Lionize

lionize • \LYE-uh-nyze\ • verb

*1 : to treat as an object of great interest or importance

2 Brit : to show the sights of a place to

Take a moment and look around your home or office. What do you see? Is it an object that you received as a gift, which catches your eye and makes you think of relaxing times? Is it the old book from your grandfather's collection which reminds you of how he smelled, felt or looked the last time you saw him? What is it that captivates you in a way that no other item can?

For me the item is simple, an old family bible too big to read from, fathered, with browned pages that curl on the ends. This old family heirloom, reminds me of all the things I hold near and dear. It reminds me of all the things I long to still achieve. It has a value long surpassed by its sticker price. It is a part of me.

I look at the yellowed cover and browned pages nearly withered away from the years it spent on the living room shelf of my grandparents house, then my parents home, and now mine. Yes, in this bible I have memories that are immeasurable in comparison to any other item of it's kind along my self. This bible has been lionized as the staple of our family. A symbol for where we have been and where we are yet to go.

I find comfort in it. I find inspiration in the lionization of such a memento, and envy the way it can stand for so much while being so small. I want to be lionized like that bible. I want to the one that others look at as incomparable to others. I want to be the person who stands on her own to feet and makes a difference for those who can not stand for themselves.

We should all be lionized in the view of others, for each of us has qualities and abilities that are uniqu to only us. We shall be lionized, not by those who look down upon us, but rather by those who have yet to know us. To be beyond compare. To be free to stand tall, full of beauty and strength. To be remembered for more then just the mistakes that we have made, but for the genuine love we have for others. To know that we are important to others, understanding the meaning of that importance comes from inside each of us. To be judged but not adjudicated.

I find inspiration in the word lionize for its solidarity to the meaning of what each of us has longed for and the determination if gives us to fight for it. I may never publish another novel, write another blog, or complete another trial balance, but I shall always be lionized for the unsurpassed achievements which are mine alone and can never be taken away from me. So I pose the question? What will you be lionized for?

Progeny

Progeny • \PRAH-juh-nee\ • noun

1 a : descendants, children

*b : offspring of animals or plants

2 : outcome, product

3 : a body of followers, disciples, or successors

In short description to pass something to your progeny would mean to pass something to your children. But how is that Inspirational? What if I pass the wrong qualities to my children? What if they are filled with my fears and my discretions?

Inspiration comes from within each of us. I can write a word a day for the next year, but at the end of your reading it would still be the strength and inspiration within yourself that brings forth change or forethought. I am however inspired by the word progeny. I find comfort in the abilities I have received from my parent. My artistic side; an extension of my father. My stubborn and yes, even determined side from my mother. The ability to keep fighting and to never give up as given to my by my parents is a gift. It is a small, yet viable example of the women I became because of them.

I aim to inspire others. I aim to leave behind a legacy that my children can be proud of. I strive to be the woman that they will remember for her strength, dedication, and love. Yes, even with disease and dismay, the future lies in the hands of our children; who will lead this country long past what we even imagine today. It is our progeny that will carry out the laws, create change in our government and even lead the way to finding treatments and cures for the array of disease which torments our societies.

Our progeny will serve as an extension of our generation. I find encouragement in the idea that a little piece of each of us will be left behind in those who come from us. I find determination each day to wake up and be the best that I can be, knowing that my progeny will one day look back in reflection and/or judgment of my actions. My examples will lead them on a journey of their own, down a road that I paved with cobble stones of my life. They will mold it, reform it, even build up it's beauty.

As a champion of others, a leader in business, and a writer determined to make a difference, I only hope to passed on my speed, endurance, and calm temperament to my progeny, of whom I pray will became successful strong individuals of inspiration.

Inalienable

Inalienable • \in-AY-lee-uh-nuh-bul\ • adjective

: incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred

I think we have all done it. I think we have all curled up in a ball, amongst a dark room and felt as if the world around us rested on our shoulders. We know that moment, the one where we look out into the thunderstorm, thinking that everything outside of this room is our responsibility, yet we have no control over it. That feeling is alienation, and it lies within each of us.

You see, by ourselves we can not be alienated from anything or anyone without the conscious effort and foresight to be alienated. Contrary to popular belief, we are not responsible for everything around us. We are responsible for us. Ourselves, our families, even our work lives only take place on the stage for which we build them, and thus we are not inalienable.

Each of us has the inherent ability to alienate others, and yes, turnabout is fair play. How do you treat others? How do you want them to treat you? What do you consider the in crowd?

These are questions that can only be answered by you. Personally, I would argue that my point of view as to the “in-crowd” was much different in my high school and college years. Today the “in-crowd” of my life consists of two boys under the age of ten, a 28 year old sales associate, and dear friends which have stood by my side through thick and thin, death and disease. My “in-crowd” is as diverse as I have chosen for it to be. No longer am I dictated by the clothes that I wear, or the blue and purple hair I once had as an unruly teenager. Today I am a piller amongst children who call me their god mom. I am an example to writers who like me struggle with their craft. Most importantly, I am me. Simple and secure in myself. I am inalienable.

It is inspiring to believe that within each of us lies the ability to put aside the thoughts and misconceptions of who we are, and redefine ourselves in the light of what we hope to become. It is inspirational to believe that as you read this, there is no one that can tell you who your are, who you should be, or how you should live your live. Others may shut you out, but in the end only you can be alienated by only yourself.

I can not allow ourselves to be alienated. I shall not allow ourselves to be controlled or even surrendered. I can and shall stand strong amongst even the most discerning of judges, knowing that at the end of the day, I shall be inalienable to others and an example to myself.

In Fact

Main Entry:

fact

Pronunciation:

\ˈfakt\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Latin factum, from neuter of factus, past participle of facere

Date:

15th century

1: a thing done: as aobsolete : feat b: crime fact> carchaic : action 2archaic : performance, doing3: the quality of being actual : actuality fact hinges on evidence>4 a: something that has actual existence fact> b: an actual occurrence fact of damage>5: a piece of information presented as having objective reality

— in fact

: in truth

A wise man once told me that all lies start in truth. I once thought he was just measuring how to get out of his own figure eight of useless knowledge as he rambled. Today, I see that this is indeed true. All trues comes from fact, but all fact lies somewhere in fiction.

Endometriosis, is a fact of my life. It is something that I can not run from. Something I can not find a cure for, and something that few doctors understand. I was first diagnosed when I was only 15 years of age. I had severe pains when an ultrasound showed the existence of cell tissue in my abdomen. At the time, I was told it was not endometriosis, but low and behold a biopsy of said tissue proved otherwise. It was not the tissue which was in question, but the existence of endometrial tissue in places unforeseen that was of controversy. I have since had said tissue grow in various places of my body.

Have you ever tried explaining to a podiatrist why you have the lining of your uterus gowning on your ankle? With so little known about the disease which has caused me pain for almost 15 years now, I find comfort in facts. I find inspiration in knowing that the truth is out there. I find hope in the acknowledgment of new treatments and even education for the disease.

In fact, (all punns intended) I find inspiration in what we know, because only in what we know can we learn. Every challenge, every obstacle, every test presented to us, is somewhere hidden in fact. The facts shall be a foundation for the further development of medicine, awareness, and triumph. In truth, we find ourselves. In truth we find what we long to be. In truth we find what inspires us. In truth we find our foundation. In truth, we can have anything we put our minds too.

So I am inspired to lay a new foundation for life in fact. I lie such a foundation as a way to set an example for others, encourage the world around me, and reach out to a society of women faced with a disease they have no control over. With so many variable practices, open ended questions, and fears buried in a mountain of concern of losing ones self to such ailments, I find hope in the truth and pray that it shall lead us to the answers for which we seek.

Intoxication

Main Entry:

in·tox·i·ca·tion

Pronunciation:

\in-ˌtäk-sə-ˈkā-shən\

Function:

noun

Date:

15th century

1: an abnormal state that is essentially a poisoning intoxication>2 a: the condition of being drunk : inebriation b: a strong excitement or elation

As I sit here typing, I have a handful of pills on the chair beside me. Write a sentence, take a pill. Wait. Does it stay down? Yes? Great! Write a sentence. Take a pill. Wait....

I sit here looking at this collapsed stack of color coded pills, only to realize that I have to repeat these steps again in a few hours. I am intoxicated. I can feel the pills start to break down in my esophagus from the heat of my body. I take a orange pill to help me digest food, I take a pink pill to help keep the orange pill down and help with the vomiting, I take a white pill to replenish all the nutrients I am regurgitating with my meals, and a blue pill to help me sleep. I take them one by one, popping each into the back of my mouth; hoping to swallow before my gag reflex takes over.

Nothing works. I sit her queasy and frustrated. I shiver at the thought the the best modern medicine has to offer me is an array of nicely colored chemicals and poisons as a method for healing. I think about the meaning of intoxication.

In college intoxication was what having too much to drink, or partying a little too hard when I should have been studying. Nowadays, intoxication is a way of life. It is the way a pill can turn a migraine into a hot air balloon floating in the clouds. It is the way the cocktail helps chemo patients regain their hair. It is the way that healthy well off pharmaceutical companies get rich off those who need the intoxications, while the poor and middle class become impoverished while needing them.

Without all the pills, I am a strong, independent, straightforward person. Yet by them, I am held captive defined by poison, identification numbers, and an incurable disease. Therefor, I choose to redefine intoxication.

I choose rather than to be intoxicated to be intoxicating. I choose rather then to poison others, to encourage their inner beauty. The euphoric feeling of intoxication; the light headed, calm, open minded, willing to consider the possibilities attitude is not from the chemicals which are pumped inside of us, but reside in all of us each day. Therefor, I choose to free these inherent abilities and become intoxicated with all that life has to offer, knowing that I may not be able to cure this disease with my mind, but there is no cure through chemicals either.

I choose to be intoxicated and to intoxicate those around me when and where possible in an effort to free these emotions and overcome all that stands before us.

Salt

Main Entry:

¹salt

Pronunciation:

\ˈsȯlt\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English sealt; akin to Old High German salz salt, Lithuanian saldus sweet, Latin sal salt, Greek hals salt, sea

Date:

before 12th century

I was driving down Pacific Coast Highway, aka PCH to the locals in the area, with my father the other day when I looked out at the wide waves of the ocean. My father, an ex-marine who fought in Vietnam, is one of the strongest men I know. I looked over at him and asked him what he thought about the ocean. He immediately replied, “it smells like salt.”

Salt. Such a simple yet complex element of our society and yet one, I am starting to think that is all to often taken for granted. As we drove down the highway, I proceeded to tell him that I want to be that salt. I would love to be that particle of matter which can change and transform myself into my surroundings. I envy the way the salt of the ocean lingers in the air; reminding those who stroll the boardwalk that it is a beautiful and vibrant day. I envy the way the salt floats atop the waves, only to be carried in and out of the shore line reflecting the rays of the sun. I envy the way salt can blend into the water, change the taste of our foods, and most importantly float freely in the air we breathe.

This weeks Inspiring Word is SALT. For its principles, its properties and most important it's lessons. May it stand as a content reminder that we too can be more then what meets the eye. We too can be free to ride the journey of life where it takes us; comforted in the knowledge that there is still someone and/or something for us to touch. With all the illness that has surrounded us in the recent months one may think that the sheer site of table salt may make me nauseous. So I challenge it!

Tonight I filled a new salt shaker and placed it on the counter vowing to appreciate it's complex taste and savor all that salt has to offer. Pass the salt?

Sunshine

Main Entry:

¹sun·shine

Pronunciation:

\-ˌshīn\

Function:

noun

Date:

13th century

1 a: the sun's light or direct rays b: the warmth and light given by the sun's rays c: a spot or surface on which the sun's light shines2: something (as a person, condition, or influence) that radiates warmth, cheer, or happiness

Sometimes it is easier to focus on all the dark things in our lives and forget about the beauty and vibrancy of the world around us in the rays of the sun's light. So today, I choose sunlight as a word of inspiration.

Living in Southern California, you would think that sunlight would have been on the top of the list for my encouraging words blogspot. After all it is sunny California, right? However, like most local residence I have taken this simple blessing for granted.

Sure, I love the way the sun feels beating down on my skin as I walk along the shore. Yes, I love the warmth of the sun's rays as they caress our quiet community springing new life and vegetation to the recently burned mountains behind out house. But until recently, I never had a true appreciation for sunlight.

I love the way it caresses the face of my love as we walk in the park. I love the way it warms me when I am shivering cold. I love the way the sun can reflect upon a particle of glass and display rainbows across the sky.

I want to be light the sun. I want to bring warmth to those around me. I wish to be the light which guides others to believing that today is a good day, a blessed day, and most importantly a new day. From here on we can choose to be cold like the dark clouds which drift over sky blocking the suns rays, or we can chose to be strong, comforting, and inspiring to others. I choose to be like the sun. I choose to spend each day celebrating what has been brought before me. I choose to shine through the clouds believing in the light that shines down from above. Today I choose to be invincible.

Just as the sun can shine down on us, so too can we shine our lights and gifts on others. Just as the sign can stand high in the sky, despite all the storms that past, so too can we. In the light of all that we have been blessed with, we can shine a warmth of hope and inspiration on others; wrapping out warmth around those in our path and shining a new light on those in the distance.

Tomorrow, come rain or shine the sun will come out to light a new day. May it also inspire each of us with it beauty, elegance and grace. I think I will open the blinds early in the morning and let the sun shine in. What about you?

Hindrance

hindrance

Main Entry:

hin·drance

Pronunciation:

\ˈhin-drən(t)s\

Function:

noun

Date:

1526

1 : the state of being hindered

One may think that hindrance is a contradiction in terms to the meaning of the encouraging words blog, but today I am going to ask you to bare with me as we explore just how encouraging hindrance can be in our lives.

Yes, that is right, I said it, hindrance is encouraging. hindrance if nothing else, is the presence of an object or obstacle. The laws are a hindrance to medical scientists who are restricted from being able to use all necessarily means to cure me of this ailment. The alignment on my car was a hindrance to my wheels, and my wheels and tires were a hindrance to me when they blew out going 70 miles an hour down the freeway. So why would I possibly come to you and say that such a word is in inspiration?

It is simple. There are things in this world we can control and there are things in this world that have control of us. Therefor, I choose to control those that hinder me, and work around those which I can not control.

The basic laws of physics state that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Yet, no one ever stated how our reaction can all to often lead to another action and possibly even another hindrance.

Lets apply this theory to the car malfunction. If the alignment had not been off on the car to begin with then the tires would not have blown out. Therefore my hindrance was not the tires, which I spent my choice moments with kicking and screaming in frustration, but instead my reaction to the tire. Had I not gotten so angry at said tire, I may have been a little calmer and more adapt to analyze the situation. At the moment of my kicking and screaming my mind was wrapped around the idea that I was not going to make my appointment, Alex was going to lose a day of work, My car was not drivable on a blown tire and a donut, and I was still on the side of the freeway in the blistering heat. Sure all of these things add up to a great hindrance, but at the end of the day, that hindrance was only compounded by my inability to assess what the day could have been.

For example, my tires are less then a year old, my car warranty is still valid, I had someone with me who could help with the tire, I found a place that had one in stock to fix the tire, I was able to jump on the computer and put together a budget for paying for the repair, (very hard to do on disability, the government does not pay well!)

All my temper tantrum did was prevent the inevitable, I needed a plan, I had to measure the consequences, and most importantly I had to get this done soon. Sure I was sitting on the side of the freeway, but so was the wonderful blond I met in the van sitting behind me. Blessing 1) I met a new friend. Sure it was hot, but in some parts of the country they are suffering from rain storms as we quickly go into August. This is California, if I had to be stranded outside, there really is not a more perfect place to find a perfect day. Blessing 2) The sun helped me gain a little color and made me actually feel better about my skin. Finally, I could have been mad about the cost of the repairs, but instead I should be grateful that we were blessed with enough budgeting to cover what was needed.

A hindrance stands solid before you until you acknowledge that it is planted there. So here are your options, and they are pretty great if you ask me.

Option A. - You can remove the hindrance. Whether by force or by strategic alliances you can move the things that stand in your way. By acknowledging the hindrance itself, you have the ability to see it for what it truly is. Deal with it and even move past it.

Option B – You can go around it. Maybe the fight is not worth the reward. That is ok. Just go around it. Look into yourself, acknowledge what is blocking you and know that there is always another way.

Option C – My Favorite! Destroy it! Yes, I admit it, I am a type A personality all they way. I like the idea that once I have identified what is holding me back, I can then put together a plan of action which not only gets the hindrance out of my way but also keeps it from coming back.

When dealing with disease, we can not always cure what ails us. However, today I find hope in the things that hinder us. I look into the obstacles that can be controlled, limited, or even destroyed and I find strength. I find understanding. Like looking the opponent in the eye, I look hindrance in the eye knowing that I will be stronger, better, and faster one day to do all of the things I long for, but until then may each hindrance be nothing more then a bump in the road that teaches me a mountain of lessons.

Earhquake

Main Entry:

earth·quake

Pronunciation:

\ˈərth-ˌkwāk\

Function:

noun

Date:

14th century

1 : a shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin

Today seamed to be the best day for a word that has been on the tips of my typing fingers for some time. Today I declare Earthquake an encouraging word.

Before you go back to the other Allana Leigh blogs and say, but wait doesn't she live in Southern California? Doesn't she know that they just had a pretty hefty earthquake this morning? Yes, I live in Southern California. And yes, I felt all 45 seconds of the earth moving underneath me. No I did not duck and cover, (laptops kinda took out the desks in our house!) I did not run, or scream, or even panic. I looked down, I looked at the man I love, I ran to the arch of our hallway, and I put my hands out to each column and gave into the rolling of the apartment.

After the rolling stopped, I checked with Alex and the pets to make sure they were all OK. I checked grandma's china to find out if I was going to have to call my mother sobbing, and then I looked around. All was clear. Everything except the tub was fine. I exhaled. “Thank you!”

Sometimes it takes something bigger then us to remind us that we are so small in this universe. Sometimes it takes something as ground shattering as an earthquake to teach us what it means to be grateful for what you can not control. I called my mother, my sister, and my father but cell service was slim to none. I realized in that moment, that there was nothing I could do about what had or might have happened.

I will not go as far as to say that an earthquake is in any means relaxing, but the realization that you are not alone in this world but rather only one element of something much larger is reassuring to say the least. Once I heard from all local members of the family and confirmed that everything was in order, I sat back and I thought about the last time we all called each other on the same day just to check in. It has been to long for that. It has been too long since the last time, I spent a relaxing morning drinking a cup of coffee and just chatted with the girls. Today, it was not a matter of time or money, but an earthquake that sat me on the brown chair in the center of our living room to make such calls, and I was thankful.

The news coverage of the earthquake has changed its focus. Now they are talking about the need to predict these types of scismic events. However, as they try to predict the future, I sit here at my computer trying to drown out the noise. I don't want to know. Even if I could predict when and where an earthquake was going to happen, I am not sure that I would want to know about it. Telling me that the big one is going to hit within 7 years, only causes me to worry about things that once again, I can not control. If you told me last night that an earthquake was going to hit this morning, I would not want to hear it. There is nothing I can do to stop it. The earth is going to move with or without my consent. It is going to do as it pleases.

I believe we can do things to stop global warming. I believe in using less natural recourses and savoring what our planet has so graciously given us, but I also believe that unless we can control it, worrying about it, is only going to make each of us worse. Stress is not healthy, anger is not healthy, rambling crowds of people pushing to get in and out of cities is not healthy.

But earthquakes might be healthy. I am encouraged by this mornings earthquake in the simple way it reminds me to let go of those things for which I have no control. I am happy for this mornings earthquake for the reminder that we are not the only thing in existence on this planet. I am encouraged by the way an earthquake can remind us to tell those we love that we do infact love them. Maybe an Earthquake every couple of years is exactly the reminder we need that there are so many mysteries of this universe beyond what we can comprehend, and that is ok.

So today, Shake, Rattle, and Roll!

Breathe

Breathe: According to the Websters Dictionary, to breathe is to to draw air into and expel it from the lungs. The definition above makes breathing an act of necessity, and believe me it is. So if you are sitting there holding your breath, exhale already!

With all joking aside, breathing is an important function for our survival. It is instinctive. We do it without thinking. We do when we are born and until the day we die. Clinically speaking, the act of breathing is purely a mechanism for making our bodies function.

Therefor, I prefer to read from the Merriam-Webster online which gives extended definitions of the word, including...

2: live

Ok, this is still putting it in the neccessity category, but I really think there is more to living then to breathe, have a heart beat, and have the ability to use your body or mind. Living is loving, growing, learning and helping others. It is not a selfish act, it is a generous one, because only in looking past ourselves, can we truly start to see who we really are.

3 aobsolete : to emit a fragrance or aura b: to become perceptible : be expressed breathes and that distinguishes his work — Bennett Schiff>

I am particularly taken in by the latter definition. Be Expressed! Our personalities will radiate through us. How we act, how we treat others, even how we do business is reflected through each and every particle of us as we go about our day. In many ways, out personalities breathe with ever bit of air that is extinguished from us.

4: to pause and rest before continuing

I love the idea that a short relaxation, can be as simple as taking a moment out to breathe. I love the idea that we can feel renewed by a simple breath.

5: to blow softly
6: to feel free of restraint breathe>

My favorite definition of the word breathe is to feel free of restraint. To let go of all disease, anger, pain, and denial and just except that in this moment we are who we are. We can do anything we put our mind to. We can be free of anything which restrains us and sour above the clouds.

So today, I encourage you to get inspired by the action of breathing. I ask that you take a moment to do just that. Put on some soothing music. Take a warm towel, place it over your face. Now, close your eyes, relax, and breathe. Breathe in knowing you are taking in all the amazing people around you that fill your live with love and laughter. Breathe out, knowing that you are relaxing your body and freeing yourself of anything that that restrains you. Breathe in and out savoring every moment.

Pain

Pain: According to the Websters dictionary, pain is defined as a basic bodily sensation induced by a noxious stimulus, received by naked nerve endings, characterized by physical discomfort, such as pricking, throbbing, or aching.

The definition sounds excruciating, but pain is more than just a physical sensation. Pain is something that most women with Endometriosis live with on a daily basis. Pain is what wakes us up at night from our deepest sleep. It is the sensation that collapses a women to her knees before the lord praying for relief.

I spent a lot of time over the past two years thinking about the pain which has taken over my body, yet today as I stress my arm to type these words, I smile. I do not smile at the idea that my arms hurt to move or that my legs are weak today, I smile at the idea that pain is a sensation. It is not the absence of the nerves which only a few months ago we were told are dying off slowly, it is just pain. I can not control it and I can not deny it, but today, I feel it.

I know that my arms are still working. I know that my muscles are getting stronger, and I know that I can overcome this too. Today, pain is my reminder that I am still here, I still have things to do on this planet, and most importantly I still have feelings. Today I propose a toast to the pain, may we not fear it but feel it at least one time in our existence.

Today's Word: Floral

Floral: six letters that can spark an array of emotions, scents, or visions. For some the word floral, reminds them of a flower, or better yet a bouquet of flowers. For some it is a word that reminds them of the roses they carried down the aisle at their wedding. For others, he words may spark reminiscence of a smell of a fresh spring day.

What does the word floral bring to your senses?

As I close my eyes, the room starts to transform. The couch which lines the living room wall, has been replaced by a fresh spring batch of wild grass. I breathe in to smell the fields around me. The floral appeal of the meadow has sparked a rejuvenation of my spirit. It is free; floating across the air on the clouds while draping the children below with its fresh scent. Take me away, like the kite to the sky, I pray that I will be lifted to a place of floral delight blossoming in the airs above the city and land gently back in the field of wild grass I call my couch.

Inspiring Words

Inspiring words are individual words that can make us see the world in a new way. Words like rock, salt, sand, glass, gravel,ect can all be a lot more powerful then you may think.