Feelings of Wonder

My religion is nature. 

That's what arouses those feelings 

of wonder and mysticism and gratitude in me. 

-Oliver Sacks

                                  Photo taken at Lake Ethel, Derry, Westmoreland County, PA last week.

Wow, sometimes, life just slaps you upside the head! Usually just when things are looking up, along comes reality and down you go again.
Shaun had said that his back hurt a little over Christmas/New Years.  Well, Sunday, he went to the ER to get checked and ended up being sent to UPMC.  His body is rejecting the kidney.  They are trying some treatments to stop the rejection and only time will tell.  It may be a month before we know if it is stopped and how much damage has been done.

Did a little bird watching today! (Latrobe Reservoir, Pond on Monastery Drive at St. Vincent's)

First bird list of the year:
1. Hairy Woodpecker
2. Northern Cardinal
3. Blue Jay
4. Black Capped Chickadee
5. White-breasted Nuthatch
6. Tufted Titmouse
7. Dark eyed Junco
8. House sparrow
9. White Throated Sparrow
10. Mourning Dove
11. American Crow
12. European Starling
13. Canada Goose
14. American Coot










15. Mute Swans
16. Mallard
17. Common Loon
18. Red Tailed Hawk
19. Great Blue Heron
20. Song Sparrow
21 Muscovy Duck- Pierre

Emerge

Have you heard about "One Little Word?"
You can read more about it here: https://aliedwards.com/projects/one-little-word

I decided to give this a shot this year and EMERGE is my 2015 One Little Word!

e·merge (ĭ-mûrj′) intr.v. e·merged, e·merg·ing, e·merg·es

To move out or away from a surrounding fluid, covering, or shelter
To come into view/appear.
To become conscious.
To become known or prominent after being in obscurity
To come into existence/appear

Strength and resilience emerge by your own will to become a better person no matter what downfalls happen in your life...be your own hero.S

Some of the most creative ideas emerge from a swirl of chaos.

Step out, trust yourself and allow the path to emerge. Change starts within, where you learn to trust your intuition, and then change happens around you. You intuit your next steps and before you know it the future has become a very present reality.

“Today I am someone different. Today I have finally become who I really am.” ― C. JoyBell
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My thoughts on this are that I want to emerge from the shadows, to become more a part of the world at large. I would like to grow in my creative life- photography, etc. Travel, wander, adventure would allow me to open up my world. Fly, soar, change, grow, shine, transform, stretch- all words that connect (at least for me) to emerge. To become more open to trying new things is also something I am looking forward to.

Instead of New Year's Resolutions (to lose weight, eat healthy, make my bed every day, blah, blah, blah), I am going to emerge from the unhealthy habits, transform my unorganized home, stretch my boundaries, change my routines.

Some of the things I am looking forward to:

- participating in a "Pay it Forward' initiative
- traveling to visit friends
- reducing my To Be Read list
- continuing my journey to become more healthy
- organizing my genealogy files
- taking my camera off the auto setting
- become a more active participant in the clubs I belong to and maybe join a few more