inspired

*by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love. she was Oprah's guest on friday's show. here are some juicy tidbits (offered by Elizabeth) that i am currently contemplating: being the hero in my own life; does my life resemble me?; silence is the only true religion; "i don't know" is a legitimate answer; i am the master of me; being in the palm of god; this meditation: sit and smile (even in my liver); what do i really, really, really want? (really 3x!); what is the happiest moment of my day?; and, refining my mantra.

*by Kris Carr. her life force--her activism, laughter and playfulness--is outrageously contagious! she is a warrior goddess. on monday night i watched this documentary: Crazy Sexy Cancer. here's a description from the website: "Crazy Sexy Cancer is an irreverent and uplifting documentary about a young woman looking for a cure and finding a life. In 2003, 31-year-old actress/photographer Kris Carr was diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer. Weeks later she began filming her story. Taking a seemingly tragic situation and turning it into a creative expression, Kris shares her inspirational story of survival with courage, strength, and lots of humor." i dig this chick. Kris' words (from her blog) are electrifying, "Change your focus. It's all about mental management..." and, these words, "If I spend my precious days in anger and outrage I'll miss the good stuff, the cake, cartwheels and the sunshine." so, what's your cake, cartwheels and sunshine?

*by my dynamite, red-headed friend, a. a.'s current "cake, cartwheels and sunshine" is the circus! yes, the circus. a. is a physical education teacher in alexandria, virginia and she is creating a circus at her school this year! here's what she (enthusiastically!) says about this: "Many of our students come from countries all over the world and they don't necessarily speak English. What they all can share is the language of circus-juggling, building human pyramids, tumbling, balancing on balance boards, working together as a troupe, and being engaged in physical activities that promote healthy lifestyles. But what would a youth circus look like without a gaggle of unicyclists riding around?" if you are interested & inspired by the language of circus, consider making a donation to cover the cost of two unicycles for the youth circus. a. has a posting on www.DonorsChoose.org entitled, "Look Ma, No Hands: Unicycles teach more than you think!"