Sunday Smiles

Day 2 Jan 31: The thought for today is smiling. Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said, "If in our daily life, we can smile...not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work." A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in business, and is the countersign of friendship and nonviolence. A smile not only improves our looks, it improves our outlook, and when our outlook improves, it is much easier to be at peace.

Today: I will share a sincere smile with everyone I meet, knowing that my smile contributes to peace.

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I was going to find something about your heart...keeping it open, filling it with love, feeling the hurt to open a space to fill with joy. But, I came across this quote about smiling. And really, I think a smile is one of the most direct ways to connect your heart. Keep a smile ready to share. Use it to connect to someone else, heart to heart...it starts with a smile. Just like true peace begins in your heart.

Sunday smile day. Why not?

See Hope

Seeing people that have suffered great loss with smiles on their faces will forever remind me how strong hope is. 

I have witnessed that we can have our hearts crushed and broken and slowly we will begin to heal. Not that we will ever be the same person, and that our heart will always carry our story – but, that a smile will happen and joy will sneak back into our lives. That to me is the miracle of hope and healing. This is what happened to me this past Friday night. Two women who have both suffered profound and devastating losses have stayed in my life even after they received their Healing Knots bracelets. Sometimes what starts as a bracelet order ends as a heart connection that I cannot imagine my life was ever without. These two women represent the most amazing spirit of great love, great pain and great hope. We gather and bring our stories, our hearts, our tears and our new found ability to feel joy.

This Friday, we met at a local Honkey Tonk. We heard an amazing band, danced, brought our husbands and more friends to enjoy this time of Texas Two-Steppin!!! As I looked across the table at both of these women, I kept noticing their smiles and how a smile on each of their faces represented so much. How hard they have both worked to build back their smiles. And how beautiful a smile is when it knows great pain, for then the smile comes from the deepest place of joy. And with it springs Hope – the hope that we can heal. That at the end of all of the tears and heartache…healing will come. Healing is possible.

I share our text that we had on Saturday morning…because their words are more powerful than I could ever write.  

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I woke up Saturday and sent, "Loved seeing you both last night. Seeing you both have smiles on your faces and your precious husbands just made me feel such hope that hearts can heal. Both of you are so gorgeous inside and out."

Vicki responded, "You both bless my life in ways words cannot express! Thank you Lisa for gathering the posse!"

From Lisa: "Ok – I have to get serious for a minute. When I am sitting on the edge of the black hole of grief, dangling my feet, all I need to do is think of my two friends and I know I won’t get sucked in. You both are my most cherished gifts of all! And you are totally fun on top of that. And beautiful too."

From Vicki: "There is always a song in the heart of those who love...A song that holds each other close…No matter where they sit or where their feet dangle…Hearts and a song that hold each other!  You both are the song in my heart…when my feet dangle...I feel your love, my dangling feet begin to dance! May there continue to be strength in our song to dance."

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May these words rest in your heart and may this day be filled with good friends. Ones that are safe and can dance with you no matter what you are carrying in your heart.

Thank you Lisa and Vicki for showing us how hearts can heal…with grace and joy. 

Discover Your Own Truth

This is such a good piece from Melody Beattie's Journey to the Heart!!

Almost the weekend, friends! You can do it!

Deepest Fear

Love this quote from Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

Happy Tuesday! 

Martin Luther King Holiday

Heart Series…

Today I sat down and wrote 16 dreams I want to come true this year. What a perfect day to celebrate the man that shared the “I have a dream..” speech that was so passionate about people being kind and loving and treating others equally. And to take the 2016 year to imagine how the year '16 can symbolize 16 dreams in your life!!!

Everything begins with a dream. A tiny hope, prayer or thought. If you can dream it, it can come true. Well, pull out your favorite pen and pad. And get on it!!!!

16 Dreams for 2016!

I love making bracelets for the New Year. 16 beads in a row to hold the 16 dreams you are holding in your heart for this new year. Maybe wearing the beads will remind you of that dream. Remind you to keep hoping and wishing and moving your life in the direction of your dreams. Not settling for what is just “okay!” But, making it a dream and bringing your heart into your life front and center.

You can do it. Only 16….get writing.

The Heart

A dear friend from my Florida State days gave me a set of cards called “Soul Coaching.” She was going through a time in her life where she wanted to live more deeply in her heart and make her work more inclusive with her life purpose. She took some time off and went to a “wellness” spa in Vermont and found this deck of cards in their gift shop. Sometimes it is fun to just pick a card and see what the message is. Today I was picking a card to send to a friend that is taking care of her mother. Sometimes when my own words seem unoriginal, I will send a picture of a card and hope that maybe something will inspire those that are facing a challenge. Today I picked “Success” for Trudy and then I picked “Passion” for myself.  

That is all I needed to get the ball rolling. The card shared the whole message of living with passion in your life. Now that is so commonly referred to when we are “in love.” And I mean the throws of a new relationship. The kissing, hugging and early stages of physical attraction. But, what about when we are starting to look at our life to understand what do we really do to fill our heart? What in our everyday existence is truly connected to your heart? What relationships do you feel are genuine and soul filling forms of love?

It is amazing when you realize who sits in that inner-circle of your heart.  The ones that you feel close to even when you have not seen them in years. I have a friend from high school that is always in my heart space. We met in Driver’s Ed. Back when I was going to high school (how can I sound like an old person with these words???), we had Driver’s Education as a class in 10^th grade. You spent an entire semester with some coach that taught you the wisdom of the road and how to manage yourself behind the wheel. Now, that is probably the scariest thing you can imagine and I agree. Weeks of the semester were spent driving in some kind of car that had an additional brake pedal on the passenger’s side so the coach could take charge of the car when needed. We sat 3 in a row in the backseat while the lucky student drove with the coach riding shotgun. This was an adventure to say the least. It always created an awkward social dynamic. You were sitting next to kids that you would have never ridden in a car with. Kids from all of the different social groups in high school. And you must remember how traumatic that was to sit next to a kid that was in a different “group.” Well, this is what landed me this amazing friendship with Sissy! She was and is still this sassy, fast talking girl.  She will speak openly and honestly to a stranger. She will laugh in a way that makes the whole room want to be with her. As I write about this, I realize her friendship has carried me through so many pieces of my journey.So many times when my heart was broken. Her love and constant support has always been there. We both married in our 20’s and had children. Our times together were few but always felt like we were back in her Volkswagen bug cruising the streets without a care in the world. Something about our story always feels as carefree as our early days learning to drive a car.  

As we look towards Valentine’s Day….the images of hearts fill my mind. And I love them so much.  I put them on my front door when I take the Christmas wreaths down.  I have a bowl on my dining room table that keeps all of my different hearts. 

This book is about the collection of hearts and why it is a symbol that we all hold so dear.  Maybe we will do a heart series….and keep sharing about hearts.  

What is in your heart?  Who is in your heart?  

Make today a heart filled day.

Go out and seek passion….your own passion…that is nestled deep down in your heart!

Andre and 2016

Happy January Healing Knots Friends!!!

January is one of those unique months.  Yesterday I spent the entire day moving furniture, vacuuming, dusting, clearing surfaces that have had pictures and clutter stuck for years, mostly just shifting the house to face a new year.  Maybe just trying to make everything around me feel new and fresh so I could face a new year in the same way. A new year gives us the opportunity to rethink what we might want to fill our lives with.  Maybe rethink where we live or what our living room looks like.  There is something inspiring about changing the number in the dates that we write and maybe that means something can change inside of us.

January marks the “Angel Anniversaries” for both of my parents.  That alone can make a person re-think their life and reminding us that every day is a gift. That every day is an opportunity to do tiny things to make a difference in someone’s day.  Last night I heard my phone make one of those little beeps.  As I read the message it really got my attention.  It came from someone that as a perfect stranger stepped in to help my son one day.  He has stayed in touch and is always so very kind and thoughtful.  These are the people that cross your path and you have no idea why you are so lucky.  He continues to be such a special and kind soul.  Of course, he has a bracelet, and so does his mother.  Please meet Andre.  His message yesterday is so worth sharing.

Happy New Year Andre.  Your kind heart makes a difference.  Thank you for being you!

My text from Andre:

"Today marks the anniversary of my dad's passing. My dad and I didn't always see eye to eye. Yet I learned so much from him and I try my best to pass it on. A few things I'd like to share.

1) Parents aren't perfect. Don't expect them to be. They do the best they can with the tools they have. 

2) If you make a promise do your best to keep it. Your word is your bond. 

3) Cherish every day and those around you. Show people you care while they are still here. 

4) Practice random acts of kindness. You never know what kind a day a person is having. What you say and do just might make a difference. 

5) Share the knowledge and wisdom you've gained. Be a mentor and help others. If we all did that, the world would be a much better place."

Simple words straight from the heart.

Make 2016 a great year!!!

Note to Self

Love this reminder as we take on a new year!

2016

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Happy New Year! We are so excited for all of the new and exciting things ahead for us in 2016. Sending love, joy and healing to all in this new year.

"Don't believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show you is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you'll see the way to fly." 

- Jonathan Living Seagull, by Richard Bach