With an Open Heart

Dec 9

A Poem For Your Heart And Mind

This is a beautiful poem that really resonated with me, and I thought it would be perfect for my readers as well. Short, simple, and true. Thank you mangerprieramour for sharing such beautiful words.

Enjoy!!

This is a reblog from mangerprieramour

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anon

by mangerprieramour

you are

in the right place

at the right time

doing the right thing

with the right people

for the right reason

everything is perfect.

you can have the right results!

all you need is a right heart & mind

an open heart & mind.

& remember to keep your eyes open too!

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Dec 7

19 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons

This is my first Weekly Photo Challenge and I’m kind of excited about it! I love photography so these sorts of activities are quite for me. However, when I saw that the challenge was about “changing seasons”, I thought, “Uh, noooo!!! I don’t like changing seasons!” I live in Minnesota, so changing seasons this time of year means snow, cold, ice, gray skies, more snow, shovels, shivers, and more cold (I really do need to live in warmer climate). Every year I think, this is the year I will not hate winter, but then it snows, and all I see is gray and all I feel is cold. Isn’t it ironic that just as I opened up my computer, and began looking over the Weekly Photo Challenge, my eyes were drawn to the window, where in that moment, snow had begun slowly falling out of the gray sky.

A Progression of Snowfall in Minnesota taken over 24 hours

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Dec 6

Compassion Changes Everything…

This is a beautiful post that I thought no reader of mine should miss.

Thank you J. Ricci Energy for sharing such beautiful words.

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This is a reblog from J. Ricci Energy .

Compassion changes everything. Compassion heals. Compassion mends the broken and restores what has been lost. Compassion draws together those who have been estranged or never even dreamed they were connected. Compassion pulls us out of ourselves and into the hear of another, placing us on holy ground where we instinctively take off our shoes and walk in reverence. Compassion springs out of vulnerability and triumphs in unity.

– Judy Cannato (Field of Compassion)

Dec 5

2 Comments

If You Stop Searching for Happiness, Maybe It’ll Find You…

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Dec 5

2 Comments

The Perspective of People With Down Syndrome

This image was created from the inspirational words of a young man with Down syndrome, Ben Smith. His words touched close to home . As many of you already know, my sister Jessica has Down syndrome. Jessica is also battling with breast cancer right now. This meme was created by my brother Justin . The image is of my sister Jessica and my mom just days after Jessica’s mastectomy. Jessica has shown tremendous strength and resilience throughout her treatment, something we truly believe is largely the result of the unconditional love for life and others that she carries with herself every day.

Share this image with others and spread some love to others today. And if you have a moment, come visit us at Jessica & Life, to learn more about Jessica’s unique experience with cancer.

Have a wonderful day!!!

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Dec 4

Truths to Remember Daily

Sometimes these things get forgotten in our busy lives, but they’re important to remember each and every day. Take risks, know who you are and always have the courage to be just that, and don’t worry about what others say. Be true to yourself. Always.

Dec 3

1 Comment

Yoga Is Not Just a Workout, -It’s About Working on Yourself

“You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside.”

Yoga for me is very much a love-hate relationship. I love how I feel afterwards, and I love how my body changes and the strength I feel when I practice regularly. However, I hate when I take a few months off and I suddenly cannot do the poses the way I want to. Or, when I feel exhausted just halfway through a class. And I hate how much I struggle to remain “present” and calm, and compassionate with myself throughout each class. Doing a physical activity that is calm, and requires mindfulness can be difficult. I’m a runner; I want to put my headphones, listen to upbeat music, and run a few miles. Yoga is just the opposite of that. So for me, yoga is a challenge. Read more

Dec 3

7 Comments

A Dream Comes True: Jessica Meets Justin Bieber!!

I think I’ve become a pro at delayed posts lately. But it’s better late than never I suppose!

About six weeks back, I posted an image of my sister Jessica that read “HELP JESS MEET BIEBS”, -a campaign if you will, to help Jessica meet Justin Bieber at his concert in Minneapolis. The image went up on Facebook on October 16^th. Between then, and early afternoon the next day, 80 people had shared the photo on their Facebook pages; many of whom, we didn’t even know. It was inspiring to say the least. But the true highlight came when we received an email from an old grade school friend letting us know that she had three meet and greet tickets for Jessica, my brother Justin, and myself. It turns out she’s one of the executive assistants to the President at Paramount Motion Picture Music (very cool!). We were thrilled, and a bit speechless! It was so exciting to know that we got this done for Jessica, but the love and support from others, Read more

Oct 17

2 Comments

Help Create Happiness. Help Jessica Meet Bieber!

My sister Jessica, who is 28 and has Down Syndrome was diagnosed with breast cancer almost three months ago. There have been many ups and downs along the way, but by far, she is inspirational in her spirits. She is amazing in so many ways. In everything she’s been forced to go through, her main complaint has never been cancer, but simply, missing work. She always repeats, “My associates need me. I have to work. I can’t go to the doctors”. She’s simply the sweetest. She deserves the world. Read more

Oct 14

2 Comments

See Miracles Every Day

Why, who makes much of a miracle?

As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,

Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,

Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,

Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the water,

Oct 9

1 Comment

Be Inspired With Change and Let Go

A little bit of inspiration to move you in the direction of change and growth: )

Oct 5

13 Comments

[FEATURED POST] Vulnerability at the Core: When Your Sister is Diagnosed With Breast Cancer

Tuesday, July 31^st began like any other day. I studied in the morning, went to work in the afternoon, and came home. When I arrived home, I talked to my mom about my day, said hello to my sister Jessica, who has Down syndrome and who was coloring at the kitchen table, and then I went up to my room to grab a couple things before heading back down to the kitchen to have a snack. As I made my way down to the kitchen, my mom softly called to me from the top of the stairs, “Nina, can you come here a second?” I continued on, and yelled up to her, “What is it?” Again, my mom says, “Nina, can you please just come here a second? I need to talk to you about something”. What? I thought. My stomach sank. That sick feeling that lingers in your gut when you’ve done something wrong and you’re about to get caught ran through me. I immediately felt like I did as a kid, -especially as a teenager, when I was about to face a major lecture and punishment for whatever terrible deed I had committed. My mind began to scramble: What did I do? Read more

Sep 11

2 Comments

The Battle Between Good and Evil

We all have both negative and positive attributes. We have good and evil sides. Most of us would readily admit that those negative aspects of ourselves, and our lives, are ones in which we wish we no longer befriended. Despite this truth, we often struggle to escape from the evil which resides so close to our hearts and our minds. It is no easy task to escape it, I know. It becomes apart of us. It’s so easy lose sight of the good at times, especially during times of grief and sorrow. But remember, that we can only breathe life into the things we feed. Read more

Aug 9

1 Comment

The Beautiful Left and Right Brain

This is a beautiful illustration of how left and right brain individual view the world and function within it. Although it’s somewhat bizarre that Mercedes Benz produced these illustrations for some sort of campaign (I could be wrong, I don’t know), they are beautiful nonetheless. Read more

Aug 9

Find a Place of Peace Within Your Mind and Heart

Do you meditate? In this busy life, finding a place of inner peace can be difficult to say the least. We are constantly overwhelmed with stimulation, thoughts, judgements, responsibilities, etc., etc., etc. We all need moments of quiet. Those moments of escape. Meditation can give you that. It’s a practice that is truly just that; a practice. But the more you practice, the easier, more rhythmic it’ll become.

Aug 8

2 Comments

Just to Be Alive is a Grand Thing

Remember that there are ups and downs in life; that there are moments of great despair, because it is these moments that remind us of what’s most important. Without the bad, how would be know how good life can really be? Read more