THE ROAD TO TRANQUILITY
On the way to my home I turn a sharp corner. I say sharp because if I didn’t make the turn I would drive right into a barricade. The special thing about the corner is the sign above the barricade. It says, “Tranquility” with an arrow pointing toward my home. Every time I drive by the sign and make the turn I take a deep breath in agreement. My home is a place of safety, peace and, yes, tranquility. For years I have called my home the, “House of Zen.” From the moment I enter I am greeted with the serenity of water trickling over slate stones in my water fall. There is no television on the main floor of my home and only the sound of serene music mixes with the water. The views from my windows are of nature in its glory. In every corner are items that bring me joy and comfort. My home is my sanctuary. How does your home create tranquility for you? When you walk through the threshold do you feel safe? What do you need to do to create calmness and serenity? You would be surprised as to how the littlest things can make a huge difference. Think of your senses…. What you see, hear, smell, touch and taste in your home spurs feelings. Music, candles, water, fire, flowers, texture….. these are things that can change the entire feel of a home and create a place of tranquility. Isn’t this the way we should feel as we are entering our private space? As I turn the corner this in-my-face visual reminds me to leave all my worries, concerns and negative experiences at the corner. When I turn onto that road to tranquility I am at peace. I am at home. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Home is your space for safety, peace and tranquility.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to create a space of calm in your home... a place for you to feel safe and loved. 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 © 2013-2015 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: [email protected] Thank you!
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Holding Hands
When I look at my hands I see the continuation of my Grandmother. The reflection of her mirrors me with the same fingers, wrinkles, veins and lines. I see my hands hold the frosting tube the way she did as she taught me to create roses for a wedding cake. I see them cup during meditation the way hers folded for prayer. The language of hands goes far past waving goodbye, clapping for joy, or the blowing of kisses. Hands go straight to the heart, the head and the mouth in immediate reaction to cover our pain, our cries and our sorrows. Our hands carry impressions of our ancestors; the work they did; the burdens they carried; the imprint of who they lifted and who they pushed down; the strength of who they fought and who they protected; and the love of who they reached for and who they let go of. Our hands hold the heart-print for generations of the future. The calluses and the gentleness are saved like the treasures we tuck in our pockets, to be reached for and pulled out by new hands. What we feel and have felt lodges in the lifelines of our family palms. The top of my hands with the wrinkles and veins bring me to a place of respect for the hands that came before me -- who they held and who they loved. The palms of my hands are the soft newness of generations ahead waiting to experience and explore. The spaces between my fingers hold the secrets of the past and the anticipation of the future. I am careful of what I hold with my hands. Dirt is never completely washed away as my hands melt into the hands of the future. I am intentional with who I hold with my hands as the love will pass forward as a compass for compassion. My hands are my grandmother’s hands. I guard my hands with reverence for the past and hope for the future. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Our hands carry impressions of our ancestors and heart-prints for generations yet to come.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to see how generations are all connected -- love and appreciate this connection! 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 © 2013-2015 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: [email protected] Thank you! 
PERCEPTION of PERFECTION
Recently it was pointed out to me that I am not 28 anymore. This message came in two ways. One from my body as I bent over during a Yoga pose and thought to myself, “Whose knees are those?” Later as I was questioning out loud how my knees have changed, a friend pointed out that my age number no longer begins with a "2." When did that happen? For that matter, how did I rush through 3 and 4? My friend’s point was, why would I expect to have 28 year old knees when I wasn’t 28 anymore and that I should stop being critical and accept myself and body for the beauty it holds, even if my number now begins with a "5." Whoa! That set off some major pondering in my head. Accept myself? Accept myself? The first thing I had to do was contemplate what my perception of me at this age and space in my life should be. What was I willing to accept? I will admit to being someone who over the years has had a difficult time with the perception of perfection. I have been the over achiever who wanted to be perfect. The perfect wife. The perfect daughter. The perfect mom. The perfect friend. All my life I have held a perception of what my perfect weight should be, what I should and shouldn't eat, how much I should work out, what I should be doing for others… the list could go on and on. Take a minute and visualize the Perception of Perfectionyou hold for yourself. Do you have it? If you are like me it is an over exaggerated, unattainable Perception of Perfection fueled by our own self talk and the world we live in. The media tells us minute-by-minute how we should look, dress and feel. We buy into this and continually believe we are not good enough. Is this realistic? My pondering has brought me to a place of honesty with myself. My new mantra is this: Pennie’s Perception of Perfection= Honesty, Health and Happiness. I may not be the same size I was and have the stamina I had at 28, but I look and feel pretty good. I am healthy and I love my life. And guess what? My age number does start with "5" and those are my knees. Now take out your paper and pen and write your ownPerception of Perfection that fits you. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “Our personal Perception of Perfection should be based in Honesty, Health and Happiness.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to love the age you are, the body you have and the joy life brings during all times of your life! 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 © 2013-2015 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: [email protected] Thank you! 
LET’S GET OUR BUTTS ON THE RIDE
My husband and I both have a fear of Ferris wheels. There is something about being suspended in mid-air, with our legs dangling from a bucket as it swings and rotates that is not our idea of fun. Recently while visiting Atlanta, we planned a day of sightseeing. We walked from our hotel to Centennial Olympic Park to visit the attractions in that area. With a little time before our first tour, we stumbled upon something that was hard to miss. The SkyView Atlanta Ferris Wheel. This isn't the average carnival Ferris wheel. This is 20 stories high; an impressive site to see. We read the sign about how it rotates 4 times, the buckets are actually enclosed, air-conditioned gondolas and the ride takes about 15 minutes. None of this lessened our fear of Ferris wheels….and this was a big one. There wasn't a line and we had some time, so we decided if we were going to do it we better get our butts on the ride. Without hesitation we bought our tickets, jumped in and heard the door lock. Suddenly we gave each other the what-have-we-done look! I’m not sure about my husband, but for the first rotation my eyes were closed, my breath was held and fear took over. Reaching the top of the second rotation I opened my eyes. The view was incredible! It felt like we could see the entire city. By the third rotation we were both smiling. After the forth we wereglad to put our feet back on the ground, yet happy for the experience. Isn't life so often like this? We stand by silently wishing we could jump on the ride, yet we hesitate and hush our enthusiasm. Our fear takes over and we play it safe by just watching instead of participating. The time isn't right, what if we would get hurt or fall off; of course we will do it another time. Life isn't always a smooth ride. It can go round and round with monotonous predictability, then suddenly everywhere we turn we are hit, jerked and slammed like bumper cars jolting back and forth. It can be dangerous to ride life’s roller coaster up and down through the peaks and valleys. In the ride of life it is in the bumps and jerks that we learn our biggest lessons. Without the valleys of fear and desperation we can’t appreciate the peaks of being on top where the view is incredible. If we stand on the sidelines we miss the experience. If we had thought about our fear we wouldn't have gotten on that Ferris wheel. We would have missed the experience. The second chance may have never come. Now, "Let's get our butts on the RIDE!" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "Don’t stand on the sidelines of life – jump in and enjoy the ride!”
YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to never miss the opportunity to jump into your life - never miss an experience! 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 © 2013-2015 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: [email protected] Thank you! |
AuthorThere is a certain magic about where I live both physically and spiritually – on the crossroads of Spirit and Brave. Archives
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PLEASE NOTE: This page does not provide medical or legal advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site and links to other sites, Pennie Hunt provides general information for inspiration, encouragement and educational purposes only. The information provided in this site, or through links to other sites, is not a substitute for legal, medical, or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call or the advice of your lawyer, physician or other healthcare provider. |