A few months ago, I went to see Ellany, my friend and gal pal, because we planned to go get ‘makeovers.’

I can’t remember the specifics of how the comment came up when Ellany said, “I see you. When you have your make-up on, and are dressed in your girly shoes and dresses, I know that’s you. It’s SO you.”

There’s something about your truth that grabs you in the throat and heart and gut all at the same time. I blinked many times quickly so that I wouldn’t let the tears rushing from my throat to escape. I wondered, ‘Why does this touch me so deeply?’

I thought about that moment many times in the following weeks, wondering what it was that she could see and others haven’t. It reminded me of something Sonia Choquette said in one of the workshops I attended with her many years ago…I see you is the highest form of love. The truth is…I felt loved in that moment…to the depths of my soul.

It’s so easy for us to ‘see’ people’s flaws, their insecurities, their foibles, their mistakes and, sadly, I believe most people think this IS people’s truth – who they are. I know, FOR SURE, it isn’t. I have not met one person yet who doesn’t have a brimming, brightly-lit soul full of beauty and love. When we focus on people’s ‘ick,’ we energize it. When we focus on their truth, we energize it. What cuts to the negative, can just as easily cut to the positive. To see the love a person is – deep inside…that takes seeing with your heart. Looking with loving eyes.

I remember when I wrote my second book, I had many people telling me that I wasn’t this or wasn’t that. My agent at the time said I was “serious,” not whimsical and child-like like my book. She said my book was too “playful” and wasn’t “serious” enough. At the time, I was struggling to determine exactly who I was. I had been so good at being whatever I needed to be in any moment, the “me” that I am got lost along the way. My agent’s pressing words forced me to look to see what was real – what a gift!

I thought to myself, ‘Well, I can be TOO serious, but my heart, my spirit is playful. This is as “me” as it gets! I am the QUEEN OF POSSIBILITIES!!! It takes a childlike viewpoint of ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE to show up like this!’  I realized, too, that she identified with my business consultant side, which, in our experience together, had been dead serious, because her situation had required it…I showed up in the energy of ‘let’s MOVE’ because that is what the situation called for – dead serious, every moment counts, we must turn this ship around NOW!

The truth is, we all have EVERYTHING inside of us. Every facet, every aspect is waiting for us to express it, as needed. Our ‘expression’ is a blend of those facets we access most often. My entire inner (and outer) life is playing a game. If I shared how many games I have created for myself since I was a little girl, you would see that, to me, life is a big game to play. I make up games to get projects done. I make up games to clean the house. I even teach my inner games to others who just might like to play this way, too. And, just like playing a board game, the gamut of emotions are there too…serious, playful, competitive, concerned and more.

Anyone who knows me knows that I laugh a LOT…and bring a playfulness to serious things such as depression, being stuck, fear and the gamut of other human emotions we encounter along the way. I have lightened up along the way as I have discovered the game isn’t dead-serious. Do I act like I’m at the circus each day? No way – I’m playful, not a clown. One of the things I’m known for is bringing a “you can do this” attitude everywhere I go. However, I can bring a fire starter if people want it. I can bring an edge, too; however, it isn’t my preferred energy. I enjoy being laid-back, on-point and playful. Why do we need to be so SERIOUS all of the time??? Can’t we just do what we love and love the experience, including those we are serving?

That day, in the reflection of Ellany’s eyes and words, I felt that she saw me… my spirit… my truth. And, that is about as good as life gets. Pure magic! Thank you, Ellany!

Tigers…playful and yet dead-serious!

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Miss Debbie and I spent an afternoon this week in a play date, a.k.a. Seymour Group (inspired by the fabulous Henriette Anne Klauser in her book, Write It Down Make It Happen).

We used to do Seymour Group every single Friday afternoon but with jet set-schedules taking Miss Debbie around the globe every week and the new projects I have on the burner, we’ve been getting together every other month or so. Such as it is, Seymour Group is still a place to come together to breathe, celebrate each other and to share ideas.

This week, I picked up Chinese food on the way over, and we both cracked up when we opened our fortune cookies and had the SAME fortune! I’ve never had this happen. But what was even more magical…what our fortunes said! Your loyalties are clear when it comes to friends. We thought that was a hoot!

Speaking of loyalties and friends…Mark, Chance and I watched the sweetest movie about the power of the connection between an owner and his loyal best friend. The movie is Hachiko and Richard Gere plays lead with Joan Allen as his wife. An amazing crew of Akitas play Hachiko at various ages. This is based on a true story, and you all should’ve seen us when we finished watching that movie – puffy, red, swollen eyes! Yes, but oh so worth the trip to know the faith, devotion and loyalty of a dog like Hachiko.

P.S. This photo is fuzzy, but we tried to share this with you! Maybe if you squint you can see it. Oh, and the backdrop is Amy Sedaris’s book, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence. I just noticed she has another book coming out the beginning of November…looks like another hilarious title: Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People.

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Ever receive a song written especially for you? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to write a song for someone you love?

A friend wrote this song for me… all I can say is…Wow!

Today is a day like none ever known

The day when a bright light was born

Dancing through life a day at a time

Today is the day to let your light shine

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to you

One of the things people said over and over this year was… I’m so happy you were born. Now, maybe you have heard that all of your life, but I haven’t and each time I heard it I felt deeply touched.

Another friend sent this scrumptious art creation… Can you even believe it???

Last year, I wanted to do something special for a dear friend. I came up with the idea of sending a birthday card for every year she has been here – one for each year she was celebrating.

At first, I thought I would whip these out one a day, and I did for about a week, and then it was one every three or four days, and sometimes it was one every five days or so… MONTHS later… Let’s see, we share the same b-day, and I believe we finished around the first of the year… you do the math… July through January! LOL Good thing it is the thought that counts!

I enjoyed it so much and found myself not wanting to rush and wanting to really savor the experience. This took time and it is something I would recommend to anyone who really wants to consider how many years a person has lived… a card a year doesn’t seem like much until you start. And, that was exactly my intention… to really consider what makes a life and to celebrate my friend’s precious life in an extremely intentional way.

Do something fun, do something creative for someone you love today!

Where have the days gone? Gone with the birthday wind! That’s where! I have to say that this birthday just keeps getting better and better. More on that in another post.

I had lunch with two friends and that lunch was so joy-full! We laughed, we cracked up. We talked about teetering on high-heels. I told a story about how Oprah has five minute shoes where she can only walk from the back of the stage to the front of the stage and that’s it. One of my friends said, “I’ve got shoes like that.” And the other friend said, “Hey, I only wear 48 hour shoes.” I laughed so hard and so loud that the sound echoed off of the walls at Brio, an Italian restaurant. Now, that was funny. What a great time. We were there three hours and some change, and our little waiter never once forgot about us. He kept patiently refilling our water glasses and was SO sweet. When I opened my gift (see below), he asked my friend where she got the Miracle Worker mug because he wanted to get one for his wife. *Sigh* Can’t you just love him without even meeting him just for that??? We did!

If you like the items above, the company is MUD and you can find these at Hallmark stores. I’ve been given many MUD items and they are all amazing and unique!

Anyone who knows me knows I love roses. My mother-in-law gave me these beauties and I put them in a vase I got from Miss Debbie and the Sales Diva last year at the Dallas Sales Stiletto Bootcamp.

This year, the cards were off the hook. A friend gave me this one and I had to share it because of how unusual it was… see the fortune… it pulls out and this is what it says (bottom left): There will be happiness in your smile, joy in your step, and your path will be filled with nothing but dreams coming true. Oh yes!!

My sweet little family made me this card (see above) and stocked me up on art supplies that I’ve already put to good use. We love them and it’s nice to be loved, too.

I love sparkly things. Can you see how SPARKLY this card is? This friend also sent me a note with glitter and stars all over it.

I believe everything is BETTER with glitter and sparkle. It matches what I see inside of people.

We are all light-filled glitter balls underneath the surface.

This card just was so yum-o.

I absolutely cracked up at this card. I was laughing so hard, I had tears rolling down my cheeks. I felt like this little girl… I had been eating so many desserts and cakes! And then… our sweet Main Street Angel added her little… Of Dreams… how perfect. Thanks, Nancine!

THEN, it came at about 3 pm on my actual birthday… just the way I felt it would. My book – FINALLY – here so I could hold it in my hot little hands! How cool… and I’m so excited about sharing it with you and the world! Happy Birthday to me… to you too… and the world as well.

Thanks to all who shared my b-day… more on some very cool, very unusual gifts this year… I hope you are inspired to do something special for others, too!

Last week on Queen of Dreams Radio, I talked about being the flow, living in the present and soaking up the amazing-ness of life. I have floated around on birthday dreams and wishes for more than a week now, and I wanted to share with you some of these.

I thought about this… and a remark someone made, actually, about someone else is what made me think… this isn’t about me and my birthday, this is about gratitude for those who make my life rich… with their creativity, with their Presence and with their loving kindness.

Yes, life is sweet! I wanted to share the love with you… to inspire you to create something for someone you love.

Can you see the quote? I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day. – E.B. White Remember E.B.? He’s the guy who wrote Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little and the little guide book every writer MUST HAVE… Elements of Style by he and his pal, William Strunk, Jr.  It wasn’t lost on me that E.B. came at a synchronous moment…as I have been pondering the intersection of the two…to both improve (or contribute to it) while also immensely enjoying it. I believe we each have an intersection in our hearts for experiencing that.

This is the first birthday card of the season… Miss Debbie and I have a big PLAY DATE planned next week, so this little card arrive in the mail with this little card tucked inside.

I went to lunch with another friend, and we had a scrumptious lunch at Houston’s (one of my favs) and then head over to Celestial Park, which is one of her favs. Now, one of my favs, and this is something no one has ever done for me – ever – on my birthday – thank you! And, yes, it is still this green here in Texas.

See that oblong shaped plaque? My friend stood at one end and I stood at the other and she sang happy birthday to me. The echo was beautiful and I felt like the Queen of the Stars! Those round plaques are the phases of the moon. If you match up the phases, then you can talk to each other across the open area.

Here’s the entryway to the upper deck area where the plaques are. Each one of the stairs has poems about the stars. This park is so special and starry!

The next day, some friends came over and brought this yummy cake… Italian Wedding Cream… can you say, “Forget the easy weight loss!” LOL So yummy.

One of the best things about this birthday has been the magic quality surrounding it that has persisted, I believe, because of where I’ve been living myself. These dear friends shared with us a project they were working on a couple of weeks ago. That was fun, cool and totally exciting, but then they asked… “Do you want to go with us? On tour?” I felt like, “How fast can I pack my bags? Oh yes!!” More details to come on that, and I can’t even wait for you to hear all about it because YOU will love it, too, and come do it with us. Shhhh, don’t tell, but it’s all about you, your dreams and getting the link up to anything that’s possible!

More tomorrow on this amazing birthday… full of love. Happy Birthday to you, too!

About 12 years ago, I met my friend Stephanie. She was a marketing director at a large accounting firm in Reno, Nevada. I was a marketing director at a large accounting firm in Dallas, Texas.

She called one day and we chatted about marketing, but soon grew to be fast friends.

Nine years later, she was my maid of honor, seven years later, I was her matron of honor, along the way…we had Chance, she and her husband, Troy, had Samantha.

We have only physically seen each other six or seven times. But, still the connection today is as strong as it ever was.

I thought about her briefly last night before falling to sleep. This morning she emailed me to tell me about her writing adventures. Ah, still living parallel lives… and in addition to Stephanie, I have many, many other parallel sisters!

We all do… sisters and brothers… all living with us.

Isn’t it divine?

P.S. She just emailed me back and is ALSO playing the Queen… Queen Mommy complete with princess outfit!

THIS dress is amazing… totally queeny!