Monday, March 26, 2012

*Life is in the journey!* ~ A Dream Is A Wish!

 
Life's Inspirational Valiant Endeavors
~ A Dream Is A Wish! ~
 
 
Thanks for the wish come true, Babe!



Some luck lies
in not getting what you thought you wanted
but getting what you have,
which once you have got it
you may be smart enough to see
is what you would have wanted
had you known.
~ Garrison Keillor ~



When I was young I spent hours sitting in the clover. Soft, cool grass pricked the underside of my bare legs and tickled the tops of my feet, while I searched through a small green patch for four leaves, not three. A journal lay beside me; its pages opened in the shade of our maple tree to neatly pressed rows of little green wishes. Luck seemed to be just a bit too chancy for my tastes. Wishes, on the other hand, well they were perfectly attainable as long as I believed in them.

Four-leaf clovers, shooting stars, eyelashes and wishbones; a full moon, dandelion puffs or pennies in a fountain. Perhaps it's not the totem you choose, after all, that heeds your wishes and answers your prayers. I believe the magic we are searching for is of our own making, even in times of darkness and despair... Especially in times of darkness and despair. When good fortune seems to skip right over your head, without so much as a "duck, duck, goose", and your wishes leave you feeling a bit like Cinderella's ugly step-sister... perhaps it's time to get busy with a little spring cleaning. Clear out the cobwebs. Open a few windows. Sing a gay little song out loud for all of the forest animals (and the neighbors) to enjoy! After all... a dream truly is a wish your heart makes. Why not dream big!




Listen to your intuition. 
Open your eyes, and your mind, and your heart to possibility. 
ACCEPT responsibility, 
IMAGINE good fortune and...
EXPECT happiness. 
The secret to Life is no secret. 
It is simply to SHOW UP.


 Where luck is random,
and lacking ambition;
a WISH,
made in earnest...
is fearless,
resolute,
and undeniably
of your own making.


The world is a big place, ripe with compassion, charity, and good will; as it is also with anger, greed and general discontent. And though it is, oftentimes, a very scary place to try to live and grow and prosper, our wishes be damned, it is all we have for now. Despite the capacity for resiliency and beauty residing inside each of us, we humans tend to cling desperately to those attitudes and beliefs which we've convinced ourselves to be safe havens, forgetting that it is this very determination that sets us apart from the vegetables. No offense to carrots and broccoli and Brussels sprouts! (Well, maybe to Brussels sprouts.)

It has been almost six months since my return to this blogging community ~ a world in and of itself, dedicated to searching for the answers to Life's most difficult questions in the name of Peace. In that time, I have been introduced to so many beautifully creative, funny, talented and loving spirits. It may be only a small piece of the pie, but it is abundant with fresh perspectives, clean sparkling ideas and enough optimism for us all to turn over a new leaf. And if that leaf happens to be of the four-leaf variety, then let us close our eyes and make a wish... quickly now; for as much as wishes never run out, and never expire, they do have a tendency to wilt when our imagination is out of focus. 

There are really so many of these individuals who open up a space for me, and others, to share in their dreams and wishes, and fears and insecurities ~ mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters ~ Life's students of all ages really, who want simply to be happy and to always follow a path of Peace. All of them wishing. All of them taking charge of their dreams. Stop in and say, Hi. You won't regret it.


 
 My Friends
Catherine@ Catherine Denton
Intricate Knot@ My Blog & Role Fantasy

*(4-leaf clover photo: Rick Stokes)



Peace My Friends!




“The best way out is always through.”
~ Robert Frost











24 comments:

  1. What a beautiful post! I follow a couple of those bloggers, but not all of them. I must change this :)

    BTW, I'm a penny in the fountain girl :) Hubs proposed by a fountain while I was tossing the coins in. Cute, right? Lol.

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    1. More than cute! That's really awesome! I hope those wishes came true! *g*

      I'm so psyched you stopped in, Cassie Mae. And I just LOVE your name! It seems to fit your bubbly, excitable, friendly personality! Always fun when I read YOU in the blogosphere.

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    2. Oh my gosh! Dude you just made my day! I love my name too, lol. But I kinda wish I had a cool one like yours.

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    3. Look! We already have something in common. *grins*

      Hey, I know I said this over at Mark's, but your interview was really great! You guys oughta do a bloghop together! I missed Mark's *Got Green Blog Hop* over the weekend. Felt so bad 'cause we had a 16th birthday round here for the last week! Hated missing out on showing him my support!!

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    4. You must be psychic! Me and SIGGY are already cooking something up. (Along with a couple other awesome bloggy buddies.) It's a ways out, but it'll be announced like next week I think, lol. Goes to show you how organized I really am! Haha!

      Ya, I had an anniversary that weekend (for the Got Green) so I wasn't able to hop, but I made a post anyway, lol.

      Looks like we are just having our own little conversation in your comment thread. :) Hope you don't mind me stalking you!

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    5. Born stalker here, Cassie Mae! When I like somebody, there's little to stop my insanity. No worries, of course. *g*

      Can't believe the coincidence about the hop! Wow. Can't wait to hear and join in!! A-mazed at your and SIGGY's time management. I'm still trying to find a decent balance in posting my measly twice a week and keeping up with my WIP. I know it can be done. I've just been on my own fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants schedule, I guess, for so long that forcing myself into one that enables me keep up my writing(for the better, I know) is difficult.

      PS: It is my hope that my comments section will always be plentiful in the banter, with the crickets thrown to the curb... or the woodshed, given my neck of the woods. (; (I know. My smileys are backwards.)

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    6. Hmmm... don't be amazed by my time management. Nothing really ever gets done around my house, lol.

      I'm still flying by my pants on my own blog. At least it looks like I've totally got a plan! Haha!

      I love when the comments section explodes with convos! (And it is my opinion that smiley's should be made upright. Like, where is the button for that???)

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  2. Lovely, Scarlett. Always enjoy your thoughts. Ann T E :D

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    1. It's all good, AuntiE! *G*

      And, Thanks!!
      Love!

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  3. “Four-leaf clovers, shooting stars, eyelashes and wishbones; a full moon, dandelion puffs or pennies in a fountain.” I do them all! Just covering my bases ;)

    Excellent, excellent post dear Scarlett! I’m applauding, can you hear me? It’s so interesting that you bring up both luck and wishes. I never really thought about why, but I have never believed in luck. On the other hand, I will never stop believing in wishes. And if you’re going to dream dreams, you may as well make them BIG. What's stopping us? Only ourselves.

    Love the picture of the four-leaf clover. Love “A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes.”

    And thank you, my friend, for mentioning me on your space. Can’t wait to check out your other friends! Hope all is well with you. Thanks, Scarlett xo

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  4. Hi!

    I love this photo, too! Rick and I took a walk around our place Sunday afternoon to get some pics of four-leaf clovers for this post. It was just gorgeous out!

    "The camera's acting all stupid when I use it," I whined. Turns out it wasn't me, as I suspected, but some setting was the cause of my problems. We found six or seven, I think, but this one Rick took was by far my favorite!

    I also cover all the bases! Honestly, not because I'm superstitious or anything, but because I believe you can never share your affirmations with the universe Too Much! It's good to get those *wishes* and *dreams* out into the open. It makes them more real, solid and possible.

    You know, I hadn't really thought of the relationship between Luck and Wishes until I sat down to write this post. It occurred to me that Luck was just another way of avoiding responsibility. I mean, if we have Bad Luck or Misfortune to blame for all of the dreams, especially the big ones, that we never accomplish, then we're let off the hook for not achieving them. But then, it was just Luck, right? It's not like we really wanted it or anything, right?

    But, if it's a dream, which *we* create, and *we* see through, and *we* have to answer to... well, then the stakes are a bitter higher. Dreams and wishes come directly Through Us. They don't happen To Us with Luck.

    No wonder Luck and Good Fortune are so sought after.

    Now on the other hand, if I were to play the devil's advocate here, I would point out that it is likely on this great big spinning ball we're all standing on, that there just might be a bit of LUCK or FATE which factors into what happens to us here.

    Both make sense. Both seem to have purpose in our journey. Random or By Design? That is the million dollar question!

    All is good here! I actually got this post up today! Yay!

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  5. Hey Scarlett,

    Wow... where do I begin!

    Thanks... (nah, not BIG enough...)

    How about: I feel *truly* humbled your mentioning me in that list of friends.

    Better:)

    Truly humbled, and let me explain why... your post is gorgeous and beautiful, and I feel like you wrote it on my behalf... I am having some issues with WIP and need to focus on it some more, but I needed a sign(post.)

    Then you mentioned that you mentioned me, so I hopped over, thinking an award (suh-weet:) or a Tag (...) and instead you've written the inspirational post I was "lucking" for :)

    Thanks so very much for helping nudge my Dreams along :)

    PS... I *loved* your Comments Chat with Cassie, too:)

    Take care, and you both have Rocking cool names :)

    PPS... Rick's pic is amazing... can I use it for next year, please? :)

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    1. So, be honest. Which do you prefer? SIGGY or Mark? Or Marky Mark K... The Man? Or Just Koop? Do tell. For the record, I like them all! If I were a better friend, I would already know this OR pick one myself regardless of your feelings. *wink*

      Also, I can't help myself, but throw in another comedy duo tag... SIGGY-fried and Mae. I know. Weak. And... it's not like your funny banter resembles Siegfried and Roy's tiger show, though your cape m-a-y just fit into their act!

      Okay, so I started to explain this to Cassie (see entertaining banter above... no wait, don't bother... 'cause like I started to say...) BUT, I deleted my reasons for writing this post because I just knew you might be by (because I hailed you).

      I actually DID write this post with YOU in mind. Though, I was not aware at the time that you were looking for a sign(post), "Watch Out For T-H-A-T treeeee!". It's just that I felt so bad that I missed your "Got Green Blog Hop" last week (because I can be lame that way) that I wanted to write SOMETHING that resembled ANYTHING to do with St. PaDDy's Day to make up for my no show. VOILA! Four-leaf clovers! I can do that.

      BTW... Did you know it wasn't actually snakes (the literal version with fangs and creepy cat eyes) that St. Patrick drove out of Ireland? I googled it! I did. According to The Internet *said in loud booming voice*, St. Patrick drove the Pagans (i.e., those non-Christians) from Ireland with their three-leaf clover analogies (note: absolutely nothing to do with four-leaf clovers). Snakes, apparently, are the symbol for Pagan. Wowzer. Learn something new everyday. I kinda prefer the drunk Irishmen running the streets in capes, looking for more drink and drunks to drink with; all the while pinching cute girls who aren't wearing green (You know, they totally do that on purpose, right? The girls that is.) on St. PaDDy's Day.

      I'll wrap up this novella now. RE: the four-leaf clover pic... please DO use it when you like. I told Rick last night, as we lay in bed watching "Dexter", that you guys liked his pic. He said, "It's the camera. Not me." Mr. Humble. By the by, you can't see my hand, but I was arranging the little blue flower next to it so it could be in the picture too. My only claim to all the glory. But, I'll take it.

      Ummm, if you don't respond to this reply, so that I know my efforts (explanation for my lameness) are not in vain, I will hunt you down... and Tell You myself. *second wink* (not to be outdone by the first *wink*. Ok, now that's three *winks*.. now four... enough. E-nuf. *sigh* I'm done now. Off you go. *insert smiley here*

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    2. Ahem...*butts in*

      There's your mini post for the bloghop! See, you totally don't have to feel bad for missing it! Lol.

      And I call Mark just about anything in the sun if I'm creative enough. Though, he wasn't too fond of Malvolio. (hehe!)

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    3. LOL, Cassie! I wonder if it's too late to hit up on his linkydink. (Now that just came out wrong. You know whut I mean?)

      I'm way too long-winded.
      "But in a good way." (WHMS reference)

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  6. You know what... this is just like our very own Blog O'hop... only we're Comment O'hopping:)

    Scarlett, you rock with your comments (and my buds back home in Oirland call me Koopo, so you were close :) without knowing it....and yeah, Cassie calls me anything that begins with "M" but the Malvolio was bit weird... I felt like a Swedish car....

    PS... Tell Rick thanks (and I will, of course, give credit:) And, hey if he thinks it's just the camera... it must be a darn fine camera :)

    The blue flower was a nice touch, too:)

    And finally, for now... as Lucky would say: "Don't mess with me Linkydink :) (still laughing about *that* one :)

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  7. Hey,

    Rick may like my latest post :)

    Thanks :)

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    1. Note to self: Don't Mess With Lucky's LinkyDink.

      Yay, Morgan!

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  8. There was a study done recently (I don't remember who did it, but it's been all the talk on one of the NPR shows I hear en route to work) that people who think they're lucky actually are luckier. I think they decided it has to do with being able to see the opportunities that arise and take advantage of them. :)

    And thank you for mentioning me on your friends list! You're a sweetheart!

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    1. And You're a jewel! Anytime.

      I wonder if it was this guy you're speaking of!
      richardwiseman.com
      richardwiseman.wordpress.com

      I came across some *Luck* research when I was writing this post. Professor Richard Wiseman said,

      "Principle Three: Expect Good Fortune

      Lucky people are certain that the future is going to be full of good fortune.

      These expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies by helping lucky people persist in the face of failure, and shape their interactions with others in a positive way."

      I think this paragraph pretty much sums it up for me. Those who *expect good fortune*, tend to also be those who live their lives with an optimistic attitude. Rather than those who get caught up in living with a defeatist attitude.

      All human beings experience unfortunate circumstance, of one kind or another, which in turn *allows* them to FEEL emotion, whether it be sad, happy, angry or otherwise. That is the human condition.

      Perhaps we've grown so accustomed to ignoring those feelings when they're "hard", and consequently expect that *Good Fortune* will always bring *Good* feelings. Where's the growth in that, I wonder.

      I know. I know. Who, in their right mind, would choose to feel sad? Not me. But I can certainly see, looking back, that I've grown more from the uncomfortable, soul-ripping experiences I've had throughout my life, than say that time I found that twenty on the sidewalk. Sure... I felt LUCKY. But did it teach me anything? (Well, other than to watch my own money closer!)

      Now that I think on it a little more, maybe the experience of Good Fortune simply makes us feel safe.

      Perhaps it is those who don't ever get that *safe* feeling (inborn or environmental) when they're young (brains and bodies ripe for the conditioning and all) that end up living with the inner monologue, "I can't do it. I never could do it. I'm not lucky. Who would want to love me? I might as well give up now. I didn't want that luck anyway. See, world? I don't care if I EVER get what I really want. And that of course, is just to know that I am loved!"

      *And, The Universe replied,
      "Your wish is my command."

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  9. Well you had me at "sing a gay little song." Haha

    Making meatloaf either tonight or tomorrow, depending on when the ground beef thaws. Stay tuned.

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    1. Waiting patiently for the show to start. I think the real key to this recipe is how moist it is. Yummy.

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  10. Learning to reply via your blog instead of email, as I have been doing. :)

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