Simply Celebrate Newsletter:
March 2011Tsunamis, Waves, and Ripples By Sherry Richert Belul
When I heard the news about the 8.9 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I was lounging in my cozy animal print pajamas in an oceanfront hotel in Laguna Beach. My beau and I were in town on a quest. We’d driven down the coast from San Francisco so Ian could meet with my amazing life coach, Rich German. Rich had agreed to an unusual kind of coaching session — one that combined a water sport (paddle boarding) and life direction. So there we were, Ian and I, in Laguna Beach, the morning of Ian’s paddle boarding-for-life-direction session. It was 7am and we were watching the glorious morning unfold from our hotel room, excited about whatever adventure lay ahead for Ian. The water looked somewhat rougher than expected, but we thought nothing of it. It was early yet and it would probably calm down by 10am, when we were meeting up with Rich. Then I got a short text from Rich: “Did you hear?” And within minutes, Ian and I were online, looking at photos of the devastation and tragedy of what was unfolding thousands of miles away in Japan. We found out that there were tsunami advisories in Laguna Beach. Obviously the paddle boarding adventure we’d driven down for would have to be cancelled. The two of us sat there, watching the crashing waves, talking about the horror of what was happening so far away, but yet connected to us by this ocean in front of us. We tried to imagine what people were going through and how in the world we could help. What had seemed like such a big deal to us just minutes before — our drive to Laguna Beach and Ian’s longing for direction and my excitement over getting to meet my coach in person — now seemed tiny and insignificant in comparison to what was happening in Japan. Read more...  A Simple Celebration Practice seeking ripples today. Both receiving and giving them. Next time you walk down the street or enter a busy store, seek out three people to compliment or offer a broad smile. Then imagine how that simple, loving interaction might inspire those people to be kinder to their children, to be gentler with the checkout clerk, or to be more generous with themselves. Also let yourself receive a ripple — linger in a cheery note from a friend, listen to the laughter of your daughter, or feel the kindness your yoga teacher offers. Then … watch how it feels. And where it goes from there.
Simply Celebrate Community NewsI threw my business card in a fish bowl at Chevy’s Restaurant a couple months ago, which resulted in a happy phone message: “You’re a Nacho Party Winner!” And since it is so delightful to be named a winner of any kind at all, I grinned and put the invite out on Facebook. “I’m a Nacho Party Winner! Who’s in?!” What happened from there was a little bit of magic and a little bit of chance. And, as a result, Simply Celebrate hosted a “Nacho Average Gal” gathering this past week at the Chevy’s downtown. Every woman around the table was someone who is consciously living an extraordinary life — as an author, a teacher, a milliner, a dancer, you name it. I didn’t really know why we were gathering, or what would come of it, but it was simply marvelous. I highly suspect you’ll be seeing more of these “Nacho Average Gals” in the halls of Simply Celebrate in the not too distant future. And I want to invite you to tell us about yourself or someone you know who is an ordinary gal living an extraordinary life. Send me a note at Sherry@Simplycelebrate.net. Back to top | 
