The End Of An Era

It seems like there are several events in each persons' lifetime that are forever memorable.  One of those events occurred over the course of many years.  That series of events were those of NASA's shuttle program.  I remember thinking how "odd" it was when I first saw the shuttle design and if it would work.  I remember being called into the school library so that we could all watch the launches on TV.  I remember how cool it was to watch the landings on TV too.  And yes, I remember where I was when both The Challenger and Columbia met their fateful ends and how shocked the nation was.

Growing up, the shuttle program was undoubtedly "cool".  But, living in the Midwest I really didn't grasp the entire "awesome factor" (as I would have called it in those days).  It wasn't until I moved to Florida that I became more in awe of the program.  Living in east Orlando, I could actually walk out my front door, go into the street in front of our home, look east and see the shuttle blazing into the sky.  The image to the right I took with a 55mm lens as I stood in front of our home.  But what was just as cool was when the shuttle would land at Kennedy Space Center.  I never saw a shuttle land, but I always knew when it was nearly home.  No, I wasn't watching it on TV.  The tell tale sign that the shuttle had arrived back home safely was the sonic boom we would hear.  Our windows would rattle and you could hear it clear as could be.  The first couple of times I experienced it, I honestly thought someone has shot a rifle or a small bomb had gone off.  I freaked a bit.  But, once I learned what it was it was cool and I found that I began to look forward to it.

Over the years, I would faithfully step outside of our home or my office and look to the sky to watch the shuttle fly into space.  Over the years, I would faithfully wait to hear the sonic boom upon the shuttles' return.  I even drove out to the coast a couple of times to watch a launch.  Let me tell you, that was an experience all in its' own right.  Only those that have experienced can truly understand what its' all about. First there is the sheer amazement I always had at the extreme volume of cars and people that packed the Beachline and coast from Titusville to Cocoa Beach.  As the launch time neared, you could see and feel the anticipation growing.  I always watched in Cape Canaveral, it was double fun to be able to enjoy the ocean too!  Shortly after launch you would see the shuttle rising, the smoke trailing, and the excitement of those witnessing the launch filled the air.  I would stand and watch the shuttle flying, at what I knew to me would be an absurd speed, into space.  If that wasn't cool enough, you only had to wait just a short while before you could hear the rumble, feel the rumble.  This is no exaggeration.  You could literally hear and feel the sound waves of the shuttle(excuse me if my lingo is not exact here).

I, of course, was present for the final shuttle lift off on July 8, 2011.  I took our son, daughter, and my niece.  I heard the sonic boom of the final shuttle landing, of Atlantis coming home. It is a part of our Nation's history that I feel so blessed to have been able to experience in some small part.  Knowing it was the end of an era was a little saddening, but I also know great things are on the horizon.  But oh, what a great part of history to say I got to see.  Maybe, some day when I'm older and maybe have grandkids, they will ask me about what it was like when the Shuttle program was going on.  They'll probably be asking for a school report or such, but I think it will be a great experience to share.

Finding Your "Happy Place"

Finding Nemo has got to be one of my all time favorite movies.  It's not only a funny movie that also tries to teach kids some great lessons.  It is also a movie that has some great lessons for adults too!  One of the biggest messages/lessons that I got from the movie was from Dory and Crush.  Yes, Dory is a little ditsy and off-the-wall, but aren't we all a little?  Yes, Crush is extremely laid back - a trait I think most of us could do more with.  But, the biggest lesson these two remind me of is that we all need to enjoy life and find our happy place!

Dory is battling short term memory loss and trouble seems to find her.  But despite her issues in life, she tries to take on each situation with an attitude filled with positivity.  The reality is that life will have its' ups and downs.  We will have days that we simply want to crawl into bed and hide under the blankets all day.  However, that really doesn't solve much.  I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason......good and not-so-good.  When we are faced with a tough situation, we need to accept it for what it is, learn from it, and deal with it in the best way possible.  Yes, I also understand that is much easier said than done.  For years I have been the poster child for "freaking out" over even smallest of glitches in my life.  Yet, over the past couple of years I have been fervently working to learn from the battles and hard times, accept them(with even a half hearted smile) and move on.  I have a way to go, but I am seeing progress.

A big part of this process of progress, of accepting my tough days and hard lessons, has been learning how to relax more.  Crush is a perfect example of this.  He seems to take life in stride, accepting what is and going with the flow of life.  At one point in the movie his son "slips" out of the current.  He makes a statement that he basically trusts that his "little dude" is going to be just fine.  He just knows it.  Sometimes letting our children go, taking chances, and simply trusting that life will be "OK" is a very hard thing to do.  But, as I have started to put my faith in trusting life and trying to accept what is going on around me for what it is and learning from it, I have also found myself more relaxes.  There are even times my husband has asked if I am "OK" because I am talking more calmly and acting more relaxed in situations that used to freak me out a bit.

A big part of bringing both happiness and relaxation into my life has been finding my happy place.  My ultimate "Happy Place" is sitting in a chair on the beach, my feet buried in the sand, sun warming my body, and just existing as I listen to the waves crashing on the shore.  However, in reality(at least at this point in my life), I can't wave a wand and be at the beach every time I am stressed or having a rough day.  So, I have turned to meditation(of sorts).  When I find myself getting stressed and worked up over something, I now try to slow down for a moment, recognize what is causing these feelings and see if there is anything I can do to correct it.  I try to learn from it.  I accept it for what it is and then I begin to simply breathe.  I push all thoughts from my mind.  If a thought pops in, I excuse it.  To do this I focus on my breathing.  I lay(or sit) down, close my eyes, and as I breathe in I mentally say to myself "I am breathing in".  As I breathe out mentally tell myself "I am breathing out".  I really focus on breathing and trying to relax my body.  I do his for 5 minutes or longer and I find that I really begin to relax and I can think more clearly.

My life lesson today --- well, the reality is that life can down right suck at times.  But, if we try to stay positive, if we accept the hardships for what they are and learn, if we try to relax a bit and trust in life, and if we simply find our own happy place life can be just a little bit easier and a lot more enjoyable.  Life is too short to worry so much.  Live life, love life, and be happy!

It's In The Eyes

"Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child." 
                                  ~Ron Wild


The eyes of a child are so full of truth, wonder, hope, and magic.  It is in the eyes of a child that so much beauty can be found.  I took this photo one day while we were outside playing in the backyard.  I remember it.  The dogs were running around, we had finished planting some new flowers in our butterfly garden, and I had been chasing my little "ladybug" around the yard.  Then, she climbed to the top of her castle, slid down to the bottom, and just sat there and laid back against the slide.  In that one simple, pure moment life was perfect.  We were both living life in the moment and enjoying the pureness of life in that moment. 


   I love the above quote by Ron Wild.  Aging, growing, and learning are inevitable parts of life.  Seeking wisdom and reaching for our dreams are wonderful endeavors and gifts.  But, sometimes while we are on our life's journey, we forget to stop and smell the roses.  Sometimes we forget to feel the blades of grass between our toes.  Sometimes we don't slow down and watch the clouds floating by or the birds dancing in the sky.  Sometimes we don't really stop and listen to the leaves rustling in the wind or water running in a stream or birds singing a song to welcome the morning.  We used to do these things as a child, but as we mature we stop looking at the world with such wonder.


Today, if for only a few minutes, try to see the world through the eyes of a child.  Smell the flowers(or crisp winter air), bathe in the warmth of the sun, and giggle.  Delight in the magical beauty of the world and the blessings that surround you!

Breath In, Breath Out

 Another year has passed and another has begun.  The two photos on this blog were taken during sunrise at New Smyrna Beach, FL.  They were taken in approximately the same area and they were taken only one day apart from one another.  The first was on the morning of December 31, 2011.  The second January 1, 2012.

The first photo, to me, represents the warmth of the memories that were created in 2011.  The second photo, with its crisp cool colors and light breaking through, gives me a sense of hope and newness for the new year.  They are two very different images, even though they were taken in the same place only a day apart.  To me they are a perfect visual interpretation to the closing of one year and the start of a new year.  We have the warmth and the deep rich colors of our memories, both good and not-so-good moments, from the past year.  Memories that were filled with laughter, tears, joy, sorrow, peace, hardship, and so much more.  Then, at the start of a new year we tend to be filled with crisp, new feelings of hope and what lays ahead of us.

In past years I have been religious about making my list of New Year's Resolutions.  However, I honestly end up not completing most of them.  This is not for lack of trying.  It simply is.  Life happens.  Life is constantly changing and we adapt and change along with it.  So, this year I didn't make any specific resolutions.  I simply promised myself that I was going to strive to live the best life I can. Day by day.  Moment by moment.  I want to live in the moment and not worry so much about the past or the future.  This could be hard for me as, those that know me can attest, I tend to get worked up over even the smallest of things and I absolutely am almost always terrified of huge changes.  Yet, this year I will try to be better at living in the moment.  I want to live more simply.  I will try to find some balance between "me" time, family time, friends, chores, and everything else that life throws my way.  I will enjoy each day and on those days that are a bit more testing, I will look for the lessons that can be learned.  I simply want to go with the flow of life this year.  I will breath in and I will breath out.

I started my 2012 journaling on January 1, 2012.  I am not a daily journal writer, but I do make an entry about once a week.  My first entry for 2012 was not a typical journal entry.  It was however, a series of words sprawled randomly across the page.  Each word written differently.  Each word representing something I hoped would be a large part of my life. The words were......"Simplicity, Family, Peace, Happiness, Rejuvenate, Organize, Joy, Chances, Friends, Love, Balance, Hope, Creativity, Trust, Laughter, Explore, Health, Faith, Dreams, Forgiveness, Memories, Learn, Blessings, Sharing, Respect, Journey, and Patience. While writing these words, I came to realize that I wasn't simply writing them for the year 2012.  I was writing them for my day to day life.  Each day is a gift, each and every moment with my children and husband is a blessing.  Each day, each moment is a new beginning.  So each moment I will strive to be in the moment fully as I breath in and I breath out.