Today's Picture to Ponder Photos
A Green Cay Wetlands tree trunk

It's been a while since I've featured, what to me at least, is a playful photo, one in which I see one or more faces. This one kept calling to me that it wanted to be with you. The face, I know is somewhat distorted, with long eyelashes on the eye we see on the right as we face the photo and no lashes on the left.

Many nostrils, or separate noses, are there. The smile is small and I declare it genuine.

For those who are accustomed to "beautiful" photos as the featured ones in Picture to Ponder, I invite you to check out the Phalaenopsis Orchid, now in my collection, by clicking on ORCHID. I did have it set up in the issue and found that visually and aesthetically the two did not work well together.

The Story
Today's stories and queries are somewhat separate from the photo, though I could probably make a connection if I wished. I choose not to, though you are welcome to make one or more if you wish.

I am currently in a few courses to start off the New Year. In the LIVE FABULOUS NOW course, which I mentioned in earlier issues, one of the recommendations was writing on "My Perfect Day." I found myself stuck, especially since it's difficult for me to, yet, describe a "perfect" one without Sam, though he has been gone for over a year.

Today I was a little more enlivened and found a post on an old blog of mine. It resulted from two different classes with Julie Jordan Scott, one of the BEING NOW (below) facilitators.

Though it was written in September of 2005, I was quite moved by what I wrote and even put it up on a separate web page. Although a lot were dreams with life with Sam, there was a large segment of what I wrote that I am will now be able to use for empowering me. You can read the whole of what I wrote on DREAMS - VISION. You can even listen to me as you travel down the page.

For this issue of Picture to Ponder, I've abstracted out and am listing what is relevant in the present. My intention is that what I wrote might also spark something in you in your life.

I wrote:

Right now I dream of peace and ease.

I dream of communities of people interacting purposefully and with love. 

I dream of people making discoveries and being excited by what they do. 

I dream of having, being in a close knit community, with friends who energize and excite me and themselves. 

I dream of books not yet written, 2 at least, though I know not what they are. 

I dream of being famous, for what I do not know. 

I dream of connections - people being connected for whatever they need. 

I dream of a clutter-free environment, of a staff to tend to all of our needs - cooking, cleaning, organizing.

Then, in an article-writing class during that time period, Julie gave a final prompt for one of our sessions, "THE GIFT I GIVE TO MY READERS IS . . ." and I wrote,

"The gift I give my readers is the opportunity for them to discover the richness in their worlds,

the beauty of what's in their physical spaces,

the visions they have, perhaps as-yet unknown, in their souls... 

the words, the tools, the ways of interconnecting to their selves and to each other,

the people in their lives whom they've met and not yet met. 

The gift I give to my readers is the beauty of knowing and believing in themselves. 

And, I'm reminded that in 'mission statements' for jobs in varying fields there was always some form of "supporting/empowering people in believing in themselves." 

It's who I be in my actions.  Is it a Vision?  A Dream?" 

Today's Self-Reflecting Queries
Do you have a written statement of your dreams? If not, I invite you now write them down. It is said that the more that we express what we want, the more that we attract it.

I invite those of you who wish to be public, to post your dreams, vision and/or purpose in the COMMENTS section of this Dreams/Vision/Purpose post on the BLOG.A window will open, asking for your name, email address that will NOT be published, a URL if you have - Your name will be linked to that
and a box with space for you to "Leave a Reply" will be there to type in your response. Then remember to click on "Submit."

Lastly, I invite you to look at your GIFTS. You may not be publishing books or ezines AND I know that there are one or more roles which you are playing. I invite you to answer for yourself, and perhaps share,

"The GIFT I give to myself, my community and/or my world is...." I actually invite you to pluralize it. Thus "The gifts I give to.... are..."

It would be great to have you also then list your gifts in the comments section of the blog! Please do.

As always, have fun with this and have an outstanding year ahead.

******

Three Programs I invite you check out - I am  participing in all three.

The Comfort Queen's 2009 Virtual Retreat facilitated and hosted by Jen Louden includes 15 sessions with different known experts. Among those that are intially of most interest to me are: "Getting Centered", "Overcoming Money Fear", "Overcoming Emotional Eating" (Gineen Roth-host) and "Overcoming Procrastination." Fortunately, since I will be away during most of the sessions, all will be recorded .

42 Days of Passionate Presence led by Julie Jordan Scott Adela Rubio. A lot of who I am today, and what you experience here in Picture to Ponder, results from courses I've
participated in facilitated by Julie. I did a couple of rounds of 42 Day Writing and 42 Day Discover your Passion programs a few years ago, as you have seen above.

Those writing experiences, as well as a few of her writing
teleseminars, are what opened me up to the potential
of myself as a writer. Adela, too, was an active participant in those programs. She also facilitated a few other programs in which I participated and experienced growth.

Both are special women. 42 Days of Passionate Presence started this morning, Jan. 7 with calls recorded and an active onnline community. See BEing Bootcamp for a description of the course and its bonuses, all of which are being gifted to you.

VIP Inner Authors Circle , facilitated by Shelley Lieber, a membership program with monthly teleclasses, MP3s of them, many bonuses, including a signed copy of Shelley Lieber 's 4Ps to Publishing Success: Get Your Manuscript Off Your Desk & Into Print, a step-by-step workbook to guide aspiring authors through the publishing process.

There will be interview with expert calls and coaching calls each month as well as a lot of other information during the month. See Authors Circle for full details.