What does freedom mean to you?

Freedom to me is choice, when I can make my own choices.

The times I feel most free are on a good lengthy roadtrip. I love that in our country the United States of America we have the freedom to choose where we live and how we live. We choose where we want to go.

Freedom is also so much of what we expect and take for granted like clean drinking water and fresh air.

Freedom is our ability to travel and explore and our freedom to dress as we like too. We can live where we wish.

Freedom of movement is the most meaningful to me. But also so many choices from what we eat, where we go, how we dress and ways we communicate.

We have so many freedoms like career choices and educational choices. All in all it truly does boil down to choice. Freedom is our ability to make our own choices.

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/bernadetteamoyer

Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#freedom #choice #life #living

What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?

I love all the holidays! It’s so fun to celebrate all of them.

If I had to choose it might be 1) Thanksgiving 2) Easter and 3) Christmas.

For me Thanksgiving represents gratitude and being thankful but it’s also sweater weather and harvest season. It’s a beautiful time of year with the seasonal color changes in nature, I love a good traditional Thanksgiving dinner of roasted turkey and all the trimmings. It’s a great holiday to celebrate with friends and family.

Easter comes in a very close second as it represents resurrection and new beginnings. The time of year with new fresh green grass and budding trees and flowers. I love seeing all the new fresh growth in nature. I love bunnies and Easter candy and all the commercial offerings too. We begin again during the Easter holiday and I love it!

And then of course who doesn’t love Christmas! Christmas is always special with twinkling lights and yummy foods. I still enjoy shopping for Christmas gifts and decorating our home. It’s a time of celebration that always feels so special regardless of how many Christmas holidays we celebrate.

All holidays are fun to celebrate and an opportunity to create new and lasting memories.

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/bernadetteamoyer and Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#holidays #celebrate #thanksgiving #easter #christmas #gratitude

When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?

Two years ago we sold our home of 34 years and moved into our beach house in Rehoboth Beach. We quit our jobs, retired, sold our primary residence and moved out of state!

It was a huge decision and entailed clearing out a four bedroom and three bathroom home complete with an in ground pool and fireplace place. It was located in Baltimore County Maryland and easy access to the airport and train station. It was also close to our regular rides into Pennsylvania.

We gave away most furniture as our beach home was already completely outfitted. More than six families benefitted from our generosity.

The move was into a tighter community and smaller living space. We love it! After two years full time living at the beach, we feel healthier and happier. We are living with so much less stress. Our location is just a few miles from two of our favorite beaches.

My husband was the driver of this move more than me. He was wanting a calmer and easier lifestyle. This was certainly achieved. We love it so much. We spend all our time together with our two precious pooches and couldn’t be happier.

Big change big risk and has been a big reward!

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/bernadetteamoyer and Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#risk #reward #life #changes #beach

Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?

A great question! Many years ago a little child confided in me that a man who married into our family had abused them.

My mouth dropped open and I didn’t want to believe them. I would repeat back their story and change a fact and they always corrected me. They were telling the truth!

After some time I told the woman who married this man. Instead of believing me she dismissed me from her life. And I made it easy for her by walking away.

When I finally reported it to the police they said, “there is no material evidence.” I should have fought harder.

We had people in our family that were doctors, nurses and teachers and they blindly chose not to believe the child and remain close to the child abuser.

A Priest told me, “In order for them to believe you, they would have to change their life, and they aren’t going to do that .” He was 100% right!

Child sexual abusers are typically not strangers but rather people we know and allow close to our children.

My walking away was the void they used to make me out as the crazy one and the unworthy one. Why on earth would I have lied about this when it caused so much damage in my family, mainly to me?

All these years later I would have fought harder for this criminal act to be uncovered and prosecuted. Today it takes so much less to initiate these actions.

We live and we learn …

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/bernadetteamoyer and Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#abuse #childabuse #sexualabuse #dodifferently #family #live #learn #lessons

Describe one positive change you have made in your life.

The biggest positive change in my life is who and what and where I spend my time and energy. Making myself a priority. When you finally look at your life and make health and happiness the number one goal and priority, you see things differently.

If it doesn’t feel right, I don’t do it! If it doesn’t add value and/or make me happy I decline.

Not everyone is meant to stay in your life. Not everyone is a true friend. The family you were born into may be healthy for you or it may not be healthy at all.

There is that voice inside that knows instinctively what is good and what is right. Your truth may be inconvenient for someone else. It may not jive with the narrative they have created for themselves.

We literally have this one life and the gift of age teaches us what is important to us. The most positive change I’ve made is self-love and self-care. Taking good care of myself allows me to move between my need for spending time alone and my need for socializing.

I am no longer driven by other people’s opinions. I know who I am. I know where I began and I know where I have been and where I want to be.

Many positive changes throughout my lifetime have led to the greatest positive changes of 1) making health and happiness a priority and 2) self-love and self-care.

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/bernadetteamoyer on Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#positive #change #life #lessons #growth

What’s the most fun way to exercise?

By Bernadette A. Sahm

One of the most fun ways to exercise would have to be by doing something outside. So that would be either riding my pink beach cruiser bicycle or walking our pups on the beach.

The fresh air of a bike ride flowing through my hair is always fun on a spring and summer day.

Taking Bailey and Buddy to the beach and walking with them is also great fun and easy exercise.

For a serious workout you will find me at the gym doing 10 to 11 miles on a stationary bike and rewarding myself with a hydro massage and tanning.

Activities outdoors can be the most fun and contribute to good exercise too!

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/bernadetteamoyer and Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#exercise #outdoors #fun #healthy #workout #gym #bike ride #walking #beach

What book could you read over and over again?

By Bernadette A. Sahm

What book could you read over and over again? It took a few minutes for me to think about this question. My initial response I will stick with, as it has to be Love Story by Erich Segal. It later became a movie.

It is one book that I recall reading over and over again. Typically after reading a book I like to move on to read a new title.

There are many books that I have referenced over and over again like the Bible, The Four Agreements and many self-help books.

Many times I have reread some of my own writings. As I wonder if they are still relevant or in need of edits and update’s.

The book Love Story came out when I was a very young girl and for whatever reason I remember reading it over and over again!

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/bernadetteamoyer and Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#books #writing #reading #lovestory

What is your favorite type of weather?

My favorite weather season is Spring and then Summer. As I’ve aged I’ve grown fond of Fall and Winter weather is my least favorite weather. Winter is death and dark and cold.

Spring is renewal when everything is new again! Temperatures are cool and clear. I love spring sweater weather and warmer days with cooler evenings.

Easter happens during the Spring season and that also makes it so special to me. I enjoy seeing trees budding and flowers beginning to bloom. It’s the season and the weather for hope and new beginnings.

I also favor summer beach weather with longer days of daylight and warm temperatures. Summer is fun and so freeing!

Fall harvest is an interesting time too and still peppered with warm days and cool nights.

So if I had to rate the weather and the seasons it would probably be 1) Spring 2) Summer 3) Fall and 4) Winter. But truth to be told it’s a great day to be alive regardless of the weather.

Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/Bernadetteamoyer and Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#weather #season #spring #summer #fall #winter