To Infinity and Beyond to Lend a Hand

Posted on May 20, 2013 by russtowne

603491_10151408344464071_796056826_n (Source: A friend found this at http://buff.ly/10FHdqv. I haven’t checked out that site.)

The photo made me smile. To infinity and beyond. It’s a great blessing to have friends who will go the distance to lend a helping hand.

Love,
Russ

Posted in Friendship, Heroes, Photos That Touched Me | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

The End Of An Era

Posted on May 20, 2013 by russtowne

I’m always appreciative and grateful when someone says something kind about this blog or honors it with an award, and I’ve just reached a decision that I’ve long considered and kept putting off until now.

I no longer plan to accept blog awards. I will always be grateful to those who have nominated me for them, and I may even on occasion answer questions, etc, that are part of an award, but going forward I need to better balance the way I spend my time on-line.

Thank you for your support and understanding!

Love,
Russ

Posted in Awards: Sharing The Love, Gratitude | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

To A Friend Who Is Going Through Tough Times

Posted on May 19, 2013 by russtowne

A friend who is going through tough times recently wrote something along the lines that she needed to get out into nature.

Dear friend: I wrote the lyric for the song linked above, and Kevin Harris wrote the music. I’m including it in this post as a reminder and a tribute to you and what you are going through.

When you wrote that your bucket list was too rusty to hold your dreams, it broke my heart. I wrote this poem for you:

Dear Friend

When you’re feeling low
And the world doesn’t care it seems
That your Bucket List’s too rusty
To hold all your dreams

Please know you’ve got a friend
Who’ll always believe in you
One who’d like to ease your mind
Of all the cares you’re going through

Your fears, sadness, tears, and dreams
They are all safe with me
May you soon share my faith
That your dreams will become reality

I believe in your greatness
And all your goodness too
The gifts you have for the world
And most of all, I believe in you

–Russ Towne

Posted in Beauty, Believe, Dealing with Pain & Grief, Dreams, Feelings/Emotions, Friendship, Goodness, Loneliness, Loss, My Beliefs, Nature, Pain & Grief, Poetry I Wrote, Songs I've Written or Co-Written | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Precious Gems

Posted on May 18, 2013 by russtowne

943067_616050008422695_1482836473_n (Source: I Stop For Suffering shared Tao & Zen’s photo)

The Cosmos is filled with precious gems.
I want to offer a handful of them to you this morning.
Each moment you are alive is a gem,
shining through and containing earth and sky,
water and clouds.

It needs you to breathe gently
for the miracles to be displayed.
Suddenly you hear the birds singing,
the pines chanting,
see the flowers blooming,
the blue sky, the white clouds,
the smile and the marvelous look
of your beloved.

You, the richest person on Earth,
who have been going around begging for a living,
stop being the destitute child.
Come back and claim your heritage.
We should enjoy our happiness
and offer it to everyone.
Cherish this very moment.
Let go of the stream of distress
and embrace Life fully in your arms.

~Thich Nhat Hanh ~
Our True Heritage

Posted in Abundance, Awareness, Gratitude, Inspiring, LIfe Lessons, Observations, Quotes I Love, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Value Of A Moment

Posted on May 18, 2013 by russtowne

181406_476198945785296_779832936_n (Source: Forever Awezome)

I attempt to remind myself that EVERY moment is precious, as once it is gone so is a part of my life that I’ll never get back.

I’m working on creating a lifetime of memory-making moments.

Thank you for being part of many of them.

Love,

Russ

Posted in Awareness, Children, Connection/Connecting, Joy & Happiness, Making Memories, Observations, Photos That Touched Me, Quotes I Love, Time | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Haircuts For A Hug

Posted on May 18, 2013 by russtowne

936724_475993669139157_467234190_n (Source: Forever Awezome)

This story made me smile and gave my heart a warm hug. Anthony Cymerys is an 82-year old barber who gives haircuts to the homeless every Wednesday. Outdoors. He uses a car battery to power his clippers.
The cost: One hug.

Thank you, Anthony Cymerys, for making the world a better place!

Russ

Posted in Generosity, Goodness, Ingenuity, Kindness, Making the World a Better Place, Photos That Touched Me, Stories That Touched Me | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

All Around Us

Posted on May 17, 2013 by russtowne

941440_572353386139009_2084811061_n (Source: Karen Robiscue-Fan Page shared The Natural Parent Magazine’s Photo)

Or someone.

I believe such things and people are all around us every day if we take the time with an open mind and eyes and look closely enough to see them. Snow flakes. Flowers. Neighbors. Stars. A drop of water. Strangers on the street. A grain of sand. Love. Babies. Sunsets.

Incredible. Truly extraordinary. Right now. Where we live. On this planet.

And, I look forward to the incredible and truly extraordinary things that can be found elsewhere.

Love,
Russ

Posted in Abundance, Attittude, Awareness, Beauty, My Beliefs, Observations, Photos That Touched Me, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

It’s True For Women Too!

Posted on May 17, 2013 by russtowne

945198_577380365627130_823884932_n (Source: I Stop For Suffering shared The Art of Learning’s photo)

I believe this is true.

Love,
Russ

Posted in Compassion, Kindness, Life, My Beliefs, Observations, Photos That Touched Me, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Falling In Mutual Weirdness

Posted on May 17, 2013 by russtowne

548900_658041784213094_1253480793_n (John Edwards Photo)

Genius!

Love,
Russ

Posted in Humor, Love, Observations, Quotes I Love, Relationship Lessons Learned | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Hearing the Whispers

Posted on May 15, 2013 by russtowne

A reader recently mentioned something along the lines that knowing who we are is one of the toughest jobs a person can undertake.

I agree. I think it is far easier to do so when one removes the distractions, such as when one meditates, is alone in nature, or works alone. It is when I began being alone for extended periods that I could best begin to hear what my heart and spirit had been whispering to me all along.

As I type the word “alone”, the spelling reminds me of “all one”, as in my heart, spirit and mind are most likely to be aligned and all one when I’m alone.

I also often feel the most connected to everyone and everything/all one when my heart, spirit, mind, thoughts, word, and actions are aligned.

Love,

Russ

Posted in Awareness, Breakthroughs, Challenges, Meditation, Observations | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments