Aren’t we the most fully alive when we abide by this thought?

Two vultures on Florida home chimney
The twin vultures of fear and insecurity

 

Two vultures on Florida home chimney
Fly away insecurity and never return

 

Florida vulture taking flight from rooftop
You too fear, go. You’re banished!

 

Aren’t we the most fully alive when we abide by this thought?

Become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid. – Lady Bird Johnson

Imagine if we could light our fire – with desire versus desperation.

And attack our fears.

And to be so wrapped up in a good and noble desire that fear held no power?

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What should we call these moments when they happen to us?

Yellow Lab on Florida backroad
Am I supposed to be paying attention to sumpin’ that applies to me?

 

What should we call these moments when they happen to us?

Those little moments when we do something that sort of embarrasses us, and we are so tempted to stop…

But we don’t.

And when we’re done, we are suddenly gifted with the fact that we may have inspired someone, in that moment of not stopping.

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When was the last time our attitude changed this much?

Sabal Palm before hurricane trim
30 Florida State trees in our yard

 

Sabal Palm after hurricane trim
Was a DIY tree trimmer for 15 years

 

When was the last time our attitude changed so dramatically because we made a scary, expensive decision that cost us more money than we were comfortable with?

But saved us precious time and worry –  something we had only dreamed of?

When? Maybe too long ago?

We create a certain magic when we are decisive, creative, and daring.

We’ve all been there a few times in our life. Maybe it’s been awhile.

Man, feels great, right!

I often wonder what would happen if we did it more often?

This afternoon when the Housekeepers arrive and become a regular fabric of home life… maybe it will be a game changer.

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Guest Blogger Lorie Sheffer: Splash!

Lorie Sheffer enjoying her pool
Lorie Sheffer enjoying her pool

 

I’ll admit it; I was bored. I was channel surfing and stopped when I saw one of my all-time favorite athletes, Olympic champion diver Greg Louganis. What was he doing pushing someone who looked like Louie Anderson out of a pool? I soon realized I was watching “Splash”, a celebrity diving show. As I said, I was bored, and I have always liked to watch diving, so I stopped surfing and watched. I was soon hooked.

Greg Louganis is now 53 years old. His hair has turned silver and he is even more stunningly handsome than he was when he competed over 20 years ago. But perhaps what is most startling is remembering that he was diagnosed as being HIV positive in 1988. Louganis is acting as coach for the celebrity divers, and when he took to the 35-meter platform, his dive was as flawless as ever. He is proof that, with proper medical care, HIV is not the death sentence it once was.

Greg Louganis was not the person who most amazed me, though. Louie Anderson, 60 years old and 400 pounds, is the person who brought tears to my eyes. Louie learned to swim when he was 55 years old. He claimed to be on the show for all the people out there that are too embarrassed to be seen in a swimsuit or in a pool. On Anderson’s first day of practice, he was unable to get out of the pool without the assistance of Louganis and two others. He was mortified. But he never gave up. In competition, 27-year-old former Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson, unable to overcome her fear of heights, withdrew from competition. Anderson never wavered. He outlasted a former Cosby Kid, a professional football player and the former playboy model. Finally, he was eliminated after a night of flips. “I can hardly turn in bed”, he quipped just before sitting on the 16-foot board and rolling backward into a tumble.

After receiving a score that eliminated him by .25 of a point, he said, “This is not my last dive. This is my first step into a brand new life.” He said he did the show because maybe it would get someone off of the couch.

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