empowerment & inspiration ... all for you
may 27, 2016

inspiration station

live - and live it now

A few weeks after my best childhood/lifelong friend Debbie died of cancer in November 2014, I had written an especially raw snippet about living out loud. That snippet erupted on a vulnerable day when my heavy heart hurt so badly. I was missing my 'Skissy' so awfully and trying to process the fact that POOF!! she was gone. The inspiration for that snippet came from a dog walk on the trail, as I "floated" around; life felt so surreal. My five senses were very acute that afternoon. Part of that snippet is here:

In the woods, I watched every fluttering leaf loosen from its twig. They twirled and spiraled to the forest floor. I smelled autumn's freshness. I noticed every bright color on every jogger, walker and talker who passed by ... there seemed to be clumps of people passing by simultaneously, as if they were screaming, "WE ARE HERE! WE ARE HERE! WE ARE HERE!" like those teeny-tiny 'Who' characters in Dr. Suess' tale of 'Horton Hears a Who.'

I took in their moving and running and walking and swinging and pedaling and sniffling and breathing. And I had to move and walk and breathe, too.

I felt like kicking it up another notch. Here's to L-I-F-E! I feel the need to live it even STRONGER, HIGHER, LOUDER, BIGGER ... for Debbie, who can't any longer. She got too tired.

Soon after I had written that, I had received a clear and loud sign from Debbie in the way of lettering on a T-shirt on the girl in front of me at Zumba ... it said: BE LOUD. (There are no coincidences.)

Last Saturday that same strong feeling overtook me. After my brother Danny and I had visited my Uncle Martin at a nursing home (he's 86 with dementia), I practically skipped out of his building to jump into my car and meet up with a small group of friends to share a few drinks, laugh, eat seafood, and watch Baltimore's Preakness horse race on TV. Once again, I felt surreal.

I just wanted to run out of there and GO LIVE! It felt so important in that hour to go do something active immediately - in honor of our uncle. While I can. And because sadly, he can't.

Having compassion sometimes absolutely overwhelms me. I just wanted to exit the nursing home scenario of those poor dear old souls mindfully "out of it," slumped in wheelchairs, physically disabled, wearing bibs, and staring into space.

I wanted to shout and laugh and skip and speed and eat and drink wine and be! I felt so ALIVE. I wanted to be my age 56 ... celebrate health and well-being ... sound mind and pink hair.

Snippeteers, are you LIVING!? Are you laughing and skipping and being and shouting? (I know you're drinking your wine.) :-D Are you living out loud? Are you doing activities that make you feel ALIVE?

It is now or never. It is today, not tomorrow. It is this hour, not the next.

Go. Live it. Feel it. Run out and LIVE LOUD.

What are your thoughts?

share here

(remember to include first name & state,
or indicate 'name withheld')

snippeteer backtalk

snippeteers' thoughts on last week's snippet:
seeking that stamp of approval

"I think the 'stamp of approval' comes from when we were growing up. It was necessary back then to be approved or liked by our parents, our teachers, our friend's parents, etc. It's definitely ok to be different than others; to wear or like things that the majority don't or won't. But, as adults, most of us still go back to that ... 'What would so and so think?' I do it ... not always ... but sometimes."

~ Cindi P in MD

"Hi Suzanne, all I can say is ... you go girl. You are going to be my inspiration to do what I want for me with no one's approval. You are just terrific and always right on the money with your column. I want to be like you. Keep your inspiration coming!!!!!"

~ name withheld

"You GO Girl!! Love the hair! You look decades younger and yet there is that 'wild abandoning' about you, caressed in the wisdom of your true years, flanked by a carefree 'I know what I'm doing' and 'f_'em' attitude. It is wonderful. You are my hero! Live your life alert and with a whimsy mystique. A wink, two thumbs up and a big ATTA GIRL!"

~ ♥ Geri E in MD

"I love your Pink Hair! I've been thinking of doing something like this also - I want pink or purple ... My husband says he doesn't want me to make my hair a different color, guess what, now that [my daughter] is back and I got some help, it sure is changing!

I do, wear and say things all the time that people don't approve of - my daughter doesn't like when I wear outfits that show cleavage or above my knee, but I wear what I want. I don't wear inappropriate outfits to places where they shouldn't be. I did the 'mom' look a few years ago (hair shoulder length, clothing covering my arms, legs, fat, etc.) and I just felt like I wasn't 'ME' - I was some model for 'fat mom of the month' and that's no fun.

I used to hide myself because I was 'fat' but I have found that if you surround yourself with confidence, you really don't need to have approval for anything and everything in your life."

~ Karan A in Middle River, MD

"Adorable in pink hair."

~ Mercy R in MD

"Suzanne, Love your hair!"

~ Kathy S in MD

You rock that pick hair ... not that you needed my

'approval!'

~ Phyllis I in MD

"Hi Suzanne: I really like the pink highlights! It looks great on you and, even though I don't know you personally, I think I can safely say the color suits your warm, big-hearted personality."

~ Paula C in NJ

"Suzanne, please do your hair for each holiday ... I would love to see red, white and blue for the upcoming July 4th or something ... :-) you are beautiful! but you didn't need to hear that from me."

~ Monica M in TX

"Hi Suzanne, I love the pink hair! I love how you are not afraid to be you! Keep on going - you truly inspire the rest of us!"

~ Karen R in MD

"My beautiful baby boy was born on March 13."

~ Mary Lynn in MD

good to giggle

prayer flares

FOR Victoria, 85, in FL recovering from back surgery

FOR MacKenzie in MD and the many other college and high school graduates closing this chapter in their lives and stepping into the next

FOR a comfortable and healthy pregnancy for Gianna in MD due in August

FOR a snippeteer's "very dear friend who has ovarian cancer. A real sweetheart but a fighter."

FOR Patrice in PA as her eye heals after retina surgery this week

ciao ...

until you snippet again

suzanne molino singleton

creator of SNIPPETS

celebrating 10 years!

email suzanne

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