

Yesterday we gathered to celebrate the life of an amazing son, brother, uncle, friend and person. Following the funeral we returned to the family home and were surrounded by his closest friends. His brother, sisters, nieces and nephew's all jumped into the pool in his honor. There was laughter, there were tears, wonderful memories and shared stories but above all there was what matters.  

:: love. friendship. family :: 

As I write this I am sitting in the warmth of the incredible sunshine, looking at the deep blue sky and there is an overwhelming sense of peace. My peace is not the result of a perfect life but rather the acknowledgement of a life fulfilled. 

And while some people have come and gone from my life I realize that those who matter remain. And, that through it all there is love, there is friendship and we are all family. 

With incredible gratitude & love, 

Friends

One of the things I cherish most in life are my friends.  I think to be a friend and to have friends is such a special relationship. I absolutely love sharing my life with my friends and being privileged enough to share in theirs. 

The past six months have been some of the hardest months of my entire life. I've been really hurt and disappointed by a couple of friends, especially because I felt like when I needed them the most in my life they just sort of disappeared. I know how busy and crazy life can be and I wasn't expecting much. But a phone call, an email, a quick text or just to have grabbed a cup of coffee would have meant so much. 

On the other hand I have some truly remarkable and amazing friends who have shown me more love, compassion and kindness than I could have ever imagined. Who check in and call or text just to say. Some days simply hearing their voices or seeing their messages made my entire day.  From boozy dinners, to great catch up sessions, crazy glitter art adventures, Skype dates from afar, and hikes in flip flops these friends have been and are incredible. It's truly hard for me to find words to properly express my gratitude, my love, my respect and the loyalty I feel for these beautiful souls who I am so lucky to call my friends. 

 Thank you for making my life better. 

Thank you for making me a better person. 

Thank you for making me laugh. Thank you for making me smile. 

Thank you for listening to me. 

Thank you for ensuring my glass is always full & for making nearly anything better with you & a bottle of wine.  

Thank you for loving me and showing me such kindness. 

I value you all, your actions and your presence in my life more than you will ever know. 

With love & gratitude,