Peace

Peace can be found in the strength of our good choices.

Do you know those moments when your whole heart feels full? Those have been too few and far between lately, but yesterday I felt that again. It felt refreshing, soul-healing and peaceful. I felt in the moment and warm, even though the sun was setting. I went inside and took a nap and when I woke up, my body was rested.

Words

This will be short, as it's after midnight and I have work tomorrow, but I've decided to become an amateur etymologist, a student of words. I will study the "30 Days" vocabulary book and I will also read one page from the Dictionary every day. I think this will be fun as well as instructive.

Zest and it's Synonyms

I thought this would be an fun entry, it's from my favorite books, The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale.

zest, n. 1. relish, spice, tang, flavor, seasoning, savor; twang, zing, zip, Inf. pizzazz, Inf. ginger, edge; pungency, piquancy, bite.

2. gusto, elán, animation, zestfulness; life, spirit, zip, Sl. oomph, Sl. kick; glow, warmth, soul; vivacity, Fr. joie de vivre, liveliness, lustiness, robustness; alacrity, delight, joy, gaiety, spiritedness; exuberance, exhilaration, elation, heartiness.

zestful, adj. 1. piquant, pungent, spicy, nippy; hot, peppery; tasty, toothsome, savory, delicious, luscious.

2. vivacious, vivid, frisky, brisk, hearty, zesty; energetic, vigorous, Inf. full of pep, Inf. peppy, Inf. full of get up and go; lively, full of life, animated, invigorated; exuberant, Inf. full of beans, Inf. feeling one's oats.

I grew up in one house. We moved to it when I was four, and when I was in the fifth grade, the 13th and 14th members of our family finally joined us, Sarah and Melanie. When we moved it was hard to leave what seemed to be the 17th member, the house itself. But sitting here in my sister's house tonight, watching my mom put a beautiful wedding cake together for my brother's reception tomorrow, I feel the same feeling here as I used to growing up in our old kitchen. So it's really not where you are, it's how much you love those you are with.

I am 100% guilty of wishing to be perfect in order to enjoy life more. I think if I could just be more patient, or more loving, or have a better body, ect., ect., ect., then life would be at it's fullest. Nothing could be further from the truth. Enjoying life is about loving it despite it's faults, and loving myself with my faults. They make me who I am now, and when they trip me up, the only thing to do is to get up and keep trying. Trust me, I've been one of the ones who decided that the dust was a lot less humiliating then falling down into it again, but I think that was becasue I had the wrong perspective. When I failed at something like school, or saying the wrong thing at a party, and everyone saw me, I thought more of my own ego then about being an example. I still do it on occasion, but I'm happy to say those times are few and far between. I find much more Joy in life when to find it is my objective.

Introduction

The only way to truly conquer my enemies is to learn to love them.

Thinking this past week on the phrase "finding out who you are" I came across a thought that lit me up. Everyone seeks to find oneself because we inherently know that we are something amazing. If we could just find out what we are, we'd find something worth being. I will not try to cover myself up anymore with "stuff". I will try to be who I am. It's an adventure everyday, and one notwithout perils, the sleepy advocates of self-satisfaction are always at my heels. But life is amazing, I want to be the leading lady of my own story. So here goes, dig in your heels readers, you are about to experience my zest for life!