Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from Healing Knots! Sending love and joy to you and yours!

December

This month has already cranked through 13 days and I have barely had a moment to sit and write for Healing Knots. That is the sign of so much today. Running everywhere, so much on our schedules, and when do we make it all stop to take the time to connect with our hearts? The people that really matter, the ones that look into our hearts and know what makes us laugh and feel loved.

Well, today, I am going to sit and sink in some of that time. With the season of gifts, decorations and holiday hustle – it is still the quiet moments with a really close friend that makes my heart feel what it needs to be full and ready to face a new week.

On December 1^st, I read this and I still feel it helps make this month one filled with heartfelt celebration.  I share it with you from Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach.

December’s gifts- custom, ceremony, celebration, consecration- come to us wrapped up, not in tissue and ribbons, but in cherished memories.  This is the month of miracles.  The oil that burns for eight days, the royal son born in a stable, the inexplicable return of Light on the longest, darkest night of the year.  Where there is Love, there are always miracles.  And where there are miracles, there is great joy.  Gratefully we weave the golden thread of the sixth principle of Simple Abundance – Joy – into our tapestry of contentment.  At last we embrace the miracle of authenticity, changing forever how we view ourselves. 

Our daily round.  Our Dreams. Our destinies.  Days we once called common, we now call holy.

May your list be filled with Joy this December.

Thankful For

Oh, it is time for the thankful for words...

Maybe as you pack your suitcase for this holiday you will find some thought or feeling that will fly onto paper and be worth sharing.

Maybe you will think of someone special and bring that love into a phrase that can be sent out to others.

I don’t know...just some thoughts.

I could write about everyone that has helped the Healing Knots mission stay alive...so thankful for you.

I could write about tiny wooden beads that keep rolling into people’s lives.

In fact, last night a friend came over because it was her 10 year anniversary of being diagnosed with breast cancer...talk about a thankful for – 10 years of life free of Cancer!

I quickly made her a new bracelet with 10 gold beads in a row.

How could there be any other gift to give her....

OH, I will think on this.

And, thankful that a loved one will get home safely - broken and in need of healing.  

But, we are all broken and in need of healing.  Aren’t we?

And if every day just brings us an ounce of hope and a spoonful of love.  

I think that is what we are thankful for.

One day at a time.

Love to all.

Light A Candle

A few years ago my sister gave me this candle for Christmas. How simple is it to wrap words around a candle. Every year I pull the candle out and realize how powerful it is to just read these words on a regular basis. I brought it out early this year and the words are as powerful as they were when the candle was first given to me.  

Sometimes just the act of lighting a candle can bring peace into your heart. With so much going on in the world right now…maybe just take a moment to light a candle at the end of your day. It can help you feel the love in your heart and here are some words to add to the experience:

Artistry, Balance, Wisdom, Adventure, Triumph, Grace, Happiness

Perseverance, Altruism, Delight, Bravery, Hope, Innovation, Integrity

Candor, Stability, Cheerfulness, Warmth, Harmony, Relaxation, Curiosity, 

Ambition, Faith, Truth, Romance, Comfort, Resourcefulness, Enchantment

Pick a word and make it come true!!!

Happy Monday!

Take a Hike

American language is so very fascinating. I remember growing up, when you were frustrated with someone, telling them to “take a hike!” was considered a polite insult. And, wow have things changed. To think that now saying “shut-up” is a part of casual conversation. That being said, even when someone was actually trying to tell me to “get lost” in the most harsh fashion…taking a hike is a wonderful invitation for many of us. What if we really could just walk outside and take a hike when we needed to leave a situation?  What if you did live nestled in some of the most beautiful mountain landscape and taking a hike meant stumbling around in your own backyard for a small retreat from reality? Well, my brother’s family lives in Asheville, NC. If you need to ever force yourself to “take a hike,” I recommend heading to Asheville.

I realize for me being outside and moving, walking, running anything comes naturally for me.  I am very aware that it is not the case for everyone. Just this week, I received a wonderful email from my precious sister-in-law, Chris. She is so kind to share details about her kids’ lives. It is so hard to be an Aunt faraway. Thankfully, her emails, pictures and phone calls help make the miles tolerable as the three kids keep growing and changing.

But, the treasure of this email that she sent was that it had an essay from her son, and my nephew, Isaac. Now, Isaac is the middle child of the three Pruitt children. He is not a child anymore. He stands a tall 6ft., has shoulders that are growing wider and stronger every day and he has big feet that will one day take him to some height that will amaze us all. But, it is what is on the inside that I want to share with you. Isaac is a man that has been reading Time magazine when you could hardly believe he could comprehend the titles of the articles. He not only reads the articles, but he can discuss the content and is amazed by what is happening in the world and any topic that is mentioned. He is so very bright and so very talented. He plays the trombone, is in most of the play productions at school, is a master designer of Lego creations and, most of all, has a heart of gold. I am so very honored to have this precious soul in my life and in my family.

Isaac is a teenager and for most of us we know what that means. When it comes to family activities or just spending the Saturday doing something with visiting relatives, it is often met with a teenage “grunt.” So with great pleasure, I introduce Isaac to you and his words that will make you not only respect his depth of wisdom, honesty and master of the English language, but he might even encourage you to step outside and take a walk, hike or just a movement to stare at the “natural beauty” that surrounds you.

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Living my Worst Nightmare, and Enjoying it

Written by: Isaac Pruitt

I have never been the most fanatical person when it comes to hiking. No matter how many times my family plans to participate in a mountainside trek or even a short promenade through one of the many trails located in our local area, I cannot seem to look forward to a hike. This characteristic of mine proved evident the day my mom decided an excursion to the top of Mount Pisgah would be quite a delightful mid-afternoon activity. The news of this decision was extremely rattling to me. Was she really asking me, the most inept hiker in our family, to scale this formidably massive mountain in the late October weather(sure, October is generally not the coolest month of the year, but for the time being we were in the middle of a cold front)? However, it was no use arguing my case, because at the time my grandmother was visiting, and I was expected to be on my very best behavior.

        “I’ll be fine. It’s just a hike after all.” I reassured myself, “I can do it for Gran. Not to mention I get to see Gravity when it’s over.”

        And so it began. When my family and I arrived at our destination, I emerged from our Honda Odyssey with a single thought imbedded in my brain. Cold. It was freezing cold. The breed of cold that ignores all vain attempts of protection and pierces you straight to your very core. Obviously, this was not a frozen tundra of the Antarctic, but due to the high altitude and my own lack of preparedness, this trail felt remarkably similar to one. Luckily for me, a stray sweatshirt left in the car provided me with enough warmth to begin our journey. I still dreaded the whole experience, but the extra layer emboldened me to press on. Our small company made our way up the precipice, and along the way I had to dodge many obstacles and jump several hurdles. Among these were stretches of trail with a precariously small amount of ground to stand on located in between a dangerously steep drop off on one side and a sharp incline on the other.  Also hindering our travel were times when the trail was so overrun with stray rocks and twisted, muscular roots branching from nearby trees that one had to cautiously jump from each large stone to the next, or meticulously climb over the debris blanketing the path. I cannot recount the amount of times when I believed that giving up was my best option, or when I wished I was back home, not on this God-forsaken spit of land. Nonetheless, my family encouraged me to push myself again and again, and push I did.

After a while of back and forth, sitting down and getting back up, the environment seemed to lose its sinisterness, and I started to appreciate this mountain I was unwillingly exploring. I began to see the difficult trail not as natural torture device, but as a challenge for both mind and body. I saw the landscape as a tranquil and calm panorama, not just the backdrop to my pain. As we rounded the last corner of the Pisgah Trail, the pure magnificence of what I saw washed over me. The vibrant pastel of autumn tones emanating from the thousands of trees spread out along the base of the mountain painted a picture of our Lord’s creativity and majesty. Sunlight reflected off chunks of ice beginning to form on a radio tower close by, exemplifying the abnormally low temperature. Nonetheless I shrugged off the cold that had deterred me only hours ago to admire this mural of natural beauty. We must have been atop the peak for at least half an hour before we mustered the energy to make the expedition back down to the base of the mountain. Surprising myself and those around me, I actually enjoyed the way down. My newfound admiration for this trail pervaded my mind and allowed me the energy I needed for that last length of the hike. I exited the trailhead with a small feeling of dismay at having to end this adventure so abruptly. It is still an arduous task for me to hike, but now my melancholy at the mere mention of one is gone, and I try to be as optimistic as possible whenever I come across one.
“After all,” I tell myself, “It is just a hike.”

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Isaac, thank you for sharing your words and your experience. You are amazing.

And I cannot wait to take a hike with you next time I am in Asheville.

And to everyone out there…remember when life gets tough….just remember it is only a hike, you can do it!

November

"See how balance occurs naturally when we trust our heart. See how much easier life can be when we live it from the heart."

Happy November!

Senior Portrait

WOW….my phone went off Sunday morning with that familiar little sound which meant a text had landed in my stream of life. I poured my cup of coffee and opened the message…oh, my what a gorgeous face was staring back at me. It was Esther, my precious niece in Asheville, NC., my brother’s daughter who carries so much of his joy, spirit and compassion.  

She had spent Saturday taking her senior pictures at the camp where she works during the summer…OH, her face is gorgeous, her hair a mane of golden curls, her smile so radiant. She is on a bench and the word “courage” is etched under her elbows. She is smiling and glowing. You can see her Healing Knots bracelet. This picture says it all. She is my model of courage. She is what Healing Knots stands for…love, acceptance, healing, loss and resilience. The courage to face tragic loss of a parent and bring that loss into a place of grace, beauty and action. Esther’s compassion, beauty, joy for life and pure spirit radiates from this picture. 

 Her mother, Chris, sent me a note…"Corinne this picture needs a blog." She is right.

….keep reading. She wrote some powerful words of what this photo meant to her.  

Words from Chris Pruitt O’Steen…courage comes in all different sizes. Chris has courage that I will write about one day, too. Hope these words inspire you. When we share from our own heart, we touch others hearts and together we all heal.

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We need you to get better, Dad,” Esther told him. It was a mild fall day, one of those days when the air feels soft and gentle, no bite of cold yet. The cherry trees were half-naked already, their leaves strewn about on the road in front of our house. Esther and Keith were on a little neighborhood walk. She was thirteen. “I know, Esther. I want to. I really do,” was all he could say. He didn’t look at her, or take her hand. He was absent already, disconnected. Depression gripped him, drained his mind of all that was good in the world, filling him with an anxious dread, a darkness we couldn’t understand. We all wanted to shake him out of it, to get him back, and none of us more than Esther, his firstborn, his only girl, his delight. Keith was her confidant, her entertainer, her source of great music and dumb jokes and beautiful stories and big bear hugs. She needed him to get better.

All that was funny and original and musical and beautiful about her dad was faded. He had become a shaken, discouraged man, just a shell of who he really was.

A year later, the deceiving voice of depression drowning out the truth of love and hope, he succumbed to his illness. 

Yesterday Esther and I visited the girls’ camp where she has spent her summers since third grade. The place was empty and silent, devoid of the chatter and activity of campers, as if it were resting. It was a mild October day, the air soft. Four years have passed since her neighborhood walk with Keith. Four years.

She is a senior in high school now, this beautiful young lady, and so full of life and joy and friendship and grace. Sorrow has made her gentle and kind. Memories of her dad’s love are rooted deep and sweet in her heart. 

We wandered through camp until she found this bench. “Here,” she said, “is where I want my picture taken.” 

Courage. Oh, yes. Courage etched in marble, set upon stone. That’s the kind of courage you’re made of, my dear girl.

The Kitchen Table

This is my kitchen table.

I woke up this morning and my heart felt so full. I realized that gathering around the kitchen table is one of the most “soul filling” things we can ever do.

I have been muscling through my new job. My hours are amazing – they are Monday thru Friday close to 8:00 to 5:00. Sometimes there is a conference and we need to get there closer to 7:30am or there is a client dinner or event and we need to stay until 7:30pm. But for the most part, it is a culture that respects the work week of an honest 8:00am start and a 5:00pm departure. Who would ever guess that could exist in the year 2015 where people are working crazy hours in most companies? But, coming from the hotel world this is bliss. The five day work week of Monday thru Friday is a rhythm I have been missing and it feels so good to be on the same work schedule as most of the world. That being said, I now have a Friday night. Meaning, Friday comes and it is a mixture of excitement that you made the 5-day crunch and exhaustion that you have used up all of your resources to stay on task and get to Friday!!!

This week was one of those football game Fridays. My husband and I are very faithful to get to the high school game early, watch our daughter dance in the half time show and then walk out of the stadium hoping the team wins, but feeling really happy to get in our car and drive home.

Now, I have been the parent of boys playing sports and I know how it feels when your son is on that field and you stay to the very end of every game and watch everything that happens. This being said, I so enjoy the freedom of enjoying the band, watching the girls perform their dance and then being done!!!

This week we played the cross-town rival. That did not cause us to change our routine of leaving the game after the half time show. What was different this week was I sent an email out to my dearest girlfriends that I have not been seeing or talking to since my new job and said, “come over to my house after half-time.” Well, my Friday exhaustion was not happy with me when last night rolled around. I thought that my new corporate self could never make it past 8pm on the Friday night schedule.

I texted my friends as we walked to the car…."heading home"….I sent.

Walked into my house and…realized I had no snacks to put out, 1 bottle of white wine and 7 beers.  Well, that is life in the fast lane I guess. So I quickly turned on the stove and popped a pot of popcorn, melted butter and added a dash or two of salt. Old School Popcorn I call it! And of course, it had to go in my favorite old wooden bowl. I am not sure why, but, popcorn tastes better in a wooden bowl. (So Healing Knots of me to say this!!!)

The only thing I really did to prepare for my friends is clear the kitchen table. The kitchen table is my bracelet station. It has the bracelet orders for the day, the bowls of beads that are going to eventually become a bracelet, brown bags with names on them for the orders to fill, little notes from people and pieces of paper that I am packing up in boxes for new orders. I grabbed all of it and put it in the laundry room. WOW!!!  It was a treat to see that table cleared. The doorbell rings and in walk my friends that live across town at the rival school that we were playing. They are decked out in black and red which is so very comical for those of us in blue and red. They come in and tell me hilarious stories about their dinner conversations. The door opens and a neighbor and her husband come in to join us. The door opens and more people are coming. The popcorn bowl is empty, glasses are all over the counter and we are all sitting around the kitchen table and the kitchen island and sharing what has been going on in our lives. This old fashion face time gathering will never be replaced by a long text, a funny picture on Facebook or even a 10-minute phone call.

The feeling of having my kitchen full of friends, laughing, sharing and just being together. No food, no preparation, just friends together catching up with each other about their lives. Oh, my heart has been missing this. These are my friends that have seen me through so many chapters of life. And we are all busy now working, chasing down our children, traveling to care for parents, trying to make it through another week of so much to do and so many places to be. 

Just gathering in a kitchen brings us all home. Home to that place in our heart where we share things only with those people that really know us, that really know our children, and that show up even when there is no meal, no reason to celebrate, and on a Friday night when everyone is exhausted.

If you have not asked friends to stop by your house and just sit around your kitchen table in a long time. I want you to think about it….it is the best feeling and it is so simple. I never realized how much I love my kitchen table. Who would ever guess that a house only needs a kitchen table and enough chairs for your closest friends? My entire house feels better because last night it was filled with love and friendship. 

To all of you that saw my text last night and actually made it over I love you and thank you!!!  It was pure joy to see all of you.

Here is to kitchen tables, good friends and old school popcorn!!! Soul food for sure!

Rising Strong

One of the greatest joys in life is curling up in bed with a great book. We are currently reading "Rising Strong" by Brene Brown and this Manifesto of the Brave and Brokenhearted was too good to not share! 

"There is no greater threat to the critics 

and cynics and fearmongers

Than those of us who are willing to fall

Because we have learned how to rise.

With skinned knees and bruised hearts;

We choose owning our stories of struggle,

Over hiding, over hustling, over pretending. 

When we deny our stories, they define us. 

When we run from struggle, we are never free. 

So we turn toward truth and look it in the eye. 

We will not be characters in our stories. 

Not villains, not victims, not even heroes. 

We are the authors of our lives. 

We write our own daring endings. 

We craft love from heartbreak,

Compassion from shame,

Grace from disappointment,

Courage from failure. 

Showing up is our power. 

Story is our way home. Truth is our song. 

We are the brave and brokenhearted. 

We are rising strong."

You can download this manifesto here and buy the book here. Happy Tuesday! 

Serendipity

Serendipity, luck, divine timing….I do not know what you like to call it but, I have been having the most magical “run ins” with people.  Yesterday at the grocery store a neighbor and her teenage daughter walked past me in the cracker aisle. I had not seen these two women since last school year.  Oh, it made me smile and be so thankful I just happened to be at the grocery store at the same time on the same aisle with them.

Today I crawled to my car and forced myself to go to 9:30 AM yoga. Last week it was such a special gift. I had my sister-in-law visiting from Asheville and the two of us went to yoga for the first time together…and I wanted to go back and remember it again this week.

As I dropped my mat I was really close to the person in front of me….I thought, “Oh, my that person is going to be so cranky that I am too close….” I jumped into downward dog trying to catch up with the class. As I peeked at the person in front of me, it was my daughter’s friend Claire. The two of them are the silliest, talk on the phone every night, kind of girls. I know this story well, I had a friend in high school that I had to talk to every night…for hours!!! Something about teenage girls and long phone calls never changes.

Well, as I looked to the right another friend of my daughter’s was there. OH, that made me so happy that 2 girls had rolled out of bed and made it to yoga. They are 15 and 16 years old. It just filled my heart to know that they were moving, sweating and doing something so healthy for all of the stress and exhaustion that fills their days. 

Being a teenager in this world of 2015 is one tough story. I have no idea how they navigate all of the distractions and demands that did not even exist when I was younger. So today it was another moment of serendipity and timing…to see these precious girls getting some yoga in their day. What I would have given to have had yoga in my teenage years. I found it when I was in my 30’s…..and it has brought me so much peace and comfort.

Today I am so happy all ages are finding the peace of moving and stretching their bodies. Working on staying healthy and balanced from the inside out.

The words that will keep me remembering today came from the teacher at the 9:30 class…they are “Don’t let anyone take your PEACE away.”

Today my heart was filled with peace. 

Seeing two young girls on their mats, smiling and stretching.

As we hugged and laughed in the parking lot…we all agreed the words that will stick with us…

Don’t let anyone take your PEACE away!!!

Go make it a good day.

New Chapters

Dear Healing Knots friends and bracelet wearers,

My apologies for being so silent in the past few days. It has been a new chapter of my life and I have been wearing two or more bracelets a day to get through my new chapter of work. I promise after 4 years of looking high and low, I have found the job that I have dreamed of and want to let all of you know that no matter what you are doing now…keep looking and keep applying for every job you can find that might be your next step in life. Do not ever give up!!!

My perfect combination of new experiences and combing all of my old experiences has truly become my new professional venture. The learning curve is so very steep. But, the future is so bright I really need shades!!!!

So I will be back in action really soon with Healing Knots and bracelets to celebrate life!!!…trust me my silence has been good.

I have so many more bracelet ideas and will start cranking them out again SOON and share the pictures with you.

Most of all, I want to celebrate Emily.  Her birthday was Friday and she is in Austin enjoying the ACL (Austin City Limits) Festival. For those of you that are not sure what that is…imagine 75,000 people, multiple stages with all of the best music you can imagine playing all at once for 3 solid days!!!!

Me, oh, my…it is something to behold.

So many people love this….I am in my backyard having my own ACL….of crickets, birds and sunshine and making a new bracelet creation, of course!!!

So to all on this glorious weekend…get out in the sun, listen to your favorite music and send HAPPY BIRTHDAY love to Emily!!!!!

She is the best, always and in ALL ways!!! Another great year….of life to experience.

On your mark… get set….GO!!!!

Today

Today is one of those days that I would love to skip. September 27th is the anniversary of my brother’s death. Oh, we fill our calendar with dates of birthdays, wedding anniversaries, holidays, appointments and all of the reasons that we must remember certain days. But, we never realize that we must start filling our calendar with dates that are those final days that someone is gone. And until it happens to you, it never even has a space on your hard drive. 

Reality is one of those things that becomes different only when you have been hit over the head. It gives you no choice but to make changes. Your eyes see things they have never seen before. Your heart feels things it has never experienced before. You are left with this new experience and nothing feels normal. And at that point you start to realize you must now call this your life again. 

Denial, tears, all of it eventually brings you to that place of acceptance. So now, I accept that my brother is not here. That my memories of him will always be with me. That his love will forever fill my heart and soul with the power of what he was in my life. He was my link to my childhood. He remembers stories and experiences that no one else will ever know. His hugs were the best hugs anyone has ever given me. His phone calls made me smile and laugh every time.

 

His smile could light up the night sky. He loved me so good. And now I am left to love his three children that are pieces of him. And love them I will. Every time I see them I see him.  

 

Make today a day that you cherish those you are with. Make today a day that matters to your heart. Make today a day that is simple and you give someone a really big hug that makes both of you feel like you are loved. Today will come and be gone. I will make it through…

One day at a time. One Anniversary at a time.

Graduation

The Preschool Director with every Healing Knots she owns!

Yesterday I taught a Healing Knots class to a really special group of ladies. I was finishing a chapter with the preschool where I have been a parent since 1993 and been teaching Creative Movement for 12 years. Well, I have no idea how to thank the people in that wonderful family of preschool so I offered them a Healing Knots class to make their own “Thank You” bracelet.

I also invited a few other people that have been witness to the Healing Knots story but never attended an actual class. This is a simple thing. You just show up and spend about 15 minutes in the beginning tapping in to what you might be carrying in your heart, I share the story of how Healing Knots walked into my broken heart and then everyone begins to design and make their own bracelet. The bracelet that might tell the story of their heart at this moment; the bracelet that might help them take the next step to healing, love or celebration!

This experience is always new. You never know what will happen and what emotional journey this will bring. Yesterday was no exception. One of the women felt her heart in such a way that her tears just fell.  Beautiful tears of love for her brother that she lost a year ago. Another woman could only pick red beads. It is the only color she can see right now. She needs the courage that red brings her as she walks with her mother down a path of healing. Every person had colors, numbers, stories that were rich with life, emotion and most of all, hope.

For me, it was closure to the most nurturing and healing environment I could have ever wished for my children to attend preschool. Then the gift became mine. The gift of working with children and teaching them new tricks in the gym, the whole time they were teaching me. Teaching me how to be filled with wonder, to ask questions, to share what your heart is filled with and to have fun!!! The teachers are like my sisters, mother, aunts and friends. It is a building that is filled with one BIG HUG.

Well, I have a graduated from preschool and it is time to go out in the world and take that message to a new place. Luckily, I am old enough to know the truth: we are all 4 years old on the inside. No matter how fancy the office or how serious your “to do“ list is, we are just simple people that need to be loved.

I thank the children that reminded me to just love and the teachers that taught me patience, understanding and acceptance.

Here is to bringing preschool out to the world. Our lessons are the same:

Be kind. Tell the truth. Everyone is your friend. Work hard and most of all don’t forget to play!!!

Loving Ourselves

Happy Tuesday!! This is where our heart is today...

Sharing What is on Your Heart!

Last week a friend of mine could not make it to work because her son was sick. Her precious boy suffers from terrible breathing issues. When he gets a cold it goes to his lungs and what seems like a few days of being miserable to most of us becomes sleepless nights of struggling to breath. She is the Mother, so she is up all night loving him through this every minute of the way. And let me tell you, the night gets very long when you are holding your boy and hoping his next breath will come. When I call my friend in the morning to ask how her night went, it is often met with tears of exhaustion and fear that the medicine is not working fast enough. And sometimes it is tears of celebration that she thinks it is breaking and he has finally turned the corner. Most of all, my friend is one of those amazing women that is able to face each day with great love and hope. Hope that her son will find a doctor that can help understand what will help him heal and hope that he will keep growing into the man that he is meant to be.

   

When I was trying to love her through this past week, it became my own gift that she asked me to stand in as “her” at the preschool. She is the 4 year old teacher at the magical preschool that I have been taking my children and teaching for over a decade.

So I was the luckiest girl to be able to be with a dozen precious 4 year olds last week. If you have not been with a 4 year old recently, I invite you to find one and sit down and really talk to them or even better, let them just share some of their thoughts or ideas. They share so honestly, so deeply and straight from their heart. One of the girls that I really enjoy talking to had a couple of things to say to me as she worked very diligently at the art table. 

The best part about this age of human is that they just speak openly. They just say what is on their mind. Out of nowhere she says to me, “You are a scaredy-cat.” Now she was not trying to be mean or hurt my feelings…just a thought. And as I sat there I wanted to answer back, "Oh, no…I am not a scaredy-cat. I have had to go through so many things and I always get through them somehow…." But, as her words settled in to my mind, I realized, you know what, I am a scaredy-cat sometimes. And that is okay. So I did not even answer. I just let her words float into the air. And then her next thought as she cut the piece of construction paper, “I climb mountains.” I just sat there playing with the crayons on the table…and this one I did respond to and said, “I climb mountains, too.”  She quickly answered, “I climb mountains to the TOP.” Well, not sure I have climbed to the top of the “mountains” that I am still challenged by. So I let her have that one. I hope one day I feel like I have made it to the top. But, today I know I am still climbing.

Her words have stayed with me and they have brought a smile to my face as I place them in to my own life and what they mean to me today.

You are a scaredy-cat…..(and that is okay, sometimes that is how we learn new things!) I climb mountains. (Some of us are still climbing and we know one day we will make it to the TOP!) The innocence of just speaking what we are thinking. Not needing anyone to respond. Just sharing what is on our mind and in our hearts. The comfort of a preschool classroom where you can do some art, sit in someone’s lap and read a book, do a puzzle on the floor. I had 3 days of connecting with the most precious souls. It made the world feel like a better place. It filled my heart with so much joy and peace. If you need some really good medicine for your soul…go visit a 4 year old and see what they have to share. It will fill your heart and make you smile.

And their words might even connect you to something deep in your own heart!

Fall Colors

New fall colors are here!! Order your fall bracelet today!

The Gift of One More Day

September 2, 1989 in Palo Alto, California was a day in my life that I might have been given the most amazing gift I could have ever imagined. I was 25 years old and put on a white dress and walked down the aisle to promise to love and honor Robert Alan Cargnoni for as long as we both shall live.

Today I sit here amazed, proud and in shock that it is 26 years later. I would still walk down that aisle in that same dress and promise to be his wife. I know this sounds corny…and marriage is one of those crazy concepts that hardly sounds like it is possible.

And trust me…we have been through so much…good, bad, happy, sad, bumpy, smooth, every word you can think of. But, today I woke up and realized that I am so lucky. Lucky that I love someone as much as I do Bob. Lucky that he loves me as much as he does. And trust me….I am not always easy to love or even tolerate. My father always told me, “Corinne, if I could have designed the perfect mate for you...it would be Bob.” What a funny thing to think back to his words on this day. So many of my friends applaud Bob for being able to stand next to me and keep walking down this path of life!!! We are most of the time the most opposite two people you could imagine…but, for some reason it has worked.  

Today I am nothing but swept away by the power of love. I have found 26 hearts for a 26 heart salute….To my precious husband. I am truly at a loss for words. Mostly, I feel such gratitude for 26 years and the gift of one more day with him!!

Love.  Today I celebrate my love. 

September 1st

Where has the year gone? It's already September which means it's time for a new season and new chapters!! Wear your bracelet to carry you through all that this new season of life brings!! 

Happy Friday!!

Well, we made it through another week. This one was a doozy!!!  School started for some, new chapters opening for others, saying good-bye happened too.

Today the two words that I am looking for are Patience and Grace! Oh, those two go hand in hand and are so hard to find sometimes.  So make today extra special and see if you can find those special sisters that are in your heart….Patience and Grace…I know they are there just waiting to hold your hand!

Happy Friday wear your favorite bracelet and know…Patience and Grace are waiting to walk with you.

Smile

Smile! Every day is a good day!

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Live It, Love It

"Other people may be there to help us, teach us, guide us along our path. But the lesson to be learned is always ours."

-Melody Beattie

Stop and Feel Grace

Yesterday at work a man walked in and he sounded just like my Uncle Bill.  His accent, the cadence of his sentences and he even looked like him a little bit…So I started asking him questions…are you from Atlanta? NO, he answered. But, I went to school outside of Atlanta growing up. As it turns out he did know my Uncle Bill. They went to prep school outside of Atlanta and were boyhood friends. He lives in Washington DC now and grew up in North Carolina. We continued to talk and he shared so many wonderful tales of growing up. The whole time he spoke it was like I was with my Uncle. The song of his voice as he shared more of his life history filled my heart with the love for family, history and sharing our stories. I took a picture with him and his wife and texted it to my Uncle. He instantly knew his classmates name and had not seen him since those days in high school some over 50 years ago.

All of this just made me realize how a total stranger can walk into your life and bring you to a place of joy…taking the moment to feel the Grace of every moment…the Grace to stop what you are doing and listen, listen to someone’s voice, listen to what they want to share from their heart, and the grace of having people in your life that you love. I mean really love. This moment of remembering my Uncle Bill made my whole day. I called him on my way home. His wonderful southern voice was like music in my ear and reminded me of how much I love him and appreciate his love for me and our entire family.

Uncle Bill and Keith

Maybe today you will slow down and feel that moment of Grace…where something really deep in your heart will connect you to a special memory or person that you have not seen or talked to in a long time.  

Grace is everywhere…slow down and feel the power it can bring into your heart.

Make today a day filled with GRACE!!!

Take Notice...

I went to the coast this weekend and a Blue Heron landed in a plant right next to where I was sitting.  I immediately texted Emily the picture. It was only 9 months ago when Emily shared those gorgeous pictures of a Blue Heron that she and her father had taken at dawn on Thanksgiving Day. This was a time when Emily was changing jobs and the gorgeous bird had such an impact on her, so I made her a Blue Heron bracelet to help carry her to her next chapter. The Blue Heron is a spectacular animal. It is like a gorgeous piece of art to see up close. It has been said that the Heron crossing your path could be a message that it is time to look deeper into aspects of your life that will bring out innate wisdom and show you how to become self-reliant. How could we not want more of that in our lives???

Just to bring the message to my attention yesterday at work a woman from out of town came in. I noticed that she had a bracelet on that looked like Healing Knots. But, it was a color I had never seen. As I got closer I realized it was one of my Blue Heron designs. This is a Special Occasion Triple Wrap all of the beads are the “sky” blue or in my brother’s favorite terms “Carolina Blue” with one silver bead for that special wish, moment or prayer you are carrying. As I spoke with her she explained how she had been given a bracelet when she was working on something really hard in her life. She then found my website and ordered this bracelet. The beads had no blue tint any longer. She had been wearing this bracelet to carry her and help her “not worry.” And it was helping. I said, “Maybe it is time to give this one away, it looks like it has been with you through a long chapter.” Her response, “No, I can’t.”

Something was still holding her with that bracelet. Something deep in her heart was still needing the comfort and the healing. It was a glorious day to meet someone that I had not known….and that I felt so close to. One bracelet at a time. One day at a time. One breath at a time.

With love to all that wear a bracelet…may the Blue Heron be with you today and bring you wisdom.

Go fly!!!

Three Types of People

I think there are three types of people...those that roll out of bed and exercise, those that sneak a quick workout into their lunch hour and then the people that muscle through the day and make the evening their time to unravel the stress with a good sweat. Well, I am usually a morning sweat girl, but yesterday I had this idea that I would go to the 8PM yoga class. Night time is a different time on your mat. Your body tells you all of the things that you did that day, mostly, how you tortured it. The feet remind you how long you were standing. The back reminds you that it is ready to snap, crackle and pop if you try to twist it, and the shallow breathing that made it past all of the hurdles in the day is ready to take some deep conscious breaths to really saturate your lungs with fresh air. So last night I dropped a car full of 15 year old girls (and one boy!!! Poor child!!!) off at a concert in the park and I drove straight to yoga. It was like I had a date. I was so excited and felt like I was almost doing something naughty. Taking a night for myself, to really stretch out my body and really relax into the evening.

The studio is full, I am late. I sneak into the back of class. The teacher is working us hard…that is not fair. I came to chill and unravel. The mat feels so cozy, so much like home. My mind tries to stop chattering about the day….I made it. It is done…”shut-up” I tell it over and over again. The sweetest part was seeing who comes to class at night. It is strange for me…but, I look up front and I see a friend from preschool. Oh, that makes me so happy I have missed talking with her this summer. To my left is another dear friend that always has something funny to share. So I keep moving and sweating and feeling so lucky that I stole this hour of my day to step into my body. To appreciate that another day is done. That my legs carried me and that my heart feels good. 

At the end of class the teacher said to all of us, “Promise me one thing. Promise me that this week you will smile to one perfect stranger. Really smile, from the bottom of your heart. Send them the true depth of caring and love that you would give a loved one.” And that was worth it all. What a great idea. Go out find someone that you can just love…with a smile.  See how it feels.  

Smiles are contagious!!!  Go out and share yours.

Peace

Yesterday one of my favorite messages appeared on my phone… "I gave a bracelet away…" is how the text began. It came from a  sweet girl in Missouri that I have met because she is a friend of my son's. She shared how dear it was to be able to give it away to someone and how happy it made her feel.  

Healing Knots holds so many moments of joy for me. When others feel the energy that giving a bracelet away can stir in their heart and soul is where I know the true meaning of this mission is brought to life. I always ask people to write the story of how giving away their bracelet happened...reading the words are always the most powerful heartfelt stories.  

It is not often that people actually put their words on paper…but, yesterday I know my brother was smiling down on us. You see…he was an English teacher and I know part of the mission of Healing Knots is not only to feel the deepest level of compassion like he always had, but it is to keep sharing the craft of writing. Not just writing. But, sharing from the deepest corners of your heart.

So in the spirit of my brother and fulfilling the true mission of Healing Knots, I am so proud to share the story that Mackenzie sent me yesterday. 

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Last night I decided to meet up with a good friend of mine, Tori, and an old friend from high school, Paige, who I hadn’t been able to spend time with for a while. We decided to go to our favorite local sushi restaurant then for a sunset bike ride next to the river. We ate and caught up, learning all of the little things we missed out on during the past year of each other’s lives.  The bike ride went slowly—it’s not easy to chat while riding bikes without falling! We made our way to a spot by the river, with a lovely swing and astounding view of the sunset. The three of us sat and talked for at least an hour about everything under the sun. I was wearing my Healing Knots, and Paige commented on how much she liked them…so of course, I had to tell her the story behind them and gave them to her. The bracelet was gold with three blue beads, which had faded since I received the beads; however, Corrine told me a few months ago that “the more the beads are faded, the more wisdom you have gained and the stronger you are.” The more discolored the beads, the more strength and memories in the bracelet. Paige fell in love with it and was so deeply touched by the story.

When I first met Corinne and received a few different bracelets, I was very hesitant to give them away. I formed a deep connection with each one and wanted to keep them as a memory of the time or reason they were given to me. Nathan had to remind me that the meaning behind them was to heal, or to “let go” of the sadness or grief within the bracelet. I had to let go of each bracelet, and with the letting go came the healing. Once I started, I couldn’t stop—I realized the feeling of giving away a bracelet and seeing the look of shock and excitement on someone’s face when you give them one and tell them Corinne’s story is a feeling of euphoria.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

As I was driving home, it was one of the most beautiful nights I’ve experienced all year. There was a blue moon that night so it was extra big and bright in the sky. With all my windows down and one of my favorite songs to relax and reflect to playing, I felt so at peace. It was one of those moments where every problem in my life was irrelevant, it was a moment of complete perfection. In that moment I realized I hadn’t felt this tranquil in a long time. It had been so long since I had taken the time to be with myself inside of my own thoughts. I thought to myself how thankful I was to have these knots, a simple bracelet with a world of meaning, that aided me in re-connecting me with a friend, and turned a simple summer night into a spiritual experience—giving me a feeling of perfect happiness I almost forgot I could feel.

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Mackenzie, thank you for sharing with us. Peace to all on this glorious Sunday!