The Exquisite Nature of Nurturing – Try it, you’ll like it!

May 16, 2016 / Penny L Howe / 7 Comments

Photo by Alberto Ghizzi Panizza

♡

Nurturing (definition): The process of caring for and encouraging the growth or development of someone or something.

This is a very good week to nurture. Of course so was last week as I imagine next week will be also, there being so much negativity and meanness proliferating everywhere. However I do believe that by making nurturing a priority in the NOW of our lives, it can make a positive difference for you, myself and everyone involved in this positive process.

One of the outstanding features of nurturing another person(s) – regardless of perceived or real differences – is that both are rewarded. Nurturing (caring for another) soothes and strengthens life and, as previously mentioned, right now we humans need a whole bunch of nurturers and nurturing.

In scientific speak (for those interested), nurturing or being nurtured creates a mind-body connection during the giving/receiving process because of the neuropeptide molecules (chemical substances made and released by brain cells) sending soothing messages all over the body.

When receptor sites receive these neuropeptides a positive change occurs. The body fluids are attracted to specific receptors that grow directly off our cell structures or DNA. Protein-like neuropeptides provide our brain cells with a method of communicating with other cells by latching on to these receptor sites at which point our mood states and behaviors are altered in a positive way.

Because these peptides are also found in our immune system, the nurturing process is not only a mental and emotional nourishment but also a physical one. How great is that?

So my hopeful thought for all of us this week is to – nurture on my loving caring friends. Nurture on!

♡

With much love and affection,

~ Penny, ♡

At the Heart of the Matter

January 1, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 21 Comments

“At the heart of every flower

are nurturing elements that help make it so beautiful,

our souls are like that, I think!” Penny L Howe

How we feel about ourselves – how we feel about each other. There is a direct correlation, you know. We ALL need to feel needed, cherished, important, of value. And the less we feel this way about ourselves, the less apt we are to reach out to others, to share and shore up their weakness and needs through love and care … even as they do for us.

At the heart of the matter is – the heart. All our hearts, the universal symbol of love. And our heart needs constant attention and nourishment in the form of love. So where to begin?

Well, I’d say with love of self, only as it relates to you deciding you are a good and capable human being. Start there. Then begin to reach out to others. You’ll find your own self worth grows in direct proportion.

Remember we all need nourishment – not just from food and drink, also in the form of emotional love and caring to insure our well-being!

Happy beginning of your New Year ~ and do take care of you! 🙂

~ Penny

A (feel good) Superlative Day!

October 14, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 12 Comments

In nature there are all kinds of days. Good ones and bad ones. Mother nature works that way. Yet almost every single one us enjoys watching nature in action when it comes to the care of the little ones. Cars will stop (I’ve seen this happen myself) to allow a duck and her ducklings safe passage across a busy street, also with deer and their youthful fawn!

It’s this immediate “feel good” feeling we get. I don’t know if it’s watching the continuation of life, or some more basic instinctive thing left over from when we were young ourselves.

But I do believe, on those days, when we see any young life renewed, it is a most superlative day (in my humble opinion) to witness the event!

Thank you for stopping by, I hope your week is going well, with a few superlative moments thrown in for good measure!

~ Penny

A Mother’s Love

May 11, 2014May 11, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 23 Comments

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,

while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

Lao Tzu

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL THE MOM’S OF THE WORLD!

You and your mom’s are amazing in case you didn’t know!!!!

~ Penny

The Strength of A Woman!

April 8, 2014April 9, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 14 Comments

Tears of Compassion

Tears do not make one weak. The salty liquid flows freely into the wounds of our trials, increasing resolve and determination to make things better – equal – balanced.

When looking at one of the symbols for justice, you will see it’s represented by a blindfolded female holding the balance scale. I’ve always found that intriguing and representative of how a woman’s role has historically been viewed – still is.

It is increasingly obvious that it is not the woman who is blinded by what she is or isn’t, but rather she is blindfolded by those who see her as – less than.

Personal strength is not about being more physically capable (although all bullies consider it so), strength is also about character, determination, our individual willingness and ability to care. To balance all of our human attributes with greater awareness and understanding and always with compassion. When a woman cries she demonstrates this – crying is not weakness. I repeat – not a weakness.

The sad truth is, too often, weakness of character manifests into physical brutality by an otherwise weak individual – to get their way. Winning by being mean, physically/verbally abusive and in the extreme, killing other people (even in the name of war) is often the easy way out. War achieves first and foremost – death and misery. Power, and the misguided belief “might makes right” has been in existence since the beginning of our caveman days, and continues on today in many areas of society, government, and big business.

A woman’s compassion is one of humanity’s greatest survival strengths. A man’s physical strength poses for him some of his greatest’s blind-spots and handicaps. Most women want to protect all life, inherently a part of their nurturing nature, and a large part of their strength.

Those who view women as “lesser than” also tend to consider life as just another commodity to be used – as needs be. Again history bears this out. So does the repeated raping and brutality of women, children and the planet itself that we ALL live on.

Universally recognizing the female’s important and ‘completely equal’ half in the “human equation of life”, along with her amazing and natural strengths, can only assist mankind in truly becoming more balanced – it’s time for the blindfold to be gone.

“Humanity will owe its survival in the future – as in the past –

to those with caring compassion and tears.”

Thank you,

Penny L Howe, 2014

August 10, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 17 Comments

“Did you know that dewdrops are very like teardrops?

They glisten on the flesh of the petal

reminding us of the beauty of a caring heart.”

Penny L Howe, 2013

You and your beautiful soul

August 3, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 21 Comments

♥

“There’s nothing you need to change

about the you that you are,

except perhaps your point of view …

…We are all of us beautiful souls

and it’s not for us to judge so harshly

– ourselves!”

~ Penny L Howe, 2013

The human vessel ~ the contents within

June 10, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 28 Comments

We are human beings, carrying so many things inside ourselves as we travel along the various pathways of our lives. Each of us is a vessel. Filled with all manner of thoughts, wishes, hopes, dreams, experiences, memories. The essence that will shape us and those around us during our travels.

Each vessel has a unique shape. Yet, it is only an outer shape formed to hold the contents within. And while the outer shape of this, our human vessel, may change with the years, it is the contents of the vessel that are of importance.

Experience teaches us many things. What we decide as a result of our personal experiences will determine the nature of the contents inside – what we ultimately decide to fill our own vessels with: Courage, Empathy, Good Will, Love, Joy, Hope or Duplicity, Disappointment, Resignation, Hate, Fear, Despair, hopelessness.

While we are on this planet and alive, our vessels become a reflection of our vessel’s contents.

Most of us begin our live’s with Joy and Love. Not all, but most. I’ve found it interesting however that those who face adversity squarely in the face and emerge triumphant, bone weary often, but still a survivor, do tend to fill up their human vessel with so much love and courage that they spend much of the rest of their lives sharing these contents with others.

And I’ve found it to be inversely true. Those who have suffered disappointments but chose not to rise above their individual misfortunes, tend to go through life with their vessels harboring ill will, blame, and discontent for their own perceived shortcomings. They feel the need to bring people down to a hurtful level as indeed they themselves are feeling from the contents they’ve chosen to fill their vessels with. The appearance of their vessel may appear lovely but the contents are not.

The contents of our human vessels are so very precious. They decide our level of happiness, the joy we are capable of receiving and giving in any given day.

Be very careful how you fill your own vessel.

It’s contents are the most important thing in your life. And to the lives of those you love and who love you.

Not the appearance of the vessel that matters but what’s inside!

~ Penny

Happy Weekend Bloggers,

June 1, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 34 Comments

I’m hoping that everyone is having a wonderful, relaxing and enjoyable weekend!

My plans include relaxing, and more relaxing (well besides some work in the yard – a good workout and the yard thanks me)!

– a field trip for sketching, nature calls to me (fun)!

– a few hours of the written word (addiction)!

– happily reading, lost in someone else’s words!

– playing and enjoying the family!

– some quiet time, music and reviewing solitary thoughts!

Mostly reminding myself to take care of me (not being selfish,

here just reminding myself of my own self worth –

A reminder to each of you!)!

“Nurturer ~ nurture thyself! You can’t be there for others

if you’re not there for you FIRST!” ~ Penny L Howe, 2013

That sums it up, how about you?

~ Penny

A child’s ‘little disappointments’

April 30, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 25 Comments

Children think in the present. Their tomorrows (most of them) are fantasies of all they dream. Their today’s filled with the exploration of the day.

Every child (as they grow) can experience “little disappointments”! These disappointments are quickly erased with the following positive actions:

1 – They are not ignored by adults

2 – They are loved and told they are loved (and shown it frequently)

3 – They are played with by the (too frequently busy) adults around them

4 – They are hugged and reminded how special they are

5 – They are appreciated and shown they are appreciated by repeating the first four items mentioned

A child’s “little disappointments” unresolved can turn into Life’s big disappointments for him or her. The child can grow up to be insecure with very little or no belief in themselves.

Encourage, love and nurture a child and you promote the child’s own belief of personal self worth. They will grow up “knowing” they can handle life’s “little disappointments. Life will become filled with positive challenges not negative assessments of self worth!