Have you ever found yourself in need of a friend when you swore you would not rely on someone else outside of your close knit circle?  How hard is it for you to say, "I need."?  Well, it's pretty hard for me, which is ironic since I make a living out of asking (for others).

Since my separation, I have discovered that life isn't always so tidy.  Resolution is not as immediate as I would like.  Instant gratification is not an option if I want lasting (and positive) results.

So today, I reached out to a new friend for help after the first couple of tries bottomed out.  Leaning on someone else is a scary and vulnerable state of being.  Probably the only reason I asked for help is because it was not just about me, but about someone very dear to me.

Tonight I experienced the relief and warmth of having friends welcome part of my family into their own home, indefinitely.  My dog, Caramel, is a lovable mixed breed (much like myself and kids! ;) ).  Without going into great detail, I will say that life's big transitions are hard on everyone in the family, including our pets.  I'm grateful that Caramel has landed in a home full of children and love thanks to the timely and unexpected offer from a friend.  Thankfully, I had enough humility to say, "I need."

So, I'll close my thoughts with this one: While it is much easier to offer/give help, one has to need it for the effort to be of value.  Why not let your friend be valuable to you?

I actually went to the gym tonight and worked out after having had a membership there since January.  A friend of mine nudged me to go and not wait for the start of a new week. Seems I am quite adept at procrastination.  The personal trainer on duty gave me a brief tour of the equipment and suggested a starter routine for my initial workouts.  I think to keep my motivation up, I'll sign up for a few sessions with the personal trainer.  It feels good to add more intentional movement to my week beyond the weekend hikes.  Anyone else feeling good about something you started recently?

I continue to be delighted with how much a smile from someone can boost my day.  I trust that mine does the same for those who are the recipients of my own grins.  It matters not whether I know the person that shares their bit of joy; each smile is a gift that I cherish.

While this may read like a hallmark card, I honestly don't care.  Why should it take so much courage to smile?  Thanks also to those of you, who elicit a smile from me with your crafty prose on here.  It's been nice on this rainy day to visit some selected youtube videos that make your spirit sing and your mind click and click and click, as well as to read the thoughtful or funny comments to the provocative/curious questions posed on OKC.

So whether you cheese like a cheshire cat or grin in a small, intimate manner, do be generous and share it with someone, anyone.  ;-)

Amazing how taking an online quiz can turn into an addiction. After taking a test that required I become an OKC member, I failed to logon for several weeks. Once I did and explored the various means of advertising, questioning and laughing at myself, I was hooked! In fact, I sometimes found it annoying to be interrupted by a simple, pink "Hi" while I was in the middle of a test.

So, it is no surprise to me that I have answered as many questions as I have. I actually have answered more, but I had a friend on here to tell me how to delete the ones I no longer wished to include in my profile and subsequent "match" scores. Why do I answer so many? Because I love learning - especially if I am learning about myself. I'm in a state of transition as I am formally exiting a 20-year union.  What I believed about myself 20 years ago, even one year ago, is no longer current.  Some of what I believed then was not even accurate at that time. So, I am having a blast exploring questions that others have composed and ignoring the sometimes poorly worded queries to savor the meaning of the thoughts behind them.

If you see my blue bubble on, don't worry about disturbing me.  Go ahead and say, "hi". I'm over my obsession to finish the task at hand and can easily put my addiction aside to have a conversation that let's me learn about someone else truly fascinating.

Ciao for now -Camille