Postcards from the Open Road
Live. Love. Travel.
Travel Inspired Living: Naples, Florida
Views from the Open Road – Postcards of Paradise
Live happy. inspired. colorfully.
Mother’s Day One Year After Child Loss
Dear Inspired Souls,
I am feeling great loss this year of not only my mother and my wonderful second mother but two daughters who left this world many years apart who reside in my heart each and every day.
This is my first Mother’s Day without my daughter Crystal and my emotions have been in process all month as I experience the sadness and emptiness surrounding me yet I excitedly celebrated this holiday early with my wonderful caring son, his half sister, herย husband and their beautiful young boys.ย I am blessed by the love and laughter of our blended family.
I look forward to myย brother and sister-in-law arriving to celebrate my husbands birthday over this mother’s day weekend. I know it will be a festive celebration.
This week while shopping I was drawn to purchase a bigย bouquet of pink and lavender roses to bring home for myself. ย Iย lovingly arranged the flowers in two vases symbolizing one from each of my daughters as I felt their presence with me.
I plan to enjoy the beauty and grace of those roses throughout the holiday weekend. ย I hope that you will find something inย nature, a memory, photograph or a gift to acknowledge and cherish as you remember your loved one(s) at this special time.
ย Peace & Love,
Nancy Yuskaitis
Kindness and Compassion: One Heart at a Time
I just listened to an emotional and heartfelt story by a popular television host about a traumatic event his family experienced after the birth of his son. ย I am grateful that there is good news about his little boy and that he received excellent medical care, lots of prayers and is recovering well at home. ย I wish him the absolute best including the blessings of good health as he grows up.
My oldest daughter, Jennifer was born with a congenital heart defect that was overlooked and she was released from the hospital after theย usual few days without any medical diagnosis or intervention and consequently passed away unexpectedly in my arms a few weeks later. ย As a parent at the young age of 20 or any age, this is a devastating experience.
Losing a child changes your life forever in so many ways. ย It also gives you deep compassion for other families who may be going through a difficult time in regards to their children and circumstances that sometimes arise out of their control.
In my situation, I did have health insurance but I respect Jimmy Kimmel for sharing his story and his plea for Americans to take care of each other by offering healthcare for everyone regardless of pre-existing conditions or ability to pay. ย It can and will save lives.
Live happy. inspired. colorfully,
Nancy Yuskaitis
DESTINATION: Ocean Adventures
The Florida Keys offers stunning ocean views for 126 miles from Key Largo to Key West.
A beautiful day on the ocean is good for the soul and it relaxes, refreshes and re-charges the body, mind and spirit.
Free your mind and let yourselfย experience the sights, sounds and scents of the sea.
Soak up the saturated shades of aquamarine blue and mint green.
Jump in and explore the abundance of sea life below the surface.
The coral reefs of the Florida Keys contain over fifty species of corals and many tropical fish.
As a South Florida native, I have been exploring the Florida Keys my entire life and I have found the lower Keys to be my favorites for boating, snorkeling and island living.
What is your favorite Key in theย Fabulous Florida Keys?
Live happy. inspired. colorfully,
Nancy
For more information:
http://www.n-the-florida-keys.com
Artfully Inspired: Easter
ย Vibrantly hued eggs are a festive way to express a love of color.
These are a few of my favorite designs inspired by artful living.
via: www.elegantislandliving.com
via: www.colourbox.com
via: www.alisaburke.com
via: www.burnhamdeepdale.co.uk
www.tatertotsandjello.com
via: www.hometalk.com
via: www.alisaburke.com
via: www.inhabitots.com
www.parent.com
Live happy. inspired. colorfully.ย
Wishing you a beautiful Easter,
Nancy
A New Day: Reclaiming Joy Beyond Loss
Soulful Greetings,ย
It’s a glorious morning to watch the new day begin by the ocean. ย The sky is streaked in muted then vivid shades of yellow gold, tangerine orange and rose pink and as the sun slowly rises so does the vibrancy of it’s appearance. ย It is illuminating and energizing to my body, mind and soul as I alternate between sitting on the steps of our dock by the sea with pacing back and forth with excitement as I observe the beauty unfolding before me. I am anย observer and a participant in this experience. ย
Before I realize it, thirty minutes of pure bliss has transpired as this intense energy surges across the ocean to where I am and uplifts my spirits, causing my heart to race until I am giddy with excitement at the natural beauty of this ever-changing array of patterns as the sun brilliantly rises above the horizon into the pale blue sky.
It is stunning to be a part of this beauty as a new day begins. Viewing this sunrise is similar to watching a fireworks display, it is awe-inspiring. ย The brisk winds and the cool temps in the mid 60’s add to the excitement provided by nature and the blessings of the universe. ย ย The feeling of increased joy from this experience has stayed with me along with the knowledge that I will not only survive but thrive in the aftermath of life’s most challenging situations providing I allow myself to live in the moment with mindfulness and an open heart.
I almost stayed in bed this morning after my husband, Bob looked over and stated, “Go back to sleep, it’s only 4:30 AM.” ย As I lay there looking around the room I knew it couldn’t be that time. The sky was brightening up and light was shining through our bedroom window. ย When I mentioned that fact to him, we both leaped out of bed and walked into the kitchen to check the clock on the stove which read 6:45 A.M.
Still too early for him to fully awake on a Saturday morning he closed the bedroom door behind him as I raced out our backdoor toward the ocean with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. I didn’t take the time to make a cup of coffee as I do many mornings to sit by the sea, but with camera in hand I was ready to take in the colorful sky transforming in front of me.ย
It has been a very difficult and emotional nine months since the passing of my daughter who suddenly joined her older sister in the afterlife. ย My reality subsequently had many mornings filled with despair, tears and sadness that would permeate my days into evenings, nights and mornings again. ย My energy was flat and life seemed empty and dull without her in it. ย I didn’t know if I would ever experience joy again, it seemed impossible to imagine life without her larger-than-life presence.
As the days went by, I struggled with the quietness of my life without her buoyant personality to enliven my days. ย Granted it wasn’t all a smooth and happy ride. ย Her life was very rocky and my husband and I were always on call to console, consult, encourage, support, empower, cheer on, rescue or do whatever was necessary to assist her to keep moving forward. ย
There were so many new beginnings, many of which were short lived for her but our desire to see her through each one was un-wavering. ย My mind and heart are still adjusting to the new life without her physically here, but I feel her presence around us and hear her communication with me providing more confirmation about life after death and about a soul’s journey home.
Blessings,
Nancy
Reclaim Joy: Expand Your View
Dear Inspired Souls,
Life is not meant to be a struggle, it is meant to give us experiences that provide opportunity for self-reflection, soul searching and profound growth. ย If we listen, life prompts us to expand our perception, widen our view, find our purpose, speak our truth, offer compassion and seek to live with our hearts full of love open to the wonders of this universe.
In our childhood we begin life in it’s purest form, sharing love, light and laughter and our world is bright, happy and hopeful. ย In our youth, we playfully live each day to it’s fullest while remaining safe and trusting in those who care for us. ย As we grow up we begin to think we are not good enough, smart enough, beautiful or talented and insecurity sets in as we let ourselves become diminished by things we have been told or experienced.
We let our fear and limitations prevent us from following our dreams, we protect our heart from pain and disappointment and sometimes we may become numb causing us to miss out on the genuine feelings of life’s highs and lows.ย
Expand your View
Life is limitless and you choose how to respond to life’s circumstances. ย At some points in your life you may be required to focus on healing as you recover from pain, illness or grief and taking time to write in your own book of life about what aspects you can change that would bring you satisfaction, peace of mind, even excitement isย crucial to finding happiness in your world again. ย
Begin by looking at life through the eyes of a child, the child within you. Explore each day for the gifts waiting to be received of love, light, beauty, kindness, friendship, abundance, creativity, and adventure while allowing ย yourself to be transported to a place of joy, open to the possibilities and blessings yet to come into your life.
Peace, love & happiness,
Nancy Yuskaitis
Love Never Ends
Soulful Greetings!
It’s a surreal experience to be sitting on the deck of our local ski resort observing colorfully clad people of all ages happily gliding down the mountain on this beautiful and relatively warm first day of February while I struggle with the core issues on my mind of life, loss and love.
I appreciate the warmth of the sun on my face and the opportunity to sit outdoors while enjoying a slice of warm pizza as I write this post in this extreme winter climate at 9400 feet. ย My chest physically aches as it has for almost seven months and my heart feels fragile as I contemplate this new year without my daughter.
Life provides so many reminders of her absence and the fact that life will never be the same. ย My upcoming birthday in a matter of days has prompted much anxiety, sadness and tears as I anticipate feeling her loss acutely on that day.
In previous years when my birthday month rolled around I would begin to feel a surge of joyfulness and love combined with gratitude and blessings of a new year full of promise with wonderful new experiences ahead of me. This year my birthday brings with it a sense of dread unlike any other I have experienced before.
It’s not like I haven’t experienced trauma, disappointment or loss in my life that is felt deeply on holidays and anniversaries because I have experienced great loss in my life. When a loved one is missing from our life during those special times when communication in the way of calls, cards, gifts and visits are greatly appreciated and cherished we may be left with only sentimental memories giving us reason to pause as we notice the emptiness their absence leaves within us.
After lunch I stroll about the base area hotel lobby admiring the gallery walls before stepping into a coffee shop known for its homemade chai, I chat with a friend behind the counter and realize the ownership has changed and my favorite spicy chai is no longer available. My spirit sinks even lower and I sigh heavily as I walk out trying not to let this further deflate my energy and mood.
I am fully aware that the entire point in my caring husband’s idea to drop me off at the ski area today was to improve my outlook but I am finding it a struggle to keep a balanced view when my heart feels so heavy. I must therefore depend on the beautiful yet chilly walk home to be uplifting by it’s pure movement of energy, time and space. And so it is.
Upon arriving home I am greeted by several packages that were just delivered, a beautiful flowering plant and a bottle of wine from my husband who thoughtfully intervenes to alleviate my sadness and re-direct my emotions toward a positive reality with reasons to celebrate another birthday in joy.
Peace & Love,
Nancy Yuskaitis
A New Year 2017
Happy, Happy New Year!
There is so much to enjoy, to love & to celebrate about a brand new year. ย ย
Breathe out the old … breathe in the new. ย Let go of any pain or sadness you may have experienced in this past year that may prevent you from fully living a joyous life in 2017. ย If circumstances have been less than ideal or even difficult in this past year it is beneficial to release any emotions you may be holding onto that may prevent you from realizing your unlimited potential. Refuse to allow yourself to remain stuck in a mental, emotional or physical place unable to change or uplift.ย
Life is always changing and some of those changes can be easily seen and experienced as we allow ourselves to stay open to new possibilities. The unseen world is always changing too and although we may not be fully aware of it life is moving and shifting into place as we soar along our own unique path. Let life be a journey to explore, be available to new realizations and opportunities.ย
Stay open to new experiences. Soar freely and enjoy the view. Let life be a beautiful adventure not a tragic one. Smile at the silliness, laugh at the hilarious, be gracious and kind and give love freely with an open heart. May you live a wondrous life of lightness and joy, your dreams fulfilled and your soul’s purpose be realized.
Love & Light,
Nancy
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