Simple

I can't take credit for the idea of the following but I found this set of suggestions refreshing, straightforward and so true. I have added a few to the list. At the end of the day, we have just one Life. Take Complicated out. Keep it Simple. And then have some FUN.

Missing somebody?           ...Call

Wanna meet up?               ...Invite
Have a bad day?                ...Ice cream
Have a good day?              ...Spread it
Have an idea?                    ...Write it

Wanna be understood?       ...Explain

Have Questions?                ...Ask

Don't like something?          ...Say it

Like something?                 ...State it

Want something?               ...Ask for it

Love someone?                  ...Tell it

Soulful Sunday

I had a soulful day today. It started with a spin class at Soul Cycle with my brother. As my legs propelled beneath me and the dark room soothed my eyes, I began to remove myself from the details of the day that often fill my head - what was I going to have for lunch? Did I remember to email George about the change in time? I have to write that thank you note. Instead my mind drifted between telling myself to breath and to relax my shoulders, and gratitude. The sheer power of that moment. Six years ago, my dream was to be normal. To be free from bed. Free from pain. Free from painkillers. And there I was, just like everyone else, on a Sunday morning. Free from bed. Free from painkillers. And for that moment, free from pain. That forty-five minutes was empowering. I could do anything. Maybe I should become an instructor? Okay, Sally - one step at a time. Let's try another class first. Class #4 that would be. But I felt something in my soul spark. I have felt it before but am always enlightened when I am reminded again. The feeling is remembering the power of self: what I can do in the world instead of what I can't; what I am doing instead of what I am not; my smile instead of my thighs. I was completely present without any distraction. I was soulFULL.  I left the class and hugged my brother. For some reason he knew exactly how I felt without any needed words. 

Appropriately so, this happened today, on Father's Day. The man who keeps everything in perspective, who peddles along consistently, powering up the hills and patiently keeps pace in the valleys. Who is lead shield when the wind picks up and stops to help with a flat tire. And most of all, the man who appreciates the horizon in both the sunshine and the rain. You, Dad, fill my soul every day.  

Here I am

I hope you are reminded today of how special you are in this world. I hope you share a laugh, even if it's with yourself. I hope you hold a hug, smell a rose, look at the sky as you take a deep breath, or call someone you are thinking about just to let them know. My to-do list since November consistently includes blog. And yet here we are in June, with zero posts since then. Nothing has kept me away except life - one more email to write, one more errand to run. So I return with no agenda other than taking a few moments out of my day to reflect and to slow down. A favorite part of my day. 

A rose from my mother's garden

office namaste

Day one of having some om in the office...

I am spending more and more time at work, getting grumpier and grumpier with the darkness that comes at 4:49pm and frustrated with the stiffness in my joints, and let's be honest, not so thrilled with the constant honking of horns. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. 

Yep, that's a red carpet, in my office, rolled out just for me. I for one need a daily escape and rest from my computer, the frenetic energy of the city, the hustle of the sidewalk, and the mood swings of myself and my office mates. Even for five long minutes. So I brought in my yoga mat. I found a little corner, unrolled the plush mat and lay down. I stretched, I took some deep breaths, I lay in child's pose. Changed my day. I highly suggest that you get one. Your sanity will thank you. Let's hope that there's no drooling in the future (or snoring)! 

on the road again

We all have a road in life. Sometimes we get off at a wrong exit, take a detour or lose our way. But as long as we keep our eyes focused on the passing beauty, aware of the vast horizon in our midst, we can appreciate the flat tires and wrong turns, the passing trees and villages along the side of the road, the company beside us and the image in the rearview mirror, reminding us every once in a while of what came before. Our journey on the road, in our hearts, in life and in relationships is a powerful time to reflect, to pause and evaluate our direction.

happy weekend

This city bear is leaving on a jet plane for a wedding in Florida. My "rolly" suitcase is busting at the seams in the overhead compartment. It was a busy week at work and on the personal front so I am trying to balance multi tasking with a sense of humor. As in, being on a conference call while going through security and asking the TSA agent if I could stay on the call while going through the metal detector. Uhh, that's a negative. Thank goodness for the mute button! FYI - you can keep your phone on and put it through the X-ray machine without dropping the call and, as long as you don't have to participate for those 5 minutes, your fellow callers will be none the wiser. Genius. Didn't have time to get all prepped for the festivities, i.e.. self tanner, hairbrush, dress, and I'm hoping that the two bags that checked in under my eyes get lost on the flight there. But honestly S, it's not about you. Lets hope for dim lighting. Looking forward to taking off soon for warmer weather, friends and family. A cop car just passed our plane with its sirens on...hmmm. Florida can't come soon enough. Happy weekend.

View from the top

My vote was counted, I hope. Tonight I circled in my ballot, SAT style - what happened to the technology boom of computers and iPads? At this stage in the game, we should be voting through some app! Call me old fashioned but this way is fine by me...I kind of like the manual system, somehow making each decision a bit more thoughtful as I laboriously fill in each bubble while I contemplate my next choice. If only the SAT had just six questions with two choices each. I am watching the numbers live from the city that has the right idea. At the end of the day, we are all Americans. Red white or blue, side by side we should stand like the colors in our flag.