Food (for thought) Friday

                                                     author unknown

Maybe they'll be more time to kiss the ones I love,

xoSherry

A Voice in Winter

                                                        photo credit:alexe-anne


 In the shortest month with no Spring in sight, we are given the gift of reflection.

You know that little voice you push down inside of you because you are too busy to take it's head?  Now is the time to listen.

Ignore the pundits and the thousands of life coaches and the not so well meaning that do not have YOUR best interests at heart.

If you sit still, your path is really quite clear. That little voice inside is telling you everything you need to know.

But, you knew that all along. 

Stay warm and kiss the ones you love,

xoSherry

Cheating on my Bike

When the weather gets cold I stop riding my bike outside. I'm wimpy like that. I don't even ride my three speed to the post office even though it is only two miles away.  My husband will pull on booties and a balaclava and ride in winds that make snot freeze. Great visual, right?  Not me.  I used to head to the gym and ride or use the rowing machines and hold my breath so that the germs couldn't get me. But, that's almost 5 months of unhappy exercise.

Then, ironically, in the heat of the summer, I started to swim. The pool did not love me at first, but I loved it anyway.  Both my husband and son  swam competitively while I spent years on the sidelines, but no more. 

The first few weeks were difficult. I knew how to swim, but couldn't get the right rhythm in my stroke to breathe and keep going for more than a few laps. And then one day, it just clicked while I wasn't even thing about it.

When was the last time you tried to master something new?

For  me swimming has become more than keeping fit. It's a metaphor for so many things and it it is mine alone to both revere and master. When I am underwater I am lighter than air. I can now swim a half mile ( that's 36 laps in an indoor pool)  a day. Sometimes, I drift off in thought though, and lose count.

My friend Janell said she admired my commitment to exercise, but it's not that exactly. It's a commitment to me and the life I try to lead. It's not always easy and when my still damp hair literally froze on the way back to my car on Monday I had second thoughts. But, I knew I'd go back tomorrow.

Put another marshmallow in your hot chocolate and kiss the ones you love,

xoSherry

Food (for thought) Fridays

There are still heroes that walk among us. They walk almost imperceptibly so as not to detract from the work that they do to make the world a better place.

They are not actors, or musicians and certainly not athletes who spin tales faster than the wheels that once carried them.

It's important to remember and kiss the ones you love,

xoSherry

Wordless Wednesday

Change Ahead

They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.

--Andy Warhol

Change is in the air. I can feel it. Everyone is talking about it. It's the action that seems to be the hard part. But, it is not elusive.

I would like to say that I am flexible, that I embrace change, but I do not. When I was thinking about writing this post, I asked my husband if I was good with change. Now, that is a loaded question to ask a man you have known for 25 years.

"You are good with change when it is your idea, but it takes a lot of convincing when it is not." That's an understatement. He smiles, kisses me on the cheek and walks out of the room.

I am learning that there is a fine line to be in control of your business and to be flexible at the same time. I'm not sure that my first instinct will ever be to embrace change, even when it is inevitable, but I'm working on it.

It's a good exercise to give up a little control even when it's your name on the box. I'll let you know how it's going as the year progresses. I hope you'll let me know how it's going for you.

So, until next time, kiss the ones you love,

xoSherry

Original Valentine Map Jewelry

Valentine map jewelry from a 1954 Vintage Atlas. Who knew the US had so many towns named Valentine? There were a few more, but they just didn't look right in the bezels. For you or the one you love.

A gift so that the one you love, kisses you,
xoSherry

A new disclaimer in my shop:  I am a small independent designer and each piece is crafted with care and love. Please respect the integrity of my original designs and refrain from purchasing from those who copy. 

Not that it will protect me legally, it's just to make me feel better. :)