It amazes me how quickly weekends go.. So here we are winding down this Sunday and getting ready for a new week. I am looking forward to this new week, the temperatures are getting cooler and it's enjoyable to be outside during the days. I am looking forward to working in the yard and getting things prepared for fall, one of my favorite times of year. It's been a great weekend we managed to get a lot done and have a lot of fun too.. Carly and I went to the late show and seen Karate kid, it was an awesome movie, definitely one I am going to have to purchase. Kasey and Carly and I went shopping today at one of my favorite stores, Lotus.. Kasey was looking for a set of oracle cards and I was sure deserving to get a new moldavite stone to replace the one that I had lost. I learned a lot about my 'disappearing' stones while I was there and I am glad that I was able to hold on to the one that has kept 'trying' to get away. We found a few other items while we were there as well. Carly of course wanted anything and everything in the store even if she didn't know what they were for..lol so I allowed her to pick a 'couple' of her favorite items and lovingly put the rest back in it's place..

The past few days have presented some learning opportunities and some opportunities for me to make some difficult decisions, I learned and grew from them and know that these things do happen for my highest good,even though sometimes it takes a long time before I truly see how they work out for me, so I am grateful for these opportunities to present themselves. I have for as long as I can remember, declared that I deserved or wanted respect from others, however I often times accepted less.. much much less. So for the last few years this is something I have really been working at and embracing in my life, ironically it's been difficult to define, sometimes it's not black and white or I am so involved emotionally that I turn a blind eye to it. So the Universe yet again gave me another opportunity to declare what I would or would not accept..and this time I chose to receive respect..not only from others but from myself, for me "respect" has many meanings, denoting both a positive feeling of esteem for a person and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Rude conduct I also consider a great indicator of a lack of respect.. On a practical level it seems to include taking into account someone's feelings, needs, thoughts, ideas, wishes and preferences. I might also say taking all of these seriously and giving them worth and value. Giving someone respect is valuing them and their thoughts, feelings, boundaries etc. In fact giving someone respect includes acknowledging them, listening to them, being truthful and accepting their individuality and idiosyncrasies.. As I see it respect is something that is earned and if someone doesn't respect my feelings they don't respect me. That can show up and has (especially in the last few days)in so many ways, disparaging, denunciation and criticism, and sadly from someone who claims they Love me. It was difficult to end this friendship/relationship however I seen patterns that kept repeating themselves even with the vow of it "never happening again". So as painful as it was, it was time for me to finally walk away, leaving such heaviness on my heart. I know that all is well for me finally taking this stand and for respecting myself and I feel so much better for doing it even though I had hoped it wouldn't have had to go this far. I can only trust that this person looks at the opportunities our relationship brought for them and see the amazing opportunities to grow and learn, I know that these opportunities have and will continue to serve me well. Perhaps a close and honest look at things will provide even more opportunities to learn for them. I truly am grateful for them and want nothing but absolute health and happiness for them. I would have loved to of remained friends, but boundaries continued to be crossed and it was time for me to draw that uncomfortable line in the sand. Regardless of my difficult decision, I still and always will Love them.

Ironically "respect" or lack of respect was showing up for the kids as well, I suppose our family meeting Saturday was when the 'light bulb' started flickering for me. The universe was really starting to get my attention.. So with my wonderful lessons this weekend I look forward to this new week and am happy to say BRING IT ON!! Love you all.. and remember honor yourself, cause to honor yourself is to love yourself, Love is one of the most powerful energies on the planet. We are born with Love in our hearts, and it lives within us all. But some of us put so much focus on finding love and approval "out there" that we never get a chance to truly develop it within ourselves. We look for it in our external world-- from our parents, partners, friends, bosses, new people we meet and people we admire. If any one of them disappoints, devastation follows.

When we love and honor ourselves we find balance and when we find balance that is when the magic begins.

To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.. One secret I am thrilled to of figured out!!