Lightarted Living: Friends are the Masterpieces of Nature~Ralph Waldo...

Lightarted Living: Friends are the Masterpieces of Nature~Ralph Waldo...: "When You Realize How Perfect Everything is  You'll Tilt Your Head Back and Laugh at the Sky"  The Buddha  Lee Bryant...

Friends are the Masterpieces of Nature~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"When You Realize How Perfect Everything is 

You'll Tilt Your Head Back and Laugh at the Sky" 
The Buddha 

Lee Bryant and Susan J Meyerott

Perfection in Friendship

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said--'friends are the masterpieces of nature'. For me, friends truly are the perfect accessory for living a joyful and satisfying life. I can't imagine how flat life would be without them--and how much harder.

One of my perfect accessories for joyful living is my sister-in-law, Lee--a fellow artist who enjoys playing with me in the artistic sand-box. 

Lee creates masterpieces, like The Buddha, then sends copies for me to scribble on as I look deep within her paintings to find the hidden images and secret messages. It's how we play together and create shared meaning. Her generosity amazes me.

When Lee sends me one of her masterpieces and says 'go at it', I always pause, wanting to tread lightly on her truly amazing creation. But eventually I can't help myself--I look at what she has created and I see what I see.

Soon, I'm sucked into a deep sense of relaxing flow as I look for the meaning and secrets within that speak to me. It provides me with a moment of perfect contentment and peace.

 "Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity." 

Khalil Gibran​

Friendship~A Sweet Responsibility

What a gift it is to be given a moment of perfect contentment from a friend.  She has to truly know me to understand what makes my heart sing and engages my soul. That is the gift of friendship~listening with tender understanding~knowing just when to reach out for a moment of connection.

I love that Lee sends me fresh palettes to project my positive outlook onto as I use art to focus and calm my attention daily.  And she is just one stunning example of the masterpieces of nature I am eternally grateful to have in my life. 

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart

and sings it to you when you forget the words."

Shania Twain

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.

Henry David Thoreau​

Who Are Your Masterpieces of Nature? 

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. 

~The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."

Henri J.M. Nouwen

Who helps you 'Laugh at the Sky'?

💙Who are your 'masterpieces of nature'?  
💓Who do you count on to help make your life more joyful and satisfying? 
💛Who can gift you with a perfect moment of contentment?
💙Who is able to 'touch your wounds with a warm and gentle hand'?
💓Who can 'sit with you in silence in a moment of confusion or despair'?
💛Who can 'stay with you in your moment of bereavement or grief'? 

Take a moment to celebrate the people who walk alongside you in this life to ease your way and enhance your enjoyment.  Reach out to them today to let them know how glad you are to have them in your life.

Today I celebrate you.

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.

Lightarted Living: Seeing Thru the Eyes of the Buddha~Laughter, Peace...

Lightarted Living: Seeing Thru the Eyes of the Buddha~Laughter, Peace...: Sign Up for Free E-mail updates For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible ba...

Seeing Thru the Eyes of the Buddha~Laughter, Peace and Joy

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Lightarted Living: Rest Your Head~Let the World Take Care of Itself

Lightarted Living: Rest Your Head~Let the World Take Care of Itself: "The years of our life do not arrive all at once; they greet us day by day. With the descent of each setting sun,  we are...

Rest Your Head~Let the World Take Care of Itself

"The years of our life

do not arrive all at once;

they greet us day by day.

With the descent of each setting sun, 

we are able to rest our heads and

let the world take care of itself for a while."

Madisyn Taylor, DailyOM

"We may rest assured in the night,

knowing the dawn will bring

a new day."

Madisyn Taylor

The universe is keeping

an eye on you.

All you have to do is

hold on for the ride--

and LET GO.

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.

Lightarted Living: HOPE and LOVE

Lightarted Living: HOPE and LOVE: LOVE Through LOVE All that is bitter  Will be sweet Rumi HOPE Hope is like the SUN, Which, as we journey towa...

HOPE and LOVE

LOVE

Through LOVE

All that is bitter 

Will be sweet

Rumi

HOPE

Hope is like the SUN,

Which, as we journey toward it, 

Casts the shadow of our burden 

Behind us.

Samuel Smile

HOPE

There was never a night or problem

that could defeat Sunrise or HOPE.

Bernard Williams

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.

Lightarted Living: Everything's Secretly Okay~Try Not to Get Worried

Lightarted Living: Everything's Secretly Okay~Try Not to Get Worried: A Message of Love  for Loved Ones  Experiencing  Health or Life Crises Everything's Alright From Jesus Christ Superstar...

Everything's Secretly Okay~Try Not to Get Worried

A Message of Love 

for Loved Ones Experiencing 

Health or Life Crises

Everything's Alright

From Jesus Christ Superstar

"Try not to get worried, try not to turn on to

Problems that upset you, oh.

Don't you know

Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine.

And we want you to sleep well tonight.

Let the world turn without you tonight.

If we try, we'll get by, so forget all about us tonight

Everything's alright, yes, everything's alright, yes.

Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and anoint you.

Myrrh for your hot forehead, oh.

Then you'll feel

Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine.

And it's cool, and the ointment's sweet

For the fire in your head and feet.

Close your eyes, close your eyes

And relax, think of nothing tonight.

Everything's alright, yes, everything's alright, yes."

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Lightarted Living: Be of Good Cheer~Affirmations to Brighten Your Day...

Lightarted Living: Be of Good Cheer~Affirmations to Brighten Your Day...: Today's a New Day Bringing You CHEER! That's a Bird of a Different Color! I Look Forward to the Day with Energy and Enth...

Lightarted Living: Be of Good Cheer~Affirmations to Brighten Your Day...

Lightarted Living: Be of Good Cheer~Affirmations to Brighten Your Day...: Today's a New Day Bringing You CHEER! That's a Bird of a Different Color! I Look Forward to the Day with Energy and Enth...

Be of Good Cheer~Affirmations to Brighten Your Day

Today's a New Day

Bringing You CHEER!

That's a Bird of a Different Color!

I Look Forward to the Day with Energy and Enthusiasm 

My Day Begins with Gratitude and Joy

I Love Myself

My Future is Bright, Joyous and Secure

I'm Learning to Make Today a Pleasure

One Step at a Time

I Breathe in 'This Moment'~I Breathe out 'This Breath'

I'm in the Process of Positive Changes

I'm Learning...

All is Well in my World

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.

Lightarted Living: Lao Tzu: To the Still Mind, the Whole Universe Ope...

Lightarted Living: Lao Tzu: To the Still Mind, the Whole Universe Ope...: To a Still Mind, the Whole Universe Opens  Sometimes, when too much is going on in life, worry and anxiety overwhelm us.   But thr...

Lightarted Living: Lao Tzu: To the Still Mind, the Whole Universe Ope...

Lightarted Living: Lao Tzu: To the Still Mind, the Whole Universe Ope...: To a Still Mind, the Whole Universe Opens  Sometimes, when too much is going on in life, worry and anxiety overwhelm us.   But thr...

Lao Tzu: To the Still Mind, the Whole Universe Opens

To a Still Mind, the Whole Universe Opens 

Sometimes, when too much is going on in life, worry and anxiety overwhelm us. 

 But through practicing stillness and silence we can quiet an overactive mind 

and regain our mental strength and fortitude.  

No matter what the difficulty, 

calmness and tranquility will lead us through troubled times.

Tiny Meditator in a Sea of Calm

Tranquility

 "Allow the heart to empty itself of all turmoil! 

Retrieve the utter tranquility of the mind from which you issued."

Lao Tzu

Swimming in a Sea of Calm

Quietude

"Although all forms are dynamic, and we all grow and transform, 

each of us is compelled to return to our root. Our root is quietude."

Lao Tzu

Open Heart

Stop Thinking 

“Stop thinking, and end your problems.” 

Lao Tzu

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Lightarted Living: Grieving the Loss of a Dog

Lightarted Living: Grieving the Loss of a Dog: We're All Just Walking Each Other Home I've heard from so many friends of late grieving the loss of their beloved longtime ...

Grieving the Loss of a Dog

We're All Just Walking Each Other Home

I've heard from so many friends of late grieving the loss of their beloved longtime companions. 

Dog-lovers, one and all, dread that final walk with their furry shadows knowing their time is near. A dog's only real fault is they're with us for too short a time.

No matter how much we try to prepare ourselves, when the time comes our hearts break with sorrow. But be assured, our dear doggy friends want us to move beyond our grief to love again.

So how do you comfort your broken heart? You sit in your grief as long as you need to--letting the warm memories wash over you, and then you open yourself to 'love what death can touch' once again.

Tis a Fearful Thing

‘Tis a fearful thing 
to love what death can touch.

A fearful thing 
to love, to hope, to dream, to be--to be,

And oh, to lose.

A thing for fools, this,

And a holy thing,

a holy thing

to love.

For your life has lived in me, 
your laugh once lifted me,

your word was gift to me.

To remember this brings painful joy. 
‘Tis a human thing, love, 
a holy thing, to love 
what death has touched.

Yehuda HaLevi 1075 – 1141

Come. Sit. Stay. Welcome.

When our family dog, Bumble or 'Bum', died someone gave us a copy of Eugene O'Neill's 'Last Will and Testament of an Extremely Loved Dog'. 

To a dog lover, who knows the tender care, love, and laughter our dogs bring us, this last will and testament will bring you tears and comfort.

Over the years our tattered photocopy disappeared, but I thought about it every time one of our beloved pals passed on. Years later, thanks to the internet, I found it and offer it here as a tribute to all great and beloved dogs that have graced our lives with their presence and quietly passed on.

The Last Will & Testament of an Extremely Loved Dog

by Eugene O'Neill

"I, Silverdene Emblem O'Neill (familiarly known to my family, friends & acquaintances as Blemie), because the burden of my years and infirmities is heavy upon me, and I realize the end of my life is near, do hereby bury my last will and testament in the mind of my Master. He will not know it is there until after I am dead. Then, remembering me in his loneliness, he will suddenly know of this testament, and I ask him to inscribe it as a memorial to me.

I have little in the way of material things to leave. Dogs are wiser than men. They do not set great store upon things. They do not waste their days hoarding property. They do not ruin their sleep worrying about how to keep the objects they have, and to obtain objects they have not.

There is nothing of value I have to bequeath except my love and my loyalty. These I leave to all those who have loved me, especially to my Master and Mistress, who I know will mourn me the most.

I ask my Master and my Mistress to remember me always, but not to grieve for me too long. In my life, I have tried to be a comfort to them in time of sorrow, and a reason for added joy in their happiness. It is painful for me to think that even in death I should cause them pain.

Let them remember that while no dog has ever had a happier life (and this I owe to their love and care for me), now that I have grown blind and deaf and lame, and even my sense of smell fails me so that a rabbit could be right under my nose and I might not know, my pride has sunk to a sick, bewildered humiliation.

I feel life is taunting me with having over lingered my welcome. It is time I said good-bye, before I become too sick a burden on myself and on those who love me.

It will be a sorrow to leave them, but not a sorrow to die. Dogs do not fear death as men do. We accept it as part of life, not as something alien and terrible which destroys life. What may come after death, who knows?

I would like to believe that there is a Paradise. Where one is always young and full-bladdered. Where all the day one dillies and dallies. Where each blissful hour is mealtime. Where in the long evenings there are a million fireplaces with logs forever burning, and one curls oneself up and blinks into the flames and nods and dreams, remembering the old brave days on earth and the love of one's Master and Mistress.

I am afraid that this is too much for even such a dog as I am to expect. But peace, at least, is certain. Peace and a long rest for my weary old heart and head and limbs, and eternal sleep in the earth I have loved so well.

Perhaps, after all, this is best.

One last request, I earnestly make. I have heard my Mistress say, "When Blemie dies we must never have another dog. I love him so much I could never love another one". Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have another. It would be a poor tribute to my memory never to have a dog again.

What I would like to feel is that, having once had me in the family, she cannot live without a dog!"

Come This Way. Welcome.

Goodbye Good Dog

Who's a Good Dog? 

YOU!

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.