Brave Heart, Brave Soul. She who is brave is free.

                        Sometimes we put up roadblocks, shutting down all the easy roads to us. I know I've been there a time or two myself. It’s easier to close ourselves off than deal with the noise and commotion around us. It’s not that we’re ignoring the havoc or don’t see the chaos. We simply need silence. I know when life hands me lemons I need to slow down and be still. But mostly I just need time to figure it all out. So, the barriers go up. I steal myself away until I’m ready to make lemonade.  Truthfully, it takes time to get yourself right. To sort it all out and accept where you are. That’s the key though really. Accept then act. None of us should force things. It only leads to more upheaval. Nothing happens overnight. And the art of making a great pitcher of sweet lemony goodness starts out with a bunch of sour lemons.   Hurt and pain don’t just wash away. Happiness just doesn’t show up and...

Ever wonder why? Just sit down, scratch your head and say out loud “why, just why”? Many times if we wait long enough or hold on for one more minute, maybe two, we can figure out what’s going on and why. Unless of course it’s going to be one of “those” kinds of days, the wait a minute vine days, the grab you by the neck, you have ring around the collar days. You know the kind of days I’m talking about, those throw your hands up in the air, palm to the face type of days? Ya, those unexpected moments when the unknown fills the room and completely suffocates you? There’s literally no explanation available. Nada, zip, negative, nope, no go amigo! So there we are, just a big huh. It’s about then it sinks in, the reality there’s suddenly an elephant in the room and it’s your job to find a way to move this 15,000 pound hot mess along. Can I tell you I’m there right now? Life lesson #21, always expect the unexpected! I have to be honest; I’m a little scared, somewhat afraid, just ...

We have all heard the old saying, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Well what happens when life hands over the deed to a lemon tree grove? You get busy opening up a lemonade stand is what you do! That’s exactly how I see this journey breast cancer has led me on. Not much you can do when you have lemons taking over your life right? Well you can do something more than juggle lemons around and that’s a fact. Life can seem crazy, out of control and at most points in our day largely overwhelming. But just because life may appear beyond our control does not mean we do not have a say in how we slice and serve up those sour lemons it’s presented us with. The key is to size them up and to figure out how you are going to put them to work for you! The thing is you're not going to get around them, it's all in how your plan makes use of them in your life! Now when cancer came knocking on my door it was not the first time life had shown up with a basket full of lemons. Life h...