AH-HA!

"Energy is the essence of life. 
Decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want."

 - Oprah Winfrey

Yes peeps, I'm an Oprah fan.

And for those of you who are also fans, you have probably heard her talk about "Aha!" moments.

These are moments when you have little epiphanies about life.

Something...anything...causes you to stop in your tracks and say "Aha! So that is what that means!" or "Aha! That is what the feeling has been trying to tell me!" Etc...etc.

I have a couple of little stand-up letters sitting on a shelf in my living/dining room. They are actually letters left-over from letters that used to stand on a shelf in my son Noah's room spelling out his name: NOAH.

Here they are!

The letters are simply "AH"... or "HA"... depending on the day.

When I feel the need to remind myself to relax...I place them to read "AH". As in "AHHHHH...just breathe." Or "AHHHHH...just be." Or "AHHHHH...just take a few moments to relax."

Ahhhhhhhh!

When I feel the need to enjoy the moment more or need a reminder to experience more joy...I place them in the opposite order to read "HA". As in "HA...life is funny!" Or "HA...laugh more!" Or  "HA..life ain't so bad!"

Ha ha ha!!!

Either way, I usually see these letters and think of both. I read them forwards and backwards to get "AH-HA!" I need to relax and laugh and enjoy and life in the moment and experience feelings in life both good and bad.

Now, I could take the other letters I have leftover from "NOAH" now that I think about it.

I could place these letters to read "NO"... as in "NO...don't think negative thoughts!" Or  "NO...don't take on things that don't need to be taken on." Or "NO... don't eat that extra cookie or four!" Or  "NO... I am not going to say "yes" to something that I don't really want or need to do."

Or...I could turn them around to read "ON". As in "ON with what you really need to get done." Or "It is ON!" Or "Get ON with it...you can do it!" Or as Noah would say, "Rock ON!"

Noah: "Rock ON!!!"

Who knew that the letters in my son's name could be so inspirational and thought-provoking!??!?

Really...all of these reminders are little "AH-HA!" moments.

Yes, I have added a letter to Oprah's famous "AHA!"...but hey, I only have so many letters to work with...and you have to work with what you have!

I suppose I could steal a letter from my other son's name "Julian" to add that extra "A" to the mix...but his are in a different shape and colour...and I like consistency!

The point of all of this is that we all need little reminders in life.

We all need occasional wake-up calls to stop and remind ourselves what is important.

I love these!!! I want one!

Actually, I always wear my three boys' initials on tiny pendants around my neck.
You can't really see them here...but that is what I am wearing in this photo.
They are called "love letters" with good reason.

We need to always keep our priorities in check. And this is just one little way that I do this.

I also have a little "thing" for letters and words and phrases and quotes. I am drawn to anything I can place around my home that give me little reminders of what life is all about.

Like these little stones...

Another example is the "R" that currently hangs in our kitchen.

The kitchen being the "heart of the home" seemed like a good place to hang the letter that reminds us that we are a family. The Rossi family. Hence the "R".

I also have a few throw pillows with simple words on them

One simply has the word "happiness" on one side and the French equivalent 'bonheur" on the other.

The other has "rejuvenate" on both sides.

I usually switch around the location of these little pillows. Currently, the 'happiness/bonheur' one is in my living room. A reminder to be happy. And also a little French lesson for my boys.

My "rejuvenate" one is in my bedroom. For obvious reasons.

When I took this photo of my living room it was on my couch.
If you look closely you can see it!

I have a few little "plaques" in my home.

On reads: "If you're going to fight, use pillows".

A fun reminder to by playful instead of fighting with mean words or...in my boys' case instead of with punches and throwing things! LOL

Another one reads: "I love to cook with wine sometimes. I even put it in the food."

Just a fun one to remind myself that it is OK to enjoy a glass of wine once in a while...which I rarely do anymore of late.

My sweet mom recently bought me a lovely little white sign that reads "You are my sunshine".

This is because I sing this song to my boys. My sons are also my "suns"...and when I look at this sign I am reminded of how lucky I am to have them...and my mom...in my life. It currently sits atop my writing desk.

Kinda like this, but in white and much simpler and nicer!

I even have a little sign in my kitchen that simply reads "Espresso". A nod to my husband's Italian heritage and to our love of a nice cup of coffee.

I could go on...but I'll stop there.

Being a writer, I love words and the inspiration they bring. I even have had dreams of opening up a store simply called "WORDS"...that would sell anything and everything - from signs, letters, home decor items, quote decals and posters and art...all dedicated to words.

Hey...maybe one day.

But for now...I take my love of words...and put them together on my page...or my blog...to inspire both myself...and hopefully...you.

And I leave you with a few words from a man who can rock a red "banana sling" like nobody else I know:

There he is with his famous "accessory"!

"Word up!"

Or as I like to say a little more simply:

"WORD!"

Smiles,

Lora