a Sunday afternoon
Grandchildren and Children
A little girls’ laughter yesterday in the grocery store
Parents
the River
my Brothers
gratitude for Walking
a small garden
Friends here and so many gone
the morning light as it fills the bird feeders outside my window
pond with frogs croaking and water lilies blooming
Breath and Spirit
Love and Mystery
Life in the present moment
Trees and their silent reverence
Surrender and Acceptance 
Cardinal in the cherry tree
sunlit green grass and spring leaves
Japanese maple tree – red and shimmering in the sun
pond reflections form waves of the sun’s lifeforce over the trees branches
soft wind blows the leaves of cherry and maple gently while the birds finish their morning hellos
robins fly busily while gathering pine needles and leaves left behind after winter has said goodbye to make a nest for their first born
pines stand tall at the top of the ridge swaying gently from side to side
nature’s invitation calls gently come walk with me and bask in this glorious day
Anita Adams 5/2/2022
God’s Grace
To Live One day at a time
Eyes that See the Beauty of any moment
Ears that Hear the sounds of nature
a Body that moves with ease
Imagination to Create Art
a Grateful Heart
gifts of surplus to Share with others
Gratitude for Blessings received
these are what I wish for you
~ Anita Adams 4/2/22
Adam Ant and his
Brother, Benjamin were
Climbing a steep Hill when
Darren the Dog decided to join them on this Daring adventure to see
Edward the Elephant and his
Friend, Falalat to
Gather some Flowers for a
Huge Spring party at
Iris’ house and swing by
Judy Joy’s to pick up a
Kite for Flying along the
Laurel River when a Lady Bug named Lily decided to take a rest on a nearby
Magnolia Leaf when her sister
Nadine Lady Bug joined her to watch as
Oscar the Grouch came by and said to
Patty Petunia – let’s ask if
Qualle Qualla Bear would like to play a Quick game of
Ring around the Rosy until
Spectacular Bubblemaster, Steve comes with his Bubble Show at
Ten o’clock on Thursday in the Festive Park with the Tall Trees that sway like
Ursula’s skirt in the Wind – oh! and
Viola plans to bring her new Violin and play for us a song that’s so much fun to dance to! It’s called
Wang Chung Tonight
Xavier will bring his Xylophone and his Mom, Nita and his Aunt LiLi are cooking all his favorites for his special surprise party. A very special Chocolate Cake and his favorite…..
Yabras!!!! Mm Mm Mm! And the last surprise is ….
Zena Zebra will lead the parade with sister, ZuZu ! – Don’t Miss it!
© Anita Adams (aka Situ) 3/28/2022
Those who know me, know that I often refer to Gratitude.
You may ask How did you know or get introduced to GRATITUDE? While listening to Krista Tippett’s podcast On Being, early one Sunday morning, she was interviewing Brother David Steindl-Rast, Founder of Gratefulness.org . This podcast was such a pivotal moment in my life as he described so many things, people, experiences, sounds, sights, smells, he was grateful for. I am a contributor to Gratefulness.org through monetary donations and my Photography. The practice of Gratitude I continue today. When I feel stuck in a ‘funk’, and I can’t think of anything to be grateful for, I begin with the letter ‘A’ and list whatever I am grateful for that begins with that letter and proceed through the alphabet. It’s amazing what comes out. Here’s a list of late:
A = Alicia (my daughter), Art, Air, AFG, Apple Trees
B = Brothers, color Blue, Blue Berries, Books, Birds
C = Chocolate (Dark Chocolate), Church, Couch, Catholicism, Creating Collages, Crows, Camera
D = Dawn, Doves, Daffodils, Drawing
E = Elephants, Ears that hear, Eyes that See, Europe
F = Faith, Father, Friends, Family
G = God, color Green, Grayson, Greeting one another
H = Home, Hot water, Hiking, Hawks
I = Imagination, Irises
J = Jesus, Juicy Pears and Apples, Job, Joy
K = Katharina (a faithful friend), Kites, Kibbeh, Kayaaks, Kayak, Kelly
L = Love, the sound Laughter, Lincoln
M = Mom, Memory, Mountains
N = Nandina, Notecards
O = Ocean waves and sound, Oxygen, Oranges, Orchids
P = Patience, Prayer, Pink Tulips, Peruvian Lilies, Photography, Pencils, Pens, Paper, Pope Francis
Q = Quiet moments, Quilts
R = Rest, Richard (son), Red Poppies, Robins
S = Steve (husband and friend), Sailing, Swimming, Seeing Smiles again
T = Trees (all kinds- Oaks, Redbuds, Weeping Willows, Dogwoods, Beech Trees), Today, Travels
U= Umbrellas (bright red, poke-a-dotted)
V = Sound of Violins, African Violets, Vacation
W = Water, Willow Trees, Writing
X = eXtraordinary moments
Y = Yellow Sunflowers and Finches
Z = Zealous moments
What does your list look like?
~ Anita Adams 3/2022
a look back on 2021
A year of loss
A year where a Leap of Faith was taken into the unknown
A year of Trusting the God of my understanding, the Divine, Jesus, the Mystery, the Whisperer
Creating Art
Letting Love in
Trusting that ALL is well and ALWAYS will be in God’s time and in God’s way
Choosing Gratitude for the gifts given and the ones shared
God thank you for the Serenity to accept those things/people/situations I can not change
God thank you for the Courage to change those things/situations that I can
God thank you for the Wisdom to know the difference
Wishing you all a year of focusing on what you have, sharing what you can, good health, good food, good choices, peace of mind, body and soul.
Choose to give from a place of love
Pause and be silent
Breathe in fresh air and give thanks
Pray and listen for God’s guidance
Walk in the woods and notice nature in all its forms, colours, sounds, smells
Write a letter to a friend, to yourself, to God
Give thanks for the many ordianary and extraordinary blessings in my life
Be kind to myself and others
Retreat into silence when saying something unkind just feels icky
Learn to love one’s self
stress
I must preface here, this is not something I normally choose to write about, however, I believe it needs to be said out loud and not behind doors – pull the splinter from my heart and let it heal
Holidays were fun as children
Days off from school
Playing with friends
Decorating the house with my Mom while listening to Holiday music
Cooking and sharing family recipes from our native Arabic foods, hoshwe, sfeehis, yabras and Mom’s famous chocolate pie
I never believed that our family could become so fractured once my parents were no longer hosting these events in their home and other homes were offered,
It’s happened
What is your resolution to this uncomfortable and painful situation?
What are the choices?
Mine, pray about it, say what I need to say and don’t say it mean.
A letter was written this morning reflecting my total disappointment and heartache
Decisions were made regarding my choice to participate separately from the entire family, and in small groups, when, where and with whom I choose to if I choose to, or to keep it very simple, and choose to celebrate with friends without drama
#HolidayDisappointment #HolidayStress #Choices #FamilyDrama
11/28/2021
the one the only
the one who listens
the one who walks with me day and night
the Whisperer
the constant one who assures me that all is well always
grateful am I to know you
grateful am I that you want to know me
grateful am I when I remember that any question or request uttered doesn’t go unheard
you hear all things
by hearing and answering all things, my Faith grows stronger
and I am reminded of a journey taken long ago in a country far away
where the one word uttered to me as I boarded a plane to return home
was BELIEVE!
I believe, and as the prayer or psalmist reminds us, help us when we forget to.
~ Anita Adams 11/2021
Hearts pure at birth
Minds untainted by the whispers of others telling us what to think, do, perceive or believe
Maturing slowly from children to teenagers
Grasping to know who we are, what we truly believe
Asking ourselves what or whom would I most like to be
Then the sun breaks through in shades of pink, gray, white with a blue sky behind those clouds
And we know, we aren’t perfect
We are ALL doing the best we can to be a human, an adult, a sister, mother, situ, wife, friend, co-worker, neighbor
Traveling and navigating a Spiritual existence in a human body
We aren’t perfect
If I don’t say the right words at the right time, or misinterpret something you’ve said or done, don’t take it personally, kindness will return, if apologies are needed they will surface and be said, if not, know that this imperfect human is doing the best they can
So to you my brother or sister in Christ, know that in my heart, underneath layers of life’s experience, exists pure love
©Anita Adams 8/2021
Called to Write 