napkinlove
Happy Father’s Day, dad! Sharing some napkin love to celebrate all the big and little ways you have shown up for me always with a sense of humor, compassion and love . I love and appreciate you!
Living in a small, funky coastal town, you never know who you might meet. We have forged some great friendships with complete strangers who have had incredible life journeys. One of our favorites is Dorothy Rooney, a high-energy, super-sparkly soul who has lived 96 years of full-on joy and unimaginable adventures.
Today we were lucky enough to be seated next to her and her amazing partner Liz at breakfast at the local hangout. Lucky for us, Dorothy was decked out in full regalia with her WASP wings and her Congressional Medal of Honor ID badge. They had intended to go to the Memorial Day service at the local cemetery, , unfortunately the dates got mixed up so she didn't get to mingle as she had planned . Dorothy, with her usual enthusiastic smile and twinkle, declared that she was looking for adoration today and had hoped that somebody would notice the hard earned WASP wings pinned to her shirt. Of course, we already had and were thrilled to run into her under such auspicious circumstances. As always, she was beyond inspiring, sharing her life experiences as a pioneering female pilot at the age of 25.
So grateful to have Dorothy and Liz in our universe and to be reminded of all the amazing women that have paved the way with such grace, gusto and relentless courage. Most importantly Dorothy, please know and remember you will always be not only adored for your service but for who you are.
Dorothy, you are a truly inspiring hero and pioneer, and we wish you much adoration and appreciation today and every day.
Driving down Highway 101 along the coast to Santa Barbara has been not only a beautiful very familiar but comforting happy place for me most of my life. I remember mucho fun, water play, and camping as a kid, and chilling at Refugio and El Cap beaches at many different phases of my life.
As I was driving this route on the day after the devastating oil spill, the air was thick with the stench of oil and there was mass chaos in the sky as the pelicans and seagulls were circling in large numbers, clearly confused and impacted.
The sky was filled with helicopters supporting the frantic containment effort in the water below. It is beyond heartbreaking to think about the impact this will have on the environment. The most shocking thing was to see the hazardous materials trucks and containers everywhere and the large force of "helpers” in white suits on this normally spectacular stretch of California coast.
As traffic was slowed by flashing lights, orange cones and emergency vehicles everywhere, the cleanup efforts and wildlife rescue were clearly in full force. I passed mile after mile of teams of Helpers and equipment being dispersed and focused on the brilliant wisdom of Mr. Rogers:
“When I was a boy, I would see scary things. In the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially In times of “disaster" I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers, so many caring people in this world.” —Mr. Fred Rogers
Grateful for the reminder that life as we know it can change in an instant and another huge thank you for the "helpers” that seemingly appear out of nowhere to help restore and repair in tragedies around the globe .
boxofbunnies
These are the caring hands and one of the snuggly "grand bunnies" of the amazing Anna Deis . I was lucky enough to stop by the farm on a few occasions, just a few days after they were born. Anna was beyond adorable in her excitement and had clearly put a lot of love and preparation into her role as "grand bunny mother.” Her enthusiasm was delightful and infectious.
I will always remember her this way, which even makes me smile as we grieve for Anna, who was recently taken to heaven. She left tragically and unexpectedly while she was cycling. There is some comfort knowing she was doing something she loved, with someone she really loved, her fiancee Jason.
Today is Anna's wedding day, and she was certain to be a breathtaking bride while marrying the love of her life on a beautiful sunny day on the coast. It is incredibly heartbreaking that this will not come true; the grief felt by her family and a very large tribe is palpable. We miss her glow and her pure delight in living each moment.
The sweetest synchronicity I have found is this very inspiring Facebook post that Anna did a month ago—a lovingly written and perfect message for today. Grateful to you, Anna, for the amazing person you continue to be. for the sweet reminder of the joy found in a box of bunnies and, most importantly, for taking nothing for granted.
I went home to visit my parents three weeks ago for a seemingly casual visit, there was nothing on the horizon to worry about. As it turned out, I was there when my mom, after not feeling great the previous weekend, went to a routine OR appointment which would prove to be not so routine, and after swift action from an efficient team of ORs and many tests and procedures, less than two days later we were given a stage 4 cancer diagnosis with tumors in the pancreas, liver, and lymph nodes.
Of course, we were all in shock, as mom is known for extreme self-care and is in great shape, and yikes, this is serious news. I extended my visit, and our newly banded and very determined tribe of 3 (my parents and I) began a thorough tour of the Ors offices with little good news about treatment options, total overstimulation of information, and the consistent reminder to move fast on treatment. My brother had also planned to be there over the next week—another crazy coincidence—and we pooled our family strengths, knowledge, and incredibly supportive medical connections to move into action with a sense of humor and grace.
As the information continued to unfold and connect us, we were able to find a great doctor and team at a holistic cancer clinic with a treatment plan and protocol that felt good and right for her. Looking back, it all lined up so quickly and powerfully that there is no doubt now that it should have been any other way.
Mom is now in her second week of an intense and complex treatment that, to greatly simplify, creates conditions in the body that cancer cannot survive and thrive in. A huge part of the success of this protocol comes from nutrition and juicing. I believe this label says it all: “Not for Sissies (Hardcore)” Mom is drinking 4 of these a day, very strong I could barely get down half a bottle. Yes, that label captures not only the taste and strength of this very potent microjuice but also the experience of being diagnosed with cancer, weighing all the options, and moving forward to take responsibility for your healing.
The photo above shows mom on day 5 with a full juice in front of her, an empty one beside it, and a sweet "bring it on" kind of smile. I bet she will not like this photo, but I believe it captures the experience perfectly. I remain inspired and impressed by her gusto, her open mind, and her spirit towards the whole experience; it has shown and taught me a lot.
I am incredibly grateful for all the loving support we have received on this journey and that I was there and able to be a part of what will no doubt prove to be a powerful healing experience for mom and our entire family.
The weekly farmers market is foodie heaven. Portland is a unique adventure, filled with amazing locally grown produce and always interesting people. Recently I had the great pleasure to meet Felicia, a delightful 7-year-old from China who is in Portland for a few months with her family.
Felicia has been busy making soaps and candles by hand and then uses fabric and other scrap materials to package them with her special flair. She declares her products "completely sustainable"” She engaged me in conversation about the proceeds and giving to World Vision while her younger brother played guitar beautifully to draw a crowd and their proud parents looked on from a safe distance.
I was blown away by her passion and spirit and asked her which of her products she would suggest for me, with no hesitation, she told me Felicia's Starry Night Soap had magical powers. I bought the soap and remain convinced it is Felicia who has the magic power, and I am certain she will continue to spread her magic message of giving back in a way only she can.
Always grateful to support free-spirited and soulful entrepreneurs of any age.
I woke up Sunday feeling kind of off, but I made my way into the dance studio as usual anyway to move with Kari Winn, one of my favorite teachers. Kari has this incredible gift and always brings the right insight, wrapped in the right package, at exactly the right time. Kari created the intention to celebrate Memorial Day, and our movement today would honor Zach Sobiech and celebrate his gift to the world.
Zach Sobiech was 14 when diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Zach underwent many surgeries and chemotherapy treatments. At 17 and with only months to live, Zach turned to music and posted a video on YouTube to say goodbye to his family and friends. Zach's song, “Clouds'” went viral and has touched millions, 'Clouds' is available on iTunes and other online music stores. The proceeds benefit the Zach Sobiech Research Fund for Children's Cancer Research.
Zach Sobiech was 18 when he left this world on May 20, 2013. Our hearts and prayers are with his family and friends. We are forever touched by his wisdom and his story Thank you for sharing your life and music with us, Zach.
We celebrated your life as we danced and bounced around our beautiful space with big joy and arms up up up, rare sun streamed through the windows and Zach's catchy yet incredibly profound song Clouds blasted, I am certain he was feeling it . Grateful as always for Kari for continuing your tight focus on all the amazing things happening in the world and giving us space and freedom of movement to come together.
As I was completing a project in India recently, I had a unique opportunity to witness the Monday morning arrival and energy in a corporate office in a radically different culture. I sat in the lobby early for a meeting and watched the usual rush of somewhat hesitant people swipe their badges and dash upstairs to begin their week. There's nothing different about that.
Soon a man arrived with a huge smile and a box of flowers, marigold garlands, incense, and prayer beads and began a ritual at the abstract Ganesha altar in the corner at the base of the stairs. Ganesha is one of the deities widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles and more generally as the Lord of New Beginnings and the Lord of Obstacles. I can’t think of any office that could not use that fresh perspective each day!
It was beautifully fragrant, and instantly the energy of the office and the way the new rush of people entered the building and started their week was calmer and more aware as they each stopped and took a moment with the altar.
Grateful to experience the Monday morning ritual in a different world and take note of the importance to stop and take a breath and a moment each morning.
I woke up to the terrifying sound of my huge oak tree whipping against my roof and house in the sudden severe windstorms we had in Los Angeles this week. I got up and kept an anxious watch (but wanted to hide under the bed) as the power lines snapped and sparked around the street and the extreme wind gusts made intense howling sounds I hope never to hear again. In the morning, the entire neighborhood and area were out early surveying our homes, yards, and cars and openly sharing our experiences of fear from the night before, even though many were total strangers that just happened to live on our street.
Many had extreme damage. Huge trees were literally uprooted and now lay across cars, houses, and streets, and it was a shocking and emotional scene. We all skipped our usual morning routines (no power makes that pretty easy) and got to work on cleaning up with a sense of comradery and purpose I had not experienced before. It turned out to be an incredibly sweet day and experience despite the seeming chaos and devastation, and it still fascinates me that within this random weather twist there was a huge perspective shift for all. I am grateful for the simple reminder that we really are all in this together and appreciate the magic and convenience of electricity in a way you only can after you lose it for awhile.
I just returned from an amazing trip to India, where I was exposed to a way of life and way of being I could previously only imagine. We wandered and discovered all kinds of people, places, and things, and the joy, harmony, and peace that we found in utter chaos at every turn continues to inspire and amaze me.
Everywhere we went, the perfect guide appeared and enthusiastically led us through areas we would not have had access to or felt comfortable with. This particular day we were wandering happily, although somewhat lost, looking for the tannery in the slums of Dharavi when a perfectly dressed, handsome young man adopted us. Abdul Jawwad was thrilled to show off his great English and showed us around while giving us the real deal on the culture as he took us to the tannery. There, he was eager to talk and asked great questions about our lives. He was compelled to get out his brand new laptop (which his family had saved up for six months) because he wanted to share his dreams with me.
I was blown away by his clarity, drive and enthusiasm to share so happily and openly what to most would be considered unachievable dreams given the conditions we were standing in. He had a profound impact on me, and I have no doubt that he will achieve everything on that list... and much much more.
mom
I just returned from a sort of retreat where we were asked to identify our core values, strengths, etc., and my "aha” moment was that creativity has been a consistent thread in all areas and stages of my life.
I was encouraged from an early age to be a creative free spirit by both my parents, and I was a daily witness to the joys of creative bliss from my mom.
The evolution and cycles of her creative exploration and mastery range from a pottery studio in our garage where she taught and whipped out an endless array of dishes, vases and slab art to making three guitars from scratch and then learning to play them. When mom was studying interior design, our dining room table became the hub of the house as she built impeccable 3D scale models of houses and assorted other things.
I always had the best, most perfectly detailed dioramas for my book reports, and the book "Free to be You and Me” was my childhood manual, and I still value and appreciate the lesson and philosophy today.
I am sure I don't tell you enough. Mom, I love you, and I appreciate and am so grateful for the gift of creativity and inspiration you have blessed me with—much more than you will ever know.
Happy Mothers day
My great friend Bill called me after his morning swim yesterday and shared the incredibly sweet spontaneous duck rescue effort he and a fellow swimmer performed as they were interrupted from their daily laps in a local freshwater, waveless pool. Momma duck was quacking in distress as she had brought 11 of her little darlings into the pool and they were drifting off and getting stuck in the gutters, and mom could not get them out herself. Bill and his friend quickly got to work to reunite the duck family, vowed to go back to the pool every 4 hours to make sure they were all ok, and proceeded to reach out to various agencies to get them relocated to a more "duck-friendly" place.
He even began negotiations with local kids to hire them to act as temporary crossing guards in case the new family decided to explore the neighborhood. With all the craziness in the world right now I am grateful for people like Bill and to be reminded that there are simple and random acts of kindness taking place every moment!
What I am grateful for by Kathy Russell
I am grateful for my neighbors, Ian Kelsey and Megan, whose ages range from 6 to 9 years old. They continue to remind me of innocence, joy, and laughter, and that as an adult, I have learned to take myself much too seriously.
As we spend time together hiking or playing go-fish, they remind me to live in the moment and be happy as they are, because you never know when that moment will be taken away.
Among all the other things that keep us alive every day, water may be one that we take for granted when it is available and safe to drink.
When we count our blessings, we often overlook the importance of water. This is not to say we don't appreciate it. This only serves to highlight the fact that it is not a universal phenomenon that it is always present in our lives.
Fact:
”Every week, nearly 38,000 children under the age of 5 die from unsafe drinking water and unhygienic living conditions.”
With that in mind, take time each day to be grateful for water.
Consider lending time or donating money to an organization like one of these that helps make clean water available to those in need.