Love Who You Are

HEAVEN and earth melded into one shimmering gray curtain at Crescent Beach during a walk soon after Valentine’s Day. It seemed the holiday inspired an anonymous Samaritan to leave a second message of good advice in a tiny shell by the beach. It read, "Love who you are."

Nestled in the grass by the engraved stone at my feet, the pearl of wisdom painted in the shell was as easy to miss as it can be challenging to follow.

We often reserve the right to love ourselves only after we achieve the ideal image of what we wish we could be.

The pretty little seashell was a random reminder that even with flaws, self-acceptance is the key to a more satisfying and wonder-filled life.

I took pictures (posting one at the sidebar) and left the hand drawn treasure for the next person who strayed off the path to discover.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Matters Of The Heart

SHUFFLING through my archives in search of hearts for Valentine’s Day, I found this picture of the symbol carved into a fence at Elgin Heritage Park. I am not on the fence about heart shapes. I like the artistic representation that I assume is a simplistic replica of the physical version. The beating heart has long been written about as the centre of human emotion and love.

I remember my mom helping me cut out paper hearts, complete with cute sayings, destined for fellow classmates in elementary school. Some children got more hearts on their desks than others causing embarrassment to those who were less popular. It was all about the numbers then and, a bit like in the current digital age, a gathering of followers.

It became clear in later years that Valentine’s Day was largely a commercial venture compelling people to prove their love for one special person on one special day.

But "where there is life there is love" said Gandhi who showed how paper-thin passions can evolve and grow like flames on candles lighting dark corners.

Although the jaded heart might say there is little love left in the world, there is plenty of evidence it is still around and that a heart found matters. My dad who passed away when he was relatively young gave me a trinket that I attached to a bookmark I made. His meaningful gift from decades ago is an inspiration to believe in love.

This post is linked to GOOD FENCES.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Lovestruck By Life

ON VALENTINE'S DAY, February 14th, the pretty candles that were Christmas gifts finally were lit to decorate the table that was set for our dinner. Perhaps it was the glow of the multiple flames in single hearts that illuminated memories of loved ones lost too soon and unexpectedly over the years due to illnesses.

The next day there was news of an asteroid hurling uncomfortably close to the earth reminding us that the world as we know it could randomly end. A few hours earlier on the same day a large meteor exploded over a small Russian town injuring hundreds of people.

Sometimes it seems as if all life has been sent on a perilous journey pieced together with only a wing and a prayer. Thankfully, we don't often think about the vulnerabilities, especially when fully present and in the moment.

There is wonder and a sense of oneness with the universe to savor: bare feet stepping on grassy floors, toes wiggling in the gritty sand of mysterious shores, sunsets dissolving like lemon drops into oceans, rain tap tapping on roofs as we drift among the stars on a green globe that never stops revolving. From the gentle swoosh of a bird's wing to the mean surprise of a bee's sting … each wink in time is a Valentine. (February sunset, 2012, Kwomais Park.)

Planets and people will crumble into dust. The stubborn ideals we treasure for both good and evil will fade into mist and our struggles and glories melt into insignificance. Although there is no use in dwelling on the fact that existence could be snuffed out like a flame in an instant, the possibility does beg for perspective, humility and a wholehearted leap into the here and now.

As an unknown author once said, “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is the special occasion.”

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Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle to view more BC scenes.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Love Is More Than A Box Of Chocolates

WHEN WINDOW shopping in Kitsilano recently, signs of a special day could not be ignored. The morphing of saints, mythological gods, romance and marketing were everywhere. February is the month when thoughts of love are punctuated by Valentine’s Day celebrated on the 14th of February.

Saint Valentine was a martyred priest in Rome who some legends say performed secret weddings for soldiers banned from marrying the young women they were engaged to during wartime. He would be shocked to know balloon bouquets, cupids, paper hearts, flowers and millions of boxes of chocolates are sold in his name.

Despite modern distortions, our affections have always run deep and gone beyond feelings for a partner or spouse. There is a parent’s love for a child and love for friends and even for pets. There is love of art and the beauty we see in symmetry and in nature. Sometimes it is easier to love than to be loved. Sometimes we need to love ourselves.

I am up in the air about love sometimes. There is love of money and possessions. There is love of God and country. There is love of a good joke or well-made strawberry shortcake. Love can be twisted. Love can be blind. Some who love from afar are unkind to those who are near. And it seems clear that those who love everyone love no one in particular. Love can happen like a simple song or be complicated and hard won. Love can be boastful and glad. Unrequited love can make us feel sad, crumpled and teary-eyed but the purest love, with no strings attached, never dies.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Spring Gets Snow Struck

MY WORLD is shivering from its coldest February in decades. Kitsilano like many areas in southwest BC was visited by snowfall last Saturday. Many streets in this quaint Vancouver community are lined with older homes. The fresh flakes added authenticity to a neighborhood known to keep Christmas and Valentine glitter alive year-round (click twice to see a heart in the photo).

My husband and I were meeting our daughter at Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant for dinner.

Strings of lights wrapped around what looked like (poles?) made to resemble palm trees jutting from the outdoor patio floor by the restaurant.

It was more enjoyable seeing the lights from inside through the window while waiting for our Mexican meal.

As we sat around a cozy table in comfortable chairs, a bench outside was getting covered in a cushion of snow.

The snow wasn’t deep to start ... but it was slick and built up quickly.

Heading out of the city, we found the pavement layered with ice and slippery. Some frozen wires were in jeopardy of falling and needed repair.

The snow continued to fall, softly glimmering like tiny stars against a background of darkening sky.

Our vehicle crawled along the streets to the freeway. Most drivers were using an abundance of caution. So our typical one-hour drive home to Surrey turned into two. The cold snap was no doubt a shock to wildlife. Just a few days earlier it seemed as if spring was firmly rooted. Birds were surveying neighborhood yards for future nests and buds were unfurling their newborn faces. Hopefully these early bloomers will survive this winter surprise.

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What To Do About Home Alone Pets

IS YOUR PET LOOKING a little lonely and scruffy these days? February is the month of love and a great time to show Rover or Fluffy that you still care by providing him with a trip to the groomers, a favorite treat or some special attention.

Although this might seem like excessive pampering to some, one little girl lets her Shih Tzu snuggle in bed with her as a special treat. Another pet owner unwinds after work by wrestling with his energetic Pug. And many responsible teenagers get up extra early on school mornings to walk their dogs and tell them how wonderful they are. It isn’t the words, of course, but the tone of voice and the good things you do for your pet that say I love you.

Pets thrive on meaningful attention that isn’t easy to get when mom and dad are at work all day and the kids are away at school. Even the most adorable kittens and puppies given as gifts for Christmas can find themselves home alone and starving for human interaction. By February the cute little critter you purchased is on the way to becoming an adult at a time when exercise is increasingly important but harder to get. Veterinarians have said that dogs, in particular, need exercise, exercise, and more exercise throughout February and March when people often pull back on walks because of dreary weather.

Feeding pets on an “ad-lib basis” often goes along with a lack of exercise. Although fresh water should always be available, leaving bowls of food in front of pets all day leads to unhealthy, overweight animals. I have read that the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association recommends two to three meals fed to growing pets daily. However, this should dwindle to one or two meals daily at 12 to 15 months. And although table scraps and between meal snacks are to be avoided, some vets suggest ten percent of your pet's meal can arguably be from the kitchen table to show Rover he IS part of the family.

Most pet owners know that giving chocolate to their scruffy Valentine is a bad idea. Chocolate contains theobromine, an alkaloid closely related to caffeine that is toxic to dogs and cats.

"Killing your pet with kindness by overfeeding and under exercising is like giving the kids five dollars to rent a movie instead of taking them skating," says one vet. "Kids who don’t flop in front of the television after school show true affection simply by taking their pets for a walk."

The alternative is problems, especially in hyper dogs. I was surprised to learn boredom can lead to scratching, a “pleasurable” form of pain that is not always flea induced as it seems. Pets not only chew themselves, they can chew your carpets and sofas if they don't get the chance to run and play. For home-alone pets, doggy doors and professional dog walkers are a practical solution, if location and budget permit. Involving your pet in a training program to stimulate intelligence, keeping your pet clean, providing medical care, and taking time to understand your pets nutritional and activity needs is equivalent to a bouquet of flowers and shows you care.