Musician's Widow

Is writing for the sake of writing fair to the written piece?

I ask that as I stare at the clock, hoping to write a post before midnight so I can say I actually got a post written today. Is it fair to write for that reason alone?

I’m a big fan of writing when it moves you. Let the words flow. Tell your story. Put your thoughts on paper. Don’t force it. It’ll come.

However, if I did that, there would be days on end that I wouldn’t blog at all. I’m either too busy or inspiration just doesn’t exist. A lack of inspiration can span upwards of a week (or more!). Not even writing prompts can get me motivated to write when I’m just not feeling it.

I’m battling that tonight. So I sit here wondering… do I write for the sake of writing? Or do I just let the day go? I, obviously, opted to write… because sometimes you just have to make it happen. Much like those days you just don’t want to get out of bed, you have to just do it. The reward of the day makes it worth it.

The reward of writing in general — something I do deeply enjoy doing — is worth it.

Writing prompt today from Daily Challenge by Me You Health: Recall 1 event or accomplishment that made you feel proud of yourself when you were younger.Think of an event or accomplishment that made you feel very proud when you were younger. Perhaps it was acing a test that was very difficult, setting a new record for your school’s team, or landing your first-ever job. Take a few moments to recall how it felt and what people said to (and about!) you.Why it matters: Everyday adult life doesn’t always afford us opportunities to feel excited and proud the way our childhood and young adult years do. But by recalling and reveling in some of these moments, it can underscore everything you’re capable of. It may even motivate you to seek out and take on new challenges.

Your freshman year of high school can be challenging. The transition from junior high to high school is a big jump, and the pressure is on to be successful. The next four years can make or break what happens upon graduation. Will you get into college? Will you fall short?

Past that, there is the social side of high school that is just one big stressball as well.

My freshman year, I discovered Journalism, and I competed in Journalism UIL. (University Interscholastic League is explained here.) I took 3rd place in Headline Writing at the District Level, moving me to Regionals.

The crazy-long bus ride to Kingsville, TX, paid off with a 1st place finish and a trip to State competition. I will never, ever, ever forget seeing friends running full speed down the hallway at me, holding up a #1 for me to see. I will never forget shrieking with shock and glee as we all crashed into big bear hugs. Such an amazing, amazing moment.

That State competition? Yeah, I took home 2nd place. Not bad, huh?

I still remember the award ceremony at the end of the school year, where everyone was acknowledged for various successes that school year. It took forever for the principal to read off my UIL awards, and he ended it with, “And she’s a FRESHMAN!”

I wish I could say my next three years stood up to the my freshman year… but I still think back on those wins with a smile. I still have my medals, and they still remind me of my abilities. Hey, I’m still writing!

Started by the lovely Lotus, Weekly Winners is a fun little thing bloggers do to showcase some of their favorite photos from the previous week.

Visit Lotus’ site and check out her various entries, and find other participants. See some amazing photos brought to you by bloggers around the world. Leave a little love when you do — its like food for the soul!

Photos taken using my Droid Incredible or a Sony DSLR A230.
View all of my photos on my Flickr stream.

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I don’t think I’ve ever pointed WW visitors to other posts in my blog, but I have two this week I’m rather proud of and would love to share again.

• 2012 Waco MDA Muscle Walk
• Life Well Lived: Unconditional Love for Self

On to the photos!

Cuppa coffee

Shined my boots

Hiway 77 Cafe at sunset

Throwing in my 3 cents

Wearing my heart on my toe

Rubber duckie

A Mom's Love and Support : PRICELESS

He's got wheels to get around

Hurricane lamp giving light and beauty

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Make a muscle, make a difference.

Today’s MDA Muscle Walk in Waco, TX, was nothing short of amazing.

I’m a night owl, so I often joke that I’ve forgotten some of those AM hours even exist. So, having to be an hour away before 10 AM was the one and only aspect of the day I did not look forward to experiencing. At least jokingly so. I don’t mind getting up early for things I care a lot about doing, and supporting MDA and my nephew ranks right up there at the top of that list.

When my alarm buzzed at 7 AM, I slapped it a couple times, wishing for “just five more minutes.” But I’m proud to say I was up before my final, “you better get a move on RIGHT NOW” alarm went off. I even had time to grab a couple bowls of Cheerios before a fast shower and out the door.

My parents and I met my brother and family and some friends at his house, before we all headed towards Waco in a little mini-convoy. We made it to the Baylor Indoor Practice Field with plenty of time to spare.

Two years ago, we all participated in the Dallas Stride & Ride event at Cowboy’s Stadium. I honestly expected this to be a lot time that event, and while it was… it wasn’t. Oh, the focus was the same — MDA — and the idea of walking and riding around the field was the same, but the mood was just more personal.

While we had time to visit with others, the event moved quickly and efficiently. MDA provided signs you could personalize with your team name. They took team photos. We had performances from the Baylor Bear Cheerleaders and the LaVega Pirates Cheerleaders. Singer Holly Tucker performed Mariah Carey’s “Hero” — that brought tears to your eyes.

More importantly, we had people speak on how MDA has helped them and why they were walking today — including my brother, nephew and his other aunt. It just brought everything home even more than before.

Before the actual walk, they had us all do the Cha Cha Slide, which… hilarious and fun.

Then as the walk started, and you looked around at all the people there for the same cause, it was moving. I felt tears well up many times, and I swallowed them down behind my camera. It was powerful. It gave such HOPE. It was simply incredible.

As the walk drew to an end, you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. My nephew snagged a photo with the whole Baylor softball team. And every student that was there volunteering was helpful and friendly.

I’m an Aggie. But… Baylor really impressed me today.

Today was not about school rivalries (though there was some gentle ribbing by the softball coach that even made me chuckle), it was about MDA. And that was what was SO COOL about it. Race. Religion. School allegiance. What TYPE of Muscular Dystrophy. What is your hometown. None of it mattered. Today we were all together under that roof supporting MDA, and the fight to find a cure.

WOW is all I can say.

I briefly spoke to the woman in charge of the event. She’d left me a wonderful voice-mail the other day thanking me for supporting Cody, and saying she understood that I live so far away and I’d not make it. I wanted to let her know I was there after all, thank her for her call, and then thank her for all she does for MDA. Instead, she thanked ME. I told her that even if I wasn’t here already, this is an event I’d fly back to attend. It was THAT powerful.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to my supporters and donors. Our team came in second place in fundraising, behind the LaVega Pirates, and you actually made me one of the top participants (#7!)!

I seriously can not thank you all enough… from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your support of MDA.

I am VERY excited to participate in my first Life Well Lived Getting Happy panel this week!

This week’s question: How do you practice self-acceptance and find unconditional love for yourself? How does practicing love first help you attract more love and happiness in your life?

What an amazing question!! When I read it earlier this week, my mind went racing in about a bazillion different directions. I spent the last couple of days trying desperately to reign in my thoughts and put them in order.

I have a friend who everyone adores. She is just one of those people that you can’t really help but love once you meet her. If you ever end up mad at her, its probably because you don’t get to spend enough time with her!

Her favorite quote is:

“Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.”
- Arthur Rubinstein

And I think that is the key… she loves people, and in turn they love her. I felt like this tied into this prompt beautifully.

If you give yourself unconditional love, you’re more likely to give that love to others as well. Give and you shall receive.

But how does one start with step one? Giving yourself unconditional love. It’s easier said than done! People are notoriously their own worst critics. Beyond that, unconditional love of self is all too easily confused with being narcissistic. So it seems only right to not love yourself to avoid such a thing happening… right?

That being said… raise your hand if you truly enjoy spending time with someone who constantly puts them self down. You enjoy hearing someone belittle their looks, what they ate, what they wore and what they do for a living?

Right. Didn’t think so. You find yourself stroking that person’s ego, trying to convince them other wise. It’s exhausting!

Personally,  I’d much rather spend time with someone who is confident, happy, and doesn’t look for reassurance from the outside to make up for the self-loathing inside. I find myself drawn to those people, and it in turn makes me happier.

So… step 1… surround yourself with happy people. Spend time with people you want to be more like and let their natural positive energy draw you up. Don’t second guess the time you spend with them. Don’t go, “Oh they’re just being polite.” NO! Stop right there. Let go and enjoy yourself! Let their loving, positive energy draw over you and into you… and you’ll find yourself walking away with a spring in your step and a smile on your face.

Now, step 2, go look in the mirror. No, really, take that high you have from being around other positive people, and look in the mirror. Smile. Stop looking for imperfections and anything you don’t like about yourself. Look yourself in the eye. Look yourself straight in the eye and say the words, “I love me. I’m not perfect, but I embrace my imperfections as things that make me uniquely me. I love me. I deserve love and am loved.”

Say it over and over again. Say any variation of it. However often you have to say it. When you see a mirror, do it again.

I’ve grown to love taking reflection self portraits. I was leery of it at first. Would that seem… weird. Would I appear stuck on myself? But I did it. And I did it again. And again. And I started to find so much fun in it. It gave me this self confidence I didn’t even know was lacking! It started to show this quirky, goofy side of myself that I didn’t even know existed. And I LOVED THAT ABOUT MYSELF.

Step 3, find beauty in your faults. Seriously. Remember when I said to ignore those imperfections? Well… now pay attention to them. But look for the beauty in them. That scar just below your left eye? The one you try to hide with make-up? Well, there’s a story behind it. It’s a part of who you are. Embrace it! Love it! Love that history and instead of hiding it, tell its story to anyone who stares at it. Suddenly that imperfection is something someone else loves about you.

I perhaps am making it sound easy. I know its not. I’m a naturally happy person, but I have my bad days. I have days I hate the world and hate myself for one reason or another. I run into walls that knock me backwards on my butt.

Step 4, understand that sh*t happens and what matters is how you react to it. NO ONE will begrudge you a bad day. So don’t deny yourself that as well. Bad days happen, and I like to think they just make the good days sweeter.

I have several friends who recently went through hard heart breaks. Relationships have ended, and… nothing will make you question love faster than a broken heart! Inevitably, the questioning turns inwards. “Was I not good enough to love? Could anyone ever love me?”

The answer is without a doubt that we all deserve love, and we all have people who love us. But if in that moment you can’t think of a single person who loves you… you can always say, “I love me.” Start your mantra again. Say until you believe it and feel it. Realize that its not the heartbreak that matters; what matters is how you pick yourself up afterwards. Love yourself enough to keep going. Love yourself and watch as you find yourself giving love again… and how you start to get it back again.

February is a month that the word “Love” gets thrown around a lot. I see many unhappy people curse that fact.

I remember one Valentine’s Day… I was single and embracing that fact. I went and I got my belly button pierced. It was a huge, “I am fabulous!” thing. I was embracing being single. I was embracing MYSELF. I was LOVING ME. It was my last Valentine’s Day single, ironically. Nonetheless, five years married, I still look at my belly button (where I no longer wear any jewelry but can still see where it was pierced) and I smile with satisfaction.

I Love Me. And I wish nothing more than for you to love you.

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Check out more blogs for more thoughts and advice on the Life Well Lived site.  While you are there, make sure you enter the Life Well Lived sweepstakes for a chance to win a Kindle Fire.