What “beauty” means to Michelle…

My idea of beauty has evolved tremendously over the years. I remember growing up thinking that beauty was simply something you could see and touch or feel. A cute boy, a new dress, a great body, perfect long, thick, wavy hair. And of course love.Things to desire and obtain. The problem with this is that often these things are not obtainable…and if you are lucky enough to get them, they almost never last. The boy dumps you, the dress goes out of style, the body sags and scars, and the hair grays, thins, and may never hold that curl that you burned your forehead and deleted part of the ozone in trying to obtain. And what about love? Sure, in its greatest form it can be considered beautiful. But it can also be messy, painful, dangerous, and end in 10 pounds and puffy eyes.

I can now see and define beauty in Creation. The act combining thoughts, care, passion, materials, ideas, emotions into something significant. It is not the thing, but the process that is beautiful. Gods creation of a sunset, a photographers finding just the right moment and light, forming a lump of mud into a vessel to hold flowers or coffee, giving life to a child, making a piece of jewelry knowing it will give a smile. Creation is full of possibilities. Creation is filled with trials, learning moments, success, disappointment, all of those things that very single person experiences. And the creation of love? It is about giving, accepting, working through the hard stuff, not giving up, being vulnerable, sharing ideas, emotions, and experiences. Supporting and fighting for those you hold dear. It is the creation of friendships, partnerships and bonds that carry us through this world until the end. To me, this is beauty, and it is never-ending. 🙂

What does “beauty” mean to you? 1

Beauty is imperfect. It is always changing always flowing. It is faith that who you are is okay so that you tell other people who they are is ok. It is not about six-pack abs, chiseled backs, round shoulders, or perfect biceps. A beautiful woman has no perfect body. We are all different and all women I am attracted to are attractive because of their differences, subtleties, and uniqueness. Not in spite of them.

The most beautiful humans are the ones who live by admittance they are imperfect and can relax and have fun. After all, in a game of monopoly, you can take all the money and property, but it all goes back in the box, so you may as well have fun before it does. A beautiful human has faith other people will want to join them in that fun.

The light that shines through can be seen and felt by all. What we look like doesn’t matter and what we say doesn’t matter but how we behave and make people feel is all that does. Love is the greatest human currency, so it’s the most beautiful thing a human can have.

Justin Wisor

30th Act of Kindness

I understand that this is the last day of our 30 days of kindness. I also understand that this is not where the kindness ends. We did this challenge not only to help people, but to inspire those around us to do something nice as well.

Kindness truly is contagious. It is obvious that from day one in our challenge, people were moved by our kind acts, and passed it on to others. I have to say that one of my favorite acts throughout this whole process was the “Chick FIl A” drive through act.

Not sure if many of you kept up with this challenge from the start, but the Chick Fil A act was where we payed for the next three cars behind us. We started a trend where every car paid for the car behind them. As we sat there, creeping from our car, we could tell how surprised and happy people were to have received a free meal.

This process has been so rewarding in itself. Yes, we did this to help other people. To make their days better someway or somehow. But, having said that…I feel that it was very rewarding for us. We walked away, every day, with huge smiles on our face. Knowing that we impacted peoples days, whether it was a free meal or a simple hello, was fantastic.

Not only that, but friendships were made. I have met so many new people throughout this process. The older couple at the diner? Plan on meeting them for lunch sometime soon..The girl I paid for at Rifkin? She wants to buy me lunch. Every time we did something for something, we didn’t expect anything in return. We just walked away smiling, knowing that we helped in some way.

So here is our final act of kindness.

Today I texted the people who mean to most to me. I texted them telling them how important they were to me. I have found that life is too short not to tell the people you love how much you love them. So many times we get caught up in life, and our own problems, that we are too busy to be there for the people who care about us the most.

So I want you to just take a minute and text, call, or tell these people in person how important they are to you. What makes them important to you. Why do you love them? It’s so simple, but it sticks.

This final act of kindness is the most simple. But it is the most  thoughtful.

Have a good day, everybody.

28th Random Act

Ronald DeBernard was diagnosed with PNET brain cancer Easter Sunday of 2013.   PNET stands for a Primitive neuroectodermal tumor. It is a very rare tumor that is typically found in children and young adults under the age of 25. Ronald was 25 years old when he was diagnosed, and 26 when he passed away on the 5th of June.

Right from the start, the cancer was very aggressive and hard on Ronald, as well as his family. Doctors didn’t really have an idea on how to treat it because it has rarely been seen in someone at Ronalds age. Treating the brain at his age was completely different than treating a 5 year old child with the same cancer.

Originally, the doctors told Ronald and his family that he would only have 2-3 months to live, due to how aggressive the cancer was and how little they could treat it. This didn’t prevent Ronald or his family from doing anything and everything to fix it. He was always up for a cure. He was willing to fight for his life. Those short 3 months turned into 14 months of a strong fight.

It was December when the tumor started developing more in Ronalds brain. With a 3rd of his brain already removed, the doctors couldn’t operate again. He started to grow very weak. In the morning he would struggle to get out of the bed. He also had a lot of trouble walking around. Slowly, his body started shutting down. He couldn’t talk well at all, and was tired all the time.

As things started to get harder and harder for Ronald, days became shorter and shorter for him. All he wanted to do was rest his eyes because he was too tired to do anything. Its at times like these that true family and friends are recognized. Siblings, cousins, niece’s and nephews all stepped up to help out with things. His family was there for him every step of the way, even when they needed others to be there for them. They stayed strong even though they were hurting on the inside as well.

My best friend and roommate Priscilla, is Ronald’s niece. Her mom is Ronald’s sister. Her grandmother is his mother. So many people who were so close to him were in a lot of pain, and thats when the community stepped up and wanted to help.

Its the little things that people did that really stood out to Ronald’s family. His friends would come and sit at his bedside while he slept, and would speak of all the memories they shared. There was laughing, there was crying, and along the way, friendships were made that were very unexpected. People traveled all the way from California and even Costa Rica to see Ronald in his last few days.

Nobody wanted to grieve his sickness and instead they celebrated the wonderful life that he had. He brightened so many people’s days, and made a mark on this world that we live in. You could say he was quite the intellectual human being.

I sit here smiling writing about this because I know how important Ronald was to his family, his friends, and frankly, everyone around him. Even though I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing him as well as everyone else, I feel that his story should not go unnoticed.

After Ronald passed, the surrounding community sent flowers, dinners, cards, and just stopped by to keep Ronalds family some company.

Ronald’s sister, after everything happened, shared a pretty meaningful quote with her daughter, and my best friend, Priscilla.

She said, “True friends are recognized in some of the darkest moments, in prison, and in a hospital”

So many people were there for them when they needed it the most, and that never went unnoticed.

Priscilla was talking to me the other day and she said, “Its really a shock that something so beautiful, like the friendships I have made, have come from something so terrible. “

Ronald was able to bring so many people together through such a dark time for him, and that, in my opinion, is one heck of a random act of kindness.

 

21st Random Act of Kindness

YOU make my world a better place to live…

Do not wait, tomorrow it not guaranteed.

Today be bold and courageous and tell the people you love, that they are the sparkle in your world.

WE often do not communicate to the people we l o v e the most just what they mean to us, we figure they already know.

WE often take them for granted.

WE often lash out at them first.

WE often forget everyone needs to know they are loved, really loved.

But, most of all of, we are most silent when annoyed by these people…

It does not matter if they are your children, parents, friends, husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend. These are the people that need to hear this sometimes, because they are the ones that will “have your back”, “love you the most”, and “will always be there”!

So today, spread the l o v e…

Share your sparkle…

Tell them they are special.

Laughter is The Best Remedy!

I was clicking through a bunch of the pictures taken from my sisters wedding last week and I couldn’t help but smile when I came across this picture of the wedding party. The photographer asked us to be silly, and from the looks of it, we had a blast. 

Laughter really is contagious. You see someone who is extremely happy and you cannot help but join in. 

I look at this picture and smile, because not only was a beautiful memory captured, but it really goes to show how important laughter is. 

VACATION BABY

 

 Well….

I just got back from the Dominican Republic with my wonderful family and friends. We went to celebrate my sisters wedding, but we turned it into a little vacation, spanning from Tuesday the 12th to Sunday the 17th. 

When I say that I had the time of my life, I really mean it. 

This place was absolutely gorgeous. We stayed in the Paradisus Palma Real Golf and Spa Resort. It definitely had more of a family feel to it, but it was just what we all needed. Our relaxing days on the beach turned into sleepless nights, dancing and having a blast. Lots of the days consisted of laying on the beach and drinking in the pool. 

The ages ranged from about 13 years old to late 50’s, but everybody always stuck together! 

The wedding took place at a restaurant called the Jellyfish, which was a couple miles down the road from the actual resort that we stayed at. My sister wanted it to be more remote and away from all the clutter clatter of everything taking place at the resort. 

BOYYYY……. Did she pick a great place or what?!

It was breathtaking. She rented out the whole restaurant, which was right on the beach. The ceremony was on the beach, while dinner was held inside the restaurant. After dinner took place, speeches were given, songs were sung, and love was shared. It was the most beautiful wedding that I have ever seen. 

It is hard to explain how wonderful this past week was. So many memories have been made. From the dancing, to beach soccer, to hilarious jokes, we all remained to have an amazing time. Friendships were made, tears were shared, and vows were given. It is definitely hard getting back to the real world, where I can’t yell “WHO WANTS SOME MAMA JUANA!” everywhere I go. 

I am so happy for my sister and her new husband, because they have a love unlike any I have ever seen. Through the good times, and not so good times, they have remained to love one another more and more every day. 

On top of that, Bare and Me provided each of the Bridesmaids with some druzy earrings to wear for the wedding. They looked absolutely beautiful with the colors of the wedding!

Jellyfish Restaurant

Paradisus Palma Real

The dance floor at the Jellyfish!

Dance floor Wedding ceremony at Jellyfish Resort main lobby. Stairs lead down to the pool and beach.  The pool where we could swim up to the bar. Some hotties at the wedding. 

 

 

8th Act of Kindness

Its times like these, when the community comes together, that we realize how special and kind people truly are. A local restaurant in the Rockville community, has always been there for its employees. But they don’t just work together, they are a family.

One of the employees of Urban, Katie Huerta and her family, just recently lost their home to an unexpected fire. Urban set out and planned a fundraiser for the family where 50% of the sales between 4 and 9 P.M. would be given to the family.

What was even a bigger surprise was that so many people from the community reached out and came to the event. Friends of friends of friends, in big parties, showed up to Urban BBQ with hungry bellies and warm hearts, to lend a helping hand for the Huerta family.

We were so excited to see the outcome of the event, and we know that it meant a lot. It is always an overwhelming feeling to know that so many people are on your side! Yesterday was a huge hit, and we have so many people to thank for that.

Lots of pictures were taken. Lots of food was devoured. And lots of laughter was shared. It could not have been a better night!