LUGGAGE Lady

Contemplations about Life, Love, & the Pursuit of Meaningful Existence…

Archive for the tag “culture”

04 Jan 2015
26 Comments

Be the Difference

BetheDifference

“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” — Marcus Aurelius

♥ ♥ ♥

How different my days unfold when I share a kind word, carefree laughter, and positive stories. When I pause to lend a helping hand, listen to another, or support whatever causes I can. When I choose love instead of vying to be right!! With so many uplifting options, why — oh why — do I ever choose behavior that depletes my spirit?

And so…

My New Year’s Aspiration is to be:

Focused on present moment

Shunning negativity Realizing

Whatever I deem the world to be withholding

I already possess

Abundance swelling my heart

Gifting me with endless benevolence

Abandoning ego

Remaining judgement-free

Appreciating earth’s unmitigated beauty

Sincerely listening

Speaking only if my words add value

Observing more

Learning

Growing

Loving

Mindful that a smile means the same thing all around the world

Doing everything in my power to

Be the difference…

♥ ♥ ♥

Luggage Lady is off to Cuba!!!! My husband and I, along with 20 others, are participating in a “people-to-people cultural exchange” as we sail along Cuba’s gorgeous coastline, visiting Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Cayo Largo, Cabo San Antonio, and Havana. I promise to return with photos and stories. In the meantime, I wish you ALL a blissful 2015 filled with untold blessings!! 😘

(*photo from trip to End of the Road Kalapana, Hawaii*)

Posted in Adventure, Gratitude, Greater Good, Inspirational, Life, Philosophy, Photography, Poetry, Reflective, Society, Travel and tagged , , , , , , ,
21 Jul 2013
27 Comments

Together We Flourish — Divided We Flounder

Dolphin Always! (5)

Sensationalized reporting

Sweeping generalizations

Inflated sentiments

Morph into disconnect

Isolation

Bitterness

Fear…

Channel after channel

Each attempting to eclipse the other

Competing soundbites trying to sway

Yet, in the real world

I observe a much different story

I see

Folks joining hands

Working tirelessly

Building cohesive families

Earning honest livings

Looking out for their neighbors

Volunteering

Mentoring our youth

Goodwill extended every step of the way

And my admiration skyrockets

The camaraderie of upstanding citizens

Impassioned spirits merging with loving intent

Has always been the glue binding our communities

We don’t need anyone to decipher this for us

It’s ingrained in the very fiber of our shared humanity

Together We Flourish — Divided We Flounder

Posted in Family, Fatherhood, Government, Gratitude, Greater Good, Inspirational, Photography, Poetry, Political, Society and tagged , , , , , ,
25 Aug 2012
1 Comment

Travel’s Lingering Grasp

 

Travel's-Lingering-Grasp-Luggage-Lady-Blog

Wisdom and appreciation accumulate, obliterating preconceived notions and expanding one’s senses with each new venture. A foreign land brings endless unknowns, quickly leveling the playing field. Ego is stripped away. You may be a successful (fill in the blank) in your homeland, but here? Here, you are just an explorer with curiosity as your compass and the incredible opportunity to delight in the spirit of the world’s populace.

Travel has bestowed timeless gifts, the magic of each journey leaving a permanent impression on my soul. I’ve experienced unparalleled hospitality, cultural pride, generous smiles from impoverished strangers (selflessly offering the one thing they could), unwavering determination, majestic landscapes, unique sounds smells and flavors. I’ve been catapulted thousands of years backward in time, touring churches, castles, palaces, museums, and ruins. History lures me beneath her vast wing again and again, a humbling reminder that we are mere transients whose stories unfold far too fast.

 

Posted in Adventure, Inspirational, Life, Life Lessons, Photography, Reflective, Travel and tagged , , , ,

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