Honored Spaces

02/19/2026

A gift that keeps on giving, dear Readers, but 1st we must plant then tend to the baby sprouts!

02/18/2026

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Good Morning dear Readers! I count 25 "being" opportunities in today's post. Are there any that are tugging at your sleeve, saying, "Pick me!"? What would you swap out in exchange for something more, YOU? Today is a great day to begin!

Gratitude for the little things always ✨🤍
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❤️

02/17/2026

(retro post 12/22)
Happy Tuesday dear Readers.
There are 9 attributes listed in the poem below. That is more than enough to let your heart and intentions light upon, at least one per day, and a bit more when you are ready for a bonus or two. Patience, peace, hope, humility, kindness, confidence, focus, freedom and love. What an amazing rest of the week this can be! ❤

"Patience visited me
And it reminded me
That good things take time to come to fruition
And grow slowly with stability
Peace visited me
And it reminded me
That I may remain calm through the storms of life
Regardless of the chaos surrounding me
Hope visited me
And it reminded me
That better times lay ahead
And it would always be there to guide and uplift me
Humility visited me
And it reminded me
That I may achieve it
Not by trying to shrink myself and make myself less
But by focusing on serving the world and uplifting those around me
Kindness visited me
And it reminded me
To be more gentle, forgiving and compassionate toward myself
And those surrounding me
Confidence visited me
And it reminded me
To not conceal or suppress my gifts and talents
In order to make others feel more comfortable
But to embrace what makes me, me
Focus visited me
And it reminded me
That other people’s insecurities and judgements about me
Are not my problem
And I should redirect my attention
From others back to me
Freedom visited me
And it reminded me
That no one has control over my mindset, thoughts and well-being
But me
And love visited me
And it reminded me
That I need not search for it in others
As it lies within me."
Words by Tahlia Hunter
Artwork by Jungsuk

02/16/2026

Friend Sue Thompson shared an introductory article in the NY Times on Feb 14th, about dealing with the stress of our current world situation(s). Of the several specific talking points that stood out for her, she listed this one, and I SO agree, dear Readers:
" . . . there’s one quote from the world-renowned neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett that I come back to over and over: ***"VIGILANCE IS METABOLICALLY EXPENSIVE.”*** It will wear you down and make you useless to the cause.
So what’s a responsible citizen to do? How do you counterbalance the drain of constantly standing guard? The answer is simple: ***SEEK MOMENTS OF WONDER IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE. AWE INSPIRED BY NATURE, ART, OR THE FEATS OF (HU)MAN(KIND) IS JUSTIFIED***
Athletics is one place to turn for short, restorative respites, and we’re conveniently right in the middle of the Winter Olympics. Punctuate your outrage and resistance by beholding the beauty of devotion, faith and dogged effort. ***LET'S BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHERE WE PUT OUR ATTENTION AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEDIA DIETS INCLUDE WONDER.***"

As we trip and skip on through this brand new week, friends, where will your counterbalance be set to? Being wowed by the beauty of nature that surrounds you( especially when you are intentionally looking!)? The arts, be they the budding artist with you, or a child, or those of the found in museums or on stages, varieties?
Your platter can be your personal endlessly inspired buffet of choices. You get the gist, here.

The main point is counterbalance! If our hyper-vigilance is " METABOLICALLY EXPENSIVE" we must and we GET to create with a healthier vigilance. Choose on...intentionally resetting your nervous system's awe-factor response. PS: Having fun while resetting, gets you extra joy and release!🥰

Graphic image: Artist unknown, but appreciated

02/13/2026

" When we say something that nourishes ourselves and uplifts the people around us, we are feeding love and compassion. When we speak and act in a way that causes tension and anger, we are nourishing violence and suffering." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Happy "Galentines" Day to my special gal friends and Happy Friday dear Readers. May you begin your weekend with kindness to self and others, thus creating a firm foundation for that brand new week ahead, just waiting in the offing for you to lay your impressions upon it. Here's to feeding love and compassion, because as you know, "what we feed, grows!" ~ ❤ ~

02/12/2026

Being willing to unravel and even begin to seek realignment are the labor pains preceding the (re)birthing. Following our own soul's purpose will always bring rebirth! Carry on dear Readers, but do allow your process to begin!

02/11/2026

Dear Readers, it has been said that 'The danger is not that the soul should doubt whether there is any bread, but that, by a lie, it should persuade itself that it is not hungry.'

Jack Koernfield writes "...Compassion reminds us that we DO belong, as surely as we have been lost.
Always remember to put your trust in compassion and self-love [for we cannot effectively love others unless we know how to love ourselves].
In developing compassion start exactly where you are, whatever your situation. Having compassion for your own humanity and your struggles is critical. Let yourself sense a wish to live with greater kindness. Hold your own fear and shame with compassion, and let this practice open you to better self-care and [thus] to greater tolerance and kindness for others."

02/10/2026

Where is your 1/2 way point, dear Readers? Have you reached that point of not pouring yourselves endlessly out? A reminder that we cannot pour from an empty vessel anyway, but that you are worth not going dry to begin with! This could be a most worthy goal for us all in 2026. Imagine if we all met each other half way?
* NOTE* read the rest of this post from Choose Yourself, at the bottom "see more".

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This is my reciprocation era—the season where I no longer pour endlessly into people who only sip when they’re thirsty. I’ve learned that love, in any form, should feel balanced, not borrowed. I no longer chase replies, force conversations, or beg for presence. What I give now is intentional, and what I accept is honest. If the effort isn’t returned, I don’t argue—I simply adjust, because my peace is worth more than proving my value to someone who already sees it but chooses not to show it.

In this era, I honor my heart by matching energy, not overextending it. I still love deeply, but I love wisely. I show up where I’m met, stay where I’m appreciated, and step back where I’m taken for granted. This is my reciprocation era—where self-respect guides my choices, boundaries protect my softness, and I finally understand that mutual effort is not too much to ask, it’s the bare minimum.

— Balt

02/09/2026

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Yes, I'm dreaming of Spring, this morning, Dear Readers, even though our Olympic Mountain range desperately need a healthier snow pack for our county's summer water supply! The dandelion has a pre-spring lesson for our current winter days, and reminds us how they are "living indicators that can guide us" toward our own improved emotional and physical health. Besides, we NEED support ASAP, right?
PS: did you know that the word Dandelion means, in French, and aptly named or it's leaves by the French, dan de lion...teeth of the lion!

Marlon Amorin writes in, 3 Sacred Dandelion Wisdom Teachings That Transform Your Garden (And Your Life) -October 9, 2025:

"Perhaps the most remarkable lesson dandelions offer is their response to damage. When cut, stepped on, or chemically treated, they don’t just survive – they often come back stronger. This phenomenon, called hormesis, shows how moderate stress can actually improve resilience.
Throughout history, humans have recognized dandelions as powerful medicine. Every part of the plant offers healing properties: the leaves support liver function, the roots aid digestion, and the flowers provide antioxidants. Traditional healers understood that plants facing constant adversity often develop the strongest medicinal compounds.
This teaches us that our challenges aren’t just obstacles to overcome – they’re opportunities to develop wisdom and strength that can help others. Just as dandelions transform difficult growing conditions into healing medicine, we can transform our struggles into sources of wisdom and compassion.
In practical gardening terms, this means reconsidering our relationship with so-called weeds. Many plants we try to eliminate actually indicate soil conditions that need attention. Dandelions often appear in compacted or nutrient-poor soil, serving as living indicators that can guide us toward better garden health."

"Dandelion"

02/06/2026

May your journey into the weekend bring you on unexpected paths, joy-filled and ready to receive and give encouragement, dear Readers! 💛✨💛

02/05/2026

Just setting this here, dear Readers. My commentary is not needed today, for I am learning along side of you all! ❤

"No one told me
it would be like this—
how growing older
is another passage
of discovery
and that aging is one
grand transformation,
and if some things become
lost along the way,
many other means show up
to bring me closer
to the center of my heart.

No one ever told me
if whatever wonder
waits ahead
is in another realm
and outside of time.
But the amazement, I found,
is that the disconcerting things
within the here and now
that I stumble
and trip my way
through, also
lead me
gracefully
home.

And no one told me
that I would ever see
an earth so strong
and fragile, or
a world so sad
and beautiful.
And I surely
didn't know
I'd have
all this life
yet in me
or such fire
inside my
bones."
~Susan Frybort~ With gratitude for this Soul Deep Poem
Image credits, unknown, but greatly appreciated!
HS retro post 8-2023