Merci M. Matisse!

It is Friday.  July is more than half over.  I feel a bit of panic.

Empty  flower pots sit on my patio waiting for flowers and dirt which sit abandoned beside them.wp-1469225892925.jpg

The shelves in my pantry groan under boxes and jars crammed helter skelter.  I did not take a photo as I did not want anyone to go blind!

File folders piled on the floor of my office wait for me to sort, shred or toss the contents. Remind me again.  Something about the 80-20 rule?

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Work projects, unread books, unread and unanswered emails, Facebook,Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest, WP blog posts… all crowd my brain competing for attention.

I beat myself up.  Something I would scold you for doing.   But, I am a master at this, thanks to years of practice.

Then too, I feel bad because I am not staying in the moment.

It’s a double whammy.  I suffer for what I have left undone and for feeling guilty rather than being “comme ci, comme ca”  or “que sera sera” !

How did I lose the mindset that I enjoyed in Cabo, the Florida Keys or France…leisurely lunches on lazy afternoons, sleeping in…?

Oy vey, ach du lieber Gott, mon Dieu…  A double whammy!

Today is Friday and the week is ending.

Up at 5:30 A.M., I promised myself to “move the ball down the field” before the day ended.

This morning was a time of busyness but not of getting much done.

Yoga early at the gym for a quick namaste, work, appointments until 2.

The clock was ticking.

Starving, I stopped at Zupan’s  Market on Macadam for a grab n’ go lunch from the deli.

Trying to save time, make time, use my time wisely.

Hurrying out of  Zupans,  I saw another wonderful handwritten sign in their flower department.*wp-1469220475433.jpg

I took this picture and had a lovely conversation with Brittany, a Zupan employee, about Henri Matisse.

I relaxed.

My day of busyness stopped.  I came back to the moment.

Thank you, Henri Matisse for bringing so much beauty into our world.

Thank you Brittany and  Zupan’s for reminding me of that beauty.

It is good to get things done.

Yet, at the end of the day and the end of my life, it is how I worked and lived everyday that matters the most.

In a world that seems to be going up in flames of violence and that is often ruled by  greed, selfishness and brutality, it is good to remember that life is good and that there are flowers.

I believe that our lives are richer when we take the time to look for them.

*Deep in Their Roots…

46 thoughts on “Merci M. Matisse!”

  2. I’ve been feeling like this too. Then when I read the quote, I actually took a deep breath and relaxed. I’m telling myself to live in the present. Enjoy this amazing, hot summer day. Take care of a few things I need to do, then go enjoy the outdoors with my daughter. Thanks Lori! Have a great weekend 🙂

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  3. ugh! you reminded me that I have genealogy reports to run and pics to copy so I can burn them to CDs and mail them to my cousins. I’ve only been putting it off for …. a while.

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  10. After all the senseless cruelty and violence it is very important that humans with sensitivity and hearts of LOVE take the time without ‘pressure’ and simply BE in their days. Doing and being are such opposites one leads to pressure but BEING reminds each one of us that our lives, our LOVE our contribution to the lives of ‘others’ can enrich their day. Look at the flowers and pass their beauty and perfume on to all. Thank you for your blog if and ‘whenever’ you post. xx

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  11. I entered a comment a few moment ago but It seems to have disappeared so I will simply now express appreciation for the post and thank you Lori for your sensitivity and beauty in these days of such darkness and unrest. Being in each day is so much more important than ‘doing’ as long as love is shared to others. It is now our only way to live. Blessings and the hope to see you keep on blogging but not as a ‘have’ to but simply as a part of life flow. You voice is both beautiful but needed.

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    1. I am so glad! I find that connecting with others on my blog and otherwise can often supply the inspiration/comfort/insight that I need. We are all on this journey of life together. Have a great weekend.

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  13. So, so very lovely, Lori–you and your post 🙂 The ongoing challenge of finding the beauty in troubled times is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit…thanks for sharing….you are appreciated so much 🙂

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  14. Thank you Lori, for your kind wisdom and sharing it:). As you started listing all your undone jobs, my stomach twisted in guilty sympathy – me too! And then you showed the quotation and while I’m getting increasingly allergic to pavement-puddle thin pronouncements along the lines of ‘just dare to dream and all will be okay’ – this one REALLY did speak to me… Have a lovely week-end!

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    1. I agree with you about the “just dare to dream….” kind of pronouncements. They substitute fairy dust for work, thoughtful living, planning, & introspection.
      I hope your weekend is lovely too. I am taking my dog for a very long walk this morning.

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    1. It is amazing how often I have to “relearn” this important concept. I am glad that my post helped you. Your blog helps me to slow down, connect and appreciate the beauty in life.

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  21. Gekonnt geschriebene Gedanken über die Zeit, die uns oft davon eilt. Wir müssen der Zeit bewusst den Raum geben, um trödeln, verweilen und träumen zu können. Es gilt, diese Augenblicke
    bewusst zu erhaschen. Tja, weniger ist oft mehr.
    Danke für M. Matisse.

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  22. That’s well-put, Lori. We do ought to enjoy being in the moment more, as well as look out for the beauty around us. Thanks for reminding me! I hope you find a way to get your work/chores sorted that works for you 🙂

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  23. My eyes and mind only sees what I haven’t done. Then guilt creeps in on me and if I’m not careful, I can go into self-loathing.
    I’ve been shooting for more of a balance life lately.
    When I wake up I ask myself what I would like to do today. I don’t make any weekly schedule just one day and one task at a time.
    Meditating have been helping me with my focus.
    Now when I see work I haven’t done it doesn’t knock me off my emotional block as much.
    Vernon

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  25. Well said. This post could have been written about me. Or at least the panic I often feel when I haven’t answered my emails or messages. When I haven’t checked for angel dates on Facebook. Thank you for reminding me to slow down and not stress. Have a good rest of the week. Hugs.

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    1. My week is going full steam but I have let go of a lot of the pressure so that I am enjoying life again. Thank you for your kindness. I hope your days are going well! Hugs!

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  28. Pingback: Love more… – Lori Greer in Portland

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