finding contentment

Tags

being content, contentment, having nothing, quotes on contentment, quotes on need, quotes on thankfulness, thankfulness

“The best feeling in the world is realizing you are perfectly happy without the thing you thought you needed.”

Contentment. Simplicity. Acceptance. All things we aspire to in our lives. The ever elusive desires that we long for but always seem just a bit out of reach. What is it that makes us keep reaching anyway? Why are we as a society never satisfied? Is greed weaved so deep within our nature that even when we want to stop wanting, we can’t? If you think about it, it shouldn’t be difficult to reach contentment in our lives. We are a blessed people. Even those that have little still have enough. I have been to a third world Country before, I have seen what having nothing means. Would you believe that on the faces of those was a smile? I saw thankfulness and gratefulness for every little thing that was given to them or done for them. It brought me to tears. And I found myself literally taking things off my body and giving to them because I couldn’t give enough, but that was still me thinking that what was needed in that situation was “stuff” rather than realizing that here is a group of people who had risen above “stuff” only to find that they could survive …not only survive but LIVE.

The last few years have caused an up and down effect in my life. The economy, the lay offs, the uncertainty, lack of funds, etc. I recently moved into a new place, all my own. And I found myself trying to fill it up quickly with all the things I thought I deserved. I was running around from store to store in a frenzy with my wallet in my hands. Being extremely picky and having a particular idea in my head of what “successful” looked like. I found myself frustrated with trying to create in my home what I was trying to feel on the inside. Nothing was good enough, the right color or the right “feel.” I found myself buying and then returning, fighting the lessons I had just learned about the dangers of excess and the perils of overspending. I didn’t realize what was driving me until I was asked by my mom, “Why are you trying to be something you are not?” Her, not knowing I was just trying to appear in a way that my own insecurities wouldn’t let me actually feel. I wanted all the things I felt had been held back from me all these years. All the things I should have by my age to show that I am important and worth respect. I had to fill up my home, because the emptiness still reminded me of the past failures. Until finally, after never finding what I was looking for (because it wasn’t even a thing, it was a feeling) I decided to get cozy in the emptiness. The blank walls, the empty spaces, the mismatched furniture, all of it was suddenly not that important. And I took a deep breath and snuggled under my blanket realizing that it isn’t stuff that I was trying to find, it was the ability to get comfortable with myself… as is. And in fact, the extra space and lack of clutter made me feel happier and less claustrophobic. I realized that joy is not in things, joy is in us! And that is what I saw in those communities that had nothing, they weren’t in need of my stuff, they were in fact unbeknownst to me actually sharing what they had with ME. A simple, real understanding of what truly matters in life. If I had only grasped that concept back then I would have thanked THEM for what they had done and given to me.

We have to learn that who we are is not in what we have. We have lost that value in ourselves. We have allowed marketing to project to us on billboards, magazines, movies and commercials who we should be, what we should have and how we should look rather than rejecting the notion, we have bought into it and it started way back when we were little just sitting on the couch during Saturday morning cartoons eating a bowl of cereal. Our identities were being stolen, our uniqueness, our creativity… gone!

It’s a tragedy what has happened in our culture. And social networks have just compounded the issue a 100 fold. The odd have just stood out as odder and the people pleasers have found their own ultimate demise. And nothing about it encourages thinking for yourself which is honestly what we are missing. Original thought. When is the last time you have thought or even saw something truly unique and not just a veiled version of something that had been done over and over? There is so much untapped talent out there because everyone is so busy trying to be someone else. It’s like we are stuck in a laundry cycle just spinning around and around recycling ideas because we are so busy trying to appear like what “being happy” looks like, and what “being popular” looks like, and what “being successful” looks like. Here is a thought, maybe the version of those things that we are trying to copy are wrong?! Happy and successful according to society surely didn’t include living in a house with a dirt floor and having rags for clothes, however, I still saw true joy.

Contentment to me means – in the absence of all the things you think you need to be or what you think you should be, are you at home with yourself? Can you accept your value and your worth as enough? Can you see beyond all the campaigns set out to make you feel unworthy, unloved and unnecessary? Maybe it’s time to redefine some terms for yourself and for the world around you. And to show that your happiness and your worth is not within their boundaries… in fact you don’t even care about their boundaries, you have your own. Misery loves company, but you don’t have to open the door and sit with it. You can tell it to go on to the next house. It will free your heart and mind to finally realize that you don’t need what you’ve been told you needed to feel whole. You will feel like you just slipped out of the matrix and found the truth. As if you are living outside of your life and this society and looking in on the madness and just shaking your head at the insanity because it no longer affects you. You will be surprised at what you can go without, the things you hold so tightly to and think define you are not your source. Dig a little deeper. Within each of us is an innate desire to know our maker, to love and be loved, to feel valued but aside from that, there is nothing else we NEED. Be willing to let go and you will see how much of all that stuff actually makes you happy, and how much just keeps you wanting more.

power of silence

Tags

battles, fighting, growing up, heartbreak, learning a lesson, maturity, quiet, quotes, silence, tongue

“You are most powerful when you are most silent. People never expect silence. They expect words, motion, defense, offense, back and forth. They expect to leap into the fray. They are ready, fists up, words hanging from their mouths. Silence? No.”

The squeaky wheel gets the oil, is what we are taught in this society. If you are angry let it out. If someone annoys you tell them. If you are hurting make sure everyone around you hurts too. Our tongues are used as weapons. Oh yes, we have spent years sharpening our best offense. And often it doesn’t take much for us to pull it out of the sheath its eagerly awaiting in and let someone have it. And I know all this, because that has been me…moi! My emotions are always sitting on the tip of my tongue, like little grenades ready to be launched out at the first sign of emotional distress. And buddy I can launch them good!

However, words are like burrowing heart breaks, like heat seeking missiles that can enter into the heart of another and stay with them for life. Always speaking to them and reminding them of pain with each move they make. We so underestimate the power of our words. Beat me with sticks and stones, because the bruises will heal but hold your tongue because your words will stay with me for life.

And I know this because I have had my moments where I let something slip out of my mouth without fully thinking it and definitely without fully feeling it because I knew it would hurt the one who was hurting me, but instead of feeling better, I instantly felt so much worse than the pain they were inflicting on me. Because causing pain to someone is a whole other kind of pain and to me it’s a deeper pain, I feel responsible and guilty and just plain black inside. That is when I realized that words can never be taken back, so choose them wisely! They will live on far beyond your presence with that person. And they can hold them back and destroy them on the inside. Life is hard enough, the last thing we need to inflict on others is another bag to make the journey heavier.

And among those that are hurting you, teach them by your silence. It is always surprising to me when someone who should fight back, remains quiet. Not expected. People always expect your response, but are startled when there is none. Or if there is a response that is gracious when it should be nasty. You will throw them off their game, and in time they will feel like a tool.

I know inside all of us is this need for justice, we want people to know exactly who they are and what they have done wrong. There is a time for honesty, there is a time to say what needs to be said. But pick your battles. Because no one wants to live in a war zone.

leap of faith

Tags

encourage, faith, indiana jones, Inspire, leap of faith, trust, unknown

I think of the above clip often when I am at a place in life where I have no idea how to proceed yet I know I need to move forward without truly understanding the how, when or whys. It’s weird how there are some childhood movies that just stick with you and this has always been one that I visually recall at the oddest times.

I find myself at that place once again. Nothing makes sense and yet I am being asked to trust, blindly. Continue to move forward. And believe that the pieces are in place as they should be and will work for my good.

It’s not really working for me. It’s like my brain requires instructions ahead of time, so I can process them and then decide if I like them. So sticking my foot in the air when I am at the end of my rope and hoping to God that there will be something solid to stand on as I move forward is unnatural to say the least, however, it is happening and so just call me Indiana Jones because I am going forward.

Maybe someone out there reading this is in the same situation. You are kind of just out there not sure what led you to this point or what waits ahead but all you know is that you must take a step forward. You have found yourself at the end of a cliff with an impossible ravine before you and no clear path across to the other side. All I can say is that you are not alone. And if you’ve put your trust in the right place, the path will appear. I believe sometimes God has to break us of our reliance on ourselves. And that particular lesson is scary. Yet, it’s obvious why it needs to happen. More often than not its us who leads ourselves into a dead-end. At times we need to learn to follow.

This is a post that has no answers, I have nothing neat to wrap this thought up with. Except to say, I am on an adventure that has taken me far from home, it has not been comfortable, I am utterly confused and I have no way to trust in myself now because everything is out of my hands. Yet, it’s necessary and I know that God is with me. It’s my own personal leap of faith.

Whether you are in this exact spot now, just come out of it or are heading into it…. just know that at some point you will be here. And the story is not that you are here, it’s where you allow it to take you, and what you allow it to do inside you. The “unknown” is only a tragedy when we are too afraid to face it.

life lessons

Tags

advice, forgive, handle bully, life lesson, quotes, rise above

Isn’t it true that most of us often wonder why the world is the way it is? Someone cuts you off in traffic, slams the door in your face, is rude for no reason while you are standing there with a once joyous smile now fading into huh what just happened?!
When the response from family and friends or basically anyone we come in contact with leave us frustrated with humanity, it’s so easy to get disillusioned with the world. And I can write this because I live it on a daily basis. Idealism becomes me to the point where reality is too much to bear. I don’t process injustice well. However, if we all got what we deserved… I shutter just thinking about it.

Which brings me to one simple yet deeply profound statement that has become one of my core values in life. Be the person you wish everyone else would be. It’s so much easier said than done. Our normal actions are re-actions. But, what if we chose to live offensively rather than defensively? I would call that living on purpose, with intent. Staying focused on who we are, not on how we feel, or how they acted. I am guilty of trying to give people a taste of their own medicine. It never works, mainly because I do not like the way it makes me feel. I do not like stooping down to the level that provoked my anger, and the way it feels provoking others anger. It’s exhausting and it just bothers me… a lot!

I have found, that when I remain constant, I am able to affect far more positive outcomes than when I stoop down and start playing in the mud. Eye for an eye never brings the kind of satisfaction you think it will. Our own anger and bitter feelings eat away at us. They affect us, far more than our target. Who frankly is just on to the next thing, and most of the time has no clue we are plotting their demise. I beat myself up for things I’ve said and done to the point where I’m bruised and in the end I think, I should have just let it go.

In the times where people have treated me unfair, wronged me, been inconsiderate or even downright hurtful, and I have managed to keep my head up and still treat them with respect and show the integrity that I carry, I have grown. And that growth develops so much stuff inside of you that you will not be able to contain. It has taught me that I do not have to be thrown around by circumstances, and you know what… part of the anger we feel is the uncertainty of not being in control. The feeling that other people can affect our emotions to the point where it affects our life. However, that does not have to be. Our joy, is not based on what happens. Our integrity, our sureness, our confidence is OURS and we choose. WE CHOOSE!

Rather than playing the victim in life which honestly, the role is heavily over played these days, maybe it’s time to just rise above. I am who I am, and those who don’t treat me with respect will simply lose a voice in my life. It’s not a matter of letting their actions cut me down and cause me to lose balance, it’s a matter of identifying that they have no respect, they do not have control of their emotions, they are not people of integrity so therefore they are not someone I choose to be around. If that person happens to be a boss or a coworker, or someone you can’t just “not be around” then it’s time to rise above. You will do your job as expected, will be respectful, will be genuinely you but in your mind you will not take them in high regard. Only those who have established they are people of integrity should have any ability to affect us. They should be the one’s speaking into our lives and helping us look twice at things. Our job should be to decipher the voices in our life that we should listen to. The ones who speak with love, they aren’t always perfect but are coming from people whose hearts we know, and whose lives we trust. The rest, are a wash. Half the time the responses people have towards you, aren’t even about you, they are more about the fight they just had that morning, or the fact that the dog howled all night and they got no sleep or it could just be they are miserable people who want to make the rest of us miserable.

Don’t give everyone the right in to your heart that only few should hold. The people who are ruthless, rude, downright nasty will get theirs, trust me, it always happens and you do not need to take that into your own hands. Because when it does happen, most of the time you will find yourself feeling sorry for them rather than celebrating. What you sow, you shall reap. And though some people are blind, most can see who a person is. And yes, life isn’t always fair but we already discovered that if life were fair we too would get what is coming to us. So my theory is to just be the someone who I myself would want to know, that I myself would respect and hopefully as we all “be” that person, we will one by one change our worlds.

Rumblings

Tags

insights, rant, sarcasm, whats wrong with the world

Ugh! It’s getting colder out. I can already feel my nose running and getting red. The way my bones feel frost-bitten and the endless chill that seems to begin in September and doesn’t end until June. The autumn clothing is wonderful, the colors on the trees are amazing, the cider and donuts are delicious but I have been swooned by the sun and it’s warmth.

What’s with people always coming over to sit by me when I have purposely snuck off to a corner of a coffee shop to write and think!! Why do they see a girl over in the corner happily enjoying some peace and lug their family of five right next to me and then proceed to talk the ENTIRE time while I get pegged in the head with food by their toddler?

Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of people in this world who want a voice? We all have this innate desire to be heard. I guess that is why reality TV has taken over the airwaves. We all think we are the most interesting story. When really, there is nothing new under the sun. People are much more interesting when they don’t know they are being watched.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I ask someone a question, send a text, call or reach out and they don’t answer back. It really gets me to the core! How hard is it to reply?! No one is THAT busy that they can’t take one second to answer a question or send a witty antidote. It’s just plain rude! And disrespectful. I usually punish them for the next three days for that kind of behavior. Most of the time it makes me feel better but its not necessary, if people had manners none of this would get out of hand. I really can’t stand passive aggressive people. I would rather someone tell me to my face what they dislike and give me a chance to rebuff or fix it, rather than spend days trying to figure out what could possibly gone wrong.

I will just get it out there. I hate to wait. I really do not like standing in line, or sitting in traffic or watching the time pass. It stresses me out! I mean seriously expressways are built w/o traffic lights and stop signs so how in the world is it possible that randomly I find myself at a stop or a slow crawl? Unless there is an accident and the road is closed off, who is the moron up ahead that decided to stop? Often times it will be stopped and slow crawling and then randomly it will start moving again normally for no reason. Was there a possum on the road that was just too cute to drive past? I mean WHAT IN THE WORLD?! It’s an expressway people, we are on it because it’s supposed to move.

As I sit here the day before we all head back to work I can’t help but think about my alarm clock that will inevitably be tormenting me tomorrow morning and I wonder. Who decided that work should start at the crack of dawn? Who put the hours to the work day and why? How come we all can’t just put in our eight hours as we please? Some days I’ll start at 7am and some days I may not roll in till 11am. Who cares as long as the work is done. Why does everyone have to be so uptight? You can’t even go to the bathroom without someone noticing you aren’t at your desk. Who decided this was suitable rules for human society? Why can’t we all be given the responsibilities to manage our own time? Maybe some people would finally grow up if they were treated like adults in the work place. Everyone is on a friggin’ power trip.

So I walk into the cell phone store the other day and start looking at the regular phones. And it was like I was there to buy an ancient 1950′s wall unit. The world has gone smart phone mad! What a bunch of snobs, if you don’t have internet on your phone you aren’t a decent part of society. Well guess what you bunch of sheep, maybe I’d like to decide whether I want to pay $100 a month just so I can check my email in the toilet. Technology advancement should not be pushed on us, we should get to decide if the advancement actually brings value to our lives not just blindly follow because we want to fit in!! So yeah so what I decided to get a smart phone with the internet but I did it because I wanted to!

Which brings me back to the phone thing. You can’t go anywhere w/o seeing someone walking around with their phone glued to their hands. People walk through the stores staring down at a phone. It’s like why are you out anywhere if all you are going to do is stare at your phone? Look around people!! There is a whole world out here that is not fit to a screen. Not to mention put the phone away when you are out with friends or on dates. Girls are horrible at this! I did not come out to see you so you could sit there and play with your phone, text all your friends and sit and take phone calls while we are in the middle of a conversation. UNPLUG! Especially on dates, however guys seem to be way more respectful of this than girls are.

Sorry for the rant. Add your own if you would like.

make my day

Tags

angels, giving to others, grace, mercy, pictures of angels, volunteer

Never underestimate a kind word or gesture! You do not know what the other person has been through that day and have no idea how a smile, or a kind word can make them feel.

That guy who may be driving a bit too slow may be driving a car that is on its last leg and he’s just trying to get to work to support his family. That annoying person on the cell phone may be talking their friend through a bad time. That person with a scowl on their face who seems rude may have had a lot of bad things happen to them all at once and what they really need is not your attitude in return but a warm smile that reminds them that things will be ok. The person who seemingly has no clue who is around them and gets in your way may have a lot on their mind, or are dealing with a serious decision and need your mercy. That friend who isn’t really being there emotionally for you now, may need you to be there for them emotionally a bit more.

Compassion means you are able to step outside of yourself and your situation and see, look, think or feel someone elses situation. It means you put yourself in their shoes and pay attention to their lives and what they may be facing. If all we ever do is take, and never give then we aren’t really benefitting another’s life, we are only out to make ours better.

Today, look for ways to make yourself a blessing to others. Look for ways to make someone smile, to show mercy or to be compassionate. Don’t assume why someone is doing what they are doing but allow yourself to consider that maybe what they have going on now is a bit more pressing than your current need.

Outside of our own world is a whole world of people who are in need, and although giving sometimes feels like too much you will be surprised to learn that in giving to others, your very own needs suddenly become less tragic.

I do believe that it is better to give than receive!

stop chasing it

Tags

being still, chasing, dream, happiness, inspiration, the fray, the fray happiness, wanting

Have you ever noticed that the more you want something the further out of reach it becomes? I have often felt like life was just that cruel. The minute it heard me speak the words of something I was desiring it was like it set out to keep us apart. But I have been inspired this morning by a different perspective on the matter. It is actually my wanting the thing so much that is keeping it from me. Merely because I am trying so hard to make it happen in just the exact way I would like and NOW. It’s a little like being in a pool and seeing something floating just out of reach …do you notice the more you splash and kick and propel yourself towards that thing, the waves from your own movement keep pushing it further from you?

I have had a lightbulb moment, my friends !! These do not happen often by the way.

I have been told that I am very impatient and often like the wind, meaning that I blow in here and then I’m out the next minute. I never wait !! I never settle down like a good tea and just simmer in the moment allowing the taste and smell of my life to appear. I am like a vapor that waits a millisecond for something and when it doesn’t show itself, I am either on to something else or off chasing it in a different way.

One of my favorite quotes is: “There is a difference between being still and doing nothing.”

Being still is being mindful, it’s being patient, it’s staying focused, being thankful, living life, letting go of the expectations of when, where, how and why and simply just trusting that my needs will be met. It is allowing things to work themselves out in the way that God desires which is good for me and good for those involved. It is opening my hands and my heart and preparing myself to receive what I need to come into my life and then BEING THERE when it happens.

Timing is everything !! And I have no sense of time. In fact I don’t even own a watch. You know why? I hate time !! It’s just another thing to be impatient about. And I feel like it’s running my life. lol But that’s another post.

“happiness feels a lot like sorrow… let it be… you can’t make it come and go.”

just asking

Tags

change, encouragement, how to live life, inspiration, learning to live, living life, new start, self help, starting over, the important things

Sometimes I just think “what is all this for?” All the running around, the worrying, the achieving, the pushing onward and upward towards some sort of success. What are we doing it for, really? Homes and offices are filled with trophies and certificates and it never seems enough. Once one thing is accomplished there is a sigh of relief and then in that very same second the rush is gone and then the search for the next big thing begins. And with life it seems you can never have enough so my question is what is all this actually for? A sense of accomplishment? Bragging rights? Financial security? And, is it worth it?

Going. Doing. Being. What actually blossoms from these things? I work with people who spend their entire lives coddling their career. Their families, their vacations, their lives are second to their job. And when you actually get down to the nuts and bolts of the real motivation behind it, sadly I have found there really is none. Retirement maybe. A secure future they claim. But who has tomorrow? Aren’t we all only promised this moment? We only have now. Am I saying not to plan? No. I am just wondering where the living is. Where the whole living thing fits into the plan? Because chasing after things, accomplishment, credentials, certificates, education, building a career is not living to me. That is planning. Preparing. Living sneaks in the back door of our plans. It quietly enters the room and waits for us to greet it amidst the chaos.

Living comes in the moments we often take for granted. The soft “I love you’s” as you rush out the door. The gentle rain that falls in such a beautiful nurturing way to feed the earth, as we cover our heads and run through it. The crinkle in someones smile as we are gulping down our lunches. The phone calls we miss or never even make to those we love. Living is so much simpler than we like, it’s not complicated enough for us, so we miss it. Whether the sun rises or sets, it makes no different in the course of our day. Sharing a meal, a laugh, a part of ourselves… those are such trivial things in our lives compared to that promotion, that new house, the honor that we get to receive in the midst of a crowd. These things we find important and these things alone. But in the end, they pile up on a dusty shelf, they sit in a frame on a lonely wall and the past is the past. Yet we’ve never learned to live in the moment, we don’t appreciate the moment. So when there is nothing left to accomplish, no time left to strive, that is when everything that was built, everything that was gained begins to lose its shine. And what most people crave is to be known. To be loved. To feel they have made a difference in the world. That is when humans begin to discover what it actually means to live. And it’s always just a bit too late.

Your life is now. Live it! See the people around you. Engage with them. Open your heart. Let out your creative thoughts and aspirations. Laugh. Take the long way home. Open the windows when you drive and let the wind whip your hair around. Kick off your high heels. Go outside and play. Connect with and listen to God. Success is admirable, but to truly learn to live is an unplanned joy that will never leave you.

wanted: a 64 boxer

Tags

john mayer, john mayer quote, looking for the one quote, love quote, quote, relationship, relationship quote

Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8-color boxes, but what you’re really looking for are the 64-color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64-color box, though I’ve got a few missing. It’s ok though, because I’ve got some more vibrant colors like periwinkle at my disposal. I have a bit of a problem though in that I can only meet the 8-color boxes. Does anyone else have that problem? I mean there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation.. so when I meet someone who’s an 8-color type.. I’m like, “hey girl, magenta!” and she’s like, “oh, you mean purple!” and she goes off on her purple thing, and I’m like, “no – I want magenta!” -John Mayer

attitude of the seasons

Tags

hope, inspiration, quotes on seasons, quotes on spring, seasons, spring

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring. ~Bern Williams

I don’t often find myself jealous of an animal, except on the frigid mornings my dog takes over my bed once I’ve gotten up to get ready for work and I see how peaceful and warm he looks all snuggled up in the blankets. There is though one animal that I envy, that would be the almighty hibernating bear. We think seniors have it made when they travel south for the winter, and head back north during the incredible Michigan summers. Unfortunately we are all beat by the luxurious amenity of being a bear and literally sleeping the winter away. Forget packing up the suitcases and heading south, just go into your cozy home, light a fire, eat yourself silly and then pass out for 4-5 months. No shoveling, ice storms, cold so drastic that your lungs feel paralyzed, no storm warning, just dreams… beautiful, glorious dreams!

The people who say “I will sleep when I am dead,” confuse me. How in the world do you not find sleep one of the greatest luxuries of this lifetime? So snuggly and warm, sleep is one of life’s most compassionate gifts to us. You had a bad day, a headache, a problem, just go to sleep and it’s like hitting the reset button when you wake up, it will be ok. I have thought about this a lot through the recent winter months where we’ve been blasted with one snowtastrophy after another. I do not work in a building where I park right next to the door, I walk about a mile to work with Jack Frost not just nibbling at my nose but basically beating me senseless with a bat! Winter has its whimsy, as the snowflakes literally dance to the ground but just like with anything we love there is also something we hate and for me that would be the bitter rotten cold. As I’ve grown older I am less able to shake off a blast of cool air, it goes straight to my bones and stays there until I dunk myself in a tank of boiling hot water, while drinking boiling hot water and visualizing the sun about three feet away, meanwhile outside the blizzard buries the house, my car and if I’m not careful the dog who is only just trying to relieve himself.

So how do those of us who endure winter every year survive? Simple, there is always the hope of spring. The only way to get through winter is to dream of spring’s lighter, warmer days. To watch the earth wake up, shake off and begin to live again.
Since we live among the seasons it’s natural that we would begin to follow the attitude of the seasons and springs attitude does seem very hopeful. It’s a new start, a let’s begin again type of feeling that flies through the air and straight into our hearts. We are reminded to grow, to bloom and to just simply believe for the best. Even though the earth knows that another winter is coming every year it continues to bloom and grow and produce. I am inspired by that thought. Life is much the same. We are not promised that hard times won’t come but something in us still keeps pressing on. We laugh, we grow, we love, we live, we keep on learning because life goes in cycles and we learn to follow its flow.

So just as nature is courageous enough to put itself back out there despite knowing it will once again face a harsh cold winter, we too need to find the courage in ourselves to grow and produce and live in such a way that honors the life we’ve been given.