Boro Creative Visions

Congratulations Karen and Rory!

2014-09-01T09:05:00.003-07:00

One true friend is what you've always been to me.

One true friend is what I always wanna be.

To have someone to love you, that's true happiness.

May you live to be 100,

May I live one day less.

- "One Day Less"

Chrysten and Mike GOT MARRIED!!!

2014-08-09T12:42:00.003-07:00

Forever can never be long enough for me

To feel like I've had long enough with you

Forget the world now, we won't let them see

But there's one thing left to do

Now that the weight has lifted

Love has surely shifted in my way

Marry me

Today and every day

Words I Have Found Helpful...

2014-05-15T05:56:00.001-07:00

Wedding Cynthia and Blake

2014-04-07T03:37:00.002-07:00

And then it seemed just like a dream
When wide eyed, side by side
We faced the future holding hands...

Thanksgiving in Plymouth...

2013-11-30T07:26:00.002-08:00

Cultivating - a Resilient Spirit

2013-11-04T10:44:00.003-08:00

Cultivating Self-Compassion was one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do.

But it inspired in me new topic for my next Defiant Joy essay. For this I am grateful.

(This is Chloe - she is a American Mulefoot Hog the rarest of American swine breeds. It is considered a “heritage” breed as it was prevalent in the United States until the 1960s. The most distinctive feature of this pig is that it has a solid hoof. This is thought to prevent hoof-root and make the pig healthier. The Mulefoot is large, docile, hearty, and healthy and is unique to the United States. Today fewer than 200 registered. In 1985, only one herd of American Mulefoot Hogs remained. This herd belonged to Mr. R.M. Holiday in Missouri, he continued to raise the pigs as his father and grandfather before him had because he believed they were less likely to be lame (a problem for many pigs today) and were more resistant to diseases. Because of his grit (resilience or perseverance) the American Mulefoot Hog exists today.)

This week - the focus is - Cultivating a Resilient Spirit - Letting go of Numbing and Powerlessness.

For this reason I share the following research paper: Grit Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals; Journal of Personality and Psychology, 2007.

"In a qualitative study of the development of world-class pianists, neurologists, swimmers, chess players, mathematicians, and sculptors Bloom (1985) noted that "only a few of the (120 talented individuals in the sample) were regarded as prodigies by teachers, parents, or experts" pg. 533.

Rather, accomplished individuals worked day after day, for at least 10 to 15 years, to reach the top of their fields.
Bloom observed that in every studied field, the general qualities possessed by high achievers included a strong interest in the particular field, a desire to reach - a high level of attainment in that field - and a willingness to put in great amounts of time and effort.

Creators must be able to persist in the face of difficulty and overcome many obstacles in the way of creative discovery ... drive and energy in childhood are more predictive of success...than is IQ or some other more domain specific ability."

Congratulations Norm and Jo!!

2013-11-03T15:32:00.003-08:00

Cultivating Self-Compasion

2013-11-01T07:19:00.005-07:00

Today

Scaffolding

Seamus Heaney

Masons, when they start upon a building,

Are careful to test out the scaffolding;

Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points,

Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.

And yet all this comes down when the job’s done

Showing off walls of sure and solid stone.

So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be

Old bridges breaking between you and me

Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall

Confident that we have built our wall.

My friend Sabrina shared this poem with me.

It made me think of life, of relationships, of the walls we build and the walls we break down... and it made me think of Abe.

Cultivating Self-Compassion

2013-10-31T04:48:00.003-07:00

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.

Lao Tzu

Defiant Joy - The Monadnock Ledger Transcript

2013-10-29T08:13:00.002-07:00

Thank you to the Monadnock Ledger Transcript for giving me a place to share.

I will forever be grateful.

The article can be read online as well.

Day 9 - Cultivating Self-Compasion

2013-10-29T05:58:00.002-07:00

Your task is not to seek for Love, but merely to seek and

find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.

- Rumi, thirteenth century Sufi poet

How can I give what I do not have?

Love others as you love yourself... starts with the premise that you love yourself.

For ...

When I am critical with myself I am critical with others.

When I am kind to myself I am kind to others.

When I am gentle with myself I am gentle with others.

It is not a sin, or arrogant, or selfish to love ones' self.

It is simply the necessary first step to loving others.

Day 7 (yesterday) Cultivating Authenticity & Day 8 - Cultivating Self-Compassion

2013-10-28T03:22:00.002-07:00

Day 7 - I attended a very dear friend's mother's funeral. Afterwards we walked to the gristmill and learned how flour was made. I cried and I laughed. We ate wonderful food and hugged a lot. I felt free to ask sad questions. I talked about my grandfather's passing, what it taught me about living.

It seems to me that death is the best reminder to really live.

Cultivating Authenticity - Day 6

2013-10-26T12:56:00.003-07:00

How do you react when someone you love walks in the room?

Do you smile?

Do you stand and go to them?

Do you wink?

Do you say, "I'm so glad to see you."

Do you hug?

Toni Morrison was on Oprah and she shared what I think is powerful advice.

"Let your face speak what's in your heart. When someone you love walks in the room my face says I am glad to see them. It's just as simple as that."

Abraham Ewing taught me this lesson in person.

He smiles every time I come in the room.

I cannot tell you how good that feels.

Now, I plan to practice it everyday with people I love.

Jeff and Caryl, Boston MA, Wedding

2013-10-25T10:49:00.001-07:00

There is a reason two people stay together forever,

they give each other something no one else can.

When Jeff and Caryl look at each other they light up.

They give each other what no one else can.

Photographers: Amanda and Martha

Day 5 - Cultivating Authenticity

2013-10-25T05:07:00.002-07:00

It is as dangerous to deny the possible as it is to ignore the problem.

Today, I will cultivate authenticity by believing that it is possible.

Day 4 - Cultivating Authenticity

2013-10-24T08:34:00.001-07:00

Oct. 24th: 6:45 a.m.

Coming back to home after spinning class.

This is what I saw.

These are two excerpts from what I am currently reading.

This is the song that was playing in my headphones.
This is what I was thinking.

"What if I fall?" Tim cried.

Maerlyn laughed. "Sooner or later, we all do."

- The Dark Tower Series, Stephen King

The past is neither an accident nor a mistake.

- Melody Beattie

Home is whereever I am with you.

- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Thank you for all of it.
- Amanda Bastoni

Day 3

2013-10-23T11:32:00.004-07:00

Cultivating Authenticity

At the center of your being you have the answer,

you know who you are

and what you want.

- Lao Tzu

I was late to work.
But I saw this sunrise and I had not choice.
I had to stop.

Live in the moment!

Be who you are!

Letting Go of What People Think - Day 2

2013-10-22T04:16:00.001-07:00

Cultivating Authenticity... Day 2

It seems to me that the battle in this step... to really letting go of what people think takes place less between myself and others and much more between myself and me.

I find I must constantly chose the action of forgiving myself, of letting go of old habits of thinking. This experiment has made me much more AWARE of the fact that every day in small and big ways I am am putting myself down in my head.

The enemy is inside me.

And so to be authentic I must first and foremost accept who I am today

... faults and all... mistakes and all...

"No matter what gets done or how much is left undone, I am enough."

An experiment - Step One

2013-10-21T07:30:00.003-07:00

For the next ten weeks I am going to try something.

I am going to be intentional.

I am going to engage.

I am going to pay attention.

It's going to be like a spiritual cleanse.

I am going to dedicated one week - for ten weeks - to each of the 10 guideposts that Brene Brown gives in her book Daring Greatly for being a person who is "Wholeheartedly Living."

Step One: Cultivate Authenticity - Let go of what people think.

Let go of who I am supposed to be.

Let go of things I should do.

Let go of assumptions about what I think people are thinking.

Let go of trying to please everyone.

Of being normal.

Of being thin.

Of hating my nose.

Of having the right career.

Of the weight of trying to be someone.

Of feeling guilty.

Just let go... and be me.

Defiant Joy - Part 2

2013-10-16T11:36:00.001-07:00

White Coat Affair, Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston MA

2013-10-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

Steve has ALS.

At the 3rd Annual ALSTDI "White Coat Affair" on Oct. 3rd, 2013,

Steve's mom spoke about the impact ALS has had on her family.

Steve's mom was joined by 5 other moms, each sharing their own stories.

There was not a dry eye in the place.

Defiant Joy: Travels with Trace (Part I)

2013-07-31T05:24:00.001-07:00

Defiant Joy is an idea.

It's a life style.

It's a choice.

It's about choosing to have joy despite

- or in spite -

of the circumstances you find yourself in.

It's like flipping the world off with joy.

You can join Trace and I as we spread the Defiant Joy message - and celebrate our own!

These next few photos were taken by Trace... He has a great eye!

Tri-State Trek, ALS TDI

2013-07-23T12:37:00.003-07:00

Three States.

150 Riders.

270 Miles

Over $300,000 raised to bring a stop to ALS.

The annual ALS TDI Tri-State Ride was an amazing experience.

(For more insights on the experience check out shooter Martha's post on her blog.)

Dear Big Trouble,

2013-07-07T07:47:00.003-07:00

This is a visual collage. A sight poem about Oregon,

words, grace, beauty, my soul... and you.

Hillary and Justin, Thompson Island, Boston, MA

2013-06-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Hillary and Justin's wedding was so intimate and beautiful.

But, when they did their first dance, under a tree strung with lights, to a song I had never heard before, I understood a little more why people get married in the first place.

They were all alone, in this moment.

Holding on to each other.

Loving each other.

And, I could just see them at 80 years-old dancing in their kitchen, a whole lifetime of shared memories unspoken between them.

It was an amazing honor to witness.

The song was called: Someday Some morning Sometime.

Someday some morning sometime, sometime

I'd like to hold your hand in mine

Someday some morning sometime

I'd like to tell you you're pretty and fine

Your face will smile and your eyes will shine