Tuesday, November 4, 2025
What is your heart longing for right now?
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Peace and contentment
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
I've recently realized that trust and resulting faith brings peace and contentment.
It is what I've been praying for.
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Find The Happy Life
"You do not find the happy life.
You make it."
Thomas S. Monson
Determined to find contentment in the midst of grief and sadness, I asked myself the simple question . . . "what would make me happy?" . . . the graphic depicts what would make me happy at this time in my life.
An outdoor sanctuary, a pleasant place to escape that is pleasing to my senses, to enjoy a beautiful Florida day and watch the birds and squirrels. A place to be grateful for all that I have been blessed with. Surround myself with the happiness that being in the middle of colorful flowers brings me.
While I realize that getting to that place will take lots of hard work, I think the work distraction alone is just what I need. So, as the hot days of summer unwind, I shall embark on this new journey that I know will bring me peace and contentment. I've done this before. This time it could be the thing that works wonders for my physical health as well as the positive mental aspect of it all.
Today is the first day of the rest of my life.
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Hopes, peace and contentment
That little voice in my head has been speaking to me and through feeling grateful again, I have regained hope for the future. It isn't hope for anything in particular, just peace and contentment.
In my younger days, when I aspired to one thing or another, I didn't have time to be grateful or feel contentment. It was the "thing" that was all important.
As time goes on and life throws challenges at me, peace and contentment is what is all important. It is less complicated and leads to a happier life.
The book "Simple Abundance" changed my life so many decades ago when I started reevaluating what was important in my life. The change to a simpler life that made me so grateful for the nature and beauty in my back yard. My yard was beautiful with so much color and alive with the birds and squirrels that I fed. But after JR died, working in the yard was no longer satisfying. Nothing was. Grief does that to me.
The biggest lesson in my life has been dealing with grief and death. I've been through so many phases in my life that has made peace and contentment the most important. Knowing that no matter what, everything will be ok is the best feeling in the world at this point in my life.
I've wiped the dust off of my book "Simple Abundance" and hope to find more peace and contentment. It is about time that I remember hope is a good thing.
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Looking back
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Living Alone and Being Lonely . . . Or Not?
Monday, December 4, 2017
Holidays and Difficult Times
The holidays alone can bring on difficult times for so many in this world for many reasons. I found an excellent article entitled "Difficult Times" that describes it perfectly. It is posted further on this post, along with a link to the awesome website it comes from.
Holiday difficult times have struck me for more than just one year. I wrote about one period of time following the death of my first husband JR. He passed on in October, when it seems like the holiday can't wait to descend upon us. The first year was almost unbearable . . . I just wanted to die myself. Click here for that post, Sentimental Lady.
This year finds me with new life circumstances . . . a tree that is still crushing my house thanks to Hurricane Irma.
Although I have tried to maintain a positive attitude as time creeps by with FEMA taking their sweet time looking over our appeal since they denied us financial help back in October, it becomes more difficult by the day.
Not being able to go back home since September and not knowing if FEMA is going to accept our appeal for assistance is taking its emotional toll on me no matter how strong I try to be.
My crushing house and the resulting life circumstances, along with memories of my old life and the grief associated with loved ones who are gone and missed have ushered in another dreaded holiday.
Of course I am truly grateful for everything I have been blessed with, but there are those difficult holiday times where I am just downright depressed and have a difficult time pulling myself out of it.
This too shall pass . . . thank you for your prayers!
"This is a difficult time of year for many who struggle with depression. The toughest time of the year for depression tends to be around the Holidays. Please be aware of those around you. Say an extra prayer, touch an extra hand, smile an extra smile. You are the difference! Please take the time to put this on your wall to help raise awareness of, and for those who have mental health difficulties."
The following is an awesome post I found that fits perfectly with my post . . .
| Difficult Times |
We can also benefit from times of constriction and difficult to help us grow and learn.
This period of time in history is full of difficulty for a lot of human beings, and you may feel less alone knowing you are not being singled out. There are extreme energy changes pulsing through the universe at every level and, of course, we are all part of the growing process and the growing pains. It helps if we remember that life is one phase after another and that this difficult time will inevitably give way to something new and different. When we feel overwhelmed we can comfort ourselves with the wise saying: This too shall pass. At the same time, if you truly feel that nothing is going right for you, it's never a bad idea to examine your life and see if there are some changes you can make to alleviate some of the difficulty. Gently and compassionately exploring the areas giving you the most trouble may reveal things you are holding onto and need to release: unprocessed emotions, unresolved transitions, or negative ways of looking at yourself or reality. As you take responsibility for the things you can change, you can more easily surrender to the things you can't, remembering all the while that this phase will, without doubt, give way to another. |
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
What do you really need?
Powerful words from Dr. Wayne Dyer.
I've finally reached that place in life where I have realized what I need. To love, to be loved, good health and enough money to live comfortably.
The money part can be subjective. Some people need more than others. I'm happy to have a roof over my head, electricity and utilities, computer and internet, good food, a reliable vehicle and going out to eat on occasion.
Since I'm retired, I don't need to be buying clothes and shoes all the time. hmmmm I don't remember the last time I bought a new outfit. It doesn't matter. I have enough clothes in my closet!
We stick to a strict budget and plan for special purchases, which includes those things we really don't need, but want. I can't explain how special those "want" purchases are now . . . I appreciate them.
In my working days everything I wanted was a need and I didn't do without. What that got me is a house full of stuff I really don't need. I didn't appreciate the emotional value of anything.
It made a huge difference in my life.
Do you know what you really need?
"You have succeeded in life when all you
really want is only what you really need."
Vernon Howard
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Sentimental Lady . . . my favorite post from the past
The following entry was originally posted
on December 4, 2007 and remains my favorite post ever.
December . . . the magical time of year is upon us . . . yet in contrast, brings us the longest and darkest nights of the year . . . perhaps delivering the mystical powers of the moon.
Isn't it all an illusion anyway,
how we perceive our lives? Where we are in life . . . happy time, sad time, time of transition?
The magical season is believed by many to hold miracles . . . Santa Claus and fairy tales. Miracles don't always come in pretty boxes wrapped up with beautiful bows . . . sometimes they don't come at all. What deems one person worthy of a miracle and the other not? Was it the degree of naughty or nice? I don't know and I'm trying to figure it out . . . who holds that magic wand?
As I weave my tapestry of contentment for this magical season, joy comes in the form of memories of Christmas past filled with love and laughter in my heart. I miss JR so much that I STILL scream into a pillow to let the sadness out. It does help . . . but the withdrawals for a person that you loved and lost can't be compared to anything else in life.
Every year as the pumpkins are decorated and set out in the night with candlelight to illuminate the darkness, the dread creeps up on me . . . the witching hour has arrived and it is time to be reminded that I should be joyous and happy. But I'm not . . . my fairy tale ended. The one who holds the magic wand is nowhere to be found . . . the only pumpkins I see light the night . . . at least it is not total darkness.
I'm blessed and grateful for contentment of survival during my life's transitions . . . I have everything I need, even if not what I want. What I want lives in my memories and this season reminds me of what I lost . . . yet in this magical time I know miracles happen at their appropriate time when least expected.
My real life fairy tale began on a Christmas night long ago when I thought the one holding the magic wand had forgotten about me another year. I met JR on Christmas night in a club that played country music, where a pop music princess and a rock & roll music freak would normally never be found . . . but there we were, both in an unlikely place on an unlikely night . . . the miracle of destiny awaited us and lasted a lifetime. Yes, I still believe in miracles and never lose hope that I will find that joy and happiness again when destiny calls me again.
While this is a sad time of year for me, I have my family and it is getting easier as the years go by. Although I struggle with it, I am fairly well adjusted and can handle it. However, there are people in this world who have no one . . . this is the time of year suicides are on the rise . . . the joyous season is also the lonely season to many who have experienced some type of loss or hardship in their life. Reach out to someone you know who is not as fortunate as yourself this time of year . . . it could make such a difference in their life . . .
I hope rather than bringing you down, I made you think about how fragile life is and to be so grateful for and appreciate those you love. Love like there is no tomorrow . . .
Happy holidays my friends . . . peace, love and happiness . . .
Sentimental Lady | Bob Welch
Lyrics You are here and warm But I could look away and you'd be gone Cause we live in a time When meaning falls in splinters from our lives And that's why I've travelled far Cause I come so together where you are And all of the things that I said that I wanted Come rushing by in my head when I'm with you 14 joys and a will to be merry And all of the things that we say are very Sentimental gentle wind Blowing through my life again Sentimental Lady Gentle one Now you are here today But easily you might just go away Cause we live in a time When paintings have no color, words don't rhyme And that's why I've travelled far Cause I come so together where you are And all of the things that I said that I wanted Come rushing by in my head when I'm with you 14 joys and a will to be merry And all of the things that we say are very Sentimental gentle wind Blowing through my life again Sentimental Lady Gentle one You are here and warm But I could look away and you'd be gone Cause we live in a time When meaning falls in splinters from our lives And that's why I've travelled far Cause I come so together where you are Yes and all of the things that I said that I wanted Come rushing by in my head when I'm with you 14 joys and a will to be merry And all of the things that we say are very Sentimental gentle wind Blowing through my life again Sentimental Lady Gentle one Sentimental gentle wind Blowing through my life again Sentimental Lady Gentle one Sentimental gentle wind Blowing through my life again Sentimental Lady Gentle one Well sentimental gentle wind Blowing through my life again Sentimental Lady Gentle one |
Monday, December 1, 2014
Finding Your Joy

Being happy doesn’t come naturally to everybody. It is your birthright to be happy, choose happiness everyday. Our lives are rich with potential sources of happiness, but sometimes we become victims of negative thinking because we believe that focusing on all that has gone wrong will provide us with the motivation we need to face the challenges of survival.
When we choose to focus on what makes us happy, however, a shift occurs in the fabric of our existence. Finding something to be happy about every single day can help this shift take place. The vantage points from which we view the world are brought into balance, and we can see that being alive truly is a gift to be savored. There is always something we can be happy about—it is simply up to us to identify it. On one day, we may find happiness in a momentous, life-changing event such as a marriage or the birth of a child. On another day, the happiness we experience may be a product of our appreciation of a particularly well-brewed cup of a tea or the way the sun shines on a leaf. If we discover that we literally cannot call to mind a single joyful element of existence, we should examine the cause of the blockage standing between us and experiencing happiness.
Keeping a happiness journal is a wonderful way to catalog the happiness unfolding all around us so that joy has myriad opportunities to manifest itself in our lives. Writing about the emotions we experience while contemplating joy may give us insight into the factors compelling us to resist it. Happiness may not always come easily into your life. You have likely been conditioned to believe that the proper response to unmet expectations is one of sadness, anger, guilt, or fear.
To make joy a fixture in your existence, you must first accept that it is within your power to choose happiness over unhappiness every single day. Then, each time you discover some new source of happiness, the notion that the world is a happy place will find its way more deeply into your heart. On this day, find one thing to be happy about and let it fill your heart.
Source: The Daily Om
Friday, August 1, 2014
Peace and contentment . . . the basics
as opposed to what our egos believe we need. If we look closely,
we may find that our ego "needs" are just desires.
peace and contentment are simple in nature
by asking yourself the right questions and
moving toward your goals at your own pace.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Life's Best Moments
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Bottomless pit of wants and desires

If you look at what you have in life,
you'll always have more.
If you look at what you don't have in life,
you'll never have enough.
Oprah Winfrey

The lifestyle theory of Simple Abundance teaches being happy and grateful for the little things in life, no matter how much or how little we actually have. It is a balance of wants and needs . . . wanting what we need and being happy with those things.
Feeling absolute contentment is a beautiful and joyous way to live. Sometimes we are taken through one of life's rocky roads so we can finally be content with merely being able to survive and appreciating everything good that comes our way . . . as opposed to a bottomless pit of wants that will never fill limitless desires.
There have been times in the past couple of years when I'd turn my attention to those unfortunate people whose life situation and circumstances were far more severe than mine . . . in those times of being down, depressed and just wanting for my life to be over, I was brought back to reality when my thoughts turned to their strife.
No matter what your situation in life, someone else is having a life struggle far greater . . . misery doesn't really love company, it is just good to know that we are not alone in our life struggles . . . everyone has them. The key to a fulfilling and happy life is knowing how to handle those times and quickly get back on track.
Don't be a bottomless pit of wants that will never fill limitless desires.

Thursday, February 27, 2014
Readdressing an old struggle
Today The Captain and I attended a "Quit Smoking" workshop and I am officially a non-smoker again. He is on Day #19 since he was ready to stop before I was. We are on our way to one of my biggest dreams, to be a non-smoker again.
Last time I quit was for two years and I felt wonderful and so proud of myself for the major accomplishment and best thing I ever did for myself. The following blog posts from back in the day shows the pride I felt.
Sadly, my addiction to love was stronger . . . and I fell in love with The Captain, who was a smoker. As things work out, nothing is ever perfect and I could not fight being around someone smoking and not enjoying a cigarette myself. "Just one" turned into becoming a smoker again. I found that awesome love I was searching for, but it came at a price.
It is something I haven't written about . . . feeling the failure of falling down and starting to smoke again after working so hard to quit. Having to face my family, one person at a time, having to admit I had failed and was once again smoking broke my heart. The looks of disappointment were difficult to deal with.
So much has changed since those days. My personal life has totally changed, married The Captain and we are now retired (at least for now).
What is ironic is while some things change so drastically, some things never change . . . dealing with some type of a struggle. The old blog posts show that. I was struggling with the need for someone to love and knowing that he was out there. I love going back to those old posts!
I really hate those struggles that must be readdressed, but this one is so very important and would make me so happy. Once addicted to whatever the addiction is, we are always addicted and should never fool ourselves into thinking we are infallible. We definitely are.
Since successfully going through the quit smoking thing, even though it was not forever, I feel as though it is not hopeless as I once thought. I know cigarettes are not a thing that I can't give up. And I know I will.
But I will always be addicted.
Today I am patting myself on the back for Day #1 and the decision to just do it again.
Originally posted on April 3, 2008
The following entry represents a time in my life that makes me appreciate my present life circumstances so much. It was a time of disappointment and changes . . . a time of realization of the new world I had been thrown into when I became a widow.
The love and companionship of a husband, lover, soul mate and best friend that I cherished was gone and the realization that I may never feel those awesome feelings again with someone else. After all, how could I think that I would be so lucky to find it twice in my life when most people don't ever experience that kind of love in their life.
It was also a time of change and amazing strength going through the withdrawals of quitting smoking. There were times that I thought I was truly going crazy. Addictions do that to you and I was kicking the habit of two of them . . . cigarettes and love.
I've always been addicted to love and guess I always will be although I have finally accepted the fact that if God intends for me to have love in my life again it will happen whether I want it to or not. I don't worry about it anymore. In fact I'm quite content now that I've found an awesome job that I enjoy and constantly challenges me.
In times of change and difficulties, don't we all tend to be way too hard on ourselves? Seems like I have spent a lot of time beating myself up . . . I still do, but I've made tremendous progress although I expect way too much of myself, but I don't see that as a totally bad thing.
As for my smoking addiction, I still have not picked up a single cigarette since quitting and today is Day #505 since I kicked the habit. Major accomplishment for a three-pack a day smoker!
My primary New Year's Resolution for 2008 was to find peace, happiness and contentment with a positive attitude to keep the balance on bad days. For the most part, it is working for me. Sure, I have my bad days, but they are few and far between . . . I call that progress and I have so much to be grateful for, especially after reading my blog entries like the one that follows.
Some of my daydreams have already been fulfilled . . .
Originally posted on January 21, 2007
Still thinking about Prince Charming . . . can't get him off of my mind. I have mentioned that I don't see his face, but he is familiar and I do know what he looks like. I have a definite "type" . . . and I know exactly what I want. The good thing about that is you know it when you see it.
This is a crazy good kind of thing tonight, the glass is half full kind of thing . . . I am talking out loud, just rambling and much like daydreaming. I asked for peace prayers last night from my friends and tonight I am feeling so much more optimistic about my life in general.
I've tried to get some work done, but I can't. My bills are covered, so why don't I just give myself a break from something and lighten up the load a bit . . . stop overloading the brain. Without a doubt, I know that I think too much. Sometimes it is good to be irresponsible.
Thank you to all my friends who prayed for me last night. You helped me through a bad moment in time and I so appreciate all of you. I'm here for you too! Have an awesome Sunday!
Hear me
Hear me
You gotta be out there
You gotta be somewhere
Wherever you are
I'm waiting
'Cause there are these nights when
I sing myself to sleep
And I'm hopin' my dreams
Bring you close to me
Are you listening?
Hear me
I'm cryin' out
I'm ready now
Turn my world upside down
Find me
I'm lost inside the crowd
It's getting loud
I need you to see
I'm screaming for you to please
Hear me
Hear me
Hear me
Can you hear me?
Hear me
I used to be scared of
Letting someone in
But it gets so lonely
Being on my own
No one to talk to
And no one to hold me
I'm not always strong
Oh, I need you here
Are you listening?
Hear me
I'm cryin' out
I'm ready now
Turn my world upside down
Find me
I'm lost inside the crowd
It's getting loud
I need you to see
I'm screaming for you to please
Hear me
I'm restless and wild
I fall, but I try
I need someone to understand
Can you hear me?
I'm lost in my thoughts
And baby I've fought
For all that I've got
Can you hear me?
Hear me
I'm cryin' out
I'm ready now
Turn my world upside down
Find me
I'm lost inside the crowd
It's getting loud
I need you to see
I'm screaming for you to please
Hear me
Hear me
Hear me
Hear me
Can you hear me?
Hear me
Hear me
Hear me
Can you hear me?
Oh, oh, oh, oh...
Hear me
Hear me
Hear me
























