Day 121: RIP the North Pond I loved

I went for a walk around North Pond yesterday. 

It was different than normal. More somber. 

The $7 million pond restoration project has started. It will help prevent future pond erosion and overtime will attract an even broader array of birds and animals.

I know it's good for the health of the ecosystem, but I can't help but feel a bit sad about it . . .

On my way to the pond I found a dead Mourning Dove laying on the sidewalk. For some reason it really startled me. I don't think that's quite the right word. But it hit harder than I would have expected. Probably because I used to feed them out my apartment window (that is, until the building told me to stop).

As soon as I saw the dove I got a weird, heavy feeling. Preparing for something worse, it seemed in a way.

Once I reached the pond I was met by another shock. A dead turtle float just under the water's surface.

My heart sank. 

Then I looked across the pond to the other side and was horrified by what I saw. By what these little omens may have been leading up to. 

I saw undeniable proof of the project starting. But nothing about it looked restorative.

In the limited section of work every tree along the shoreline, healthy or not, had been cut down. 

I didn't think my heart could sink any lower. Then something dawned on me. 

I knew I really liked the North Pond, but dare I say I LOVE North Pond?

It seemed a silly question to ask - of course I loved the pond! But to realize the depths of that love was enlightening.

I always knew I loved animals, but now I was VERY concerned. I just saw a dead turtle floating. 

What's going to happen to the rest of them? 

Where will they go? 

What's going to happen to the beaver (that I finally saw up close)???

I continued my way down the path, momentarily distracted from my concern by a squirrel hanging upside down by its feet in order to reach some seed pods in a tree.

This is why I love North Pond.

By the time I reached the other side of the pond my smile from the squirrel was long gone. 

I paused to look forlornly up the shoreline. Missing the leaning trees and majestic secrecy they created for all of the birds and animals that lived there.

This is what it used to look like in the clearing captured in the photo above:

But now all that's left is this:

I was touched by the fake flowers someone left - I can only imagine - as a memorial.

Day 120: 107%

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen sugar listed at over 100% of the recommended daily amount before!!

Why does it have to be so high, though?!

Can't they just cut back like, say, 7%? You know, make it an even 100% of the recommended daily sugar amount?

All the sugar you need in order for your body to function can be obtained through this one bottle.

Wow, it's just like a meal replacer - but it's for the whole day . . . and night . . . and only for one nutrient class . . .

Yep, sounds like a good idea to me!

Day 119: Not Relaxing

 

 

 

Worst. Vacation. Ever.

. . . at least for a mischievous kid . . .

Day 118: Want. Wish. Desire.

Fulfillment starts with the desire to want.

To want a better life for yourself.

To want to know yourself better.

To want to understand what your dreams are and pursue them.

To want to live with ease in a way that feels good.

When we allow ourselves to want, when we allow ourselves to desire, we come closer to understanding who we are. We come closer to true happiness.

To want does not mean to be selfish.
To want is to dream.

As the Cinderella song tells us, "A dream is a wish your heart makes." [Cue Sonia playing this on the piano over and over as fast as she can.]

What are the wants, the wishes, the desires of your heart?

Maybe you're like me and have been ignoring, quieting, and repressing them because you:
   are being realistic
   don't do 'that sort of thing'
   have no experience
   don't know how
   aren't good enough
I could keep this list going for a while . . .

So instead, I'll ask again, what are the desires of your heart? 

Here's a hot tip - if something comes to mind and is immediately followed by why you can't do it or why you don't really want it, it's probably worth paying attention to.

Your wants, your wishes, your desires - when they come from the heart will always lead you where you need to be.

"But what if I have no idea how to reach my dream?
What if it seems so unrealistic or out of reach it feels like a - well, a pipe dream?"

Doesn't matter.

Last time I checked, we can only take one step at a time.

Day 117: In One Ear

 

. . . and out the other?

Maybe. Maybe not.

It's so easy to take in the viewpoint or opinion of others and adopt it for our own. 

Just think back to when we were kids. 

I can recall many times hearing adults talk about things I'd never experienced or wasn't remotely aware of and taking them as fact. Little did I know these unintentionally adopted viewpoints would influence many of my future beliefs, behaviors, and actions. 

As kids, there's not much we can do about this.
As adults, it's a whole different story.

That's why being an adult is so great! Because we get to decide what we believe - no one else can do this for us.

With that said -
how often are we taking time to ensure the information wanting to hang out between our ears is what we actually believe? 

When do we pause to break down new ideas we've heard - to fully understand what they are made up of?

What body cues are we listening to or ignoring?  

[Good rule of thumb: if you feel relaxed, calmed, or lighter by a thought - it's typically a green light to keep it. If you feel restricted, tense, or heavy/weighed down by a thought - it likely does not align with your values and you might want to reassess.]

We do the world - and ourselves - no favors by blindly accepting the viewpoints and opinions of others.

Be Brave.

Be Bold.

Be You - Do You.

Day 116: The Soul Reason

Stop judging yourself - you know what you need.

The things that "randomly" flutter into your mind that you quickly brush away.

The interests that call to you, but are silenced by "priorities"

The things you like. Not the things you need.

Oh, aren't they?

They may actually be JUST the things you need.

A thriving soul is fed. A starving soul is maintained.

Feed your soul.

Prioritize your interests.

They interest you for a reason. Find out why.

Day 115: Bittersweet Realizations

Bittersweet realizations are exhausting.
I've had so many lately, my brain and emotions feel like mush.
It is so draining.
But so worth it.
Bittersweet realizations are helping set me free.
Slowly. draining
Slowly. Repairing.
Showing me the horror of what I actually believed
To reveal what I really want.
Appreciating what I had
and what it gave me.
Finally, mourning the loss, fully,
and leaving it in the past.
But keeping the memories.
The memories that spur me forward
Towards what I Really want.