Being True to Yourself

Dear Reader:

The other day in a Huffington Post article on finding your true self and then staying true to it…. an example (was given) of a woman who found a pillow in a small antique shop on sale for $9.99 and literally built her new home around the beautiful turquoise color/design. The article went on to explain that this was probably the best example of us finding our true selves and then living our lives accordingly. The pillow” spoke” to her and symbolized her vision of her life style.

Immediately I thought of how the trip to Provence, France (for an International Creativity Workshop with Anne in 2005) changed my life by helping me find my true self. I fell in love with the colors found in Aix-en-Provence where we stayed for most of the two weeks.

Sunrise and Sunset in Aix-en-Provence is breathtakingly beautiful because of all the oranges and yellows along the streets of the amazing town. But it was actually the evenings when we went to restaurants where the orange and yellow walls drew tourists into the cozy, comfortable restaurants that started me thinking that I wanted my house to “glow” at night with love and hospitality!.

At night in Aix-en-Provence the fountain-studded Cours Mirabeau was so beautiful….besides fountains there are more cafes and open markets that you can count and we tried to hit as many as possible while there. Besides falling in love with Provence and its colors…I also fell in love with wine and cheeses. It would be quite easy to change old eating habits if one lived there.

But “actually” it was the movie Love Actually that reminded me why I fell in love with oranges and yellows in one of the last scenes when the character Jamie proposes to Aurelia in the Bar de la Marine in Marseilles, France. (a skip and a hop from Aix-en-Provence.)

It is so romantic and the restaurant is filled with white lights and yellow walls and I knew immediately that my decision was made….to keep the house and re-do my whole side by painting the colors of Provence throughout my home. I am still in love with it today. Here is a movie clip from that romantic scene that helped me find my “true self.”

Love Actually Jamie and Aurelia – YouTube

My color palette for every room on my side is me….for better or worse, it is what you see. The true me.

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(Excerpt from Huffington Post- Pillow Talk and Listening to Who We Are Matters Most Definitely) Kay Morse

We express who we are with our choices. Our cars, homes, pillows, clothes, words, people, paints reflect who we are. When something or someone speaks to us, the real us, we must listen, even when it does not fit who “they” or “we” think we are.

The “voice” can take many different shapes: The nudge that we are on our way to our great big glorious life. The pillow. The swipe. The article. The new hairdo. The move. The cashmere sweater purchase. The trade In. The Exit. The Stay. The billboard wisdom. The unexpected chat. The inspiration to step outside of our sleepy story and write the one that is bursting at the binding to come forth.

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So until tomorrow….If you hear someone calling your name from behind but see no one….could it be your true self begging you to slow down and become who you are destined to be… by reflecting yourself through your life style?

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Delight of the Day: Look at this beautiful Chinese indigo plant of the day….gorgeous! It belongs to Vickie, my neighbor in her beautiful tropical “rain forest” garden.

I spent Monday night with John and Mandy since I wasn’t scheduled to have my AC unit fixed until this morning….but as you already know God winked and all was taken care of Monday morning.

We had already planned a day with the children Tuesday so I went on with the plans. It was Tigger’s birthday yesterday…he turned eight. Tommy and Kaitlyn joined us at Wild Wings Monday night and we went birthday shopping for Rutledge yesterday morning…he is turning three Saturday. My baby is turning three…tempus fugit.