For YOU, with gratitude…

I was 16 when I was given my first camera, it was a Nikon FE.
One of the first things I did with it was to try and capture a drop of water
hitting a puddle.
The puddle was left over from a rain, but the drop was all mine.
I had an eye dropper, a release cord , a tripod and about 6 rolls of film.
( does anybody remember film?)
I spent an afternoon, with ferocious intensity, trying at first to get the drop
right before it hit the water, suspended in air.
Then I was focused on the moment it connected with the water,
that indented dimple, that moment of impact.
At 16 it was all about that single drop of water, and capturing it.
I never paid attention to what else was going on, just reseting for the next effort.
Now, here I am some 30 odd years later , camera/computer in hand
focusing all my intensity , not on the drop, but on the ripple.
I suppose that a great many of us reach a point in our lives where we sit back and look at the evolution of our lives.
The shifting focus and the way somethings change so much, and yet still stay the same.
The great connectedness of our thoughts actions and emotions.
My 16 year old is right now focused on the drops, he sees all these incredible gifts,
all this generosity, but he doesn’t see the ripples.
He can’t trace it back to the drop hitting the water.
Can I hope that some day he does? I want to lecture him so badly, and say “SEE?!! all your actions, all your thoughts, all your deeds have far reaching effects. Some you will see, and some you will never know. Choose wisely!” but I resist. I know that glazed over look he gets when I soap box.
lol
So instead I will soap box to you, dear soul that has stumbled here, to my little corner of the uniVerse.
I can not begin to tell you, the effects of your kindness, your generosity, your just being there, and being real.
These are things, simply things made with love and the best of intentions.
What you do, by giving and receiving and sharing, are the real gifts.
The actions that ripple outward and encompass the world in care. The spiral that circles inward and outward, that connects us
and gives us Hope.
Thank you….
from all of us here in the shack in the woods.
A most heartfelt Thank YOU.
The spiral starts with these:





from our home.
Then these from those bright and loving souls who are making even more ripples in life’s pond.
From the enormous heart of terri St. cloud over at Bonesigh arts
http://www.bonesigharts.com/
A collection of her books.

which you can read all about here.
From Robin Rice,

Three 50-minute sessions with Robin Rice, internationally published author and mentor to women leaders around the globe. Robin mentors in authentic living, no matter what your career, passion, or lifepath. We will meet the first three weeks (one session per week) in February. Intend to bring a longstanding dream or issue–something that, if met, would change not only yourself, but trickle down to the people your life touches.
From Deb Booth at http://www.differentlightstudio.com/
this DVD

and this book

From polar
http://2polar.wordpress.com/
something sweet

from Carol
A personnel fairy tale that weaves a story for someone who wants to look at their life in a whole new way.
http://www.storyweaving.com/
From Camille Olivia at
http://www.joyzachoice.com/


a wickedly clever boot bird feeder and
this wonderful book:

The radiant and talented Miss Harlequinn
http://missharleyquinn.wordpress.com/
has so generously offered to knit a scarf for your pleasure! Your choice of color!
Deb Durant at http://unrelentingambiguity.wordpress.com/
who is an avid cyclist , and dedicated heart of gold has offered this incredible photo:

with links to the significance of peacocks here.
Miss FireByrd has so generously donated a poem, written especially for that person
and a tarot reading
The very talented artist Brandi
at http://www.dandelion-studios.com/

has offered these wonderful affirmation cards:

Mary at http://mellington.blogspot.com/
has given us her take on wisdom and donated this gem of a book:

Kim,a generous friend at http://midwestmusings-kim.blogspot.com/ , has donated a Masai bracelet , your choice of one of the colors here.

Darling Mel at http://melsdream.blogspot.com/
has put her art/heart into these lovely holiday pins!

Surface Earth, the heart and soul has offered up your choice , either cards or a t-shirt from her shop here:
http://www.cafepress.com/surfaceearth
so go and check out her whimsical designs.
Mig, the fairy tale photographer , has offered one of her photo’s ( you know I asked her not to donate one I wanted..and then I realized I will always want them all …sigh) http://letouttoplay.wordpress.com

The multifaceted and many talented Ms. Cordie B, has so generously offered
a personnel print
a personnel poem
and a calendar for 2009, her own awe inspiring creation I might add!

from Karen at http://www.square-peg-people.com/BodyImageHelps.html
(2) copies of “Choosing Me! Finding Comfort, Joy and Beauty in the Me I am NOW”
an MP3 audio!

Leanne from http://thestitchingroom.blogspot.com/
Who is a wonderful seamstress and a closet professional photographer,
has offered a set of her photo cards, they have this lovely image on them!

From Deb at http://www.bellpineartfarm.com
this wonderful figurine!!!

From Coral, this inner “sigh” You can find her here at http://standstillandknow.blogspot.com/
or here http://isurvive.org/ that helps adult survivors of abuse…. it is an amazing spot on our web

From Bimbimbie at http://bimbimbie.blogspot.com/
a little rainbow bird! sure to bring smiles and rainbow magic!
From ISLTV a feather from heaven herself,at http://woundupandreadytoplay.blogspot.com/

If there is a gift I missed, or if there is a last minute one, please feel free to drop me a message in the comments.
( or email me at 11sorrow@gmail.com)
So now we come to the last little bit.
These gifts are for you.
There are no strings attached, and everyone who has participated is willing to ship them to where ever you are at.
All you have to do is just leave a comment, it can be a simple as thanks, or wow. If you do not have a blog, you can leave it as an anonymous , but you have to put your email address in, so when you win, I can let you know! and you can tell me where you want it shipped.
Everyone who comments will be eligible to win any of the gifts, your name will go in the bowl for each of them, but you can only win one! ( drats I know)
So here is where I ask YOU for something.
please
pretty please
with sugar on top.
spread the word.
Let everyone you know, not only the blogging community ( which is grand ) but friends and family.
Let’s give everyone we know and opportunity to see what Love can do, to know as I have so humbly found out, that people really do care, and that even the smallest act of kindness, can do great things. Let’s let them all have a chance to be gifted by the kindness of a stranger.
Thanks to you
from my heart, from my families heart,
you have made a difference in our little corner of the Verse.
and we are better for it.
Names for the gifts will be drawn on the 20th. I understand that most will not reach their destinations by the holiday, but they will be like belated blessings ( something my dear neighbor and friend calls them)