The Authentic You, Trees

Life's most beautiful and fulfilling moments are the most sincere and authentic ones. When you are being yourself, that is when you are at your best. Why do you so quickly latch on to someone else's ideas of success, while at the same time ignoring your own authentic dream? Why do you so easily dismiss your own instincts and intuitions? Others may claim to be experts in this field or that. Remember, though, that you are the expert when it comes to your own life. Listen to the longings of your heart. Pay attention to that little voice inside of you. For that voice knows you well. It knows what you can accomplish, what brings you joy, and what things you most highly value. When something feels right, That's a reliable sign that it is. Choose to live each moment as the authentic person that you are, and from those moments you will create much real and lasting richness.
-Ralph Marston-

I thought that would be a good way to begin today's blog entry. How were you The Authentic You today? Maybe its a new hairstyle that works for you as mine has been doing lately, maybe its just wearing your signature color or creating your own style of being patriotic by wearing red, white and blue as I did. Maybe its being comfortable with yourself. Maybe its pouring your heart out on a page or creating something. Maybe its sending friends funny emails that make them laugh and brighten their day when most needed.

Yesterday I took black and white pictures of the pecan tree beside my parent's house. I have this idea... of how trees look like arms or hands reaching out to you. I have always been into weird looking trees. I have taken many pictures, but I have yet to find just the right one I have in my mind... This pecan tree of our's used to be beautiful when I was a child and yielded many pecans for us. Enough for many pecan pies my aunt baked. It has been trimmed back by the city for being too close to the power line. The last time it was attacked was the day my mom was having her 2nd eye surgery. They carelessly cut away limbs full of green pecans that fell everywhere in the yard and in the street. My mom was ready cry; to explode while I remained the calm one. I picked all the ones they cut down or caused to fall off too early. I took them out of their green shells so they could dry out and hoped they would still be edible. I called the city to complain for my mom so she wouldn't be so upset. Every time the city called back, my deaf-as-a-doornell father would tell them there was nothing wrong. Now the tree looks so pathetic, leaning towards the house. Because it was injured in this last cutting, it now yields fewer pecans. So so Sad. I may do a before and after in the scrapbook about the tree.

Trees can be very important in our lives. Perhaps you always took a family picture in front of a certain tree in your yard as we did. What if that tree had not been there? What if that tree was missing now? How would feel? What if it had been abused like our's?


This morning I burned my thumb on my new curling iron that got twisted the other morning. One more strike and I am trashing it! But at least my hair turned out good. Not too curly. Not too straight. Just right. Still being Goldilocks. A happy medium.

Today I was Authentic. I was being me as always. I saw something no one else saw... Luckily I had my black and white camera in my purse at work. When I squirted sour cream on my baked potato, it looked almost like a heart that wasn't completly closed at the bottom. An open heart. Like me. My supervisor laughed at me for taking a picture of a baked potato. I told her when I sell it to Hallmark and they put in a card, she can tell everybody she knows the person who took the photograph which would be me. She told me she won't be buying that card. Her loss. That's ok. I won't be buying her Avon either! But I didn't let her get to me or bring me down with her comment. For that fact I am grateful and proud of myself.

A bit of good news... we are going up to Pine Mountain Saturday to pick up a free dishwasher! My prayers have been answered providing it is in good condition and works. If not, we will be taking a little trip together. Priceless.

Quotes of the day:

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. -George B. Shaw-

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. -Tolstoy-

Don't forget that contentment is the greatest wealth. -H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-

Then today I am very wealthy! ~Becky Bristow Voyles~

Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium. -unknown-

Developing eternal optimism is one of the greatest joys to experience for yourself and all those around you. Discover this - it is within you!
~Karen Ramsey~

Fame is vapor. Riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character. -Horace Greley-

You are building character. You are doing it. You are living your dreams. Don't give up.
~Rhonna Farrere~

If you give your life as a wholehearted response to love, then love will wholeheartedly respond to you. ~Marianne Williamson~

Life is a myriad of closed doors to which only you hold the key. -Darling Jimenez-

...in this technicolored temple of ME... ~Susannah of Inkonmyfinger.blogspot.com