Serendipity - A chance we take or lose for all eternity.

Winter Doldrums? - Don't allow them even a corner of your mind. Life's too short to dwell on negatives, and there are always positives we can glean from our days. Search them out, concentrate upon them, and Be Happy!!!!

We all try to please some of the people some of the time, but there comes a time when you really just have to please yourself!

How sweet it is to have a brood of your own - And then - How sweet it is to become your own person once again.

We all must learn our own lessons, and rarely do we heed the warnings of others. If we can learn from our own mishaps, though, wisdom shall be ours. We are, in fact, the sum total of our experiences.

This pantoum (a challenge from a friend) is something of a sequel to "My EmptiNesst". Here I am, living by myself, with myself, and for myself for the first time in my life. I'm sure it won't be for a long time, nor do I want it to be. But I am truly enjoying looking at the world through my very own independent eyes, and hearing with my own ears.

What a great way to appreciate the gift of each new day.

As nostalgic as it is, there's surely some personal recompense in seeing our children grown and living self-sufficiently. My personal mentor once told me that I should be proud that my daughters are doing just what I brought them up to do - that is - to be responsible and live independently.

Well, she's been my mentor for my entire life, and she hasn't misdirected me yet. To me, that means it's simply time to think of myself. I want to travel more.. If I haven't seen it, I want to. If I have seen it, I may just want to see it again. Life "beckons" me.

"Those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to repeat it". Those are truly wise words. Can we make a difference for the future? Perhaps - by being aware of the ramifications of the lessons we impart to our children. And praying that they, in turn, will do the same.

I love the ocean. It's a part of me - or I'm a part of it. I'm not sure which. I know only that it speaks to me. It has new and different insights for me each and every time I converse with it - which is nearly every day.

Loons are very elegant birds, and quite whimsically unique as well. They sing songs of laughter during the warm seasons, yet remain silent through the winter months.

Their melodious song, when they choose to sing, has a hauntingly mysterious echoing sound that clearly distinguishes them from other birds. They truly seem to be laughing aloud. Seeing them in the wild is an experience everyone should enjoy from time to time.