“Hey, whatcha’ hiding under there?”
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Your soul is beautiful. Don’t hide it under the shell of your physical body!
Come out and shine. Be brave, live life, make a difference for yourself and others. Even as you know there will be bad mixed with the good, at least you’re out there being a part of life! Your life!
And that matters. A Lot. It matters to you, and to those you care about who care about you. Whether you believe this or not! It’s true. Trust me on this one.
~ Penny
What did you notice when you first woke up this morning?
… As you prepared yourself for the day’s activities?
… When you had your first beverage of the day?
… As the day progressed?
…When evening came?
… As you prepared for bed?
… What did you notice?
Did you notice that the sun came up? Did you notice that other people depend on you, directly or indirectly? Even the store clerk where you shop, your smile and a 
few pleasant words can make the difference in his or her busy day?
Did you notice things beyond the state of your own condition and existence …
…because if you didn’t notice these things … then you’re missing out on so much that life has to offer you. That life does offer you … each and every day you’re alive!
If you really want to be liked and be loved more … if you feel that this isn’t happening (if you spend all your time noticing that you’re being treated unfairly or that you aren’t worthy or anything else where your thoughts are only on yourself), then you are most definitely not noticing the right things.
“There is a wonderful law of nature that the three things we crave most in life * happiness, freedom, and peace of mind, * are always attained by giving them to someone else.” ~ Peyton C. March*
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What and who will you notice today? Have a good day today, thank you for stopping by,
~ Penny
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Thank you for your visit!
~ Penny
This is for YOU! And you know who you are! I shared this video and song with my followers last year. And just so you know. I watch it myself on the days that seem harder than other days and we all have those. I send this out today to remind you that You can do it! You can carry on. You can be strong and brave. You have it within you!
I believe in You after all, with all my heart and you (my blogger friends) know I mean the words I write. It is overwhelming out there, changes coming so fast, hard to cope with, loss, pain, loneliness, too much of too much, and in some cases feeling terribly alone and disconnected.
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You are not disconnected here in blog-land! And I know (for a fact) that the bloggers “out there” believe these words too.
We are here for you during your struggles, just as you are here for us. It makes for a HUGE difference. So today, remember you are loved and STAND YOUR GROUND … you’re worth it, you know!
~ Penny
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The Shy Butterfly is published. Now available at Amazon.com. As I write this announcement there are tears running down my face. When I first wrote this story six years ago, the inspiration for the story (which I shared with him at the time) was Duane Brownlee. My daughter’s husband.
A man endowed with an amazingly happy outlook on life and people. His, a gentle positive attitude about living each day to the fullest. This then was Duane. Three years ago on the weekend of his son’s tenth birthday, Duane was struck and killed by a drug using motorist, just several blocks from his home. I was there, a tragic traumatic event, his family’s life
changed forever.
They’ve carried on. Filled with the memories of his loving and happy nature living within each of them.
This book is dedicated to Duane and all my monies received from the sale of the book go to this family for the now and future of their financial needs.
The book is about a shy butterfly afraid to come out of the shadows of a forest and live life in the sunshine. He meets a beautiful Monarch butterfly who encourages him to be brave and step out into the sunlight, to see what he’s been missing, to fully appreciate and enjoy his life.
Currently the book can be purchased and read on all kindle apps. I’ve discovered I like to view this story on my personal computer using kindle cloud. Any device that supports the kindle app will be able to view the wonderful colorful illustrations by Debbie Edwards as they read the words to the story. It is an uplifting story filled with all the positive reasons a child and an adult should brave the everyday challenges of life with a full heart and happy outgoing attitude.
The book is available at all Amazon websites around the world. Thank you in advance for those of you who purchase this book.
~ Penny
How do you view your life? Do you think you’re lucky? Have you chosen your life to be filled with rich multicolored hues of living (bubbles of pleasure) or is your life colorless because you’ve forgotten, regardless of what happens – your reactions (what you do about it) – are still your choice?
How glorious is your day?
I know a true story of a monk who grew up in South Vietnam. During the military conflict of the last century, his community was bombarded with bombs and his entire family was killed, He lost an arm. He moved to a nearby “protected” area and was soon loving and teaching the orphaned children from the ongoing war. One day, he watched a bomb (accidently) drop on the orphanage and the children were lost as well.
Finally he was advised to seek refuge in another country as the area he was living in was soon to be overrun with hostile warfare. He made it to France.
Some years later, in a small sheltered community, an individual who knew his story noticed his happy gentle attitude on life and asked him, “How can you be this way after what has been done to you? First you lost all the members of your family and your arm and then the children you were caring for, and finally your home. What can there possibly be for you to look forward to?
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The monk smiled pointing with his remaining hand to the ground and said,
“I have the rich earth that my feet can embrace when I walk or run.” He looked up at the sky and said, “I have the blue sky of a sunny day to look forward to during rainy, overcast stormy weather.”
He motioned to the countryside around him, “I have the beauty of nature to look upon during the changes of seasons.”
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His smile grew larger as he added, “I have the joy in my heart when I hear another laugh with pleasure.” And he reached out and took the hands of the questioning stranger and responded,
“And I have you and all others around me to love and be loved. I have so much to look forward to. I am very lucky. Each day of my life is rich, full and glorious!”
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And so I ask you once again, how glorious is your day?
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Have a great day today and a better tomorrow!
~ Penny
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A simple question with a not so simple answer. There are easy days and then there are the hard ones. Some of us run in the hopes that the scarier aspects of life won’t overtake us. Some of us run because we’re sure if we run fast enough we’ll make it. Some of us are afraid to stop … and some of us are afraid to start.
(the film quality isn’t the best of this YouTube video – but the content is!)
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At the very heart of who we are is the desire to succeed in our endeavors. The thing is we can only make it in life – if we are moving forward. For those of us who have decided the whole prospect seems too overwhelming.
there is a third option ~ try running along with life.
Go with the flow, one day at a time.
Works for me, maybe you too!
~ Penny
The greatest gift we receive in life is … life.
Then the day arrives when we come face to face with danger, the unknown, loss of a loved one, disease, – the scariest things in life.
We become so overwhelmed by fear that we can forget to be brave, forget we are not alone, forget we can overcome and forget … yes, forget that we are loved and all is possible … one step at a time.
For each of you facing your fears, here is a gentle and loving reminder,
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~ Penny
Compelling to Care!
When adversity strikes there often becomes a compelling need by others to help, to reach out, make a difference.
It is one of the best things about being human. The human spirit. It reaches beyond life’s ordinary daily issues, in times of crisis, to submerge the petty and reveal the positive, the brave, the giving, the caring – the loving.
This is good, this is very good. As it should be.
Thank you for stopping by,
~ Penny
This is an excerpt from a book I wrote 8 years ago. It is a story about a shy butterfly that lives his life in the shadows of trees and is afraid to come out into the sunlight and play. The illustrations are by the talented Debby Edwards who added the perfect touch with her delightful pictures to my words, enjoy:
The Shy Butterfly
The shy butterfly hid around corners, ducked under leaves
and never flew out in the bright of day.The shy butterfly kept to itself, not happy,
not unhappy, just shy and unaware of the beauty of life waiting but a few feet away.
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Each day as the sun would set and night begin to descend,
The shy butterfuly would emerge from the shadows flying cautiously from one nearby place to another.
In the full darkness of night the shy butterfly would sit quietly in place until dawn arrived.
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With the arrival of daybreak and sunlight the shy butterfuly would move again into the shadows of the trees.
The shy butterfly lived a half-life of in-betweens in sheltered dark surroundings never realizing
what he was missing!
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This is the beginning of a short story, a childrens book I wrote a few years ago. I wrote the book to remind children to not be afraid of life, it is an uplifting book filled with child-like drawings where the shy butterfly eventually (with the help of a Monarch butterfly) spreads its wings, and comes out into the sun to enjoy life fully.
Recently I was reminded that adults need this reminder too. There is a young lady artist/blogger, that I’ve been privately communicating with, right now, who is feeling this way and so for you …here is the ending to this story. This is for all to read and perhaps think on.
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“Come,” She said, beckoning to the blue sky with its high fluffy clouds. “They call to us. Let us go and enjoy the day. This wonderful, glorious day.”
She flew up into the sky, sure-winged and effortless. She looked back calling to the shy butterfly, still perched on the edge of the rock.
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“Remember, this new day is a gift for living and must be lived, or why have we bothered to be alive at all.“
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The shy butterfly took one final look back at his former world of shadows, then rose to follow after the Monarch. His heart filled with the light and beauty of life.
As he winged his way into the brilliant morning sunlight, he finally understood what he’d missed before. If you don’t live life to the fullest, then you haven’t really lived.
Don’t waste the most precious gift of all – Every day of your life!
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Penny L. Howe, 2004
Copyright © 2012 by Penny l Howe
The Why About This 