Creating Our Lives

They say creativity keeps you young. As I approach my 40th birthday this week I have to say in many ways I'm feeling younger and younger. I attribute much of this to allowing myself to be creative, knowing each time I do, I get better and better at it.

This morning I was adding to my vision board, or treasure map, of what I want in my life. Using my computer's "paint" program, I began playing with an idea for the cover art for the Once Upon a Tree books I'm writing. Although it's only the second time I've used this, I allowed myself to have fun doing it, totally envisioning it as the real cover for the books that will bring so much enjoyment to their readers.

Since we are creating our lives with our every day thoughts and actions, why not have fun doing it? The day may not turn out to be the masterpiece we intended, but it does move us closer to learning how. "Groundhog Day" (1993) with Bill Murray is as good a movie as any for seeing how to do this.

After all, if we created the circumstances we are experiencing today by our "creations" of the past (thoughts, actions and choices), then we can create our futures exactly as we want it with our new creations today. This happens by focusing on what we want it to look like. If all we do is focus on the "what is" of our lives today, we only produce more tomorrows that look exactly like our todays.

Man, no wonder we get bored.

"How ya doin'?"

"Same old, same old."

Yuck! Let's take the time to appreciate what we like in our todays, and learn to turn what we don't like into what we do, by creating it in our thoughts and actions and choices.

"Make good choices, Honey."

As irritating and embarrassing as that was for us to hear when our mothers said it to us in front of our friends, nonetheless it is still true.

Just for today, let's all deliberately choose better thoughts and better actions. Let's give that big beautiful plant that wants to grow inside of us some real sunshine.

Then my friend,
in the end

You'll be delighted and surprised,
to find

At looking in the mirror,
and seeing

Not a picture of forgotten dreams,
and frowning

At all the things your heart knows you could have been,
but smiling

At the masterpiece shining brightly back at you
and seeing

Your biggest and best self,
has come true




"We are what we think.
All that we are arises
With our thoughts.
With our thoughts,
We make our world."
- The Buddha

Copyright © 2007 by Adam Stuart
All Rights Reserved

In a Father's Pockets

My daughter brought a book to me and asked me to read a story to her. I said "sure" and she proceeded to climb into my lap. To make her more comfortable I began to empty my pockets and we laughed at all the things we found:

~ a tape recorder for story ideas, a bluetooth ear piece for calls I receive, puppy dolls and the capes I can't put back on, a protein bar for when our tummies growl, a piece of chalk to draw hopscotch, and a dime that will grow into a mountain of gold, allowing us to travel the world

We had just come back from playing at Lake Eola with friends, which was a wonderful time. Thank you Holden, Veronica, Nicholas and Liz!

Then we went to "The Tree". I watched Sofia play and let more of the "Once Upon a Tree" story develop.

Then SHE read "My Name is Jack" which I always carry with me in the car. She's only 5 but knows the story so well she can "read" it (this is her favorite page, "I'll grow so tall that I'll TICKLE the moon!") I took video clips and thinking of posting them on MySpace ~ have no idea how to do it on blogspot.

Then of course before daddy could get things done there had to be time for a game of hopscotch (BIG smiles coming to my face right now).

A father's pockets contain all the things of real life; a mixture of things that need to get done and the making of time to show his love.
I enjoy being a father very much, like holding hands while we read. I hope there's time for you to get everything done that needs to get done today, ........especially the playing and reading part.

****If you haven't read "Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch, please go to the library or bookstore right away and read it tonight. It might make you cry, but it definitely will make you stop having excuses for not finding the time to read to your children.

Click Here for the slideshow of the children.