FEBRUARY IS...

"Me only have one ambition, y'know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together - black, white, Chinese, everyone - that's all."
- Bob Marley

THE ROAD AHEAD

MOVING FORWARD AND KEEPING IT REAL

“The first flash of color always excites me as much as the first frail, courageous bloom of spring. This is, in a sense, my season--sometimes warm and, when the wind blows an alert, sometimes cold. But there is a clarity about September. On clear days, the sun seems brighter, the sky more blue, the white clouds take on marvelous shapes; the moon is a wonderful apparition, rising gold, cooling to silver; and the stars are so big. The September storms--the hurricane warnings far away, the sudden gales, the downpour of rain that we have so badly needed here for so long--are exhilarating, and there's a promise that what September starts, October will carry on, catching the torch flung into her hand.”

- Faith Baldwin, Evening Star

JUNE, JULY, AUGUST

Where Has Summer Gone?

Weren't we just in May? What happened? How is September a sneeze away? Where did summer go?

Well, all we can say is ... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDKIs0v120s

MARCH ~ APRIL ~ MAY

BACK FALL, IT'S TIME TO SPRING FORWARD

William Blake : Spring

Sound the flute! Now it’s mute. Birds delight Day and night. Nightingale In the dale, Lark in the sky, Merrily, Merrily, merrily to welcome in the year. Little boy Full of joy, Little girl Sweet and small. Cock does crow, So do you. Merry voice, Infant noise, Merrily, merrily to welcome in the year. Little lamb Here I am Come and lick My white neck. Let me pull Your soft wool. Let me kiss Your soft face, Merrily, merrily we welcome in the year.

❤CELEBRATING THE REAL MEANING OF VALENTINE'S DAY❤

A few years ago, I remember someone saying that she wasn't going to celebrate Valentine's Day because she didn't have a date. I remember thinking, how sad that was, especially given the possible origin and true meaning of Valentine's Day. I wanted to tell her that you can celebrate Thanksgiving even if you don't have a turkey, so why not still celebrate Valentine's Day even if you don't have a date.

While there are several versions of how Valentine's Day came to be, two that linger are people were that were martyred and courtly/romantic love. Whatever the true origin, today's version include candy, flowers, cards, calls, expressions of love and all of the guilt and stress to accompany each greeting.

Somehow we've lost the true meaning of Valentine's Day. Candy and flowers are nice, but wouldn't it be great if we shared a word of kindness to someone we're not romantically involved with? Even better, wouldn't it be wonderful if we shared the kindness on more than just one day, February 14th?

This Valentine's Day, try something different. Share a smile or kind word on February 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, you get the picture.

Happy Valentine's Day - pay it forward.