Seasons of Change

Watching, as if overnight, the colors change on the trees that surround us here, has my mind pondering change. Even the word evokes a sense of anticipation, excitement, progress, OR a sense of fear, doubt, failure.
Change is like breath...in reality, it is the only thing that we can count on. Change is going to happen, with or without us. Things change, people and circumstances come and go.
Life doesn't stop for anyone. It moves very fast. It rushes from calm to chaos in a matter of seconds. All of us can find ourselves standing on a threshold, the crossing of which will seemingly change everything. We cannot stand in that place of in-between, unable or unwilling to go backwards, but too afraid to move forward.
Don't know about you, but I have had so many pivotal threshold moments!
...moments where I must wear my truth.
...moments of walking away from the familiar and into the unknown.
...moments of acceptance, of letting go and allowing things to be the way they truly are.
...moments of forgiveness.
...moments of enduring the betrayal of fake friends.
...moments of respecting others and judging less.
...moments of no longer fighting fire with fire.
...moments of peace, of resolve...finding diamonds instead of seeing coal.
...moments of Grace, of Faith...those endure forever!
Funny, even as I sit and write these very words, I struggle and don't want to create a reflection of myself, yet....for me, change represents growth.
My growth! My truth!

Friendship...just had to share...

You can go through life and make new friends every year-every month practically-but there is no substitute for the few who truly improve you, these aren't the people who are simply nice to you; they're the ones who help you uncover the things that are holding you back.
In subtle ways, they bring ideas to your attention that change your life.
These friends don't just sit beside you unknowingly; they shake your world up, reveal your obstacles and weaknesses, and remain a part of your life because they care.
Friends like this are the most important people you will ever meet because they tear down the invisible walls you have built in your mind.

In other words, they come into your life and reveal new, valuable layers of yourself that you would never have discovered without them!

Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be, and be friends with people you are proud to know, people you admire, who love and respect you.....WORD!

NOW and My Inner Fool!

WOW! Happy New Year and welcome 2013. I am in awe of people who are in the minority of those who do not abandon their New Year resolutions and actually stick to them. Graci gave up soda for 2012 and has enjoyed her first taste of fizzy since December 31, 2011. I love and admire her resolve, especially being a teenager: football games, concerts, poolside, holiday and birthday celebrations, all of which invite and offer that cherished teenage drink of choice...soda!
Since none of us possess the ability to stop time, we are compelled to welcome 2013 with or without any new (or previous) resolutions. If truth be told, I have always avoided making any New Year pledges for fear of failure and the noted disappointment that would haunt me.
Knowing the resolutions Graci, my Bestie, and others have declared for 2013, as well as completely mindful of the previous year and every single thing it encompassed, I have decided to embrace a word for my New Year.

NOW! The word itself renders immediate awareness and consideration. Life truly can be both brutal and beautiful. I read once that life is about how to use what you got. If you need to start over again, then NOW represents finding strength to begin once more on a new path. NOW does not allow you to stumble over something that is behind you. NOW represents being effective while getting out in front of life and getting beyond what is holding you back.
I wish for NOW to feed my inner fool. Good friends, good music, good art, good food, good books, good rest!

"I must learn to love the fool in me-the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of my human aliveness, humility, and dignity, but for my fool." Theodore Isaac Rubin

"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise,..." 1 Cor 1:27

NOW and My Inner Fool!
I want to dance like Dee O'B!

Just Curious....

.....why when running slightly behind (not late), all drivers who seemingly have no particular destination in mind or time restraint, choose to pull out in front of my vehicle...causing me to breathe a heavy sigh, allow my hand a more forceful thump on the steering wheel, shaking my left leg up and down (you know without lifting my toes), and wanting to scream if I hear, "Mom are we going to be late?" one more time.

.....why, if truth be known, secretly wish I could keep pace with the zero fat, marathon types when running...but recognize with each stride layers of past injuries and accept my limitations.

.....why I never embraced high heels, pony tails, or mini skirts, and feel more comfortable in flip flops, loafers, and designer jeans, not that I can't pull out the Little Black Dress on occasion.

.....why, more often than not, I inescapably sit behind or in front of "baby row" on airplanes...of course the flights are international....my luck.

.....why milk, bread, and toilet paper are the items that disappear the quickest.

.....what you are curious about....just sayin'!

CarolinaCandor: Balance Amid Change

CarolinaCandor: Balance Amid Change: Balance amid change....the very title summons my attention. I have always believed that it takes courage to change and strength to balance. ...

Balance Amid Change

Balance amid change....the very title summons my attention. I have always believed that it takes courage to change and strength to balance. Adapting to anything new, different, or out of our own routine, can present many challenges. When confronting unfamiliarity, we can embrace our new situation with grit and determination, or allow it to deplete our initial resolve.

CarolinaCandor was created out of a desire to chronicle my daily life in Rome, Italy. Now that the children and I have moved back to Carolina, my love for the written word entices the blog to continue.

Now for balance....
Security, familiarity, trust, comfort, support, opportunity, happiness, friendships, reliance, consciousness, calm, soundness, truth, peace....

Discovered layers of myself continue to reveal a myriad of unrecognized facets that, if closely examined, would surprise even me. There have been too many "aha" moments....Rome, with all of the allure, was still a habitation that never seemed to wrap her arms around Graci and Freedom, but then Rome is not Carolina!

Rome and a New Eye

The Eternal City not only garnered my attention, but captured my heart. I have discovered multiple, untold truths about myself, as well as viewed myself in a fresh way. Rome with her layers of ancient, timeworn history and inhabitants stories, all physically left behind to remind us they had breath, continue to surround me with repose. Everywhere exists a divergent, distinguishable look, a unique and unambiguous cadence which ushers in each new day.

As I return to Carolina and stroll through my beloved town, Rome will enthrall and absorb every stride. What I won't see in my neighborhood is the metro bus which helped transport Graci to school and us to the next destination if lucky enough to jump on and catch a ride, the Mercato parading Italian vendors selling home grown fruits and vegetables, burlap sacks of beans, bags of pasta, homemade breads, freshest cuts of meat, finest catches of seafood, puffed pastries and mouth-watering chocolates. I won't see our elderly Italian neighbors playing cards outside the local cafe bar, two young Italian lovers publicly displaying their amorous advances, nor store front window spectacles of the latest fashions, if worn, would be unfamiliar to my own being.

What I won't see in my neighborhood are the familiar faces that once appeared as ghosts whom now call me friend, old structures constructed and forged by calloused hands, prolific splashes of color randomly positioned amid rooftops, the busy rhythm of expressos and cafes served to Italians assuming their position; standing and sipping inside our favorite bar. I won't see the breathtaking fountains that adorn the city, forever leaving me awestruck, cobblestone pathways emitting each and every story, while Italians and strangers alike enjoy their first taste of flavorful and yummy gelato.

You see, Rome has left an indelible impression on me which continues to profoundly change my existence. I have seen myself in new way. Although leaving this wonderful city soon, as well as a piece of my heart, I know my return will be welcomed and embraced with familiarity. Rome has given me a new eye for things that would go unnoticed at home in Carolina.