As I was walking this amazing labyrinth this morning, I was feeling incredibly grateful for living in such a heavenly place and for all the craziness I had to go through to be here. I remembered it is officially "Gratitude Day," which is celebrated annually on September 21st.

The celebration of Gratitude Day allows us to celebrate the broad meaning of gratitude in a variety of ways.

The celebration started in 1965 in Hawaii at an international gathering where it was decided that it would be a good idea to have one day per year to formally express gratitude and appreciation for the many wonderful things to be found in the world.

The benefits of having time in one's life for gratitude, appreciation, and positive reflection have become increasingly apparent. The hope of the founders of Gratitude Day is that by taking time, one day a year, to reflect on the many amazing things we have in our lives, it will positively impact our well-being and make us happier, more content people. Wow, compound that by 365 days, and imagine what might happen.

Wishing a happy gratitude day to all and a gentle reminder to stop, appreciate, and honor what you are grateful for, and of course pass it on with love.

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.

zachandbella

I recently attended an offsite for work, and when we were packing up to leave, we had lots of fresh fruit, yogurt, and "healthy leftovers.” I took most of it to give to a local homeless shelter I support, but I never made it that far. I found myself driving through Portland with a front seat full of food to give away and gained even more awareness of the intense homelessness crisis here. It was a bitterly cold day, and at almost every corner was a person in need; most were young and appeared broken and hopeless, and sadly for humanity, they were very grateful just to be acknowledged.

I passed out food and drove on until I met Zach and Bella. I got out of my car, and Zach and I talked for a bit, and he shared his story with me. I was so touched by his vulnerability, his honesty, and his energy that I asked for his phone number so I could check in and help as much as possible, and I went home with a gnawing tummy.

I have been watching for Zach and Bella ever since, and they were on my mind a lot today, so I texted him to check in. They seemed shocked, and I was happy to hear that all is "ok" and that they are now living in a car with his girlfriend and Bella, trying to get back on their feet after losing a job and thus their apartment. We hatched a plan to meet in the morning so I could drop off a care package and check in. So grateful to be in a position to help and to have a chance to support with compassion and a new awareness. After all, every person standing on a corner with a sign is a human, has a story, and a soul, and sometimes we need a reminder of that... Thank you Zach and Bella

I choose to believe this was a very sweet, almost stealth "Carmageddon" Buddha blessing on a Los Angeles freeway today, because we all might secretly need it.

It's amazing how most of us (including myself) are hyper-traffic-aware Angeleno’s and are still in disbelief about how this could possibly happen, but now are busily planning our weekends around traffic.

Funny how we perceive that our lives might be, and may be, completely disrupted by a 10 mile stretch of a 405 freeway closure.

Always grateful for the reminder that it isn’t always about going somewhere else…
and sometimes it is.

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!