Simply Shine!
Celebrating the simple everyday wonders of life.
A Day without Water
A single bucket of water in one day? Even preparing to spend a single day with such a small ration of water has been humbling.
More from the Shine Blog
The Miracle of Mothering
Today is a good day to say: Thank You, Mom. You gave me life, and more. You protected me when I was small, giving roots & nourishment for growing wings. I didn't fully appreciate the miracle until I became a mother too. Now I see the sacrifices you made, the...
Flowers & Spring Showers
April showers. Spring flowers. Clear the old. Plant some new. Watch as the seeds of last season patiently push through the ground to announce the start of spring. It takes sun and rain to make a rainbow, and lots of love to help a garden grow. Every little flower...
What makes a perfect day?
Today was beyond words. From sunrise to sunset, it was pure WOW. Celebrating birth. Honoring death. Connecting with friends. Being a catalyst for clean water. Basking in LOVE all day through. A perfect kind of day. ______________________ I wrote this simple note...
Let Go…and find True Love
There is a treasure in you... a deep quiet that surrounds all the shiny objects stored in the crevices of your life. Here, in this still center is where the adventure begins: a hunt for the Diamond that is the essence of You. Open your heart wide in wonder; let...
One Life. Many Choices.
One Life. Many Choices. And every choice you've made thus far has lead you to this place called "Here." So what will you choose to do now with this single present moment that holds all the unfulfilled potential in this seed of tomorrow? It may seem impossible to...
Lost Your Holiday Twinkle?
Winter Stillness. Snowflakes falling, white on white. Twinkling lights, brightening the night. Fires burning to keep us warm. Hearts opening, friends linking arms. The space between notes, a silent sigh. Smiles between neighbors, stars up high. A memory of childhood,...
More Gratitude? (Yes, Please)
What is it about these made-up days that creates such a whirlwind... a holiday daze? Black or White, buy Cyber or get in line for the low-price fight. Do the Gratitude Wrap-Wrap-Wrap Turn off the excess for simple joys. Embrace a different kind of noise. This is what...
Muse Beacon with a Song
“Gratitude is the foundation for all prayer. When you say thank you, you fall into grace.” –Bob Sima Musicians who compose their own songs are constantly building a legacy, and this one is a pied-piper of Love. Bob Sima is part muse and the lyrics of his songs are...
Grow a Legacy of Love
Here, in the small moments of life, is where your true legacy finds you. Not grown of material wealth, possessions passed along, monuments built or dreams fulfilled. Your legacy is shaped in a thousand simple moments of giving. A smile that springs from your heart, a...
Invitation
Stuck in the flotsam of the ocean, the foaming-churning surface appearing to hold what it wants to hold. The invitation is here, always, to dive deeper, beneath the pollution that is the crux of everyday living. We must choose to go to the depths where treasure lies....
What is Enough? (The deeper conversation)
A preview from my new book, What is Enough? This passage flowed through after a session with my writing mentor, Stacy Nelson. She is amazing at helping me go beneath the surface to find a deeper message. I decided to share here for a couple reasons. One, because it...
Plum Abundance
Sometimes even nature doesn’t know when enough is enough. The branches were bowing low, and I knew it was nearing time to pluck the ripening fruit. We pruned & pruned earlier in the spring, but you’d never know it from the hundreds of small round cherry-plums...