Conscious Of Our Treasures

This post sums up many of the ways that gratitude enhances my life. I was once told by a dear friend that I say “Thank you” too often. Considering the number of the blessings in my life, I’m not convinced that I say it enough!
Russ

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

This Just Seems So Right Somehow


Image by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images. Source: BuzzFeed

I just learned that the voice of Mickey Mouse (Wayne Allwine) and the voice of Minnie Mouse (Russi Taylor) got married in real life.

Sometimes fairy tales really do come true.

Love,
Russ

Posted in Following Your Passion, Love, Marriage, Photos That Touched Me | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

There Is Always A Way

(Source: Karen Robiscoe-Fan Page shared Knowledge of Today’s photo.)

There is always a way. And if one is forward-thinking like this beautiful and inspiring little tree, also an unlimited water supply! ;-D!

Love,
Russ

Posted in Adversity, Beauty, Inspiring, Nature, Photos That Touched Me, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Lots of Experience and Even More Wonderful

“Never regret. If it’s good, it’s wonderful. If it’s bad, it’s experience.” ~Victoria Holt
(Source: Tiny Buddha)

I love this quote and the mindset and wisdom behind it. It brought a smile to my face when I read it as the thought came to me that I’ve had a LOT of experience, but thankfully had a whole lot more WONDERFUL.

I believe that the “experience” has helped to make me a kinder, more empathetic, and grateful person, and the “wonderful” has filled my life with joy.

By the way, I’m FINALLY coming up for air. I’m nearly done traveling and doing the quarterly reports and letters, so you should see me beginning to show up more with comments and likes at your blog.

To all of those who faithfully kept reading my posts even during the times when I disappeared from the blogosphere for extended periods, I am grateful beyond measure. Thank YOU!

Love,
Russ

Posted in Challenges, Gratitude, Joy & Happiness, Kindness, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

All The Way

Going “All the way” sexually
Heck, that’s the easy part
Compared to
What it takes
To follow through
In matters of the heart
–Russ Towne

Posted in Challenges, Commitment, Marriage, Poetry I Wrote, Relationship Lessons Learned | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

They Were

They were
“Committed”
To each other
Mostly
Nearly
Almost
Largely
Sort of
Partially
But one day
They realized
That commitment
Isn’t a sometime
Or partial thing
It’s all or nothing
And there is beauty
And strength
In commitment
When both
Are ready
–Russ Towne

The above came to me as I took a few-minute mental break from my quarterly letters and reports, and I decided to capture and share it before the fleeting thoughts vanished like a cool mist in a desert’s inferno.

Love,
Russ

Posted in Commitment, Poetry I Wrote, Relationship Lessons Learned | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

Updates & Quotes

Hi, everyone. Contrary to circumstantial evidence, I remain among the living. Though I’m back home, a dead computer, new Windows 8, a backed up sewer line, and other “opportunities to learn and grow” have dramatically slowed down my quarterly letter writing and various report send-outs to my investment management Clients. So, instead of being done by now, I’m only half-done. And I need to focus my energy there for the next week or so. So, other than this quick resurfacing, I’m likely to go nearly completely incommunicado for the entire period. My apologies once again.

The trip to help my son and his wife relocate from Texas to Illinois went well. Since she is five months pregnant with my twin grandsons, I drove their second car while my son drove the other car with their dog and cat as passengers. There wasn’t any room for a second person in his vehicle, and I’m allergic to cats.

So where did his wife sit?

The poor thing was stuck in the car with me, her Father-in-Law.

FOR THREE DAYS.

I don’t know what she thought of the experience, but I LOVED it.

We had the most amazing, comfortable, relaxed, non-stop, and interesting conversations the entire time.

She is a quite a wonderful and remarkable woman with whom my son has been blessed to be able to share his life. She is a wise woman who sees, appreciates, and loves not only the many wonderful attributes my son possesses, but his quirks and idiosyncrasies too. I’m so happy that they have found each other. They fit together like the 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle the three of us put together in a few hours when we arrived and while waiting for the movers.

My son and his wife relocated because he just got a great new job with his employer and will be leading a group for the first time.

My Beloved flew out during her Spring Break to help us unpack and put away their stuff in their new home.

It was a fun and productive adventure.

Our grandson Thomas is walking and turns one year old next week!

Our daughter just began her new job working at a State Park. She is excited about it.

Our oldest son and his wife invited us to go with them to see Thomas play in the snow for the first time. We’re looking forward to the experience.

OK, that’s enough of a family update, now how ’bout some quotes that resonate with me?

“Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”
–Unknown (Source: Megan at I Stop For Suffering)

“Of course dreams come true. You were one once.”
–“The Universe” (Per Tut.com)

Love,
Russ
P.S. (“See” you in about a week! I miss you!)

Posted in Abundance, Adventure, Children, Dreams, Grace, Grandparenting & Grandkids, Growth/Learning, Love, Marriage, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

(Lack of) Availability Update: Business and Family for Next Two Weeks

Dear friends:

It is quarterly letters and reports time for my Clients, and I plan to do some traveling to help family members relocate (the ones who are 5 months pregnant with my twin grandsons!), so I will be mostly unavailable to create posts, comments, and replies over the next 10-14 days.

I apologize in advance and will greatly miss you!

Love,
Russ

Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments

Because It Has A Song

“The bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.” (Source: Online Wellness Network)

Actually, I believe that singing a song IS an answer to many things.

It can also be an inspiration for others to join in, sing their own song, dance, and/or enjoy the song being sang by others.

All those are reason enough for me.

Love,

Russ

Posted in Cheerfulness, Joy & Happiness, Making the World a Better Place, Music, Observations, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Facing The Mirrors

“Life is mostly froth and bubble. Two things stand like stone – Kindness in another’s trouble, Courage in your own.” ~ Adam L. Gordon Source: Diana at http://talktodiana.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/kindness-and-courage/#comment-4301

Thank you Diana. Your post inspired this poem and post.

Facing the Mirrors

Has my
Courage
Held up
On my
Darkest days
Have I helped
Those in need
Along the way

When facing
Such mirrors
It’s clear
To see
I’ve got
More work
To do
On me

–Russ Towne

Life inevitably involves troubling times for everyone. Quite often it is in such times, when we or others have been tripped up, are lying on the ground, and sometimes seemingly being buried by problems piling on top of us, making it even hard to breathe let alone think, react, and respond.

Those are the times that perhaps most define us.

If we see others in that plight, do we stop to help them to get up, and maybe even carry part of their load for awhile, or do we walk around or over them in our hurry to get along with lifes priorities, deadlines, and commitments?

Do we remember or forget that we’re all connected in many ways, and helping others is helping ourselves, and neglecting others hurts us all, so their are indeed few priorities more worthy or important every day than showing kindness to others.

And when we are the ones lying in the dirt battered and bleeding by lifes’ storms, do we get up, brush ourselves off, and get on with living, or do we lay around whining about how tough life is while waiting for someone else to pick us up?

May each of us choose wisely.

Love,
Russ

Posted in Adversity, Challenges, Courage, Failure, Introspection, Kindness, Making the World a Better Place, Observations, Poetry I Wrote, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments