One Rising Star

 “Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.” I once had a dream Cherry blossoms would be seen So, in springtime I flew away To finally chase this unique display I began my journey in Korea With a very simple idea Walk around as much as possible And look out for something phenomenal After Korea, I went on to Japan With a very similar plan Sakura still on my mind More I was determined to find There were never any guarantees That I’d get to see these beautiful trees A bit of luck was on my side Nature seemed to have complied Of course, Hanami isn’t all that I appreciated On route, I was often deviated Some main attractions also needed to be viewed And certain food stops, I just had to include Like any trip, this one had its highs and lows That’s all quite normal I suppose No regrets whatsoever I now have memories to last forever

 “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life; it turns what we have into enough, and more.” I may not have the husband, the family, the house or the job I once dreamed of having.  I may not be the fittest, the trendiest or the most sutnning and confident woman around.  However, I am well aware that I have so many things to be grateful for; including my family, my friends, my safety, my health…and so much more! Some of us sit around from time to time feeling sorry for ourselves.  We feel overwhelmed, frustrated, unhappy, then suddenly we spiral into a negative vortex. We beat ourselves up for making certain choices, and/or for not being who and where we think we should be at a certain point in our lives.  We are constantly being told to aim high, to set goals, and to keep bettering ourselves, but unfortunately, while we’re so busy striving for more, we often forget to enjoy the present moment, and all that we already have.  Of course, we should always try improving ourselves, but more impor