away with shoulds -- first anniversary

I gave myself a gift last night. I had a block of time to myself and I spent several hours enjoying past posts on Havi Brooks blog. It was lovely and restorative and fun. This is the woman who inspired me to blog 100+ times in 2009 because she showed me a path towards freedom and away from shoulds.

As I was reveling in her words, deep in the archives of October 2009, I heard a inner voice 'hey when was it exactly that you started blogging again last year?' I would have guessed it was the 13th or 9th, but thanks to archives no one has to depend on my memory. It was January 3rd a year ago today.

I feel a bit teary when I think [again] about how a stranger can help a person [or many] by accident or design to a gift. I had a lot of examples of it this year. They give me hope that life can be good. This blog has been a doorway for me into a more spacious me with more room for fun. That's feeling pretty huge. And it's been basically guilt-free!

As for Havi since she is on an email sabbatical, I may just drop her a snail mail of thanks, because I think she rocks and I want to let people hear good things when I can. Here is one of the sparkley rocks I picked up in her blog archive last night. I want to do this the next time I feel stuck [which may be right now...]

"I am going to buy flowers. And by the time they wilt and lose their petals, things will be better. Or at least different. But I hope better." Andreas via Havi Brooks