I’ve posted some of the pictures I found on the web. My words could never do justice to such a magnificent place hence the photos. Enjoy.
Love,
Sylvia
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Kyrchyszstan
What a pleasant surprise I just received. I had been so preoccupied with my nephew’s illness and death, I hadn’t had a chance to open it. How blessed am I? Thank you to my friends Miriam and Matthew for their thoughtfulness. I still don’t know what’s inside the beautiful and interesting gift box but it looked like chocolates inside. I love it. And the disinfectant, I admit it took me a while to figure it out but I thought it ingenious. This gift means more to me than many I’ve received over the years. Plus it opened up a new thirst for all things Kyrchyszstan. Now I can almost understand why my friend Matthew is not rushing to leave that country. He is a UN diplomat working out of this beautiful breathtaking place. From the pictures on the web the place is like from a storybook, almost magical. Thanks again, my friend. You made my year!
Thursday, June 9, 2016
What makes you happy? Go find what it is and do it.
When my best friend, partner and father of my children went home to the Lord, it was an awakening for me. You know how you never think you're going to die and much less a beloved family member. Well it did happen with the one person I never thought would go because of his positive outlook on life, his bubbly personality, and his ability to befriend everyone, among so may other great qualities. So when Victor passed, after the initial shock of losing him I decided to relish life, to 'grab the bull by the horns'.
I started traveling more than ever, I wrote two books and a third one is about to be published so I can start working on the next one. I bought a third property out on Long Island. I lost all fear and started enjoying life once again.
Find out what makes you happy and make a commitment to follow it through. It doesn't matter if you're 16 or 86, there is no better time to do it than now. So go ahead. Do you enjoy traveling, but afraid of going solo?.. Entertaining, but don't qualify as Martha Stewart? Want to get the degree you've been wanting but haven't because of lack of money. Well there are always going to be obstacles but God has given you the resources to do whatever it is you want to do.
Don't waste another second, none of us is getting any younger and don't forget to pray to God to guide you. Everything turns out better when God is in your life.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Ode to the Jersey Shore.....
Having bought a small place on long Island eight years ago, I don't often get the chance to visit the Jersey Shore as often as I'd like.
This summer I had the rare opportunity of visiting three times, and what a treat that was!
Yet, as the three-year anniversary of Sandy approaches, I call to mind the devastation we suffered in the Northeast at the hands of Sandy. And while I realize that New Orleans and surrounding areas didn't have it at all easy with Katrina, we here in the Northeast, particularly in Staten Island and at the Jersey shore had our share of devastation with Sandy. I'm sure most of you remember the pictures, the jokes, and all the comments on social media.
I had forgotten just how breathtaking our shores are. How crystal-clear and green our waters can be. How the good the grainy Jersey sand feels under our feet—no rocky sand here! The contrasts to Long Island beaches are quiet obvious. For one—the water is much warmer, as are the waves more tolerable. And of course, the people are so friendly. We can still get taffy at any beach, and there's always the amusement park at almost every beach.
What Sandy did to New Jersey and New York, particularly to the Jersey shore was inconceivable, as the pictures show. But what a welcome change! Sometimes God works in mysterious ways! Take for example the town of Asbury Park. I remember looking at houses there in the summer of 2007 when we were in the market for a second home; and passing the abandoned casino and the beach bereft of any human life. And now it has taken a new life—modern buildings and restaurants, well-manicured green areas, and new updated parks sprouting about everywhere. If you missed a trip this year, there's still time. Now that most of the tourists have gone home and the beaches are freer may be one of the best times to visit.
Lastly, I would like to mention the Stella Marina Restaurant right on the beach and adjacent to the old casino, it is by far one of the better restaurants I've had the pleasure of dining at. The food is fresh, delicious, and presented in a pleasing way. The ambiance is chic and modern and there is a well-stocked bar and a wine list to rival any. We hope that this place stays in business for many years to come. I will certainly go back.
This summer I had the rare opportunity of visiting three times, and what a treat that was!
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| love the color of the water and the calm waves...... |
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| Bathers soaking it up...... |
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| Rocks in background home to thousands of tiny small creatures.... |
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| Sunset somewhere at the Jersey shore. |
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| As the picture reads: Point Pleasant in 2009. |
Yet, as the three-year anniversary of Sandy approaches, I call to mind the devastation we suffered in the Northeast at the hands of Sandy. And while I realize that New Orleans and surrounding areas didn't have it at all easy with Katrina, we here in the Northeast, particularly in Staten Island and at the Jersey shore had our share of devastation with Sandy. I'm sure most of you remember the pictures, the jokes, and all the comments on social media.
I had forgotten just how breathtaking our shores are. How crystal-clear and green our waters can be. How the good the grainy Jersey sand feels under our feet—no rocky sand here! The contrasts to Long Island beaches are quiet obvious. For one—the water is much warmer, as are the waves more tolerable. And of course, the people are so friendly. We can still get taffy at any beach, and there's always the amusement park at almost every beach.
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| Barnegat lighthouse on the northern tip of Long Beach Island towers magestically...... |
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| one of so many beaches along the Jersey shore..... |
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| Point Pleasant sunset..... |
Lastly, I would like to mention the Stella Marina Restaurant right on the beach and adjacent to the old casino, it is by far one of the better restaurants I've had the pleasure of dining at. The food is fresh, delicious, and presented in a pleasing way. The ambiance is chic and modern and there is a well-stocked bar and a wine list to rival any. We hope that this place stays in business for many years to come. I will certainly go back.
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| more interesting artwork at the old casino...... |
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| Gables Inn & Restaurant in Beach Haven. on LBI .... |
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| there's nothing like the fresh ocean air to bring you invigorate one's soul.... |
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| the newly renovated boardwalk.... |
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| Jersey native Bruce Springsteen gave a free concert here just a day before we arrived. Other popular musicians like Jon Bon Jovi, Patti Scialfa, and Southside Johnny all started their careers here. |
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| Depictions of Jayne Mansfield, reminicent of Andy Warhol's work, grace the outer walls of the old casino. All pictures are courtesy of Google Pictures! |
Friday, April 17, 2015
Best pilgrimage ever—Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, my beloved hometown!
As tons of pilgrims all over the world have done since the beginning of time, I myself have traveled to various places in search of self-discovery and enlightenment. I've traveled to places such as Lourdes, Santiago, the Vatican, and others. Yet none has been more important to me, than my "pilgrimage" to my hometown of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
In August of 2012, I visited the beautiful island, to attend my nephew Christian's wedding in Isabela.
I stayed with my beloved Mom in our home in Cabo Rojo. In hindsight, it was the perfect time to visit with my lovely mother, for only a year later she had gone to live with our Lord in heaven.
Mom and I were in the habit of taking an afternoon siesta in the larger of the two bedrooms, the one with the set of twin beds. The selfish one that I am, I slept in the bed closest to the door and nearer to the bathroom. But Mom didn't mind—she was elated just to have me spent time with her. There were days in August, when there was no need for air-conditioning—Mom was in the habit of keeping the windows and doors closed, to keep the bedrooms cool. So even after lunch, when we would go down for our siesta, the bedroom was still comfortably cool.
I remember, that during those times when the air-conditioning wasn't on and obliterating all outdoor sounds, I could listen to the chirping of every bird, the barking of every dog in the village, the shattered conversations of our neighbors. But more importantly, I remember Mom lying so still in the other bed, that I would sometimes wondered if she was alive—to this day I remember that she slept face up and that she didn't move during the entire night, except only when she had to get up to use the bathroom. The only visible sign of life in her, was her feet rubbing against one another ever so gently, and in lull-like manner, as her tired aging body rested—a habit that was both comforting and soothing, to both Mom and to moi.
Most importantly, I remember all the day trips we took together during my one-month stay that year. Sometimes my sister-in-law Hidy would join us. Mom knew much about the island, and she delighted in sharing her knowledge with us—something I will treasure all my life. She directed us to places as far as El Faro and to Guanica, to the now-defunct sugar mill. And, as close as the popular cafe in town. When we visited La Central Eureka in Hormigueros, she delighted as she pointed out and reminisced about places from her childhood—as a young girl she lived on the grounds of the sugar plantation. She understood that all this information would be very important in my research for my book, The Women in White.
That is why my August 2012 "pilgrimage" to Cabo Rojo was so important to me. I was given a last chance at an invaluable mother/daughter reunion, one I would cherish for the rest of my life. I found more enlightenment and self-discovery, more truth and meaning on this trip, than I will ever find on any other pilgrimage in a remote corner of the world.
In August of 2012, I visited the beautiful island, to attend my nephew Christian's wedding in Isabela.
I stayed with my beloved Mom in our home in Cabo Rojo. In hindsight, it was the perfect time to visit with my lovely mother, for only a year later she had gone to live with our Lord in heaven.
Mom and I were in the habit of taking an afternoon siesta in the larger of the two bedrooms, the one with the set of twin beds. The selfish one that I am, I slept in the bed closest to the door and nearer to the bathroom. But Mom didn't mind—she was elated just to have me spent time with her. There were days in August, when there was no need for air-conditioning—Mom was in the habit of keeping the windows and doors closed, to keep the bedrooms cool. So even after lunch, when we would go down for our siesta, the bedroom was still comfortably cool.
I remember, that during those times when the air-conditioning wasn't on and obliterating all outdoor sounds, I could listen to the chirping of every bird, the barking of every dog in the village, the shattered conversations of our neighbors. But more importantly, I remember Mom lying so still in the other bed, that I would sometimes wondered if she was alive—to this day I remember that she slept face up and that she didn't move during the entire night, except only when she had to get up to use the bathroom. The only visible sign of life in her, was her feet rubbing against one another ever so gently, and in lull-like manner, as her tired aging body rested—a habit that was both comforting and soothing, to both Mom and to moi.
Most importantly, I remember all the day trips we took together during my one-month stay that year. Sometimes my sister-in-law Hidy would join us. Mom knew much about the island, and she delighted in sharing her knowledge with us—something I will treasure all my life. She directed us to places as far as El Faro and to Guanica, to the now-defunct sugar mill. And, as close as the popular cafe in town. When we visited La Central Eureka in Hormigueros, she delighted as she pointed out and reminisced about places from her childhood—as a young girl she lived on the grounds of the sugar plantation. She understood that all this information would be very important in my research for my book, The Women in White.
That is why my August 2012 "pilgrimage" to Cabo Rojo was so important to me. I was given a last chance at an invaluable mother/daughter reunion, one I would cherish for the rest of my life. I found more enlightenment and self-discovery, more truth and meaning on this trip, than I will ever find on any other pilgrimage in a remote corner of the world.
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| A beautiful beach in Cabo Rojo - Courtesy: Flicker |
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| Plaza de Mayaguez - Photo Courtesy: Flicker |
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| Catholic Church in town - Photo Courtesy: Flicker |
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| Cabo Rojo Lighthouse - Photo Courtesy: Flicker |
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| Schoenstatt Sanctuary (within walking distance from Mom's house) - Photo Courtesy: Flicker |
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| Central La Eureka - Photo Courtesy: Flicker |
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| Photo Courtesy Flicker |
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| One of the centrales visited (not sure if La Eureka, or Guanica). Photo Courtesy: Flicker |
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| Mom, a year later at her 89th Birthday celebration. |
Thursday, November 6, 2014
A startling revelation...
A startling revelation.... there are over 10,000 saints in the world. Obviously, I'm not talking about the New Orleans Saints. Rather, I mean saintly people who have been proven worthy to be called as such, those who has been recognized for having an exceptional degree of holiness.
My monthly group met last night, on the heels of All Saints' Day. Not surprisingly, the topic was saints, and what qualifies people to achieve such holy status. More surprising, is the fact that saints are regular people like us who just happened to choose to love, to forgive, and give up life as we know it for nothing other than pure love of Christ and their fellow beings.
That's a pretty tall order. And I can almost hear people reading this, saying, "That will never be me. I could never be that person!" But let's think about this for a second.
Let's go back to the 10,000 or so saints, since and before our Lord Jesus walked the earth. Yes, there have been saintly beings who have indeed given up everything for Jesus. But that does not mean that we regular sinners cannot become more saintly in our ways. Why just by our being decent human beings and doing the right thing, can qualify us as saints. Maybe not the kind that have worked miracles, or were martyred, but saintly in our ways, just the same.
It's pretty easy. Love your brother as you would love yourself. Walk in others' shoes, not just one day, but every day. Commit to prayer even if it's just once a day. Pray to God to give you the courage to be the good person you were made to be.
Last month, I touched on one of the most popular of the saints, Saint Terese of the Little Flower. Terese did not do wondrous deeds, she did not wrought miracles. She wasn't even a good writer. But since a very young child, in spite of losing her mother at the tender age of four, Terese decided to love unconditionally, in a pure Godly way, just as Jesus would have us love one another. What qualified Terese to be honored with such a saintly titled? Her love of God, her love of her fellow beings, and her faith. A perfect example of a regular person like you and me, with the exception that Terese chose to live a loving life, to love everyone she came in contact with.
As Scripture tells us over and over again, love is everything. The following verses speak of such love:
If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am nothing...
Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous....
Love never ends....
Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in her/him....
This type of love is what qualified regular folk like you and me, to become saints. Realizing this is no easy task, let us draw closer to God and let us follow the example of Jesus and the saints. We might just surprise ourselves. With God's help, we might just come as close to being a saint, as God allows.
My monthly group met last night, on the heels of All Saints' Day. Not surprisingly, the topic was saints, and what qualifies people to achieve such holy status. More surprising, is the fact that saints are regular people like us who just happened to choose to love, to forgive, and give up life as we know it for nothing other than pure love of Christ and their fellow beings.
That's a pretty tall order. And I can almost hear people reading this, saying, "That will never be me. I could never be that person!" But let's think about this for a second.
Let's go back to the 10,000 or so saints, since and before our Lord Jesus walked the earth. Yes, there have been saintly beings who have indeed given up everything for Jesus. But that does not mean that we regular sinners cannot become more saintly in our ways. Why just by our being decent human beings and doing the right thing, can qualify us as saints. Maybe not the kind that have worked miracles, or were martyred, but saintly in our ways, just the same.
It's pretty easy. Love your brother as you would love yourself. Walk in others' shoes, not just one day, but every day. Commit to prayer even if it's just once a day. Pray to God to give you the courage to be the good person you were made to be.
Last month, I touched on one of the most popular of the saints, Saint Terese of the Little Flower. Terese did not do wondrous deeds, she did not wrought miracles. She wasn't even a good writer. But since a very young child, in spite of losing her mother at the tender age of four, Terese decided to love unconditionally, in a pure Godly way, just as Jesus would have us love one another. What qualified Terese to be honored with such a saintly titled? Her love of God, her love of her fellow beings, and her faith. A perfect example of a regular person like you and me, with the exception that Terese chose to live a loving life, to love everyone she came in contact with.
As Scripture tells us over and over again, love is everything. The following verses speak of such love:
If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am nothing...
Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous....
Love never ends....
Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in her/him....
This type of love is what qualified regular folk like you and me, to become saints. Realizing this is no easy task, let us draw closer to God and let us follow the example of Jesus and the saints. We might just surprise ourselves. With God's help, we might just come as close to being a saint, as God allows.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Ever hear of writer's block?
As I sit at my work place (today, that would be at the dining room table) and stare at my half-filled champagne glass that reads "In Your Eyes"(only?!), Really? (We won't go into that here!), I think of my writer's block. This has been without a doubt, the longest in my twelve-somewhat years of writing. I remember when I would be up until 2-2:30 in the morning writing, always with my trusted glass of shiraz close by.
So much has changed since I started writing seriously. For one, I don't remember social-media being the time-sucking media it's turned out to be. Yes, Facebook was taking off, but not to the extent where people actually spend every waking hour on the venue. Seriously, I don't know how some people get any work done these days. I don't know how corporations get any work done! If Facebook doesn't get your attention, then Twitter, Instagram or any other, will.
It is no wonder then that I have a serious case of writer's block. I can't even seem to get back to the matter of publishing my last book, Destination Nowhere. No pun intended, that title seems to describe to the "t" my writing efforts these days and where I seem to be headed. Haha! [so as not to cry?!].
So much has changed since I started writing seriously. For one, I don't remember social-media being the time-sucking media it's turned out to be. Yes, Facebook was taking off, but not to the extent where people actually spend every waking hour on the venue. Seriously, I don't know how some people get any work done these days. I don't know how corporations get any work done! If Facebook doesn't get your attention, then Twitter, Instagram or any other, will.
It is no wonder then that I have a serious case of writer's block. I can't even seem to get back to the matter of publishing my last book, Destination Nowhere. No pun intended, that title seems to describe to the "t" my writing efforts these days and where I seem to be headed. Haha! [so as not to cry?!].
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: If today you hear His voice ......
Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: If today you hear His voice ......: "If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts." Psalm 95 I should point out that that song has been on my mind for the l...
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