Tag: flowers

Flower Power | You’re the Magic

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The real magic is when you don’t know how it’s going to happen. You don’t know if you’re ever going to make it. You don’t know where this road will take you – or if it’s even taking you anywhere at all. But still, you step forward and keep showing up, even on your hardest days. Sometimes, your steps are small. Other times, they’re a little bigger. But you’re not worried about the pace because you trust that what’s meant for you won’t miss you – that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be in this moment. The real magic is when your mind tries to convince you that you can’t, but you step forward and try anyway because your beating heart tells you that you can. The real magic is you. It’s your courage and commitment. Your belief in a universe where all things are possible. Your refusal to listen to the outer voices over that quiet voice within. It’s in your breath. It’s in your energy. It’s who you are at your core. You’re the gift. You’re the spark. You’re the magic.  —Zanna Keithley

The gorgeous flower featured in today’s post was created by my Wildflowers friend, Marrianna D, a photographer and sketch artist. Lately, she has been doing amazing work with Procreate. You can see more of her work here: Marrianna on Instagram.

Flower Power | Belonging

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I am hanging on by the proverbial thread, but it’s almost Fri-yay! It’s crazy how all the things in life can be nonstop at times, but I am taking a moment to share a little more flower-power before I hit the hay.

Today’s card came from another Wildflower sister, Arielle W. The postcard features her macro photo of a”tiny” bee resting on a black-eyed Susan.  Her sweet message of celebration of women and appreciation for friendship is complemented by a quote from Brené Brown, one of my favorite podcasters:

Belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are. –Brené Brown (emphasis mine)

See ya tomorrow…

Flower Power | You Matter

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IWD Lori W 2023

Darling, before you know it, you’ll feel like you don’t have enough time to be with those you love, to do the things you love, and to be the person you wanna be, so prioritize, start doing it all right now. Make the opportunities count because you count. You matter and are so loved.

The floral Hallmark card above came from another Wildflowers sister, Lori W. She enclosed a cute little handmade card with the words above–the perfect bit of #WednesdayWisdom. Do yourself a favor and jot this one down in a notebook or on a sticky note. Remind yourself: you count, you matter, and you are so loved.

Flower Power | Tears

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You should never let tears prevent you from doing what is right.
Aung San Suukyi

Today’s pretty purple bouquet and quote came from one of my newer pen friends, Anne Lene of Norway. I would love to unpack that quote and write a little about Aung San Suukyi, but I’ve had a long day of meetings and the business of academia, and my brain has been switched to rest. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more “flower power.”

Flower Power | All That You Touch

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Connie IWD 2023

As usual, I received such beautiful postcards for International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. In fact, the cards are still rolling in (happy mail dance!). For the final days of March we will “glory” in a bit of flower power and womanly wisdom.

All that you touch
you change.
All that you change
changes you.
The only lasting truth
is change.
God
is change. —Octavia Butler, from the Parable of the Sower, 1993.

The spectacular postcard above came from my pen friend, Connie F. On the back of the postcard she added (in a matching orange) the International Women’s Day theme and call to action:

Embrace equity.
Don’t just say it.
Think it. Be it.
Do it. Value it.
Truly embrace it.

No excuses!

Until tomorrow…

#ThursdayTreeLove | O Sweet Spontaneous

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Blossom 2023

In these parts everything is blooming–the pear blossoms, cherry blossoms, almond blossoms, dogwoods, redbuds, and more. All the blooming trees are blossoming all at once–in a glorious, spontaneous display of spring.

O Sweet Spontaneous
e.e. cummings

O sweet spontaneous
earth how often have
the
doting
             fingers of
prurient philosophers pinched
and
poked
thee
,has the naughty thumb
of science prodded
thy
        beauty      how
often have religions taken
thee upon their scraggy knees
squeezing and
buffeting thee that thou mightest conceive
gods
         (but
true
to the incomparable
couch of death thy
rhythmic
lover
             thou answerest
them only with
                              spring)

I am joining Parul Thakur for #ThursdayTreeLove every second and fourth Thursday of the month. If you would like to play along, post a picture of a tree on your blog and link it back to her latest #treelove post.

#WednesdayWisdom | Some Days and Sunflowers

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January Sunnies1

I hope by tomorrow I can unscramble the load of words bumping against each other in my brain. For now, please enjoy the words of Ullie-Kaye. Her poem manages to capture my “some days,” which have been going on for a week or two. Thankfully, though, there were sunflowers.

some days
ullie-kaye

some days are hard. and when they are,
i allow myself to feel whatever it is
that my body asks me to feel and i respect
the time it needs to fumble and flounder
and fall a little. some days i am swallowed whole
by things too big for me to hold.
and so i set them down. i rest, knowing
that even when i cannot slay the beast,
i can lay aside my sword for a moment and
work on protecting my spirit instead.
some days my heart beats like thunder
inside of my chest. it is heavy. and loud.
and relentless. it does not listen to the
part of me that wants to silence the storm.
and so i take my eyes off of the noise and
fix them on quieter places. on music. and art.
and heaven. and trees. and i show myself
grace in the dark. even if i am shaking my
way through it. because some days i still
haven’t caught my breath from yesterday yet.

Note: You can find more of Ullie-Kaye’s work on Facebook or Instagram [click links]. You can also purchase her poems–which always seem to resonate–as 5×7 cards here: Ullie-Kaye Poetry.

I Call Her “Too Much”

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Too Much

When I crafted the autumn flower above for Sheila D’s 30-Day Creative Gathering (Day 24), I sent it to a friend and told her this one might be a little “too much,” so I decided not to use it. Unwilling to leave her in the heap of “never-to-be-seen-again” photo projects, I worked on her a little more.

I tried to mute her brilliance, but no matter what I did, her radiance seeped out. After looking at all the renditions, I looked at her again, and decided…too much is actually okay. 

So…

This one is for all of you who have ever felt the need to douse your light or mute your shine to make others comfortable. 

This one is for all of you who can tell from the side-eyes, rolled eyes, wide eyes, and blank stares that people just don’t know what to make of you.

This one is for all of you who have been told at one time or another you’re too silly, too loud, too dramatic, too “extra,” too smart, too colorful, too difficult, too much this or too much that.

This one’s for you. 

In spite of all those eyes and all those voices that don’t yet appreciate the grandeur of your extraordinary—your “too much”—keep being you. 

You might as well. There’s absolutely nothing you can do to subdue your light. Besides, the rest of us love you, and for us, your “too much” is actually okay!

We Need Your Magic!

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Coneflower Magic by Chandra Lynn

I wrote the piece below during a writing circle on a “bad writing day,” but when my journal fell open to this page this morning, I gave it a second look and decided someone needs to hear this today:

Sometimes your mind can be a little tricky and untrustworthy. A negative thought about your relationship to others and the world enters your head because of this [insert external stimulus] and because of that [insert external situation]. Somehow, that idea gets stuck and develops into the unfounded notion that you’re not wanted, not valued, not needed. 

Listen.to.me.

Please do not allow that errant notion to settle in your mind. Shake.it.out. The world wants, values, and needs every bit of you. Your unique color and light matter. 

You matter, and I don’t want to imagine a world without you—without your light, your spark, your smile, your joy, your spunk, your sass, your wit, your crazy, your magic!

Musings from My Younger Self | What Is a Friend?

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Heart Rose wm

Yesterday I found another two folders packed with poems written by younger me. Apparently, at some point in my “teenagedom,” I put together an extensive collection of writings divided in five parts, complete with introductions. I even used Roman numerals. Whew! I might have been more focused as a teenager than I have ever been in my adult life.

Finding even more writing almost makes me want to extend sharing my musings for another week. No worries. I won’t, but I am sharing a poem from one of the folders this evening. 😉

What Is a Friend?
Chandra Lynn (Age: 13)

A friend is someone you can tell
your innermost thoughts to:
someone you can share your secrets and dreams with;
someone you can turn to for comfort
when things aren’t going as you wish;
someone you can trust;
someone who won’t let you down;
someone who’s there even when [s]he isn’t.
someone you admire and find joy in;
some who can give and take criticism;
someone who’ll understand when you face difficult problems;
someone who shares your tears;
someone to love. 

I was surprised to find this poem written shortly after I turned 13—before life got too complicated. Don’t you just love the innocence of youth?