Where there is Inspiration, there is Passion

"The trick is to just follow your small moments of curiosity. It doesn't take a massive effort. Just turn your head an inch. Pause for an instant. Respond to what has caught your attention. Look into it a bit. Is there something there for you? A piece of information? For me, a liftime devoted to creativity is noting but a scavenger hunt - where each successive clue is another tiny little bit of curiosity. Pick each one up, unfold it, see where it leads you next. Small steps. Keep doing that, and I promise you: The curiosity will eventually lead you to the passion." -Elizabeth Gilbert

Some people have blogs for hair and makeup tutorials, fashion inspirations, weight loss/fitness tips or some other mind blowing tips or tutorials. I'm far from creative in those regards; however, my love, my passion comes in the form of writing. My inspiration for my writing comes from the things I encounter in my life, whether that be a life experience or a quote that I come across that moves me.

I keep this little journal full of quotes that I have found that inspire me or resonate with my soul. It is rare that a day goes by that I don't write something down in it. I use it not only for my writing, but for comfort, advice or simply just to gain perspective or peace of mind.

It is said that actions speak louder than words, but sometimes the right words can make all of the difference.

What Pulls At Your Soul?

“What in your life is calling you? When all the noise is silenced, the meetings adjourned, the lists laid aside, and the wild iris blooms by itself in the dark forest, what still pulls on your soul? In the silence between your heartbeats hides a summons, do you hear it? Name it, if you must, or leave it forever nameless, but why pretend it is not there?” — Unknown source 

Life. Life is a series of events that teach us more than we could ever imagine. Life is not simple; it is complex. We go through the motions every day and we live, we survive, we persevere. There is something that keeps me grounded, that makes me feel peace and understand my purpose. What pulls at my soul are those with meaning and depth. I talk frequently about nature and the sky both of which pull at my soul and speak to me. The sky has meaning for me that life exists beyond our grasp, beyond our comprehension. The sky is a place that I know will always be there, never straying although always changing. The sky and nature remind me of life in which there is light, dark, greatness, peace; there is hope, beauty, fulfillment, knowledge and things unknown. How can something like that not speak to your soul?

A Sunset Story

“It was sunsets that taught me that beauty sometimes only last for a couple of moments, and it was sunrises that showed me that all it takes is patience to experience it all over again.”

            -A.J. Lawless

Every fall and winter morning on my commute to work, I am greeted by the most incredible sunrises. The mountain views combined with the glow of a new day has always made my heart happy and my soul at peace. The sunrise reminds me that this new day is a gift and ought not to be taken for granted. 

Lately I have struggled with this realization as I have been pushed and tested to my limits. My heart has been broken with the recent loss of my Aunt so close to the one year anniversary of my Mom’s passing, coupled with drama and toxicity from my extended family. Some days I feel like my emotions cannot take any more distress, and then I remember that sunrise; that sunrise that almost always takes my breath away. It is then that I remember that I can no longer be discouraged and allow inferiorities and inadequacies based on the opinion of others to consume me, for the universe saw fit to give me a new day, a new sunrise, a chance to start fresh and begin again.

Staying grounded

I came across this quote recently on Instagram:

"The secret is to never lose sight of the simple, everyday miracles in life. Good food, literature, laughter, music, compelling conversation, nature, and art. Look for them in every day, and even when it feels like your whole world is unravelling, you will never be too far from a needle and thread".

Last year was a tough year for me. I lost my Mother due to an unexpected heart attack and then battled depression, anxiety and insomnia.  The hard part of the experience was losing sight of the things that mattered to me, however large or small.  I started taking things for granted and then it hit me one day: there is so much beauty and wonder in this universe, I need to wake up and enjoy it rather than bringing myself down and staying down.

I found that being in nature was the best cure for my soul; that finding new music that I enjoyed and could relate to on some level, relaxed my soul and eased my mind; that having meaningful and deep conversations helped to open my mind; that taking photos of anything beautiful helped me look for the beauty in every day. While these things may seem small to some, it all helped me put my life back together. It has been almost a year since my Mother passed and I am starting to feel like I'm getting back to myself again. I am not 100% but I am getting there slowly.

To find hope, solace, peace and happiness in life's everyday miracles is one of the most profound feelings to which I vow never to take for granted again.

Welcome to My Blog

My name is Kari. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt. I have a congenital heart defect and a pacemaker but I am not weak. I am kind, forgiving and love unconditionally but I am not a pushover.  I am not easily offended but I don’t tolerate disrespect, abuse or the inconsideration of others. I take my role as a wife and mother very seriously and my family is my priority. I am a fighter, a survivor, a dreamer, a romantic; however, I am not perfect and have my own failings. I struggle everyday with depression and anxiety and yet I persevere because I must. Writing helps me fill the voids in my life. It is in this expression that I reconnect with myself and feel peace. 

Sometimes I just sit and think. I think about where life has taken me and where life will lead me. I marvel at the sky, the vast unknown that beholds the immensity of the universe. In such a phenomenal space, we observe such greatness, such splendor. It is in this wonder that we find ourselves, our purpose and our grandeur. Our lives are filled with happiness, disappointments, triumphs and trials and we continuously push through the bad to get to the good whenever possible. We learn, we grow and we shape our lives with every experience. We are imperfect but not easily defeated. In these experiences, somehow the universe knows just what we need at any given time; it shows us just how beautiful life can be anywhere on the horizon.