In Tuscany, Italians told us that the poppies were more prolific than ever, and they were certainly plentiful! Imagine my surprise when I went to stand in a field of them with “Spirited Poems for Spirited People” and discovered that the artwork on the book cover which came from one of my paintings matches the color of the poppies! Beauty all around!

This made me think that when I am inspired, doing something I don’t particularly like is easier. Are you the same way? Beauty is a high value for me, so I like to have fresh flowers at home which brighten my mood. When I was in Italy soaking in the “postcard views” all around, I worked on editing the poems in my next poetry book which is entitled “Messages at Midnight”. The editing part is a bit tedious, so normally it would feel a bit heavy, but since I was able to combine that task with looking out at inspiring landscapes, the entire process felt easier and lighter. What can you do to make your life easier? Some people listen to music they love, some people take yoga breaks, other people doodle or take a break to call a friend. Remember that you are always creating your life, so you can make small changes that will make a big difference in how you feel.

Creativity is around us all the time. Do you let yourself feel inspired by

art, music, poetry, theater, sports performances, or live music? What

about being out in nature? Do you get in touch with yourself when

you feel the nip of brisk weather in the air or see colors on the trees

changing? How can you allow beauty to inform your day? When I see

something beautiful or colorful, sometimes it takes my breath away. If I stop

to hear a musician perform in public, I feel respect for that person

who is sharing from the heart and contributing to my joy. Sometimes

we keep our heads down or we stuff them so full of news, email, and

politics that we forget to fill our own wells and listen to the nudges of

our souls. Maybe you can be an inspiration for someone else

as you share what lights you up or maybe you can tip that musician!

Fall is in the air. Leaves are dancing off the trees, and

floating to the ground below. Change is everywhere.

Are you feeling excited by the buzz of activity or are

you feeling overwhelmed by the choices you need to

make every day? Now that life is returning to some

sort of normalcy, we all must make decisions

about how we want to invest our time. Preferably, we

want to be passionate about what we do instead of

living lives of obligation and resentment. Let’s take a

moment to consider how much we want to participate

in something before we answer with an automatic,

“YES”! It is much easier to turn something down or

answer with, “let me think about that”, than to agree

to do something and later regret your decision. The

fall season asks us to consider taking new actions.

So what are you letting go of, and what thrills you

that you want to say “YES!” to? It is all up to you.

Remember that we always have choices, even if

at first it doesn’t seem as if we do. Happy Fall!

We were excited to be included as guests and because we have traveled in Italy before, we were not surprised that the birthday dinner was scheduled to begin at 9:30 pm. Partially this is because their restaurant was operating on a regular night and they had to take care of other diners, but by Italian standards, 9:30 pm is not an unusual hour to eat dinner. We sat at 2 large tables connected in an L shape, and we were surrounded by approximately 30 family members and a handful of close friends. Fortunately, we speak good enough Italian that Mark and I both conversed with the people sitting on either side of us. We were interested to notice that couples were not necessarily sitting together. Many of the women sat at one end of the table with some of the younger children, and the men seemed clustered together further down. No one seemed concerned that young children were up past their bedtime, but school had not started yet.

We were surprised that the birthday honoree helped set up the table, rearranging little plates, bringing silverware and napkins, and delivering large plates of prosciutto and melon and various types of crostini (toasted bread with various toppings.) We didnâ€t feel right that it was her party and she was waiting on us, but everyone else just kept eating and it all seemed quite normal. Later, the guest of honor finally sat down and other waiters brought out platters of steaming homemade gnocchi with truffles and gnocchi with 4 cheeses and some kind of ham. Next came paper thin roast beef slices with gravy, and paper bags filled with typical Tuscan bread which is made without salt and has a crunchy crust. Accompanying the beef was chopped green lettuce and sliced red radicchio dressed in vinegar and local olive oil. Our Polish friend thoughtfully brought me some pecorino cheese with honey and jam since I donâ€t eat meat. It was amazing to me how aware she was of pleasing her guests despite the fact that we were celebrating her birthday.

It was nearing midnight and we could not quite tell what we were waiting for, so we thought about leaving. Our intuition told us to stay, and then we sensed the excitement in the air as Mamma took off her cooking cap and brought out little plates for the “torta” (cake). Our friend shared her birthday cake with a 17 year old relative who had had a birthday several days before. Both blew out the candles and there was lots of picture-taking, which included various sets of family members and friends. Finally the cake was served, and it was delicious-a type of tiramisu type of cream with a thin layer of fruit jam on a large chocolate cake.

When I asked my friend casually what we had been waiting for, she sweetly explained that her birthday was not really until the next day, so of course we could not serve the cake before midnight because it would not really count as a true birthday celebration. She did not seem overly concerned that their little 18 month old was still wide awake because so many family members had been looking after him. Shortly before the cake arrived, she did start passing him around to give and receive kisses so he could be put to bed shortly after the cake was cut. Although the baby was really young, he was completely at home with being passed around to the huge group, eagerly kissing men and women goodnight. No one was concerned about the time of night, and certainly no one seemed worried about germs, so we all buy into  cultural beliefs about various things in life. Are your beliefs contributing to your joy and delight or are they holding you back in some way? Letâ€s be aware that our thoughts help create our reality. Hereâ€s to birthdays and celebrating life! Viva la vita! Tanti Auguri, Sabina! (Best Wishes)

I donâ€t enjoy being lost. I dislike the feeling of being out of control, and I am not really good with a map. Just ask my children. Years ago when we were all together at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC, I recall being so frustrated when I tried to navigate and get us to the Egyptian exhibit. It seemed impossible to figure out, so I was letting out a big sigh when my son, Chris, asked what was wrong. When I explained, he simply said, “Give me the map. It’s easy for me.”

This September my husband Mark and I spent our anniversary in Venice. Being in Venice was very romantic and sensual. Venice is a city unlike any other, completely surrounded by water. People from all over the world were there, and we heard many different languages as we strolled down the alleyways and over small bridges. Mark is an amazing tracker and navigator. I would follow him anywhere, and I have. He has this uncanny sense of direction, a built-in internal type of GPS. Plus, the man is a genius with a map. Believe me, it is almost impossible not to get lost in Venice! I told him that if I had been by myself, I probably would have never left the hotel or at least maybe wandered exclusively around St. Markâ€s Square. By nature, I am a risk-taker and an adventurous person. Normally, I am not afraid of things, but I feel so frustrated when I try to interpret tiny maps and Venice presented a huge challenge. I felt bad about myself because accurate reading and interpretation of maps is not high in my skill set, but then I remembered that we all contribute in our own ways.

I speak pretty decent Italian and that has helped us in certain ways when we have traveled in Italy. Mark is grateful for that, so I figured that I could just be grateful for his ability to help us get around smoothly. We all have our gifts and talents, and they donâ€t have to be the same. In fact, we all benefit when we shine and allow the people we love to do the same. Next time you’re discouraged about something you do not do well, look inside and appreciate yourself for other ways that you contribute to the people around you. It’s also great to affirm those around you when they’re shining their own unique light.

Sometimes it all seems so much bigger than we are that we may be tempted to think it is useless to care, but no kindness is ever wasted including kind thoughts and compassion. I received an email yesterday from James Twyman called “Light up the World- A Million Pulsating Lights”. (www.worldpeacepulse.com) In it, he invites us to click on a link that adds our light to the world when we agree to pray for peace for only 15 minutes every month. Twyman and his group called The World Peace Prayer Society will be traveling to different areas in the world every month to conduct a synchronous meditation and time of prayer. A map of the world will show how ordinary people are joining together in the effort for world peace.
I can’t think of “world peace” without remembering how funny Sandra Bullock was as Gracie Hart in the movie “Miss Congeniality”. As all the contestants respond “world peace” over and over to the question: “What is the one most important thing our society needs?”, Gracie, the undercover cop answers first with “Harsher punishment for parole violaters”, and then when the audience remains stunned in their silence, she confidently adds “world peace”. It may have been the expected response for all the beauty contestants to the question of what our world needs, but nevertheless, it is vitally important for all of us.

We want to have happy, healthy, vital lives with love, meaningful work and positive relationships. We want time to have fun, to be creative and to express ourselves. This can all take a back seat if we are worried about our very existence. Instead of becoming ostriches and burying our heads in the sand, let’s decide that we can all be a force for good. As we know, it only takes one lighted match in a completely dark room to change the whole atmosphere. Where can you be a light for our world? Will you spend a few moments in quiet every day so you can center yourself and be less reactive towards others? Can you be kinder to the members of your family? Will you extend a helping hand to someone? Would you consider praying for our world and its leaders? Sometimes it only takes small changes to create a big impact.