Tag Archives: gratitude

Throwback Post: Gratitude With Funny Pictures While Networking

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**THROWBACK POST**

November 16 2012:

Lillian’s gratitude for today:

I am thankful for going over to Mammaw and Pappaw Romano’s house tonight.

Thomas’ gratitude for today:

I’m thankful and grateful for funny pictures.

Kymberlee Simantel … Today I am grateful for YOU and the leap you took 7 years ago. A leap that led to the thriving eWomenNetwork Reno/Carson/Tahoe/Vegas/Sierra Nevadas Chapter chapter that we all enjoy and benefit from today.

That night in July 2007 when I attended my first event, I knew I had arrived home. I’m forever and deeply grateful to you for the space you created, the strength and courage you exhibited, the love shared, the smiles, the DANCING and the WINE!!!

Your essence is forever etched into my heart … LOVE you to pieces lady! (Picture of us at the eWn Conference in July 2008 and this past April 2012)

So much fun!!!! eWomenNetwork Holiday Extravaganza!!!!

Suspended in the Present Moment

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October 14 2023

We just watched the eclipse. Pretty cool!

As I stood on the balcony, taking in the view from our place, I was filled with gratitude for this amazing view, for this lovely place we were blessed to move to in 2019. I love moments like this.

Time stands still,
A cushion of quiet surrounds,
As we are suspended in the present moment.

Throwback Post: Gratitude for the Kitchen Helper

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**THROWBACK POST**

November 25 2015:

The pumpkin pie helper!! Such an excited young man!! Let’s see how it turns out. Gluten-free and made WITHOUT sweetened condensed milk and made with coconut sugar!! Smells good!!

Cranberry sauce helper!! Made with coconut sugar. Oh so good. This will be the 3rd year I’ve made it with coconut sugar instead of white sugar. It makes the sauce brown but we don’t care. It’s yum! We have it on ice cream too! Nom, Nom!!

November 25 2012:

Lillian’s gratitude for today:

I’m thankful that we have a Christmas tree and it is so pretty.

***********

Today I am thankful for imagination … one of life’s greatest blessings … “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” -Albert Einstein …. “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.” -Carl Sagan … “Live out of your imagination, not your history.” -Stephen Covey

***********

Thomas’ gratitude for today:

I’m thankful for Lillian.

___________________

November 25 2011:

Today I am thankful for simplicity . . .

November 25 2009:

For those who shared in my excitement regarding the AAC App and iPhone for Lillian a couple of months ago . . . Spent some time on the phone this morning with the code developer of the App (Proloquo2Go) ~ We shall see where this leads!

 

Gratitude for the Real Ones

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August 19 2023

Now that my life is in celebration mode, thank you to everyone who has stood by me for the past 17 years. Thank you to The Romano Duo and my Dad. Thank you to my childhood and teenage friends, to new friends and old friends. Thank you for loving me, cheering for me, helping financially, helping with food, buying my books and artistic creations. Thank you for the kind words, the hugs, the smiles. ❤️❤️❤️

It’s difficult for me to even think about how little my family lived on for all those years, the choices I had to make, the creative ways I made it work, or made it seem like it was working.
Financial PTSD is a real thing and one day soon I’ll be able to think about it without feeling sick to my stomach. And I shall take Natalie Goldberg’s advice and write about things you should not write about. You know me. I like to do things I’m not supposed to do. 🤣😂🤣

Throwback Post: That Time We Lived in a Tiny Home

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**THROWBACK POST**

December 3 2015:

A full day of subbing in Stillwater, then home and cooking dinner while these two made homemade gifts. My heart overflows with joy at their excitement of making homemade gifts. I cannot wait to share with y’all what Thomas made Lillian!!

Wild n crazy dinner of a gigantic pancake turned more into a pancake crumble with apple smoked bacon. Oh well! They loved it, so what the heck!! And now they are playing with Thomas’ cars …. And I was standing right there washing dishes.

Here we are in this tiny 800 sq ft and they are right there under my feet! I looked down at them and thought, “I love this life. Thank you, thank you.” Sending that love out to you! Love, sweet love.

Loving Kindness and Compassion – Thank You

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January 18 2023

The sky this afternoon. I wonder what tonight’s weather has in store?

Thank you for the loving kindness. I’ve written this sentence many times over the past couple of days. Last night I read a passage in a book I’m re-reading that stood out. I thought I’d share it with you.

“Loving-kindness is bringing happiness to other persons; compassion means relieving their suffering. The key that opens the door to loving-kindness and compassion is our capacity to understand our own suffering and difficulties, and the suffering and difficulties of others.”

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has shared love, hugs, kind words, and donated. Your loving kindness and compassion mean so very much. Thank you, thank you, thank you. xoxo

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-team-tlc-get-a-car

Blessings,
Camilla
See It. Share It. BE IT … Spread Love Everywhere You Go!

“Words of Alchemy”, published December 2019, is a free-verse poetry memoir covering the last 6 years of my life. The poetry of nature, the poetry of healing, the poetry of appreciation, the poetry of love, in one beautiful book.

Amazing news! My 21 year old daughter, Lillian Darnell’s debut book, “Where Would You Fly and Other Magical Stories” was published January 2018. Learn more and order here. 

Wonderfully exciting news! My 17 year old son, Thomas Darnell‘s book, Biggest Little Photographer is published. Be inspired! Learn more and order here.

Throwback Post: The Bones I Drag Home

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**THROWBACK POST**

June 10 2018:

My heart overflows with gratitude to all of you for cheering me on and supporting me with the bones I drag home!! It means more than could ever be expressed with mere words and IS the fuel that keeps me going during times of discouragement.

Thank you for getting it and thank you for knowing that your comments, likes, shares, and cheers light my world when I need it and even when I don’t need it.

This “thank you” was sparked by the attached passage I read this morning in a book titled, Walking in This World by Julia Cameron. She talks about all forms of art; including writing. Oceans of love to all of you! xoxo

Walking in this World Book Pages 6.10.18 #1 Walking in this World Book Pages 6.10.18 #2

**UPDATE June 29 2021** – I’m happy I came across this draft post from 2018. It is timeless in my opinion. An artist is partly fueled by encouraging feedback from others. Such a meaningful post! 

Blessings,
Camilla
See It. Share It. BE IT … Spread Love Everywhere You Go!

“Words of Alchemy”, published December 2019, is a free-verse poetry memoir covering the last 6 years of my life. The poetry of nature, the poetry of healing, the poetry of appreciation, the poetry of love, in one beautiful book.

Amazing news! My 19 year old daughter, Lillian Darnell’s debut book, “Where Would You Fly and Other Magical Stories” was published January 2018. Learn more and order here. 

Wonderfully exciting news! My 15 year old son, Thomas Darnell‘s book, Biggest Little Photographer is published. Be inspired! Learn more and order here.

Liquid Gratitude Spilled from My Eyes

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I made fresh pico de gallo on the 5th of January 2019 to go with our tradition of every other Saturday nacho dinner.

Thomas had finished eating, Lillian was in the bathtub. I was alone chewing my nachos. A wave of emotions hit me like I imagine a tsunami wave hits land.

My eyes began to sweat with liquid gratitude for the miracle occurring in my mouth. I was chewing the nachos on BOTH sides of my mouth. I have not been able to do that in about two years. I’ve had to chew crunchy foods on the right side only.

I’m aware this sounds silly to some. Yet, there are others with which this will resonate. This is for anyone who has been stricken with gratitude, bliss, and joy over seemingly small things.

I alternated between laughter and eyes sweating the entire meal. I realized I had been given back something more than being able to chew certain foods using ALL of my teeth.

This had nothing to do with sadness. This was pure joy, gratitude, bliss, peace, reassurance, and LOVE. And that pico de gallo was damn good! ❤️❤️

To read more about the back story of getting one of my teeth fixed, go here and here.

Blessings,
Camilla
See It. Share It. BE IT … Spread Love Everywhere You Go!

Amazing news! My 17 year old daughter, Lillian Darnell’s debut book, “Where Would You Fly and Other Magical Stories” is arriving January 2018. Learn more and order here.

Wonderfully exciting news! My 13 year old son, Thomas Darnell‘s book, Biggest Little Photographer is published. Be inspired! Learn more and order here.

Go here to see latest soul writings. xoxo

 

Facing Fear – I Welcome You

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Thomas Cole (American, 1801 - 1848), The Voyage of Life: Youth, 1842, oil on canvas, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund 1971.16.2

Thomas Cole (American, 1801 – 1848), The Voyage of Life: Youth, 1842, oil on canvas, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund 1971.16.2

The Best Version of Me

I expect and know I will see the possibilities and opportunities in this situation. I will Know when to take action. And, I will be the best version of me that I can possibly be. 

I welcome this fear and I take it’s hand as I walk through the foggy illusion fear creates. As I reach the other side I gently release the hand of fear and lovingly whisper, “Thank you.”

Thank you for helping me to see and know the walls as an illusion. The walls I have felt trapped within, no matter which path I chose. Thank you for allowing me to see that even though I may outwardly seem to conform; within I know the Truth. I hold that Truth close to my Heart, so that I may freely and openly share the Gift of my Heart as only I can do in the Way I came forth to share. 

Break Free of Illusions

I thank you for helping me to see the opportunities and possibilities in seemingly difficult situations. I thank you for teaching me to expect opportunities and possibilities so that I may break free of the illusions of these Worldly rules. I thank you for teaching me that being Good and doing things how they are expected is not a requirement. Thank you for teaching me that fitting in is not a requirement of BEing on this Earth. 

Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones. – Thich Nhat Hanh

Thank you for teaching me the Truth, my Truth. A Truth that at times, creates heaviness and an internal explosion so fierce I feel I may die from the physical discomfort it brings. A discomfort so unbearable I contemplate if leaving this Earthly body is the way to Freedom from these Worldly rules. Thank you for teaching me in the next second that these thoughts are a trick of the Ego. As are all thoughts that cause me to whither and hide the Light Within. 

Thank you for teaching me how to make a decision from a Knowing and Trusting place of Love. Thank you for teaching me the difference between this Knowing and being stuck in a sludgy tar filled pit of despair, anxiety, fear, and loneliness.

The Key to Freedom

Thank you to the Angels who have come into my life to Guide me in seeing the illusion of the sludgy tar filled pit. Thank you for showing me Where the Key to Freedom lay in wait. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for holding space for me to learn and process what has been necessary for grasping this Key and using it as was meant.

Thank you to those who have given up on me. Thank you to those who have turned away from me. Thank you to those who have lost patience with this path I travel. For you have been an integral piece of my Truth as well. 

I expect and know I will see and act upon the possibilities and opportunities in this situation. I am no longer stuck in the sludgy tar filled pit. I am ready to live my Truth. I am ready to receive the slings and arrows that come my way as I live this Truth. I am ready to Love myself, and to give and receive Love. I am FREE. Freedom. Hallelujah! -©2018, Camilla Downs

Blessings,
Camilla
See It. Share It. BE IT … Spread Love Everywhere You Go!

Amazing news! My 16 year old daughter, Lillian Darnell’s debut book, “Where Would You Fly and Other Magical Stories” is published. Learn more and order here. 

Wonderfully exciting news! My 12 year old son, Thomas Darnell‘s book, Biggest Little Photographer is published. Be inspired! Learn more and order here.

And my book published in 2012, D iz for Different – One Woman’s Journey to Acceptance; which reached #2 in the Self-Help Category and #1 in Special Needs Parenting on Amazon.

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