• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Wanderings
    • American Samoa
    • California
    • France
    • Kentucky
    • Kenya
    • Maine
    • Michigan
    • New York
    • Wisconsin
  • Study
    • Nursing
    • Pre-med
    • Medicine
  • Photography Tips
  • Portfolio

A Wild Soul

Personal Blog

Life is pure adventure…

0 July 28, 2011 Musings

Life is pure adventure…

Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that,

the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.

– Maya Angelou

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

– Marianne Williamson

A new friend sent me this recently, and I hadn’t read it in a while so it was perfect timing. It’s amazing how people come into our lives and say exactly what we need to hear when we need to hear it. And it never ceases to amaze me just how many amazing people there are on this planet. (I am too tired to really try to articulate this amazing-ness now, but people are… amazing.)

This weekend Amanda and I went away. We had a beautiful time together away from the noise of the city and I was struck by a few things.

— Driving there, the view of the mountains was spectacular, and it was completely different and even more amazing on the way back. I thought maybe I had gotten lost the view was so different, and I thought “that’s what happens when you don’t turn around and look backwards once in a while.” Hah. I’ve lost the poetic-ness of it, but there was some great truth in there somewhere.

— How alive everything is right now. The trees are heavy and full, the grass blisters in the sun, and every animal just is… the cows gathered around one single tree while some bathed in the water, the birds flew and sang and gathered food, the dog next door barked at the fish in the water, and we split our time between going on adventures and resting.

— The joy of sitting with loved ones around a camp fire. With Norway on my heart, staring into the fire, I just wanted everyone I ever loved and everyone I might ever love gathered around the fire with me forever. Then I think of Ender’s Game—human beings didn’t evolve brains in order to lie around on lakes—but what’s that balance?

— This quote: Perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave. Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us. (Rilke)

— “100 ways to be a love letter to the universe” from Gala Darling:

Do your lips up sticky, sparkly & sweet. Then blow kisses. <3 Say thank you. <3 Allow other people to inspire you. <3 Share your bliss. <3 Smile — even if you’re shy, even if you have bad teeth, even if it scares you. <3 Hold someone’s hand. <3 Be honest. <3 Volunteer your time. <3Love yourself. <3 Do your best. <3 Learn how to balance having respect for other people’s decisions & being true to yourself. <3 Tell people how much you like them. <3 Send unexpected gifts. <3 Talk to strangers. <3 Do favours. <3 Let go. <3 Be generous. <3 Eat whatever you want without guilt. <3 Don’t think about other people’s definitions of success, beauty or happiness. <3Make your own rules. <3 Write your own guidebook. <3 Count your blessings. <3 Never stop trying to improve. <3 Be your own superhero. <3 Aim higher. <3 Contribute. <3 Create spaces for other people to enjoy. <3 Sleep in. <3 Let other people sleep in, too. <3 Be compassionate. <3 Listen. <3 Give yourself time off. <3 Be enthusiastic. <3 Choose happiness. <3 Create. <3Follow your passion. <3 Connect. <3 Compliment people. <3 Spend time with people who make you feel good about yourself. <3 Surprise yourself. <3 Appreciate the people who support you. <3 Take photos; document everything. <3 Have a plan. <3 Know your patterns. <3 Be in the present. <3 Laugh. <3 Get close. <3 Move through your fear. <3 Challenge yourself. <3 Keep it simple. <3 Turn up the music. <3 Realise your own freedom. <3 Relax. <3 Flirt. <3 Dress up in some small way every day. Even if it’s just a good pair of knickers or a coat of death-defying mascara. <3 Be different. <3 Be genuine. <3 Allow yourself to change & evolve. <3 Dream big. <3Believe that you can manifest anything. <3 Take responsibility. <3 Treat everyone the same way — from your lover to your mother to your postman. <3 Appreciate your past for having made you the person you are. <3 Talk about how you feel. <3 Dance. <3 Sing. <3 Let go of guilt. <3 Treat your lovers with respect. <3 Admit your flaws. <3 …& come up with a plan to remedy them. <3 Surprise people. <3 Set yourself a really huge goal. <3 Then achieve it & set another one. <3 Kiss. <3 A lot. <3 Remember that trouble doesn’t last. <3 Be still. <3 Look at the stars. <3Be as ridiculous as you like. <3 Trust that you are loved. <3 Stay curious. <3 Charm people. <3Give real hugs. <3 Bat your eyelashes. <3 Forget yourself. <3 Reach out. <3 Flatter people. <3Get drunk on life. <3 Release your expectations of other people. Allow them to be who they are, & appreciate them regardless. <3 Stretch. <3 Listen to your instincts. <3 Make eye contact. <3 Keep your word. <3 Talk about real things. <3 Discover yourself. <3 Speak up. <3 Let life excite you & lead you astray. <3 Delight in every day. <3 Don’t be afraid. <3 Just love.

Last thoughts…

I’m going to wear more glitter.

Intention is everything.

Sometimes compassion dresses in red.

PEACE.

0

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • Email
  • More
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories: Musings Tags: "life as art", "Life is pure adventure", "Marianne Williamson", "Maya Angelou", "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate."

« summer comes, yeah, as loud as hope…
Bon Voyage a moi!!!! »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Footer

From earlier this summer when we tried to camp in From earlier this summer when we tried to camp in the back yard, but then the neighbor set off fireworks. 😁🥳🏕🎆
🌻🌻🌻 🌻🌻🌻
A few more 🥰 A few more 🥰
About to send a bunch of film off to get developed About to send a bunch of film off to get developed for the first time in years 🥳🤞. Cannot wait to see what comes back! The box will consist of photos I I have taken over the last 6 months so I am a little nervous to part with it. But I haven’t had time to develop myself (something I want to do whenever I have time again lol). These photos are some of my favorites — before the pandemic, medical school and motherhood.
One year ago. If you have any questions or concern One year ago. If you have any questions or concerns about the vaccine please feel free to DM me anytime. We are all in this together. 🌎🌍🌏✨🌈🌿
Trying to study for my last big medical school exa Trying to study for my last big medical school exam — an exam that has an enormous impact on where we live next year and what I will do for the rest of my life — and the birds and the flowers and the light are so damn distracting. At least after being in school for 20 something years I can confidently say I study best outside where I can appreciate nature’s beauty in my peripheral vision (as opposed to being inside where I would surely just sit and daydream all day). ☺️
I keep meaning to get back on here and post again I keep meaning to get back on here and post again and today seems like a good day to start because I can brag about @mattmaiorana being the sweetest, gentlest dada a mama could ever want. Our darling little one just turned 3 and she says the funniest things including “dada are you sad? Why are you sad dada?” when he tries to brush her teeth. I guess his focused face worries her so he now brushes her teeth with a smile (last pic) — usually after a long day of work, a few hours of play and exploring outside, cooking dinner, and getting her cleaned up and ready for bed (all of which she resists with stern faces, pouts and giggles). Lol and after all that when she finallyyyy agrees to brushing her teeth, “don’t be sad” 😂👼🏻😂. This pandemic has been hard, but at least I’ve had the continual joy of watching these two love each other and play day in and day out and I go to bed most days eager to do it again 🥰
I will miss you sweet Banjo 💔😭 I will miss you sweet Banjo 💔😭
4 years ago and still so grateful ✨🌚🍃 4 years ago and still so grateful ✨🌚🍃
Happiest of birthdays to my Yanzi I am blessed To Happiest of birthdays to my Yanzi
I am blessed
To love you
To hold you 
To know you.
Your brilliant mind
and fiercely kind spirit. 

Thankful for all you give, all you are, all you do, all you dream.
for your musical laugh and wide smile
I want to climb inside and curl up and call home.

Last night, you danced
standing in a lake so great it’s an ocean, and 
I watched
from the clifftop above
as the sky painted its beauty around you.
I marveled 
at you at the water at the sky.

Someone nearby lit a floating lantern 
and the baby on my back said
more more more!!

 “the sand is thirsty” you said 
while laughing and peeing and 
effortlessly holding my gaze 

the earth is thirsty
for you, for us, for this
And she’s TWO!! I want to say it’s going way t And she’s TWO!! I want to say it’s going way too fast.  Every minute with her is magic! Also these last 3 years have been the longest years of my life 😅. But slow down sweet baby slow down. Little one loves watermelon and blueberries. She likes to ride around on her dada’s back, make bubbles in the bath, wash dishes, move furniture, collect rocks, and help build things. She packs up her backpack for adventures and will wear it while running all over the place, and if you chase her she gets so excited she collapses in a fit of laughter. She likes to sing and read from any piece of paper that has words on it “wa-wa-wa-wa.” She likes to snuggle in bed all night and does not want her own big kid bed. When we ask she points to the bed and says “no! Mama... Dada... and Baby!” She loves the dogs and likes to get in their beds and pretend she’s a dog too. She calls all crayons “lellow”, and has started saying “huh?” Her favorite books are my med school books, Goodnight Moon, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? Favorite movies are The Tale or Princess Kaguya, My Neighbor Totoro, and Moana. She still sleeps on me for most naps and nights, but at least she sleeps for 6 hours at a time most nights (finally!), but she always wants to stay up to play until 11pm or later. When it is finally time for bed, she manages to say “byeee.. byeeee... byeee” while blowing kisses and waving and crying all at the same time. 🌻
Happy, happy birthday sister 😘😍 Happy, happy birthday sister 😘😍
Kisses 😘 Kisses 😘
Reflecting on my immense love for this little one Reflecting on my immense love for this little one who made me a mother 🥰
I want to think again of dangerous and noble thing I want to think again of dangerous and noble things. I want to be light and frolicsome. I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing, as though I had wings. - Mary Oliver
More 🐮 More 🐮
🐮 🐮
Spring 🥳 Spring 🥳
“For every atom belonging to me as good Belongs “For every atom belonging to me as good Belongs to you. Remember?” - Marie Howe
Two more 🌬☃️ Two more 🌬☃️
Last few pics of winter! ❄️ Someone in my fami Last few pics of winter! ❄️ Someone in my family threw this pink wool onesie in the dryer 🤷‍♀️ so it will now only (maybe) fit a newborn... ahh... good thing spring is here!
This sweet baby loves to visit all the statues in This sweet baby loves to visit all the statues in the park. There’s a big horse and quite a few lions and we go say hi to them (and roar at them!) every chance we get. Today @ya.n.zi joined us and we played hide and seek among the trees and walked down to the lake and it was so, so wonderful and I didn’t take any pictures so instead I am sharing this one from a few weeks ago 😍.
More snow tomorrow 😍 More snow tomorrow 😍
This tree. This tree.
Matt and Isla in the snow ❄️ Matt and Isla in the snow ❄️
Her face every time she sees the ocean 😍 Her face every time she sees the ocean 😍
I spend way too much time on here passively consum I spend way too much time on here passively consuming other’s creativity and lives... so I am gonna try to force myself to post something every time I open Instagram 😂. Quick update from me (bc I also use this as my journal 😌). A lot has happened these last few weeks! I finished (and passed 🙏✨) all my exams for phase 1 and am now onto the next phase where I get to see patients everyday! We  moved to Milwaukee where I’ll be rotating through various clinics and hospitals for the next few years with my amazing TRIUMPH cohort (training in urban medicine and public health). I had two weeks off for the holidays and we visited family in Detroit and Florida. We were pretty sick for the whole two weeks (flu maybe idk!) and that put a bit of a damper on things, but it was still wonderful to get in some family time and sun. We returned to Milwaukee exhausted and still recovering from our illnesses, but I think now I can officially say I am better! Yay! Happy new year!! #medicalschool #womeninmedicine
Said I would get out and challenge myself w my cam Said I would get out and challenge myself w my camera and share more photos here and then promptly disappeared! Sorry about that! I will be using (friends only) instastories for most phone pics and then using my wall for more intentional photography. First snow of the year.. Isla was wary! — October 29, 2019
“November’s a burn and an ache.” - Charles W “November’s a burn and an ache.” - Charles Wright
☃️ ☃️
Follow on Instagram

Copyright© 2023 · All Materials by Julia DeSantis

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.