OPENHEARTED
For many of us winter is long, cold and isolating. This kind of cold makes us hunker down in our homes curled tightly in a “protect me” position. It is human nature during any type of cold to do this. Weather, anger, rejection, betrayal, grief, fear all create feelings of cold and isolation. The tight “protect me” pose closes our body posture in a way that tightens around our heart secluding it from others. When the end of winter is in sight and the journey through life challenges comes to a close we see the sun fill our lives once again. As the warmth rejuvenates us, we stand up taller in a happier stance. This strengthens and stretches our lives in a more openhearted way allowing love to flow through freely. This openheartedness creates a glow that not only warms us, but everyone we interact with. By pulling back the layers that protected us from the cold, like Superman pulling back his shirt, we reveal our heart and come alive once again. Pay attention to how and when you fold into “protect me” position. Pay attention to how and when you break free of your cocoon to spread your butterfly wings for all to see. There is a time for both. Power comes with knowing when to curl and when to fly. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “There is a time for both the caterpillar’s cocoon of safety and the freedom of butterfly wings. Recognize when it is time to be safe and when it is time to fly.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
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LIFE IS ALWAYS FILLING
Marion is an eccentric combination of Annie Oakley, Gloria Steinem and Shirley Temple. Like Annie Oakley, Marion understood tough times and learned to work hard in order to become financially successful. In the 1860’s Annie, changed ideas about the abilities of women. A century later, Marion did the same. Both had the courage to prove that a woman could stand her ground in the world that men controlled.
Marion, a single, teenage mom with an 8th grade education began waitressing in a small cafe bringing tips home to provide for her infant son and mother.
Over the years she gained her PHD in the ways of life eventually purchasing the cafe, bars, supper clubs and even a construction company. Like Gloria Steinem, she was not afraid to speak up and voice her opinion -even when it was unpopular. She continues to be a strong advocate for women and doesn’t shy away from a discussion about her political views. I’ve seen Marion lock in a business deal during dinner, strongly expressing her opinion about the details of the agreement and, then, just as easily changes her composure, blinks her flirty eyes and giggles with the impish playfulness of a young Shirley Temple. Marion is a force to be noticed. Marion is my mother-in-law. I delight in listening to the stories of her younger years when purchasing property was done with a hand shake and over-bearing men were no match for her. She tells of how she has made money, lost money, felt success and experienced desperate times. It was during one of these stories that I heard her make this profound comment, “I never really looked at my glass as half full or half empty. I always thought my glass was filling up!” That statement should be on T-shirts, coffee mugs and tattoos! That is not just optimistic – that is living a life of expectation. A life of adventure. A life of anticipation-- of learning from whatever waits around the next corner. What if we could all see life that way? The next time you believe you are having a bad day or living through a challenging time think of it as your life just filling up. Filling up with experiences to learn from. Allow your cup to fill with all life has to offer- the good and the challenging. I hope for Marion, for me and for everyone that our cup of life continues to fill until that very last drip tickles the rim and runs down the side. And when that happens we all wink, giggle and with an impish smile know that our life was full! Pennie’s Life Lesson- “Your glass is not half empty or half full – it is always filling!”
YOUR TURN...
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
UBUNTU,
I AM BECAUSE WE ARE After several years filled with emotional events, celebrations and struggles I recognized the significant role women play in a family and the strength they bring to the stability of the family tree. Through my roller coaster ride that I call life, I know I can count on these women for sharing laughter, tears, and a hand up or at times a push forward, but always, always, love and encouragement. There is an African Philosophy which describes this called Ubuntu. It means - "I am because we are." The women of a family work together like the stitches in a quilt. Each stitch is unique-some long, some short, some tightly pulled, some more relaxed, but each add their own character to the patchwork, creating strength that helps all of life's experiences to make sense. Ubuntu, I am because we are. Years ago the Hunt family formed a gathering called the Women's Annual Rejuvenating Montage. The acronym WARM was formed. Invitations were sent, a logo was created and the t-shirts were made. The WARM Guiding Principles are simple. A member must be a woman at least 18 years old AND a direct descendant of my mother; married to her direct descendant; or given birth to one of her direct descendants. Ubuntu, I am because we are. WARM was created for the women following my mother to rejuvenate, relax and continually nurture the bond we share. Our montage is the juxtaposing of diverse personalities into a single element of commonality. We have learned to understand each other, and ourselves, better as we discover our own shared human qualities and how we all fit in relation to our quilted family. During these gatherings we are willing to share, willing to be vulnerable, and willing to affirm and accept each other as a part of the whole. Ubuntu, I am because we are. This tradition will continue past our lifetimes and for generations to come. The Ubuntu belief is that our ancestors continue to exist among the living. With every new member, WARM will carry the spirit and love of all of us as we come and go, stitch by stitch, adding strength to our quilted bond. Ubuntu, I am because we are. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "No one stands alone - we are who we are because we all exist together." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to look at the people in your life who make you who you are, the ones you can count on...the ones that you know that without them you would not be the person you are today. Who stands in UBUNTU with you? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE Years ago I heard a story about an executive who was called into the human resources department and invited to find success elsewhere. The executive commented, “I have been on your side of the table and fired many people in my career. What I have learned is that there are two sides to the table…. Today it is my turn to be on the other side.” There are many tables in life. We often forget there are two sides to each table. During our happiest experiences do we realize that at the exact same time it could be one of those moments of desperation for someone else? A young couple I know brought a baby girl into the world a year ago. They were ecstatic to add the curly headed beauty to their family. They were on the right side of the table. Unfortunately, their sweet baby lived less than a month and they were forced to the other side of the table in the most devastating way. Happily, this week my young friends rejoiced at the birth of a baby girl who shares the same curly black hair as her sister before her. I join their friends and family surrounding them with love and well wishes. At the same time a longtime friend of mine passed away due to cancer. I join her friends and family clinging to the circle of support and love which surrounds them. I received emails and phone calls from one family sharing joyous news, while at the same time I received the most devastating messages of grief and sadness from the other. The table stood large before me as I saw the experiences of both sides. Pain and grief on one side. Joy and gratitude on the other. How often do we forget that while we sit on one side of the table that there is always someone on the other side? My young friends today hold their new daughter marveling at her perfection while the soreness of missing their first daughter lives in their hearts. They know what it’s like to be on both sides of the table. The ebb and flow, the natural order, the balance of good verses bad is part of our daily lives. It takes the ebb to feel the flow. It takes the bad to know the good. It takes a backdrop of the darkness of night to see the sunrise in the morning. Be sensitive. Be grateful. Be aware. We never know when it will be our turn to sit at the other side of the table. Pennie’s Life Lesson ~ “There's always two sides to the table. Be grateful when you sit on the sunny side and strong when you find yourself on the shadowed side.” ************* Special thanks to Ms. Amara Beatrix Mitchell for allowing me to use her beauty shot in this post! *************
YOUR TURN...
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! I DRIVE HIS TRUCK It sits in the garage. Everyone wonders why I keep it. The dust and dirt of the seasons covers it. I walk by it every day as the months and years come and go. Twice a year I drive it. I slide in the seat. The smell of him is fading and the air freshener he tucked in the vent is beginning to crumble. I carefully back down the driveway. The gear shift is tight with age. The windows rattle and the water seeps in as I drive it through the car wash. The repair shop asks me why I want the oil changed when there has only been 50 miles driven since the last service. I don’t tell them. When I drive I feel his arms blend with mine as our hands in unison hold the steering wheel. I push in his Bob Dylan cassette and it crackles loudly through the speakers. Our hands drum to the beat. And we are off. We drive together, he and I, through 22 years of memories; the good, the painful, the magical and the tragic. We find ourselves in a place where here and there - now and then doesn't matter. A place where love binds us back together. When I carried him I wanted to experience and remember every moment of my pregnancy and every un-medicated contraction during his arrival. It would be my last passage through the process. I re-live these now. His first steps, his first words and his first day of school blur into the yellow lines of the road we travel. We drive by the baseball field where his Little League Tournaments were played and the skate park responsible for his first stitches. We stop at the gardens where the stone holds his name and the saying by Rumi. We pass the gas station where I bought his last tank of gas. The wind whistles as we drive through town by his apartment and onto the interstate where we drive fast as our thoughts and pain escalate I hear his fishing poles and baseball equipment rattle in the back. The speed is cleansing. Together we sing, we laugh, we shout, we cry. We say prayers of gratitude for his life, our life together, his brother, his sister, family, friends -- and his daughter. I hear the echo from so many years ago when the phone rang with a voice telling me he was gone. Carefully I position it back in the garage. Bob Dylan stops. Time is put in park as I feel his beard brush against my cheek and, “I love you, mom,” hums in my ears. I answer, “I love you too, honey. I love you so.” Another anniversary of that phone call comes to an end. His birthday will be here soon. Until then it sits in the garage. Everyone wonders why I keep it. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Love binds us together no matter what separates us." J.T. (Jameson Tanner) Lindemann 1985-2007YOUR TURN... Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
SEEING FOR
THE FIRST TIME He runs in the room, stops right in front of me and says, "Oh, Hi!" This is a lovely greeting that I have heard three times in the last 30 minutes. You see every time his almost two year old legs carry him out of the room and then back again he looks at me as if I have just arrived. With every, “Oh… Hi,” his enthusiasm and excitement jumping-jacks out of his body and his expression is one of pure delight! Everyone laughs at the charm of this, but the lesson is not lost on me. Imagine if we saw everything in every moment of our lives as if we were seeing it for the first time....even if we just saw it five minutes ago? Can you imagine being in the present moment at that level? Everything in our world would seem bigger and brighter. Looking at the sky would be like seeing blue for the first time. The sound of music would be as if we had never experienced harmony before. We would notice every petal on the flower, every flavor in our food, every breeze that brushes our cheek. Hearing the voice, laughter and seeing the face of those close to us would be like the moment we fell in love with them – over and over again. We would only see what is in front of us at that very second without giving any thought to what captured us the second before or what may be waiting for us around the next minute. Now, just right now is what fills the screen of our mind in vivid color and exquisite freshness. What pleasure! What joy! What an awesome way to experience life! Why not begin now? Stop right in front of the next person you see and say, “Oh…Hi!” and feel the thrill of seeing them for the first time! Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Greet every moment, person, place and thing as if you are seeing them for the first time. Savor the experience with new eyes.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... How could you work this into your life? What would you love to see again - for the first time? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
MEDITATION SAVED MY LIFE!
I began meditating over a decade ago during a very stressful time in my life. I was certain my mind and body would explode from the pressure, as I tried to handle many highly emotional life situations. Desperation set in as I struggled to gain some essence of control in my world of chaos. My first attempt at gaining relief from this tension was when I sat down, closed my eyes and with the sound of rain falling in my headphones said to myself over and over and over again, "Clear my mind... clear my mind... clear my mind." I didn't know what meditation was, nor did I realize thatwas what I was doing. I just knew I needed peace in my mind, heart and soul I lasted about five minutes, before I jumped up believing I had failed as my mind hadn't cleared at all. Determined, I continued this routine daily and soon I became more and more successful. Some days I could actually sit for the 5 minutes and my mind would clear. The minutes turned to ten, then fifteen and at times I would sit for hours. Meditation saved my life. I learned how to separate myself from the world outside of my body and control my emotions, thoughts and feelings. I could handle the stress of all that was happening in a clean, clear and calm way. After years of learning about the many various types of meditation, I have settled in to what works for me. I believe you do not have to follow a certain meditation dogma or philosophy to receive an emotional and physical benefit. The basic premise is to quiet your thoughts and allow calm, contentment and peace to fill the space of your mind and body. Now, whether I want to relax and release tension or concentrate on one thought, I turn to daily meditation as my life saving method. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "Quiet your mind and allow calm, contentment and peace to fill you." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to try meditation. Begin by closing your eyes in peace for short amounts of time. Let me know how this works for you! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
LIFE VEST
I was forced in the water 5 years, 8 months and 5 days ago. She was pushed recently. I met her last month. Immediately, I saw the ache in her eyes as we spoke; the hurt that hides behind the everyday chit chat and smiles. I know too well how to recognize the look of buried pain that is in the eyes of every grieving parent. We shared photographs. We all carry one. Some are wrinkled and worn and some are sealed in protective covers to keep them safe. I noticed the care she took when I handed her the picture of my son, J.T. and the loving way she brushed her fingers over it. I silently thanked her for that. I did the same with her photograph. We parents with angel children understand that the love we send them does not stop just because they are not physically here with us. Our stories are different, and yet the same. The love we feel for our children. The pain we feel without them. The memories, the "did-that's”, the "wish-we-could's," the missing and the wanting all roll into one similar pond of pain. I am further in the water than she is. The hot and cold of it, the swirling and splashing is a continual dance of how we maneuver without drowning. The trick is to do it with the grace and balance required to keep our heads above water -and breathing--always breathing. At times I have fought the water current and at times I have floundered reaching for a life vest. The life vest has become one I wear secretly like bullet proof protection under my clothes with the hope that nothing this painful will ever penetrate my heart again. I continue forward. I see others in the distance, with well-worn life vests, who have maneuvered the water much longer than I have. I feel comfort in knowing they are leaving a trail to follow. I turn to see the ones behind me as they wade in, stumbling and unsure if they will survive the voyage. I reach my hand back to steady them as the waves hit, listen to them as they cry and help them position their life vests. After 5 years, 8 months and 5 days I have learned to swim a little better. But, I will always wear my life vest. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “Sometimes we need a life vest and sometimes we can be a life vest for others.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to reach out to others going through a difficult experience-- one that you have lived through! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com 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: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
In honor of Mother's Day, I am sharing this "Pennies From The Past" about my Mom.
My amazement, respect and love for my Mom grows with each year. Happy Mother's Day to the Fernster!
OH FERN !
I can still hear my Dad say, “Oh, Fern”, as she began one of her stories. He called her Fernie Annie. Her nickname is The Fernster. Elsie Fern Tutewiler Hunt – yes, that is her name. To me she is Mom and yet, she is more than any of those names. Growing up I remember her as the family organizer, the child wrangler, the disciplinarian, and the choreographer of our life. She was a working Mom when most were home watching soap operas and creating meals from the Betty Crocker Cook Book. She worked hard and expected the same from others. Thinking about the Fernster, I began to wonder who she was before me, before the years of motherhood and responsibility wrapped around her. I looked at some pictures of her in younger days. I saw the impish smile of a child and imagined her laugh. I saw the hair of a young woman flow around her physical presence – self-assured, happy and carefree. I realized that stepping back from the Mom I've always loved I could look deeper to see a whole person. Years before her title of Mom, there was a woman filled with spirit, determination and dreams, eager to experience this world. The Fernster is almost 82 now and slowing down a bit. Her eyesight a little less focused, her hearing and memory a little muffled, yet her spirit and spunk remain intact. Now I see the whole person wrapped with memories of a life lived, people loved and experiences had. And yet, the spark of that young woman still burns with spirit, determination and enthusiasm for life ahead. The Fernster. Fernie Annie. Elsie Fern Tutewiler Hunt, yes to me she is Mom and yet, she is more than any of those names. I value her not only as Mom, but as a whole person she is. I love her so -- the person she was before me and the person she is today with me. Oh Fern, keep telling those stories. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “Step back to see the ones you love as a whole person!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you see all the people in your life as much more than who they are now to you... look at all of their titles, their life experiences, their hopes and dreams. See them as the 'whole' person they are! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
TWO-A-DAYS
Have you ever participated in a team sport, trained for a marathon or tried to lose weight? A common practice during these times is, TWO-A-Days. This is when a team or person doubles up on their efforts and for a time practices or works out twice in the same day. The concept of doubling up, or TWO-A-Days, may also apply to studying during exam season or even when you have a cold and double your intake of vitamin C. I have a new application for this concept. There are times when your mind and soul need this same kind of extra attention. When you are overwhelmed, overstressed, or overtired—you know, those times when the faster you go the more you have to do and it seems like there is never enough time to get it all done. Your mind is racing and you feel like you are going crazy! This is the perfect time to add TWO-A-Days to your life. Twice a day begin just sitting. If you meditate now, begin doing it twice a day. If meditation is foreign to you, just give yourself 5, 10, or 15 minutes twice a day to just sit, relax and breathe. I realize this seems impossible when you already are stretched for time and don’t have a minute to spare. But, THIS is exactly when you need to do it the most. Giving this extra time and space to clearing your mind puts the chaos on hold and helps you gain mental and physical balance. During stressful times it also allows space for answers to come. TWO-A-Days don’t have to be just for sports. Learn to implement this into your own life. Once you get through the stressful time you may realize all the benefits it brings into your life. Peacefulness, calm, the ability to cope, and the lessening of the physical damage stress does to your body are all benefits of this practice. You may decide giving yourself the gift of quiet twice a day is something you want to continue every day. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Give yourself the gift of quiet twice a day. You deserve the peace it will bring to your life.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to understand that during the craziest times of life, you need to take care of yourself in a calm and loving way! Please share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
CLEAN YOUR VIEW
The window washers just left. I can see like I have never seen before! Yes, I have cleaned my windows in the past, but this is the first time in the years that I have lived in my home that I hired a window service. They cleaned all my windows and doors quickly, systematically and professionally. I watched from the inside of my house as they soaped the window in front of me. The deposits of the seasons and weather ran down the glass in a muddy rinse. As the squeegee moved back and forth the clarity opened with every stroke until the window was a bright exposed screen to life outside. I had no idea the windows were that dirty. I had been living (I thought) comfortably in my home glancing occasionally out the window with little thought to whether I was able to see clearly. Isn’t that how we live our lives? We skip along day by day not even noticing what is in our view. We are numbed by our thoughts and memories of the past and occupied by our hopes and dreams of the future. We survive in a comfortable chaos somewhere between the two without realizing that we are missing out on our present purpose. Our present purpose is to breathe this breath, walk this step, see, smell and taste this moment. It is not to be so clouded by the dirt of the past and the film of the future that we don’t see the sparkling canvas of nowright in front of us. Is it time to clean your windows? Is it time to soap away the preoccupation of what has happened, stop dreaming of what might happen and live in the sparkle of what is happening? Wash clean the window of your mind. Today, right now, this moment is an amazing sight. Relish the reality of now! See like you have never seen before! Enjoy the view! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: Wash away the preoccupation of what has happened; stop dreaming of what might happen and live in the sparkle of what is happening! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you live in what is happening right now. Enjoy your view! Please share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
IF YOU DON’T KNOW MY DOG’S NAME, YOU DON’T KNOW ME
If you know me, really know me, you know my dog’s name, her story, our story, and what she means to my heart. After my Dad passed away in 2005 I was asked to accept an award being presented in his honor from the school where he was a teacher. During the presentation the speaker outlined programs my Dad had started, accomplishments he made and footprints he had left in the life of the school and in the lives of the students he taught. I didn't know any of this before he passed. After my Son, J.T., passed away in 2007 I met people he touched and heard stories of how he taught them how to play guitar, how he had encouraged a church to give financial support to a young family in need and how he had befriended an internationally recognized artist and over coffee they would talk about the Universe. I didn't know any of this before he passed. How many times in life do we believe we know someone, yet we haven’t taken the time to know what makes their heart sing? We hurry through our days, our lives and our relationships without knowing who and what they love, what is important to them or what impact they are having by investing a piece of themselves in the heart of another. I regret not knowing these remarkable details about my Son and my Dad when they were alive. How I wish I could go back and share with my Dad my pride for his accomplishments when they happened. How I wish I could have shared in the conversations with my Son and the artist as they talked about the Universe. How I wish my heart had sung with theirs during these magic moments of their lives. It isn't that hard, really. We need to slow the pace of our lives. We need to take the screens away from our faces. The screens that include televisions, computers, phones and the emotional privacy screen we put up to keep us from getting too close or revealing too much. We need to sit knee to knee, eye to eye and connect. We need to care enough to listen and learn each other’s heart songs, likes and loves -the simple ones and the grand ones. As for me, if you don’t know my dog’s name, her story, our story, and what she means to my heart, you don’t know me. Her name is Yogee. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Care enough to really know someone – know what makes their heart sing.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to not be afraid to get to know others. Let them show you their heart and share yours with them. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
THE GIFT OF TEARS
“I don’t want to make you cry.” What an odd comment to make. One that echoed hollow in my ears over and over again during the weeks and months after my son passed away. My timid response became, “YOU are not making me cry. I cry every day. Let me cry. Cry with me.” I was reminded of this recently as I told a story to a young woman and watched as her eyes overflowed. I reached to wipe her tears away and I heard myself say, “I don’t want to make you cry.” Quickly she pulled back and said, “Let me cry. These are good tears.” She was right. When did tears become a bad thing? Why is the outward flushing of feelings as they flow through our emotions looked at as something that should be stopped, hushed and hidden? Tears are gifts we exchange with others under all kinds of circumstances. I gave mine freely to each of my babies as they came into this world. Over the years they have given theirs to me when they needed guidance, support and comfort. I gave them to all who have supported me at funerals and mixed mine with theirs as our grief blended in comfort. I have spilled them at weddings. I have exploded them in the midst of laughter. I have silently dropped them when the beauty of life has taken my breath away. I have exposed them during times of emotional and physical pain. In the same way a fever has heated my body to boil away the infection of illness tears have drenched the thirst of my pain. Maybe it is time to realize that tears are given to us for a purpose. They are the eye drops of all emotions. They are the flushing of our feelings; the happy ones and the sad ones. The next time someone shares the gift of tears with you, let them cry. Cry with them. Accept – and offer - the gift of tears. ~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: "Tears are the outward flushing of feelings as they flow through our emotions." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to not be afraid of tears- yours and other's. Understand the natural healing that occurs through the cleansing of tears! YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! THIS IS A GOOD DAY, SUCH A GOOD DAY! I hugged him, kissed his forehead and said good night. As I turned to walk away, he grabbed my arm and said, “This is a good day, such good day!” It was a month before he passed away. On a day that was circled with oxygen levels, medication and a sheepskin covered recliner – the things that became his life toward the end—I marveled at those words. I looked at him in amazement and smiled at this incredible man. His mind was bright and clear but, it was as though his body was wilting as the determined disease gained control. Even though heknew he was dying, he continued to be grateful and look at life in a positive way. But that was my Dad, Charlie Hunt. He was a teacher. Every day that he walked into his classroom filled with students he felt he was making a difference in their lives. But, outside of that, I am not sure if he knew he was teaching and making a difference with others in the grander classroom of life. He demonstrated lessons in humility, kindness, dedication, and compassion. Once when I had treated him to a special gift he said, “Oh, I don’t need anything this fancy; you know we are just simple people.” My Dad was teaching even in his last days. The final lesson he taught me was that no matter what life brings your way, always remember to begin and end every day knowing “THIS IS A GOOD DAY, SUCH A GOOD DAY!” Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all live life as simple people who celebrate every day in this way? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson- “No matter what life brings your way, begin and end every day knowing ~ THIS IS A GOOD DAY, SUCH A GOOD DAY!" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to enjoy every moment of every day... you never know how many days you will have. Every day IS a good day! YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! STOP THINKING AND BEGIN THANKING Have you found yourself in a situation where you think and think and think and can’t see a way through? Maybe you need to change your tactic. Maybe you don’t have a THINKING problem… maybe you have a THANKING problem. When you can’t THINK your way through, you need to THANK your way through! We live in a world that values process, procedure, charts, graphs, reports, analysis, logic and hard cold facts. But some situations cannot be logic-ed through! Some situations don’t make sense no matter how many charts you make or ways you look at it. Some situations are out of our control to change. Some situations are so painful that thinking about them becomes unbearable. Some situations you cannot THINK your way through! Yet, you can THANK your way through. Do you want a new job, a new home, a new relationship and you THINK about it all the time, but you don’t move forward. Until you are thankful for what you have you will never have more. Let me repeat that… Until you are thankful for what you have you will never have more. Don’t waste your time THINKING, poor me, I will never get that job, big house or perfect relationship. This kind of stinking thinking just builds resentment, anger and frustration. Instead, be thankful for the job you have now- no matter how bad it is; be thankful for the place you live now – no matter what size or condition it is in; and be thankful for the friends, family and relationships you already have –even if you don’t have that perfect partner right now. Once you begin being thankful for what you have you begin to get more! If you are grieving the loss of a job, relationship, or the passing of someone dear to you, turn any bitterness or anger into gratitude. Be thankful for the time you had with that situation or person. Be thankful for what you learned from them, (good and bad). Be thankful for the love they brought into your life and the love you had the opportunity to express to them – no matter what length of time that you had with them. When you turn THINKING into THANKING the pain of your grief will lighten. Once you begin being thankful for what you had or what you have now, you will begin to see your life in a new way. Change that one little letter in the middle of the word… stop THINKING and begin THANKING! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When you can’t THINK your way through, THANK your way through.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to step back from your challenges and look at what you can be grateful for NOW! YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! WE WILL HAVE A PARTY It's his 30th birthday, so we will have a party. A celebration of his creation day. Thirty years ago he arrived with twinkly eyes and an impish smile. And he taught me love. Twenty eight years ago he laid in an emergency room limp from a concussion. And he taught me fear. Twenty five years ago he dressed in a cowboy hat, chaps and boots as he watched the Three Amigos Movie with invisible friends and a rocking horse. And he taught me joy and laughter. He taught me imagination – or was it reality? Twenty one years ago he hit home runs over the fence and danced through the bases. And he taught me possibility and to dance with life. Fifteen years ago he challenged life for the risk of adventure. And he taught me patience. Twelve years ago he sat on the edge of the ocean. And he taught me what being an “artist” really means. Ten years ago he wrote me notes of love. And he taught me compassion. Nine years ago, guitar in hand, he serenaded me with a song about "Mom." And he taught me pride. Eight years ago he opened his heart to receive his newborn daughter as she arrived with twinkly eyes and an impish smile. He opened his arms to share her with me. And he taught me the continuation of love. Seven years ago he traveled on a new adventure leaving his body behind. And through the darkness of despair he taught me grace and gratitude. And then He gently held my hand and powerfully lifted me up. He began life with me in a new way. And he taught me courage and strength. He began whispering to me through thoughts and feelings. And he taught me to listen. He began appearing to me in nature, music and messages. And he taught me awareness. He began visiting me in dreams and visions. And he taught me faith. We will celebrate him! A celebration of his creation day. We will celebrate love and joy; laughter and imagination; possibility, patience and pride. We will celebrate with compassion, courage and strength; with awareness and faith. We will dance for him. We will dance with him. It's his 30th birthday, so we WILL have a party! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “Love teaches us to celebrate! Celebrate those you love!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to look at those you love --celebrate them now while they are here...AND celebrate them when they are gone. YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! When it comes to love, Anything Will Help! I turned the corner to head home after doing my weekly errands. I noticed at the street light ahead there was a man holding his cardboard sign that read, “Anything will help.” Pulling up next to him I rolled down my window and handed him one of my coffee shop gift cards that I carry just for occasions like this. I explained to him where the coffee shop was and that he could get something hot to drink and eat on this cold day. After he said, “Thank YOU,” for the third time our eyes met and I believe in that second he felt love. In that moment I felt love. I felt the love being returned from him and I also felt love for myself for showing kindness. Love works that way. If we don’t see love we can’t be love. In the moment he looked at me he understood that the gift card held more than a cup of coffee and a sandwich, it held love. When he looked in my eyes and saw love, he mirrored the love back to me filling me up with love from him and magnifying the love I hold inside of myself. Once we see love, we can BE love. How many times do we have the opportunity to show love for others to see? The answer is constantly! Love is not just for special celebrations or certain holidays. Love is for every moment of every day. The more love we show, the more love others see, the more love they can be filled with and the more love they show to others. This is the pay-it-forward of the heart. We see this mirrored magnification work all the time…. If you show anger, others show anger and it spreads. If you see fear, you become fear and it grows. Why would we want to waste our time on that? Become what you want more of. Become Love. Show love. It’s easy to show it with flowers, gifts and in big ways. It is harder to show it in every moment in small ways. Be the love that others see. Even showing small amounts of love will be mirrored back to you. When it comes to love, Anything Will Help! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When you become the love that others see love will be mirrored back to you.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ !!! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW! !!! My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about love during this holiday season. How can you show love, be love and receive love in these last few days of the year? YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you!
THREE ABILITIES THAT DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS Are you searching for the secret to happiness? Do you wonder why other people seem to be more successful than you—even if you believe that you work harder than they do? It comes down to three attributes. Here it is 1 – 2 – 3! 1. The ability to accept and adapt to change. 2. The ability to believe you are Good Enough to love and be loved. 3. The ability to express gratitude. Let me break these down for you. I learned as a little girl growing up in a military family to make friends on the playground or stand alone. I learned that I needed to accept the changes that occurred when my father received orders that moved us to a new community and that I needed to adapt to my new environment, make friends and enjoy the new normal. This has served me well through career changes, divorce and grief. While others live in the Who-Moved-My-Cheese stagnation unable to accept that their life has changed and unable to adapt to the new adventures ahead of them, successful, happy people hone the ability to accept and adapt. You may not always like the event that spurred the change, but cultivate the ability to bloom in the space you find yourself – no matter what! We are bombarded with the message that we are Not Good Enough! We all protect that space inside where we believe we are not thin enough, smart enough, rich enough…the list goes on and on. The newest guilt inducers verified by the over 300,000 self-help books on the market are that we are not happy enough, healthy enough or holy enough. Here’s the thing – WE ARE ALL GOOD ENOUGH!! Just by the pure biological chance that we were created proves this –it is no accident! We were all meant to be here! I can tell you this all day, but YOU must do the work on this one. YOU have to believe right down to your inner core that YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH! It doesn't matter what trauma you had as a child or what wrongs you have committed, you must come to a place of knowing that you are Good Enough to love and be loved. If you don’t believe it no one else will believe it of you. Relationships, love, happiness and success will avoid you—after all you are sending off the vibe that you aren't Good Enough and don’t deserve it! Lastly, you must express gratitude. You will never receive more if you are not grateful for what you have. If all you have is a pair of shoes and a burger to eat, be grateful for that! Be grateful for every step, every breath, and every moment you are given and for all that your life is filled with. Don’t just say, “Thank you,” feel gratitude with every cell of your body. Tell others why you are thankful for them. Write thank you notes, make phone calls, journal, pray, sing, dance – whatever moves you to a loving place, do it! You cannot hold on to a negative like hurt, anger or fear when you are filled with gratitude. Practice the ability to express gratitude until it becomes your DNA. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “To be happy and successful cultivate these three attributes: The Ability to accept and adapt to change; The Ability to believe you are Good Enough to love and be loved; and The Ability to express gratitude.” ~ Pennie Hunt ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to practice these three attributes until they become part of your daily living! Monitor how this positively affects your life! YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! THE ONLY WAY TO BECOME A BETTER FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TO PRACTICE FOOTBALL Recently, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said, “The only way to become a better football player is to practice football.” It doesn't get much simpler than that! Yet for our accomplishments we wait for just the right time, the right situation and for the wind to be blowing in just the right direction before we take action. We wish, we hope, we pray expecting success to fall from the sky into our ever-so-deserving laps. Hmmmm….. how is that working for you? Let’s take this simple formula and fill in our own blanks: The only way to become a better __________________ is to practice _________________. Words like: piano player – piano; salesperson – sales; gardener – gardening; friend and friendship fit easily into this equation. An example for me is, “The only way to become a better writer is to practice writing.” I write every day. My theory is that by writing a little every day I will complete an article or story every week. By the end of a year I will have 52 pieces of writing. Will they all be good? No, probably not. But somewhere in the 52 there will be some that are good and sifting to the top there may even be a few that are great! I’m not the best writer in the world. I use incomplete sentences, my typos come back and slap me after the publish button has been hit, and I couldn't live without my spell checker. But, I believe I have stories to share, ideas to document and people to reach out to. I do this through my writing. I won’t become a better writer by waiting for the perfect words, the perfect thought or the perfect space to write from. I become a better writer by writing. Why make it more difficult than it is. It is just this simple. “The only way to become a better football player is to practice football.” Now fill in your blanks! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Don’t wait for your accomplishments to come to you – practice your way to success!” YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to pursue an accomplishment that you believe is out of your reach! YOU are Good Enough to do it!! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! DECISION FATIGUE Are you tired of being in the decision parade? Every day we make decisions about: What clothes to wear; should we walk or bike to work or school; do we stop to get coffee and once there do we want coffee, latte, cappuccino, one shot, two shots, decaf or regular; what meetings do we attend; which project do we work on; which applicants do we hire; which emails do we respond to; which Facebook posts do we read; and should we Tweet? Take a breath. And then. . . After work do we exercise and what does that look like? A walk, Yoga, do we use a home gym, do we join a gym, do we Bow Flex, Crossfit or go straight to Insanity? And then it is time for dinner, but wait! Are we Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw, Atkins, Paleo, South Beach, or should we be in the Zone? After all that we just want to relax and watch T.V., but how do we decide between the 800+ channels, thousands of movies, and hundreds of shows available at the push of a button. Take another breath. And then... If that doesn't give us decision fatigue, step back and look at the big picture of life decisions: What school to attend; what degree to get; what career path to take; who to date; should we get married or stay single; should we have kids and how many; should we buy a house- which house or should we rent; what car to drive; what friends to associate with; which charity to support; which sport to like and which team to cheer for; how much money to save; and where should we retire? WHEW! No wonder we live with our mind swirling so fast that we need small computers that fit in our hand to keep all of these decisions organized. And yes, we have to decide which one of those smartphone computers will work the best for us! STOP! What if we just stopped! Sit still. Sit quiet. Don't make one decision. Close your eyes. Your body will breathe on its own- no decision necessary. Be at peace for five minutes or an hour. You may just decide to make this part of your day. Give yourself permission to disengage from the decision parade. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Allow yourself to disengage from the decisions of life and breathe in the presence of being here now. ” YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to slow down and let your mind rest from the constant questions in life. Relax into a place of quiet where no answers are required. Be here now. Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! USE YOUR WORDS! The toddler was obviously distraught as he cried and thrashed his arms. His mom, calmly said, “I don’t know what is wrong. Tell me what is wrong. Use your words.” This scene echoed in my mind. It wasn't the frustration of a two year old that impacted me. It was the wisdom of the mom to encourage him by saying, “Use your words.” How often do we need to be told to – Use Your Words? How often do we allow anger, fear, impatience, disappointment to bring us to the point of tears and outbursts? We don’t express what is at the core of the problem. We don’t share our experience out loud with others allowing our vulnerability to be shared. Use your words! How often do we see others in the adult version of the toddler’s meltdown and push them away without encouraging them to share their feelings? Use your words! How often do we see something we agree with or enjoy on social media and find it easy just to click an automated button that expresses “like” for us without taking the time to write how much we loved it and how it touched our heart—and why? Use your words! How often do we pass strangers in our day’s journey without acknowledging their space in the world… not a “Hi,” “Hello,” or “Have a wonderful day?” Use your words! How often do we pass the opportunity without telling the ones closest to us that we love and appreciate them and just assume they must know? Use your words! From the moment a baby is born we begin talking to them and telling them we love them. When they are able to say their first word we are filled with pride and joy. We are given voices to interact on the most human level with others. Use your words to acknowledge others. Don’t look at the ground as you walk. Look at the faces of those walking with you. Use your words to express kindness. Use your words to express where your fear and hurt is coming from. Don’t lash out with a violent thrashing temper when you are frustrated or angry. Use your words to tell people how you feel. If you love them, say it! Don’t assume others know how you feel. Don’t sit behind a screen tapping an automated “LIKE” button allowing a machine to express your thoughts. Take the time to use your words! Say them, speak them and write them. Use Your WORDS! Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Don’t allow anger to explode or fear to silence you. Use your words to express your feelings!” YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to use your words to express yourself. Don't allow anger or fear to speak for you in violent or silent ways. Express your feelings in kind and loving ways. Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! TURN ON YOUR BLIND SPOT MONITOR My car has a feature called theBlind Spot Monitor. When turned on, this life saving invention warns you when a vehicle is detected in your blind spot. You know, that spot to your side and just over your shoulder that you can’t see. When a vehicle is detected a warning light flashes in the side mirror to indicate a potentially hazardous lane change. The light stays on until the vehicle in the blind spot is safely ahead or behind you leaving you free to change lanes. Wouldn't it be nice if we all had a Blind Spot Monitor? Think about all of the things we don’t see that are hidden in our personal blind spots. You know, that spot to your side and just over your shoulder that you can’t see; OR choose not to. This spot is probably overflowing with items in three categories: actions or failures to act, tolerations and grace. Actions or failures to act. When was the last time you did something, even unintentionally, that caused direct or indirect pain? This is the cause and effect syndrome. Examples of this include: not following through on promises, telling small untruths, or arriving late to an appointment or event. Hidden in our personal blind spot is the hurt we cause others by our broken promises, untruths, and undependability. All of these type of actions that we either take or don’t take fall into this first category. Tolerations. Yes, I may have just created a new word. Definition ala Pennie: Tol-er-a-tions: the people, places, circumstances or things that cause us to participate in the act of tolerating. This could very well put us on the opposite side of the scale from the first category. We permit people to take advantage of us by breaking promises or telling lies. We tolerate laziness, sloppy work products, and misbehavior by ourselves and others by pushing it into our blind spot and telling ourselves it isn’t a big deal. We ignore our own health, fitness and happiness. All of these tolerations fit nicely into our blind spot. Grace. This may be the saddest and most important category of all. The idea that so much love, laughter and goodness in life slips into our blind spot where we don’t appreciate them. They become wasted grace. Close your eyes and feel hugs from your partner, the laughter of a child, the smile from a stranger, the smell of morning coffee and the wag of your dog’s tail. Yes, I said feel because I want to intentionally stir the emotion these examples of love and grace create. How many times does grace go unnoticed in a day and huddle in our blind spot? Now imagine with me what life would be like if we turned on our personalBlind Spot Monitor. It would flash a beacon in our mind to indicate a potential hazard and guide us into the lane of safety. When we came close to not following through on a promise the beacon would spark to warn us to change course. When we tolerated our slipping health or unhappiness the beacon would remind us that loving ourselves is a priority. And most importantly with every act of grace we encountered the loving light would spotlight the event so we wouldn’t miss it. Yes, I believe we all have the capacity of this personal life saving feature. We all have a Blind Spot Monitor. We just need to turn it on and watch for the flashing beacon. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “Turn on your personal Blind Spot Monitor to enjoy all of life through open eyes.” YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to be aware of all that goes on in your life...little and big. Do not allow your blind spot to cheat you out of the wonderful moments of grace that surround you. Turn ON your blind spot monitor! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR SUCCESS TO? Recently, I heard a question that made me ponder: “What do you attribute your place in life, your success, to?” Of course I thought of defining moments in my life, graduations, marriage, and the birth of my children. But this was asked in a deeper sense than that. It is one of those questions that should be given careful thought. For me the answer came swiftly. I was raised in a military family. When the word “ORDERS” was mentioned around my house it meant we would be moving. I remember waiting for my Dad to come home from work and running to see if he was carrying the yellow envelope; the one that held the name of the location of our next home. He would walk in, cocooned in his military green uniform and black shiny boots, whistling and smiling as if he held the secret to the universe in his hand. Once the location was revealed my small bare feet would jump on his shiny boots. He would dance me around the kitchen while the family chattered about dates and logistics of the move. My Mom, a tiny powerhouse of a woman, was a working mom at a time when most moms weren’t. With every new set of orders she orchestrated movers, house sales, school transfers, 3 unhappy children and travel. She was tuff, strong and not afraid to stand up for what she believed in. For me, dancing with my Dad was the only fun part. Orders meant leaving friends and starting over. I thought for sure that this was child abuse. I remember cleaning out my desk at school; walking to the school office with my Mom to fill out separation paperwork; and saying goodbye to teachers and classmates. I can still breathe the smell of the manila paper and packing boxes the movers used to wrap our belongs before loading them into the moving van. I can still feel the place in my stomach where fear boiled as I walked into a new school, met new teachers and filled a new desk. Yes, I was certain this was child abuse. It taught me a valuable lesson--- make friends on the playground or stand alone. I attribute the place I hold in life and any success I have to this lesson. I may not have a best friend who has held my hand from preschool to midlife. I may not have a house to visit where I was raised with a wall chalked with my height measurements as I grew. But, I learned that some lessons come wrapped in pain and discomfort. I learned how to accept change with a whistle and a smile. I learned how to be tuff, strong and not afraid to stand up for what I believe in. I learned how to talk and communicate. I learned how to tell my story. I learned that relationships are important. I learned friend building. Now here is the question for you to ponder: “What do YOU attribute your place in life, your success, to?” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "Make friends on the playground or stand alone." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to remember those moments in life where you learned a defining lesson...one that added to your success in life. Is there someone you need to thank for that lesson? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! THE SUNRISE IS GONEI am a morning person. I love the magical darkness right before the sun appears to wake up the world. I sit in my office, coffee in hand, watching through my window as the sun opens my day filling it with a slow painting of pink, yellow and orange. My coffee cup warming my hand and the steam teasing my nose as the spectacular painting of color fills my heart and wakes my soul. The painting is different every day. Some days a little more orange, some days a little more pink, but every day I watch the masterpiece unfold. Until now. The sunrise is gone. The building began last fall. First it was one house- then another and another. With each one I adjusted my position to see a different angle of the sunrise. Then I realized I was down to a one small sliver between two homes where I could still see the bright colors of my morning. Now, the last home is being built. The wedge of space which held my morning ritual is filled in. The sunrise is gone. Normally I like change. I love to experience the way life rearranges itself like the furniture in my living room. Every so often the couch looks better under the window than it does in front of the fireplace. My difficulty comes when adapting to the movement of out-of-sight change. Is the sunrise really gone? No. No more than the blue sky is gone on a cloudy day. The sky is still blue behind the clouds. No more than a friend who moved across country has disappeared. They are still there even though they use a different zip code to be located. And I believe no more than a loved one is gone from our life, heart and spirit even though they have passed away. All of these things require an adjustment of the way we see them; the way we enjoy them; and the way we allow them to warm our souls. I don’t think a walk at daybreak is a bad thing. The sunrise waits for me past the new houses at the end of the street. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “The sun rises every morning even if it is hidden from your view.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you notice the areas of life you believe are gone just because they are not in your line of sight. What do you need to adjust in your life to be able to see them clearly? Don't be afraid to do it! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: PennieHunt@gmail.com. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2014 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com Thank you! |
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