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. 

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!

It has been a very long week since my mom left for heaven, but only one week. As I finish going through photos for her "life celebration service," I keep coming back to this one. I love this photo and believe it represents their marriage and relationship beautifully.

This photo was taken about 6 weeks into a 7 week intensive naturopathic protocol to treat her very aggressive cancer, which, unknown to us at the time, was rapidly taking over her body. As she grew weaker and needed more support than she wanted, they proved to be an even more amazing team.

I believe the sweetest thing about this photo is she is walking on her own, although weak and a little wobbly, and her dad is holding her up gently by her pants. He is letting her be on her own, yet ready to support her in any way he can, and they did that beautifully for each other for 52 and a half years.

This experience has been a gift wrapped in sandpaper, as I learned more about my parents, my family, and myself during this journey than at any other time in my life.

It was a privilege and delight to support her and them as a couple and I am incredibly grateful that I had these last two months with them.

Happy one week in heaven, mom—we miss you more than you could imagine!

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.

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

by Elliott S. Dacher M.D.

I have this wonderful teacher, my granddaughter. She is a little over two years old. Her mom called the other day to say that little Zoe was waking up at night crying from nightmares and would not sleep in her room. It seems there were cows running all over her room? That would be frightening for any of us.

As I thought about this, I realized that Zoe didn't yet know what a dream was. She did not realize that it was all in her mind and not in her room. So when she was awake, the fear did not go away. The cows were just hiding someplace in her room, perhaps playing peek-a-boo.

Of course, as adults, we all know that nighttime dreams are in the mind, and when we awaken, we do so with a sigh of relief, knowing that dreams are not real but only the product of our imagination.

But as an adult, I similarly act as if my daydreams, whose source is also in my mental imagination, are quite true. My fears, anxieties, judgments, and limitations are a result of my inability to awaken from my adult "dreams," from the over activity of my mental imagination, making the past the present.

One day Zoe will realize that her nighttime dreams are not real. She will be freed from the fears and limitations of her unruly imagination. With grace, perhaps one day I will also be similarly freed from an enslavement to my daydreams and be able to live free in the present moment, as it actually is.

Thank you to my dear teacher, Zoe.

Mikayla Benincasa

Mikayla learned the concept of gratitude at the age of 6 from Mike, her very sweet dad. She illustrates with love what she is most grateful for.

Peter

What a wonderful opportunity for one to be able to express one's gratitude to the world and be inspired by others. I'm grateful for everything, as follows:

God

Every day is a gift. I'm grateful to God for my Life, as the Source, for Love, for the Spirit, for the miracle of Creation, the Gift of vision, and the Power for creativity. Thank you God for air to breathe, plants for food, and the beauty and resources of mother Earth-oceans, flowers, trees, and animal.

Humans

My Mother. I'm eternally grateful to my beloved mother for giving me birth, for loving me unconditionally when I couldn't love myself, for carrying me when I couldn't carry myself, and for carrying me when I couldn't carry myself. Mother, I miss you. I try to be strong; I try to hide the pain of your loss from the world, but I cry in secret. Mother, I cry for you everyday-everyday. Why did you leave us so soon? You died young, but you never die. Your spirit lives on forever. I carry you in my heart. I see your face everyday. Though invisible, I know you are with me always. You spirit guide me and I'm grateful. Thank you for giving me life. Thank you for forgiving my errors-even before I ever asked. I love you, Dear Mother.

My Father. I'm grateful to my father for his love, discipline, protection, provisions, and for the gift of education. Dad, thank you for sending me to school. Thank you for paying the fees, for buying those books, uniforms, and shoes.

My Teachers-Thank you for teaching me how to read and write!

Friends and Kind Strangers

I'm grateful for the generosity of friends and kind strangers in America. I came to America with nothing. I knew nobody. But kind strangers carried me on their wings. They fed and housed me. I'm deeply grateful for their trust and hospitality which led to my success in this great country. Several dozens of children are getting help in my village because of them. If they hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have been able to reach out to my village. Thank you friends for the gift of your love-a gift that keeps giving!

Michelle McKee

I'm grateful for the gift and wisdom of Michelle McKee. Thank you for creating this avenue for me to share my gratitude with the world. May God give you more visions and prosper your work. Gratitude heals. This is an amazing initiative that can change the world. I'm honored to be a part of it.

Experiences

I'm grateful for disappointments, they lead to better things. When I was denied a visa for Britain, I got one for the U.S. When my used car was stolen, I bought a brand new one.

America

I'm grateful for the privilege of living in America. Thank you America for the freedom, resources, and opportunity to create and make a difference in the world. I love you, America!

Peter Opagrateful at 42

Quality time basking in the effervescent energy of  a five year old is good for the soul. This is the amazing Greta who I am grateful to have in my life, we had a special date recently and she wanted to paint portraits of herself and her brothers on plates. Notice she gave everyone crowns, (big crowns) and painted her brothers with their tongues sticking out:)Wisdom gained from an afternoon with Greta... anytime there was a "goof" no matter how big or small she said oops! got more paint and simply painted over and moved on...think that thought process could apply to most situations  in life and guess it really is that easy!