“There are always moments when one feels empty and estranged.
 Such moments are most desirable, 
for it means the soul has cast its moorings and is sailing for distant places. 
This is detachment -- 
when the old is over and the new has not yet come. 
If you are afraid, the state may be distressing, 
but there is really nothing to be afraid of. 
Remember the instruction: 
Whatever you come across -- go beyond.” 
― Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.” ― Rumi

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” 
― Thich Nhat Hanh

I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.” 
― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl


For me, as I have said a million times over, photography is where one of my joys lives. I will not call my latest endeavor artful or artistic - I will call them light sketches. Light doodles.

This evening the lighting was fading fast as I was cleaning years of dust and stories off of a little perfume bottle: Eau De JOY JEAN PATOU Paris. When I finished I placed it near our kitchen window, noticing how soft the air was. Even though my boys can be JOYfully excitable and fantastically loud, in my head it was silent for five minutes - an oasis of nothing and everything all at once. We don't have any form of cable or rabbit ears. When I zone out, from time to time, it is not in front of a television (although we do watch movies) it is behind my camera. While it is in my hands, that is where everything makes sense. Yes, that is where some of my joy resides. 

And it makes me smile.

“Just breathe. Ten tiny breaths … Seize them. Feel them. Love them.” 

― K.A. Tucker, Ten Tiny Breaths

When I look for items, I go by three personal choice criteria:

 1) Is it vintage (at least 20 years old)?

2) Is it made well?

3) Do I like it?

If I can answer all three questions, then I contemplate its assimilation into The Wild Plum on Etsy. 

I go between mid-century to rustic to soft muted naturals to bright and happy in your face and everything in between. You never know what you will find my shop.

New to the shop and waiting to be listed. 

Hope your weekend is bright, comfy and festive. 

(Embrace the eclectic and feel free to visit my shop.)

xo,

Christina

“Every Warrior of the Light has felt afraid of going into battle.
Every Warrior of the Light has, at some time in the past, lied or betrayed someone.
Every Warrior of the Light has trodden a path that was not his.
Every Warrior of the Light has suffered for the most trivial of reasons. Every Warrior of the Light has, at least once, believed he was not a Warrior of the Light.
Every Warrior of the Light has failed in his spiritual duties.
Every Warrior of the Light has said ‘yes’ when he wanted to say ‘no.’
Every Warrior of the Light has hurt someone he loved.
That is why he is a Warrior of the Light, because he has been through all this and yet has never lost hope of being better than he is.”

― Paulo Coelho



This is what I believe:
I believe that we are all broken.
Somehow.
Somewhere.
And God is the glue.
And He is a soft God.
One of pure light.
Pure love.
Pure understanding.
Pure intent.
He is kind.
He sees all.
He is father to ALL.
He knows what led us to becoming us.
He understands what makes us tick.
And what makes us sick.
He sees past what is seen.
And hears past all that is heard.
He gets what we don't.
He is always whispering.
And listening.
And here.
Now.


That is what I believe
But I don't expect anyone else to believe it, too.
It is personal.

If I am wrong.
At least I am airing on the side of love.
Not one of a God who causes pain.
Never pain.
Never darkness.
He never harms.
Or is vengeful.
Never hateful.
Nor deceitful.
Not in His name.
That seems to be our thing.
Humans.

He wants us all to get along.
And help each other along.
And up.
And out.

Regardless of our broken bits.
We have healed bits of glory.
Waiting to reach out and touch others.

I believe life is what we make of it.
What we leave.
And what we take.
What we learn.
And what we teach.
We can either make things better.
Or we can make things worse.
We can keep on trying.
Or we can give up.
And wanting to give up sometimes
Is okay.
As long as we dip back into our light
And allow it back out to shine.
However strong or faint.

I believe our value is not
Made,
Bought,
Sold,
Tangible.
Our skin is not it.
Nor is our shape.
Or age.
Or outer appearances.
Our jobs do not define us.
Our income has no baring.
Degrees do not say a thing about our value.
We cannot wear it.
Nor can we surgically enhance it.
Our value is.
IS
Way past the layers.
Deeper than deep.
It is something we each have regardless.
We all are of value.
We just sometimes forget.
And pain follows.

To remember.
To embrace.
To heal.
To set free.
To see.
To be.
To allow others to be.

We hold inside of us light.
And we each are our own kind of warriors.

I just wanted to note this for myself.
Because this warrior is human, too.
And reminders are nice.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” 
― Albert Einstein

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson


The beauty of the past few days has been my children and the roses out back. Though our yard is riddled with weeds, thorns, dying parts - it is also brimming with life already formed and beauty ready to become.

I am feeling completely overwhelmed currently. In over my head. Afraid. Tired. Tired, as if I have been running the world's longest marathon and I am only a quarter of the way through and my energy is already in the negatives. I tend to be a sprinter of monumental proportions, even if only in my mind (since my body isn't even slightly fast). I need to learn to pace myself. So many questions and hurdles. BUT, when I find my own personal rhythm, stop and smell the flowers, suckle serenity, I am kindly reminded of the everyday miracles (some in my face and some a bit more elusive). It is those micro seconds when I actually stand still that I can hear peace drifting through, saying - "It will be okay. It will. You will be. Maybe painful half of the time. Maybe not what you had planned. Maybe not easy, definitely not easy, but tomorrow is a new day and it is ready for you to simply be." Buzz.

Deep breath in.

Eyes open.

Wings extended.

Now exhale and smile.

This past year has been one of extreme soul and mind bending struggles. Set aside the emotional baggage and trials. For some reason my doctor saw fit to switch me from one thyroid medication to another, dropping the dose by over half. No titration. Cold turkey. Which might be okay IF I had a thyroid and a non-fussy system. What occurred after was my own personal journey through Hell. My TSH shot way up into dangerous zone (which translates into nothing land). Trapped in this skin as everything preceded to shut down.  You cannot live without thyroid hormones. Your thyroid is your master glad. Without it you lose bone density, your heart stops, and/or you go into a very painful coma. I was there, right on the edge. To simply cease to exist was all I could "do". Though some days it seemed I might need to have my will in order. I found someone to take my children if I did, indeed, die.  I was that close. Obviously, I didn't. And I count my blessing daily. BUT my brain has been sorely damaged and my dosage has yet to be corrected, though it is a million times better today than it was a year ago. I am still struggling to maintain. Life is a blur and I still physically hurt because lack of proper thyroid hormones. At least I don't feel myself slipping away anymore. Trying to juggle all that depends on me (my three boys and surviving) and heal what *I* can is top priority. Besides the thyroid medication, which is out of my hands, I am trying to feed my body better foods on an extremely limited budget.  We were given some raw cashews by my sister-in-law. I have been making cashew milk. I must say it has become my favorite "milk". You can use it in nearly anything cream based. Life for us is basic. Everything is stripped down to necessity. While being financially poor is not fun it does have a lot to teach us. And I have learned more than I can even begin to write about. In ways I am grateful to have a different perspective on life and living. Enjoying the simplest of drinks, such as free cashew milk, brings a smile to my lips.  And that is what life is about. Enjoying the ride and doing our best. Even if it is small and all we can do is not fade away. I hope to continue to heal myself. I have a long list of dreams and hopes and must does. See, I have three boys and they are my world and I am their captain. And I have to be in better health for their sakes, too. So, go ahead. Enjoy a cold glass of cashew milk on me. Adding chocolate and a hint of honey ain't bad, either.