catnipoflife

Observe life at its best, Listen to life’s songs, Embrace life’s bounties, Breathe the breath of life, Savor life to its fullest!

The Power of Words

 RudyardKiplingQuoteAs Rudyard Kipling so noted with his famous quote, there is power in words. Verbally words can make or break a situation, render heart-warming tenderness or hurl the harshest of cruelty. Do we say what we think or do we take a breath and think before speaking? Most would agree the latter is best but at the same time, more than likely all can relate experiences with the former.

Wisdom guides us to choose words wisely because once they are said they cannot be undone. Even the written word once passed forward has its impact the minute the words are read. Right to the heart! That’s where they go. They do not pass go, they do not collect $200. They land either softly as a feather as it graciously glides through the air or as hard as a rock hitting the bottom of a shallow pond.

Life is full of surprises, thorns, ups and downs. Laugh and smile at the surprises, enjoy the rose in spite of its thorny stem, look upward for guidance and make the downers uppers simply through thoughtful interpretation and perception.

Choose your words wisely and be a witness to the difference!

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Kitten in the Snow

With winter comes days that chill right to the bone. Unlike our furry friends, we don our heavy coats, boots, woolen socks, mittens and scarves to ward off the bite of the frigid air. Of course, we know the soft fur of our little friends keeps them warm without the need for all the extra ‘gear’ but that does not necessarily mean they do not feel the cold.

BUT… does the cold inevitably keep them indoors? See the slideshow ‘Come play with me!’ after the poem!

WhiteKitteninSnow

Winter’s Berth

A mound of silky white fur
Amid cushions of bottle green
Reflects hues of icy blue
Off crystal dewdrops barely seen

Teeny tiny silver moons
Draping from hairy stems
Tickle a pink little nose
Like frosty pearlized gems

Stretching and yawning
Rising above home turf
Tiny paws reach forth
Scratching in winter’s earth

Within a few steps
Visions begin to blur
Chilly winter winds
Softly lift the long fur

Delicate hints of sunlight
Peeping through bleak gray skies
Grant fleeting moments of warmth
Around wide-open eyes

Suddenly through the bitterness
A little hand reaches down
“Nosy Nettie, why are you here
Among plumage turned gray brown?”

With a special purr-r-r
Ever so thankful to be found
The snow white fur ball
Bids farewell to the cold, cold ground

©2012 catnipoflife 
Sharla Lee Shults

The purr from cat to man says, ‘You bring me happiness; I am at peace with you.’
—Barbara L. Diamond (Writer, n.d.)

Touch of Catnip: Come play with me!

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Sunday Savorings

There is no advance notice for inspiration. It comes within a moment’s time without notification, without hesitation. It comes from near, it comes from afar: As close as one’s backyard, as faraway as across oceans and continents. catnipoflife is blessed with many wonderful followers across many divides, each of whom presents his or her perspectives on life, experiences of life, joys, sorrows and personal reflections.

Today while visiting press-inside, I was inspired by the video, Danube Delta, Romania: a unique region in Europe – where one still may find, at least in certain places, untouched wild nature, unaltered by civilization. Not only did it provide so much beauty of the country but it was set to background music by Enya. By truly listening to the lyrics of Enya’s music, you will understand the catnip of life!

Enjoy and marvel in the wonders of nature within a world of endless possibilities!

so much beauty

so much beauty
outside as well as within
waiting to be explored
inviting you to begin

looking and listening
reaching for touch
laughing, singing
enjoying so much

away from the noise
the hustle, the stress
knowing inside and out
when moments need rest

abiding in the heart
deepening in the soul
waiting for the time
to unleash and behold

©2013 catnipoflifeSharla Lee Shults

©2013 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults

DanubeDeltaDanube Delta & Dobrogea

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Licking the Bowl

Admiring Family Ties

What common thread binds families together?
Must be those silent unspeakable memories
Which hide in the attics of our minds
Gathering dust, but never brushed away

Episodes of loving, laughing, defending each other
Strengthen emotions to immeasurable depths
Wanting not, wasting not treasured moments
That natural instinct directs along the way

Domestic chatter that may breed bitterness
Welcomes forgiveness with open arms
Knowing a quarrel is momentary
Quickly resolved and not for keeps

Times with friends, pets, even the common cold
Bare little resemblance to a naked forest
But instead resemble a sheltered canopy
To inherently stay even while winter sleeps

Recollections of coveting Mom’s cake batter bowl
Hiding tooth brushes, locking the bathroom door
Borrowing money without any vision of payback
Reveal frowns only later lifted with a kiss

Family ties shed radiant lights like chatoyant gems
Making us at our absolute worst look our best
Are never meant to be broken
And ultimately become bondages of bliss

©2009 Remembering
Sharla Lee Shults

Discount/Autograph Copies Available
Contact poetrybysharla@gmail.com

Also available on Kindle

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Reflections on a Rainy Day

Rainydayreflections

Touch of Catnip: Rain, please stop, so I can go outside and play!

The view outside
Emanates expression
Dour, eerie, solemn
Poetry in motion…

Winds of winter
Bite and sting
Whips of nature
Dance and sing

Rain’s pounding pelts
Soulfully align
Promising a rainbow
Traces of sunshine

Birds in flight
Soar above ground
Moments of fear
Thunderous sound

Barren trees, broken limbs
Silhouette the plight
Beaten, battered, torn
Well into the night

Morning view outside
Emanates expression
Ghostly resonance
Poetry in motion…

©2013 catnipoflifeSharla Lee Shults

©2013 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults

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Seven Wonders

“Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.”
~Thomas Merton

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Windows to the Soul

Eyes twinkle as smiles unfold
Opening windows to the soul
Lips of kindness softly speak
Shedding wisdom for the meek
Ears send sound waves to the mind
Listening as thoughts unwind

Sights and sounds of nature’s rare beauty
Keep us attuned to faith and duty

Arms stretch outward opening wide
Inviting warmth and comfort inside
Hands keep loved ones secure and near
Clasping tightly those held most dear
Legs and feet, a firm foundation stand
Holding steadfast through every demand

Mind and body should always remain in sync
Being in control of what we do and think

Heartfelt emotions triumph to never subside
Waning not, enduring forever to abide
Love and devotion join firmly hand in hand
Echoing solidity, not shifting sand
Memories unite the heart with the soul
Relishing that moments never grow cold

Windows to the soul reflect who we are
Opening portholes for those near and far

 ©2013 catnipoflifeSharla Lee Shults

©2013 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults

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Beautiful Animals and Birds

Of course catnipoflife is not just about cats. It is about life and the joys found within all its beauty: the sights, the sounds, and yes, even the smells. We go about our daily routines sometimes not even noticing the little things that keep life in balance. A new bud on an old flower, a breath of fresh air, the wisp of the wind, a raindrop that quenches the thirst of the tiniest insect.


There is so much surrounding us that is truly amazing. Take the time to simply look around…

Beautiful animals and birds from Murvakonda Shailaja
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Sometimes all we need to end the day. . .

…is the beauty of the day itself.

This post was inspired by Penny Coho @TheWhyAboutThis. Visit Penny’s site for Sometimes all we need to start the day. . . You, too, will leave with inspiration just as I did.

Have a wonderful day, evening, and all through the night!

“The beauty of life surrounds us, open your heart and see through the eyes of your soul! ” ~catnipoflife

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A Treasury of Thoughts: Inspiring Quotes To Live By

A treasury of thoughts
To inspire your way
To savor, to cherish
Today, every day

Thoughtful reflections
To carry you through
To sooth, to comfort
In times that are blue

Words of wisdom
A beacon they provide
Shining day & night
Always life’s guide

Like footprints in the sand
Soon washed away
Only to return
The very next day

  
©2013 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults

16 Comments »

Inspiration: Butterflies or Dragons?

[NOTE: This is my second article written at the request of Aditya Samitinjay. Aditya is a student of Medicine and lives in India. He features great articles, Living Healthy – The Right Way, life changing stories and lots of inspiration on his blogsite. This article hot off the press and can be read at Being Chirpy! and Storylane.

ButterflyDragon

Life is drama personified with episodes of both butterflies and dragons with a few butterfly dragons being tossed into the mix along the way.

Butterflies or Dragons?

Here is a teaser. . .

What are your triggers for inspiration…things that are seen or that which is unseen? Emotions through experience or feelings from the gut? Touchables or untouchables? Mirrored images or broken glass? Butterflies or dragons?

It is early morning. With eyes barely open, you stretch and yawn, afterward rubbing the sleepy matter crusted in the corner of each eye. Toes wiggle trying to ease foot cramps, legs ache from being in the same position too long, shoulders still feel tired from the weights not being lifted from the day before. Your feet hardly hit the floor when thoughts awaken your senses flitting and fluttering through the corridors of your mind. They dance angelically, yet fervently, much like the atala butterflies seeking the sweet, sweet nectar from summer’s enticing florets or greet you with a horrid headache as a result of fighting dragons all through the night.

With the day just beginning, what triggered those thoughts exactly, so early with daylight scarcely visible? Hey, you are hardly awake! You haven’t even had the tiniest hint of caffeine to jolt your brain cells into action or set your eyesight on what the day even looks like.

Want to read more? You will need to go to Being Chirpy! or Storylane in order to read the entire article. . .

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