Seeing the number of reflections explains my 2nd response to this question. It’s 66 now. This community has certainly helped me improved my social life in a manner that feels comfortable ever since joining right after Easter of this year.
The opportunity of each moment to do what feels right has offer serendipities and unexpected blessings.
Just this morning, I came to this site and, after a bit of a difficult night sleep, I read the word of the day by Malala Yousafzai: “At night our fear is strong . . . but in the morning, in the light, we find our courage again.”
In 2013, I applied for a seasonal office position at a small Boutique Hotel in Newport. I had been unemployed for a year taking some short contract positions during a recession. I was with the Hotel for a full year and helped implement a new payroll system. This lead to where I work today, with that experience I was hired permanently and have been employed with them for 10 years. My company has been honored for several years “Best places to Work”. I am so grateful for the small opportunity to become huge one for me!
Once when I was young, there was the opportunity to work in a Hotel led by a female friend of our family. While staying there for room service and cleaning, the friend introduced me also how to cook well for her noble guests who came to spend their holidays there. It was an opportunity to improve what had been conveyed by my mother already, who was preparing delicious food for her family. Until today, The love vor cooking together and being inspired to preparing delicious food mostly without a recipe is giving joy and happiness to all of us so often. Thank you dearly to my mother and this friend who was feeling free to share her abilities and fun to bring joy and love to the table and to family and guests.
I love this question! I often think about serendipity and how small actions add up. I wrote a blog post about how bicycling led to many changes in my life and I won’t repeat all the details here; it’s at http://bikestylespokane.com/2017/03/12/came-fork-road/ if you’re interested. The TL;DR is that starting to commute to work by bike led to volunteer leadership roles, love and marriage, a change of profession, moving to another city, another job change, and another move to the town we plan to live in for the rest of our lives (the last move isn’t in the blog post). So much has flowed from the city of Spokane putting a bike lane in front of my house.
Thank you so much for all your amazing stories. They bring me hope and joy. For me, a small opportunity that has made a difference in my life is being a volunteer and helping the elderly with their English homework. Through this opportunity, I learn English alongside them, gain valuable insights from their life experiences, and, more importantly, I’ve become more patient than I used to be.
Wishing you all a happy weekend!
Combining your responses from today’s question and this question, My Ngoc, we have quite a bit of common ground with the people from our parents’ generation and older.
1. Disabilities and diseases are closely linked.
2. We have a lot of time to play with Waverly and Harper having mentioned about them before on comments from Sunnypatti and others.
3. More time available opens up time for conversations about the past.
4. We’ve done a fair amount of traveling and have been on quite a few trips together with my parents who love nature.
In fact, we have more common ground with those people than the ones within our age group.
It’s the small opportunity’s that have
made the big difference in my life.
It never seems to be a straight line.
One thing leads to another. Being open,
saying yes, doing the thing that scares me,
and questioning my motives have all led to
change. Opportunity’s seem to appear
after the moment of surrender. As I write
this, it occurs to me that, that really is the
lesson.
I have been traveling and have missed the
morning gratitude practice. I hope all is well
with you, my gratitude people 🙏
I have been very good, Joseph.
Thank you 🙏
Camping on our way to a wedding
here in Boise. Going to places I’ve
never been. Mosquito bites, sun
sets, camp fires, amazing geology,
And now I’m going riding with an
old friend. Doing the thing that
brought us together so many years
ago.
Good Morning Everyone, I am not going to answer today’s question…as I just don’t have the strength right now. Early Thursday morning, I suffered a heart attack. Thankfully, my husband got me to the hospital (an ambulance where we live would have been too late!). I had a cardiac catheterization and the placements of two stents. Before this I was relatively healthy!! It was a total shock. I would like to ask all my friends here for prayers, whatever you believe in…please. I find strength in all of you. It is morning again…and I am alive, I would like to go home- but I think I may have at least another day in the hospital. Thank you all and God Bless You for thinking of me.
Holy shit this was shocking to read Nannette! OMG! Wishing you a speedy recovery, as a former nurse I’m sure you will listen and do what your discharge instructions tell you to do. Sending lots of healing energy to you!
Dear Nanette, happy that all went so well and that you had speedy support by your dear husband and later by the cardiologists! May you recover quickly and may you be well again soon.. Take care, dear friend, and may al blessings be with you.
Dear Nannette, I am so sorry to hear your news. May God heal you & surround you with healing light. I am praying for you & will continue to do so. 🙏🏻✨🙏🏻✨🙏🏻
Thank goodness for your loving husband.
Stay strong, keep your thoughts positive.
Prayers up for you…✨🩷🙏🏻✨
Thank you, PKR, I am so apprciative of all the prayers and caring of you and all the people here. Thank you so very much. My heart is filled with love.
Oh dear Nannette!, I am so glad you
are recovering and that modern
medicine has worked it’s magic.
I’m thinking of you and sending
strength and comfort.
It is amazing hiw quickly our lives change. I am happy you got help quickly. Prayers for sure. We have a religious activity today and I will include you and your care team in the petitions.
YRAM, Thank you so much for including me and my prayer team in your prayerful activity today. I cannot tell you how much that means to me. Thank you, Thank you.
While living in the Upper Peninsula of MI for 10 years, I was finding it hard to meet people where there was potential for deep, meaningful relationships. About 2 years in, I wondered aloud to my husband if I ever would.
I had found a wonderful massage therapist « across the river » in Canada. One day, out of the blue, she mentioned friends of hers « in the states » were hosting a house concert and we should come. She checked with her friends, and we were welcome to join in the fun. I had said nothing to her about my loneliness.
So on a cold wintry night in March, we knocked on the door of a farm house built in the late 1800’s. Our host answered the door so warmly, and as we stepped in I immediately felt embraced by warmth and love. Two weeks later, I called our host, re-introduced myself, and asked Leslie is she would like to meet for coffee. The rest is an amazing story of friendship and adventure. Our husbands became close friends, the four of us and their children have become close, have travelled together, celebrated together, and weathered difficult times together. We left the Upper Peninsula 11 years ago. We still travel to be with them and vice-versa. So saying yes to an invitation expanded my life in so many ways, and that expansion continues to this day.
That’s wonderful, Mary. I met my best friend of many years through her husband, who served on some committees I was also on. She became my yoga teacher and officiated at my wedding and that of my older daughter, among many gifts of time and love. Those connections give us so much.
Reading “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” was a small opportunity that has made a big difference in my life. Humility, concentration, emptiness, and purity are my takeaways. Here are a couple Shunryu Suzuki quotes I have down.
1. “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”
2. “Form is form. Emptiness is emptiness.”
The very poor paying job at a natural grocery store after getting fired by some cult people I worked for… that job at Earth Fare led me to gain 4 promotions in a year, and then the opportunity to go and run the cheese & wine department at Whole Foods where I met my husband who was running the culinary department. Whole Foods also put me thru the Certified Cheese Professional program where I learned so much and have taken that knowledge with me into our own business. Meeting my husband is the best part of all of that!
Getting more than one quote from a company … I just had my AC replaced and there was a $3000 difference between quotes. I am so happy with the service I received – left a positive review:)
Enjoy the weekend everyone.
Whoa, that’s a big difference! We’ve been getting by without air conditioning (in Olympia, WA), although the first summer after we moved here we experienced the heat dome that set records and killed people. A heat pump may be in our future.
I’ve lived with a chronic illness since I was 15. Two major traumas made it worse each time. The second one, a major operation, caused me to become mostly bed-bound. It was devastating and I was trapped in an upstairs bedroom. It was like being buried alive. After 4 years I was able to get the downstairs of the house adapted and moved into the main living area. From here I have a full view of the back garden and decided to watch and record all the birds that visited. A few months later I happened to see a small sort of advert in a nature magazine from the British Trust for Ornithology asking for volunteer garden bird watchers. I signed up and have been recording the birds and other wildlife for the past 17 years. It is fascinating to see the changes over the years and has given me a sense of purpose in a very limited life-style.
I’m so glad you live where nature comes to you, Butterfly. My husband and I make notes about the birds we see but not in any consistent way. A couple of years ago I started making recordings for the Dawn Chorus citizen science effort, capturing the very early bird sounds at my house. It arose out of the hush that fell over the planet when COVID first hit and people realized they could hear birds and other creatures they had never heard before. Birds are wonderful! https://dawn-chorus.org/science/
Butterfly, thank you for sharing.
Hope new birds find their way to your garden & to your love for them.
I admire your attitude.
Happy bird watching…✨🪶🦉🩷
Butterfly, you inspire me.
My wife is a fan of butterflies and
we recently camped in a meadow
full of butterflies. They seemed so
curious and were a lovely
entertainment. The mosquitoes,
not so much 😁
Give yourself the gift of free bi-monthly inspiration including uplifting articles, diverse stories, supportive practices, videos, and more, delivered with heart to your inbox.
My 70th response to this question will give the people in charge of this website a small opportunity that can make a big difference down the line.
Seeing the number of reflections explains my 2nd response to this question. It’s 66 now. This community has certainly helped me improved my social life in a manner that feels comfortable ever since joining right after Easter of this year.
The opportunity of each moment to do what feels right has offer serendipities and unexpected blessings.
Just this morning, I came to this site and, after a bit of a difficult night sleep, I read the word of the day by Malala Yousafzai: “At night our fear is strong . . . but in the morning, in the light, we find our courage again.”
The chance to live here in a rich and free Germany. With more opportunities than you can take advantage of: Prosperity, education, democracy, peace …
In 2013, I applied for a seasonal office position at a small Boutique Hotel in Newport. I had been unemployed for a year taking some short contract positions during a recession. I was with the Hotel for a full year and helped implement a new payroll system. This lead to where I work today, with that experience I was hired permanently and have been employed with them for 10 years. My company has been honored for several years “Best places to Work”. I am so grateful for the small opportunity to become huge one for me!
Once when I was young, there was the opportunity to work in a Hotel led by a female friend of our family. While staying there for room service and cleaning, the friend introduced me also how to cook well for her noble guests who came to spend their holidays there. It was an opportunity to improve what had been conveyed by my mother already, who was preparing delicious food for her family. Until today, The love vor cooking together and being inspired to preparing delicious food mostly without a recipe is giving joy and happiness to all of us so often. Thank you dearly to my mother and this friend who was feeling free to share her abilities and fun to bring joy and love to the table and to family and guests.
I love this question! I often think about serendipity and how small actions add up. I wrote a blog post about how bicycling led to many changes in my life and I won’t repeat all the details here; it’s at http://bikestylespokane.com/2017/03/12/came-fork-road/ if you’re interested. The TL;DR is that starting to commute to work by bike led to volunteer leadership roles, love and marriage, a change of profession, moving to another city, another job change, and another move to the town we plan to live in for the rest of our lives (the last move isn’t in the blog post). So much has flowed from the city of Spokane putting a bike lane in front of my house.
Follow the flow of the dots like a connect the dots for young-uns!
We make the path by walking.
Follow the dots I love this thought.
Thank you so much for all your amazing stories. They bring me hope and joy. For me, a small opportunity that has made a difference in my life is being a volunteer and helping the elderly with their English homework. Through this opportunity, I learn English alongside them, gain valuable insights from their life experiences, and, more importantly, I’ve become more patient than I used to be.
Wishing you all a happy weekend!
Combining your responses from today’s question and this question, My Ngoc, we have quite a bit of common ground with the people from our parents’ generation and older.
1. Disabilities and diseases are closely linked.
2. We have a lot of time to play with Waverly and Harper having mentioned about them before on comments from Sunnypatti and others.
3. More time available opens up time for conversations about the past.
4. We’ve done a fair amount of traveling and have been on quite a few trips together with my parents who love nature.
In fact, we have more common ground with those people than the ones within our age group.
It’s the small opportunity’s that have
made the big difference in my life.
It never seems to be a straight line.
One thing leads to another. Being open,
saying yes, doing the thing that scares me,
and questioning my motives have all led to
change. Opportunity’s seem to appear
after the moment of surrender. As I write
this, it occurs to me that, that really is the
lesson.
I have been traveling and have missed the
morning gratitude practice. I hope all is well
with you, my gratitude people 🙏
« Opportunities seem to appear after the moment of surrender ». Thank you SO much for this reminder, Charlie T.
Yes I love this too!
How have you been Charlie T? Nice to read your reflection.
I have been very good, Joseph.
Thank you 🙏
Camping on our way to a wedding
here in Boise. Going to places I’ve
never been. Mosquito bites, sun
sets, camp fires, amazing geology,
And now I’m going riding with an
old friend. Doing the thing that
brought us together so many years
ago.
Good Morning Everyone, I am not going to answer today’s question…as I just don’t have the strength right now. Early Thursday morning, I suffered a heart attack. Thankfully, my husband got me to the hospital (an ambulance where we live would have been too late!). I had a cardiac catheterization and the placements of two stents. Before this I was relatively healthy!! It was a total shock. I would like to ask all my friends here for prayers, whatever you believe in…please. I find strength in all of you. It is morning again…and I am alive, I would like to go home- but I think I may have at least another day in the hospital. Thank you all and God Bless You for thinking of me.
Holy shit this was shocking to read Nannette! OMG! Wishing you a speedy recovery, as a former nurse I’m sure you will listen and do what your discharge instructions tell you to do. Sending lots of healing energy to you!
Nannette, thank you so much for letting us know. Godspeed on this journey, blessings on you and your medical team.
🙏
May healing thoughts find you with gods speed Nannette.
Healing thoughts and prayers sent your way Nanette! Wow, so glad your husband was with you
and quickly got you to the hospital!
Thank you, Robin Ann for your caring and for your prayers and thoughts. They mean alot to me!!
Dear Nanette, happy that all went so well and that you had speedy support by your dear husband and later by the cardiologists! May you recover quickly and may you be well again soon.. Take care, dear friend, and may al blessings be with you.
O. Christina, Thank you so much….the Blessings are so imortant to me…and this group is such a support.
I’m amazed you’re even here to share this much, Nannette. Care and healing to you.
Thank you, Barb!! I appreciate your reply and concern.
Nannette, I hope you can just lie back and let your body rest. Sending loving energy your way.
Thank you, Carol!! I am praying that :all will be well:. I appreciate your kindness always.
Dear Nannette, I am so sorry to hear your news. May God heal you & surround you with healing light. I am praying for you & will continue to do so. 🙏🏻✨🙏🏻✨🙏🏻
Thank goodness for your loving husband.
Stay strong, keep your thoughts positive.
Prayers up for you…✨🩷🙏🏻✨
Thank you, PKR, I am so apprciative of all the prayers and caring of you and all the people here. Thank you so very much. My heart is filled with love.
God be with you for healing and peace! Get well soon, Nennette! God hears our prayers.
Thank you Ngoc Nguyen, I am so thankful for your prayers, I know God is with me and soon…his will be done…I will be well.
Oh dear Nannette!, I am so glad you
are recovering and that modern
medicine has worked it’s magic.
I’m thinking of you and sending
strength and comfort.
Thank you, Charlie T….your message gives me comfort and peace…strength to know good people like you are supporting me.
It is amazing hiw quickly our lives change. I am happy you got help quickly. Prayers for sure. We have a religious activity today and I will include you and your care team in the petitions.
YRAM, Thank you so much for including me and my prayer team in your prayerful activity today. I cannot tell you how much that means to me. Thank you, Thank you.
Best wishes to you, Nannette. Get well soon.
Thank you Loc Tran for your message…I soon hope to be well. Thank you for your support.
While living in the Upper Peninsula of MI for 10 years, I was finding it hard to meet people where there was potential for deep, meaningful relationships. About 2 years in, I wondered aloud to my husband if I ever would.
I had found a wonderful massage therapist « across the river » in Canada. One day, out of the blue, she mentioned friends of hers « in the states » were hosting a house concert and we should come. She checked with her friends, and we were welcome to join in the fun. I had said nothing to her about my loneliness.
So on a cold wintry night in March, we knocked on the door of a farm house built in the late 1800’s. Our host answered the door so warmly, and as we stepped in I immediately felt embraced by warmth and love. Two weeks later, I called our host, re-introduced myself, and asked Leslie is she would like to meet for coffee. The rest is an amazing story of friendship and adventure. Our husbands became close friends, the four of us and their children have become close, have travelled together, celebrated together, and weathered difficult times together. We left the Upper Peninsula 11 years ago. We still travel to be with them and vice-versa. So saying yes to an invitation expanded my life in so many ways, and that expansion continues to this day.
Love your story Mary!
That’s wonderful, Mary. I met my best friend of many years through her husband, who served on some committees I was also on. She became my yoga teacher and officiated at my wedding and that of my older daughter, among many gifts of time and love. Those connections give us so much.
That’s quite the adventure, Mary. It goes to show that we live in a social world. Networking is powerful.
Amen my Friend.
Reading “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” was a small opportunity that has made a big difference in my life. Humility, concentration, emptiness, and purity are my takeaways. Here are a couple Shunryu Suzuki quotes I have down.
1. “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”
2. “Form is form. Emptiness is emptiness.”
The very poor paying job at a natural grocery store after getting fired by some cult people I worked for… that job at Earth Fare led me to gain 4 promotions in a year, and then the opportunity to go and run the cheese & wine department at Whole Foods where I met my husband who was running the culinary department. Whole Foods also put me thru the Certified Cheese Professional program where I learned so much and have taken that knowledge with me into our own business. Meeting my husband is the best part of all of that!
Love this! As a cheese lover (it’s the reason I’m a vegetarian, not a vegan) I’m fascinated by the idea of that class, too.
Getting more than one quote from a company … I just had my AC replaced and there was a $3000 difference between quotes. I am so happy with the service I received – left a positive review:)
Enjoy the weekend everyone.
Whoa, that’s a big difference! We’ve been getting by without air conditioning (in Olympia, WA), although the first summer after we moved here we experienced the heat dome that set records and killed people. A heat pump may be in our future.
Michele, happy it all worked out for you.
I am so thankful my AC issue got fixed, as well.
Have a beautiful weekend. Bless you..🙏🏻✨🙏🏻
You too, Michelle. Savor that win!😉
I’ve lived with a chronic illness since I was 15. Two major traumas made it worse each time. The second one, a major operation, caused me to become mostly bed-bound. It was devastating and I was trapped in an upstairs bedroom. It was like being buried alive. After 4 years I was able to get the downstairs of the house adapted and moved into the main living area. From here I have a full view of the back garden and decided to watch and record all the birds that visited. A few months later I happened to see a small sort of advert in a nature magazine from the British Trust for Ornithology asking for volunteer garden bird watchers. I signed up and have been recording the birds and other wildlife for the past 17 years. It is fascinating to see the changes over the years and has given me a sense of purpose in a very limited life-style.
The yellow and black swallowtails are busy pollinating in my neck of the woods dear Butterfly.
I’m so glad you live where nature comes to you, Butterfly. My husband and I make notes about the birds we see but not in any consistent way. A couple of years ago I started making recordings for the Dawn Chorus citizen science effort, capturing the very early bird sounds at my house. It arose out of the hush that fell over the planet when COVID first hit and people realized they could hear birds and other creatures they had never heard before. Birds are wonderful! https://dawn-chorus.org/science/
Butterfly, thank you for sharing.
Hope new birds find their way to your garden & to your love for them.
I admire your attitude.
Happy bird watching…✨🪶🦉🩷
Butterfly, you inspire me.
My wife is a fan of butterflies and
we recently camped in a meadow
full of butterflies. They seemed so
curious and were a lovely
entertainment. The mosquitoes,
not so much 😁
A very lovely story. Thanks for sharing!