Eternal Reefs A Beautiful Continuation Of Life

I always joking refer to myself as a mermaid because I am the happiest when I am in the water. As a native Floridian we were always at the beach, heck I was born in a beach community. Even when I lived in Texas we made three to four pilgrimages to Galveston ever summer. I finally received my diving certification while on a vacation in 2001 to the French Polynesia Islands around Bora Bora and Tahiti. As soon as I dropped out of the dive destination dingy, I put on my mask to look into the water and could not believe the world that was unfolding right before my eyes. Wow! Below me nothing but clear warm water teaming with life and color it was absolutely breath taking! I was hooked to say the least and I knew that when my time came to pass from this life I wanted my ashes to join the life of the sea.

A few years ago I came across a website that provides a way to actually become part of the ocean that I love so much and that is through the formation of producing Eternal Reef Balls. Reef Balls are made with different mixtures of concrete and ash including human ash remains that are mixed together poured into molds to harden, they are then removed and placed on the ocean floor to become reef systems for our oceans ecology. So you really become one with the sea so to speak, you are contributing to the continuance of life.

There are companies all over the country now who are doing this. Here is link to Bradenton County Reef Ball Projects with maps showing where reef balls have been placed along with other helpful information. Also attached are links to reefball.org and The Eternal Reef Foundation. It is truly an amazing way to memorialize a loved one, while at the same time providing eternal life to the sea.

http://www.reefball.com/map/manatee.htm

http://www.reefball.org/

http://www.eternalreefs.com/about/foundation.html

My inspiration for today's blog is from a conversation with a friend last night. "C" this one is for you! xoxo

Let me, Let You Go. Dedicated to D with love.....

This is a poem I wrote last year and I am dedicating it to D with very much love during this difficult and sad time...Love you D!

Let me, let you go

The beauty of you and the way you touched my life
As precious and lovely as anything I could have ever imagined
But for now my love let me, let you go

Nothing will ever stop the aching and yearning for more
One more touch, one more smile, one more moment to look in your eyes
Just to hold you, to see your beautiful face, but, I have to let you go

To try to hold on, too long and too tight, would never be right
I will hold you close in my heart and carry you with me after this life
But for now my love let me, let you go

From the moment you came into my life you brought joy and light
For all the moments in time that you were a part of my life
You will always and forever have a treasured space in my heart

You will be with me under the shining stars at night
I will feel you on a warm summer breeze blowing over a sunlit sea
Together again someday we shall be, but for now my angel, fly free…..

Shelia November 28th, 2009

Celebrate You ~

Let me just start by saying that I spend a lot of holidays, birthdays, new years and valentines days alone and it is by choice. I think there is a lot of pressure and hype on these occasions that lead people to become very lonely during these times if they are not celebrating with others. I will even go so far as to say being with a significant other due to the fact that Valentines Day is this weekend. But here is the thing, you do not have to celebrate every so called special occasion with other people. Maybe this is a great time for you to pamper yourself, put yourself first and just do something that you would generally not do. Make it special for you and about you. Buy some champagne and strawberries and take a relaxing bubble bath. Buy some wine, chocolates, caviar, whatever you like and indulge yourself! Make it about you, not what the hype of the occasion promotes it to be.

The point is to celebrate the beauty in life and in you! I so worry about being alone I relish the fact that I am and enjoy my time with myself. I find that I am always in a much better place for doing so. No worries about stressing out, what to buy, trying to get just the right gift, plus dealing with the pressure and worring about everything not holding up to all the expectations or the awful feeling of someone being disappointed.

I myself will be celebrating being single and celebrating my life! It does not matter how you do it, just celebrate!

The Butterfly Circus

The Butterfly Circus is a short film by Doug Jones for The Doorpost Film Project 2009, I first saw this on a friends blog. I was so moved and touched by this little film and I still tear up every time I watch it. It is a movie of hope it shows the beauty of our uniqueness and the beauty of the imperfections in us all! It shows how special we all are and we should give each other validation. It has moved me to want to see the beauty in everyone around me and to not judge people harshly. We all have personal struggles and demons to face everyday, and those are difficult enough without the judgements of others. If we give others a chance to succeed and encourage each other what a different world we would live in.... I hope you can take a few minutes out of your day to watch this film, to miss this beautiful piece of art would truly be a loss. I know it will be something you will want to share with others! Please enjoy and leave comments to let me know what you think? Here is the link and enjoy:

This is the direct link to "The Butterfly Circus"
http://www.thedougjonesexperience.com/butterfly.htm


To see more go to http://thedoorpost.com/ there are some wonderful short films in this contest.