may this dress remind you, bird by bird . . . .

Today I need to remember the wise words from Anne Lamott's father

 ~ 'bird by bird'.

As it happens I am prepping for 

2 shows opening in the next 7 days!! 

'Flirt",  the inaugural group show @ the Dedham Mother Brook Art Center & 

'the daily dress series' @ Baldwin Hill Art, Natick.

I am super excited about both shows, 

however this friday has arrived with a laundry list of 

things to do a mile long - 

so bird by bird . . .  

“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table, close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, ‘Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.’”

from Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

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May this dress bring you contentment . . .

If you want to be happy, be. 

~Leo Tolstoy

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may this dress bring you a bit of summer . . . .

In the depth of winter
I finally learned
that there was in me
an invincible summer.
Albert Camus

for those of us up north who may be getting 

just a bit tired of this cold, gray and did I say cold?? january . . .

and for those of us that are experience another kind of winter -

let us tap into our invincible summer!!

#toocold

peace


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this dress dares you!!!!

"Only those who dare, truly live."

~ Ruth P. Freedman

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may this dress give you a boost today!!

If you hear a voice within you say 

"you cannot paint,"

 then by all means paint,

 and that voice will be silenced.  

~Vincent Van Gogh

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may this dress remind you of the importance of pausing . . . .

“Learning to pause 

is the first step in 

the practice of Radical Acceptance.

A pause is a suspension of activity, 

a time of temporary disengagement 

when we are no longer moving 

toward any goal. . . . 

The pause can occur in the midst 

of almost any activity 

and can last for an instant, 

for hours or for seasons of our life. . . . 

We may pause in the midst of meditation 

to let go of thoughts and 

reawaken our attention to the breath. 

We may pause by stepping out of daily life 

to go on a retreat or 

to spend time in nature or 

to take a sabbatical. . . . 

You might try it now: 

Stop reading and sit there, 

doing "no thing," 

and 

simply notice what you are experiencing.” 

― Tara Brach, Radical Acceptance: 

Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha

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may this dress help you to rise!!!

“Sometimes you have to kind of die inside

 in order to rise from your own ashes

 and believe in yourself 

and love yourself 

to become a new person.”

― Gerard Way

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May this dress help you to let go . . .

“When I let go of what I am, 

I become what I might be.” 

~ Laozi

Peace

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May this dress help you to just let go & enjoy the ride!

“The reality is that tomorrow is most certainly uncertain 

and no matter how many expectations we form, 

tomorrow will come, 

tomorrow will go and 

it will all be what it will be.” 

~Lori Deschene

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may this dress bring you courage, strength and compassion today . . .

once again,

 today, I am dealing with an intense life challenge;

one that is poking at my sense of self,

impugning my life choices

and threatening my sense of financial security.

It has been a taxing and frustrating journey, yet 

I know that I am a stronger and more authentic me

because of it.  

So this quote felt completely apropos for today!!!  

And I LOVE Alice,

I have always felt a kinship with her!!

peace be with you all today!!

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May this dress give you faith!

“Faith is taking the first step 

even when you don’t see 

the whole staircase"

Martin Luther King

Continuing to celebrate the wise and inspiring words of Reverend King ~
there are many of us in difficult and challenging situations, and 
we just need to keep moving forward and to have faith.

peace be with you!! 


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May this dress bring us MLK's dream . . .

May this dress bring us the world of which Martin Luther King Jr dreamt,

a world of service and peace and love and equality!!

“I have a dream that my four little children 

will one day live in a nation 

where they will not be judged

 by the color of their skin 

but by the content of their character.”

Martin Luther King Jr. 

below is the poem my daughter that my Harriet 

wrote for the Natick Interfaith Community Celebration 

in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

She read it in front of the community, along with other students,

politicians, clergy and other officials who gathered

to celebrate this great man's legacy.

Peace be with you all!!! 

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may this dress help you let go . . . .

We must let go of the life 

we have planned, 

so as to accept 

the one that is waiting for us.

Joseph Campbell 

 

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may this dress help you with the small steps . . . .

“There is no magic cure, 

no making it all go away forever. 

There are only small steps upward; 

an easier day, 

an unexpected laugh, 

a mirror that doesn't matter anymore.”~ 

Laurie Halse Anderson, Wintergirls

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may this dress bring you gentleness . . .

"Be gentle with yourself. 

You are a child of the universe, 

no less than the trees and the stars. 

In the noisy confusion of life, 

keep peace in your soul."

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

may this dress remind you of your small but confident voice!!

When we are connected to our hearts, 

we can hear the small voice 

that says with quiet confidence,

 

"Breathe. You can do this."

— Oriah Mountain Dreamer

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May this dress bring you reinforcements, for whatever battle you are in . . .

“Life is not easy for any of us.

 But what of that? 

We must have perseverance and, 

above all, confidence in ourselves. 

We must believe that 

we are gifted for something, 

and that this thing, 

at whatever cost, must be attained.” 

~ Marie Curie

for those of us who are fighting for that 'something' ~

may we have confidence, strength, clarity, belief in yourself

and victory!! xxx

peace

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may this dress bring you boldness!!!

"In times of stress, 

be bold and valiant."

 ~ Horace

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may this dress remind you that it's always darkest before the dawn . . .

To be a star, 

you must shine your own light, 

follow your own path 

and don't worry about the darkness for that is 

when stars shine the brightest.

Unknown

today I awoke with this one line from the song 

"Shake It Out", by 

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE, 

running over and over in my head:

"It's always darkest before the dawn" 

(which I honestly thought was the name of the song, until this morning).

Each morning when I figuring out what to post for my Daily Dress Inspiration, I think about what I need to hear, or what is the vibe in the air on that day/morning; I quiet my mind and listen.  It is a very active and mindful practice.  

Today, when all I could 'hear' was this one line from the song, on repeat, over and over and over, I knew what today's theme would be. And this line is very appropriate for what I have been experiencing these past days.  

So today I embrace the darkness for it is helping me to shine, brightly.

I am going to shake off the looming sense of gloom!!

And I have faith that dawn is coming!! 

"Shake It Out"

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

(click song title to go to a video of the song)

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around

Our love is pastured, such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues drawn
But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

And I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone
It's always darkest before the dawn

Oh whoa, oh whoa...

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat
'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, yeah

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

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may this dress give you faith in the process . . . all its stages!!

Every worthwhile accomplishment, 

big or little, 

has its stages of drudgery and triumph; 

a beginning, a struggle and a victory.

-Gandhi

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may this dress bring you my love!!!

I have lived by this quote for as long as I can remember ~

this morning I awoke to 

a multitude of 

Albert Camus quotes?!

not sure what the message might be, but 

I figured I would share a few that really

spoke to me and add my own. . . 

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow;
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead;
Walk beside me, and just be my friend." ~Albert Camus

the below quote was posted by my FB friend,

Susan Hillenbrand Avallon,

who is posting quotes, inspirations & prayers of

a daily basis : -)

Morning prayer, January 11th: 

We all carry within us our places of exile, 

our crimes, and our ravages. 

But our task is not to unleash them on the world; 

it is to fight them in ourselves and in others. Albert Camus

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