Today's Picture to Ponder Photos
Bridge at Morikami Gardens in Delray Beach, FL and Roseate Spoonbill in Wakodahatchee Wetlands in May 2005

I selected the photos today simply for the serenity I feel when I look at them. Rocks and water do that for me, as does the color pink and quiet reflections in the water.

Self-Reflecting Queries
Where are the spaces and scenes in your life that give you a feeling of peacefulness? Do you have them "bookmarked" so-to-speak, so you can go to them when needed or desired? The aim of today's photos was to simply share peaceful spaces with you. The Morikami bridge is also fulfilling my promise in the last issue to include a scenic photo from the Gardens.

Interestingly, when I started searching for the photos today, even thinking about using different ones, I discovered that I had already done what was necessary to use the photos. I even had them in place and this issue started. "Wow, I thought. I'm ahead of the game. I'll be able to get today's issue out quickly, without any fuss, in a minimal amount of time!"

THEN, I found that I had mislabeled the issue that went in the mail. It was actually Issue 3, marked in the subject line of the mailing as Issue 4, thus resting in the archives as such. Not that big a deal, unless one's a perfectionist and has to figure out the whole thing and try to fix it. I wound up spending more than 20 minutes going back and forth on the web and in my web design program, looking for answers to determine what needed "fixing" and then doing what I could to rectify it as much as possible.

What I'm reminded of, in my story today, is how often I unconsciously sabotage myself. In this case I had actually been partially prepared in advance, intending simplicity and ease, as I started setting up last week what was to be the next issue of Picture to Ponder. Then what I did was, unknowingly, make a simple mistake that ended up costing me time, canceling the anticipated peace and ease.

And, perhaps the whole thing happened so that I would have a query for today. Can you see places in your life where you commit acts of self-sabotage?

In the situation described above, I think it was haste, and the rush of immediate self-satisfaction with the advance preparation, that precluded my doing some simple final checks before mailing the issue. If you do see areas in your own life, can you pinpoint what they are, to remind yourself in the future and perhaps cancel the sabotage?

To be complete - I almost changed the photos I was going to use today. Then I reminded myself that I was entitled to what I thought was going to be the luxury of time efficiency and ease, so I honored myself and my original intention in the selections for today.

Are there places in your life, right now, where you can be simplifying AND honoring yourself at the same time? If so, I invite you to take the actions that will do that for you.

As always, have fun with this.
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