Open the Door!

My daughter, Colleen, gave me this beautiful, simple Mother's Day card this year.

I love the cover - an abstract water color of pond lilies overlaid with one word:

Serenity

How amazing! It is truly one of the most beautiful words in our language.

And, yet, how often do we actually experience that state?

Each day, people pay hundreds of dollars in search of peace or more meaning in their lives. But if we stop to consider all that surrounds us that could bring contentment - we would be amazed at how that serenity can be achieved by expending little or no cash at all!

Here, then, are a few of my favorite paths to Serenity's often "ivy-covered" door:

*Enjoying the phases of the moon

*Letting my dog kiss my ears -- ah, Sheba, that does tickle!

*Lingering, for just a moment to relish the aroma, before taking that first bite of a sweet, ripe New Jersey peach.

*Giving and getting a deep, loving back rub.

*Laying in a hammock on a warm summer night and stargazing. Someone wrote that stars are the tiny windows for all those who have gone before us to gaze at us below. What a comfort.

*Putting on some rockin' music and dancing - no matter how well! Whose to judge anyway?

*Running out into the summer rain without any cares - wet face, wet hair - how wonderful!

*Baking simple brownies and sampling them while they're still warm.

What's along your path? Taking the time to consider may slow down our breathing, lower our blood pressure and surely bring a smile.

Bounty Within

As the herbs in my outdoor garden begin to flourish, one of my favorite pastimes is to collect a full bunch, along with several blooms from my perennials.

I bring them indoors and overfill an old pitcher so that the mixed, heady fragrances of the mint, lavender, basil and anise fill my kitchen. I so love the contrast of the various shades of greens and greys with the vividness of the buds and blooms.

Rushing past the arrangement in the midst of a hectic day, I pause as something sweet or savory fills my head, and a thousand summers come rushing back. A gentle nudge to urge me to slow down. Light a candle, pour a glass of wine and savor the moment.

I recall helping my Nana harvest mint from her small but lavish backyard garden. So many fond memories of special times with her. Teaching my younger sister how to make a necklace out of sweet strands of clover. Days with my son and daughter as we planted flowers each spring and watched them take root. Time for just us. I say a silent prayer of thanksgiving for all the gifts.


It goes by all too fleetingly. Take a deep breath and experience the peace.