in conclusion

something else is about to begin.

a year has pass since I began my random fortune project. my original goal was to spread a little wisdom through gentle words of kindness, courtesy and tolerance.

but it really evolved into, oh my, this amazing experience.

I have learned realized quite a bit about myself. and others. at times exploration. at times a whine trail. at times discovery. it took some twists and turns. sometimes focused. sometimes meandering. but very satisfying. very satisfying indeed.

I thought I would leave you with some random thoughts. tidbits. miscellany. notions and snippets. a random list of inspiration. I thought I could read back through 52 posts and pick out my favorites. garner wisdom. pass it on. but in truth I cannot. ‘life is a journey’, she says in all earnest. wholeheartedly.

so ends my time at omijuki. but if you want to follow my adventures please visit me at at magnolia’s end. and thanks again for traveling along. and listening. and understanding.

peace.

fifty two

planning exactly what you want to happen leaves no room for the magic of what’s meant to happen.

I am a planner. I am a list maker. and a crosser-offer. and an over-thinker. not an over-achiever. I like to be thorough. and creative. and inventive. at times simple. ordinary. extraordinary. but at times it is just best to let things go. happen. materialize. mesmerize. that is so easier said than done.

there is wonder in those things you pull out of a hat. random. unexpected. wonderful.

a touch. a nod. a meaningful glance. a by-chance meeting. a knowing smile. a plan that comes together. and even those that fall apart.

and isn’t that what it is all about? magic.

peace.

fifty one

taste your words before you spit them out.

it is a privilege. a blessing. to have a friend(s) that I can talk with without reservation. I have those friends. and I am using them more and more these days. it is comforting. consoling. reassuring. to talk. to listen. and be heard.

it is freeing to talk without fear. just in love. with my wholeheart.

my words and conversations can be sweet. and bitter. and a combination of both. but I treasure those that allow me to be on both the giving and receiving end.

and I admit that sometime I spit. spatter. choke. swallow. but sometimes I sing.

peace.

fifty

the clock talks loud.

now that I’m working I find the days pass at an even greater rate. no moment is free. and I eagerly look at my diary to see an empty line. hour. day. and finding an entire blank page. oh heaven!

but I am loving my new schedule. even with the shortness of breath. how is it possible to get more done in less time. to my ownself, you are a recovering procrastinator. and I treasure my to-do list. and find great satisfaction in my done-list.

I am very happy at this very moment. busy. full. content. supported. positive. I continue to want. wish. dream. for things out of reach. but given time, they are surely within my grasp.

peace.

forty nine

listening is the beginning of prayer.

I believe that God gives.

He gives us one another. He enables us to find those special people that bring joy. hope. satisfaction. contentment. love.

He gives us strength to hold on. keep up. wait. move forward.

He gives us patience. kindness. grace. humor. tears.

He gives us ability. emotion. communication. dedication. tolerance. forgiveness.

all those things start with listening. inside our own heads. hearts. outside with arms open wide.

He gives us a choice. I choose love.

peace.

forty eight

one cannot think crooked and walk straight.

in the Tao of Pooh I found a few life lessons.

things are as they are.
everything has its own function. when you know and respect your own inner nature, you know where you belong. you also know where you don’t belong.

recognize what’s there.
we all have certain limitations and we know what they are. act accordingly. there’s nothing wrong with trying, but there can be lots of things wrong with blindly trying to do what you aren’t designed to do. that doesn’t mean we need to stop changing and improving. the wise know their limitations.

act smart.
we don’t know everything. we don’t really need to know. recognize the inner nature. work with things as they are.

follow the way of self-reliance.
recognize who we are. what we’ve got to work with. what works best for us. we will discover things we don’t like about ourselves. then we can decide what we want to do with them. do we want to get rid of them completely? change them into other things? or use them in beneficial ways?

the wise are who they are.
work with what you’ve got. do what you can do. each of us has something special. there are things about ourselves that we need to get rid of or change. we do not need to be too ruthless or combative. along the way to usefulness and happiness, many of those things will change themselves and the others can be worked on as we go. but we need to trust our own inner nature and not lose sight of it. inside each of us is something special, and that we need to keep.

peace.

forty seven

praise the bridge that carried you over.

I’ve mentioned several dozen hundred times how I find inspiration on beautiful blogs. my no-negativity friend wrote today about inspiration that she found in the form of a little ruffle-swimsuited, floatie-adorned girl, swimming with her father. I wanted to share a snippet from her post.

however, I do have God and I have gratitude. if there is a secret to the universe it’s gratitude. gratitude is the grown up version of plastic water wings. it will shift you out of a negative mind set quicker than anything I know, so while I was putting on my make-up I counted all the ways and all the people who love me. I listed the many blessings in my life, the innumerable ways God shows his love for me. I filled myself up with gratitude for the way things are right now, just as they are until I was bursting with it and off I went.

let us be grateful. gracious. inspired.

peace.