Ya just NEVER know....

......how your ACTIONS can affect someone else.





Here's something to take with you this weekend, and always.

The
Cab Ride

I arrived at the address and honked the horn.
After waiting a few minutes
I walked to the
Door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a
Frail, elderly voice. I could hear something
Being dragged across the floor.


After
A long pause, the door opened. A small woman in
Her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a
Print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned
On it, like somebody out of a 1940's
Movie.


By her side was a small nylon
Suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had
Lived in it for years. All the furniture was
Covered with sheets.


There were no
Clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils
On the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
Box filled with photos and
Glassware.


'Would you carry my bag
Out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase
To the cab, then returned to assist the
Woman.


She took my arm and we walked
Slowly toward the curb.


She kept
Thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I
Told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers
The way I would want my mother
Treated.


'Oh, you're such a good
Boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave
Me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
Through downtown?'


'It's not the
Shortest way,' I answered
Quickly..


'Oh, I don't mind,' she
Said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a
Hospice...


I looked in the rear-view
Mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have
Any family left,' she continued in a soft
Voice.. 'The doctor says I don't have very
Long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the
Meter.


'What route would you like me
To take?' I asked.


For the next two
Hours, we drove through the city. She showed me
The building where she had once worked as an
Elevator
Operator.


We drove through the
Neighborhood where she and her husband had lived
When they were newlyweds She had me pull up in
Front of a furniture warehouse that had once
Been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a
Girl.


Sometimes she'd ask me to slow
In front of a particular building or corner and
Would sit staring into the darkness, saying
Nothing..


As the first hint of sun was
Creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm
Tired.. Let's go now'.


We drove in
Silence to the address she had given me. It was
A low building, like a small convalescent home,
With a driveway that passed under a
Portico.


Two orderlies came out to
The cab as soon as we pulled up. They were
Solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.


I
Opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to
The door. The woman was already seated in a
Wheelchair.


'How much do I owe you?'
She asked, reaching into her
Purse.


'Nothing,' I
Said


'You have to make a living,' she
Answered.


'There are other
Passengers,' I responded.


Almost
Without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She
Held onto me tightly.


'You gave an
Old woman a little moment of joy,' she
Said.
'Thank you.'


I squeezed her
Hand, and then walked into the dim morning
Light.. Behind me, a door shut.. It was the sound
Of the closing of a life..


I didn't
Pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove
Aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that
Day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had
Gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient
To end his shift?
What
If I had refused to take the run, or had honked
Once, then driven away?


On a quick
Review, I don't think that I have done anything
More important in my life.


We're
Conditioned to think that our lives revolve
Around great moments.


But great
Moments often catch us unaware-beautifully
Wrapped in what others may consider a small
One.


PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY
WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL
ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM
FEEL.


Life
may not be the party we hoped for, but while we
are here we might as well dance

Regards,
Kay Tonini-Crawford

Blessings!!
Oxo

Mash 'um up.

Want a fresh feel and some extra glow to your skin? A secret weapon in helping you give your skin a little pick me up just might lye in your refrigerator. Chilean women actually create a mask of mashed up red grapes mixed with 2 tablespoons of flour, leaving it on their face for 10 minutes, to give their skin a luminous glow. They credit this 'glow' to the antioxidants found in red grapes. According to author Shalini Vadhera, author of Passport to Beauty , "It wakes up the appearance of tired and fatigued skin to give you an amazing glow". Might think twice the next time you throw some of those left over red grapes out.....



Hope your week has been going well!!

*** Just read this their other day: "Remember that with great love and great achievements, there are great risks" ~Anonymous

Bendiciones lovelies!!!!

Oxox

Shh......it's our little secret.

While most of these style and beauty tips are already known, they can still work as great reminders for aiding in little ways to look and feel extra good. If you haven't already heard of some of these "tricks of the trade", then here are some new found tips for you to make secrets of your own.

One way to instantly slim your tummy is to wear a jean with a higher waist. This will seriously slim you down in seconds and, if only a little, it is still slimming. Eat foods with high potassium and fiber like bananas, cantaloupe, apples etc., reduce starch and carbs, reduce soda, caffeine, carbonated water, and take Mydol or Motrin when on your period. Oh, one more thing....stop slouching.

Keeping your eyebrows waxed and plucked will always keep your face looking brighter and opened up. After giving those bad boys some TLC, hold them in place by using a clear mascara. There's something so attractive to the eye with a nice shaped brow, and why not keep it in place.

Wearing a lipstick in a warm pink shade, which flatters all skin tones, will distract people's eyes from any imperfections or blemishes giving you a more perfect look with your skin.

To really show off those cheek bones go with a color to best complement your tone (the color when you're flushed is always your best match) and as a guide; rose is best for fair skinned, peach with olive tones, and apricot or an even red with dark tones. As said by Shane Paish, make up artist, "apply in a C shape". Start at the center of the brow and apply around to cheek bones, and by using this method it will help to create an over all sheen to that area.

A quick way to instantly groom your nails and give them some shine, when your are not home or carrying cuticle oil, is to take some of your clear lip shine/balm and dab it over your cuticles.

Want shiny legs? After exfoliating (baking soda, or sugar and honey are great home remedies for this) apply baby oil, almond oil, vaseline, a heavy moisturizer, olive oil or a shimmer body lotion. You can also add your own shimmer in with any of these by mixing some glitter, or a light shimmer lotion with any of those listed above.

Tights and nylons are not only great support for your legs and a great wear with heels, but they can also create illusions with your style. By blending the color of your tights with your shoes you can instantly make your legs appear slimmer and when making your skirt the same shade as both of those, you will have added some length to your legs too! *Extra tip: before putting on your tights lightly apply some lotion to your legs to help the tights slide on a with more ease.

Even taking a warm iron over jeans and a t-shirt will not only polish your look up but also make you feel more polished, especially when you're going for comfort and a more relaxed look. Take the extra five minutes to run the iron over these clothes. Really, you will look and feel even better through out your day.

courstey of:

spoiledpretty.com

dailycookie.com

msn.com

trendsetter.com

Need something easy for Monday morning...or just easy in general?

The side pony....one of my favorites and so easy, yet so pretty! Even if you don't have time to smooth it out, scrunch it with some hair spray, or just go through and curl a couple of sections for some extra texture. You can also twist the pony tail around and then wind it up and pin it with a couple of pins. This works with any low pony tail!



LOVE.

Official step by step guide found via www.totalbeauty.com/

Very cute with a bang too.

Official step by step guide found via www.totalbeauty.com/

Just by adding a little more to your hair tie, you instantly dress up a simple, easy hair style. This is great for getting your self ready when you have kids (and want to feel "put together"), or those early mornings heading into work.

For those who have less to work with.......

Even though these lovelies have short styles, they certainly have no limitations. Dramatic sweep overs, head bands, a layer of shorter bangs, twists through a couple sections in the top, pulling one side back more, bed head, extra sleek and smooth and so on, short hair still has many quick and easy tricks to switching up the style and creating a different look.

found here: http://www.shorthairfashion.blogspot.com/

http://www.popularhair-style.blogspot.com/

http://www.ombrello.com/ , http://www.hairstyleschat.com/

http://www.short-hairstyles-picutes.blogsp0t.com/

A Key To Looking Good

Love yourself. Learn to embrace everything about yourself. This will have a snowball affect. When you are happy with yourself, you naturally take better care of yourself which = loving how you look. Learn to not pay attention to sizes, and weight but more looking healthy and good in what fits you. Now I am not saying to just let it all go. Exercise, eating well, taking care of your skin, drinking lots of water, and daily positive affirmations are all important to your health, so you should definitely incorporate these things into your lifestyle. However, don't be too hard on yourself. We are all beautiful in our own way, that is why "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". This doesn't mean to not set goals for yourself, or strive to be better. Know that if you have set a goal weight for yourself that you CAN achieve it, but don't base your happiness on that alone. Learn to FEEL beautiful and you will LOOK beautiful. Also, surround yourself with a good group of friends who are positive. This will always keep you feeling good. There is nothing like those good times and laughs with your close girlfriends. Let go of those that drain you, or make you feel like you have to please them. If they don't know your true value as a friend, and base their attitudes towards you off of things like what you do or do not do for them etc., then their season with is up. You will be amazed at what letting these kind of people go from your life will do for the love and confidence that you have for yourself. So, enjoy this weekend and give yourself some extra lovin'....for me that will be chocolate!

It's All About Balance

Part of loving how you look really does come from how you feel within. If you are having a day that you feel great on the inside it always shows on the outside. The reverse has the same effect as well. The are many reasons in which our moods can change. This thing called life tends to have some great highs and some really awful lows. It is none-the-less LIFE and precious at that. Keeping a good balance in your life is definitely a way to help ensure more of those mornings that you wake up, feel great and have a positive outlook on your new day. It is amazing how much better we take care of ourselves, and those around us, when we are happy on the inside. Taking care of our bodies is just one of many ways to instill some balance in our daily routines. Drinking lots of H2O, eating well (definitely not saying you shouldn't enjoy that chocolate or cheese cake here and there), exercising and spending time with positive people,who make us happy, are all good things for our bodies and minds. Taking time once a month to get a massage, pedicure, facial or even an eyebrow wax ($7-$15), is a great thing to do for yourself and sort of put yourself back in reset mode, especially if you are chasing after kids all the time (better known as mommy mode), working long hours, commuting much of the time, etc. My point being, that when you create a balance in your life to take care of yourself, it not only keeps you feeling good about yourself but it also builds confidence. Who doesn't take extra time with their make up, picking out an outfit, or trying something new with their hair when they are just feeling fabulous? Yes, we all have those days that, let's face it, just suck, but why not have more of those days where we do feel fabulous! Creating an overall balance in your lifestyle is an important way to keep that happiness and beauty that come from within.