dailyprompt

Acts of Unexpected Kindness

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What are you passionate about?

I absolutely love and am passionate about acts of love and kindness. Today while wading in the water at the beach, I was picking up shells and stones. A little boy about ten years old came up to me and handed me three perfect seashells. I said, “don’t you want them?” His response “no they are for you!” I was stunned and replied “you are such a sweetheart” he just walked away. It literally made my day and made me smile so much.

I went back to my husband who witnessed this act and told me the kid has good taste in making you happy!

When we go out I like to tip good service generously. I was once a waitress and know how hard they work. Giving is for the giver.

Often going through the toll booth we pay for the car behind us.

I am a big believer in what goodness you but into the world comes right back to you. We can focus on all the things we don’t like in the world or we can choose to be the change we want to see in the world.

That young boy gave freely with no agenda and it wasn’t lost on me. All I could think was someone raised a good boy and one day someone is going to be the recipient of his kind actions.

We reap what we sow. When we plant seeds of goodness and acts of kindness we are almost certain to benefit from it.

I love a beautiful life and being a good and giving person is what I am most passionate about.

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

#passionate #giving #generous #beautiful #life #lessons

Important for a good life …

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What are the most important things needed to live a good life?

By Bernadette A. Sahm

The first thing that comes to mind as the most important things needed for a good life is peace, love and good health.

Living without worry and living in peace and with love are by far the most important things to live a good life.

Good health is also important. As for possessions a nice home and car or cars and a healthy bank account and a refrigerator and freezer filled with good foods.

Loving relationships and healthy friendships enhance a good life. It’s important to surround yourself with good people.

Doing what you love with who you love and where you love to be all makes for a good life. I am blessed to have a wonderful loving husband and a nice home near the ocean. We have good friends and two precious pups.

As a retired person “living the dream” I honestly feel that I have living a very good life. I thank God daily for all our many blessings!

Books That Meant Something

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List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?

The top three books that have impacted my life and meant something to me are 1) Charlottes Web 2) The Four Agreements and 3) Women and The Blues: Passions that Hurt Passions that Heal.

As a child I loved Charlottes Web and living on a farm in northeast Pennsylvania, I could relate to farm animals. I loved the story and the talking animals and reading about the life cycle.

Later on as an adult woman I enjoyed reading Woman and The Blues. It was a self-help book that gave me the courage to persevere and keep going when things didn’t work out like I believed they would for me.

Last of the three and certainly not least was The Four Agreements. It’s a small book that cost around $10 and I have gifted it to dozens of my friends and acquaintances. The one agreement that literally changed how I viewed all my relationships was, “nothing other people do is because of you, it is because of themselves.” This quote alone changed me. I no longer accepted others actions and words personally. What they did and what they said was all theirs and not mine.

I love reading and I love many books but the three listed above certainly had a huge impact on me.

Happy reading!

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

Instagram @bernadetteamoyer @bernadettesahm

#books #reading #lessons #life

Most Dear Belongings

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What personal belongings do you hold most dear?

By Bernadette A Sahm

My most dear “personal belongings” are probably three being 1) my framed Christening outfit handmade by my grandmother 2) my diamond engagement ring and 3) the flag presented to me after the 21-gun salute for the funeral of my first husband.

My grandmother knit and gifted me this four piece Christening outfit at my baby shower. It included a knitted gown with matching coat, cap and booties. I loved it then and now. Years ago I had it preserved and framed. It represents multi generational history.

I have a flag that draped my first husband Randy’s coffin when he was buried. It was folded and presented to me with a message from our then President Reagan. It is also preserved in a flag case. It reflects the American spirit of service above self. He died service related.

Last and certainly not least is a ring I wear every single day. It includes 5 diamonds where each represent my husband, me and our three children. It was my engagement ring and I seldom take it off. I love it today as much as au did the day I received it!

So these three items repented things I hold most dear …

My engagement ring with 5 diamonds represent 5 in our family …

#most dear #sentimental #memories #special

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

Instagram @bernadetteamoyer

Having It All

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What does “having it all” mean to you? Is it attainable?

By Bernadette A. Sahm

First and foremost, “having it all” starts with peaceful living. Living in peace is everything. Then having that special someone to share peace and love in life is truly the greatest gift.

My husband is everything to me. We are about to celebrate 29 years of marriage and 34 years of living life together. We know how blessed we are to have each other.

Together we have weathered many storms and many life lessons. There was a long period of time when I didn’t have peace. It pointed back to numerous family issues. Then one day after years and years of grief and tears it vanished. What I was left with was a man and his unwavering love and that love grew stronger. Love was always there, peace wasn’t.

Is it attainable? Of course it is, you just have to want it! And work for it!

Today we have both lots of love grounded in peace. Truly these two things that define “having it all.”

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

#havingitall #love #peace #attainable #life #lessons

Freedom

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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

Favorite Holiday

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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

Most Productive

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When do you feel most productive?

Being productive has always been important to me! When I was working it was about setting goals and achieving them.

In retirement it is about staying active whether it’s making food, working out at the gym and writing. Maintaining good health and practicing what that entails for me always makes me feel productive.

When making food like baking a cake or a pie, I feel productive and as though I’ve created art that you eat.

My writings and body of written works always give me the satisfaction of being productive.

Yesterday while walking along the beach I felt productive in achieving my daily 10,000 steps.

My grandmother was big on the ‘idle time is the devils workshop” and that way of thinking made me seek out productivity on a daily basis.

Productivity takes many forms for me and it also creates the inner joy and peace that I seek each and everyday. I try and live by the tagline of #just do it

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

#productivity #active #daily life #living #just do it #goals #achievement

Beach Bound

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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

Standing Up!

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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