dogs on a picnik

lately i have had a lot of things to think about. i guess that's good since i've got a lot of time to fill. i have thought about my past and the lessons i have learned. i've tried to plan and prepare for the future, though that's impossible and frustrating at the moment. then there's always the present. the present. i always think of "a christmas carol" when i think of the present. here, now, the present is a gift. however, when we go through bleak times in our lives, the present doesn't always bring a warm and fuzzy feeling to our hearts. it can seem as though more than just are hearts are breaking, but our souls as well.

many of my previous students have found me on facebook and/or text me to keep in contact. this has been a shining glimmer of hope and happiness in my days that are often cloudy with a chance of rain. i love teenagers - you already know that. i love them so much. especially these amazing individuals who deal with such tough issues on a daily basis. through all that could bog them down, they still find so many things to be happy about and grateful for. well i am so grateful for them. particularly one individual who has become such a beloved, kindred spirit. we discuss every topic under the sun and give each other advice. we remind each other of the talents and beauty we possess.

we also share a love of dogs. you may think this trite, but it is definitely not. we have similar stories of how our dogs came to us and have made all the difference in the world. in honor of her, i worked on this little inspirational photo at a website called picnik -- it's absolutely fabulous. if you like photography and photoshop, you should really check this website out. Anyway, here is what I came up with:

if you didn't get the link above, click here to check out picnik.