Strength

As a child I observed a woman who had an amazing strength. It was incredible to watch and learn from her and now as an adult I continue to learn from her. I really did not understand the magnitude of her strength until a few years ago but now looking back on it her strength was and is pretty incredible.

I know sometimes she thinks she is invisible and sometimes she feels like she isn't needed but that isn't true. Her presence is as strong as it was when I was a small child. Her beauty more radiant now then it was then and well her courage sings louder than the mountains. I have seen her when life's burden was wearing her down, I have seen her when life was lifting her up and I have seen her when no one else was looking. I have seen her in my direct vision and out of the corner of my eye and the strength, courage and wisdom that I see is astounding.

In my moments of fragility she has given me the strength to carry on even when I didn't think it was possible. She had (and still has) a ray of light emitting from her that shines brightly on me and gives me courage to face life's battle. I have seen the pain in her eyes as she held my hand and my heart and watched me twist in misery as my life unraveled and self doubt filled me. But she gave me words of comfort and breathed life back into my withering spirit allowing me to stand firmly once again.

I know that I haven't always told her nor have I always shown her what her strength means to me and even though I haven't I hold it dear in my heart. I am a strong, independent woman because of her. Because she taught me to fight, she taught me to stand, she taught me to see and she did it with amazing grace and beauty.

This amazingly beautiful, strong and independent woman is my mother. She gave me life and taught me to live and love life with strength even when she didn't have strength of her own. For that I am grateful and filled with an amazing amount of love and respect for her.

~Thanks mom for assisting in making me the woman I am today. Thanks for your beauty and your strength.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Oveous Maximus has written a beautiful poem entitled, "DULCE DE LECHE" (ironically Dulce is the name of my beautiful mother.)

The link below is him reading his poem. Click on it to hear my feelings regarding an amazing woman who gave me life and strength.

Oveous Maximus ~ "Dulce de Leche"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjZvgULWHWY

Sadness & Joy

I sit here with tears streaming down my face and an ache in my heart. A ache for home and all that surrounds it. The foundation of who I am has just left and I can't help but feel sad and happy all at once. Since I was a little girl I saw his wisdom and valued his teachings because I knew that they would build an empire of character. And now as an adult looking back I am filled with a world of gratitude because so many years ago early in the morning while sitting on a bus I listened and talked and the foundation of my house of character was being laid.

I am sad because I know I don't get the privilege of his company each day. I don't get to have cups of coffee, dinner or talks face to face. I don't get to watch him interact with my children. I don't get to witness a relationship build with my husband. I don't get to see him pass his wisdom and knowledge to my children on a regular basis. I don't get to see my children's love for this man while they wrap their tiny arms around his neck. And yet I know that it's the way it is because he's needed somewhere else right now. Someone else needs him much more than me and for that even though it hurts I'm okay.

I am happy because for a moment in time I got to sit at his feet once again and learn. I got to witness my children's love for this great figure and the admiration fill in their eyes. And even with admonishment I saw the love and respect that they had because he taught with gentleness. The same way I remembered as a child. I was able to witness a relationship start with my husband and for the first time in 13 years they were both able to see why I love them both so dearly. I am happy because I was able to have dinner, cups of coffee, talk, listen, learn, love and have his company even if it was a short time. With gratitude and love in my heart I cherish every minute that I had.

This great figure is my dad.

Dad ~ Thanks for your visit, your time, your love but most of all thanks for assisting in making me the woman I am today.

Nice people still exist

In the rush of life and this season, with happiness in my heart I can say nice people still exist. Sometimes I wonder if this statement is true but before I know it life reminds me and I have to admit my soul overflows with joy. I know I am a sentimental fool but I like it that way. I thinks it's better. Maybe those slinging the accusations that I cry to easily or that I'm "mushy" are just jealous that they weren't more sentimental at times. If it's not true I chose to believe it is. (LOL)


Anyways....here are some acts of kindness I have witnessed in the last few weeks.


Today I was driving home after the chaos of the mall and saw a true act of kindness that made my heart leap. A handicap lady in a wheelchair was driving her chair on the side of the road and had apparently dropped some things. She was trying her best to pick them up but was having a lot of difficulty. A gentleman stopped his car and picked up the items for her.


Another small act of kindness....I was dropping off my daughter at school this week and a family I am friends with had made hand painted ornaments with their kids to give to the families at the school. I thought the gift was extremely thoughtful and very kind.


A couple of weeks ago I was with a friend who had dropped a money envelope containing over a hundred dollars in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. She naturaly was absolutely distraught that she had done it. We asked around and apparently another lady picked it up and returned the money to her with every cent still in the envelope. Honest and kind.....


I could make my list longer and as I am writing this I can think of at least a dozen more acts of kindness I have witnessed or had happen to me in the last month. I think kind people are always there we just fail to see them because we are wrapped up in life, our thoughts or what's going on around us. I have to admit that it happens to me sometimes but when the ray of light shines on me and I am able to be aware and see the act of kindness my heart leaps and smiles and I am forced to remember that it was always happening I just failed to see it.