Finding my Purpose.....are you ready????

Last year, as I was unemployed, I was deep into soul searching. I also was on my 80th day of a 100 day project where I was dedicated to painting everyday. I realized I really missed selling, more then I appreciated having the time to make something everyday. Because, in the end I just accumulated 80 things that I didn't know what I was going to do with. Then the lightbulb went off, and I realized I really needed a purpose. So, once I started back to work, I felt so much better. Especially, since part of my job is organizing events, and selling a brand who is collaborating with so many good companies and causes. Today, at Vera Bradley in Freehold Raceway Mall, I have organized an event to thank our first responders, nurses, teachers, medical workers and military. It is not just a reminder of the 15% appreciation discount we give every day. But, it also is a one day only discount of $20 off a $75 regular priced purchase. And, we have a sale on our recycled cotton. Most of our bags will be made with recycled cotton made from water bottles. Also, I am working on invites (anyone reading this is invited) on a special shopping event on May 6th to benefit Mary's Place by the Sea in Ocean Grove. It feels really good to have more of a purpose in life. I hope to see you at one of these events. If you can't come in person you can always call the store with an order. Song of the Day: Mary's Place by Bruce Springsteen Quote of the Day: “The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose.” – Charles Dickens

Healing Comes

It is Good Friday and Passover. No matter what you believe whether it is angels passing over houses with messages or in the death of Christ. I am praying not just for me today, but for everyone on this planet. I pray for our healing as we approach the end of holy week and the approach of Passover tonight and Easter on Sunday. I pray for all who are non-believers. For the first time in my life, we as the world are all healing from something we all have in common now, it's called the pandamic. Yes, I am healing from major losses. I also have close friends and family healing from illnesses. But, I think life has taught me I am no better then anyone else. So, why should my healing be any different. Thank you to Martha Beck for writing the book: Way to Integrity and finding the path to your true self. I was up in the middle of the night and saw a facebook post with her latest Podcast. I listened to this Podcast: Healing Comes and listened to the song it was about. It made me go to sleep with a clearer vision of what this time in our lives is like. And, it is not just me that needs healing it is every single one of us. Believe it or not, that is the most comforting thing someone could tell me right now. In other words it means : I AM NOT ALONE. I work today and tomorrow and hope to experience JOY in every sense of the word on Easter with family and on a day off. Even if circumstances make it so I am alone. I will look at a sunrise a whole new way, I will inhale the rich salt air, I will listen to the ocean whether it is rough or calm, I will walk in the sand and feel the ground beneath me, and I will find some way to laugh out loud even if no one hears me. Because, I am thankful I am alive. I am grateful for every second of my sixty two year life. And, I am thankful to anyone who reads this. Quote of the day: "For last year's words belong to last year's language / And next year's words await another voice. / And to make an end is to make a beginning." T. S. Elliot Song of the Day: Come Healing Leonard Cohen

Morning Has Broken

This song we sang at our eighth grade graduation from St. Catharine's in Spring Lake, NJ. It was a surprise by many of us when the song was picked by the nuns for us to sing. I always got the feeling they didn't like our class very much. But, this song made me feel the feels and just made me feel like we were onto something good. It made me feel hopeful, as if my future was bright. It was 1973 and music was upbeat and happy. I remember Crocodile Rock by Elton John, Joy to the World by Three Dog Night and anything by the Beatles was played on the radio a lot. I started buying 45's with my own money. My first 45 I bought was Dizzy by Tommy Roe, which came out in 1969. We had variety shows full of musical talent, the Monkees and the Partridge family full of music of the times. Plays like Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar were making the Broadway scene. It was all pretty happy music, I paid attention to. This morning as I face three days off from work, I tried to find something to write about. And, I am trying to face time getting away from me. I think when I don't write, it goes by extra fast. I am facing the "big move" and all of my "stuff". And, hope to be done by Friday. I was up early enough to enjoy the sunrise, but it just wasn't calling my name. Lately, I try to get as much sleep as possible. But, if I see the golden glow against a dark sky, I can't wait to get out there and have some time to reflect. Yesterday, my friend and I, who greets the day the same way, got to chat a little. We decided we like the morning sky much better with some clouds in it. When there are no clouds, there is no mystery. But, with clouds there are more ways to reflect the sunlight. Also, I find once it does rise, I have a hard time looking at it because it is too bright. But, it is always a good time to just sit and be thankful another day has begun. This morning I thought of making my instagram stories all with sunrise pictures with a song. And, I decided to use the song Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens. And, just started thinking of the words morning has broken. And, I don't think I would use that expression for morning. The sun has risen, good morning, or good day are expressions I would think of. But, today morning has broken. I still feel so broken, since this whole thing started with the break up of my marriage. These next three days will be the final days of material things the last forty years of my life have brought me. It is a sad time for me. But, every sunrise brings new days with astonishing good feelings. It actually scares me. Sort of like that eighth grader leaving elementary school and getting ready to enter high school. So, clear sky or cloudy sky, I am ready to face what is ahead for me. Quote of the day: “What I know for sure is that every sunrise is like a new page, a chance to right ourselves and receive each day in all its glory. Each day is a wonder. ~ Oprah Winfrey Song of the day: Morning Has Broke by Cat Stevens

The Butterfly has Landed

I have started a month long move into my studio apartment. It is a burden to have to do this. It also is a blessing at the same time. This time of my life, I should be traveling lighter and more carefree. I can't really do that with the amount of things I own. Everything I own has been moved into a room in a house that I don't own anymore. So, on my days off I am sorting through it all. And, the first thing I am working on is the setting up of my creative space. Yesterday, I saw a post on Where Women Create's site. It was #internationalfindtherainbow day. I decided my colorful stained glass window is my rainbow. And with that came the idea of starting a new instagram site to post about my space and eventually about my art and writing journey. I wanted to use the name "butterfly wrestler" as I was referred to once. I love the name because of it's feeling of the gentleness of a butterfly. But, the butterfly is strong in it's journey from caterpillar to butterfly. So, that is where the title of this post came from. My new site on Instagram is @greetingsfromgeralyn, because butterflywrestler was already taken. As, I started putting everything in it's place, time was flying by. I was meeting friends to go see the movie CODA, which I highly recommend. There are two scenes where the song she decides to sing is Joni Mitchell's song: Both Ways Now and it was making me feel all the feels. I got a good cry in (not happy that was in public). But, I could hear others were emotional too. Joni Mitchell was so young (she was 23) when she had all of these feelings about being in a relationship and seeing things another way. It just felt so relatable, but I heard that song many times when I was young and it didn't really strike a chord. I felt back then it was a sad song. But, reading the lyrics as it was sung, every word just hit me hard. I truly loved the feeling, and had to include the song today. The quote I included is from John Lennon and it makes me realize that I am coming to terms with everything lately. Quote of the day: John Lennon: “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. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.” Song of the day: Joni Mitchell Both Ways Now