Inspiration Thursday! Getting back to the heart... land.

I live in a city of beautiful people, surrounded by beautiful landmarks and some days my work includes creating "image" advertising. Surrounded by all this beauty, it's very easy to get caught up in what looks good - even if only on the surface - because image is important in the community I adopted 15 years ago. But last week I had the opportunity to visit my hometown and got a dose of a different kind of beauty.

My hometown is nestled in the mountains. It's a College (now University) town, cut by a river and crowned in the former glory of coal barons whose lives ended long before my family came to town. At first glance, the people seem weathered, old. The houses look much the same. Homesteads I remember having neatly clipped lawns, pristine paint jobs and overflowing flower beds are now in a bit of disarray. I can see that the economy has hit the place of my childhood hard. But that was looking with my "city" eyes.

It took me a couple days to slip back into the comfort of home - to stop being sad about what I was seeing as decay. I began to look at the faces around me and realize that instead of the perfection I've come to expect, I was seeing the faces of lives lived, hardships weathered, families built. Each line on each face is a mark of a battle raged and won. The houses that need a coat of paint still have good bones, are still markers of generations safely sheltered and new families begun. There have just been more urgent and important needs than a coat of paint.

I know that there in the "heartland" instead of throwing away that which is old, we treasure the history and the strength and wisdom that comes with age. This is a place where neighbors know each other, whose children run from one yard to another because there are multiple Mamas looking out for them. It's a place where when you get sick someone will bring you homemade granola (even if you're visiting the doctor), will offer to mow your lawn or will come over to check on you if they see an abnormal number of cars in your driveway.

And so, in a way, I remembered myself. I remembered what is important in the grander scale of life. I remembered the proud, strong spirit that fostered my youth and young adulthood. And when I returned to my adopted city, I carried that Mountaineer strength back where I resume my place among the beautiful ones. But I know inside there's another world where beauty has a different face, a giving heart and a quiet dignity that looks beyond the surface with discerning eyes - and that will live inside me no matter where I go.

Inspiration Thursday! Simple Gifts.

The last few weeks have allowed time for reflection- a time of searching for direction. And to some extent, I've found it in the world around me.

I've been searching for ways to expand the business - finding something that's uniquely mine. I believe I've found an option if I can just make it a reality. And I found the option by looking around me, in my own little home and seeing the beauty just outside my door.

Last winter when the snow was blinding and insanely deep, I began to worry about the birds in the area being able to feed. Mama had given us a suet feeder for Christmas our first year together, but it had taken me this long to use it. I chose the Cardinal blend because I love the streaks of red across the snow. In return, a daddy and mama Cardinal became "regulars" at my balcony buffet. I've probably taken 100 pictures of these little birds as they've come and fed - one watching while the other eats. And I love the little personalities that have shone through.

And so this summer we expanded to a hummingbird feeder and a songbird mix in a larger bird feeder. I can't seem to catch the hummingbird in flight (still trying to figure out how to do that with the camera), but I've gotten a shot or two of a hummingbird resting on the feeder. RESTING! Who knew?

The larger feeder has a pair of goldfinches who, just like my Cardinals, take turns feeding while the other stands watch. The male's feathers almost glow in the early morning sunlight. And in the rain, I've found them sheltering on the perch, feathers puffed out to keep them warm and dry.

The Cardinals became tame enough that I could leave my deck door open and they'd still feed with the TV blaring and me talking and walking around the living room. These goldfinches are still a little skittish, but I have hope they'll learn to trust me - if Sophie would stop charging to the window to say hello!

From this, among other things, I've learned something this summer. If you constantly look around at what you don't have, you'll always be poor in mind and spirit. But if you take pleasures in the little blessings in life, keeping your eyes open to the gifts around you, you'll always be rich.

With these little beauties around, my life is golden.