That’s right.  I really blew it.  A dandelion that is.  I mean a round puffball seemed kind of boring.  So I just blew it exposing the interesting inside.  Then I made a wish and blew them all into the wind…
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So it begins…

With a boom.

A flash.

A downpour.

Summer.

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A light rain settled on his windshield

Little droplets of tears resting at eye view

The April morning more like November

Raw, gray, bone seeping dankness

Void of color

Empty of Hope

Unsure of what he was seeking

He came from another place

Driving down Main Street

His truck making a detour back to a life he once knew

A quarter century ago

Half his age plus two now

His mind drifting to the covenant he made

on this same April day

Did he hope to see her?

He pulled into a vacant spot

The rain growing colder

Pelting his windshield

Sharp pieces of pain

He shivered and walked to the storefront of her favorite cafe’

His eyes peeled for the woman who was once his bride

Too late once again

She remained hidden

Traveling another route

Building her new dreams

Forging her own paths

And breathing a…

Millions of seconds pass unnoticed

Boring and unremarkable

Life’s time clock

But one second can change everything

Just one

And everything is different

Everything

A birth

A death

An accident

A surprise

Just that one moment

Creates a cascade of transformation

Each second

Can be

An ordinary miracle.

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It’s so simple.  Just smile.  Even if you have to look at cute videos on YouTub of babies laughing or puppies sleeping, it’s a great way to improve your health and it makes you feel good about yourself.  Below are some of the rewards of lifting those cheeks:

1.  It Lower Heart Rate – Smiling slows the heart and relaxes the body. People who smile and laugh often are less likely to develop heart disease. Smiling reduces blood pressure temporarily too.

2.  It Reduce Stress – Stress relief may be as simple as smiling a little more throughout the day. Smiling releases endorphins that counteract and diminish the stress hormones.

3.  It Increase Productivity – Smiling has been shown to increase productivity while performing tasks. There’s truth to the “whistle while we work” mentality. This also explains why silly internet memes and pictures of cute animals can actually get people motivated…

I’ve always had a fascination with Frida Kahlo. She was not a classic beauty by any means, but there is a depth and intensity to her portraits that draw me in and ask many questions. Is there beauty within or am I just seeing the pleasure side of pain. Frida suffered lifelong health problems. Many of her health problems were the result of a traffic accident she survived as a teenager. Recovering from her injuries isolated her from other people and this isolation influenced her art, many of which are self-portraits of one sort or another. Kahlo suggested, “I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best.” She also stated, “I was born a bitch. I was born a painter.” Maybe I am attracted to bitches or painters or painters who are bitches. 😉 Or maybe I see a bit of myself…