finding magic in the mess

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"The holidays are a perfectionism minefield. My expectations always need radical reality-checking this time of year and that normally comes in the form of a total meltdown. The good news is that I often have a lot more fun on the backside of my breakdown when I start letting go and leaning into the crazy.

As I think about my own life and reflect upon what many of the people around me are going through this Christmas, it's clear that struggle doesn't take off for the holidays. The gremlins don't go on vacation. Checks bounce, chemotherapy appointments are scheduled, relationships keep unravelling, being alone feels even lonelier, and the "never enoughs" are in full swing.

As I prepare to spend the next two weeks with my big, wonderful, crazy circle of friends and family, I've decided to find my holiday magic in the mess; to practice love and gratitude with the special group of folks who keep showing up and loving me, not despite my vulnerabilities, but because of them."

And as I think of my Builders, Silvio and Angelo ~

May you find inspiration in the big picture,

but may you find love in the details.

Last...with help from Brene Brown
who always has my words and helps keep me grounded!!!

~ Love, Sylvia

xo

...and...

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...at the end of the day,

all we have is who we are.

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Looking outward and Counting

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6 Days. All the time we have before Christmas.

12 days. The days left in this trying year.

365 days. The amount of days we have next year to go out there and get whatever we want.

via less.is.more/tumblr

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Brother and Sister

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Want to see siblings - who for many years were best friends - return to their old selves - get fool-hearted and (ok, after a couple drinks) get silly in a photo booth?? - cuz that's what happened at a family wedding last night with Kerry and I - and unlike an iPhone or an iPad with an app - this was an authentic "step behind the curtain into a dark black booth" and under the instruction of - "look right here at the camera and when I say go there are 4 seconds between shots", the girl closes the curtain and the 1) giggling esclates to 2) belly laughs followed by 3) howling and 4) "let me outa here, I'm peeing my pants"!!!!!

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what's important?

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