quote>inspiration>blog

So if you know me, then you are probably my friend on Facebook.  If you really know me, then I have probably let you peep through one of my journals a time or two (except not the juicy stuff, duh).  And if you've been reading my blog, then you've seen me go quote-crazy a time or two.  My Facebook friends see me go quote crazy once a day - usually, and sometimes - even 2 or 3 times a day.  My tweets are often quote-based and my journals are often just a mess of doodled quotes here and there.  I guess that's who I am - a jumbled mess of ideas and words that I wish I could write as well as the person I've quoted.  But nonetheless, that point I was trying to make right there is that I like love quotes.

In school, I've put together a couple of pretty neat projects that were based around quotes even.  I am pretty sure that the wonderful housekeeping ladies @ the Fairfield Inn this summer think I am a hoarder of plastic bins... (that is a special thanks to my Daddy)... and also a hoarder of little scraplets of paper and die-cuts that have meaningful quotes written across them.  Haha, they were totally everywhere - c'mon, I was going through the roughest time in my entire life and so I tended to scribble an inspiring note here and there with high hopes of having just that - high hopes! (And of course I left out any organizational skills that my storage bin loving Dad possibly handed down to me) So when I blew the giant meat-freezer of an air-conditioner that the hotel provides, my little scraps of faith, hope, and love would just go everywhere - absolutely nuts-like... but my gals always had my back and would re-organize them for me on my desk.  Only to be blown away when I got up from the first fire nightmare.  But anyway, I was thinking today (rainy day... the norm for this time of year in Alabama) and thought about how I needed to send down and write and let out some energy that I've needed to exert - and what greater way but to wRiTe!!! None.

But I couldn't think of what I wanted to write about.  Something more than just catching up on what I've been doing.  I needed something a little bit more inspiring than that... just to clear some clouds or smoke or whatever from my head.  So, since I couldn't figure out what to write about I decided I would wait for a good quote to catch my eye and of course that always cures the dreaded writer's block disease.  OF COURSE > a few quotes caught my eye and got me on a little inspirational high... but, in the end, it all comes down to one right? ;)  Well my quote of inspiration for me, myself, and I for today was this (and I hope it maybe inspires whoever else is reading this as well...)

"if there is to be any  p.e.a.c.e  it is to come through b.e.i.n.g and not h.a.v.i.n.g." -henry miller

After what I have been through, there isn't much that I can say to sum it up any better than that.  I have been SO blessed and SO fortunate to  h.a.v.e  all of the things that I do, just 7 months after losing mostly EVERYTHING.  There comes a time in everyone's life, I have come to believe, that you have to get down to the heart of things.  Not just on the surface level, the real level... deep deep down in there.  The soul-wrenching feeling stuff. 

If you are one of the ones that know me, then I'm sure you may have thought that enough had happened to me (the hard way of course) before 7 months ago, and felt the loss with me of all the "things" that seemed to precious to me back then.  Or, if you know me, then maybe you think that I'm a tough little survivor child and I would muster up that inner-strength that I've always been able to show in times of trouble.  If you didn't know me, then you got to read about my journey via this blog that I've seemed to have abandoned here lately.  But either way, you have probably witnessed my passions in one way or another.

-the want to help people
-the need to find the meaning in everything that happens (good and bad)
-the desire to not only find, but also create and keep re-creating, myself
-the love for God, family, and friends
-children
-sports
-new experiences and travel

In basic-mode, those are them - my passions!  Tell me if I am incorrect, but I didn't list a single 'tHiNg' in that list of burning passions I have!  Just meaning, philanthropy, love, children, sports, travel, and creating myself... makes it easier to see, now, why I've been able to handle the brutal amounts of 'stuff' that was lost in that fire. 

But not only did I feel like I lost a lifetime of belongings, I also felt like I lost some success, some hardwork, a couple pieces of my heart, a few tokens from Memory Lane, and a large amount of sanity and peace of mind.  To be brutally honest (and pardon my French) but this summer - I was batshit crazy!!!!!!!!!!!! Spinning out of control and barely keeping my head above water. 

Then I got some of my life back together, I let time do it's thing and move me forward, and I found a peace of mind in myself and in love.  So today when I saw that quote, If there is to be any peace it is to come through being and not having , I truly let it speak to me and ease my mind.  I let the rainy day put me in a tranquil state and I sat down, alone in a room, and I let it remind me of everything I have to be grateful for.  I let it remind me of my passions and how BEING a lover of life and BEING myself is much better than HAVING all of these things to call "mine, mine, mine." 

So, if you were hoping that I would chill it with the quotes on the 'book, my blog, and the tweet-tweets... you are S.O.L. (I'm working on my potty mouth due to my pregnant friend and future job with children... but I'm still Baily).  Everyone needs a good quote once and a while, so if it annoys you I don't care... I get more messages in my FB inbox saying the contrary, so pipe it!

I'm piping it now!

Peace and Love

b a i l y

be as you are

iNsPiRaTiOnaL quotes & quotations

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."

-Alan Cohen

I found this quote on a blog that I follow. Even though it may be used for some sound inspiration regarding a relationship or love story, I found it more touching to me in regard to the new beginning I have been required to jump into since the fire. Now that I'm getting back into more of a routine, I am feeling the brutal beating of reality each time it hits me that all of my things are gone. The things that gave me security, sought comfort for me, and were part of my life for many many years.

Everyone has been so proud of me and have complimented the way I've handled the whole situation. Although, those close to me might not always agree. My parents, sister, Chace, and Elena have probably all seen me "lose my cool" in the past few days as it all began to sink in. I'm fortunate that I have such understanding people in my life, because they always make the situation better. I know I have been short-fused and I've let my temper get the best of me when the frustration and exhaustion get the best of me. They help me get back to the strong and courageous Baily and that's just another reason why I know I'm blessed to have them in my life throughout this time.

The part in the quote (and Lord knows I love my quotes!) that says "for in movement there is life" is particularly true for me. Most people know the story about Chace and I. We met at orientation the summer before freshmen year, he found me on the infamous facebook, we spent the entire summer with a perma-attached phone to our ears, had a fling freshmen year, remained friends throughout the years and he, figuratively speaking, was always the one who helped put band-aids on me when someone would hurt me, we were on again and off again, and now (FINALLY!) we are a true couple. An incredibly happy couple. I've found so much of myself by being with him. His friends take me in and I hang out with them even when he's not around. His family cares for me, and my family adores him too. So, when I think of "for in movement there is life" I can't help but think of him. There really is such a happier life once everything falls into place when it comes to loving someone and them loving you back. Sure, I had a disaster strike me at the most inconvenient time but at the same time I found the perfect opportunity to finally be with my best friend. I truly am so lucky. I got a text message from one of my best girlfriends not too long ago and what she said pretty much sums it up.... "Bai, jealous of you. As if he didn't treat you like a princess before but now y'all are finally together and he's so good to you. Not a lot of people get to be with their best friend." I couldn't agree more.

"In change there is power." How true is this? It's indescribable - the difference it would make if I was going through this time in my life without my faith. I had really started getting back on track with my walk with the Lord when the fire hit. Like I've said before, I would not have been able to have handled it so well without the comfort of God and without the wisdom I find in His word. When I got to go into my room the night of the fire to find my jewelry case and anything else that meant a lot to me and could be easily grabbed, I frantically searched for my Bible. Dad had given me the Bible when I asked the Lord for my salvation in 1999. I didn't find it that night, but I luckily found it the next day. However, it's damaged but I was blessed with my sister's Sunday school teacher's contributing a new study bible. This new beginning would be far more difficult without the scripture that I cling to for strength, that is for sure. Back to Chace... (I'm sorry - get used to it!) I've never been in a relationship that I can so freely talk about my faith, fears, dreams, and desires. Bonus points: He actually listens and doesn't just nod and smile like some of the idiots I've dated before. He and I have been trying out churches together because we feel like going to church together from the beginning of our relationship is something that is important if we want to have a solid foundation.  We've visited Shades Mountain Baptist Church and Church of the Highlands. I think we are going to my sister and Tyler's church on Sunday, First Baptist Church of Trussville. The "in change there is power" part of the quote is so true. I changed my ways and I was rewarded. I sought change in my lifestyle, relationships, and friendships, and it was powerful indeed. I was given strength, love, and a more consuming faith by making the needed changes in my life.

I haven't posted anything 'quote-related' lately and everyone knows I have a weird obsession with quotes. When I lost my journals in the fire, I lost all my "go to" quotes. I am slowly rebuilding my collection... but I thought it would be neat if people would send me their quotes.

PLEASE COMMENT BELOW

aNd TeLL mE wHaT yOu'Re fAvOriTe qUoTe iS! 

(movie quote, song lyric, famous quote, poem, speech, anything!)

yOu NeVeR kNoW wHo YoU cOuLd iNsPiRe.

wE aLL nEeD iNsPiRaTiOn... so post a comment below.

Why do my readers never comment? Sad face. 

PEACEANDLOVE

baily.