Butterflies & Heart Shaped Clouds

Upon looking at the photo hunt list yesterday there were two items with an asterisk by them; butterflies and heart shaped clouds, with a note near the bottom saying 'stay tuned for a story as to why these were included'  ... i stayed tuned.
This morning I open my Google reader to find said story and I want to share it with you today, because it brought a pretty solid tear to my eye and I'm hoping I'll be able to fulfill these items.  Here is the story (can also be found here):

Have you ever heard a story that was so tragic and sad that you felt helpless to do anything about it?  Well, what would you do if you had the opportunity to send a little happiness to someone who really needed it, even if that person was a stranger?

I was recently contacted by someone close to me who has been following and supporting our Photo Hunt Challenges since the beginning with the following story:

“One of the families at my daughter’s school recently lost their son (Vincent) to Rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of cancer on June 9.  He was 7.  They had also lost their daughter (Annabella) a few years ago to Leigh’s Disease which is a mitochondrial disorder, she was 6 months old.  I have been following their story since hearing about Vincent’s battle.  I was hoping that maybe you can include 2 items in the photo hunt challenge – butterflies and heart shaped clouds in their remembrance.

The reason being, after Annabella passed away, they started seeing butterflies everywhere.  They constantly had butterflies at their door and around them when they were out and about.  The family said that Annabella was sending them butterflies to let them know that she was there and Vincent loved that.  Before Vincent passed, his mother asked him what things he would send when he went to heaven and Vincent said, heart shaped clouds.  At the time, his mother couldn’t remember ever seeing a heart shaped cloud, and after he passed away, she was sitting with their daughter, Sofi, and was telling her that Vincent went to heaven, and Sofi looked out the window and saw a heart shaped cloud.  Since then, she sees them pretty regularly.”

So get your cameras ready and please be on the lookout for butterflies and heart-shaped clouds during the month of August!  We will be sending a link of all the photos from these categories to the family of these two little angels who were taken way too young….

Just kind of touched me today as I was reading it... big reminder that you shouldn't take life for granted.

The Buried Life

"What do you want to do before you die?"

A little while back, I read a Facebook status post from my friend, Krysten, saying something about this new show on MTV called The Buried Life.  I had seen commercials and thought it looked interesting, but figured I'd never watch it.  Upon seeing her post I thought I should set up my Tivo to record it... so I did.  Now, 2 months after the show first aired, I have finally watched some of it... and I LOVE it!

The premise of the show is very simple: 4 guys have set out on a mission to cross 100 things off a list of things they want to do before they die.  For each thing they attempt to cross of their list, they help a stranger cross something off their list.
Their list is, so far, full of fun/funny and neat things... and they things they help strangers with are touching and moving (raising money to buy a computer for a classroom, helping a blind man ride a horse again).  It's a complete feel good show mixed with a bit of humor while the guys attempt to cross of their items (attend a party at the Playboy mansion, tell a joke on late night TV, ask out the girl of your dreams).  It helps that they're not douche bags either.

I watched all the episodes last night only to find out that the season finale is this coming Monday, which makes me very sad.  The entire time I'm watching this show I keep thinking what I would say if someone asked me

"What do you want to do before you die?"

I'm not sure I could come up with 10 attainable things, let alone 100!  My goal over the next few weeks is to come up with my own list, with the only requirement being that it must be {somewhat} within my means.  At this point it's a developing list, so I don't care if it starts off as 1 or 10 things... I just want to do it!

What about you: "What do you want to do before you die?"

2010 Handbook

I got this in email form, from my friend Jen - thought it was one worth sharing.  Why have resolutions; just follow the 2010 Handbook:

HANDBOOK 2010 

Health: 
1.     Drink plenty of water. 
2.       Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. 
3.       Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.. 
4.       Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy 
5.       Make time to pray. 
6.       Play more games . 
7.       Read more books than you did in 2009 . 
8.       Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day 
9.       Sleep for 7 hours. 
10.    Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile. 

Personality: 
11.    Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 
12.    Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. 
13.    Don't over do it. Keep your limits. 
14.    Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 
15.    Don't waste your precious energy on gossip. 
16.    Dream more while you are awake. 
17.    Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.  
18.    Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness. 
19.    Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others. 
20.    Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. 
21.    No one is in charge of your happiness except you. 
22.    Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. 

23.    Smile and laugh more. 
24.    You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree... 

Society: 
25.   Call your family often. 
26.    Each day give something good to others. 
27.    Forgive everyone for everything.. 
28.    Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of  6. 
29.    Try to make at least three people smile each day. 
30.    What other people think of you is none of your business. 
31.    Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.   Your friends will.   Stay in touch. 

Life: 
32.    Do the right thing! 
33.    Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. 
34.    GOD heals everything. 
35.    However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 
36.    No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 
37.    The best is yet to come.. 
38.    When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it. 
39.    Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

...until we meet again...

A Great Recipe

Another little thing to lift your spirits.... some repeats from the last, but they must be important to make on 2 lists :)  Enjoy.

A GREAT RECIPE...

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day.  And while you walk, smile.  It is the ultimate antidepressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.  Talk to God about what is going on in your life.  Buy a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to__________ today.  I am thankful for______________'

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water.  Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.  Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously.  No one else does.

12.  You are not so important that you have to win every argument.  Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others.  You have no idea what theirjourney is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words:  'In five years, will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything  - but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.  Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time.  You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it. 

Inspiration

Sometimes I feel everyone could use a little inspiration - I'm feeling like I could a lot lately.  I found this posted on Facebook, by my friend Kelly - it struck me, so I'm striking you with it.  Some very interesting things here... all I've heard before but sometimes a reminder is mega necessary.  
Please take a few moments and go through the list... stop and reread the ones that grab you, I did.
~Ang

This is something we should all read at least once a week!


Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:



1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.
Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.
Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25 No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27 Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything..

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift