There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. – Albert Einstein

If you can view the moments of your life as small and consequential miracles, your life will take on a different flavor all together. The world will seem like a less frightening and more peaceful place. As you recognize the little miracles, your hope and attitude will climb to new heights.

Levels of optimism will fill the moments between the small miracles. You will be cultivating the belief that all things are not only possible but achievable. Each breath we take is a small miracle in itself. That breath gives you another moment to decide where you want your life to go and how to get there.

Each breath gives you the option to choose what your attitude will be; positive or negative. Each second of your life enables you to move closer to what you desire or further away. Our power to choose our destiny lies in those brief moments sandwiched between the miracle of each breath.

It’s an amazing gift and we should take advantage of it. By acknowledging and embracing these small miracles we forever change the color and fabric of our lives. That is our most important task and what makes the journey of life so rich and rewarding.

Michael

A happy life is just a string of happy moments. But most people don’t allow the happy moment, because they’re so busy trying to get a happy life. – Abraham-Hicks

I think this quote will be my new philosophy of living, though I’ve been practicing this for quite some time now. I strive for the happy moment, the small things that make me smile, the quick laughs that give me a few seconds of happiness. When I add those moments up I find that my day has been mostly happy. When I add those days up, I find that my weeks and months are happy. Before you know, I’m leading a happy life.

It’s those moments that are important. If I’m feeling negative emotions, I try to quickly understand why, make a correction and move on. Why should I waste my time holding on to things that make me feel bad? I try to quickly deal with them. That’s an important distinction. I don’t repress negative feelings. I strive to understand them and then find ways to move past them. Repression of negative feelings does not lead to happy moments or a happy life. Bottled up emotions always stay with you and then come out when the pressure becomes too much.

As I find ways to enjoy the moments in my life no matter what I’m doing, I’ve discovered that it becomes easier and easier. My attitude stays in a good place. I can easily make a mundane activity something that is more fun. I’ve noticed that I don’t complain as much. I’ve noticed that I’m almost always optimistic.

Initially it takes a very active approach to manage happiness in the moments and seconds of your life, but after awhile it becomes second nature and much easier. Don’t wait on the big things to come; better relationship, better job, vacation or etc. Focus your attention on the moments and the rest of your life takes care of itself.

Michael

There is no such thing in anyone’s life as an unimportant day. – Alexander Woollcott

Every day gives us the opportunity to manage our attitude, adjust our perspective and evaluate the effect of the thoughts we are thinking. These activities can dramatically change our direction and help to increase our minute by minute level of happiness.

If we look at each day as an opportunity to make small changes in our behaviors and thought patterns we can slowly but consciously re-direct our lives towards something more desirable. It’s like exercise. A little bit of exercise every day or regularly will significantly increase your overall physical health over time. Our behaviors, thoughts and beliefs are no different.

As we work to decrease our reactions to life and increase our ability to direct our lives, then we are truly on the road to a more fulfilled and happier life. The work is not monumental. It’s really only a little bit of effort every day. The big changes come from regularly and consciously working on changing old habit patterns of thought.

Remember that going from pessimism to optimism drastically increases our world of possibilities. Being pessimistic is like sticking your head in sand. You can’t see very far or very clearly while an optimistic viewpoint is like traveling in a plane high above the ground. You can see everything at once.

In summary, work a little bit each day to improve your thoughts and beliefs. Focus on the small changes and before you know it, you’ll be in a better, more desirable place.

Michael

Charleston is the 6^th wealthiest city in the U.S.

The oldest building in Charleston was built in 1670.

Charleston was the center and peak of the slave trade up to 1865.

The first shots of the Civil War occurred between Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie.

The original settlement was several miles up the Ashley River, but the settlers moved to the peninsula because there were fewer mosquitoes and less malaria due to the ocean breeze.

40% of the Charleston peninsula is land fill.

It’s called the Holy City because it has so many church congregations.

The people are incredibly and genuinely friendly.

The best way to tour Charleston is to eat your way across. The food is wonderful!!

Rice was the main crop grown in the surrounding farmland as it got too cold for sugar cane. Most of the early fortunes were based on rice.

Michael

The current plantation house is the third one erected and is somewhat smaller than the original one. The first one burned. The second was destroyed in the Civil War. The majority of the furnishings are all antiques and from the early 1800s. There was also a room that displayed a lot of old photos, maps and documents detailing the history of the plantation and its owners.

Erica and I spent several hours touring the lush forests, swamps and planted gardens. We decided to visit a small petting zoo that contained farm type animals; goats, peacocks, roosters, chickens, pigs and turkeys to name a few. At the gate we were greeted by a very precocious chicken that Erica dubbed Henrietta. She was obviously looking for food, but we pretended she was there to welcome us to the zoo.

After entering, we walked around a bit. I turned and saw one of the goats coming up to Erica. Erica had an expression of excitement as she thought a friendly, cute goat was coming to say hello. But, before she could blink an eye, the goat grabbed out of her hand our map to the plantation, the ticket to get into the plantation house and my receipt for the entrance fees. I tried to grab them from the goat, but he was too quick. After laughing for some time, we made our way to the plantation tour where Erica had to explain that a goat ate our ticket. Apparently, they believed her as we were not the first to meet the same fate!

Rain started to come down after lunch, but we decided to tour the Audubon Swamp to view the lovely cypress trees and vibrant yellow flowers blooming all over the swamp. It was quite nice to walk in the rain with the umbrella. A peaceful feeling enveloped us during the 1 ½ mile walk. It was very relaxing and a wonderful end to a fantastic day.

Michael

The city is situated on a peninsula surrounded by several rivers and islands. Walking the streets, gives you a New Orleans French Quarter feel but it would be remiss to compare completely. Charleston has its own flavor. It has a deep colonial history going back to the 1600’s.  It was a key city during the civil war.

The food here is amazing. Some people we met suggested that we eat our way through Charleston. In other words, go to one restaurant to eat appetizers, go to another restaurant to eat the entree, and finally choose another one for the dessert. It seemed like a good plan. The food we have tried up to this point has been amazing. Our favorite restaurant so far is place called FIG. Strangely enough, it stands for Food is Good. And indeed it was.

Charleston is a great walking city with lots of nooks and crannies. The people are very friendly. The art scene is huge. There’s a lot of history. We’ll do and see as much as we can in the short amount of time we have. It’s a tough job, but we are up for it.

Michael

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move. – Robert Louis Stevenson

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu

My passion for travel is neck and neck with my passion for photography. When I combine the two together, the feeling is close to overwhelming!

Travel has become quite an addiction for me. It doesn’t really matter where I go or how far. I love seeing what is around the next bend or over the next hill. Though I may have a destination in mind, I especially love what happens along the way.

Unlike photography, my intense love of travel began much later in my life. But, I’m working hard at catching up for lost travel time. Really, though, I haven’t lost any time. I’m fortunate to have visited 45 of the 50 U.S. states, 16 countries, and four continents to date.

The people I meet, the new foods I get to try, the incredible places I visit, the experiences I have that change me for the better and the sheer joy of the journey are why I’m passionate about travel.

Here’s to the next trip.

Michael

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. – William Arthur Ward

I have an excellent guitar teacher. I’ve been working with him for 3 or 4 months now. My goal was to learn some music theory and some techniques for playing lead guitar. I had learned a lot but I wasn’t satisfied with my progress on playing lead. It was coming slow and I didn’t seem to be making much progress.

So, two lessons ago, I brought up my frustrations to my guitar teacher. I looked him right in the eye and asked if I was really cut out to play lead since it seemed to be coming very slowly for me. I asked him if I should just focus on being an excellent rhythm guitarist. He looked right back at me, paused for a moment and said “No.”

He said what I needed was to learn a lead from some songs that I enjoy. We would then attack the lead playing combined with music theory from that perspective. I said okay. Let’s give it a try. I had to pick a song I wanted to learn the lead on. So, I choose one (Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd) and in the next 25 minutes, he taught me the lead for that song. I was astounded at how fast I picked it up. We also analyzed the song to look at the theory underlying the melody.

Within one session, my guitar teacher was able to completely turn my attitude around. It was brilliant. With the next lesson I learned another song I’ve always wanted to learn (From the Beginning – Emerson, Lake and Palmer). I am now feeling much better about my progress. That changed perspective is propelling me forward faster now.

I’m glad I’ve found this teacher. He is a rare breed.

Michael

Through the balance and the chaos, we alone are responsible for our own happiness and success—or lack of it. It’s up to us to design a life that works. – Cynthia Good

The simple thought that we alone are responsible for own happiness and success is a powerful statement. It’s one that many people ignore or believe to be untrue. I, on the other hand, have found this thought to be one of the most freedom inducing beliefs of my life.

It’s so easy to blame others or to give away our power of choice. When things are not going good in our lives, it can be difficult to take responsibility. It can be depressing to think we might be at fault for our own problems.

For me, it feels better to know I’m in control. I like the idea that I can make my life what I want; happy or not happy. I relish in the belief that I can change at any moment the direction my life is going. I don’t have to settle for something I don’t want or desire. It’s the ultimate freedom.

Only we know what’s best for our lives. Only we know what we truly like and dislike. Only we know what will make us feel fulfilled. Only we can control our attitude and reactions to events around us.

Only we can choose to be happy.

Michael

As fall is a favorite time of year for me, by the end of the summer, I’m anxiously awaiting it anyway. The color transition up here in the northeast is spectacular even in the years where the colors seem muted. But, the years when the colors are intense are quite special. I’ve had the fortune to see several of those.

If a season can bring me happiness, then fall would be the one. It’s one of the reasons why I like living up here. When I was growing up in the South, we didn’t really have four seasons. Two maybe and sometimes we had three. So, I always make sure I get the full fall enjoyment factor every year. I either take a special trip to New Hampshire or enjoy the color surrounding the inland areas of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Ah, time to go and see some more.

Michael