Celebrating Life

Quick. Stop what you’re doing right now.

Take a slow, deep breath in. And b-r-e-a-t-h-e out.

And notice:

What’s right with this moment?

Maybe it’s the gentle breeze coming in from the window. Or the fact that there’s not much on your schedule today. Or the great song that’s playing in the background. Or the excitement you’re feeling about an upcoming event.

What is it? What’s right with this moment?

[Pause here to think about it and let it soak in]

Got it? Read more »

This morning I woke up agitated for no particular reason. It was a beautiful sunny spring morning and the birds were singing. I had a great night’s sleep. It was Saturday. I have an amazing life. What more could I want?! Regardless, something was bugging me. Nothing special came to mind; it was just a rare mood I happened to be in.

So poor Bill woke up with a perma-smile as he usually does. We had our breakfast together in our usual spot, but we were having trouble connecting (of course we were, because I was in a “mood”!). Whatever he would say, I didn’t understand. Whatever I would say, he didn’t get.

Not connecting

We proceeded to go upstairs to get ready for the day ahead. And then I laid it on him: “I don’t like how our morning is going” and “I don’t like the way we’re connecting.”

Now, I did feel a little silly for saying that because we both knew that I was basically the reason for the disconnect between us! The two of us have this crazy relationship where 99% of the time we’re Read more »

I’ve always been enamored by the idea of “Life Moments.” Those moments in time where life stands still and you are simply and completely awe-struck. They’re times of celebration; times of pause.

What are those highlights for you?

A few that stand out for me (which all include my husband, Bill!) are:

–Swimming with dolphins in Key Largo as one of the dolphins and her calf repeatedly swam just beneath us—and with us—beckoning us to join them in their underwater play, watching and following our every move.

–Singing “Hey Jude” with Paul McCartney as he led a choir of 20,000 in a packed arena; the house lights were shining brightly on all of us, with many concertgoers in tears (“…na na na na na na na…”). Goosebumps!

–Watching the sun set from Mallory Square in Key West, where thousands gather nightly to Read more »

“…People all over the world, join hands, start a love train, love train…” If you recognize this 70′s song by the O’Jay’s, and if you’re like me, you can’t help but get out of your chair and start dancing! And if you don’t know this one, you may want to add it to your library. I love that song! And from now on whenever I hear it, it will bring a “pause” to my life as I recall a very powerful and goosebump-inducing night last year.

Bill and I were on a cruise celebrating my 40th birthday. It was glorious! As we sailed the Caribbean, one of the nights on the ship was designated as “70′s Night.” That one had my name written all over it, and it was also the backdrop for some pretty cool personal experiences for me.

The party

In the interior of our ship was a large promenade area that looked up seven levels and was probably the length of two football fields. This was the grand setting for the evening’s kick-off party as no less than a thousand passengers filled the space.

Most of us didn’t know each other and many of us spoke different languages. But when Read more »

One of the many constants in my married life with Bill is a tradition we started when we first began dating over 17 years ago. Our favorite thing to do is to hang out at home together, relax, and enjoy each other’s company.

Routinely on a Friday or Saturday night (when we’re not out hittin’ the town), we have what we call a “Personal Evening”:  Bill makes dinner for us (thank goodness I married someone who loves to cook!), and my role is to light the candles and put on the perfect music to accompany the evening.

The joy of music

Since the beginning, it’s always been legendary musician Herb Alpert’s tunes that perfectly fit the bill. His smooth trumpet fills the room and creates the ideal blend of relaxation, calm, and joy. And it’s just the right backdrop to complement our dinners by the fire and our deep conversations about our hopes and dreams for our future.

A few weeks ago, Bill and I were talking about how much music fills our lives and how much joy we get from seeing our favorite artists live (we’ve traveled from to New York to L.A., from Oklahoma City to Read more »