I look at you
sometimes more than
once in a single day
eyes fully open
not wanting to miss
one single moment,
straining to really see
how much of me
is growing
with you, in you;
not wanting you to be me
(not at all!)
but acknowledging all
that I could ever wish for
is already there … within you …
my most amazing work of art.
This photo was taken during a trip to Malaysia and no, that smile is not an indication of how brave I was; rather it was OMG take that photo quick so I can get these things away from me!
My contribution to this week’s WordPress photo challenge, where you can see other more ‘dangerous‘ photos.
“It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” —David Attenborough
Where would we be without the tranquility of nature and amazing beauty of the earth? That my friends, is the question but until you find your own answer here is a photo of my little slice of heaven on earth: Codrington College, Barbados 🙂
Photos by Gale E, taken at the Downtown Aquarium in Houston, USA
“A man can be himself only so long as he is alone, and if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom, for it is only when he is alone that he is really free.” ~ Arthur Schopenhauer
“The writing gets done away from the keyboard and away from the studio in my head, in solitude. And then I come in and hopefully have something, then I wrestle with sounds and picture all day long. But the ideas usually come from a more obscure place, like a conversation with a director, a still somebody shows you, or whatever. “ ~ Hans Zimmer
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”
Proverbs 22:1 (NIV)
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Unfortunately this is not a signpost directing you to where I actually live, but it was fun to see an actual sign with my name (and land!) while on a leisurely evening drive.
But what do my first names mean? Gale is of Hebrew origin and means ‘joy’ while Elizabeth, also of Hebrew origin, means ‘oath of God’. Thanks dad for giving me simple, easy-to-pronounce and easy-to-spell names that truly represent!
The only time I’ve really seriously thought about my name though was when I got married and changed my surname to that of my husband’s. Yes, there was lots of discussion because I wanted to keep my name but hubbie wasn’t too thrilled so I gave in. Then when I became divorced I struggled with a decision: go back to my maiden name or keep a name that was technically no longer mine. I kept it, not only to cement the bond with my son but because I knew I wasn’t that young naive girl anymore; I had survived loss of a job, loss of a parent and loss of a marriage … and there was no turning back. As my coworkers can confirm: I am now 50 Shades of Gale – see my birthday cake from 2015 as proof 🙂
I think names carry a special weight or significance and in molding Nathan – a Hebrew name meaning ‘gift’ – as my one and only son/heir to adulthood, it’s been important to reinforce that in life it’s not about wealth or education or fame, but more about your name/reputation. Do you agree? And what do you think about your name? Have you had to think long and hard when naming your children? What about naming a pet or even your home or boat? Leave me a comment; can’t wait to read your story ♦
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“I call everyone ‘Darling’ because I can’t remember their names.”
~ Zsa Zsa Gabor
“The real names of our people were destroyed during slavery. The last name of my forefathers was taken from them when they were brought to America and made slaves, and then the name of the slave master was given, which we refuse, we reject that name today and refuse it. I never acknowledge it whatsoever.”
~ Malcolm X
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
“Develop resilience and be brave. There are days when it is very discouraging. You have to develop personal resilience to environmental things that come along. If you let every single environmental challenge knock you off your game, it’s going to be very, very hard.” ~ Renee James
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I wasn’t sure what I should say as we start out on the path of 2017 and as you can see, this note is way too delayed in terms of being a Happy New Year message. So after a bit of thinking I decided to share something personal which meant a lot to me in terms of not only achievement but commitment to myself as much as I commit to others without a second thought.
During 2016 I had to quit the gym (some activities have to become things of the past when you have a child studying overseas at university) and watched in dismay as the pounds crept on to my body. I was not a happy camper and decided (finally) to get back into running as my main form of exercise.
To be honest, some days I felt like giving up. Getting out of bed very early every morning in the dark was not cutting it. Jogging after work late in the evening – again, in the dark – was also not cutting it. Yet on other days I couldn’t wait to run twice a day. Go figure.
But I persisted, running as often and as much as I could. Then I fell. Hard. On my back. It was painful to say the least. I had to give up running for a while. I don’t know which hurt most, my body or not being able to get out on the road but I knew that if I didn’t take the time to rest properly my injuries would take even longer to heal. In the meantime I continued to eat properly and kept up with my diet of steamed fish, steamed vegetables (cooked with love) and loads of salad.
The human body is amazingly resilient, even when it is an older version with spare parts which can stop working at a moments notice. And so, in December of 2016, I ran and finished my first 5K in I don’t know how many years … and boy did it feel good to cross that finish line standing (as opposed to crawling)!
Now it’s on to a new year with even bigger goals and hopefully greater achievements. I have only run twice so far for the year but just as my body is resilient so will be my resolve to continue on this healthy lifestyle path.
4 Jan 2017 Run aka go me!
In reality, all we humans can do is to put one foot in front of the other day by day as we step out in faith, not only reaching towards our own dreams while remembering to help others along the way. God promises to do a new thing in us, not only in January but every single day and every single month; all we have to do is remain open to His wonderful gifts because they will come.
So what are your goals? What would you really like to achieve over the next 12 months? How much work are you willing to put in to ensure your dreams become a reality? What support do you need? How can I help??? Leave a note in the comments as we get this year off to a great start and may 2017 be even more amazing than you can ever hope it to be aka Just Do It!
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“Indeed, this life is a test. It is a test of many things – of our convictions and priorities, our faith and our faithfulness, our patience and our resilience, and in the end, our ultimate desires.” ~ Sheri L. Dew
“It’s one thing to show your love for someone when everything is going fine and life is smooth. But when the ‘in sickness and in health’ part kicks in and sickness does enter your lives, you’re tested. Your resilience is tested.” ~ Patti Davis
