Do you have something that needs to be said?
Deep down inside, we all do. It doesn’t have to be a secret… just something you need to say to someone. Life is short. We are only here for a blink of an eye.
Don’t let your life end with your words unspoken.

Do you need to say you are sorry? Do you owe someone a long overdue apology for a past hurt? Even if it happened some time ago, it is never too late to apologize. The other person may accept it or walk away, but apologize to them.
Tell them you are sorry.

Do you need to forgive someone? Do you have anger in your heart that has festered for years, and it is time to heal the disappointment?  
Tell them you forgive them.

Do you need to share medical history? Do you have medical issues that run in your family and new generations may need to know?
Tell them.

Do you need to explain a past mistake? Do you need to ask for forgiveness? Even if you can’t change the outcome, is there someone you need to explain why you did what you did?
Tell them why.

Do you need to express praise? Is there a friend, family member, or coworker that has done something well? They did a great job. Maybe it was over and above expectations. They need to hear that from you.
Tell them you are proud.

Do you need to stand up for yourself and tell someone how you feel? Have you buried your feelings of betrayal and pain? Find a safe, non-contentious way to talk to them. Tell them about your pain.  
Do you need to answer a question? You may not even know what the question is, but your loved ones have questions they would like to ask. Give them permission to ask the question.
And then, tell them.

Do you need to say, I love you? Is there someone in your life that you have loved from a distance? Is there someone you have loved up close but taken for granted? Is there someone who you are close to, but you have never shared your feelings?
Tell them you love them.

Do you need to express gratitude? Do you need to thank people who have been in your life? The ones who helped you, stood by you, and loved you. Maybe at the time you didn’t fully appreciate their acts of service and love for you.
Tell them you are grateful.

Do you need to talk to your higher power, your God, nature, the Universe, or yourself? Do you have feelings and words that need to be expressed? Find a quiet, peaceful, safe place to talk.
Say the words you need to say.

We all have memories and stories to tell, and words to say. Don’t let this short life slip away without sharing these with the people who need to hear them.
This is your wake-up call.
Tell them.
                                                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                    Pennie’s Life Lesson: 
                         Don’t let your life end with your words unspoken.
​                                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

​“Hold the fish with both hands. Reach your arms forward as close to the camera as you can, keeping your face and body back. The fish will look much bigger in the photo than it is in real life.”

Those were his directions. He loved fishing, and he loved even more to talk about all the monster-size fish he caught. The reality was, many of the fish he caught were not that big, and he threw them back into the water so they could grow bigger. He was picky about which ones he embraced as a good fish story and which ones he released. His pictures and the perspective of fish size were important to him.

My friend taught me many lessons, and this one about perspective was one of his best. Most of the time he used fishing stories, but the lesson rarely had to do with fishing. It has been years since my friend passed, but I have thought about this tip many times.

This concept of embracing and releasing is embedded deeply in our lives…whether you realize it or not. We are all hooked by thoughts, beliefs, and experiences. Some are good. Some are bad. It is up to us to decide how we process them. What perspective we see them with. How we live through them and with them.

We can take one bad experience in life and focus on it, holding it closer and closer to the camera so it seems bigger and bigger. We never allow our emotions to work through it. The trauma changes our lives, causing constant tension and stress. We let it become overwhelming. But if we really looked at it, we might be able to see it isn’t as life changing as we initially thought. We can reduce this whale of a problem into a little fish that we release.

Conversely, we can have one small thought. An idea that if we let it float out of our mind, we can miss an opportunity. But if we take that one small idea and focus on it, examine it - hold it close to the camera - the perspective changes. We may realize it could be the beginning of a new business, a new relationship, a new life. It could be a big enough fish to keep and embrace as a story in our life. 

We live in a constant state of deciding what we should zoom in on and embrace and what we should step back from so we see the real size and importance of releasing it. Life is all about perspective.
 
If you hold on to pain and view life from a perspective of negativity, you will live a life of tension and stress. Release it.
 
If you hold on to love and joy, while viewing life from a perspective of positivity, you will live a life of happiness and peace. Embrace it.
                                                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                   Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                           We can choose to release the negative in our life and
                                             magnify and embrace the positive.
                                                       ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

When I found it, I wanted to put three fingers up and recite the Girl Scout Oath. The plastic bag lying on the bottom of my cedar chest held memories of my childhood. The Brownie beanie was crumbling, but my Girl Scout beanie, belt, bow tie, sash, and gloves were folded just the way they were left decades ago.

I unfolded the sash and laid it out to see the badges. Southwest Oklahoma Troop 901. Membership stars and the love pin that designated that I had shown love to family, friends, and the community. Angel wings showing the progression from being a Brownie to a Junior Girl Scout.

It was the badges that grabbed my attention. A coffee cup for hospitality. Footsteps for walking, hiking, and nature. Skating. Water sports. Cooking/baking. Love and care of animals. The more I researched the badges I earned, the more amazed I became. The areas I worked to learn about as a child were the areas I have always loved throughout my life.

Every morning I post a video of my coffee cup and welcome my followers into my day. I have always been a walker, hiker, and lover of nature. I grew up ice skating, roller skating, and water skiing. I can still skate and continue to be a water baby. Cooking and baking are one of my favorite pastimes. And if you know me, you know how I adore animals. Even the love pin struck me as I teach others how to, “Love Your Life- No Matter What!”

How could I have known when I was 9 years old that I would center my life around those areas? Do we come into this life with a knowing of what we are meant to be a part of? Is our big life picture destined to be created before we are aware?

Then the concept of gathering badges invaded my thoughts. I do remember the reading, the requirements, and the activities it took to be awarded a badge. As a young girl it was my first taste of this kind of accolade that seems to be repeated in life.

Our school grades were the same type of process. Team sports all have requirements and a level of accomplishment to receive the trophies. It is the same with work promotions and life stages that give us badges, titles, and status. Don’t forget the badges of being a spouse, parent, grandparent, and friend. Do we just continue to add badges until our life sash is full?

Last week I attended the National Speakers Association Conference (NSA). When I arrived, I put on my lanyard that held ribbons that documented my accomplishments. Fifteen+ Year Member. Power Women of NSA. NSA Author. It was my NSA sash.

For four days there were ceremonies for accomplishments. People were called on stage and the list of requirements they met were announced and then a ribbon, a title, or a trophy was awarded to them. As these people walked through the halls, fellow members oohed and awed over their ribbon or newly given recognition. They beamed with pride.

It was Girl Scouts all over again. I clearly remember walking over the small wooden bridge that ceremonially recognized the promotion from being a Brownie to a Junior Girl Scout. I remember wearing my sash and the pride I felt with every addition of a badge.
​
Maybe life doesn’t change as much as we think. We will always want another badge for our sash. We continue to reach for them until our life sash is full, folded and tucked into a plastic bag.

Then someday our badges may be found in a memory box of keepsakes.
                                               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                  Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                   Life is a series of requirements and accomplishments.
                                                Choose your badges wisely. 
                                               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

My word for this year is simplicity. I planned to organize, streamline, and simplify my life. Here we are halfway through the year, and I continue this mission. The nice people at Goodwill recognize me when I drive up with donations. My weekly garbage can is fuller than it has been in the past. And I am feeling a little lighter in my living spaces and the way I do my work. It is progress.

What I didn’t expect by keeping simplicity in my mind, I would begin to look at the simple things in life differently. It gave me peace to spend time drinking coffee with my dogs on my lap in the morning. Watching the different birds wrangling for their place on the food tray of my bird feeder was amusing to me. Counting and naming the baby bunnies in my yard brought me joy. Simple, silly things were slowing me down to enjoy life more.

It was during these moments of watching life in my backyard that I noticed dragonflies. Lots and lots of dragonflies. They were swarming above my yard in massive numbers. Day after day I watched them circling my property.

I have always been a butterfly girl. I love the beauty of their colors. The way they float through the air. The mystery of how they begin as a caterpillar, seal themselves into a cocoon, and then emerge as a glorious, graceful creature. When I was a young girl, my grandmother taught me the story of butterflies representing transformation and rebirth. She would hide a butterfly made of icing on each wedding cake she decorated as a symbol of the new life the couple was stepping into.

Yes, I am a butterfly girl. But this influx of dragonflies caught my attention. Of course I had to research them. I found the meaning of dragonflies in many different cultures.  
​
Native American Traditions often viewed them as spirit messengers between realms.
In Japanese culture, they are seen as a symbol of courage and strength and are believed to carry the souls of ancestors.
Celtic Folklore considers them creatures of the fairy realm, representing the thin veil between life, death, and the spiritual dimension
 
After my research, I was captivated by the mystical dragonflies that were visiting me. I was convinced the ceremonial circling of my yard was a spiritual ritual of protection for me and recognition of all the loved ones I have lost. (Let me have my moment.)
 
And then one morning on my patio, there it was sitting on the concrete. I am sure it was waiting for me. Luckily, I had my phone in my pocket and snapped several photos before it lifted its wings and joined its tribe in the ceremonial circling of my home.  

I looked to see if my photos were worth keeping. To my surprise, when I zoomed in on the dragonfly, I hadn’t just snapped a picture of an insect. I had captured a vision of a majestic work of nature’s art.

The design on its body was a perfect pattern of a glorious blue on black with white accents. Its huge eyes must have been scanning me as I took the photographs. Its wings were whisper thin with a delicate veining pattern that could only be created in a magical way. I had no idea that a dragonfly held such beauty.
 
I don’t know why the dragonfly chose to pause on my patio, but I like to think it was so I would notice. I needed to notice that the little things in life are not always simple, but until we slow down, we may never realize that their simplicity is exquisite … and this beauty is in our own backyards. Simplicity isn’t always that simple.
                                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                   Pennie’s Life Lesson:
             When you notice the simple things in life, you see their glorious beauty. 
                                                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

Four weeks ago, my daughter’s family moved to a different state. I was sad that my little ducklings were going to be so far away. I decided I needed to stay busy. Very busy. After the moving truck pulled away, I began cleaning my own house. I cleaned out closets. I did yard work, and one day I decided to power wash the garage floor.

As I sprayed water, squeegeed and sprayed again, the floor began to shine. I was tired, but the idea of staying busy was helping me keep my mind off missing my grandsons. Suddenly I looked up from the wet floor, and there she was.

Standing right in front of me on the driveway was a duck. I said, “Hello.” She just stared at me. I thought she would like the water, so I sprayed enough in the driveway to make a puddle. She immediately sat down in the middle of it and continued to watch me work.
The next day she was there again. I once again said, “Hello.” She once again stared.

​On the third day I saw her disappear into the bush in front of my dining room window. I ran into the house,​looked out that window, and straight down into the bush. She was happily sitting on a nest. In that moment I named her, “Little Mama.”

Day after day she would waddle out for a short time in the early morning and once again in the evening. Just to stretch her legs. Every time I saw her, I would greet her with, “Hello, Little Mama.” She wasn’t afraid of me but always stared at me.

I read everything I could find on mallard ducks nesting. I learned that within 24 hours of hatching, the mama would walk her ducklings away from the nest and find water. I live a long, long way from water, so I was concerned.

Then the day came. I looked out the dining room window and little mama looked up at me like she always did. Two little fluffy brown and yellow ducklings peeked at me as well. I was so excited!
​
I called the Game and Fish Department with my concern about Little Mama and her ducklings finding water. I was reassured that nature had a plan, and she knew exactly how to take care of her ducklings, and they would be fine- even if they were going to travel a long way to find water.

The next morning, I was sad to see that Little Mama and the ducklings were gone. I never got to see them waddle down my driveway to their new life away from the nest. I am not sure how many ducklings actually hatched, but she left behind a perfect nest with 5 abandoned eggs. In my reading, I found that this is normal. I continued to check on the eggs, thinking maybe they would hatch and the nest would once again be filled with life. They didn’t. 

Through this experience, I have learned a lot about ducks. But I learned more about life. The feelings of empty nest syndrome don’t just happen to parents when their kids go to college. It can happen to anyone, no matter what age your kids or grandchildren are when they leave.

It has been a reminder of how important it is to accept and adapt to change. You can be angry, sad, scared, and fight against it, but change is going to happen. If you accept and adapt, you will be happier. An empty nest is evidence that love has done its job.

I also learned to be careful and specific about what you put out there to the Universe. I was sad when my daughter’s family (my ducklings) moved away. So, what did the Universe give me… a mama duck with a lesson for me. I needed to watch how she nurtured her eggs, and when the ducklings hatched, they all left. Life is a cycle and change is real. I needed to accept it.

I miss Little Mama and her ducklings and hope they found the water they went looking for. I miss my human ducklings and hope they soak up all their new life holds for them.
​Now I am back to cleaning and decluttering my home and life. And in the future, I will be very specific about what I will ask the Universe for next.
                                                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                                  Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                       Every ending is also a beginning.
​                        An empty nest is evidence that love has done its job.
                                                       ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

My mom was terribly afraid of tornadoes. It didn’t matter if it was a tornado watch or warning, or if she just thought the sky looked like a potential tornado; she would panic. When I was young, we didn’t have a basement in our home, so at any sign or thought of a tornado, she would take my siblings and me across the street to the neighbors who did have a basement, so we could have appropriate shelter.

When was the last time you were afraid? Were you afraid of storms, spiders, darkness? What caused your fear? Did a spider cause your fear? Did a dark night cause your fear? Did a tornado cause my mom’s fear? No. No. And no.

When you think about it, most of the time we scare ourselves. My mom was never in a tornado. You probably have never been attacked by a spider. And has the dark of night ever caused you harm? These things do not cause our fear. We cause our fear.

Our brains are continually scanning for threats and overestimating the risk of danger. When we do this enough times, it becomes a habit. We become very good at visualizing the worst possible outcome. We become very good at creating imagined monsters under our beds.

When we do this, our adrenaline rises, our anxiety fills us, and our fight or flight response is on high defense. And, we have done it all to ourselves.

Yes, we need to look both ways when we cross the street, and it probably isn’t a good idea to walk alone in a dark alley. We need to pay attention to real weather warnings, and don’t pick up a snake or try to pet a buffalo. Logical caution is a skill we need to learn. But giving our brain the freedom to create the worst-case scenario in our mind is not the way we should approach life.

Our thoughts create our reality, and we control our thoughts. When the sky turns dark and clouds look frightening, refocus your thoughts. Instead of visualizing the roof flying off your house and your house turning into a pile of rubble, focus on the present moment. Right now, you are safe. Right now, it looks like a storm, so take appropriate precautions, but do not create a hysterical panic.

If you see a spider, instead of visualizing it attacking you, focus on the present moment. The spider is small and several feet away. You can turn around, leaving the spider to his happy life, and you can walk away… no harm done.

In every moment and every situation, we have the power to refocus and choose fear or faith. As creative beings, we can conjure up the most amazing frightening situations in our mind that can induce hysterical stress in our bodies. Or… we can focus our thoughts on the present and have faith that our situation is stable, safe, and we have the capacity to handle it calmly.

Given this choice, why would we intentionally scare ourselves when we can live every moment in calm observation of our lives?  
                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                     Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                   Instead of allowing your thoughts to create irrational fear,
                               use logical caution, and train your thoughts to
​                              stay in the present moment of calm observation.
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(*It is important that I mention that past traumas cause many people fears that are difficult to manage. PTSD is 100% real. I continue to struggle with driving in traffic after I was involved in a terrible accident years ago. In these cases, it is not self-inflicted but caused by a life-threatening or traumatic event. PTSD is not a case of scaring ourselves. This is not the fear I am referring to in this column.)  

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

I loaded my three children into the van, jumped in the driver’s seat, and drove away. Looking in my rear-view mirror, I saw her standing in the driveway, waving and crying. I was exhausted from moving and ready to drive to my new home and begin the task of unpacking and settling into a new world 45 miles away from my mom.

For years I had lived in the same community as my parents. Close enough to have Sunday dinners at her house and drop my kids off for her to watch when I​ did errands. I was only going to be 45 miles away. I didn’t think this move was tear​-worthy. But my mom waved and cried.

To be honest, I looked forward to it. At that time, 45 miles meant it would be a long-distance phone call. (If you don’t know what that means, ask someone who remembers when our phones were attached to the wall.) I looked forward to not answering a call from her 3 times a day and not having her stop to see me every day on her way home from work. Both could feel a bit smothering. I looked forward to being a bit more autonomous.

As I drove, another memory filled my mind. This was the same view I remembered of my grandmother standing in her driveway, waving and crying when my parents loaded my siblings and me into the Pontiac station wagon and we drove away. That was a 2-day, 1080-mile trip that we made once a year to Illinois to see her. The same goodbye scene happened every year. And every year, my grandmother stood in the driveway waving and crying.

This week was a new version of the same scene. My daughter’s family drove down the driveway on their way to their new home, 2 ½ hours away. I did my hugs and goodbyes and left their house a short while before they did. I couldn’t handle watching my 3 grandsons climb into their van and drive away. I couldn’t bear to be standing alone in the driveway waving and crying. I needed to cry alone.
​
I know the saying about how we are supposed to give our children (and grandchildren) roots and wings. Roots so they remember where they came from. The deep-seated knowing of family, values, and identity. The understanding of who they are. And wings to fly on their own with the freedom to explore the world. To be independent and have the courage to follow their dreams and pursue their goals. It is the circle of life.
 
I know my daughter’s family will be fine. My daughter and son-in-law will enjoy new opportunities. The boys will immerse themselves in a new school. They will all thrive and grow in their new community. 
 
Selfishly, I will miss them. I will miss dinners at my house. I’ll miss lunches and pedicures with my daughter. I’ll miss picking my grandchildren up from school, Saturday movies, and the occasional one-on-one dinner dates with them. I will miss the comfort of knowing they are 11 minutes away.
 
And today I understand how my grandmother felt. I understand how my mom felt. I understand their deep sadness, the empty feeling, and the immediate loneliness as they waved and cried. 
 
After I moved away from living close to my mom, I never moved back. Turns out I missed the Sunday dinners, her phone calls, and her stopping at my house after work. The circle of life is a hard loop to close. Yes, occasionally I will make the 2 ½ hour trip to see my daughter and grandsons, and they will do the same to see me, but it will never be the same. The circle has closed.

Some moments are worthy of tears. 
​
                                                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                   Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                            The circle of life repeats itself.
                                            The circle can be hard to close.
                                                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

It has been over 20 years since I gave any thought to fake flowers. You know, those artificial bundles of plastic that gave the illusion of a bouquet until you moved close enough to them to smell the plastic and see the rubber version of a rose.

At the time, I was the director of a statewide organization, which meant I drove around the state a lot. On one memorable trip, a staff member was traveling with me. She worked virtually from her home on the opposite side of the state from where our office was located.

Visiting people in her area, I commented on the plastic flowers planted in pots in front of many of the homes. My comment was something like, “Isn’t it funny how old ladies put out plastic flowers instead of real plants?” I did notice that she didn’t have a reply to that.

A few hours later, as we pulled into her driveway and walked up to her front door, pots of fake flowers greeted me. She saw my face and immediately began laughing. I was embarrassed and ashamed of my earlier comment.

She explained that given the short growing season and the unpredictability of the weather, the plastic flowers were a good alternative.

Now, all these years later, I am filling about half of my pots with artificial flowers. After many seasons of waiting until after Memorial Day to plant flowers only to see them freeze from late spring snow, shredded by summer hail, brutally beaten by raging wind, or eaten by the lovely little critters that call my property home, I finally understood. I surrendered.

I began seeing many social media posts with people demonstrating how they were filling their pots and flower beds with life-like artificial flowers. I took the leap and ordered some.

These aren’t the old plastic kind. These are soft, bendable, lifelike beauties.
The advertisement stated that these faux flowers look just like the real thing, adding natural beauty to your surroundings. They are made from high-quality silk and plastic materials for long-lasting beauty. UV-resistant, waterproof, and no fade, ensuring vibrant colors even under the sun's harsh rays.

Who could resist that? I was sold and ordered a few.

When they arrived, they were vacuum-packed into very tight bundles, making me wonder if I had been scammed into purchasing a ridiculously small, overpriced bouquet of nonsense. But once opened, they fluffed out and took over my entire dining room table. I was pleasantly surprised.

Now my flowers have bloomed. Half of my pots still hold real purple petunias and orange and yellow blends of marigolds. But half of them happily hold bouquets of artificial flowers.

My assessment so far is good. These pops of color around my home are not just low maintenance, they are almost no maintenance. I suspect I will occasionally give them a spray with the hose to wash off the dust the wind will surely blow onto them, but other than that, they are holding up to their advertised claims.

Have I become an old plastic flower lady? I don’t know… maybe I have just become realistic. It is hard to fight Mother Nature. I will let her do what she will and enjoy the occasional wildflowers she sends my way. I will also continue to plant my little garden box and cross my fingers that the vegetables will survive the weather.

But this summer I will enjoy my beautiful flowers. The live ones and the fake ones alike.
​                                                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                   Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                   Don’t make assumptions about the way other people do things.
                                      There is more than one way to beauty. 
​                                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

It is clean​ sheet day!

Isn’t that a wonderful feeling? That moment you slide your feet into the cool crispness of clean, fresh sheets! It is a luxury that I look forward to and enjoy! Did you know there is laundry soap, air freshener, and even candles that claim to smell like clean sheets? Everyone has a different description of what that smell is, but everyone understands the ‘feeling’ of clean sheet day. 
 
This clean sheet day came with an even bigger bonus. This time, the sheets were not only clean, but also new. Brand new out of the package and washed for the first time. Extra cool, crisp comfort!

It was also time to take off the winter blankets and replace them with lightweight summer ones. I love heavy blankets that protect me from the cold nights. And the thick, heavy fur throw that lies across the bottom of the bed is delightful.

But the weight of winter has been lifted. The cold, frigid temperatures are past, and the new, fresh dew-filled mornings of summer are here. There is a lightness in the air.​ A clean, fresh crispness.

Along with the new sheets and lightweight blankets, I also changed the color scheme from a monotone canvas of beige and cream and added some springy greens. Nothing major, a few throw pillows with a fern leaf print that go well with the new sheets, and a new green lightweight throw across the foot of the bed. The bed and the room look brighter and lighter.

I don’t typically re-style my bedroom with the change of seasons, but this year it seemed like the right thing to do. This year has felt heavy. Even though our winter gave us very little snow, it felt like a long, painful cold time.
 
The weight of life is heavier than normal. It felt like it was the right time to lighten the load. The lifting of winter, heavy blankets, and the weight of the world seemed like a rite of passage. A walk into sunshine. I feel like my bedroom has been given a reset- a fresh start. A departure, a separation from the dark days of winter, and an open window to sunshine and renewal.
 
This simple action has also given a cool, comforting feeling of reset to my mind and body.
 
What can you do to give yourself the clean sheet feeling? Maybe your office needs to be decluttered- not organized, but decluttered. Get rid of the papers and unfinished business that pile up. Give yourself a clean sheet of space to work.
 
Maybe your kitchen needs deep cleaning? Imagine cooking your next meal in a sparkling kitchen that invites your heart to enjoy cooking.
 
There are many ways to give yourself the clean sheet feeling. Think of the best one for you and give yourself the gift of a reset. Say goodbye to winter and open your windows and your life to the cool crispness of that clean sheet feeling.
                                                        ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                          Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                           Intentionally shed the heaviness of life
                                         to make room for resets and fresh starts.  
                                                          ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I love shiny things. Stars in the sky. ​When the sun hits the ocean creating hundreds of reflections of sun glitter. Sparkly lights over a city at night. Sequins. And diamonds.  

Especially diamonds. I have a few. My engagement and wedding ring. I also treasure the band of gold with 3 small diamonds – my Dad’s wedding band that I wear on my thumb. My Mom’s wedding set. I have other jewelry that holds diamonds and memories. I treasure them all.

I have an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner that I occasionally clean these items in. It uses a high frequency to zap all the dirt away from the diamonds, leaving them bright and sparkly. It amazes me how they can go from dull to blinding brightness when I give them the attention they deserve and polish them with love.

How many diamonds do you have? Diamonds don’t have to be set in gold and placed on your fingers or around your neck. Think about the diamonds you have in your life that don’t look like much, but if you give them the attention they deserve and polish them a little, they turn into a treasure.

Do you have an old car that you imagine refurbishing into custom condition? Maybe you are ready to remodel a room in your home, taking it from an outdated style to a new, sleek, modern design. Maybe you have already refinished your great-grandmother’s rocking chair, and now it sits happily as the center of attention in your living room. They all just need attention and a little polish of love. They are all diamonds… just waiting.

Now think deeper. Think of the people in your life. Your family and friends. Who have you been neglecting? Or if not neglecting, you haven’t been noticing their value. Is it time to call a friend and plan a lunch so you can share stories, catch up on each other’s news, and rehash memories? These are all forms of polishing. It brings out their shine and allows them to be a diamond in your life.

When was the last time you spent time with your parents, if you are lucky enough to still have them with you? Is it time to give them a little polish of love? It doesn’t require much attention to pull out the luster of a relationship. The luster of another diamond in your life.

And children. Oh, children, react the quickest and become blinding diamonds. Spending time with them is the strongest polish of love you can give them. They will be the brightest diamonds of all.

Do you see how many diamonds you have in your life? More than you can count. They are everywhere. Your friends, your parents, your siblings, your spouse or partner, your children, and your grandchildren are all the diamonds of your life.

Your life can be rich with these precious stones if you give them the attention they deserve and polish them with love.
                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                        Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                     Polish the diamonds of your life with love.
                                                 They deserve your attention. 
                                     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

I am known as the Happiness Lady. The optimist. The upbeat, happy person who brings everyone else out of their funk, their sadness, and their difficult times.

I am usually happy when I wake up and look forward to my days. But lately I have been down. I have had a relapse into sadness and am feeling a bit lost. It happens to me once in a while, and my husband reminds me that this feeling “is not very Pennie-Hunt-dot-com-like.”

I don’t enjoy the feeling. It doesn’t feel like me. It doesn’t feel natural.
Recently, I was having breakfast with my son, and he asked the simple question, how are you doing? Well, the flood gate of my mouth opened, and I laid out about a half dozen things that were not right in my world.

He sat back in his chair and said,
“Wow, I wasn’t expecting that! Aren’t you the one who teaches everyone to be happy and positive?”

Yes, yes, I am. His reaction gave me a very quick and firm reset to my mood. We went on to have a very pleasant day together.

I thought about that short part of our conversation for days. I realized that nothing on my list of concerns that came out of my mouth that day was under my control. I couldn’t change any of it. It was really a laundry list of life. Things that happen all the time. None of it was happening “to” me. It was all happening around me. Close enough for me to feel emotional about it.

After I thought about it, I had to have a conversation with my heart… a heart-versation as I call them.

I had to listen to what is heavy on my mind, analyze it, … and feel it. Then I needed to listen to what my heart was saying about it. I realized the situations that were weighing on me were affecting me, my emotions, and my attitude. They were making my heart hurt.

Then I began reading some of my own writings and thinking about my own life lessons. I realized that even the happiness lady has times in life that rub on her heart. Even I can have a relapse into a gray area.
I had to concentrate on some of my core beliefs…

• Don’t try to control situations that are not yours to control.
• Worrying is a negative meditation and fuels more negativity.
• Happiness is a choice.
• Situations don’t happen to us; they happen to teach us and help us grow.

 
Sometimes life is hard to understand. We need to think about bad stuff in a good way. There is always something good hidden in the bad. There is always a lesson to learn.

I realized some of the situations I was stewing about were not mine to change. Not mine to worry about. And not my lesson to learn. Are they painful to feel? Yes. Are they hard to watch? Yes. But it is my choice in how I perceive them, how I react to them, and how I carry them in my life.

What is heavy on your heart? We are all human, and all have times when we relapse into gray sadness. If you are experiencing this, know that you are not alone.
 Maybe it is time to look at the bad stuff in a good way.
                         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                             Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                Life is a continual series of situations.
                                 How we perceive them is our choice.
​                        ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

Every morning, I sit in my office recliner, cover up with a blanket, and drink my coffee. My dogs sit on my lap.
​Zenee stretches out across the footrest, making herself look twice as long as she is, and immediately goes to sleep. Gracie jumps over Zenee to be higher on my lap, sits up straight, and waits for her complimentary morning massage.

She extends her neck so that I can rub under her mouth down to her chest, all the while looking right into my eyes. She moves and shifts positions,​ making sure her entire body is massaged, but she never drops eye contact. At times, I reach for my coffee or my phone, and then I notice she is staring at my eyes. It is very clear… it is her time. It is one-on-one time. It means something to her to have that intimate connection. She wants, no, she expects me to look at her.  

We have all had this experience. If you think you haven’t, it is only because you didn’t notice. Today, our world works through electronics. We are constantly looking at a computer, a television, or a phone. We have been trained to do this.

We believe we need to see a text or email the second it arrives, and we think we need to respond with lightning speed. We need to see the breaking news the moment it is posted. We need to know what is trending and what is on sale so that we can tap the buy button and have it delivered the next day. We need to research every question we have as soon as the thought crosses our minds.

Everything is immediate, urgent, and in front of our faces at all times.

But there is someone wanting your attention. Someone wants eye contact. Someone is waiting behind the screen and wants to see your eyes. It could be your partner, your spouse, your child, a friend, or your dog. But someone wants the intimate connection. Someone wants their time with you.

We have seen this happen to other people. In a restaurant, a couple eats dinner with one hand while they are holding their phone and scrolling with the other. We notice this scenario, but do we notice when we are the ones doing it?

You can’t be with your phone and your life at the same time. People who love you want to be with YOU, not the backside of your phone. They want to see your eyes. They want one-on-one time. It means something to them to have that intimate connection with you.

Yes, technology seems to control our lives. We need to pay attention, be aware, and responsive to work, news, and communications. But not everything in life is of equal value. Prioritize your life choices and what matters at this moment.

When you are out to dinner with your spouse, put the screen away and give them the time they deserve. When you are with your kids, be with your kids and teach them to put down their electronics. If your dog is staring at you with those big, loving brown eyes, pay attention to what the message is.

We will not be successful at this all the time. We will not be connected all the time, but all the small moments, the intentional moments, of eye-to-eye connection add up.

And now, I am going back to my chair, my blanket, and my coffee. I have two sweet Shih Tzus waiting for me and an important massage to give.
                             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                Pennie’s Life Lesson: 
                            Prioritize your life choices and what matters-
               you can’t be with your phone and your life at the same time.
                                                  Make eye contact.
​                                         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

I remember how proud I was to give my mom her Mother’s Day gift. My elementary school artwork of painted handprints that formed flowers was all it took to make her ooh and aah about what a beautiful gift I had given her.

​As I grew, gifts became coffee and breakfast delivered to her bed, family meals out, and real flowers.

When I became a mom, I received the elementary school artwork and proudly displayed it on the refrigerator for all to see. The Mother’s Day dance of balancing time between pampering and loving my mom and enjoying the time being pampered and loved by my children lasted for years.

There was the year my mom took my young son shopping to buy me a Mother’s Day gift. Her idea was to purchase a couple of 99-cent six packs of marigolds from the local greenhouse. His idea was to buy me a beautiful dress. When I opened the gift, I could tell by the look on my mom’s face that the dress was much more expensive than her plan for a few flowers, but the pride on my son’s face had convinced her to buy the dress…and the flowers. 

As my children grew, the days of sticky little painted fingers and sweet toddler kisses went by too fast. My Mother’s Day gifts became coffee and breakfast delivered to my bed, family meals out, and bouquets of flowers. I blinked, and it was college, first apartments, weddings, and flying through life on their own.

Each phase of the celebration of mothering is sweet, but one of the most meaningful times has been watching my daughter become a mother. Watching her journey through pregnancy and joining the club of motherhood stirs feelings of pride and joy. She has nurtured her children in a loving, caring way, with more grace and patience than I believe I had as a mother.

With all the joy and love that Mother’s Day brings, it is important to understand that this can be a painful day of grief and loss for many. My mom passed away several years ago, and although I think of her and celebrate her, Mother’s Day is also a reminder that she is no longer with me.

I love cards, flowers, and celebrations with my children and grandchildren, but Mother’s Day is also a reminder of the baby boy I lost and my grown son who has passed. The names Jake and Jameson are always in my mind, and thoughts of them hide behind my smile.

Never forget the ones who struggle through this day because of loss, grief, infertility, or being away from their family. Be sensitive to those who hold sadness on this day.
My heart swells with the love that surrounds Mother’s Day. The joy of loving my mom, experiencing birthing and loving my own children, and watching the next generation carry on the magic of motherhood is an amazing part of life.
​
No matter what phase of Mother’s Day you are in, whether you spend the day with your own mom, your children, a friend, family, mentor, or have a quiet day alone… remember we are all here because somewhere there was a mom that brought us to this world.
                                                        ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                     Blessings and love to moms everywhere! 
                                                       ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I try not to worry. I really do. I believe that worrying is a negative meditation. When we meditate, we either try to clear our minds or concentrate on something that creates a calm space.
Worrying is the opposite. By thinking of a worrisome situation, we create a space that multiplies the worry. Most of the time, we are worrying about something we have no control over. Or we worry about things that are not that big of a deal, but by repeating the scenario in our mind, we are essentially training our brain to dwell in chaos.  

So, I try not to worry.

Today, as I thought about how people worry, the 80/20 rule came to mind. In simple terms, the 80/20 rule is the concept that approximately 80% of outcomes come from about 20% of your effort. You can adapt this rule to many things in life, so let’s talk about it in terms of worrying.

Our list of worries, the ones we repeat to ourselves over and over and allow them to grow into giant worries, probably sprout from 20% of our lives. That means 80% of our lives are moving along in a good way. Maybe even in a splendid way.

Make a list of what you are worried about right now. Everyone has a different list. We worry about our children and families, our jobs, our bills, our pets, our health… this could go on in many ways and directions. And it could change moment by moment and day by day.

Now, let’s look at what is going well in your life. How many family members and friends do you have who are happy? Do you have a home to live in? Do you have a job? Is your health good? Does your dog run to see you when you walk in the door? Do you have shoes to wear and food to eat? Can you see, hear, touch, taste, and experience life? This list could go on in many ways and directions too. But I feel like this will be a longer list.

Now take an honest look at your life. I suspect that by stepping back and taking a reality check of the big picture, you have a lot to be thankful for and a lot that is splendid in your life. The worries come from a small percentage of your life. You may have one family member struggling, but the rest of your friends and family are doing well. You may be unhappy with one part of your job or one coworker, but the rest of your job is fine. When you analyze your life, those worries come from a small percentage- let’s say 20%- of your life. The other 80% is pretty great.

And when you look at the worries that you have absolutely no control over, they are probably causing you the most anxiety. If you could control them, you would be taking the steps to change the situation. Taking action lightens the worry. So, if you can’t control it, release it.

You might be thinking, " Oh, that is easy for her to say, her life is perfect.​" But let me set that thought straight. We are all human, and every one of us has that 20% in our life that can consume us in worry. Even me. Perspective is all about what you focus on, and what you focus on is your choice.

So here is the question… are you going to allow 20% of your life to cause you anxiety? Or are you going to concentrate on the 80% of your life that creates happiness, peace, and joy?
It is up to you, but the answer seems simple to me.
                                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
                                                     Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                 Perspective is a choice of what you focus on. 
                                     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

Recently, I was having dinner with a young woman who is very close to my heart. I was talking about how fast my children grew up, and now it seems like the grandchildren are growing up even faster. I told her the really sad thing is, the grandchildren don’t remember some of the times with them that are the most special memories to me. These moments happened when they were younger - too young for them to remember. 

That day, my friend gave me a lesson I will never forget. She said, 
   “But YOU remember. The memories are for you.”

What? I had never thought of it that way. I have great memories of times with my own grandmother. I wanted to be the same kind of memory maker that she was. Now I wonder if she thought about who she was making memories for. Me? Or herself? Or did she even realize she was making memories?

Think about the best memories from your past. It could be from your childhood, college, or as an adult. Think of the memories you carry in your heart. Do the other people in that memory remember the event? Does it touch them the way it touches you?

Maybe we can’t create intentional memories. Maybe it is in the moments of life where love is so deep that those special moments lodge in our hearts. We have no control over whose heart the memory lodges in. Maybe the memory floats around like the light of a firefly until it finds the right heart to burrow inside of.

If you are lucky, you may be the space where the memory lands. It lives there happily and quietly until, in special moments, it flutters in your heart and tickles your brain to remember.

Memories are unique. Even if a version of it lodges in another heart, your memory won’t be the same as the other version. We each encode, store, retain, and retrieve information, behaviors, and experiences in our own way. 

I remember that dinner and those words so clearly. When she said, “But YOU remember. The memories are for you,” those words burrowed deep in my heart. It was a message I needed. It was a learning moment I will never forget. 

Do I think my friend remembers saying it? I doubt if she does. It was one of those in-the-moment conversations that passed quickly. But so many times I have felt my heart flutter and tickle my mind to wake up that memory and remind me of the lesson I learned that day.

 Don’t expect others to remember events the same way you do. Your memories are unique to you. Your memories are for you. 

I would like to believe that somewhere deep inside, my children and grandchildren remember special times with me. I would like to believe these memories are burrowed in their hearts, waiting to flutter when the time is right. But even if that never happens, I remember.
                                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                   Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                               Your memories are for you!
                                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

I have an old clock. It is a Westclox Big Ben De Luxe, made by the Western Clock Company of La Salle, Illinois. The patent date is March 29, 1927, and was made in the late l920’s. This was one of Westclox’s premium lines of mechanical alarm clocks and has the green crackled enamel finish, which was a signature style at that time. It cost $3.75. This clock was a dependable middle-class family item that was required if you were a farmer or a railroad worker and needed to be at work on time.

There is a plate on the bottom of the clock that is stamped, A.R. Davis. After researching this, I learned that A.R. Davis was a Westclox engineer and patent holder. His name is stamped on many clocks from that era. 

My great-grandmother was married to a man named Albert E. Davis and lived less than 2 hours from where this clock was manufactured. So, of course, I wonder if somehow there was a connection. That is a mystery that may never be solved.

Other than that, it is just a clock. A clock that I always remember seeing on the bookshelf of our family home when I was growing up. A clock that I was drawn to. When my mother passed, it was a treasure that I brought to my house. ​Now it sits on a bookshelf in my office.

Today I looked at it and kept wondering why. Why was it always in our home? Why did my parents believe it was important to keep? Why didn’t I ever ask questions about it?

It was fun to do a little research and learn the details about where it was made and how old it was, but there is so much more I wish I knew. I wish I knew how many shelves it sat on. I wish I knew how many hands have held it, wound it, and set alarms on it. I wish I knew how many hours it counted before it stopped working. How long has it been permanently locked in at 4:23?

In my mind, I think of a family in 1930. They probably lived in a small farming community in a small home, and this clock woke them every morning. The story in my mind is sweet and simple, but the real truth is a mystery.

I think about the tick, tick, tick it made as it counted the minutes of a life from a time I never lived in. I wonder what the alarm sounded like as it went off in the morning. I wonder if the base is cracked and chipped from being slapped and knocked off a shelf when the alarm rang.

I think of how this clock has been passed down in my family. I wonder when the story of who it belonged to and how many shelves it sat on stopped being told. 

Now it is a piece of décor that looks cool on my bookshelf without a story attached to it. The days of counting seconds, waking people up, and ticking away time are done. To me, it is a reminder of a past connected to me. A reminder of how fast time goes. And a reminder of mysteries that will never be solved.
                                                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                       Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                   The real stories of the generations before us remain mysteries.
                                                     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

​If you have applied for a job, you probably have a work resume. You know, the document that highlights your skills, accomplishments, and work background. This gives a prospective employer a snapshot of your ability and if you would fit into their workplace. It tells the story of what you do.

Have you considered creating a life resume? Not a summary that spotlights your work abilities, but a document that highlights how you are doing in life. Instead of sections on education and past work positions, your life resume would use a different format and include details on your strengths and challenges​ in life. It tells the story of who you are.

Relationships. Are you connected? Are you surrounded by friends, family, a significant other, or a spouse? Do you hold children close to your heart? Do you give selflessly? Do you have associations and involvement with people? Do you have emotional commitments and connections with others?

Outside World. Do you care about the environment, your community, and your world? Do you plant trees and nurture a garden? Do you support community improvements? Do you cherish this amazing world that we are lucky enough to inhabit? How do you care for the world outside of you?

Spirituality. What do you believe in? What stirs your soul? What do you lean on during trying times and give gratitude for during times of plenty? What centers you and gives you peace? This may be your God, a religion, or a knowing. When you take a deep breath and look at the sky, what cleanses your thoughts? What do you hold sacred? This is spirituality. What is this for you?
​
Wealth. This is not about your bank account or how fancy your car is. This is about feeling wealthy. Do you have what you need to survive? A shelter to live in where you feel safe. Do you have food to eat and clothes to keep you warm? But more than that, are you surrounded by friends and family, do you feel loved, and do you have free time to relax and read a book? These are all luxuries that should make you feel wealthy. What does your wealth look like?

Purpose. I believe we are in this life for three reasons. To learn what we are here to learn, to teach what we are here to teach, and to love and be loved.

How would you report your success in this area? Do you take lessons from your life experiences, even if they are failures or tragedies? Do you teach others when you have the opportunity to? Not in a boastful or bragging way, but in a kind and caring way.
And finally, have you loved and been loved? Have you loved during the hard times and the good? Have you allowed others to invade your heart and felt their love reach inside to loop the love you hold and allow it to circle back to theirs? Have you loved family and strangers alike? Have you loved and been grateful for this amazing life you have been given?  

You may have more categories to include in your life resume, but you see the point. This isn’t about punching a time clock, hitting your goal, or how good you are at making money. This is about emotions, feelings, and your purpose in life.

What would your life resume look like?
                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
                                                        Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                    A work resume tells the story of what you do.
                                      A life resume tells the story of who you are.
                                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

I was not raised in a wealthy family. I never noticed. We always had clothes to wear and food to eat. Our vacations revolved around road trips to see grandparents or a camping adventure. We were taught to be respectful, do chores, and not talk back. My siblings and I spent most of our days building roads in the sandbox, riding our bikes to the swimming pool, and squabbling as kids do. It was a simple time. A happy time.

I wonder if I knew I was happy when I was happy?  

I was in 9th grade when I took my first plane trip. We went to my uncle’s funeral. I remember seeing him at the visitation and crying uncontrollably. It was my first experience with grief. It was a new feeling in my gut. It hurt in a new way. ​It was not like a skinned knee from a bicycle crash. It was a wound to my heart that I had never felt before.  

I wonder if I knew I was grieving when I was grieving?

I have a photo of me when I was 22. I weighed 97 lbs. This was much less than my ‘normal’ thin weight. I was married and had a toddler and a newborn. I was not eating and crying a lot. Looking at this photo and remembering that time, it is obvious I was struggling with postpartum depression. I do not remember anyone asking me if I was ok, after all, everything in my world seemed perfect. Postpartum depression was not a term that was used back then.

Looking at the photo of this sad girl, I wonder if I knew I was depressed when I was depressed?

So many times in life, we rush through experiences, good and bad, with an oblivious heart. We don’t feel the moment for what it is. We glaze over the emotions we are feeling- until we look back.

Memories have a way of waking up past emotions. Looking at photographs, watching home videos, or bumping into an old friend can suck them right back to the surface in a new way.

When you run into an old flame, you might remember the break-up, but when you see them, you may also remember the happy times that the pain buried.

Watching those home videos of your childhood, you may be struck by the memories of how much you wanted to be a grown-up. How much you wanted your childhood to speed by so you could jump into life. You may also realize that this part of your life went by too fast and that you yearn for that time again. The simple time. The happy time.

Looking at old photos of you, you may be overwhelmed by feelings. The excitement of when you were a teenager playing high school sports. The thrill of wearing that tux or white dress, walking down the aisle to begin a new life, and wondering what the future would hold. Oh, how young you looked. The combination of love and fear that filled your heart in the photo of you holding your newborn. And the grief that pours from the photo of you holding your loved one’s hand as they passed.

There is nothing like a photo album to walk you through your life in an emotional way.
And with every photo, you wonder…if you knew then what you feel now.
                                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
                                                  Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                                       Don’t rush life.
                              Feel the emotions that every moment gives. 
                                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

​I am not a real fan of reality television. I will admit that in the last few years, I have sporadically watched a few. I haven’t watched the famous families or housewives. From the trailers, I always felt they were about drama and tearing people down.
The ones that I have watched are about building relationships. Sure, there is drama, and at times I question the reality of it- is it real or is it scripted, scheduled, and staged?

One show has the premise of ‘dating’ without seeing each other. The question is, do looks really matter? Can they fall in love with another human without seeing them? And then, when they do, will their looks matter and change the way they feel?

The second show is similar. Couples meet, but​ they don’t know each other's age. ​They get to know each other and build a relationship before they ever find that out. The age difference between couples ranged from 17 to 30 years. When that reality hits, will it matter? Will it change the way they feel about each other?

The combination of these two shows has me pondering. With all the arguing, disagreements, and issues in our world, what if...

What if we didn’t know what people looked like? What if we didn’t know their age? What if we didn’t know their beliefs, their past, their mistakes, their struggle, or their fears?

If we didn’t know these things about another person, would we build a better relationship? Would we see them differently? Would we see their hearts rather than their outward looks? Would age really matter? Could we look at a person as a person and not judge them?

Judgement is the real concept. The deeper concept. How many times have you judged someone by their looks before you even knew their name? And would their name cause more judgement?

Sometimes we judge people as being too young to have the experience required to know much about life. They are too young to pay attention to.

Sometimes we judge people as being too old to bother with. Too old to listen to. Too old to spend time with or learn from, after all, they are not up to date or up to speed on life anymore. They are dated, obsolete, and disposable.  

Then add these to this list of judgements. We judge them on their past, where they grew up, what kind of house they live in, and their personal style of dress. We judge quickly and lock in our judgement. Is that fair?

Then we find out more about them, and we build more judgement. When we find out the mistakes they have made. Oh… they are divorced. Oh, they are a different religion. Oh, they went to rehab. Oh, oh, oh. We lock in our perception of what this means and lock in our judgement even further.

Should any of this matter? Depending on the situation, maybe some of it should. And some of it shouldn’t.

What if, for one week, you looked at people by looking at their hearts? Not their looks, their age, or their beliefs. Just look at their heart. Get to know their heart. Reach the spot where you realize that without the facts that create judgement, we are all the same. People. Just people. Can you, for even just one day, see the reality? See the person?
​
Pennie’s Life Lesson: The reality of life is that judgement clouds our view. 

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

​I was trapped. My eyes were tightly closed to protect them from the glass and debris. I tried a tiny squint, but all I could see was darkness. The strange silence was only interrupted by the sizzling of my car. The smells of antifreeze, oil, and gasoline mixed with the windshield fluid and the hot asphalt of the road.

I couldn’t move. I was physically and emotionally alone for what seemed to be forever. I thought death was an odd situation – if that was where I was.
Then I saw the light.

This was years ago, but I can recite second by second every thought, every feeling, and every minute of the hours that it took to cut my car apart, remove me, transport me by ambulance to the hospital, and endure hours of testing and fear.
When trauma hits, when life is difficult, when the world feels uncertain, it seems like it will never end. It will.

Everything is temporary.

We all go through difficult times of intense loss, transitions, and pressure. Some of the hardest times are the loss of a loved one, divorce, health issues, and financial stress.

The death of a spouse, child, or parent is statistically ranked as one of the most difficult experiences a person will go through. Grief and loss create a powerfully painful journey.

Transitions such as the loss of a job, bankruptcy, separation, or divorce cause major emotional stress and require regrouping and starting over.
A health crisis for you or someone you love can magnify the physical component of a stressful situation.

During any of these scenarios, the loss of control takes over. ​Being overwhelmed and stretched to your limit becomes your life. Temporarily.

Uncertainty flows through your veins. The fear of what the future will be financially, what your identity will look like, and where the rocky road is taking you, adds to the difficult times. Temporarily.

The withdrawing behavior of turtling away from the world and living in isolation may feel safe…temporarily.

Even during the most difficult of times, remember it is temporary. There will be light in your life again. Reach out to friends, family, and professional help. As hard as it is, try looking at the challenging time as a learning experience and an opportunity to grow. And focus on taking one moment, one day, one week at a time. Patience can be your friend during stressful situations.  
 
That day, trapped in my car, hanging upside down by my seat belt, in the darkness, and engulfed by the smells I can’t forget, the pain and panic seemed permanent. Fear and uncertainty overwhelmed me. And then… a voice began yelling to me, the airbag that surrounded me was punctured from the outside, and I saw light.

When my car was dismantled, and I was lifted out by firemen and rescue workers, I felt the light of the sun and the heat of the hot summer day. Confined to a gurney by a neck brace and backboard, I was rolled down the hallway and once again squinted from the bright lights of the emergency room. After being in the darkness, light was comforting.

The recovery was slow and painful. I was forced to become very good at patience. I isolated for a while, but with the support of many medical professionals, family, and friends, that difficult time of my life was temporary.

Was my life forever changed? Yes, but it wasn’t over. I learned about myself. I grew. I changed, and I realized that there is light after darkness and everything is temporary.
                                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                        Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                                  Everything is temporary.
                                       There is always a light after the darkness.
                                     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Who hurt you?

If I ask you that question, I predict you could list a few people and circumstances. You might go way back to when you were young and work your way through your life. ​You might think of the neighborhood kid who bullied you in first grade. The person you went to the Jr. High School dance with and never called again. The friend in college who stole your boyfriend and married him. The boss who didn’t give you the promotion you deserved. I am sure you are mentally creating your own list of people who have caused you pain.  

Our brains tend to hold on to these hurtful memories. As the list grows, the hurt becomes deeper. The scab is pulled off… again and again.

Now, think about this. Who loved you? Who loves you now? Who made or makes you feel loved?

Our brains hold on to these memories too. My list would begin with the kindergarten teacher who always wore a white beaded necklace and gave hugs every morning. My grandmother, who taught me how to paint, decorate cakes, and understand life. My lifelong friend, who for years walked with me in the early mornings, and together we solved the problems of the world. My husband, my children, my parents, my siblings, my friends, my dogs… I could go on.

What would your list look like?

It may be very different than mine. Both of our lists would be individual to our lives. Hopefully, your second list will be much longer than the first one. But the first list may receive the most attention from our thoughts. More attention than it deserves.

We are given love and feel love every day. They can be tiny glimmers of care that zap our hearts, but our mind doesn’t record them as important. We glaze by them – but they matter. Think about the barista who decorated your coffee this morning with a milk foam heart. When your cat lies on your lap and vibrates a calming purr that goes right to your heart. When your toddler runs to you when you pick them up from daycare after a long workday.

We are also given moments of hurt and pain. These zap our hearts, and our mind grabs them, thinks about them, and stores them so we can pull them out and allow them to punch our hearts, and yes, the scab comes off… again and again.
What if, for one day, you could forget the hurt and pain of yesterday? What if you could forget who hurt you? And what if, for one day, you could remember who loved and loves you?

It is a mind shift. It’s heart-clearing and mind-cleansing. You remove the memories of hurt and allow space for memories and feelings of love to fill the opening.

Begin your day by standing in front of the mirror and saying to that beautiful reflection, “I will forget who hurt me yesterday and remember who loves me today.”
You may need to say it more than once. Then step outside to begin the day and feel the glorious sun on your face. Do you feel loved by the warmth?

With every step of your day, with every meeting, with every smile you receive, remind yourself that you feel loved. You may need to repeat your mirror talk throughout the day to keep your mind set on love.

When you concentrate more on who and how you are loved instead of who and how you have been hurt, your day will be very different. Continue this pattern, and your life will be very different.
Now let’s see that list… who loves you?
                                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                     Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                          I will forget who hurt me yesterday
                                                                        and
                                            remember who loves me today.
                                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2026 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
#CornerofSpiritandBrave #LoveYourLifeNoMatterWhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt #IAmGoodEnough #grief #Love #Joy #HowToBeHappy #Happiness

​YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
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