Mk Michaels' Double Quotes - Updated

This is a collection of double quotes from the past few years.  In each, the first quote is by a celebrity, poet, philosopher, historical figure, writer, or close friend.  The second quote is what the first quote inspired for me. I hope you enjoy them. ~ Mk Michaels
4/27/2015		It's my conviction that slight shifts in imagination have more impact on living than major efforts at change... deep changes in life follow movements in imagination. ~ Thomas Moore
		Use your imagination to believe the best of others, even when it is difficult to do so. Instead of thinking the worst of other's words and actions, believe the most favorable interpretation possible. By and large, we are all truly doing the best we can in any given moment so listen, hear, and start by being present and then stay present a bit longer. Act as if and watch the seemingly impossible happen. Our lives follow our thoughts, so if we pollute them with fear, defensiveness, and suspicion, we will certainly yield toxicity and umbrage. If, instead, we approach our lives with optimism and expectations for the best possible relationships and outcomes, our lives will be abundant, the bottomless need so many of us carry in our gut will dissipate and, in time, we will realize we are living in plenty. Not only will there be enough for ourselves, but a great deal to share with others. ~~ Mk Michaels
4/26/2015		Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment. ~ Dale Carnegie
		Spent. ~~ Mk Michaels
4/25/2015		One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never! ~ Winston Churchill
		One of the most difficult lessons for me in life has been how to face conflict head on and with grace. I absolutely hate conflict and yet it exists everywhere - with family, friends, colleagues, partners, businesses, and so on. It is unavoidable and yet my whole being responds to conflict as danger. As a result, for most of my life I have fled from it. I spent decades getting very good at avoiding disputes at all costs. The price of this was often quite great. I also spent decades developing an absurdly fine tuned ability to morph myself in an instant so as to significantly reduce the chances of conflict. In this, I was quite inauthentic. I still struggle with conflict; how to communicate what is important to me that I believe won't be well received, how to handle conflict when I am in the middle of it, how to avoid running when it happens, and so on. Mr. Churchill is correct in his assessment that turning our backs on danger or even perceived danger only compounds the problem. So, when the inevitable life conflicts arise I am learning, bit by bit, how to stay put and move through the discomfort I feel when conflict arises. Over time and with practice, it is coming more naturally and i am better able to communicate what is important to me with far less fear of the possible fall out. ~~ Mk Michaels
4/22/2015		Oh the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. ~ Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go
		Oh the things I can create! There is stuff to be built! Today, I discovered the joy that happens when I get intimate with a pancake compressor and pneumatic nail gun. ~~ Mk Michaels
4/22/2015		You'll never get there if you always stop when you feel overwhelmed. ~ Mastin Kipp
		Whoo boy, can I relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed! These days, it is a daily occurrence. That said I have found if I stop worrying about the big picture, the whole enchilada, and what's going to happen in a year or 5 years or 10 years and simply focus on today, sometimes even just the specific moment and determine what I need to do next. What is the next step? What is the next right thing to do? If I can get in this mindset it not only helps break through the feeling of being overwhelmed, but it also allows me to make some progress to the next step and the next and the next. When I feel overwhelmed, I try focus on now. Trite as it sounds, it is a means to a far greater end. ~~ Mk Michaels
4/5/2015		And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer. ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
		Renewal. A fresh start. A new perspective. Reawakening. What is life but a series of series of discoveries, adventures, and vistas yet to be seen? In years past, I often found myself in ruts. The same routine, circumstances, and patterns day in and day out. I was stuck. Often. Today, while I certainly enjoy my day to say routine, the easy cadence of getting up in the morning with my family, caring for our numerous animals, making breakfast and a packed lunch for my son, and my very enjoyable work, I often find myself seeking out and having new experiences; trying a new restaurant, discovering a plant I'd not seen before and introducing it to my beloved garden, meeting people in the most random of places (my daughter cringes every time I strike up a conversation with someone in the check out line), making new friends, re-energizing old friendships, taking the road less traveled with curiosity about where it will take me and, as Thoreau said sucking all the marrow out of life. Renewal and unfamiliar territory may seem frightening at first, it certainly was for me, but as time has passed, I realize I look forward to the endless possibilities at the beginning of each new day. ~~ Mk Michaels
4/4/2015		The most luxurious item is a beautiful bed and beautiful, simple sheets. ~ Andre Leon Talley
		There is nothing like cool, fresh, clean, white, cotton sheets. Unless you consider actually sleeping between those cool, fresh, clean, white, cotton sheets. Now that's really nice...baby steps, Mk, baby steps. ~~ Mk Michaels
4/3/2015		They tried to bury us. They did not know we were seeds. ~ Mexican proverb
		Man oh man can life throw curve balls at us! I have been through times during which the assaults seemed relentless and coming from all angles. There were times I felt buried by life's negatives; stress, worry, sadness, grief, despair, and hopelessness. But here's what I know; a half a lifetime ago, during a time of great pain, I made the conscious choice to stay in this world, to keep showing up with whatever I had, and to stay present even during the worst of times. Oh how well that choice has served me for when other bad times came along, I knew I had the choice to walk into the pain instead of avoiding it, knowing it was not endless. I knew I could do the work necessary to come through that time in time and eventually emerge changed; stronger, smarter, newly aware, and often, more compassionate. In times of hardship or sadness, I know I will not only survive, but eventually thrive and feel great joy yet again. I rarely know what good will come of a difficult situation, but I know without a doubt I will grow as a result of having experienced it. ~~ Mk Michaels
3/17/2015		Interesting things always come from being really exhausted and really sick.~ Adam Driver
		It will be really interesting if I actually sleep tonight and wake up less exhausted. ~~ Mk Michaels
3/15/2015		Life always gives us exactly the teacher we need at every moment. This includes every mosquito, every misfortune, every red light, every traffic jam, every obnoxious supervisor (or employee), every illness, every loss, every moment of joy or depression, every addiction, every piece of garbage, every breath. Every moment is the guru. ~ Joko Beck
		Pay attention. Quit bitching. Be thankful. Life is giving you exactly what you need all along the way. Some experiences will be enjoyable; others will suck outright. All, however, will serve a greater purpose. Only in hindsight will many of life's lessons be realized and appreciated, but they're there. ~~ Mk Michaels
2/27/2015		The shattering of a heart when being broken is the loudest quiet ever. ~ Carroll Bryant
		A heart can be broken a thousand different ways and yet only a fraction of these involve a lover. When in doubt, err on the side of kindness for most have suffered some form of heartbreak we couldn't possibly understand. ~~ Mk Michaels
2/25/2015		Listen to the quietest whispers of your mind. They are telling you the choices that will help you the most. ~ Anonymous
		If we are courageous and honest with ourselves, we almost always know the answers to the questions and indecision which seem to plague us. The truth is we just aren't ready to accept those answers yet. ~~ Mk Michaels
2/21/2015		Pull a thread here and you’ll find it’s attached to the rest of the world. ~ Nadeem Aslam, The Wasted Vigil
		I am consistently amazed by the undeniable interconnectedness in the world. From the micro perspective, I so often come across people I know who are only twice and often only once removed from another person I know and love. Even with the incredible frequency of this happening, I continue to be pleasantly astounded by these wonderful connections that are anything but random. From the macro perspective, if there are so many connections in such close proximity to me, how could I possibly think the global community is any different? We are one humanity and if we can each actively work to more readily acknowledge our similarities, stop judging, and celebrate our differences, wouldn't the world be a nicer place? I am you. You are me. We are one. How incredible is that? ~~ Mk Michaels
2/17/2015		In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first. ~ Jimi Hendrix
		I often hear the Gandhi quote "Be the change that you wish to see in the world."  This is a wonderful idea and an even more noble pursuit, but I used to mistake this concept as being a purely external act, e.g. change everyone and everything else around me. What I have come to realize though is that while I can certainly influence the people and circumstances around me, I will limit my ability to affect meaningful change if I skip the step of changing that within me which is not ultimately productive. If I do not transform the bulk of my fears to some form of courage, if I do not tackle my insecurities and break them down, if I do not take my anger and practice choosing peace instead, if I cannot sincerely and humbly make amends for the harms I have brought about, the world around me will not truly benefit from the change I wish to be.  In realizing the change not only begins with me, but that it originates *within* me, I find I am doing far less damage in the world and have become better able to *become* the change I wish to see.  I believe this is what Gandhi meant all along. ~ Mk Michaels
2/14/2015		There are as many forms of love as there are moments in time. ~ Jane Austen
		When I awoke this morning, my first thought was of the people I love, the different ways in which I love them, and just how deeply that love runs. As a woman who was raised in a family that rationed love and alternately offered and withheld it to exert control, it was not in the cards for me to love well at all, let alone to love generously. In the course of many minor miracles, crossing paths with people who have helped teach me better ways to love, and a lot of self reflection over the years, I have, thankfully, come to be able to love well. Love doesn't always come easily and often fear creeps in, conspiring to interfere, but by God, I love. I love my children, I love my girlfriend, I love her children and family, I love my extended family, both of blood and of choice, I love my friends and neighbors, I love my pets, and I love my life. I love. How wonderful is that? ~ Mk Michaels
2/8/2015		Usually, there is nothing more pleasing that returning to a place where you have endured hardship. ~ Tahir Shah, In Search of King Solomon's Mine
		On some level, I believe my Mother thinks of today's homecoming as the return of a prodigal daughter after nearly 20 years. Conversely, I view it as a return to a house in which I once lived, a place I hated far more than I loved, and a place in which I felt entirely powerless. I also view it as the birthplace of my choice to survive, the Genesis of my ability to persevere no matter the obstacles before me, the place I learned so many valuable lessons recognized only in hindsight, and most importantly the house in which I became aware that being a good mother is, in many ways, a choice, one which demands I face my fears, flaws, and foibles. For all that has made me who I am today, I am grateful. ~ Mk Michaels
2/6/2015		Strength of character isn’t always about how much you can handle before you break. It’s also about how much you can handle after you’ve broken. ~ Robert Tew
		I may get knocked down by life, and I may need a minute to recover, but I'm sure as Hell not going to stay down for the count. ~ Mk Michaels
2/5/2015		Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life. Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall. Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone. Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring.~ William Alexander
		A garden is such an incredible teacher. Having spent some much needed time in the garden last week, I am reminded how core it is to my soul to feel the earth between my fingers. My garden has proven an outlet for stress, grief, anger, and heartbreak. My garden has become a place of solace,a wildlife habitat, a haven, and in many ways, my heart's home. I see some grubby gardening days on the horizon. ~ Mk Michaels
2/4/2015		The scarcity of time is the reason we have to concentrate on one thing at a time. ~Matt Perman
		This morning over breakfast, my sweet son, Christoper, shared his latest factoid: "Mama, did you know the French spend an average of 2 hours and 15 minutes each day eating meals?" He went on to estimate the amount of time we spend in our family, a little more than an hour on average.  This got me to thinking about how we tend to rush through meals and pretty much everything else in the course of a day ~ hurrying, scurrying, and multitasking most of the time. Obviously, some of this is necessary, but more and more I am developing an intolerance for rushing through life and the inevitable multitasking that comes with it. In response, I have started to try to do one thing at a time when possible and preserve white space on my calendar or even schedule blocks of time for enjoyable endeavors; getting dirty in my garden, writing, spending time with friends, and the like.  In this, I hope to slow down a bit, stop and smell the clematis, and most importantly, breathe.  ~ Mk Michaels
2/2/2015		Message: A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. Never leave that till tomorrow, he said, which you can do today.' This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say. I don't know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, I'd have to say it has a lot to do with fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, sometimes the fear is just of making a decision, because what if you're wrong? What if you're making a mistake you can't undo? The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost. We can't pretend we haven't been told. We've all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the damn poets urging us to seize the day. Still sometimes we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today's possibility under tomorrow's rug until we can. ~ Meredith Grey
		I've spent a lifetime waiting. Waiting for the right moment. Waiting for the perfect conditions. Waiting for a problem to be fixed. Waiting to be noticed. Waiting to be completed. Waiting for a sign. Just waiting. I'm done waiting. Tomorrow is but a fear-based stall tactic which may never come. My time is now and I intend to make it count. ~ Mk Michaels
1/30/2015		Message: Being strong doesn't mean you'll never get hurt. It means that even when you do get hurt, you'll never let it defeat you. ~ Unknown
		I am Mk; hear me roar. ~ Mk Michaels (with a nod to Helen Reddy)
1/28/2015		Message: I am not always good and noble. I am the hero of this story, but I have my off moments. ~ P.G. Wodehouse, Love Among the Chickens
		This life of mine is anything but perfect; I don't make healthy, home cooked dinners often enough, even with Em off at school, I struggle to get through the endless mountains of laundry most weeks, I lose my temper from time to time, and some days I want to say screw it and be left in peace so I can lounge around in my pajamas all day in spite of the fact I have a job, home, garden, and children I love. I am, most certainly, the hero of my story and I believe it is my off moments that keep me from the curse of perfection. ~ Mk Michaels
1/27/2015		Message: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. ~ Confucius
		Today, I celebrate nine years with my company. Little did I know when I started working there that I would grow into a job that I love as much as I do. The people I work alongside are incredible, intelligent, dedicated, diligent, and the epitome of everything you could possibly hope for in a team. Lucky, lucky me! ~ Mk Michaels
1/14/2015		Message: We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties. ~ Oswald Chambers
		Please include my Mom in your thoughts and prayers as she undergoes heart surgery this afternoon and in the recovery period after. Thankfully, she is is very good hands and surrounded by knowledgeable and kind doctors and nurses; I can hardly express the gratitude I have for the gentle care they are providing. ~ Mk Michaels
1/8/2014		The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. ~ Henry David Thoreau
		I continue to become more and more mindful of how I choose to spend my time for it is my most valuable and irreplaceable resource. I endeavor to live with few regrets about how and with whom I choose to spend mine. Consider, prioritize, reconsider, and reprioritize! ~ Mk Michaels
12/11/2014		I like to call in sick to work at places where I’ve never held a job. Then when the manager tells me I don’t work there, I tell them I’d like to. But not today, as I’m sick. ~ Jarod Kintz, This Book is Not for Sale
		Two days ago, I got knocked on my ample ass by a Mack-truck virus in the span of about 15 minutes. Since then, I've been laying low, resting, hydrating, and thinking. In this, I have come to a couple conclusions: (1) I make a lousy patient and (2) I don't have a lot of room in my day to day life for laying low, resting, and thinking. It takes a virus complete with a fever, aches, and hacking to force me sit still. The busy mom in me finds this to be no surprise. There is another part of me that knows I need time, stillness, and quiet to create room to keep learning and growing. Good food for thought. Thank you, virus. ~ Mk Michaels
12/3/2014		I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can't make it through one door, I'll go through another door - or I'll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present. ~ Rabindranath Tagore
		Life throws us all curve balls. Some are easily navigated and some are so big we may seem to stop breathing for a bit if only to withstand the shock. In project planning,  there is the concept of a planning horizon, the amount of time that it’s feasible and viable to forecast into the into the future when preparing a plan. In general, the length of the planning horizon is dictated by the degree of uncertainty in the external environment: the higher the uncertainty, shorter the planning horizon. Given how devastating some life events can be and how much uncertainty can accompany them, it is important to remember that most days we just can't do it all. Some days even, the best we can do is to simply remember to breathe in and out. As minor as this action may seem, it is a life-affirming choice to persevere. We may not know the full pathway to get from from devastation to joy, but by figuring out the next step, no matter how small it may seem, we are choosing to survive.  From there,  thriving is only a few more horizons away. ~ Mk Michaels
11/27/2014		Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude. ~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh (Winnie-the-Pooh, #1)
		This past year has been both the most happy and most sad of my entire life. There have been devastating losses, lingering grief, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles alongside a multitude of incredible blessings. A thread of gratitude connects it all, for what is the light without the dark and the dark without the light? It is life's trials followed by the lessons they bring with them that form our core strength. We learn who we can lean on and who is not worthy of our time and trust. We learn how to ask for and accept help. In contrast to the dark is the light; new friends, new experiences, new opportunities, new discoveries about ourselves. In experiencing these moments of exultation intermingled with despair, we realize life's fullness. As we maintain a sense of gratitude as we experience both the good and bad, our rather small hearts are expanded beyond anything we could possibly have imagined. ~ Mk MIchaels
11/25/2014		Mothers are all slightly insane. ~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
		Oh, the lengths I have gone and will go to for my children. I am willing to fight for and with my children to ensure they become the best human beings they can be. I love my children enough that I am willing to accept that sometimes, in the course of operating in their best interest, they may not like me. I have shut out people from our world that do not serve our collective good. I am fierce and true in my love and although my kids may not always understand the madness to my method, they know I have their back. Always. ~ Mk Michaels
11/23/2014		Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway. ~ Mary Kay Ash
		I don't know I can't achieve the goal of publishing a book. Hell, a little more than a year ago, I didn't know I couldn't get my writing published, but it took the encouragement of my longest, life-friend, Amy, to give it a go. A year later, I've had three pieces published. A small start, but a start all the same. Now, another encouraging friend has come along with a concept that has resonated deeply for me. Thank you, Anthony, for being a bit of fresh wind beneath my bumblebee wings! ~ Mk Michaels
11/19/2014		I think the most important thing in life is self-love, because if you don't have self-love, and respect for everything about your own body, your own soul, your own capsule, then how can you have an authentic relationship with anyone else? ~ Shailene Woodley
		If you don't truly love yourself, dont expect too much from your relationships with others. Without a doubt, you'll be looking to them for all the wrong things...and likely you'll get them. ~ Mk Michaels
11/18/2014		It is not easy, she thinks, to make your way in the world while insisting on a new path. ~ Guy Gavriel Kay, River of Stars
		This 'being a mindful adult' sh*t isn't for lightweights. ~ Mk Michaels
11/17/2014		The authentic self is soul made visible. ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach
		To reveal the deepest core of ourselves to another is, perhaps, one of life's greatest risks. It takes time, trust, courage, the ability to talk ourself off of our own emotional ledges, and a commitment to recover from unintentional missteps. To be seen, truly seen, accepted, and loved for all we are, however, is an unequaled joy, so I choose this. Again and again. ~ Mk Michaels
11/15/2014		Sometimes, you just have to stop putting coins in a broken vending machine. ~ Dot Parkel
		In time, I share less and less and ultimately stop talking altogether. ~ Mk Michaels
11/4/2015		There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. ~ John Lennon
		F*ck fear; as much as it may paralyze me in finite moments, I choose love. ~ Mk Michaels
11/2/2014		Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. ~ Steve Jobs
		Carpe diem viam tuam! ~ Mk Michaels
10/31/2014		Oh my goodness! The shiny beauty of Wegmans! ~ Scout Michaels
		Oh my goodness! This is going to be quite the big college family weekend grocery tab! ~ Mk Michaels
10/30/2014		Never go on trips with anyone you do not love. ~ Ernest Hemingway
		Upcoming ~ two trips in the next two weeks with two people I love with all my heart; could I ask for a better way to enjoy my favorite season? ~ Mk Michaels
10/18/2014		Take time to be sure, but be sure not to take too much time. ~ Unknown
		In a world in which everything seems to move at the speed of light, the best of opportunities are relative fleeting moments in which we must muster our courage and choose a path without any guarantees. I trust in my ability to figure things out as I go, so the discomfort of taking action without knowing everything I'd like to know is far preferable to running the risk of looking back with deep regret at the results of my fearful indecision. I do reasonable due diligence, try to trust my gut, and make a choice for there us nothing worse than living in endless indecision and ambiguity. ~ Mk Michaels
10/17/2014		It is clear to me that people often want incompatible things. They want danger and excitement on the one hand, and safety and security on the other, and often simultaneously. Contradictory desires mean that life can never be wholly satisfying or without frustration. ~ Theodore Dalrymple
		Hmmmm.... ~ Mk Michaels
10/13/2014		The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers. ~ M. Scott Peck
		Fear is capable of keeping me from being open to and trusting life's highest and greatest truths. In fact, I have been capable of letting my own fear cause me to act quite badly and, in this, caused harm to others. The key to avoiding this pattern, it seems, is to stay vigilant, do the work to keep my past sins and traumas at bay, stay rooted in reality so I can see life's beauty with clarity and, in this, move forward with great hope toward my future. ~ Mk Michaels
9/24/2014		With adulthood comes responsibility. ~ Mary Lydon Simonsen
		Some days, once in a blue moon, I'm just not feeling this whole 'being an adult' thing. Thankfully, it always passes by morning. ~ Mk Michaels
9/7/2014		I’ve discovered that you can’t change people. They can change themselves. ~ Jim Rohn
		I subscribe to two different life-affirming, daily meditation type emails. Typically and historically, these have arrived in the early morning hours and I have used them to set the tone for my day. A meditation of sorts. From time to time, however, and for good reason, one or both have arrived later in the day. Both have become such a part of my daily routine that when this happened, I allowed it to throw me and my whole day off. I had contemplated writing each author to object, complain, or otherwise react badly. Thankfully, I did none of these things. Instead, what I came to realize is that although I cannot control the time these daily meditations arrive, I can change my response to them. Today, I am thankful for both knowing they arrive exactly on time for what I need each day when I need it. In this, I underscore that I am the only person in whom I can affect change, the purpose of these daily messages is served, and I am open to accepting lessons throughout my days. ~ Mk Michaels
9/6/2014		Whatever you are going through, you are going through it to get through it! ~ Oprah Winfrey
		Bam! ~ Mk Michaels
9/4/2014		You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it. ~ Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
		Don't judge; you have no idea what others are dealing with. The exterior may appear fine by daylight but the worst demons are fought in the dark, quiet of night. ~ Mk Michaels
9/3/2014		Leave the world a better place than when you got here. If you've done that, you've lived a good life. ~ Dad Mastin
		Find a small kindness and do it anonymously. Help an elderly neighbor pick up the pine cones from his lawn that worry him. Build community and connection by talking with and listening to those around you at home, work, and out in the world. Volunteer regularly in whatever way you are able. Face your fears and impediments to help make yourself the best you possible. By actively seeking ways both small and large to improve yourself and the world around you, you will leave a better world in your wake. ~ Mk Michaels
8/19/2014		To be successful you must accept all challenges that come your way. You can’t just accept the ones you like. ~ Mike Gafka
		Many challenges are easy to identify; a project that requires ingenuity and stamina, a difficult physical goal, an educational milestone, and so on. In these, the challenge is to keep showing up and giving it your best until the challenge is overcome. Other times though, a challenge arrives in the form of a heartbreak or in watching the glory of a well loved garden, years in the making come to fruition. In these, the challenge is to let go, stand by, and continue breathing as you watch what you love so dearly transform into its next evolution. ~ Mk Michaels
8/15/2014		Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment. ~ Dale Carnegie
		Thanks, Dale, but I'm pretty certain my fatigue is caused by working four weeks, worth in two. Coffee, strooooong, coffee. ~ Mk Michaels
8/12/2014		There's the fatigue that you have to forget about, because the red curtain still has to rise. ~ Mireille Mathieu
		Up and at'em. It's show time! ~ Mk Michaels
8/11/2014		Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. ~ C.S. Lewis
		May we all be so fortunate to rediscover joy and the childish innocence (some may label mine goofiness) buried under our misguided understanding of maturity. ~ Mk Michaels
7/30/2014		I'll speak in a monstrous little voice. ~ Shakespeare
		As a lifelong and consumate people pleaser, speaking my truth has always been difficult. Over the years, I have come to realize that being silent and deferring to the happiness of others not only made me deeply resentful underneath my smiling facade, but was also bringing about a spiritual death of sorts in my own heart. In prioritizing other's comfort over my own and becoming consumed by resentment and anger bubbling just under the surface, I became less and less able to share what I consider to be the best of me, a kind and giving spirit. Today, I speak my truth even when it is difficult. I speak my truth even if I know it will displease another. I speak my truth diplomatically, graciously, and with some element of consideration for others, but I no longer withhold what is important to me. Today, I speak my truth in my monstrous little voice and, as a result, my relationships are significantly more healthy....as a bonus that constant knot in my stomach also seems to have disappeared. ~ Mk Michaels
7/29/2014		Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open. ~ John Barrymore
		For the millionth time, don't slam the door! ~ Mk Michaels
7/25/2014		Don't be afraid to fall in love again. Open your heart and follow where it leads you...and remember, shoot for the moon... ~ Cecelia Ahern
		Falling in love again after heartbreak may be more frightening than facing a den of lions (bear with me, I recently watched Gladiator again). Then again, the odds are better with love and you are far less likely to be clawed to death. Tell fear to take a hike, and, when the right one comes to you, choose love. ~ Mk Michaels
7/24/2014		Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh?" he whispered. "Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you. ~ a.a. milne
		Hi. ~ Mk Michaels
7/6/2014		When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. When life is bitter, say thank you and grow. ~ Anonymous
		Thank heavens that ended so this could begin! ~ Mk Michaels
7/5/2014		Once you choose hope, anything¹s possible. ~ Christopher Reeve
		Although the path from here to there may not be clear, I believe it exists. Instead of allowing myself to get mired down in the details of 'how?' I try to focus my energy on doing the next right thing. In this, a small step is taken. In time these minute progressions move me forward and, in time, I am there before I know it. I just have to remind myself from time to time, I don't have to figure it all out today. ~ Mk Michaels
7/1/2014		Being a homemaker isn't about what you call yourself, it's about what you do. A homemaker is anyone who makes a house into a home. ~ Betty Crocker (Corporation)
		Over the years, I have made my home in many places in many ways, but I have always made a home for myself and for those I love. ~ Mk Michaels
6/19/2014		Love makes you see a place differently, just as you hold differently an object that belongs to someone you love. If you know one landscape well, you will look at all other landscapes differently. And if you learn to love one place, sometimes you can also learn to love another. ~ Anne Michaels
		Having seen the Cape through another's eyes and heard stories that go back generations, there is no doubt I am leaving a piece of my heart nestled between the silvered cedar shingles and sounds of the ocean that embrace Cape Cod. ~ Mk Michaels
6/9/2014		So what do you plan to do with your wild and precious life? ~ Mary Oliver
		Live fully. Seek out new experiences, push the bounds of your own comfort, and make mistakes. Love your family fiercely, be kind, and help strangers. Read everyday, talk about important and not so important things, write even if you have convinced yourself you can't. Practice good self care, move your body, and take naps. Mostly, though, show up each and every day. ~ Mk Michaels
6/8/2014		Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too was a gift. ~ Mary Oliver
		After the initial shock, it takes some time for the layers of numbness to peel back and expose the pink, raw flesh underneath. The thing is, the process of grief is not quick and just when you think you should be 'done', you're really just beginning. Do not run from it or anesthetize too much, rather lean into it, welcome the feelings, stay present. In this, the healing can truly occur. ~ Mk Michaels
5/28/2014		The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams. ~ Oprah Winfrey
		What Oprah said. Carpe diem, y'all! ~ Mk Michaels
5/27/2014		Life is too ironic to understand fully. It takes sadness to know happiness, noise to distinguish silence and a broken heart to find true love. ~ Unknown
		There is a certain beauty in a good juxtaposition and I'm a total sucker for one. To have come to a place of gratitude for the lessons learned in the course of sadness, heartbreak, and, in time, loss is ironic and yet I would not be who I am today without these experiences. I like me, ergo I embrace the whole of me including my past. ~ Mk Michaels
5/20/2014		No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond. ~ C.S. Lewis
		I often have said I would not have come through my childhood so well without the various books into which I often escaped. In the early years; A.A. Milne, Dr. Suess, Beatrix Potter, and Maurice Sendak, to name a few. In the later years; Roald Dahl, Madeline L’Engle, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and E.L. Konigsburg. Today, as a 50 day first, I will revisit one of my favorite childhood authors (E.L. Konigsburg) by way of a book I have not read before titled “Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth.” ~ Mk Michaels
5/19/2014		Growing into your future with health and grace and beauty doesn’t have to take all your time. It rather requires a dedication to caring for yourself as if you were rare and precious, which you are, and regarding all life around you as equally so, which it is. ~ Victoria Moran
		In 51 days, I will turn 50 years old. I am truly excited about this. I suppose much of this is the unstoppable optimism with which I approach life, but also that I have never liked me more than I do today. Tomorrow, to memorialize the final days of my forties (which were tumultuous but filled with growth), I will start a countdown to my birthday in which I will do something new each and every day. I will share some of these experiences with my Facebook family and friends. Here's to taking risks (no, not skydiving...) and the adventures to come! ~ Mk Michaels
5/11/2014		Making the decision to have a child - it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~ Elizabeth Stone
		Making the decision to have children was the most momentous of my life. It was to decide forever to have my heart go walking around outside my body. Being a mother isn't always easy, but there is no doubt it is my greatest calling in life. Wishing a Happy Mother's Day to some of the most amazing mothers I know; I have learned from each and every one of you. ~ Mk Michaels
5/10/2014		To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. ~ Maya Angelou
		Mother's Day has always been one of mixed feelings for me; for the difficult relationship with my mother, for becoming, loving, and finding my stride in being a mother myself, and finally for my children still hurting over the loss of their other mother late last year. Through it all, the common thread is love; complicated, fierce, and as deep as a mother's love is. Love, the great equalizer. ~ Mk Michaels
5/8/2014		Share everything. Don't take things that aren't yours. Put things back where you found them. ~ Robert Fulghum
		I'm cool with not taking things that aren't mine and putting things back, but this sharing thing...not so much. ~ Mk Michaels
5/7/2014		Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all. ~ Emily Dickinson
		Hope, my constant companion. ~ Mk Michaels
5/5/2014		At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. ~ Albert Schweitzer
		This morning, I awoke with such a spirit of contentment and gratitude. Hello Monday; it is good to see you. ~ Mk Michaels
4/20/2014		Any fool can be happy. It takes a man with real heart to make beauty out of the stuff that makes us weep. ~ Clive Barker
		With every difficulty, trauma, or tragedy, there is always something positive and good that follows if we are open to it and look for these blessings. For me, this is a large part of finding redemption. ~ Mk Michaels
4/19/2014		[...] each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can't strike them all by ourselves. ~ Laura Esquivel
		To live life to the fullest, we need connection with others to help turn the light on. ~ Mk Michaels
4/17/2014		You know youre on the right track when you're uninterested in looking back. ~ Orebela Gbenga
		In my lifetime, I have spent so much time and energy looking back at people and things which were not meant for me. Over the years, it has become clear that looking back is not only unproductive, but creates an environment in which I miss out on the best of my now and have little vision for my future. In focusing on the joy of today with an eye toward the horizon, it becomes virtually effortless to live in the present. In this, my infrequent glances backward are filled with gratitude for the lessons of yesterday. ~ Mk Michaels
4/15/2014		I have seen the best of you, and the worst of you, and I choose both. ~ Sarah Kay
		I'd rather have authentic and real over perfection and fake any given day. The former does not frighten me and can hold my attention, but the latter quickly becomes tedious. ~ Mk Michaels
4/14/2015		Failure is so important. We speak about success all the time. It is the ability to resist failure or use failure that often leads to greater success. I’ve met people who don’t want to try for fear of failing. ~ J.K. Rowling
		Fail. Fail frequently. Do not fear failure, rather learn from it. Then go and make new and interesting mistakes. In the end, you will have accomplished more than you can imagine. It took Edison 1, 000 tries to succeed in creating a light bulb. His perspective? "I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." Well said. ~ Mk Michaels
3/31/2014		What makes us special makes us strong! Let your freak flag wave, let your freak flag fly.  Never take it down, never take it down,  Raise it way up high, yeah! ~ Shrek The Musical, lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire
		Christopher and Scout, I have decided that 'Freak Flag' is our family's official theme song; it's just so perfect! ~ Mk Michaels
3/29/2014		A pedestal is also a kind of prison. ~ paraphrased from Gloria Steinem
		There are two ways to dehumanize someone: by dismissing them, and by idolizing them. ~ David Wong
		I prefer those closest to me not be on pedestals; it strains my neck to have to look up that high. That said, I don't hesitate to give credit where it is due. If this is difficult to accept credit, it is best to breathe and know the moment will pass. ~ Mk Michaels
3/27/2014		Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends. ~ Maya Angelou
		Get outside the comfort of your own space. Be open to the people life puts in your path. Share your own experience with others when it can be helpful but also listen for the commonality of our shared humanity. Do not fear the differences you encounter, for life is made richer by them. You'll be amazed at what you learn and the profound friendships you'll form. ~ Mk Michaels
3/26/2014		They're called boobs, Ed. ~ Erin Brockovich
		Just used my boobs to get out of a speeding ticket. ~ Mk Michaels
3/25/2014		Childbirth is more admirable than conquest, more amazing than self-defense, and as courageous as either one. ~ Gloria Steinem
		Having children will bring you to your knees and lift you to the skies, often in the same moment. ~ Mk Michaels
3/10/2014		Nothing you love is lost. Not really. Things, people - they always go away, sooner or later. You can't hold them, any more that you can hold moonlight. But if they've touched you, if they're inside of you, then they're still yours. The only things you ever really have are the ones you hold inside your heart. ~ Unknown
		When something or someone leaves our lives, dig deep and trust that all is as it should be. This belief will see us through the worst of times, even when the loss seems unfathomable. Know the skies will clear and the sun will shine again time. Without exception, it will, for this is an absolute truth in life. ~ Mk Michaels
3/6/2014		I found that every single successful person I've ever spoken to had a turning point and the turning point was where they made a clear, specific, unequivocal decision that they were not going to live like this anymore. Some people make that decision at 15 and some people make it at 50 and most never make it at all. ~ Brian Tracy
		Better to have made make the decision to live fully at 50, than not at all. Carpe diem, y'all! ~ Mk Michaels
3/5/2014		The best piece of advice someone has ever given me was 'do it scared.' And no matter if you're scared, just go ahead and do it anyway because you might as well do it scared, so it will get done and you will feel so much better if you step out of your comfort zone. ~ Sherri Shepherd
		The most fearful periods of my life have been followed, virtually without exception, by the best and brightest. Pushing past the fear and being open to what may come next has always paid off in spades for me. I remind myself often: Screw fear; just go for it! ~ Mk Michaels
2/20/2014		Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. ~ Steve Jobs
		Even in the 'worst' of jobs, there is always an aspect, a task, a direction which you can make your own and come to love. It is often these, approached with a good attitude and diligence' that lead to the next opportunity and the next and the next. By approaching each role with the idea that we want to 'work ourselves out of that job', we are (a) doing great work, (b) showing our best self in our work, and (b) prepared to take on the next opportunity it comes along. I can attest this approach has proven incredibly effective in that I have never had a job I didn't come to love in some form or fashion. Having come into my current line of work 'by accident' twenty+ years ago, I can report I absolutely love my work. Something like "If a man is called to be a street sweeper..." In this, our job ceases to be work and becomes our passion. ~ Mk Michaels
2/14/2014		I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship. ~ Louisa May Alcott
		Happy Valentine's Day to me, from me! ~ Mk Michaels
1/27/2014		Whatever the present moment contains, accept is as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life. ~ Eckhart Tolle
		Life is going to out and out suck sometimes. Don't fight it. Instead, seek out the next right and reasonable step / action and, in time, the clouds will clear and you'll be standing in the bright, warm glow of the sun once again. ~ Mk Michaels
1/23/2014		She took a leap, and built her wings on the way down. ~ Anonymous
		Sometimes in life we don't see the path which leads to achievement of our goals. It is during these times that we have two choices; to do nothing or to take small steps towards the end game not knowing what action comes next. In project management they call this horizon planning. In life we call it faith. Take the leap and trust that the path will be made clear in time. ~ Mk Michaels
1/10.2014		Letting go doesn't mean that you don't care about someone anymore. It's just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself. ~ Deborah Reber
		Let go and lighten your load so you may fly. ~ Mk Michaels
1/8/2014		My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there. ~ Charles Kettering
		What we do today plants the seeds to be reaped in our future. Whatever you do, don't look back...or your rows will be crooked. Look forward, always forward. ~ Mk Michaels
1/8/2014		... each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can't strike them all by ourselves ~ Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate
		A roaring fire piled high ~ yeah, that's the ticket! ~ Mk Michaels
1/3/2014		Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must be first overcome. ~ Samuel Johnson
		Prepare yourself, then take the leap. This works out well more often than not. ~ Mk Michaels
1/2/2014		Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? ~ Mary Oliver
		Let me think about it and get back to you; I'm too busy living fully to answer just now. ~ Mk Michaels
12/19/2014		If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying, 'Here comes number seventy-one!' ~ Richard M. DeVos
		Failure simply isn't an option. Get moving, stay positive, be tenacious, do your utmost best, and watch the miracles be revealed! ~ Mk Michaels
12/16/2013		Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: 'I'm with you kid. Let's go.' ~ Maya Angelou
		Carpe diem! ~ Mk Michaels (and Horace)
12/9/2013		When you feel in your gut what you are and then dynamically pursue it - don't back down and don't give up - then you're going to mystify a lot of folks.~ Bob Dylan
		Unapologetically, authentically being me...and loving it in spite of any flack I might get about that approach. ~ Mk Michaels
11/28/2013		Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. ~ William Arthur Ward
		Let us be thankful not just today, but every day, for blessings are abundantly bestowed on us even in the darkest of times. ~ Mk Michaels
11/24/2013		Well, I looked my demons in the eyes, laid bare my chest, said ‘Do your best, destroy me. You see, I’ve been to hell and back so many times, I must admit you kind of bore me.' ~ Ray Lamontagne
		Our demons are our greatest teachers. Instead of running, listen to them, face them, take the time and actions to slay them. In this, demon-slayers lead happier, richer, and more free lives than the turtles who hide in their shells. Take the leap and see your demons as an opportunity to grow past them. ~ Mk Michaels
11/23/2013		Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. ~ Kahlil Gibran
		Love me as you would hold a handful of sand. Held tightly, gripped, and crushed, I will trickle between your fingers and, in time, disappear. Cupped gently, tenderly, allowed light and space, I can remain forever. ~ Mk Michaels
11/10/2013		It's a good idea always to do something relaxing prior to making an important decision in your life. ~ Paulo Coelho
		Similarly, it is important to recognize those times when an important decision should be deferred. If life feels chaotic, if you have experienced a major life change, or you are simply tired, take a pause. Any action coming from of that place of noise will be a reaction not a decision. Instead, breathe slowly and deeply, get outside, take a look around you both physically and spiritually, and find your center. Then, in that quiet and stillness make a choice.In this, you will be living from a place of intention. ~ Mk Michaels
10/21/2013		Fear is excitement with out the breath. ~ Fritz Perls
		So BREATHE already! ~ Mk Michaels
10/20/2013		Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes. ~ George Soros
		We are imperfect. Mistakes will happen. If we can look at our mistakes as an opportunity to learn, we can grow exponentially. When we err, if we can be kind to ourselves, courageously examine the underlying cause(s), correct the wrong done if possible, sincerely apologize if not, we cannmove forward knowing we are equipped not only to weather but also grow from future mistakes. In this, we will not only become our greatest, most authentic self, but also serve as an example to others that mistake can become a positive. Carpe errorem! ~ Mk Michaels
10/18/2013		I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship. ~ Louisa May Alcott
		Some days are two steps forward and one back. Others are the reverse. The secret is to not give up. ~ Mk Michaels
9/29/2013		The only way that you are going to succeed in your mission here on earth is to stop reacting to the majority and focus on your purpose. ~ Guru Singh
		Allow yourself the space and silence to find your authentic voice. Face and defeat the fears that conspire to silence it. Carefully select those with whom you share your time, your life, your victories. Winnow out those who would take pleasure in your failure because they are not courageous enough to take their own flight. Then, whether your authentic voice be a whisper, a prayer, or the roar of a warrior, SPEAK! Life will be better for you having contributed to the Universal conversation. ~ Mk Michaels
9/28/2013		What’s difficult in life is to stay centered when somebody does or says something that tempts us to close our hearts because their heart was closed. That is hard. But that is also how we grow. We go through those circumstances in order to evolve into people who can hold to our loving center no matter what the world throws us. ~ Marianne Williamson
		Some of us have experienced heartbreak which seemed an utter devastation, a time which made us want to stop; eating, breathing, living.    As much as these times feel like the end, and they are an end, they are also a beginning. These times, when every cell in our body and fiber of our being aches with profound loss, these times make us want to give up, are also an opportunity. It is during these times, we can experience the greatest growth. By being in a place we feel we have nothing left to lose, we are often forced to face the fears which hold us back head on....and in this, they lose their power.  During these times, let the grief flow through you, let the fear that you'll never love again enter without resistance, and acknowledge the loss. Grieve but also trust that if you remain open to the whole of life's experiences you will grow stronger, more compassionate, and more aware that good always follows bad for change is the only constant in life. The best is yet to come. ~ Mk Michaels
9/26/2013		I - Want - Peace, I is ego, Want is desire; Remove ego and desire and you have peace. ~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba
		You can't always get what you want, but most often you get what you need....usually with an even better outcome than you'd imagined in the first place. So just accept whatever comes and get on with your day. ~ Mk Michaels (with a bit of inspiration from the Rolling Stones)
9/13/2013		Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country. ~ Anaïs Nin
		Our future can exceed our wildest dreams and desires; at every step we merely need to look for the 'next right thing to do' and let go of the outcome. The latter being the tricky part. ~ Mk Michaels
9/12/2013		The LAST phase of metamorphosis when a caterpillar is making its transition to a butterfly is the darkest phase. The color of the cocoon turns DARKEST right when it is time for the butterfly to emerge. God never tells a caterpillar how long this season of darkness is going to last only that this season is a necessary one. Many caterpillars give up the struggle and die during this dark phase, never knowing the true BEAUTY and FREEDOM that comes with being a butterfly. If you are going through a dark period DON'T GIVE UP!!! Please be patient and still and know that God has already SCHEDULED your BREAKTHROUGH. The blood is about to start pumping and flowing into your wings and you will soon be strong enough to climb out of this darkness and into the LIGHT. Don't DIE a caterpillar...Your birthright is to become a BUTTERFLY!!! ~ Lakara Foster M.Ed
		It's coming. Wait for it, because you'll need those wings to fly! ~ Mk Michaels
9/9/2013		To everything (Turn, turn, turn)There is a season (Turn, turn, turn)And a time to every purpose, under Heaven ~ The Byrds (words adapted from the book of Ecclesiastes)
		Well....it's moulting season again...feathers everywhere and very few eggs. This, too, shall pass. ~ Mk Michaels
8/20/2013		There is an infinite difference between a little wrong and just right, between fairly good and the best, between mediocrity and superiority. ~ Orison Swett Marden
		Don't waste my time. Bring the best you can in the moment or bring nothing at all. ~ Mk Michaels
8/16/2013		Every negative event contains within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. ~ Napoleon Hill
		There's always a point...even with the bad stuff of life. Without exception, I am thankful for every hardship I have ever experienced. ~ Mk Michaels
7/27/2013		You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. ~ Thomas Merton
		I believe anything is possible; I need only to remain open and do the next right thing. In this, all will be as it should be. ~ Mk Michaels
7/14/2013		Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught. ~ Honoré de Balzac
		I continue trying to make sense of the bi-polarity in our legal system, separating and being thankful for the good of it and seeking out what to do about the bad in it. ~ Mk Michaels
6/19/2013		Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts. You have to remember this when you find yourself at the beginning. ~ Sandra Bullock as Birdee in Hope Floats
		Yeah. That. Pay attention. ~ Mk Michaels
6/2/2013		“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?" "I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.” ~ a. a. milne
		Hydration...it's what's for breakfast. ~ Mk Michaels
5/27/2013		Gardens... should be like lovely, well-shaped girls: all curves, secret corners, unexpected deviations, seductive surprises and then still more curves. ~ H.E. Bates, A Love of Flowers
		I like gardening....I mean, really really, like-like gardening. ~ Mk Michaels
4/26/2013		True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new. ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
		Happiness is a new load of mulch in the back forty. ~ Mk Michaels
4/23/2013		Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. ~ Lao Tzu
		You know that feeling you get in the morning that says 'everything is going to work out exactly as it should'. Yeah that. ~ Mk Michaels
1/31/2013		The wait is long, my dream of you does not end. ~ Nuala O'Faolain, My Dream of You
		C'mon coffee pot, brew baby brrrrreeeewwww!! ~ Mk Michaels
1/29/2013		I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. ~ Ruth Stout
1/29/2013		What Ruth Stout said... 48 days and counting. ~ Mk Michaels
4/4/2011		Some men dream of worthy accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them. ~ Unknown
		In other words, carpe diem ya'll! ~ Mk Michaels
2/27/2011		All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar. ~ Helen Hayes
		Building upon the love, lessons, and labors of years past, this year's garden is going to be the best it has ever been. ~ Mk Michaels