New Day, New Year, New Beginnings…

This is a 16x9 image of the Japanese Garden at Butchart Gardens, one of Victoria's famous highlights. In the center of the frame is a red lacquer and black bridge, crossing over a small stream. The bridge is mostly surrounded by greenery from mosses to trees, but there are a few picturesque boulders and in the foreground is some raked gravel.

Crossing the Bridge
Japanese Garden, Butchart Gardens, Victoria, BC

Hi Folks:

We first posted this for New Year’s Day, 2013 but it seems appropriate to share again. To start the year off right, consider these words from Howard W. Hunter:

“This year, mend a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten friend.
Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.
Write a letter.
Give a soft answer.
Encourage youth.
Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.
Keep a promise.
Forgo a grudge.
Forgive an enemy.
Apologize.
Try to understand.
Examine your demands on others.
Think first of someone else.
Be kind.
Be gentle.
Laugh a little more.
Express your gratitude.
Welcome a stranger.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.
Speak your love and then speak it again.”

Have an amazing day and an incredible year!! As Marcia says, may 2024 be gentle with us all.

Hugs,
M&M

P.S. This is a message we can all send to each other: Israel and Iran: A love story?

The names and faces have changed in the past ten years, but love remains. If you know of anyone who would like to revive this, please pass it along. And if you want to create your own Free Hugs posters, we’ll happily share our template.

New Day, New Year, New Beginnings

Time Moves Differently for the Ocean and the Shore

Time Moves Differently for the Ocean and the Shore

Hi Folks:

Well, for all of those who follow the Gregorian calendar, we’re now firmly ensconced in 2022. In some ways we’re in a boat that has left the pier and – even though it may be in reach, we know there’s no going back – only onward. Given the local, national and global events of 2020 and 2021, 2022 has a lot to live up to with regard to its older siblings. For some that becomes represented as hope, for others, despair. On this 4th day of January there are some who have already abandoned their New Year’s resolutions, and some who declined (resolutely) to state them in the first place. That’s understandable; a year is, after all, a lot to take in with one bite. We do better looking back, each from our own perspective, on what went right, wrong, and what might have been done better. But looking forward to the remaining 361 days on this calendar can be daunting. Our suggestion then is not to do so.

Don’t misunderstand. Big dreams are important, and plans that take time to unfold will continue to do so, but so often we have enough to do to get through today. Just today. This doesn’t mean we should ignore tomorrow or the remainder of the year, but in trying to carry all of that responsibility at once we force ourselves to turn away from what’s facing us right here, right now. So, just for a moment, stop. You may not be able to hold it for long, even a few seconds, but that’s a start, Now, in those few seconds or moments, push the rest of the year away and create around yourself a little circle of now. Quiet the hundred thousand thoughts, feelings and voices crowding into your mind and allow yourself one moment of clarity. Yes, the rest of the world is still out there. It’s not going away, but turn your attention to what you’re focusing on right now. There it is. It may be joyful or sad, it may be urgent or seem to be, and one part of your mind is telling you that you have a hundred thousand other voices all clamoring for your attention and you don’t have time to devote to this moment. But you do. You’ve done it, and you can do it again whenever you want to do so. In fact, it’s much better for you (and the rest of the world) to push back the jumble of your life even for a moment and see what’s right here, right now. Even if you’re multitasking, even if you’re juggling ten different things for ten different people, each of them is being queued in some sort of sequence. We owe it to ourselves to approach our day that way and the rest of the world will in return receive the best we have to offer.

We  are all multi-dimensional beings, playing multiple roles in each others’ lives. This is explained much more eloquently by our friend Gary in his blog post, “Many Sides of One“. Here’s an excerpt, but we’d suggest you follow the link to read the entire post:

“…I have failed or come up short in many of these things and I have also been blessed with a measure of success and joy. In all of them I have learned more about what works and what doesn’t.

I believe we have the capacity to change the world and help make it safer, saner, healthier, kinder and more peaceful. We are the sum total of all our parts and “every decision we have made has brought us to where we are.” (SAR)

This is a look back for a review which I do at the end of a day, a week, a month or a year. I put it away and look forward to the next day, one day at a time. I try to make the most and best of each day and live in the present. I make plans for the future in case there is one. I have written four books and have three others in process at different stages.

I meditate, walk, think, wonder, contemplate, talk, write, eat, drink and check in with others as we celebrate life as a blessing and a gift. An old year is ending, a new one beckons. Grace is revealed in gratitude.”

Each of us, like Gary, have lived unique and interesting lives. My experiences are not yours, and that is what makes you unique and special. Never doubt that you are. The rest of 2022 will unfold as it does. Tomorrow will be here soon enough, and when it arrives, it too will be faced as now. Take a mental step back and allow yourself a moment to face this moment, this day as it comes. Accept its trials and successes, its joys and laments and use those experiences to add to who you are. Be kind and recognize that the person next to you is facing their own trials, reveling in their own joys. Know you are loved, just because you’re you. We wish you peace.

Hugs,
M&M

“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” ~  L.M. Montgomery

Happy Holidays!!

Happy Holidays!!

Hi Folks:

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Festivus, Solstice or Saturnalia, Hannukah, Kwanzaa or something entirely personal, we wish you and those close to you a safe and happy Holiday Season, and a New Year with as much joy, love, adventure, peace and excitement as you can handle!!

The blog has been a little quiet of late, but we’ll be back with much more in 2014, so our continued thanks to you for stopping by!!

With Hugs,
Marcia and Mike.

P.S. The photograph is a composite made from 75 images, shot on the corner of the Legislative Grounds. If you’re not familiar with Victoria, the Inner Harbour is on the far left, then there’s the Empress Hotel, the Royal BC Museum and then the lights of the Legislative bldg.

Children of Peace

Hi Folks:

This is a very short post, and really just a shout out to some amazing people to help raise some awareness of the project with which they are involved.  We heard about it from the creative folks at Insivity in their latest newsletter, and the possibility is so beautiful it really must be shared.  Today also marks the third day of ‘Random Acts of Kindness Week‘ so the timing is entirely appropriate!  There are so many places where this idea could be applied. Not going to bog this down with too many words… just follow the links and be inspired.

Hugs,
M&M

 

 

* (with thanks to Finn Hayden of Streaming Movies Right for letting us know about the correction to this URL)

He Says, She Says…

Greetings, dear reader!

We watched ‘Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone‘ again on TV last night, and although we’ve seen it (several times) before, what always intrigues us is Harry’s transformation from the world of the mundane to the world of the magical, and even more that these two worlds co-exist.  Both Marcia and Mike have had many ‘magical’ experiences in their lives, and so this week we thought we’d talk about living a ‘magical life’.

Follow these links to read what He Says/She Says: Marcia’s View / Mike’s View.

He Says, She Says…

We have been thoroughly enjoying the process and unfolding of this blog site these past two months of 2009.  And so, with great excitement, we are looking forward to the growth, the potential and the inspirational development of ourselves (both individually and as a couple) as well as that of our blog site through 2010. It will be fun to have you journey along with us!

With that in mind, we thought we’d share our thoughts on the ‘New Year

Follow these links to read what He Says/She Says: Marcia’s View / Mike’s View