of our life, the Universe has our back.
Every moment
of
our
life,
the Universe
has our back.
EVERY moment
of our life,
the Universe
has our back.
Every moment . . .
Every moment . . .
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Tag Archives: Pedrata
Labor Day Giveaway
Final FINAL and Free Ebook
Dear Friends,
I promise that this will be my final FINAL notice about a revision/change/adaptation of Molly’s story in my first book My Life as a Mule.
On Wednesday, June 29th the idea plopped in my head to MOVE the bonus story “Can You Keep a Secret” from the back of the 2nd edition version to the FRONT and call it the PROLOGUE. As soon as I did, I felt the earth shift on its axis one millionth of a millimeter—it’s finished, it’s finally finally finished!
Why am I telling you?
I’ll be having another free Kindle book promotion on September 3 to 7 (based on Pacific time starting and going till midnight) where you can download an ebook version for free. If you did this last year (or purchased a Kindle version at any time), you can remove the book from your device and then re-add or sync it again to get this final FINAL 2nd edition version.
The one CATCH is that I ask you to please write a review on either Amazon (scroll down towards the bottom of the listing and look for Review this product on the left)
or Goodreads (or both) if you enjoyed any aspect of my first book.
I’m not on Facebook these days, so if you feel the desire to share my free ebook giveaway on your page, go for it. Please know that your time and effort are much appreciated.
Thank you for reading this far.
With love and gratitude,
Sj
p.s. I am working on Mr. Tafferty’s tale . . . it will take however long it takes to come to its final FINAL version. Really enjoying the process. ;-)
p.p.s. One of the challenges of being a self-published author is getting the necessary feedback during the draft writing process. If any of you wish to be a reader during this phase, please let me know. Mahalo nui.
***I’m heading to Europe for a few months for a 40th reunion with college gal pals (we met in Bonn, Germany) and other adventures. I’m no longer on fb, so I won’t be posting any photos there. I will possibly post on my blog now and then (subscribe to sjlehoven.com if you want to be included), BUT I will definitely post photos of my traveling companion Pedrata on Instagram (#travelingstuffedrat or @travelingstuffedrat).
Merci beaucoup!
We Meet Who We’re Meant to Meet
Yes, we meet who we’re meant to meet exactly WHEN we’re meant to.
The Good.
The Bad.
And the Ugly.
And as we become more and more aware that We Are All One, we can meet each and every experience with Love.
Really, Sj????
Yes, really.
But so many people are acting so hatefully these days.
Love them anyway.
Even as you love yourself.
Why? Surely they don’t deserve it.
EVERYONE deserves to be loved. Everyone.
Especially those who are behaving so unkindly.
What the…???
Think about it.
If someone is behaving so unkindly, do you think they love themselves?
Treat themselves with kindness?
Most probably not.
And acting out as they are, they are actually demonstrating OUR shared fears. Of the unknown. Of change.
Even if they don’t realize it.
So when you meet that seemingly random person on the street, on the internet, or even in the press, please know that BOTH of your Souls have organized that “chance” meeting. For the smile you share, the LOVE you embody, may be the ONLY act of kindness that person experiences on that day.
xoxox Sj out xoxox
(But PLEASE Please please remove yourself from ANY situation that makes you feel uncomfortable. You can love that person–or thing OR experience–from a safe distance. ;-)
Pedrata with Smiley Face Tree
Celebrating My Life-long Companion
Madame Intuition.
She’s been with me every step of the way.
Sometimes silent and hiding in the shadows.
Sometimes whispering at my ear.
And sometimes—JUMPING UP and DOWN right in front of my NOSE!
Whether I’m paying attention or not, she’s there.
Intuition. Our ever-present friend and guide.
xoxox Sj xoxox
It’s time to laugh!
Sit back and relax. It’s time to laugh!
With Sj at the Gotham Comedy Club, February 2019.
Well, it WAS time to laugh along with this video. When I posted it. And for 6-months I left it up. But NOW I feel it’s time to REMOVE it from YouTube. (So you’re just seeing an image of the video that was.)
Why?
Because if I’m going to continue doing this, I want you to COME TO A SHOW! rather than watch on-line. Yes, I’d like for you to be surprised by what takes place. To not already have an idea of what’s to come.
So, MAHALO to those who checked it out while it was still up.
And MAHALO to those who missed it and who will find me in person someday (and perhaps you’re BOTH, someone who watched it and someone who’ll find me out in the world … ;-)
I will be taking a road trip soon and plan to continue to KNOCK MY SOCKS OFF WITH FEAR by going to open-mics all across the country.
Who knows what will happen?
I sure don’t!
But this I DO know. I’ll keep showing up.
Time and time again.
I’ll just keep showing up.
xoxox Sj xoxox
Epiphanies
A friend of mine recently told me that she especially enjoys reading about my epiphanies.
Hmmm, epiphanies.
What are they?
For me, they’re those moments
when in a blink of an eye,
your life changes.
For in that split second
you suddenly just KNOW something that you didn’t before.
And in the knowing, you wonder,
How could I not have known?
Because you couldn’t.
Up until that moment,
you simply could not.
Give us an example, Sj! I hear you say.
Okay, I shall.
In the past month, I was driving my van Pegasus (aka Pegi) when ALL OF A SUDDEN I just KNEW that I could ENJOY the moment. THAT moment. Relax INTO it. BE in that moment.
I didn’t need to wait until my work was finished. Or until I’d paid all my bills. Or even until I’d written another book. But in THAT moment, while driving my van along some country road, I could simply relax. Be.
No matter what was going on.
Around me.
Within me.
In any moment, I can simply BE.
Even in the midst of tragedy, Sj?
Yes, even in the midst of tragedy.
In times of despair?
Yes, even in times of despair.
For every moment is a gift.
Each breath is
an act of grace.
And for that, I am extremely thankful.
One Review at a Time…
Creatures of all shapes and sizes are reading My Life as a Mule.
I don’t know what sspokes looks like or what kind of animal s/he is, but I do know that she connected with Molly. Deeply.
Have you met Molly yet?It’s time. She’s patiently waiting and will greet you with a smile whenever that perfect time for you is. : )
I have no doubt that this book was brought to me as a Divine gift. There is a message somewhere in this book for everyone whether it is as simple as laughing at some of the experiences of life that Molly encounters or deeply feeling a heart-felt connection with her at the turning points in her life. I saw many aspects of my life’s lessons and experiences mirrored back to me in a most affirming way. I am so grateful to have found this book at this time in my life and I know it is a wonderful read for anyone at any age. Besides I love horses and Molly is a wonderful voice for the equine family. Enjoy the story.
sspokes on Amazon, July 20, 2018
Riding the Trust Train
The train has left the station.
For parts unknown.
What is this all about?
This video will fill you in:
The trust train first showed up publicly after kayaking Na Pali on Kauai. A chat with Congolio gives that background:
I plan on updating this website to reflect the changes . . . that will happen when it happens.
I’ll write and post now and then as I’m called to.
If you too experience life by trusting completely, HOP ON!
Even if you don’t, I invite you to HOP ON! You may find that trusting really isn’t so scary.
Kay den. Thanks for your time and attention. Sending lots and lots and LOTS of LOVE your way!
xoxoxox
✫ Sj out ✫
You’re Only Ever Where You’re Meant to Be
Think about it. If you were meant to be somewhere else, you’d be there.
And yet we stress and stress about getting through traffic, rushing to get somewhere, and we miss the point that we’re already there – where we’re meant to be.
Today Pedrata and I got to the airport nice and early so we could begin our return journey home (thanks Mark for the ride!).
There was quite a long wait as the clerk tried to figure out why they wouldn’t let her ticket my last leg of the flight. After a few phone calls, she found out that the other carrier had slightly altered the departure time of the flight.
“Okay, no big deal.” I thought, “That’s why we come to the airport so early.”
Then we waited to board our flight. After a bit, I realized that there wasn’t the standard action. As in the standard, people with small children, business class, blah, blah blah . . . “Okay, what’s up?” I thought.
Waited in line and the nice guy named Alan assured me that I’d make my connection.
“Okay, Alan, I’m going to trust you on this” (knowing that it’ll all work out as it’s meant to).
After another half hour went by, and I only had an hour between flights at my next destination, I once again approached the booth.
“I think I’ll be booking you on that other flight route,” he said as he called the others to come up to the gate.
“Got it. Thanks Alan.”
And as the plane was being boarded, he called me over to another booth. Another phone call was made. My bag was taken off the plane. And Pedrata and I just watched it all thinking to ourselves, “Wherever we’re meant to be is where we are.”
Click, click, click. I heard the new tickets being issued.
“Okay, I’ll see you in about 2 hours,” Alan said.
“Okay. Hey, any chance I can get a voucher for a coffee?” (realizing that the 2 hour nap I had planned wasn’t going to happen.)
“Sure,” he replied, “I’d be glad to. Just give me a minute.”
So we rested our dawgs and set down our heavy pack that is carrying a rather LARGE cast iron skillet that my mother graciously gave me when I happened to mention sometime that I think I’d actually like to use one. It cracked me up how she remembered that (I didn’t remember telling her that), but then will forget other things that can seem so important to me.
No matter. If she’s meant to remember anything, she will.
. . .
Fast forward to being on the first plane of three.
I’m chatting it up with a woman sitting beside me . . . and lo and behold, it ends up that she knew my Dad. LOVED my Dad.
“I LOVED your Dad,” she gushed. “And my husband too; he really misses him. Your Dad used to help my granddaughter with tennis tips.”
Yup, sounds like my Dad.
Thanks Dad for that little shout out and hello!
And thanks for helping to orchestrate that flight change so that I could be so clearly reminded and SHOWN how we’re ALWAYS where we’re meant to be!
I LOVE how you’re always keeping an eye on me. Ever present in my life.
I love you too Dad.
Boy, do I ever love YOU!
: )
✫ Sj out ✫
Highlights of San Sebastián, Spain (from Sj’s perspective)
Highlights of San Sebastián, Spain
as experienced through the eyes, ears, feet, stomach, and heart of Sj.
If you’re looking for a WHAT to DO, WHAT to EAT, WHERE to STAY type of post regarding San Sebastián, you’re in the wrong place.
Nice meeting you, and I wish you well as you search for all that data.
If you want to know how it FELT to be in San Sebastián, you’re in the right place.
Overall, it felt good; though at times it was quite cold for this Kaua‘i gal. And on two particular days, it was quite hot (37 Celsius or 98.6 Fahrenheit). It was amazing how the temperature could change by about 20 degrees Fahrenheit from one day to the next. Fortunately, I had my Mom’s silk long underwear; so I was ready for anything.
The following is a list of my personal fav experiences and/or thoughts.
- Of all the places I’ve visited during my life (and that’s been plenty), I have never before encountered a collection of people who were as consistently kind and helpful.
Yes, for real.
From the grocery clerk who was helping an elderly woman make sure some product didn’t have something in it that would harm a family member who had some particular food allergy to the tour boat captain who must have seen at least 5,000,000 visitors come on his boat and ask the same questions (over and over and over again).
I can’t promise you that that’s what you’ll experience, but for me, I did. Time and time again, I met kind people who looked me in the eye and really listened.
She’s not from San Sebastián; she’s French and lives in Paris, but her performance in a quartet during their annual jazz festival was one of my aural highlights. Her talent, exuberance, joy in doing exactly what she was doing at the particular moment (singing!) was an incredible gift to all of us lucky folk who were there that Saturday evening in late July.
I just enjoyed looking at Jesus up on the hill. And I had the good fortune of residing in an apartment which faced the ocean (and Jesus on the hill across the way) during my four week stay.
This is the language school that I happened to pick. There are many. Each person who worked there that I had the opportunity to get to know (either as a teacher or as a guide on one of the many excursions they host) was kind, professional, knowledgeable, and just cool. Yup, you guys rock, Silvia, Ester, Gorka, Idoia, Concha, Nora, Sara, and Salva!
- The combination of mountains and sea.
Face it. I call Kaua‘i home and to find a place in the world where I could go for a hike and swim on the same day while learning Spanish . . . it just doesn’t get any better than that.
- The town itself. It’s not too big; it’s not too small, but it’s . . . just right!
I liked how San Sebastián is laid out, how you can’t get too lost because you just need to figure out where the ocean or a particular hill is and then which bridge you’re seeing . . . and voila! I’d realize where I was.
- Peaches (melocotones)
Okay, it was summer. And the peaches were dripping with yummy goodness. I love fresh, ripe peaches!
- Watermelon (sandía)
So refreshing. Delicious. I love watermelon!
- The Vino rosado or Rosé wine
For less than a bottle of water (which wasn’t necessary in San Sebastián, per my host, their water comes from the Pyrénées mountains and is very clean), you can buy a glass of vino rosado. I didn’t have it everyday, but when I did, I really enjoyed it. It’s not super sweet like we have the U.S., and the color is really beautiful.
And now for a random collection of photographs . . .
Enjoy!
✫ Sj ✫
p.s. You’ll notice that Pintxos (Basque word for tapas) are not on my list. Most people go on and on about them. The locals love them. They were alright, but being a gal who really prefers vegetables over meat, they were just okay to me.