Yes, they can...

We all can. We live in exciting times, friends!



I'm heading into 5 days of silence. I'll see you on the other side!
Pace e bene,

I'm off to Toronto for a few days. In the meantime...

Pace e bene,

...but never unloved

Have you ever come across something written by a total stranger and wondered how the heck they could know you so well?! That's exactly what happened when I read these words today...

Strangers? I don't know if there is such a thing. We are bound together by our humanity. We just haven't met face-to-face yet.

Just for today, I'm feeling disjointed... unengaged... scattered. It's good to know that's OK and that I'm not alone. As my new friend wrote: unsure, but never unloved.

Pace e bene,

In the absence of words...

...here are a few shots from my neighbourhood. Enjoy!

architectural interest

peace love van

yin yang van

Pace e bene,

a mraz-ing experience...

Things you tend to forget when you're over 40...

• When attending a concert with NO assigned seating, plan to stand in line for hours; apparently 90 minutes before the show is not enough.
• It's useful to get advance insider information on the layout of the music hall; for example, it helps to even know that there is an upper level.
• When it comes to staking your viewing territory at a general seating concert, there are no rules.
• The first 15 rows of a mosh pit are virtually impenetrable.
• No matter how much the shared object of our attention sings of Love...and Togetherness... and Peace, do not expect fans to give you an inch of space so you can take a photo.
• Just when you think you're an uber-fan, remember that most kids have memorized all the lyrics; they've got you beat hands down.
• There is no age limit to enjoying great live music!

Needless to say, seeing Jason Mraz perform live was an AWESOME way to spend Thanksgiving Monday! Here's hoping your holiday was all you needed it to be...

Pace e bene,

What it's all about...

No turkey...

No stuffing...

No mashed potatoes with gravy...

but PLENTY of Thanksgiving!

Today, I give thanks for:

• an evolving relationship with a God beyond my understanding
• a healthy and strong body that supports me in living the Life I seek
• a life partner who just shakes his head and stays with me anyway :-)
• a functionally dysfunctional family always willing to Love
• my friends
• my home
• my community
• my creativity
• my Life.

We went for a drive today to look at the Fall colours and, at every corner, I gasped like I had never seen anything so beautiful. I kept on thinking: Life is good. How the hell did I get so lucky?!

Thanksgiving - it's really not about the turkey.

pace e bene,

Obsessions...

life is no brief candle to me
Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/jagspace/

I am a Flickr madwoman tonite... I got home from work around 5pm, came to the computer almost immediately, and haven't moved since. It's 8pm and I haven't even had anything to eat yet!

My name is jag... and I'm a Flickr Addict.

And speaking of obsession, have I mentioned that there are only five (5) more sleeps until I see Jason Mraz perform LIVE in Montreal??!

Time to eat now.

I leave you with another quote note; this one is dedicated to Lala at Mostly Musings.

Pace e bene,

Love where I'm standing...

I received a wonderful gift yesterday. A friend wrote to me and shared about some exciting developments in her life. I was thrilled for her! As part of that message, she explained that she had stopped by this blog and was overcome by the beauty I put out into the world. Needless to say, I was humbled and honoured by her words.

It got me thinking about the choices I have... choices we all have. I choose to see Beauty. And it got me thinking about how much Love I choose to give. The funny thing is, although I know I live a loving life, I feel I could be doing so much more! More beauty to be shared... more Love to be offered... more Fellowship & Friendship to be extended... The Source is infinite. I need to remember that on those days when I just feel like I'm not enough.

Just for today, I have enough. I am enough. And so are you. When we remain grounded in the present moment, and let go of the worries of tomorrow and the regrets of yesterday, we will have All that there is.

The greatest adventure is to be fully where you are standing.

Pace e bene,

The crash...

The higher the mountain, the deeper the valley...

I've been on a high of activity and creativity lately. Lots of great things going on!

• work is busy with exciting projects that will soon come to fruition...
• creativity has been burning with photography and the creation of quote notes galore...
• community is being built by engaging with online photo groups...
• limits are being pushed by preparing for my second 10K run on Oct. 12...
• excitement levels are climbing for our upcoming trip to Montreal to see Jason Mraz in concert...
• connections are being nourished by getting together with friends & family for quality time...
• love is being tended to by spending precious time with Hubby...
• faith is being restored by finding bits of time for meditation...

Is it any wonder I crashed today?! Nothing. Depleted. Empty.

I'm grateful for the wisdom & experience that told me to simply go home. I was useless at work: couldn't focus... couldn't keep my eyes open... couldn't type to save my life.

The afternoon nap surely helped, but so will an early-to-bed night. Self-care is no longer a difficult choice for me...

pace e bene,

crest... break... then dissipate...

For A - always a ray of Sunshine to me...

it is never too late...

For Shulamit...
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful poem!

Pace e bene,

Gift of self...

If you have a favourite quote, send it to me or leave it in the comments section. I'll pair with an image and offer it as my gift to you...

pace e bene,

One + One = Both

"It takes no time to fall in love,

but it takes years to know what Love is."

- Jason Mraz in Life is Wonderful

photo: Bonnie Findley, Ottawa

Happy 18 years to us!

And here's to many more, one day at a time...

pace e bene,

International Day of Peace

Happy Peace Day!

September 21 was declared the International Day of Peace by the United Nations in 1982. Sometimes, the violence that surrounds us may seem unstoppable. But then I am reminded of a quote from The Dalai Lama: "We can never obtain peace in the world if we neglect the inner world and don't make peace with ourselves. World Peace must develop out of Inner Peace."

May we all find our own ways of contributing to World Peace. What might you do today?

image by jag in honour of Peace Day

pace e bene,

open up to love...

An invitation for today... and every day.

pace e bene,

Daring to be ourselves...

I was first introduced to May Sarton through her book Journal of a Solitude. I'm thinking it's time to pick it up and read it again...

pace e bene,

stillness & movement...

Seems I've taken quite a shine to pairing words with images... Hope you like it!
Pace e bene,

Practice patience...

Patience with others...
Patience with Self...
Just breathe.

Letting go...

Sometimes the words just aren't there... and that's the space I've been in recently. However, I find I'm being drawn in (or drawn out?) with images: colours, shapes, tones, stories told without words. So rather than sit and wait for the words to come, I've decided to start sharing some of my images with you...

I created this image today. It's a good message for September 11th... and for every day.

Pace e bene,

The only journey...

THE JOURNEY

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save.

~ Mary Oliver ~