Cry Laugh Heal

The Happiness Journey

July 11th, 2014
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Hey there Resilient Readers!

A friend sent me the following quote yesterday and I liked it so much I wanted to share it with you right away.

I hope this thought carries you through today and many days to come:

 

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.

Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”

 Denis Waitley

Boxes of Freshly Picked Roses By Sheila Hayes

Boxes of Freshly Picked Roses
By Sheila Hayes

 … Read More

Louis Zamperini

July 9th, 2014
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It is worth noting the recent and sad passing of 97-year-old Louis Zamperini, a man whose life story was defined by his spirit of resilience. Everyone encounters challenges and traumas in their lives but Zamperini’s were of a sort that would have crushed most people.  No matter what came his way — imprisonment during World War II, torture, substance abuse, he never gave up. To me, his life is a unique resource.  When the Japanese capture him, and he is held captive and tortured, he digs deep within himself and finds a way to go on, even though he is… Read More

Musical Strength

July 7th, 2014
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Music can be an unexpected source of strength. Athletes use songs and soundtracks to help them focus prior to competition.  It’s pretty common to see athletes staring straight ahead in the locker room with their ear buds in place or warming up with ear buds and you know that whatever they are listening to is helping them get into some kind of a performance zone, taking them to a place where they can block out unnecessary thoughts and noise. I know that when I go for a walk or a run or a combination of the two, that listening to… Read More

Independent Behavior

July 4th, 2014
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Happy Fourth of July! Today I will be spending the day with friends I have known for decades; really great, tried and true friends.  There will be a cookout along with patriotic music, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, fireworks and best of all, relaxation. This 4th of July party is an annual event and one that I and the rest of my friends look forward to attending every year, rain or shine. ( http://crylaughheal.com/independence-day ) There are only a few times I purposely missed attending this party.  For two summers in a row, after my husband’s death, I… Read More

Final Resting

June 30th, 2014
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When my husband died, (No matter how much times goes by, I still feel strange typing those awful words), our family felt comfortable choosing a traditional way of saying good-bye to him and paying our final respects: he was laid to rest in a beautiful coffin and we held a lively wake and Catholic Mass so that everyone could gather and share their precious memories of his short time with us. At that blurry point, our son and I were in the most vulnerable condition of our lives and so was everyone else who loved and adored him.  He was… Read More

Summer Squirt

June 27th, 2014
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On the last Friday in June, here’s something to think about:    The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and with out fear for newer and richer experience                             ~   Eleanor Roosevelt… Read More

24 Candles

June 25th, 2014
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Thousands of babies are born every day but today I am focused on one particular birth that happened 24 years ago. Please indulge me a bit while I use today’s post to send birthday love and well wishes to my sweet son.  I wish I could be with you today, but since I can’t, I am sending you the biggest birthday hugs in celebration of your special day!! Happy Birthday Ryan! You are a healing and energetic bundle of unique talents and skills and you are always ready to share them with whoever you think might need them.  When I… Read More

#FamilyNatitude

June 23rd, 2014
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Hi Resilient Readers!  Weekends go by waaaaaaay too fast don’t they? Hopefully your weekend was just one big stress free zone! Saturday night my son and I went to a Nationals baseball game for his upcoming birthday.  A big shout out to one of my fantastic sisters and her husband for tickets and PARKING — which is even better than tickets!!!  Our seats were great, third level behind home plate.  Here was our primo view of the game: Nationals Stadium in Washington, DC It’s a beautiful stadium and it’s well run, so if you ever get a chance to visit,… Read More

Camera Magic

June 19th, 2014
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This week I wisely listened to one of my sisters who persuaded me to mix it up and attend an incredible reception at the National Geographic Society for Annie Griffiths (http://www.anniegriffiths.com/about/), one of the first women photographers to work for the iconic global magazine National Geographic. Annie Griffiths At National Geographic Reception.Photo By Me I wasn’t familiar with Annie Griffiths work but the event sounded like fun so I went with my sister and her husband. For me, the magic of photography is in its’ ability to spontaneously capture, in a split second, the unique look or movement of a… Read More