Smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly

Remember being a child and counting down the endless days until summer?  Those months that stretched ahead like a promise of freedom and adventure.

For me summer meant sleeping in while sunlight danced through my bedroom curtains.  It was the ice cream trucks melody drawing us outside, where we’d spend entire days lost in play and exploration.  Summer was dad loading us into the truck for camping adventures into another world~ where we wandered endless nature paths, hiked alongside streams, cooked our meals over crackling fires, and turned our giant sized tent into our temporary home.  

I can still smell the rubber as we inflated our blow up air mattresses, and nestled into fluffy sleeping bags, waiting for dad’s bedtime stories that lulled us to sleep with the sense that all was right with the world.  Those trips to 31 flavors~ were pure delight, each scoop a celebration.  And the beach days when we’d soak up far too much sun, emerging with skin kissed golden and hair thick with salt that I can still taste in my memories.  

These are the sweet treasures of childhood that time can never steal.

Now summer arrives with breathtaking speed, each season a gentle reminder of times precious nature.  The warmth of the sun on my face, the cool sand beneath my feet, and the rhythm of the waves at my seaside home all whisper the same message~ this moment is a gift.

Summer calls me to wander and play outdoors again, to dig my hands deep into garden soil, to savor that perfect scoop of gelato that melts all too quickly on my tongue.  It’s an invitation for long lazy lunches with friends, for cooking meals under the open sky, and for never stopping my journey of exploration, learning and becoming. . . 

So remember my friend- press pause and hold this season of summer close in your heart.  Don’t let these golden days slip away unfilled.  Instead, weave them full of the things that make your soul sing, the moments that will become tomorrows treasured memories, and the simple joys that remind us why we wait all year for summer to return. 

While spring sweeps us towards the long days of summer, I hope this finds you well and gearing up for a season filled with all that you love and deserve! While times are a bit (very) crazy it's all the more reason to deeply care for ourselves and each other. My recent trip to Portugal was all the reminder I needed to slow down and tune into the rhythm of a city not ruled by urgency. In true Portuguese fashion I took time to enjoy all the beauty and miracles life is made of and the ways in which I will implement them into my daily life.

Waking up to the light reflecting off the edge of the Douro River each morning was a natural reset to my sleep and waking cycles. I awoke feeling refreshed and restored. The sheer beauty of the river and the surrounding countryside filled with ancient architecture were awe inspiring and soothing all at once. 

Traversing the old cobblestone streets walked and traveled upon for hundreds of years filled me with a sense of living history and curiosity – who were the laborers who built these stone walls by hand, they were not tall, more like garden perimeters that lined entire towns and farmers tending to their crops of terrace upon terrace of steep rich green hills bursting with fruit; the sheer excitement to explore the many passages, hills, shops, chapels, cathedrals and quintas. And the ring in my heart with each toll of the cathedral bell. 

There is a natural sense of adventure when traveling where you've never been– an opportunity to experience life in a new way and see things through a new lens. It can be so easy to see life through the same lens and become complacent within our own lives. Portugal with its warm and caring people remind me of life's simple pleasures – Awe the first espresso in the morning, the freshly prepared meals and warm hospitality of "all are welcome here" only to rediscover that kindness and welcome exist everywhere, waiting for us to notice.

Let this be my invitation to you – That each morning we awaken is a brand new opportunity to approach life with fresh eyes, and through a new lens. I began this practice after a really tough time when I couldn't reconcile how the world we live in has become so divided, non inclusive and violent. And like a light switch turned on, I got my answer – "Be the light you wish to see in the world." And that my friend is why you and I are here at this very moment in history.

​"Let your mind be quiet, realizing the beauty of the world, and the immense, the boundless treasures that it holds in store. All that you have within you, all that your heart desires, all that your nature so specially fits you for–it will certainly come to you. Yet equally surely not one moment before its appointed time will it come. All your crying, fever and reaching out of hand will make no difference." – Edward Carpenter

There is a certain magic to spring. It's as though the light is more dazzling. The hills are vibrant with color, flowers are spilling forth their beauty and sweet fragrance, while the birds delight us with their song. This is the season of renewal and replenishment, and what better way to begin than to meditate on English poet Edward Carpenter's assurance that all of our needs will be satisfied by the great whole.

Whatever we are waiting for, be it peace of mind, contentment, grace or maintaining the awareness of gratitude, it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart. While you wait patiently, take comfort and joy in the simple springtime rituals of renewal. The gift of time is food for the soul, rest for the body and mind.

What are some of the ways you like to pause, slow down and let go of your to-do list? Time spent creating a little space just for you. It can be replenished in a garden, beside a creek or fountain, while taking a walk, going on a hike or beachcombing. Whatever is calling to you is exactly what you need at this moment. So let's be good to ourselves and listen to the voice within. It knows.

Spring Renewal Meditation:

• Take a moment to find a comfortable position, either seated or lying down.
• Close your eyes and take three deep breaths.
• Imagine yourself as a dormant seed beneath the soil at the end of winter.
• Feel the earth warming around you as spring's gentle sun radiates above.
• With each inhale, draw in this nurturing energy; with each exhale, feel yourself softening, opening to growth.
• Visualize a tiny green shoot emerging from your center, reaching upward toward the light.
• As you continue to breathe, see yourself unfurling like a spring blossom, vibrant and full of potential.
• When you're ready, wiggle your fingers and toes, and carry this sense of renewal with you throughout your day.

Let spring be an invitation to uncover what has lain dormant, plant new seeds, water them and watch them grow. There is magic happening before our eyes – a newness, a freshness, an aliveness that we crave. Just as the flowers bloom and the grass grows, so do we. It's time to celebrate the magic within!

​True friendship is indeed one of life's most precious treasures. From childhood through adulthood the connections we make enrich our lives in countless ways. It is through our childhood friendships and first crushes we learn the value of "being liked" by someone.

When we enter high school the vigor of youth brings a different set of friends, then college – friends that help us discover ourselves and our place in the world. 

There's our friends at work that become like a family to us, the friends who share in our common interests, and the daily acquaintances we make over coffee and running errands. All of them enrich our lives in ways that often go unnoticed.

Few friends are with us for a lifetime, some for only a season, and still each of them remain a part of our history – our story. Our true friends are a part of our story and in their own way help us to write our story – whether it be a page, a chapter or the epilogue, they are a part of the story we are living out.

True friends see the best in us and mirror aspects of ourselves we often can't see on our own. They are the gold sprinkled throughout our days because no matter what is happening in life, they make it better just by being there. They let us know they care and wish the best for us. And whatever comes our way they are there to support us.

Recently, I experienced the joy of reconnecting with a treasured friend from my past. I'm feeling truly blessed to have been reunited with one of my dearest friends of over 20 years! Cindy and I lost touch with each other over 20 years ago when just this month she found me on Facebook.

It must've been back in the 2000's she and I became instant friends. Hers has always been a friendship where few words are needed. She naturally sees the good in everything around her – and we were lucky enough to be a part of each other's stories at a pivotal time in our lives. 

The memories we share are a part of me always – her wedding, the fun celebrations and wine tasting, photo shoots at the property – she's an amazing photographer! She rushed me to the hospital when I suffered my first miscarriage and would not leave my side. Hers was truly a unique friendship as we'd have to say goodbye to each other every year when she left for work in Antarctica.

To say "I'm over the moon" to have Cindy back in my life is an understatement! Although there are many miles between us, they will not separate us.

Remember to make time for your true friends – they are a gift to be treasured – they are the golden thread weaving their way through the seasons of our lives. Is there someone you've lost touch with who added joy to your life? You might consider reaching out today.

The purpose of life is to grow. From the moment of conception, we are growing. We are born with an innately glorious blueprint – the nexus of "who" we may become.

"Life isn't about finding yourself; it's about creating yourself." ~ George Bernard Shaw

In yoga class, I love the symbolism of the tree pose. A tree starts as a tiny seedling beneath the earth's surface – invisible, yet nourished and protected as it begins to spread its roots. Then one day, a sprout appears and the tree has taken root. Day after day, the little tree reaches skyward while shifting with the sun, wind, rain and the seasons.

Next time you're in tree pose, imagine your feet as roots drawing strength from the earth, your torso as your strong trunk weathering life's storms and your arms as branches reaching toward new possibilities.

Just like the tree, we, too, have grown from a tiny seed. Day in and day out, we are shaped by the many seasons of life – through love, rebirth, loss, joys and sorrow – life's challenges prodding us to grow and keep reaching. While we face continuous change, it is how we respond to these changes that ultimately shapes the person we are becoming.

Growth is not easy; it's a continuous process pushing us out of our comfort zone. Change demands our courage, our imagination, our commitment and our faith.

So often, we aren't able to see how far we've come, how much we've accomplished, and how much we've grown. Life keeps us distracted – Consider this your gentle reminder to make time for yourself, find a space for quiet reflection honoring the path you have traveled and the journey you are on.

As you reflect on your own growth journey, consider:

In what ways do you desire to grow?
What are some of the ways you've grown in the past year? What was the catalyst?
What are you reaching for?
What are the roots in your life that keep you grounded?
What would your highest self encourage you to embrace in this moment?

I'm rooting for you!