Seedplanter’s Porch

You can’t hurry nature. Seasons come. Seasons go. And in between, we learn to wait.

So begins my new lens, The Gift of Patience. In this troubled economy with businesses closing, home foreclosures, and prices steadily climbing at the grocery store and gas station, people are on edge. They’re wondering what ’s ahead, and how they’re going to hold it all together.

Our children and grandchildren are watching, looking to the adults in their lives for cues. Should they worry? Should they carry on as usual? Will they be safe? secure? free to continue being carefree kids? The answer depends on how we react to crises.

The Gift of Patience joins two others in the same series:

• The Gift of Kindness
• The Gift of Honesty

In time, patience becomes a habit, and we’re able to show persistence in the most difficult situations. Persistence leads to perseverance–an admirable trait that helps strengthen us to stand tall in the face of adversity. None of this is simple, but it’s the first step to contentment in any situation, hardship or not.

Struggle forms us into stronger, more compassionate people…if we’ll let it.  It all begins with developing a patient mindset and an open heart.

New to Squidoo? Make your own lens today!

Have you discovered SquidLog yet? Check it out, and be sure to visit my “Backstories” column.

Remember how it felt the first time you realized that someone had linked to you? Linking to a lens or website is a nice compliment. It makes people feel like their work is worthy of notice. That’s exactly why I’ve created Fan the Flame, as a lens where people can sing the praises of their favorite lensmasters, lenses, and Squidoo groups.

Information overload is a reality, and who has time, anyway, to see it all? I love reading recommendations from people I have come to know and trust. It saves me time and it also puts me in touch with some of our seasoned lensmasters whose lenses are jaw-droppers. It’s also a thrill to discover new talent whose lenses are presented in a refreshing format.

Please take a moment to visit Fan the Flame: Help Spread the Squidoo Fire!  It’s about ideas, and how a simple spark ignites a lens. I cover the backstory behind a few of my lenses–how the idea sparked in the first place. I’ve also included the following Plexos, and hope you’ll add your own favorites to the mix.  Together, we can help fan the flame and give hard-working lensmasters fresh exposure.

• Fan Your Own Fire! (Share the personal lens that you’re most proud of.)
• Fan a Favorite Lensography!
• Fan Your Favorite Squidoo Group!

Happy New Year, everyone!

New to Squidoo? Make your own lens today!

Have you joined Tagfoot yet? Why not?

I‘m going to ask you to step away from Twitter, Tagfoot, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the other social networks that have stapled your brain to the Internet. Let’s travel back in time to the days before e-mail, when the arrival of that little postal truck meant more than bills and catalogs.

Do you remember searching through the pile of mail for a letter with a recognizable address, or handwriting you could identify right away? There it was–a friend who hadn’t written in ages. If you were lucky, you might even receive two or three letters in one delivery.

Some people wrote letters on plain lined notebook paper. Others, like my friend Kathy, used crinkly pastel paper with a fancy design running across the top of the page.  My aunt’s letters always smelled like roses. I read my letters slowly, the way I read a good book when I reach the very last chapter.

My newest lens is about communication–how our words can enrich lives and deepen relationships. It’s a tribute to paper letters…nostalgic but not sappy. No Kleenex needed this time.

I hope In Praise of Paper Letters leaves you with warm, sweet memories of people you used to correspond with by postal–a grandparent? best friend? elementary school pen pal?

Who knows, you might even try your hand at writing one–just for the shock effect, of course. I’m thinking along those lines myself. Might write my sister a real letter. She lives twelve miles from me, but it would give her a good laugh, and I know she’d probably save it.  She’s sentimental that way.

New to Squidoo? Make your own lens today!

Last week I published a new lens, Recipes for Life. The idea came to me as I was cleaning my kitchen. (I’ve learned through the years as a writer that  there’ a connection between mindless activities and creativity, at least for me.) I was thinking about the people who have influenced my life, and felt a wellspring of gratitude for the imprint they’ve left.

Although my Intro to the lens began with a reference to my mom’s old pink recipe box, my thoughts wandered to “recipes” for life; our approach to life as we each uniquely know it.  For me, a joyous life has meant finding the difference between happiness and contentment.

What about you? What would it take to make you truly happy?  Have you found that perfect pace of life that satisfies?

Is your family spending half its time rushing here and there to keep up with must-do activities? Does fun mean having to spend money, or have you come up with other ways to enjoy life? In today’s tightened economy, we’re all looking for less expensive entertainment.  Share your ideas in my “Freebie Fun for the Whole Family” Plexo. Let others benefit from your experience.

Relax

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Have a great weekend, all…