I recently received the infamous “box of childhood" we all eventually get when our parents clean out and downsize and decide we have reached the age where they should no longer be storing “our stuff.” The box that is chock full of photos, ribbons, and report cards—all those odd yet very tangible reminders of what your life was really like as a kid. I found this reminder of my time as a Girl Scout, which is kinda funny - I do not remember  that fondly , a free spirit from birth I never have liked to be told what to wear , what to do or how to do it . When I saw these pictures and handwritten notes from the troop leader it made me giggle that even then at the age of 10 I was doing my own thing .The  majority of the troop was in knee socks and short sleeve dresses and I am sock less , wearing clogs and a jumper with a turtleneck . I also appreciate the fact that I was getting badges and awarded a ribbon for  getting" second most votes" for the second friendliest girl at the "camporee" ...who knew!Grateful for the reminder that  my free spirit and sense of self  has been firmly intact all these years  and I survived girl scouts by earning full collection of crazy badges. 

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 just returned from a whirlwind trip to Europe for business, always a welcome and refreshing change to be out of the country, and with the impending presidential elections, this trip took on an all-new twist.

Sleepless in Germany I turned on the TV to find the second presidential debate under way on the BBC. I watched in disbelief as the "binders of women" and other crazy facts and phrases were dropped like weird little grenades the potential leaders of the country would later use against each other. Then the somewhat harsh but seemingly objective BBC commentary began. No wonder the rest of the world thinks Americans are crazy. Almost everywhere I went after that, I was coaxed into somewhat intense political conversations about my voting preference, the candidates, the election, and what was going to happen to America.

One night, a tough taxi driver wouldn't let me out of the car until I promised I would vote for Obama, as he appeared to be convinced that if Romney won, the whole world would collapse instantly. He seemed quite certain that my single vote might make or break the election. It's fascinating to experience firsthand how humans across the planet perceive American culture and lifestyle. In India last year, as I was confirmed as an American, the common response was "Yes, America—a black man living in a white house,” followed by a mocking chuckle and head bobble.

The progressive nature of Amsterdam seems to have the perfect outlook, as there were quite compelling posters plastered everywhere showing the morphing of both candidates’ faces into one and advertising the "Presidents’ Night,” which was billed as a giant party including comedy and, of course, an all American breakfast.

Although I am not at all a political heavy, I am painfully aware there is a lot at stake here, yet something about my recent international travel experiences makes this whole nonstop election mania seem a lot less serious. Just think while we are waiting for election results on Nov 6 people all over the world will be watching and potentially even celebrating in ways we cannot even imagine, And at this point a heavy dose of comedy and a big breakfast just might be the best approach.

“If you are going to doubt something, doubt your limits.”

— Don Ward

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.

fathers day

I have always loved this photo and seems appropriate to share it on fathers day

This is a photo of my dad and I sitting side by side last year, and it captures the essence of our relationship and what he has given me. I got his long, lean legs, and I am eternally grateful for that! Although not so much in my earlier years while he cheered me on and supported me through the gangly "daddy long legs" stage, pants were never long enough and too tall for the cute boys’ often angst-ridden tween and teen years.

That support, of course, continued into my adult years, as he walked me down the aisle to my husband of five years in my favorite running shoes to meet the Elvis impersonator as we renewed our vows for my parents in Las Vegas the night before a marathon we were doing together. I am almost certain that was not his dream for me, but I never would have known it as he laughed, got into it, and cheered those legs on the next day and many races after.

I witnessed fitness as a priority from an early age and was always encouraged to explore that realm as he celebrated my first jump off the high dive and countless other milestones and received clear course correction only when needed:)

He supported me with a word, a shoulder, or even a check (or ten) as I progressed through the corporate world, always with sound advice and loving support. I continue to embrace and use all the leadership and good human qualities he demonstrated through thoughtful action throughout his career.

Thank you, Dad, for all you have given me, the strong legs to stand on and the grace to move forward in my life. You are an amazing human, and I love and appreciate you very much!

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!

by Stef Cheneby, grateful at 43

I look back at 43 years and I think, "Oh my god! I am so grateful to be where I am, and this is the result of all the experiences I have lived through.” The good ones and the bad ones. The pleasant ones and the painful ones. The laughter and the tears. The birth and the death. The joys and the fears.

I have finally manifested many experiences I thought would only be for others when I started believing in myself and realizing I could not change the present, but I could change my future.

I changed my mindset from what else could go wrong to what else could go perfectly.

I am grateful for all my friends, for they make every moment even more enjoyable.

I am grateful for those who tried to hurt me, for they succeeded in making me stronger and more powerful.

I am grateful for the latest discovery: I look in my backup hard drives for a beautiful photo of a butterfly I took years ago, and I discover the folder with all my photos is gone. 43 years of photos of me are gone. The folders for Mom, Dad, Rico, my daughter, Chloe, my dog, Braun, and many more are still there. So I decided to be grateful for what I have instead of whining about what I lost.

I decided to be grateful and see it as a gift from the Universe. I have nowhere to look back so I can only look forward.

Chele MckeeBig gratitude was born at a new years meditation retreat,   I was invited to look back on the last year and become aware of all that was made available to me...to realize everything that I had begun the year with no idea or awareness of...so many amazing things happened that it surprised me I had not really thought about it that way before.It made me realize that the state of "counting your blessings /expressing gratitude" is a sweet place to live. This  is the reflection of what I am most grateful for ...as anticipated it was a  powerful experience to really get clear and express how fabulous my life is RIGHT NOW..... Proved once again to me that it's really not the big things...fat bank accounts, loads of stuff,  etc...its really about being who you are, having faith that the universe is unfolding as it should  and appreciating the sweet moments in our everyday lives... grateful at 46