Love | Kelsey Toney

Sharing the Flame

August 30, 2011

(I’ve written about this topic before… but it feels fresh in my heart. I obviously have more to say-to process in regards to this idea, so I hope you’ll indulge me.)

I recently subscribed to a couple of inspirational/daily meditation/reflection emails. These daily notes are non-religious, but are about the spirit and light, that I believe is inside of all people. Sometimes they’re just daily quotes meant to make you think about some element of our humanity… or spirituality, whichever facet you choose to apply it to.

Yesterday’s quote was attributed to “Erin Majors” and a few google searches yielded no further information about who she might be, or what context this applied to, but I’m grateful for her words.

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.

via

Hmmm.

What is it about us that makes us erroneously believe that pointing out the wonderful in others leeches the wonderful from ourselves?

Have you ever seen a friend or acquaintance come into the office, looking particularly fresh faced and having a fabulous hair day on a morning that held spilled espresso, a broken hairdryer, and missing dry cleaning for you?

Hot Stuff, meet Hot Mess.

Did you have the nerve to tell her how lovely she looked? (Let me point out that your inclusion or exclusion of a compliment isn’t going to do a thing for that back-of-the-closet ensemble, so why hold it back?)

I mean, let’s keep it real, dear readers… here is the heart of the matter:

We are not BOWLS of love. We do not ladle up our hopes and dreams, and dish them out to our friends, slowly dwindling our supply and leaving shallows in the wake.

We are FLAMES of love! We have the opportunity to give brightness to those around us who’ve been rained on. Those around us who’ve succumbed to the wind. Those around us who’ve run out of fuel. Those around us who’ve let someone snuff them to darkness. Those around us who’ve been hasty and frivolous with their glow, letting it be whispered away.

And when your flame joins my flame, and we continue to put those sparks of light together…

We have the opportunity to create a roaring, blazing inferno of support for each other.

I want people around me to KNOW that they can count on me to lift them up.

I want to be the type of person who freely shares her flame.

I hope to be instrumental in helping those around me shine.

I want to glow.

via

Posted via email from kelsnotchels’s posterous

Life Well Lived List Vol: 7

June 22, 2011

Happy Wednesday!

Today, I have a few more items for my Life Well Lived list! A LWL list is a list that you can use to keep a list of highlights of your life. I’m sure if you think about it, there are some things in your life that are completely unique, or at least very FEW people have done. THAT’s what the list is about. Open-mouthed smile

So, without further adieu, let me tell you a few more of the beautiful things that make this life perfectly, and wonderfully lived.

I’ve married my best friend (on a mountain top, with two rainbows overhead, and a double sunset.)

I know, I know… “My wedding was the best EVER”, “My wedding was so perfect, I’m sure it was the most gorgeous one ever” But seriously guys… Red rock mountains in Sedona, AZ… TWO rainbows crossing over our ceremony… (cause it drizzled sweetly on the whole thing), and one purpley-red sunset, followed by the sun sinking into a bank of clouds for a totally different looking sunset-aka, 2 SUNSETS… It was seriously one in a MILLION.

I know right??

I gotta keep it real… Nothing else I can add to the list today that means more to me than that single moment in my life.

That being said, there is still some Life Well Lived joy to spread around!

Keep your eyes peeled for an afternoon Life Well Lived Round up post! Smile

If you participate, be sure to grab the button to use in your own blog/sidebar!

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30 Day Challenge: Day 1 Current Relationship

April 18, 2011

So the illustrious Katy Widrick, who is a wonderful blogger who shares my technophilic heart, blogged about this challenge. I love her blog. It’s a great resource for new bloggers who don’t know how to do the things they want to do for their blogs, and I love that. Lets just say that Katy’s blog is in my “cream of the crop” folder in Google Reader. The HIGHEST echelon of the blogging world, I assure you.

She turned me on to a challenge, that she found via meals&moves, though we’re all at a loss as to who originally started it.

It’s a 30 Day blogging challenge wherein you discuss 30 topics, according to the following list.

I can’t promise that my blogging will be on consecutive days, (though that’s my goal) but I can promise to discuss each of these topics. Some of these, I can go ahead and tell you, I’m going to skim over, or be vague, or puss out or only discuss in general terms, but that’s my prerogative, right?? I can promise that whatever I share will be honest, and that you’ll learn a bit more about me as a person, in the process.

So, to begin, My Current Relationship.

I’ve written in the past about how I met and fell in love with my husband… (read about my brush with love at first sight: here. http://www.kelseytoney.com/2009/02/happy-valentines-day/) but, this is talking about my CURRENT relationship, and I can appreciate the distinction. That my current relationship might be different than the one I started so many years ago.

In a way… it is…

(circa 2005 courtesy of Emily Ann Garcia Photography)

It’s better.

Daron and I were married in 2005, after a 3ish year courtship.

And of course, we have the occasional scuffle about who has the pleasure of feeding our whiney-ass cats… on the whole, that man is my PARTNER.

It’s so comforting to know that someone will be in your corner EVERYTIME.

Even if what you actually need is someone to tell you that you’re being ENTIRELY dramatic and/or preposterous. (Who me??)

We are total opposites.

We are perfectly congruent.

We’re a literal miss-match of ideals and philosophies. We have contradictory views on dozens of important issues, and agree on an equal number of others. I’m social and gregarious. He’s shy and introverted. The list could LITERALLY go on for pages.

He tortures me with jokes and laughter, and our list of inside jokes and unspoken punch lines is extensive. Just as it should be.

Not perfect. But perfect. If you know what I mean.

Not meaning to gush, but what can I say, I’m in love.

It’s really pretty great to feel that way after about 9 years, now. It makes me grateful for the patience and acceptance that I’m regularly shown.

ANYWAY.

The rest of the challenge won’t be so mushy… or maybe it will be. But I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

xoxo

Question: What’s the longest relationship you’ve encountered in your life? Parents? Grandparents?

Today, I am…

November 18, 2010

Today, I am awake early for a staff meeting.

Today, I am yawwwwwning… A lot.

Today, I am wearing my oldest and most love-worn Converse.

Today, I am admitting that I ate entirely too much pizza last night.

Today, I am also admitting that it was totally worth it.

Today, I am snuggled in my new favorite cowl scarf, which reminds me of NYC.

Today, I am aware that I won’t finish my Deathly Hallows re-read before I see the movie.

Today, I am glad that we’re not seeing at Midnight-or 3:00 am showing, but waiting until Friday night, which is responsible, and sane, and best for me and my true love.

Today, I am adorned with a butterfly in my hair.