We are not the houses we live in.....................

We all know how much I love beautiful houses - I do a weekly series on it after all - but at the end of the day they are really just houses - nothing more - nothing less - they don't define us whatsoever.
When we are younger it's all about "achieving "

We measure how well we are doing by what we have.
But as you get a little older - you do in fact get a little wiser and you learn a thing or two on this journey.
First of all you learn how privileged and blessed you are to be a part of this planet for however long you've been granted.
Secondly you learn that lists are indeed very wise things to have and thirdly you learn that the items on your list should not be " things " you've acquired but things you've " done "

We are not the houses we live in.
They are merely structures to keep us safe from the outside.
Some of us may have grand homes - some of us may live in humble abodes and still others live in cars or cardboard boxes by the subway - but we are all people living inside of them - the size of the house does not
reflect the size of one's character.

We are not the clothes we wear.
They are merely pieces of cloth designed to hide our nakedness - and to protect us from the elements.
Some of us may wear designer clothes - some of us may wear only good will finds - still others dress in rags but we are all people beneath the fabric - the cost of the cloth does not reflect the worth of one's life.

source

We are not the pay check we work hard to acquire.
That is simply a payback for what society deems important.  A star earns an excessive one - but is no better than a lawyer who is no better than a doctor who is no better than a teacher who is no better than a social worker who is no better than someone who makes minimum wage. A garbage man's job was created so that unnecessary diseases be eliminated and may probably be the most important one of all for that very reason. Some are smarter - some are more artistically inclined - but  we are all people depositing that weekly - biweekly - monthly sum - we are more than what we earn and what we " make " does not reflect the value of a life well served.

source

We are not the car we drive.
That is only a means of getting from here to there.
Some of us may drive fancy ones - some of us may drive economical ones - and some of us may drive rust heaps -  but we are all people sitting behind the wheel - trying to get from here to there.  What we drive is not as important as what drives us.

We are not the toys we seek to own.  We are not the latest machine we need to have.
We are not diamonds or rubies or any other precious stone.
We are not tax returns -
And most importantly - we are NOT - not one of us - better than anyone else.
We are all just people and what defines us is how we live our lives -
We are not what we can accomplish in a day - but what we've accomplished during our time on Earth.
We are acts of kindness -
We are smiles -
We are words of encouragement -
We are helping hands -
We are hugs
We are welcoming
We are supportive
We are sympathetic and empathetic

We are part of a global family and as a family we should and must keep an eye out for each other.

Life shouldn't be a competition of what we have - but rather a competition of what we can do to help ease the suffering of others.

We were meant to shine from the inside - not  the outside.
The people that glow are the ones that live their lives with kindness as their guide and the ones that deserve our respect and admiration the most.
And though diamonds were once a " must have " in my world I've long since given them
to my daughters - they mean very little to me now ( other then the joy they brought to them when
I placed them in their hands )

A couple of weeks ago I walked for the Relay For Life here in Montreal - and met the most charming elderly woman.
After telling me about her teenage years ( I helped her walk around the track ) she touched my hand and asked if I was a volunteer -
"Oh I'd just love to have you visit me - you're such a sweetheart and you made me laugh " she said with a smile.
And because of those few words I'm looking into doing some volunteer work in the fall with the elderly.
The house renovations can be put on hold one day a week.

Maybe my gift is simply the gift of laughter but don't I owe it to share it freely with others? Especially those that may not have a reason to do so very often?
It may not be much - in fact I know it isn't much - but it's something - and it's a start to living a life of kindness.

We are, after all, not the houses we live in.
They are merely structures to keep us safe from the outside and I've learned a thing or two on this journey.....................

See you in September Hazel...............you are amazing.

Much love,

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Fairyville Friday - part 2

Good morning everyone !

Can't tell you how therapeutic this is - I can get lost in this really

If you missed last week - where an obsession idea was born - you can see it HERE

I started off with this birdhouse bought at the dollar store

A little craft paint later and I had transformed it into a fairy house

I added flowers to the bike basket

Right now it's sitting on a slab of marble while I work but I have a special place that this will be going

Since this is going to be a village - this little house needed an address - this is 12 ( Rainbow Road )

Faux flowers and faux moss will be the ground cover - ( all from the dollar store )  I've kind of just tossed the flowers in here for the sake of photos )

But it's starting to look like a village................can't wait for the ribbon cutting ceremony LOL
Here's the little bird bath with the interior painted blue to resemble water ( smushing the brush all over it makes it look like sunlight reflections )

I don't know when this will stop but I've started seeing things through different eyes ( tiny eyes )
For instance this old wine cork that I've had since the beginning of time

all of a sudden looked like a planter - a little paint made it even more so

and a few little beads and such off of a miniature wreath looked very much like niblet corn - cauliflower and a cherry tomato - fairy bounty !

and this jam jar lid looks like a table top for al fresco dining when you look at it with fairy eyes

Which can sit on top of this candle holder

and create a little pedestal table complete with red and white checked table cloth :)

I embellished the arbor a little with some faux vine - wine glass rings and a chandelier piece - because
Fairies love bling

And that's it for Rainbow Rd, Fairyville
Stay tuned - construction starts on Blue Bird Lane and will be completed next week for Fairyville Friday ♥
Just in case you think I've totally flipped my lid this is being created for the little guest room upstairs where the guests ( for the most part ) will be the most precious little girls although this could very easily make me start believing in fairies again :)

Sneak peak for next week?

A twig ladder I made to rest against a house, complete with flowers growing up the sides - and maybe a butterfly.

John was breaking up branches and throwing them into the compost
Suzan yells out - Are those twigs your tossing out?
John says - Yeah, why?
Suzan says - I NEED them - don't throw them out please
John says - What the hell do you need twigs for?
Suzan says - A ladder
John says - I'm not even going to ask you about this one
John sits there shaking his head
Suzan says - For the fairy village
John says - You sound touched - absolutely touched..............I hope the neighbors don't hear you talking about this.................
John says - There's some wet leaves over hear - do you need them for a miniature swamp?

I'm telling you I could just pee my pants with the way he reacts to everything - literally !

Did I ever tell you that I run and write down these conversations?
Some nights he'll say something in bed and I jump up and he screams
DO NOT WRITE THAT DOWN !!!!!!!!!
So I have to lay there - concentrating on what was just said - and then casually get up for a drink or something and make a mad dash for my pen
lmho

Now isn't that the cutest?
Hmmmm - and he was throwing them out - I mean come on now

Care to have another sneak peak?
Of Bluebird lane?

A Fairy Church ( in the wild wood )
Have a wonderful weekend one and ALL !
Much love,

I'll be at these parties this week !

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