Counting My Blessings

This picture was taken in January of 2022. I was approaching the new year of 2022 with faith, hope and love. These were words that all have new meaning for me, this year. But, struggling through, I am able to see where those words come in to be able to see a future, positively. Without those three words in your life, you are stuck. The last thing I want, ever, is to feel stuck. I want to continually feel I am learning and moving forward in my journey. And, this year I am going to make a right turn and get right back on my journey to joy. It is alright for me to look back, from time to time. But, it is most important for me to look forward and onward. I have some ideas of what my journey to joy will look like. And, I have a month and a half to come up with a plan. I hope to pick a picture from each month in 2022, to tell a story of what I am most thankful for this year. I am thankful for people, places and things. People who have listened to me, places that have comforted me and my things. Oh God, my things. What a guilt trip my things give me! But, as I unpack each and everything I have carried along the way, I am thankful for the stories they tell. An example, is just finding a bookmark. But, it tells me something I really need to hear at the moment. Or a picture of me with my brother and cousin, Babs. They are both gone now, but the picture was from when I first opened my shop on Cookman in Asbury Park. I don't feel as sad when I look at all the pictures, now. The job of going through them is overwhelming. But, they are all in one place, and I have room to organize them all, now. My family's history is up to me to tell it's story. I want my children's memories to be something they want to remember, but most of all treasure. This was a lot of responsibility to put on me, during a time I was still grieving the loss of my mom. But, some how, having all this loss at once. It is making me want to move on quickly. Fall, is a time of loss as we watch the trees become barren. But, we know keeping faith, hope and love. Spring will be here before we know it, with the rebirth of new fresh leaves. And, in abundance.....I want the feeling of abundance of love, again. Love is a feeling and it is all around me, even if I am physically alone. Quote of the day: "Don't Cry Because it is over. Smile because it happened" Dr. Seuss Song of the day: Better Days Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes