Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.
The winter can be such a dreary time. I am celebrating today how blooming continues even when the days are gloomy. An amaryllis bulb, a Christmas gift from a friend, is blooming in my kitchen. I have documented it with images and put them into a quick video. Enjoy blooming!
This week the Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet honoring the Citizen of the Year. Our own boss queen of the Berry Queens, Jerre Borland, was selected. In typical Berry Queen fashion, many of us wore our ball gowns and enhanced hair along with tiaras and glitter to honor Jerre. Her speech touched us all. I wanted to celebrate and share a snippet with you today. I am sure you will be inspired by her words as well.
Several years ago, a little saying popped up that became popular—YOLO: You only live once—a kind of distant blacksheep cousin to Carpe Diem—not just Seize the day: Live like it is your last, but above all and everyone else—live for yourself. Somehow I can’t get behind this sentiment, though we in Berry Queens can Carpe the heck out of the Diem—no problem. Life may be short–but I do not believe it is meant to be spent selfishly doing whatever you want, whenever you want. The richest moments of our lives are spent with others, doing for others—moments of selflessness in which we exhibit the give and take of loving others. You see—Love does. If you love something, someone: your community, your mother, your son, your husband, your friend—you do for them. In this act comes the feeling and the intent of what it means to really love. Love is a verb. It is constant. Love shows up—Love acts—Love does for others before self. That is what it truly means to love.
–Jerre Borland, Her Royal Highness Head Boss Queen of the Berry.
The 2015 Chamber of Commerce Banquet with Cathy M and Farrah T
Reflections on the Teche 
Crazy as it seems, I’ve always wondered what YOLO meant. So, thank you for sharing this. Your video is so symbolic and much needed this time of year. Congrats on the opportunity to honor your boss and for sharing her words with us.
Thank you for sharing the video and the inspirational words. Tiaras and glitter – can’t help but smile.
Thanks for sharing the inspiring words. Having worked with middle school students in the last several years, I came to cringe every time I heard YOLO because it almost always was an excuse to do something the child should not have been doing. I love the idea that love is doing. Also, the Berry Queens sound like a super fun group to be involved with.
I love that you documented your amaryllis blooming – it’s beautiful. And oh my, do I LOVE the joy, fun, and friendship in that picture of the Berry Queens!
Boss of the berry queens! What a title and what a lovely, loving speech. I so agree with her. Thanks for sharing her words and the beautiful blooming amaryllis.
I love that you all dressed up to celebrate your friend. And I love the line in her speech about the richest moments of our lives are spent with others. Thanks for sharing.
How wonderful to see the amaryllis, Margaret. I haven’t had one in a long time, so it was nice to see. You produced it beautifully. I love seeing the picture of you & your friends-lovely words shared, too.
There’s so much here that makes me smile!! Thank you for the joy and the inspiration!
I see that you glittered up winter with a berry queen event-all decked out in “berry” beautiful fashion! I loved sharing joy with you this weekend.