The Angel

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

He was one of a kind and thinking back, I didn’t like him when we first met. I thought he was brash and so full of himself but I changed my mind after spending some time with him.

Tall and handsome with reddish blond hair and green eyes, he wasn’t bad to look at. However, there was something about him that caught my eye. He was kind, gentle and caring. I can’t recall a single time where we exchanged harsh words with each other. Life was easy-going with him around. There was laughter, there were walks together, exchanging life stories, there were tears shared but most of all, he taught me that there was “better” out there.

A better kind of love. Not the hurtful, careless variety but the kind that can take a whole lot of beating and still stay to weather the storm. He was steadfast in all he did. I knew that I could depend on him and there was no mistaking the love light in his eyes. He showed me what true love was all about. It was caring, it was loving, and it was always there. I knew I was loved without needing to ask because his actions spoke louder than words. He had a quiet strength about him and he wasn’t a man of many words but when he did speak, I listened.

His name was Mike and he made a positive impact on my life. Most of all, he showed me that I was worthy of love and during his time on earth, he made sure that I knew that and there were no doubts in my mind. I do miss him especially during the holidays but I know that he will be singing with the angels as Christmas rolls around.

Thank you for positively impacting my life to the point that I can only say good things about you! That says something.

Daily writing prompt
Describe a man who has positively impacted your life.

Then and Now

Photo by Ayşin on Pexels.com

Uncertain, lost, directionless and confused. Those are some of the things I was feeling back then. I had lost someone close to me and I was at ground zero. It was scary and I was vulnerable. I was also back in the rabbit hole and afraid to budge. I had to come to terms with the loss and it wasn’t easy. I made my mistakes along the way and at times there was just no moving ahead. That was back then.

Stronger, capable, focused and moving forward. These are the things that describe me now. My life is not where I want it to be but I am getting there, one step at a time. It is still not easy and at times I think I’m not making progress at all. However, the truth is, I’ve made much progress. I pretty much know what I want in my life and when moments of stress hit like it did yesterday, I don’t give up as easily. I see a stronger person emerging out of the fog and one who is capable of achieving more than I thought I would a year ago. Vulnerability is still there but there is strength too. And that’s a good thing.

Is my life today what I pictured a year ago? I wanted better this year and I’m still not there yet. I’m moving forward and that’s for sure.

Daily writing prompt
Is your life today what you pictured a year ago?

Countdown to Christmas

🎄✨ The Gentle Countdown to Christmas with Honey & Hubie ✨🎄

As Christmas draws near, the world begins to buzz. Shops fill, to-do lists grow longer, and the days seem to whirl by in a mix of excitement, errands, and festive chaos. Yet somewhere between the wrapping paper and the rushing, there is a quiet kind of magic—one that whispers instead of shouts. And that is where The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie shines brightest. In the days leading up to Christmas, when everything feels fast and full, this story offers something rare: a moment to slow down. A soft place to land. A warm breath in the middle of winter’s hurry.

🌟 A Story That Brings Calm to the Christmas Countdown

While adults check calendars and children count the sleeps until Santa arrives, Honey and Hubie remind us of the kind of wonder that doesn’t rush. Their world is full of gentle courage, small acts of friendship, and the kind of imagination that warms even the coldest December day. Reading their adventures becomes more than just story time. It becomes a pause… a quiet moment shared… a way to settle the heart during the busiest season of the year.

🎁 A Cozy Escape for Families

As Christmas approaches, evenings grow softer—twinkling lights, warm rooms, and time spent together. Honey and Hubie fit perfectly into that space. Children lean in to hear about fairies, woodland creatures, and the brave little greyhound who learns to face her fears. Parents find themselves relaxing too, drawn in by the sincere sweetness of the tale. It is the kind of story that helps families breathe again—something peaceful to balance the noise and excitement of December.

🎄 A Christmas Countdown Full of Wonder

This year, why not make Honey and Hubie part of your family’s countdown?

Five days before Christmas: Meet Honey and Hubie and slip into their magical world

Four days before Christmas: Pause the holiday rush with a chapter of soft adventure

Three days before Christmas: Share a lesson about courage and kindness

Two days before Christmas: Let imagination take over where stress used to sit

Christmas Eve: Cozy up together for a heartwarming read that ends the night with smiles

By the time Christmas morning arrives, children aren’t just excited for gifts— they’re filled with wonder, joy, and the warmth of stories shared.

A Book That Feels Like a Calm Winter Night

In a season that often moves too fast, The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie reminds us to slow down. To enjoy the small moments. To sit together. To let imagination be the gentle snow that settles over everything else. Christmas may be busy, but a good story has the power to quiet the world for just a little while… and Honey and Hubie do exactly that.

📖 Begin your calm Christmas countdown here:

👉 The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie by T. J. Mueller https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Excellent-Adventures-Honey-Hubie/dp/1838759301

May your days leading up to Christmas be cozy, magical, and filled with adventure. And may Honey and Hubie bring your home the gentle calm the season sometimes forgets to offer.

Skills or Lessons I have Learned

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Hmm….skills or lessons I have learned recently? I would say that I have learned how to let go without going through what I usually do. Letting go is something I don’t do well because it is tied in with changes. I absolutely hate anything new that I would have to get used to and to deal with. However, I am learning to let go of situations and not do the “the end of the world” theatrics! I mope for days on end when letting go but these days, it is getting easier. Not immediately, mind you, but in a shorter period of time and when I do, I don’t go back and try to sift through it. I let it lie.

I am also learning that not everything bad that comes your way is really bad. Sometimes it is for the better. Does that make sense? It does to me. Let’s say a relationship goes bust and my first instinct is to get sad. However, I am learning that sometimes that relationship was not worth anything to begin with. It was better off biting the dust! I take the lessons I’ve learned from it and put it to good use so that I benefit from it, the next time around. That’s something new.

I also try to look at the positives. This one is not that easy because we usually tend to look at what is lacking or rather we are pros at it. I’m turning it around. I look at the positives first and the negatives don’t seem to matter anymore. I rattle off five positives first which is easy to do and after that, it doesn’t seem like I’m lacking much at all!

Those are the things that I’ve learned recently and I feel like I’m on the right track. Keeping on it takes focus because falling to the wayside is easy to do.

Daily writing prompt
What skills or lessons have you learned recently?

Cities I Would Like to Visit

Photo by Nils Rotura on Pexels.com

I’m not much into visiting cities or countries for that matter. If there is one place I would like to visit and spend some time there is the city my son is in right now. It is in the heart of Lower Saxony, central Germany. It is located on the Leine River, about 60 miles south of Hannover.

I’ve been there before but it was a quick trip and we didn’t spend much time there. The Leine River looked picturesque and the park seemed calm and serene. It is a university town and you see students all over the place. If you’re driving, pay attention to the cyclists! There are plenty of them and they have right of way.

Other than that, it just seemed like a nice city for a weekend trip. Lots of nice restaurants and a city center with lots of shops as well. However, I would stay away from the Bahnhof Viertal, the train station at night. Too many weird types hanging out there and I wouldn’t recommend taking a light stroll rather make it a quick one!

My son seems to love it, I suppose there is plenty to do for young people. The usual university town atmosphere of night clubs, bars, fast food places and hangouts.

My reason for wanting to spend some time there is to find out why he loves it there. Exactly the same reason as to why he doesn’t want me there for more than a few hours!

Daily writing prompt
What cities do you want to visit?

A Genuine Person

Photo by Elle Hughes on Pexels.com

I hope people will say that I am a genuine person, someone who keeps her word and stands by it. The traits of a genuine person are empathy, integrity, consistency, honesty and kindness.

I tend to stick to those markers or at least I try to. So I hope that people will see all those qualities in me and appreciate them as well. You don’t always get as good as you give because there are those out there who march to a different drumbeat and those things I just mentioned are seen as belonging to a pushover. I try to see through people for what they are but sometimes it is hard and I wind up getting hurt.

These days, I do speak up for myself and “genuineness” only goes so far and then I put a stop to it. It is working out to my benefit and I like the new me. However, going back to the DP, I hope that they will say that she was one of a kind, a truly nice and genuine person. One can only hope!

“Genuine people don’t come around too often. If you find somebody real enough to stay true, keep them close.” Unknown

Daily writing prompt
Tell us one thing you hope people say about you.

Letting Go of Control

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Most of us are “control freaks” when it comes to controlling outcomes. I know I am. We want to take whatever comes our way, things of the unsavory nature and we want to change it or we spend time, sometimes lots of it, mulling over what we cannot control and instead of letting go or accepting it as a lost cause, we try to control the narrative.

“To find calm, let go of the need to control every outcome.” Unknown

I had a tough day yesterday and “calm” had flown the coop and was nowhere to be seen. I kept playing scenarios over and over again and no matter how many times I kept playing it over, the outcome was the same. It was done and dusted and there was nothing I could do about it but to let it go. The only thing I could do was to control my feelings and how I viewed the situation. The other thing that was staring me in the face was that I had no control over the events of the day, only in how I dealt with it. It was time to let it go and I did.

“When you release expectations, you are free to enjoy things for what they are instead of what you think they should be.” Mandy Hale

I spent most of yesterday getting angry, agitated, frustrated, and whatever else you could throw into the pot, I was ready to take it all and to run with it! Human nature is such that we love to entertain problems. Truth is, problems do show up when we least expect them and they throw us for a loop when we come face to face with them. More often than not, anger and frustration accompany problems. Not knowing how to deal with them is why they appear in succession. In my case, it is the opportunity to fall off from the path of self-discovery I was on and to VENT for all its worth! Ok, it’s alright for awhile but I see the toll it takes on my psyche and even then, I refuse to stop, hell-bent on wrecking havoc as I go along on my path of self-righteousness! The good part is, I’ve learned when to put a stop to it. It took me most of the day but when evening rolled around, I was ready to come to my senses and to look at it with a clear head.

“One of the most rewarding and important moments in life is the moment you finally find the courage to let go of what you can’t change.” marcandangel

Learning to let go of control is not easy because letting go of whatever it is means that you no longer have control over the situation. However, sometimes that is a good thing. You need to step back, view it from a distance and come up with solutions to break down the problem and to make it solvable. Yes, it takes time and it takes focus but it is better than going off the deep end as I did yesterday.

“Real strength isn’t control. It’s knowing when to let go.” Christopher Barzak

Have an amazing day.