Tag Archives: joy

Laughing Flowers

“The Earth laughs in flowers.” Wildflowers in a field, what a wonderful symbol of the joy of nature and the Earth! When I read Emerson’s words, I cannot help but smile inside. They lift my heart, for flowers are a precious gift. Their heady fragrances and gorgeous colors soothe our aching souls.

We need the healing power of nature now more than ever. The Earth is devoted and steadfast with her gifts. In a world that feels increasingly troubled, flowers help us reconnect to our inherent joyful soul center.

More Inspirational Quotes:

“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.” ~ A.A. Milne

“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.”
~ William Blake

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”
~ Pablo Neruda

“Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”
~ Rumi

“If you love a flower, don’t pick it up.
Because if you pick it up it dies and it ceases to be what you love.
So if you love a flower, let it be.
Love is not about possession.
Love is about appreciation.”
~ Osho

“Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.”
~ Vincent van Gogh

“If you love a flower that lives on a star, it is sweet to look at the sky at night. All the stars are a-bloom with flowers…”
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Laughing Flowers © Susan L Hart 2020 | Friendly comments welcome | Photo courtesy David Bartus, Pexels, Free-Photos, Pixabay

Smile | Spread Joy

Little did I realize when I wrote this Hart Haiku post last September, how our smiles would be masked over now. Think about that as you read this, please, and contemplate deeply the effect of the loss of our smiles out there in the world. My words are unaltered from the original post before COVID-19, including the haiku, which interestingly includes the word “infectious”. Here it is again:

A smile is one of those powerful tools in our life toolbox, but sometimes we forget to use it. Distracted with our own thoughts, we easily disconnect into our own headspace. But a smile is a gift, a little piece of light and hope we can send out to others, and it does not cost us anything but a little conscious thought and effort. And before we know it, it becomes an easy habit.

Even if you don’t feel like it, send a smile to at least one stranger on your path today. Perhaps you won’t get one back; maybe that person is in a place that they are simply unable return it. But you gave them a little love offering, one that may positively impact them in ways you will never know.

It is also as likely you will receive a smile back that will light up your own world, even just for a moment. Each smile is full of possibility, the potential to create something good. There is a reason smiles are curved. Yours and the ones you receive back make a circle, a never-ending ripple effect of infinite joy.

Smile, and spread some joy today.

Smile | Spread Joy © Susan L Hart 2019, 2020 | Hart Haiku

Viral Song | Heart of Italy

Italy’s rebuttal to COVID-19? Their war cry against the invisible enemy is being heard loud and clear across Italy in the form of song. The message? “You are hurting us, but you will NEVER defeat our spirit!”

Would you like to hear for yourself? It will lift your heart and confirm your faith in the indomitable human spirit. Check out the full story and the video at the link below (and there are links to more videos in the article). It started in one neighborhood, and the Italian call for resilience has gone viral across the country.

Coronavirus: Residents across Italy sing from windows and balconies to boost lockdown morale

The streets of Italy are not empty; they are filling with song. The hearts of Italians are not empty; they are choosing to express joy. Music has built a bridge between fear and determination. Thank you, dear Italy, for setting such a wonderful example of strength in the face of uncertainty and loss.

Inspirational Quotes:

“The human spirit is as expansive as the cosmos. This is why it is so tragic to belittle yourself or to question your worth. No matter what happens, continue to push back the boundaries of your inner life. The confidence to prevail over any problem, the strength to overcome adversity and unbounded hope – all reside within you.” ~ Daisaku Ikeda

“That’s it. Love makes us all strong.” ~ E.A. Bucchianeri

“Everything can be taken from you in a second, but the human spirit is so strong. War can teach you so much about evil, and so much about good.” ~ Zainab Salbi

“One thing I’ve learnt about humans: you can’t judge their strength by the size of their actions, but by the devotion of an act, no matter how small.” ~ Dianna Hardy

Photos courtesy of Keith Wako and Pixabay, Pexels

Viral Song | Heart of Italy © Susan L Hart 2020 | Hart Haiku

Joy | To you & yours

This Holiday Season, these are my wishes for you, today and the whole year through:

Love that overflows the brim of your cup, a sharing of Goodwill with family, friends, and your community, and abounding Peace to fill your heart and home.

And last but not least, I wish you Joy ~ that your soul may feel free to express the Infinite Light within you.

This amazing art courtesy of Stefan Keller, KELLEPICS, Pixabay.

Joy | To your & yours © Susan L Hart 2019 | Hart Haiku

Gift | Of your time

Right at this moment, there are thousands of people hitting the stores to find that perfect gift for their friends and loved ones. And over the coming days, it will reach a crushing crescendo.

For people who already have money concerns (and there are a burgeoning number of those, except in the very upper echelons of society), this can create a lot of stress. The pressure of meeting holiday expectations that hinge on dollars spent is tremendous.

Our time is like gold

Perhaps we’re doing it wrong. The commodity that cannot be purchased or replaced with money is our time. This precious moment, that will never come ’round again, is like gold.

But we don’t really stop to think about that, at least not very often. Life is busy. We think we are managing our time efficiently, jotting off quick messages on our phones in a nanosecond, racking up our “likes” on social media. But how much true quality attention do we put into our relationships, day-to-day?

The gift of our time and attention

Perhaps our time is the most precious gift we can give this holiday season. And by that I mean, real, quality, undistracted time, being fully present with our family and friends, really seeing them and hearing them.

(I realize of course that many people have family “across the miles”, and it may not be possible to connect in shared personal space. In that case, technology is a valuable lifeline to call and say hello, I love you. And even in that case, there is a world of difference between a text message and hearing someone’s voice.)

Embrace the opportunity of now

When it’s all said and done, mostly we won’t remember the nifty material gifts we gave or received over the years. But, we will remember the faces of people we love, special moments we spent with them, and how that made us feel.

And come the day when they aren’t with us anymore, we’ll wish we had more time with them. Just one more moment to give a hug, just one more chance to say “I love you, you are important to me”.

What better time is there to do that, than this holiday season?

Photos courtesy of Jordan Benton and fotografierende, Pexels

Inspirational Quote:

…”Remember, to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person might not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.” ~ Bob Moorehead, Words Aptly Spoken

Holi Joy | Heart of India

Holi: The beloved Hindu festival of color, long celebrated in India, is slowly but surely going viral around the world in many other cultures. And why would it not? Our hearts are aching for more lightheartedness, celebration, playfulness, and most of all, JOY. We are realizing our essential right to those things, and we are claiming them. (Yay for us!)

A playful ritual of Holi is the throwing of colored powder on friends and family. People just let go and celebrate with color. Each vibrant color has been assigned its own meaning, and more about that here.

At its heart, Holi is a celebration of life, love, springtime (and the anticipated future harvest), and the victory of good over evil.

A wonderful aspect of this festival is the intention to heal connections between people, to mend old hurts and resentments. Holi is a time of joyful renewal in the hearts of everyone who participates. And what could be more holy than that?

You’ll find more about Holi legends and traditions in India here.

Enchantress | The butterfly

The beautiful butterfly never fails to charm us. Just as a pretty woman in a red dress turns many heads at the party, so does the butterfly entrance us. We just can’t help ourselves… Her gorgeous colors, graceful movement, and flirtatious flitting grab our attention, time after time.

So, it is any wonder that so many cultures have attached positive symbology to butterflies? Change, growth, joy, potential and transformation are just a few of the meanings attributed to these gossamer creatures. If you would like to know about mythology and symbolism, this article is an easy read and a good start: Butterfly Symbolism Facts & Meaning: A Totem, Spirit & Power Animal.

Or simply pause here, just for a moment, and feel gratitude for the butterfly’s grace. Our world sorely needs more beauty, lightness and enchantment.

Photo courtesy Juhasz Imre, Pexels

Hart Inspirations

Susan L Hart, Author

Tag Archives: joy

Laughing Flowers

Smile | Spread Joy

Viral Song | Heart of Italy

Joy | To you & yours