le petit bonheur

Fitting words for the summer solstice. A time of change, and reflection. A time to celebrate summer - the warmth of the sunshine, the fragrant smell of flowers and earth in the air, fireflies that light up the darkness, the gatherings of friends and family that inevitably happens when we feel warm and comfortable. The simple pleasures in life.

"There are times when it is hard to believe in the future, when we are temporarily just not brave enough. When this happens, concentrate on the present. Cultivate le petit bonheur (the little happiness) until courage returns. Look forward to the beauty of the next moment, the next hour, the promise of a good meal, sleep, a book, a movie, the likelihood that tonight the stars will shine and tomorrow the sun will shine. Sink roots into the present until the strength grows to think about tomorrow."

-- Ardis Whitman

Letting go... jumping in...not being afraid... all that good stuff! : )

I think Ralph Waldo Emerson was a Buddhist. I find his words to be very much about staying in the moment, not being afraid, of letting go of the past and the future, about enjoying the simple things in life.

Isn't that what life is all about?!

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

A little Shel...

for this Monday morning.

I read this on Inspiration Peak, and thought it was the perfect way to get everyone off on the right foot, today.

A little reminder that the world is yours for the taking! If you are ready for it!

Listen to the Mustn'ts,child,
Listen to the Don’ts
Listen to the Shouldn’ts
The Impossibles, the Won’ts
Listen to the Never Haves,
Then listen close to me --
Anything can happen, child,
Anything can be.”

Shel Silverstein

Happy Grazing : )

I *like* my horoscope for this week. I love this line, in particular, "sample a little of a lot."

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In all my years of evaluating your astrological omens, I have rarely seen a time so favourably disposed to the value and pleasure of variety. I'm tempted to conclude that the cosmos is conspiring for you to try all 32 flavours, 46 positions, and 64 loopholes. For a limited time only, you really should be determined to sample a little of a lot rather than a lot of a little. Grazing and browsing are not only fine, they're preferable. You have a poetic license to be mercurial, spontaneous, and inscrutable.

Of course, this seems to be the natural state of post-vacation bliss. : )
Bring it on!