Your identity; to whom does it belong...?

written by Pamela Scholes

       We enter this world with our own special identity, things that separate us from other people and allow us to blossom into our own unique selves. This journey takes a lifetime to build and yet it can be swept from underneath you like a flying carpet ride. Your entire world can now be turned upside down and inside out by the fastest growing and yet least paid attention to crime of Identity Theft. People out there have become experts on being able to steal who we are and we, sadly, are the last to know it and by then the damage is done. And once the damage is done there is a long uphill road waiting to climb to try to untangle this web of a mess.Through some research I have found that not even the IRS will give the police authorities any information concerning any identity theft victim or case even while asking questions about an open investigation. All words fall on deaf ears and people hide behind policy to abandon the innocent.
       The IRS and other governmental departments know who the perpetrators are through fraud tax returns and duplicate filings and yet they still withhold any/all information from the victim and authorities. I have been told that victims of this crime spend years spinning their wheels and doing their own leg work while the "powers that be" sweep this ever growing invasion of ones life under the proverbial rug. This deserves full due attention. Imagine the devastation of waking up one day to find that on paper your identity has been stolen and you have no clue where  to turn. It is a sad fact but the avenues of help are 95% closed. Oh, it is acknowledged that this crime does exist but I have never heard of one proposal or plan to bring down an iron fist on this. We should not only feel protected, we should BE protected. Hackers are sneaking in and dissolving what one has worked so hard for and no one offers a hand toward a solution nor do we hear of anyone suggesting ways to implement a better, stronger system. The government itself  is being hacked and yet they do not seem on high alert nor do we hear much about the corruptness striking even them. No one is beyond reach in this epic saga of technical robbery. Any one of us could fall victim  to having our identity stolen on any given day.
       It is a time of true "beware" but it will never be broadcast on the news as such; might alarm people-as opposed to looking at it like informing them.  In my research and with talking with many victims I was astonished at the number of people who appear as new cases each day through the Fraud Investigative Department. A Detective shared with me that identity theft is his main case load now and they can lay dormant  for long periods of time due to a tall wall of shut down from those who should be helping by providing information so that the perpetrators may be brought to justice. The "powers that be" just close the door and draw the blinds as if it  will just go away. It is a far larger problem than I have heard admitted. How can a continual blind eye turn to yet another screaming and obviously  intrusive attack against innocent people? Is it really that easy to think that if it just isn't addressed out loud then it will quietly find a way to fix itself? There are extreme measures that are long past due to be taken to fight for the victim instead of protecting the criminal. Ask anyone what price they would put on the tag for all the trauma and discord a situation like this cost and they would have no numbers to offer for so much of the violation took irreplaceable things. Heads should be hanging down for leaving a person hanging out to dry and letting them try to figure out how to recapture who they are. I intend to expand on this issue in the Atlanta Constitution but I just HAD to share it here as well. Beware and make sure you know to whom your identity belongs...

Why surrender your will...

written by pamela scholes


      Life is a constant ever changing battle for it will change the rules and then break them but you don't have to let it break you. You must push yourself, drive yourself, go for it all; for what are we without a dream, without passion, without a reason to keep moving forward?. Even the seemingly impossible is better than nothing at all. As long as you can conceive that there is something out there waiting for you to find it then you have a choice of pausing or trudging on.
      Life will give and it will take away, sometimes what we are given is snatched back from us. We are surrounded by every reason to be down-trodden and dishearted but that is not a path we have to follow, to give in to. Even in the worst of situations you can hold on if you will just remember that it could always be worse for you don't need to have the luxury of not caring anymore. Chase down those dreams and let them fill your lungs with the air to help you breathe through it all for are we not built better than that than to just give in and surrender our will...?

State of panic...

written by Pamela Scholes


          I sat this early , dark morning at the hour of 4:30am here in Atlanta sipping my Java and letting my mind think about the events of the day. Normally I let the day go at the end of the day so that tomorrow gets more promise but there are those times when distraught enough that I can't let it go without putting it to paper. I sat in the quiet of my home and wondered what everyone else in the world was doing at that time. Half of a new day was over for some and others a new day only beginning. Time is strange how it shifts and moves in location. This era of time is strange as well and this is what I pondered this morning. They say if we do not change it then history will repeat itself and I swear, with all of my searching can I find much change-not much good change anyway. Our own IRS, Medicaid, and various areas of the government have fallen under intense scrutiny- a thing I do not think has ever happened.
          I am not out to point fingers or blame any ONE person as this failure was a wrongful slew of decisions. So much is made in haste and nothing is given serious deliberation as everyone is in such a hurry. Why?- We are steady rushing the world into a pace it can not possibly keep up with. People are desperate, I do not believe I have ever seen such acts of desperation from everyday working people who can't afford to make any ends meet. People are standing on the edge and no one is offering any help, any relief, or any promise of a turn around. These are desperate times, tough times and instead of banding together most have gone out on their own to survive however they can. I am not condoning these acts of desperation but I am certainly bringing it to the forefront. People do not know who to turn to anymore and it seems that no one can be trusted, from the lowest of the ladder to the highest rung. We have been sold a false bill of goods under the lemon law of "as is" and this little catch 22 has brought so many to a dead end. Don't judge a person until you have walked in their shoes for times are hard all over and people are lost with no one to lead them. I can't understand how it can not be so apparently clear to the upper echelon that this world is in a state of panic...

Sum up your life...

written by Pamela(pam)Scholes


         That's a very large question; I mean if asked to sum up your life, what would you say? Would you tell all of the good and the bad, would you admit your pain and often weakness? Would you tell those truths and even the half truths or just shove that under the rug? Would you speak kindly to the person in the mirror or would you sing your should have and could haves? Would you be proud, would you know that you had given every endeavor your best and would you let it be okay when you fell short? Would you speak of your dreams, those you have had and those you still have hopes for?
          Would you say that you always tried to do right by other's and right by your self and when not, would you be brave enough to admit the times you didn't do right? Would you say that you had known true love, that way deep down kind of love or would you have to say that you held back instead of letting go? Would you say that you had made many a friend, and lost some too but that those in your path-looking back- had changed your life? I could really run with this and ask countless questions but there is only one that matters and that is what YOU would say if ask to sum up your life...

Stray thoughts...

written by Pamela(pam) Scholes


       I was sitting alone in my living room listening to some classical music and winding down from the days events and out of no particular place came upon me these stray thoughts. Anyone who has visited me knows that I do not dabble in politics or religion but I do have thoughts and feelings as a human being as to what goes on around me- around all of us. I thought of all of the desperate people doing desperate things that perhaps they would not normally do. I thought of all this era of youth living confused and lost inside and doing undo-able things. I thought of all the people I pass on the street with no food or place to call home and I can find no understanding in this. I watch the news early each morning and I see pain, anguish, death, natural diasters, famine, and heartache in the eyes of so many. On my good feeling writing days I skip the news.
        I thought of the people who have gone so far down that they have given up and let hope slip away from them. Hope is a good thing people, often times the only thing that keeps us going. Hope is a good thing, it will be your air when you think you can not breathe. I thought of all of the sinkholes around the country and wondered if the bottom is simply going to fall out from under us one hole at a time; sure seems that way. So many things seem to be coming apart one hole at a time and we can't keep doing patch work; I wonder sadly if it is all fixable anymore. Will we find our way back home inside? Oh, do not get me wrong for I still have high hopes for the people who will, if they just dig deep, pull through and make a happy ending. And I have high hopes for myself and future as tomorrow may open a new window to a better day. I thought so many things that my hands can hardly keep up with my mind. I suppose the big picture can just be so overwhelming in these times we are living in. I want to please ask all to take a calm moment alone and think of your good fortunes, no matter how small, so that you will be thankful for what you have when YOU ponder these stray thoughts...

The Voices...

written by Pamela(pam) Scholes

      I have taken a personal hiatus on my blogs but am now ready to talk. I am a true Gemini and, like most of us, have the voices in our heads. I am not talking about hearing voices other than your own. We each have two sides within us that will often be in conflict with one another and wish to battle our decisions. The voice can some times tear you down and steal your inspiration- this was the cause of my hiatus. I share as much inspiration as I can but there will be times when the inspirer needs some extra inspiration- and I gather that from all of you.
       The voice can also be comforting as we have to know how to tend to ourselves and let that voice lead us where we are meant to go. I have fought with my voice, argued with it, reasoned with it, and discussed some important issues with myself. We must always be able to reason with ourselves and spend more time in harmony. I have managed to get both ends to meet in agreement and this can be a difficult task. Look into the reflection in the mirror; look deep down inside and choose carefully but listen to the voices...

Let's talk truth...

written by Pamela (pam) Scholes

         Let's just sweep everything to the side for a moment and discuss what we know about the truth. It is another double edged sword and will most always cut both ways. Let's just strip the truth bare.
         The plain truth is that in our lives poeple will intentionally lie to us while others are there to comfort. It is true that people will betray us for selfish reasons as others remain steadfast. It is the thruth that people closest will abandon us while others remain at our side, both by choice. It is truth that people will let us down and disappoint us while others will lift us up.
          It is truth that people will wear false mask to cover who they are while others are proud of that fact. It is truth that people will use us and take advantage of us while others will appreciate us. It is truth that it will rain from the heavens just as sure as will the sun beam.
             
          Some truths are hard and painful to deal with but they will come just the same so join me today for a sit down chat and let's talk truth...

What we can count on...

written by Pamela(Pam)Scholes


      I know it is hard to believe but there are so many things in life that are constant, that we can count on. It is hard to believe that in a world that seems in such disarray therefore it is easy to lose sight of those things. These things range far and wide, from one simple end to one complicated end of the spectrum. They are, at least things we can count on.
      The sky will always be above us and water will always be wet. True friends will stay and enemies will try. Once a lie is told then no apology erases the memory and when a life is touched then nothing erases that memory either. It will always be easier to give in but it will never be as rewarding as that of a successful battle.
       The birds will sing and morning will follow night. We know that the clouds will always change and that the flowers will have scent and color. Tended to properly we know that things will grow-left alone and things will die.It is the air that will fill our lungs and love that will fill our hearts. There is a long list of things, both good and bad, that at least are constant every day. So, when things seem scattered to the four winds try to concentrate on what we can count on...

Do ya want to chance it...?

written by pamela (pam) scholes

     This is one double edged sword of a question. Certain chances can cut both ways and it can happen quickly. It is usually simple things that do not cut in our favor. Ask yourself: should I simply lend my ear or do I just jump in with my advice without all the information?-Do ya want to chance it? Should you do less leaping and more looking or do you just want to dive in head first having no idea what lays beneath?- Do ya want to chance it? Do you walk slowly and keep pace with time or do you just want to burst out of the gates and try to outrun time? Do ya want to chance it?
       On the other side of this sword are questions. Do you lay your heart out there and welcome people in knowing fully that there could be pain but that to not do it may be a missed chance at happiness. Do ya want to chance it? Will you evolve and be all that you can by giving your endeavors your best or do you hope the cards will just fall into place? Do ya want to chance it?
There are so many things I could go on about but I hope you feel my point anyway. Always think and weigh things carefully when asking  Do I want to chance it...?

Calm before the storm...

written by pamela(pam)scholes

      The calm before the storm...an age old saying that now seems to apply to most things in life. It is strange how we know when it is coming-the world gets still with no air moving, like trying to breathe water. We feel it in our gut as every nerve sits on edge. We have to sit in limbo of a state of panic just having to wait for it to arrive so that we can hunker down and ride it out.
       We will sense the storms coming and the anticipation of what is in store quicker than we sense good things that are also on the way. Why is this? No bad thing lasts forever and no good thing comes easy but the clouds will always roll on by and the spring will surely always come. Hold onto your faith and hope and belief of better things to come instead of worrying too much about the calm before the storm...

Misery takes work also...

   We all know that misery does enjoy company but do you know whose company it enjoys the most?-yours. It always delves deep inside of us first in an attempt to break our will and drive and motivation- it seems to love to see us lost. But, bear in mind that it takes work not to be miserable and it takes work to be happy so why not focus your fight on defeating misery and winning the fight for happiness/...it is far more rewarding.
     Misery can only happen if we allow it to consume us and invite others to be miserable with us. I have never understood why people wish to have a crew following them down a moment of misery when that crew would rather be on your road of joy. Do not let misery take over your company; those that are always there for you. Happiness is indeed hard work but why not choose it as a path for misery takes work also...

What is your personal poison...?

   There is just no attempting to deny this one folks for we all have them...we all have those poisonous little enemies that reside inside of us. Naturally some will vary from person to person, but I have found that so many seem to be across the board in this era we are living in. Enemies do not have to loom large in order to be damaging, especially those internal poisons.
     Do you beat up on yourself when you have fallen short of an endeavor? You should, rather, see it as a lesson learned and you will know how to do better the next time. Why poison yourself for such a thing?
     Do you compare yourself with others? Do you measure yourself by what others can do that you do not think you can do? You should be seeing those as opportunities for growth by sharing...not comparing. Be the unique person you were meant to be for comparing yourself with others will only make you vain and bitter. Why do such a thing?
      Do you fight the good fight every day, win or lose? You always should so long as you are fighting the fights worth fighting for. Do not fret for some things in life are just not worth fighting for or about. Choose your battles wisely or you will poison yourself yet again. Why do such a thing?
       Some of the poisons are small things that loom large and can become overwhelming. Remember that everything has a 50/50 chance at the beginning and that every coin has two sides. You MUST search for the positive side for each time you allow yourself to be against yourself then you are only poisoning you. Why do such a thing? Give things their due attention and thought for nothing can be fixed until ask yourself the question of clarity...What is MY personal poison...?

Has your spring, sprung...?

     Do you spring out of bed each morning to greet your day or do you crawl from under the covers with the dread of what this day may hold?
     Do you spring into your job with passion and fury, really loving what you do and doing what you love or do you kind of just show up for work some days because you have to and it's a paycheck?
      Do you spring into the idea and action of meeting new people and engaging in all different kinds of experiences or do you just hang with the close circle and stick to the things you KNOW you like as opposed to trying something new?
       If you answered yes to the first part of the questions then you are doing well. If, however, you answered yes to the second part then perhaps it is time to consider that your spring has sprung...

Realist or Optimist...?

written by: Pamela (Pam) Scholes


       So, which is shall we be? Shall we be realist or should we be optimist? The two almost collide by definition. My question really is, why do we have to choose one over the other when, tough as it may be, we can be both? That's exactly right , we can be both and a dose of each is important. Keeping up with a daily dose of reality is often hard when you look around you and see the struggles everywhere and the endless list of things that are just wrong. It is tough to see light through so much darkness. But that is life and it doesn't get anymore real than that and accepting those factors makes part of you a realist...seeing things just as they are, bare and without mask.
        But, every coin has two sides and this one deserves no exclusion. Optimism, of course, is always being able to manage to see the sun through the clouds and believe in the positive no matter what. This is a grand virtue to have and a tough one to practice for the load in holding faith can sometimes be heavy. Optimist and realist aren't so very different. You look at a flower in the fall and see that it has died for the winter-that is being a realist for it is a fact. The other side of you will whisper and tell you that the flower will bloom again in the spring and that is you being the optimist. We take what we have around us for exactly what it is while all the time holding on to the hope of the good in things. It takes some juggling but you do not have to choose between being a realist or an optimist...

Captured Grace...

    They tell us to "grow old gracefully," as the old saying goes. And what a beautiful piece of advice this is for if we do this then we will be gathering elegantly the bounty of passing years. We should not be afraid in surrendering our youth but rather looking forward with all that we already know. Be gracefull  like that of the hummingbird taking flight around an exotic flower. Be strong as oak and delicate as a rose petal. Be bright and unique.
      Capture your inner most being, cultivate it, and wear it in the way you walk and the way you talk and think. Hold your head high and your grace will shine through like a beacon and the further along we go the more lives we get to touch and the more others touch us in return. Be so that your grace brings great memories to many people; therefore a piece of you always lives on. And that is pure and simple Captured Grace...

The betrayed and forgotten...

    All who have visited me here before know I do not speak of politics or religions but I have another concern that bothers me so; a group of people we have thrown away the key on-VA Vets. I have met and spoken with many men who returned from this war and thier experiences they shared with me are images that will never leave my mind and I can not begin to know thier inner sufferings. These boys were patted on the back and sent off with great support to defend thier country and so many of them died for thier country and our only acknowledgement is a wall bearing thier names. At least they were honored, as they should have been.
     But what about the young boys that came back broken down into old men with scarred minds and tattered souls-what about them? I will tell you- they came back and I watched a biography where people actually spat on them-the support was gone. Many are jobless-employers see them as not viable-or too many are homeless. We offered up no help to these that served thier country when they returned to a shell of a home. I honor those men, hold a hand high and grant them thier due attention. They are people too and deserve the same chances as anyone else. Let us no longer turn our heads and continue to forget about the betrayed and forgotten...

The buck stops...

     I would really love to address this since we seem to live in a current state of world where no one takes the blame and everyone points a finger-where does the buck stop?! Call upon those large companies and they will tell you that the "buck stops" with the presisdent or CEO; try getting a hold of one of them. You can have an issue in a grocery store and they will tell you that the "buck stops" with the manager or district manager but we all know that is a push-off because no one wishes to have to handle an issue. "I am sorry but you will have to contact..."- I get so tired of hearing this and from being shifted from one department to the next.
      I am convinced that the there is barely a right hand out there that knows what the left one  is doing and neither hand will take blame but merely push you over to someone else who will be able to help you. People are quick to jump up and down to take credit for something but when an issue arises then no one wants to be involved, no one seems to have answers, and no one really seems to have an explaination. Where does it end?, Where do we draw the line? When does it end? It can end here and now and we can get out those markers and draw some of those lines if only someone with enough guts to mean it stood up more often and said, "The buck stops...HERE!"

Another book signing

   Good day all- I have a new post coming this morning but wanted to post this because I am excited. This will be the fourth one in four different places. thanks for just visiting it.

Meet the Author
Pamela Scholes
At Joffery’s
1155 Virginia Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30354
April 5th 2013
From 11:30am until 2 pm
Another book signing coming up so I graciously accept some wishes of good luck! Thanks ahead of time.

I wish...

     If I were in the position to hand out and grant wishes I would wish so much for so many. I would wish that I could let everyone see the world through my eyes and me see it in return through thier eyes. I would wish that for one harmonious moment that all in the world had a voice of song and sang it together in exhultation. I would wish that everyone we smiled at would smile back at us, show a tiny fraction of kindness. I would most certainly wish for more love to be in more hearts and that those hearts beat in unison with another.
     I would wish for more times to laugh and less times to cry even though I understand that they are both important. I would wish that for a moments time that all people felt no hunger, had shelter, and got to feel what it feels like to be free. I would wish for every ear to hear the birds and every eye to see the sunrise. I would above all wish peace in all souls, a place for peace to be safe and protected. I could go on and on and share my wishes forever and hopefully with these words; I am. I wish...

The square circle...

       Life is a circle, it goes around and keeps coming back around; that is its natural course. We, however, have this little tendency to build a perfect box around our circle, with every corner sternly guarded. Why do such a thing? I can not answer that question, though it bears asking, for I would suppose everyones box would all be for different reasons.
        But, the circle needs to breathe and be able to grow and expand. It needs room, all the room in the world, to fully become its complete full being. The box only smothers your circle and no matter your reasons, the result is only temporary I assure you. Let your life be free to become all that it can instead of living in a square circle...

Inside the outside...

     Sounds strange to the ears doesn't it? We live on the inside so much that we have become complacent and don't even realize that we are struggling internally for we are seeing the world through our little bubble. Get outside, go in wonder through the padded woods with no particular direction in mind and explore where the paths take you; those paths worn by many before you. Go outside and lean in to the cool waters of the stream and scoop up the dirt and rocks below, shake and sift it until you find your nugget of gold.
      Venture outside and let your hair down, do something you have never done but always wanted to-pretend that today is the only day you have to get it done. Absorb like a sponge how, while in play, the squirrells are at such peace and unafraid of what lays beyond thier world. Listen to the birds and let your voice ring in harmony with thier song. So much knowledge and experiences await us on this journey so try to flourish by getting on the inside of the outside...

Love yourself...

   That is absolutely right-you deserve to love yourself. Love yourself for who you are, for what you stand for, and your morals and values. Love yourself for your accomplishments and the drive you have to succeed. Love yourself for your ambition and the courage to dream big and reach high. Love yourself for what you have and for what you learned from what you lost.
    Love yourself for knowing that by all standards you are sufficient as you are while understanding that you must also grow and evolve. Love yourself for facing your fear and being willing to take on the challenges and for getting up when you fall. Love yourself for who you want to become and for having the faith that you will. Love yourself for loving others  and sharing of yourself and experiences. We are full of such kindness and we need to be more conscious in how we spend it for sometimes a little kindness is all it takes. Be proud of who you are and never be afraid to love yourself for it...

You, through my eyes...

    I am your mirror, your looking glass; I am a reflection of yourself. It is my goal that you see yourself for all that you are and remind you of your worth. I see you as a beacon of light when darkness surrounds and I hear you as a "sounding board" when venting is needed. I do not see you through a faded lens but rather through the glorious colorfull magic of a Kaleidoscope.
    I  am here to draw you inside you show you how the world see's you, how other's appreciate you and gravitate toward you. I see you leading the pack out of the forest and not at the end following. I see you strong as the oak in the face of adversity and I see your will and admire your drive. I see your passion for life in all that you do. I see the heart you wear on your sleeve and your selflessness and readiness to help or share. I see you as high as a mountain and as deep as a valley and as soothing as a flowing stream. My friend this is you, through my eyes... 

What goes up...

    We have all heard that what goes up must come down and this does not always have to be true. Let us be optimist for a moment and look inside and take inventory of what has gone up in our lives. If we have been kind to people and shared of ourselves then our circle of friends goes up. If we dig deep, way down deep and find our center then our contentment goes up.
     If we chose persistent over defeat then our success will go up. When we give freely without thought of cost then our character and trustworthiness will go up. If you stop long enough to do no more than watch the baby birds learn to defy gravity then your confidence for your own flight will go up. There is so much that increases the value and quality of our life and it is what we choose that is what goes up...

Valentine...

  To you on Valentine's Day, a day that's all your own...
  May I repay in every way all the love you've shown...
  Someone who gives not to receive has something that is so rare...
  You give so much in an envelope of love; sealed with kindness and care...
  May you wish upon a star and all of your dreams come true...
  May your life be filled with happy days and things that mean the most to you...
  May you be shown by someone special that you are truly loved...
  May you be shown by someone special that you are thought the whole world of.



 Sign it by: someone special-will you be my Valentine!

Before you...

       Before you there was air everywhere but my lungs were not full. Before you there was always spring but I did not see the flowers grow. Before you I was by myself but did not feel alone, I was hollow. Before you the world was constantly going on around me and yet I was so caught up in my own life that I did not move forward with it. Before you there was sun and there was dark but I failed to appreciate a sunset, a sunrise, or the multitude of stars lighting up that darkness.
       The things in the path of my life have been there all along and yet I have been in such a rush to make it to somewhere that I passed so much by with a blind eye or head turned. I was living but I was not alive inside. Perhaps I have been searching for something that I simply knew was missing but did not know what it was; but that was all before you...

Wish you hadn't, Wish you had...

      So, you went ahead and said it anyway and now you wish you hadn't. So, you had the chance to speak your mind but you but did not and now you wish you had. So, even though advised not  to you went ahead and did it and now you wish you hadn't. When opportunity came knocking you didn't answer the door and now you wish you had.
       Regrets, we all have them for they are the stepping stones for learning from the mistakes and one should never regret something if you walked away from it with a lesson learned. Wisdom is golden and it comes from making those errors in life but try not to look back and either wish you hadn't or wish you had...

Forget about it...

    We have all heard this from the Mafia movies this phrase "forget about it." Sometimes that did not mean a good thing but at other times in life it means exactly what it says. Let us look at a few examples of this for it warrants some attention.
     For those days that you begin to ponder something that you wish you could go back and change then you need to change direction. Let it go; you can't change it, you can't paint it a pretty color or fix it so "forget about it." People need to cut the anchors that bind them. Some things in life just aren't worth fighting for or about so just "forget about it." When you look back at the end of the day and see that it was a miserable one, "forget about it" for the day is over and tomorrow you shall begin anew. Try not to allow worry to consume you for you are paying rent on something that may not even happen; we face enough stresses each day without dragging around extra baggage. Place your list by item of priority and give each one its due attention, let it take its path and you sit back and follow and as for the rest- "forget about it..."

Why didn't I? ...

        This, if analyzed to the lowest terms, can be a two-way question for we could also ask "Why did I?" I have found that when I look back on most of my regrets it is with a "Why didn't I?" Regrets make us question ourselves, our abilities, beliefs, choices-looking back can be hard. We are hard on ourselves and ask why didn't I try harder? Why didn't I say what I thought more often and share what I felt more often?
         The questions we could pound ourselves with are endless. Why didn't I just give it more time? Why didn't I make more time to spend with those I love and why didn't I watch more sunsets and sunrises? Why didn't I just trust my gut and trust in myself and give it a try more often instead of choosing to sit the dance out? Regets can fester my friends and sometimes leave wide, gapping wounds for as I said this knife cuts both ways but you let that baggage go and take hold of the reigns and steer your path toward what you are proud you did do. Take chances, everything doesn't come with a safety net but don't look back with 'Why didn't I?...

First this, then that...

    When it comes to dealing with the vast amount of twists, turns, and obstacles ahead of us we approach things a bit backwards. I know people who worry of what might happen or what might not. You can not worry about what is "that", you must focus on what is "this". To waste your mental energy or place too much time worrying over things that are generally out of our control is to let "that" live rent free inside of your head.
      Place your focus on the here and now, on "this". Yesterday is gone, today is shortening, and tomorrow is a blessing so there is no time to waste on overlooking or sweeping under the rug what lays before us now. We have to arrange and fix "this" if need be for "that" is yet to be seen. Things are so easy to fall astray and off balance so try to be in order and handle things with this first, then that...

Ripple in the water...

     Our lives are like that which we see when we toss a pebble into the water. Just before the toss the water is smooth and calm just resting and waiting for us to arrive with our hopes and dreams. The waters are all great wishing wells into which we shall toss our pebble(penny) for good luck. Standing on the soft banks of the water we see the sky in the reflection of the shimmering surface and our own face there as well.
      Toss your pebble into the waters and pretend it is your pool of dreams-watch as it creates a small circular ripple in the center just enough to awake the calm. Do not be discouraged when the ripple begins so tiny for everything has a center and core and must start from there. As you watch longer and longer you will begin to see perfect circles extend outward from the center and that is your dream growing larger and larger-look how the reflection has changed now. Be not afraid to disturb the calm-toss your pebble and revel in the rewards of watching your life ripple with change just like the ripple in the water...