sperlygirl

finding spring...

the chill has started to disappear and the blossoms are finding their way open. the sunlight is finding its way through the windows earlier and filters in with a  haze of golden beams making it feel much later than it actually is. it's the sort of spring that makes the short runs i am able to do difficult as the weather urges me to run more. i find that i am wrapping myself in gratitude these days - perhaps to insulate against the short temperament of the world, perhaps just because. lately, i am delving into my sketchbook to record my days, establish more of a practice and focus on simple beauty along my way to carry inspiration. 

this little guy is truly inspiring

she is my hero (and her book, A Reason for Hope, is one of my favorites)

his interview 'every human has a disability of some sort', powerful

her words (especially reading her poem) linger with me 

loved listening to her speak of her work - wise words (thx karen for sharing)

dusting myself off...

feels like i have been hiding out in the shadows or sucked up into that mundane imaginary vacuum of everyday life. whatever the reasons, i have not shown up here. and i realize i miss it. i miss the task of writing, sharing a story, making a connection. while social media is a necessary evil when you live across the globe, it's one i have a love/hate with as it's such a condenser of connection. the letter or email reduces down to a post or emoji. it's reality, i know. but it's too easy a scapegoat. 

this year has been a challenging one, not in any sort of monumental or catastrophic way (thankfully) but more so in that rock in your shoe that you just cannot seem to locate sort of way - and just when you find it and empty it out - you feel another. the kind of year that challenges your longevity to maintain that positive vibe in your life. don't get me wrong, it's still there, but some days it's felt like a candle that's wick is too short to maintain the flame. 

so what then...what do you do? you reach out to your tribe, your pull out the journals, you tap into that soul work that reminds you to seek/express gratitude, you give to others who may be shouldering much more than you, you drop the anchor and find solace in daily stillness, you move your body anyway you can, and you look for the beauty. always, look for the beauty. 

 

winding up this week...

this week...i was reminded of the strength in speaking your truth, was grateful to feel supported, laughed hard with a friend, was touched by a message from one i admire, took small steps to chip away at the ever-growing workload, snuck in some cardio even though my knee wasn't as keen (baby steps), and found space for one small action.

**thanks for sharing this, karen, as it is now on replay in our house! "it's another day another chance, i wake up and i wanna dance", yes

5 things...

5 things...

1. currently, it's raining and the way it sounds against the sun roof above my studio desk matches the melancholy of the day and my playlist
2. i wish barefoot was a life option, it's where i am most at home
3. back in physical therapy for a knee injury,  i am having to remind myself to be patient and kind (even though right about know I'd give anything for a 3 mile run)
4. i still dream in italian some nights (they are my favorite)
5. i have learned 3 chords on my ukulele so far...this is a slow going process

reflecting today...

today, i find strength in his words and gratitude for his example.

welcoming a new year

with 2017 comes fresh starts, beginnings, expansion and a brand new palette. the first of the year always seems to hold such potential and possibility. i am hoping 2017 will bring some changes to this little space in the months to come. 

may this new year hold for you love, happiness, laughter, growth, kindness, and the whispers from the universe to remind you that your presence in this world is a gift to many.

 

100 years...

today, my beautiful grandmother turns 100!

i am oceans away but send her all of my love. she has always been a beacon of light in my life. her kind heart and generous spirit took care of me when i was little and would get ill but my mom needed to go to work. when i was older, spending the night at her apartment was what i looked forward to most. i would arrive and be greeted with the scents of all my favorite foods. one time, i asked her, "ma, what do you do to make your food taste so good?" "oh, i just stir in a little love," she would answer. we would have long talks about life over hot cups of tea. we would find something funny on the tv and both break into marathon fits of laughter that would bring us both to tears. she was a welcomed presence at every major moment in my life. and was the shoulder i collapsed on after hearing the news of the loss of my father - and registering what that meant. she was a lighthouse that helped me find my way back through the dark forest of grief. she listened during the times i had no words but couldn't yet go home. she walked the rim of the grand canyon with me answering my string of questions about her youth and her life. she welcomed my pirates with the grandest of smiles the day she met them.

she is loved dearly by many and cared for selflessly by my sweet aunt. while i carry her in my heart daily, today she holds such a special place. i am so grateful for your presence in my life, i am sending you all my love, ma!!

happiest of birthdays to you xoxoxo

ruminating on the gift of kindness...

the world has felt quite heavy lately, and it becomes easy to feel vulnerable and swept up in the swells of negativity that are out there. years ago, i vowed to navigate away from that path. this meant making some very conscious and sometimes difficult choices. i needed to tend to my heart and listen closely to what she was whispering. i certainly do not take a 'pollyanna' approach to the world in the vast sense or even in my own personal experience. but i do feel strongly in the power of kindness and compassion. small acts lead to positive change. 

and during those moments when expressing kindness can feel more like a salmon swimming upstream, i remind myself that is the world i wish to live in and wish to cultivate for my family and tribe of chosen ones.

kindness is born from small intentional actions aimed to help another. kindness comes with vulnerability. kindness does not ask for recognition or a spotlight, she prefers to extend her hand and sit by you in silence, she may even lay her head on your shoulder, simply so you know she is there. kindness prefers peace as her neighbor but understands that neighborhoods can be complicated and complex, she can live beside anyone as long as peace can find her heart. kindness paints with the beauty of our differences. she sings with the notes of our many languages. and she writes poetry with our many wishes. her studio is lit by the stars and she exhales the soft breeze you feel upon your cheek. she whispers, possibility. 

gratitude...

gratitude. it's more than just something i think about during the month of november. it is a tool that allows me the space and patience to make it through my day. it is the anchor i drop in the swirling waters of the madness the world seems to be swimming in currently. it is the mantra to my breath when i need to stop and refocus...to shift perspective...to move forward. 

i wish i could tell you i have this lovely gratitude practice, but i don't. it's sporadic, some days it comes merely so as not to hit the wall of desperation. other days, it's a practice i spend some time and effort to quietly cultivate. i have a small journal and some nights i will record three things i am grateful for. some nights, they are large and encompassing and other days it falls to the simple things. as i flip through my little journal...some times it simply is a deep breath. some nights i am just too tired to look at the journal, so i count gratitude out on my fingertips. regardless of how it shows up, it is what i consider every night before falling sleep. 

if you are interested, you can read more about the benefits of gratitude - here, here, or here.

gathering inspiration...

most of my inspiration comes in tiny flashes of wonder - of simple things - during my day. perhaps it is the flash of color in the sky, the way the rain drops and splashes, the scent of a blooming flower as i pass by, the color of a leaf that catches my eye. never grandiose, but simple moments that seem to turn my head and tug on my heart and those are the moments when i have learned to listen...to look, and to carry with me. 

sometimes though, in this insanely fast visual world of images, videos, posts and whatnot; i am also able to find glimpses of inspiration. thought i would gather these up and share here.

i wish i could tell you i would do so in a structured manner, but inspiration does not work that way (nor do i). so i will share them when it feels right. 

"time & wonder" are truly a formula for gratitude and this short talk is a beautiful reminder

this video spoke right to my heart, i love her approach to life

i am in love with her sculptures

completely inspiring

this is a good article, an important one - that rings very true 

watched this film (and can't get it out of my head, so good); and look forward to this one