Goodbye to 2011

This is the last entry for 2011 -

it's hard to believe it's the end of year.

Today, I want to focus on 

what's been my biggest realization in 2011.

Life isn't easy, and it's not supposed to be.

Elements seem to always be juggling…

but one of the consistencies has been,

my core relationships with family,

friends, and the love of my life.

It's a balance I never achieved until this year.

It could be because maturity,

destiny, countless other reasons -

but more than that,
it happened because it's a balance I chose.

Life flashes around quickly,

it changes, evolves, it shocks us...

it's mostly out of our control.

Therefore, the little control

I do have has been best used

showing love and appreciating those I love.

In return, a level of peace

I never imagined walks with me today.

I am most grateful for this -

for love, and for hope.

Thank you and goodbye to 2011.

May 2012 be a blessing to you all,

and thank you for supporting

Thoughts of a Butterfly.

~Shirley 

Love Sets You Free

Love like there is no tomorrow.

The barriers of doubt and insecurity 

are barriers to your truth.

Remove the layers,

and be who you really are…

let your light illuminate your path.

Fear keeps you in the dark…

love sets you free.

Time

A few more days

and a new year will start.

It’s pretty amazing

how time really does fly.

I remember growing up

while the adults would say

"don’t grow up too fast!"

But hearing those words

only made me want to do it faster.

I get it now.

There is innocence to childhood-

one that can’t be recreated as an adult.

But the memory is strong

of being carefree and happy…

I cherish this memory

and am grateful to have experienced it.

External Change

Sometimes internal changes

need an external existence.

It's hard to remove oneself

from certain environments.

And even when mentally 

you are no longer connected,

being around the same

will only bread the same.

Let go of it all.

Even the thought of being too strong

to be effected by drama.

Unconsciously, drama plays a role

whether we see it or not…

Change, though difficult at first,

will create the transformation

your heart maybe longing for.

What's Ahead

Today, I give thanks for being here...
breathing, appreciative,
and for choosing to see love
as much as I can.
The biggest gift this year
was the experience.
I'm most grateful,
and look forward to what's ahead.

The Beauty of Life

The beauty of life,

is life itself.

The ups, the downs -

the whole experience 

is beyond special.

Each moment leads to the next,

and when you look back,

all the experiences 

have weaved your quilt of life.

It's your life, and no one else's.

Love it, embrace it, be grateful to it.

If you are reading this today,

thank you…

and may your holidays

be a blessing.

Embrace

Today is a day to live in the moment.

Simplicity in uncomplicated.

if I feel love, I will say it…

if I feel like dancing, I  will…

if I feel like laughing hard, 

nothing will stop me.

Whatever the moment is,

I embrace it.

Mystery

A little faith can go a long way.

We don't always know why certain things happen -

they just do, with or without our concession.

Life is a big mystery.

I've learned once I let go of "control"

(which is not easy to do)

a certain fluidity 

walks with us in our journey.

The more faith I exude daily,

more compassion and love flourish.

This connection inspires me

to be my best and to do my best…

and while life is a mystery,

there is no mystery in knowing,

the blessing in having life at all.

Regret

So what if I feel regret?

Does that means it's wrong?

Am I ungrateful to some capacity?

What about all those people who say,

they don't regret anything...

everything happens for a reason,

therefore regret is unnecessary.

I'm not judging, but I may not agree.

Regret isn't bad…

for me it means being emotionally aware...

things may have been different

but certain decisions, both good and bad

may not have been the right decision

(whatever right is).

That's okay.

Regret has worked as a sort of radar for me.

Its made me more alert, appreciative -

its made me wise to all the layers going on

at any given moment.

Regret has taught me to forgive,

understand, and put myself in someone else's shoes.

I don't regret regret.

For me, it has connected me 

to some major breakthroughs as a person.

Nature

Today, I will focus.

I will pay attention

to how wind blows,

how skies move,

how trees give us oxygen,

the beauty of a gentle stream...

Little things that easily get overlooked,

will get my full attention.

Nature is unequivocally 

tied to human existence…

and today I want to appreciate it.

Someone

What's the point of feeling love

if fear holds you from articulating the depth of it?

Actions speak louder than words...

and while this is true,

sometimes words confirm or bring clarity to feelings.

If there is someone in your life,

someone who has helped you,

someone who took the time to be there for you…

someone who made you feel love,

someone who may have just listened…

tell them how grateful you are.

Life is a gift and your words could be the gift,

someone needed to hear.

The Sun Will Come Out

My favorite movie when I was a little girl was "Annie"

I could watch that movie two, three times a day...

Mind you, this would happen day after day.

I'm sure I drove my parents and brother nuts.

What has stuck most about this movie,

was when she sung "the sun will come out".

Something about how she sang it,

who she sang it with, the whole experience felt real.

I'm in my 30's now, and these worlds

still ring true in my head.

No matter what happens - the trials and tribulations,

the sun always does come out.

Does This Mean Failure?

Sometimes what you hope for 

doesn't happen.

Does this mean failure?

No.

It means you experienced, 

learned, grew and gained wisdom.

You never know where

life experiences will take you.

It's life for a reason -

you can't plan it perfectly…

it all comes together 

in it's own organic way.

Not Sure if You Know

I've met many people in my life…

and there is no one quite like you.

Your humor is unparalleled,

your commitment to real is unreal…

your loyalty is hard to come by.

Do you know what else I love,

I love your ability to laugh at yourself,

your willingness to look deeper than meets the eye,

your ability to assume accountability 

and to just say sorry if you need to.

More than anything,

I love your fighting spirit…

your passion for life, purpose, love 

and for truth.

Your spirit inspires, excites, and 

is just simply beautiful.

Thank you for being you.

You Still Tried

There are moments 

you feel like giving up.

Don't.

A turn of events 

can bring the tide your way…

and if it doesn't,

you still tried.

It's Normal

It's normal to feel frustrated,

confused or a bit unsure…

but it's not healthy to stay 

in this frame of mind.

If these emotions are there,

accept it and see it as a sign -

you are seeking change.

Change is tricky,

because it doesn't happen overnight,

or perfectly as it occurs in the movies.

Gain solace in knowing

it usually always works out...

and sometimes you surprise yourself 

by doing something 

you didn’t think was possible.

Just Is

In an instant, life can change..

change can occur by your choice,

or a certain inevitable fait.

Either way, the change has to occur.

This isn't always easy to accept,

understand, like or embrace…

it sometimes just is.

Signs from the Part

There are certain things that happen,

either obvious or subtle -

but these things can be signs.

Perhaps a moment occurs

that seems very unassuming to others,

but means a lot to you.

Hold on to this moment, 

and don't diminish it.

It might be years before it makes sense,

but one day, it can come full circle,

and you will know what you need to do.

Someone Else

If you're having a bad day,

do something kind for someone else.

That's all you can do sometimes.

Your indifferent day 

doesn't have to flow without purpose.

Maybe that's the point of your bad day -

to get you to stop thinking about yourself,

and help someone else.

Somedays…

Somedays are just a little grey,

despite the best intentions.

It's ok…it's life…

it can't always be a bed of roses.

Nonetheless, it's an opportunity

to see the not so good, and make it better.

Seeing your own flaws 

means you are human…

Learning to let go 

and be compassionate with yourself,

maybe the lesson you're meant to learn.

Simply Being / Simplicidad de Ser

I'm happy to say, I've reached a goal.

And that goal has transformed into accepting,

I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

There is no pressure, unrealistic emotions, or competitiveness…

there is just simply being.

If there is something I'd like to accomplish,

I accept it but recognize,

the lesson is in the journey, not the outcome.

Life doesn't work on a schedule or plan…

life happens in between all the moments 

we're doing what we think we need to do.

Removing the layer of expectation,

allows me to live more in a flow...

the way I believe God wanted it to be.

Estoy feliz al decir, alcancé una meta.

Y la meta se transformó en aceptación,

estoy exactamente donde debo estar.

No hay presión, emociones poco realistas, o competencia…

solo existe la simplicidad de ser.

Si hay algo que quiero realizar,

lo acepto pero reconozco,

la lección está en el camino, no el resultado….

la vida no trabaja en horarios o planes 

la vida pasa en medio de todos los momentos,

nosotros hacemos lo que creemos se debe hacer.

Removiendo la capa de expectativa,

me permite vivir mas fluente...

la manera que creo Dios quiere.

Each Breath Is a Gift

I've reached a point,

where I hear all the voices in my mind - 

and I can discern where they are coming from.

This isn't an easy task,

and I'm not on 24/7 -

however, I've tapped into an ability

to understand, observe, then react.

I share this because,

this wasn't always my story.

For years I felt condemned to misfortune,

bad luck, the short end of the stick…

but I accept all of it, because it was my journey.

What has changed is my perspective.

Had I not experienced bad,

I wouldn't know what good is.

Everyday is different,

but gratitude and appreciation deepens

as I understand...

each breath is a gift.