I must say I am getting to the point that I wake up each morning wondering what the “daily writing prompt” is going to be today. It never fails to amaze me the questions you guys come up with! However, it gets my mind thinking after breakfast and it is a good start to the day.
That said, I can say with all honesty that I have never intentionally or unintentionally broken the law. I am a Ms. Goody Two Shoes type and following the rule of law is written into my DNA. However when I was 17, I met a guy and he invited me to this party. I didn’t know what kind of party it was at the time but I found out soon enough. They were passing “brownies” around. I took one thinking it was just a brownie! I had never done cigarettes, drugs or alcohol for that matter before then so I had no clue. Within minutes, I was out of my mind! I was hallucinating and got really scared. I could hear them debating if they should take me to the hospital and a few minutes later they turned the shower on me! Luckily I got home safe that night, mad as hell but none the worse for wear.
It was a scary experience but it taught me to stay away from ALL that is not good for me. Some say, I have a stick up my you know what but that’s okay I don’t mind. To answer your question I don’t think that I broke any law but according to my parents I DID!
He is sweet, he is gentle, he is rambunctious, he is smart, he is my companion and he is funny most days. It is Valentine’s Day and I decided to pay homage to my little love. The little furball who runs my world!
Things haven’t been on an even keel for the last couple of days. The Little Rat has decided to take matters into his own paws and when it comes to getting attention, he is a pro! I’ll agree that I haven’t been giving him as much attention as he deserves because I’ve had other things on my mind. I’ve been going out more than I’m used to and this is not setting too well with the little rascal. He gives me this evil eye when I walk in and with a PISSED OFF swish of his tail, he lets it be known that this is not alright with him. In his book, the one where cat rules are written, I am neglecting him. This is not the case at all. He gets more than his share of love but he wants more and that is the problem.
Little Einstein has found new ways to show me his disdain and I see it clearly. He is like a “glue stick” meaning he keeps close to me every chance he gets including sleep time when getting a good night’s rest is becoming a problem because the little brat has decided that the best sleep position for him is to cuddle close to mommy and since that is not enough, let’s plant the whiskers right on her face! He keeps constant watch and he does it better than a hawk, I must say.
Last night, he was in his element. This morning, the TV cabinet was left open and the bedside drawers were left opened as well! How did he manage that? I don’t know but he is not called Little Einstein for nothing! The little guy is trying to tell me something but I don’t know what it is yet. He is eating well, doing his stuff as he usually does so nothing wrong there. However, this constant need for attention has me baffled. It could be jealousy. Do cats get jealous? I looked it up and this is what I found.
“Cats experience emotions similar to jealousy — rooted in anxiety, possessiveness, or insecurity — when their territory, routine, or bond with their owner is threatened.”
Attention-seeking is one component of this behavior.
How do you manage jealous behavior?
Maintain routine, create safe spaces, and give lots of individual attention.
Hmm…for normal cats this might just work but we’re talking about a highly-evolved one. My little guy is smarter than most since he claims to have lived more than nine lives! It is going to take some detective work to appease him!
Anyway, he is my Funny Little Valentine! Today he will get all the attention he craves and much much more! Hopefully it works to keep him satisfied for a little while at least.
It is here. The day when love is celebrated with hearts, kisses, roses and lots of love. It falls annually on February 14th and there is a frenzied rush to show that certain someone special just how wonderful they are. What about the other days? Well, it goes without saying. Just a normal day with no Schnickschnack involved. This too is love and it takes many forms.
Coming back to the Valentine’s Day Story.
Valentine’s Day often makes us think about hearts, chocolates, and romance — but some of the most meaningful love stories are about friendship, kindness, and showing up for one another when it matters most.
That’s exactly what The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie celebrates.
At its core, this story isn’t about grand gestures or perfect heroes. It’s about Honey, a miniature greyhound who must find courage she didn’t know she had, and Hubie, a bold little frog who proves that friendship doesn’t always come in expected forms. Together, they explore a whimsical world filled with surprises, gentle humor, and moments that quietly remind us what love really looks like.
What makes this book such a lovely Valentine’s Day read is how naturally its message unfolds. Honey and Hubie don’t set out to teach lessons — they simply care about each other. They listen, they help, they face fears side by side. And in doing so, they show young readers that love isn’t always loud or dramatic. Sometimes, it’s just being brave enough to take the next step when someone believes in you.
For children, it’s a story about friendship and courage. For parents and teachers, it’s a reminder that stories can nurture empathy, imagination, and emotional growth — all without preaching.
This Valentine’s Day, The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie is a beautiful choice for sharing a quieter kind of love: the love of friendship, loyalty, and believing in one another — even when the path ahead feels uncertain.
Because the best adventures, just like the best kinds of love, are the ones we don’t take alone.
The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie by T. J. Mueller
It is that time of the year again. The one where you scramble to show your significant other just how important they are. Roses, chocolates, nice dinners and so on come into play. According to one source, Valentine’s Day originated a long time ago, in 496 A.D. to honor St. Valentine. It turned from a religious feast to a romantic one in the 14th century. Now, it is a commercialized affair with cards, gifts and a love “gusto” that transcends the normal!
What is love?
“Love is a set of emotions and behaviors characterized by intimacy, passion, and commitment. It involves care, closeness, protectiveness, attraction, affection and trust.” http://www.verywellmind.com
I decided to look a little deeper and found some quotes that describe love in all its entirety and here are some of my favorites.
“So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.” Paulo Coelho
Paulo has a way with words and in the most romantic way. I’m still waiting to see what the universe has conspired for me.
“Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times.” Ann Landers
I like the next one a lot. Why? Because I am a romantic at heart and it speaks to my soul. See what I mean?
“Love is when he gives you a piece of your soul, that you never knew was missing.” Torquato Tasso
“I don’t want a perfect person. I just want someone to act silly with, someone who treats me well and loves being with me more than anything.” Unknown
“You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear.” Oscar Wilde
Oscar said it well, don’t you think? Simply beautiful but I haven’t found him yet. Still looking!
“The real lover is a man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space.” Marilyn Monroe
Who knew Ms. Monroe had it in her. The blonde bombshell went deeper than her looks and I love that quote.
Next is my girl, Carrie Bradshaw. She knows her love material well.
“I am someone who is looking for real love; ridiculous. inconvenient. consuming. can’t-live-without-each other love.”
“I’d like to think that people have more than one soulmate. If you miss one, along comes another. Like cabs.”
I am not too sure about that one. Perhaps they won’t be called soulmates anymore. Just run of the mill types who walk in and out of your life and that might be a more appropriate description.
My favorite of them all is this one below.
“The heart that’s meant to love you will fight for you when you want to give up, pick you up when you’re feeling down, and will give their smile when it’s hard for you to find yours. They will NEVER get strength from seeing you weak, power from seeing you hurt, or joy from seeing you cry. The heart that’s meant to love you wants to see the best of you, not the hurt you! Never forget that.” Trent Shelton
If there ever was a biography about me, that would be the title. It speaks to who I am and where I stand today. I am a petite person but as I wrote in one of my posts, I am a survivor and it took strength to stand back up and to face the world and life again.
I lost my mom to murder. The loss filled me with rage and hate and brought my life to a standstill. I wanted revenge at any cost. I learned that I could give up or I could learn to fight an unjust system through my writings. I did just that and even though it didn’t change the outcome of the verdict, I learned that there is power within and the will to survive anything. A few years later, I lost my younger brother. He is a cold case. The handsome young man was found floating in a pool of water and was too far gone for evidence of any kind. His killer or killers were never brought to justice. It took me years to let go of guilt because I was faraway at the time and couldn’t help him. I watched my long-term marriage go up in flames because of infidelity and it brought me down to my knees. Standing back up from this blow seemed like it would never happen but it did. Accompanying someone dear to me to his deathbed was the next journey I would have to take and I told myself I couldn’t do it or what was asked of me but I did and I am still standing.
I took to writing about injustice and that became my rallying cry or rather my way of dealing with the pain that was within. I have written about injustices of every kind both here and abroad and especially of the killings of black men by law enforcement. I have written about racism and racist practices and I have stood up with courage to speak out when I see injustice forgetting that this tiny frame is just that, tiny, but I have a megaphone and that I have a tool to get the word out. Strength is my powerhouse and the will to survive is built into the core of who I am as a person.
Daily writing prompt
If there was a biography about you, what would the title be?
Integrity, a word that is supposed to be the mainstay of any relationship but these days it is sorely lacking in our society and your ‘word’ is no longer what it used to be. Ethical behavior and principles have been disregarded for individual gain and self-serving self-interests. This lack is eroding all that we stand for including honesty and loyalty. The current downward trend and erosion of something valuable has far-reaching consequences because moral compass is a thing of the past for some and “your word is your bond” is a non-entity as far as others are concerned.
What is integrity?
It is defined as, “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change.” In other words, say what you mean, and do what you say.
Here are some quotes that speak to the heart of the matter:
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” C. S. Lewis
“Integrity is not something you show others. It is how you behave behind their back.” Unknown
“Integrity is making sure that the things you say and the things you do are in alignment.” Unknown
“Wisdom is knowing which road is the right one: Integrity is taking it.” Unknown
“When wealth is lost nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.” Unknown
“If you don’t want anyone to find out, don’t do it.” Chinese Proverb
“You learn a lot about someone by what they choose to do when no one is watching.” Shane Parrish
“People with good intentions make promises but people with good character keep them.” Unknown
A lie is a lie.
A white lie is a lie.
A half truth is a lie.
A hidden truth is a lie.
A lie by omission is a lie.
A lie is a lie.
PERIOD!
You are not born with integrity, it is a learned behavior. It is knowing or getting into the habit of doing the right thing even when it is HARD and inconvenient at times but it is necessary because it gives people the moral and ethical clarity they need to do the right thing at the right time and a person of integrity stands by their word and is considered to be someone you can trust. That says it all.
What were my parents doing at my age? I don’t know!
I left home a long time ago. Both parents are no longer here. Dad died of a heart attack even though he lived a healthy life but that didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Mom as I have mentioned before died an untimely death at the hands of an immigrant who came in as a cleaning woman and who later took her life for some money and a few pieces of jewelery.
If they had been alive, I think they would have still continued a similar lifestyle. I come from a very religious family meaning Sundays at church and the rest of the time keeping close to the Bible and its teachings. I was glad to get away when I left to continue my studies because claustrophobia had started to set in but they taught me some good lessons that have stood the test of time and for that I will always be thankful.
Perhaps if life had been kind, they would be leading a quiet life carrying on their mission of spreading God’s word. Since it was not, I know they are at peace wherever they are.
“The difference between real love and fake love is this. Real love is so quick to resume its original shape after being stretched and expanded always to recover no matter what it endures.
Fake love is brittle, it breaks over even the simplest of things.” Unknown
If you are searching for love as I am, it is important to know the difference between the two. Real love takes time to cultivate, it’s not WHAM! BAM! and you’re in love. Some people may believe this is the case or rather they call it love at first sight. I had a few of those in my younger days but now that I’m older and wiser those butterflies in my stomach do not flutter like they used to.
These days I am a critic of the worst kind where love is concerned. If you thought Sherlock Holmes was good, I am better. I tell myself I am looking for true love, the kind that lasts a lifetime so playing detective to the hilt falls into the realm of weeding out the “fakes” to get at that one true love.
Fakes they are aplenty. They come out of the woodwork when you least expect it and in a blink of an eye, they’re in love and want to take it to the next level. The problem is if they winked at you once, they’ll wink twice at someone else. They’re prone to take it way past the winking stage if you know what I mean. They’ll love you so long as it is convenient for them but they’ll just as quickly run off to greener pastures when the opportunity presents itself. Dependable they are not and short-term is the name of the game. They’ll break your heart in a minute and move on without looking back and leave you to hold the remnants of your heart in your hands and wondering what happened. Don’t bother questioning why? Just know you want better.
The “real” ones don’t come out to play, well not often anyway. They’re the ones with integrity, self-worth, honesty and they stand their ground when it comes to love. They’re not wishy-washy but unfortunately there are not many of them to go around unlike the other kind, they’re a dime a dozen.
Needless to say, I’m holding out for “real” love. If it takes time, so be it. However, universe if you are listening, I ask that you bring him sooner than later, at least before the butterflies are totally dead in my stomach!
I’m not going to say I hope because according to a certain life coach this has a negative connotation and will bring more of the same. I’m going to say, I KNOW it will happen. Fingers crossed!
Currently, candidates for president of the United States must meet basic requirements.
The U.S. Constitution states that the president must:
Be a natural born citizen of the United States
Be at least 35 years old
Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years
What would I change?
Having seen what a convicted felon can do and has done to destroy much of what makes America great, I would say let’s add a few more restrictions.
No one older than 70 years old. A president has to be cognitively all there and any one who should be enjoying his retirement years out on a porch somewhere should not have his finger on the nuclear button! Especially one who opens his mouth and inserts foot!
Natural born citizen of the United States? Fine, and good. No problems with that.
Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years? Why not? If the qualifications are there, why not?
The person running for the highest office in the land should not be painted orange! Ok, I agree that was a low blow. However, intelligence should be a prerequisite. Someone who cares for the people, ALL people and not just a select few, if you know what I mean and I bet you do. Someone with compassion, someone who has lived a stellar life with no convictions, and one who knows how to deal with allies. Last but not least, someone who is not a schoolyard bully.
There you have it. The presidency deserves a modicum of decorum but what we are seeing is “monkey business.” Oops, did I just say that? Ok, I will apologize for that comment but we’ve yet to see one from the horse’s mouth for those “ape pics” and that says it all as to why we need to change the requirements.
A friend asked me recently, “What do you seek the most?” I couldn’t give him an answer right away. It was a troubling question to say the least. I thought I knew because I had been working on exactly this for months on end but now faced with a direct question and I had no answers or rather I was unsure. I wanted to say “love” but the word that jumped in was “peace.” More specifically, “inner peace.” I think without it nothing else matters. It all boils down to just living for the sake of living.
What is inner peace? According to http://www.calm.com, “Inner peace is a deep state of calm, acceptance and contentment. It means being in harmony with yourself, others, and the world around you. It’s not about eliminating challenges or difficulties but navigating through them with a tranquil and accepting mind.”
Do I have that kind of peace in my life? Truthfully, I’m not sure. I have a tendency to let things rattle me, unnerve me, shake me to the core and kick me off balance. I know I have stress and that is nothing new. Dealing with stress has always been an uphill battle but I’m doing better. However, I still have a long ways to go. The question then arose, how do I go about securing inner peace? The kind that gives me a deep state of calm and paints my world a beautiful shade of pink? The quote below might work.
“Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions.” Pema Chodron
Sounds simple enough but let me tell you, it’s a hard one for me. I let people control my feelings, emotions and my reactions and that is the first problem. I needed simpler solutions to a tough question so I decided to go looking and turns out I’ve been doing them already!
Breathe it says. Take time out in the day to just breathe and let go. I’m learning all kinds of breathing techniques and it is not just about taking a breath in and expelling it out. The experts have honed breathing to a new high. Breathing has gone high-tech but the original version still works. Try it for a slice of good old-fashioned peace.
Mindfulness is the other technique used to achieve inner peace. Live in the present, embrace it, let it unfold and do not control. Life knows exactly what to do. A really hard one for me as I wanted the answers yesterday!
Meditation is a gold mine and don’t I know it. My early morning and evening meditation practices have worked wonders in my life. I’m calmer, my reaction to unwanted challenges is slower and my mind seems quieter than it used to be. Worth a try if tranquil peace is what you’re searching for. It takes practice to calm that fidgety mind but time and patience will get you there. There is a plus, there is nothing more delicious than unadulterated inner peace.
Nature, connect with it and it will instill peace to the depths of your soul. Something as simple as a walk will take you there. Fresh air and nature’s beauty will clear your mind and you will get a different perspective on life looking at it through nature’s viewpoint. Everything has a time and place, do not rush that is the message.
Practicing gratefulness is a big one. I’ve started practicing this simple concept and my glass went from half empty to actually quite full. Do it often enough and you won’t be lacking anything at all! Too simple? I know. Given time this technique does work because it changes your mindset from negative to a more positive one and we all need that.
If none of the above methods work, do this instead.
“Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.” Robert J. Sawyer
Ever since that question was thrown in my direction, I’ve been thinking about the mindset for inner peace and I have come to the conclusion that all roads lead to “inner peace” first. If you want to have a life free from chaos, disarray and turmoil, work towards inner peace and all the other things will fall into place. Challenges are a part of life both big, small and the daily variety but you can overcome if you focus, work on clearing it and MOVE ON! Standing still in one place for too long would be a big mistake. The Gambler song gives us some tips on how to do exactly that.
If you’re gonna play the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right.
You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
Know when to fold ’em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run….
Every gambler knows
That the secret to survivin’
Is knowing what to to throw away
And knowin’ what to keep
Those last three lines speak to the matter of inner peace.
Figure it out, have confidence in yourself and HAVE AN AMAZING DAY!
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