Neverending Change, Captured in Words

July 18, 2017July 18, 2017 / Penny L Howe / 8 Comments

Words, words words. They’re amazing things aren’t they? Drifting in, around and through our thoughts and emotions connecting with or latching onto every bit of life’s often overlooked creative aspects and/or acquired wisdom in our daily, sometimes meandering advenures.

Those minutiae of flotsam within life experiences, frequently add to an artisan’s imagination, collaborating with her/his words to bring forth the profoundness of a thought, idea or expression.

On the one hand we’re blessed with this finely honed awareness of life, on the other hand it can often lead us far from our original intent as life is a never ending spiral where the old gives way to the new (and upon occasion revisits the old again) and as we all recognize about change … well … it’s constant, whether we wish it were so or not.

I believe the key here is to embrace change as often as one can, recognizing that even during its turmoil, within its essence is an neverending source of information and inspiration for the next great thing you shall write, my creative soulmates.

Thanks for reading my written thoughts. I wish you well.
~Penny

Your Inspiration, Where Does It Come From?

January 27, 2016 / Penny L Howe / 7 Comments

The View From Your Eyes!

“The View From Your Eyes – Infinity of Being is your true inspiration” ~ Plh

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” ~ Patanjali

What inspires …

Love inspires. Beauty inspires. Bravery inspires. The human spirit of never giving up, inspires. Tenderness inspires. Happiness inspires. Caring people making a difference, inspires. Thoughtfulness, inspires.

A smile inspires. A mother and/or father caring for their family inspires. Children Inspire. The aged and elderly inspire. A young adult woman or man just starting to explore their world inspires.

The changing seasons inspire. Nature inspires. Animals inspire.

LIFE!

Life – in all it’s richness and diversity – inspires!

For some unknown reason I’ve had more than a fair share of close calls with death. Up close and personal close calls where I thought there would be no tomorrow. And I’ve dealt with pain, surgeries and months, years of coping with same, before moving on to a better place, because that happens too.

Raising my children as a single mom, messing up again and again, sometimes making very poor decisions in the process. What I’ve learned is that our life experiences mold us. They shape how we are – and who we will become.

Speaking for myself, I am a female who has survived, grateful for each new day I get to share with others. I take nothing for granted, staying hopeful that something I say or do will positively impact others. My way of saying “Thank you” to the universe for allowing me to live another day, sometimes in the face of great adversity. In summation …

Life IS our inspiration and we – through the prism of life, as viewed and experienced by ourselves – can and do inspire others. Inspiration come full circle. How rich we want our life to be entirely dependent on …

… “The view from our eyes!”

♡

Thank you, from my heart,

~ Penny

The Haibun of Life – I’m Alive.

January 31, 2015January 31, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 16 Comments

and so it will come

new day changing existence

life, not so easy

Life hasn’t been easy, for me. I’ve dealt with just about every conceivable thing one might hope would not happen to them, during my years of existence. And I do not exaggerate. If anything I make light of what has been some very hard times.

Yes, life is hard, and I know you know this too, and have your own life experiences to back that up, and yet for all that, I love life, and my life too, with a passion that is huge. Perhaps life has given me an appreciation for living I might not have, had it been easier. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter because it’s been my life. The one I know the best and the person I know the most about, me.

I know I’ve been incredibly lucky and blessed, repeatedly, during my years because I’m a survivor and with many years left to go in my life, I have a high confidence in my ability to persevere. A few readers know me, and much of my life’s adventures, but it’s not really that important – the specifics, I mean.

The important thing is my understanding that I’ve been forged through life’s traumas and trials to become the person I am today. I would not wish it any different than it is. I face each day with a wonderful determination and yes, positive attitude because I choose to do so.

Regardless of any battles left to be fought, and there will be some, I’m sure, I believe I’ll be the victor there. This is life – my life, at times hard but at other times amazingly, gloriously, beautifully wonderful and I marvel that I am still alive to participate in all that may come my way. And that’s what really matters – to me.

Penny L Howe, 2015

Thanks for stopping by, have an excellent weekend, I plan to … life is good … I feel great and I hope you do too.

With affection,

~ Penny

Am I an Expert in Life?

October 5, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 24 Comments

My parents “40th” Anniversary. I’m the smirky looking blond in front. The others are my two wonderful sisters, my brother and next to me my tiny little mom 4’10” (she’s standing on a taller stair) behind her my tall dad and my grandmother just barely looking over! Sorry about the blur!

I grew up in your typical loving and pretty average family and learned the typical things one learns from this environment. Did I become an expert on family matters? Well hardly, I was 19 when I left home, Duh!

I have read a hundred thousand miles worth of books, and many, millions of words. Am I an expert? Perhaps of reading, and maybe word power.

I have written countless personal journals filled with many thousands of words, over the years, documenting thoughts and feelings happening in the moment. Am I an expert? Perhaps when it comes to journal writing (my own). And maybe a knack with writing!

I have owned, operated and/or managed several small marketing businesses. I was almost successful with an Internet company in the year 2000 – just before the .com crash! Am I an expert? Perhaps in the art of acquiring knowledge in what not to do in business and who not to do it with.

I have experienced in my lifetime – extreme pain (times too numerous to count) both physical and emotional. I have dealt with loss, betrayal (I can count that number), success and failure. Am I an expert on how to live one’s life? No, but I learn a little more, with each passing day.

I have felt the exquisite passion one can find in love, the extreme happiness of falling in love, and in the birthing of my children and raising them to fine loving adults.

I have also felt the heartbreak of personal betrayal and the pain of abuse. Am I an expert at understanding why people are cruel to others, no! Am I stronger – YES, AMAZINGLY SO! In other words while not an expert in life, I’m not a person one should mess with, nor any of my family or friends, just sayin’.

If there were a category in the Guinness Book of Records for ‘most mistakes made in every given situation’ I’d be in that book! And since one learns from one’s mistakes (assumingly) I must be very wise indeed. However since I don’t feel especially wise on some days, I’m not entirely convinced of the complete accuracy of that statement.

I have been blessed with ample amounts of imagination and creative energy. Am I an expert? No, but one does not need to be with those things. The beauty of life is that whether we become experts or not, with free will, we can learn and grow, create and achieve – in spite of our mistakes and errors in judgement.

Am I an expert when it comes to being grateful and thankful for my many blessings in life? Yes – yes I am.

Penny, son and daughter! And yes a few years ago!

Ligo Haibun Challenge – Mirror Image

November 10, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 35 Comments

Such an interesting turn of phrase “mirror image” as compared to … oneself. More incongruous than the image appears (visually speaking), we (humans) always tend to “see” more than what is really visible to the naked eye.

Still, the person on the outside looking at the same person (on the inside of a mirror) has the distinct advantage of being seen in a two dimensional platform – which is, of course, never the actuality of life.

Wading deeply through the stream of reality, I could look down at life’s liquidness and see my own mirror image reflected in the fluidity of all life as it swirls around me. Ebbing waves of ‘this or that’ moment of experience exhibiting – all that I appear to be.

But I rarely do – look. I selfishly do not stop the train of thought, (my personal perception of life experiences) and indeed my ability to continue on with an absorption, immersion and captivation of life which I find quintessential to my own well being and improvement.

In summation, a true mirror image of self might be viewed as a matrix where each new bit and piece and layer of the “who I am” rearranges and renews – at will, (my ‘true image’ being of constant change) – as it should, because with each subsequent change I become more of who I truly am.

life’s true potential

mirrored in streaming nature

from dream to reality

Penny L Howe, 2013

. . . .

For more details to this weeks Ligo Haibun (writing) Challenge click here!

Thanks for stopping by, sending love, prayers, much hope and courage to those in the Philippines for their many loses. Please support them in any way that you are able to!

Penny

A blog a day keeps the ________!

April 16, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 57 Comments

Fill in the blank!

A blog a day keeps the creative juices flowing! For me!

Each time I write a post when I hit the publish button I feel a positive sense of personal accomplishment. Something that I started and completed. Something I’m proud of. Something I want to share with others. All the rest is a huge bonus. People visiting and commenting. Visiting other blogs and commenting, various interactions that happen as you build relationships. Each adding to the other.

But the posting itself. Putting together an article with information to share, writing a creative piece of fiction or nonfiction. Writing poetry. Sharing photographs that I or someone else has taken. Presenting an illustration that I or someone else has drawn. Expressing a viewpoint or concern. Celebrating an event. Passing on something new, entertaining or thought provoking.

Just so many creative places to go when writing a post to blog.

How about you? Why do you post? Have a blog? Write?

I’d like to know! Share please, thank you!

~ Penny

Sensuality – Taste Me

September 8, 2012September 8, 2012 / Penny L Howe / 50 Comments

Savoring the Flavor

Food is the first thing that comes to mind right? (or were you thinking of something else when you saw the title? Hmmm,) It’s amazing what our imagination can conjure depending on how words are presented.

The sense of taste — like all sensations — resides in the brain. The taste buds in your mouth have receptors that send messages to your brain. These messages help the brain interpret the characteristics of what you are tasting – the flavors.

What do you think about when you think about tasting something? Most probably what you enjoy eating, would be my guess. Tasting is not only recognizing that which you are eating but is also defining the pleasure received from the taste of a thing.

The word appetizing comes to mind. If I’m going to taste something I certainly would like it be appetizing – taste good. I want to know there are going to be pleasant feelings involved with the tasting.

The sensual aspect of tasting is the experience of appreciating the flavor in a manner that lends itself to more fully enjoying the process. Notice that “taste” is a word frequently used to describe the “experience” of anything in life. “Tasting life, savoring the richness”. The sensual meaning of the word comes across loud and clear. “the appetizing qualities of a woman”, “it’s all a matter of taste”, all the word associations connected with the sense of taste expand your feelings on a subject when they are applied.

When we eat we are chewing, ingesting, and swallowing. When we are tasting we are savoring the experience, that is the sensual difference to remember.

Once more, the best way to be sensual when tasting is to – Savor!