An Abundant Life - YES and I Am!

On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, it was pouring rain with flood warnings. On days like that if I don't have to go out I don't, and so I waited until the early evening and instead of taking a walk to somewhere specific, I let God lead me to the place where He wanted me to go. I didn't know where exactly I was going, but I had a thought that maybe I'd go to the Walgreens that is in my neighborhood. I did need a few things and I don't always have time to go there, so that seemed to make sense and it felt like that was the direction where I needed to go. On the way I passed by a local florist that had some plants out front. Whenever I walk by I always look to see what they have, but usually I don't see anything that I particularly need so I just keep walking. But on this day when I walked by I saw that they had some small maidenhair ferns at a good price, and I decided to buy one.

I love maidenhair ferns, and they were a favorite of my Mother's. Whenever I see them, or really many different types of ferns or plants that she loved, I think of her. I've had maidenhair ferns before but they're not easy to grow and keep, and so when I saw this one I thought I'd try again. When I went inside I asked if I could charge it and they said that I needed to have the total be ten or else there would be an additional dollar added. They had so many lovely things for the holiday season and as I looked around I decided on an Easter Lily. It was not yet blooming and was still in bud and I thought how nice it would be to bring it to YES Gallery and watch it grow. The scent of them is always so beautiful, and as cut flowers they are wonderful and long lasting. One that was live would be such a wonderful thing to have and try to keep year after year.

Although the rain had mostly stopped, it was a bit windy on my way home and I found myself trying to protect the plant by holding it up against myself to shield it from the wind. I was able to make it home but I wasn't sure how I'd get it to the gallery and keep it safe while I walked. The next day I was able to find a few large bags to carry it in, layering them to give it some support, and I set out in the sunshine this time to walk on my way. The wind was gusting at times and so I again used my body to shield the lily and its long stalk and buds, and I was able to make it to the gallery safely.

There are so many plants in the gallery now, and some that are past their season and have pots that can be reused, and so I found one that seemed just right and repotted the lily, then placed it in the window in a very central view. It's so delightful to see it, and other plants are beginning to grow more again and bloom with the warmer weather. The windows of YES Gallery are ready for Easter and ready for spring. There is a blog post that I wrote in 2013 that talks about Honeysuckle and the sudden smell of it when it begins to bloom. In that post I talk about all kinds of sweet things and experiences, including when God lets Moses see His glory and covers Moses with his hand to protect him so that he will not perish when he sees the Lord. It's Easter Sunday and it's one of those days that is such a powerful and beautiful one because of the God who said YES to loving us all, and on this day as I celebrate at YES Gallery, I'll be thinking of the glory and beauty of the One who says YES and I Am and gave His life to give us life and help us bloom and grow.

Blooming And Growing

At YES Gallery

408 6th Street

Hoboken, New Jersey

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

    

An Abundant Life - Taking Good Care

Last year, when the holiday season was beginning, I decided to treat myself to one of my all time favorite perfumes as a Christmas present. I've loved Shalimar for many, many years, and the one that I've had is from a collection of bath essentials that at one time included powder and possibly something else like body lotion, although I don't remember exactly now. It is a pretty bottle, but when I saw that Guerlain had brought back the iconic bottle with the blue stopper, I thought it would be a beautiful addition to my personal collection of lovely bottles and lovely perfumes.

The day that I went to Saks Fifth Avenue in New York to select my Shalimar present, I met a Beauty Specialist named Habib and we spoke about my long time love of Shalimar and Guerlain. It was a lovely surprise when he contacted me a few weeks ago to say that Guerlain was having a very special event at Saks, and that he was inviting me to meet with the National Makeup Artist for a facial and a makeover. I made my appointment, and it was truly one of the most enjoyable and special experiences.

I had used Guerlain skin care in the past for a long time, and had a wonderful memory of it being a favorite feeling and such an excellent product, but I had forgotten just how beautiful and special it really is. The scent of it alone is like aromatherapy to me, bringing me memories of the time when I first tried it and the years when it was always part of my routine. As Nancy, the National Makeup Artist, began applying different treatments, her beautiful technique and touch made it so relaxing and wonderful that all of the different things that had been on my mind and all of the cares and thoughts seemed to melt away and disappear into the air. By the time she began putting on makeup, I was as relaxed as could be and felt renewed as I sipped a glass of champagne and let Nancy and Habib and the rest of the wonderful staff take care of me.

The makeup Nancy applied was done so beautifully and carefully, selected with an eye and an understanding of not only my face but who I am. It was truly lovely artistry, and I kept telling her how good I felt and how special, and that what she had created was making me feel so happy and peaceful and like a princess who was very special.

Wellness and care are part of what helps us to get through each day with whatever challenges we face, and having the beautiful blessing and opportunity of an experience like this one made everything glow more brightly. I'm so grateful to Habib for the invitation and his taking such good care of me, to Nancy for her beautiful and patient care and artistry, and to all of the staff for making this afternoon such a very special and very beautiful one.

An Afternoon At Guerlain

With So Much Gratitude to Habib and Nancy

And All The Marvelous Staff

At Saks Fifth Avenue

611 Fifth Avenue

New York City

https://www.saksfifthavenue.com

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

        

An Abundant Life - Beautiful Hospitality

I wrote about an experience of staying at the Ritz Carlton in Boston last fall, and since that time I've had occasion to visit again on a few more occasions. The reason that I have been traveling there is a very important one, and it's also one that is for something that I need to have rest and focus and to be prepared for. It has to do with other places that I need to travel to for meetings and presentations and discussions, and everything I am doing in the rest of my life still needs to keep being able to keep going while I am traveling back and forth. The first time I stayed at the Ritz, I wrote about my history of going to the old one with my Mother for tea, and also about the wonderful children's book by E.B. White, "The Trumpet Of The Swan" that describes in part of it an actual swan who stays at the Ritz and eats watercress sandwiches and sleeps in the bathtub.

My experiences at the Ritz are not quite like the swan's, but in some ways I feel almost like there is something about me and my life and the way I'm experiencing the beautiful hospitality of the Ritz and its wonderful staff that reminds me of that wonderful book and that swan. When I arrive there, they know me by name, something that is so comforting when you're traveling any time, but especially when you feel like you just want to relax and feel welcomed in preparation for the other things that you need to be ready to do. This last time I was there, I arrived a bit early for the usual check-in time, and the lovely woman who greeted me made a change in my room so that I wouldn't have to wait. I had called earlier to let them know, but I had told them that I didn't mind waiting. There is a wonderful area in the Club Lounge to have some refreshments, and I had said that as long as I could do that I'd be fine. But she went above and beyond to make sure that I had an actual room to go to when I arrived, and not only did she make a change to accommodate my early arrival, the room she changed me into was a very special one. I felt like a princess when I walked in and saw it, and I was so grateful to her for her kindness and generosity and consideration. 

The Club Lounge itself is a wonderful treat to have available. The food and experience there is delightful, and the staff so welcoming and charming, kind and helpful. It really is such a blessing of an experience that I look forward to, and although my travel is not for a vacation, having such wonderful people and such a wonderful hotel experience makes it feel like it is one, because I'm in a place where I can rest and relax and be taken care of.

True hospitality is an art and a gift. Some people and places can make you so happy to be there, and can help you feel like you're special and treasured and welcomed. Even the staff who I see in the hallways there have smiles that are genuine and kind, and each place where I go and each person I speak with has something pleasant and enjoyable to share in their conversation. I'm so blessed to have this haven to go to on my journey, and this wonderful place with wonderful people who make this experience so special. It's beautiful to remember their hospitality as I write about it, and beautiful to have their blessing when I am there.

 A Visit To

The Ritz Carlton

10 Avery Street

Boston, Massachusetts

https://www.ritzcarlton.com

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - A Beautiful YES

I had written last week about the Leap Year Day celebration event at YES Gallery and some of the lovely things and people who were a part of it. When I was sharing with someone this past week about a little girl who brought me a work of her art and a work of art by one of her friends, and who has brought her friends and family to the gallery and who always says it is her favorite place, the person I was talking to said that you can't put a price on that. We had been talking about why it is that we do the things we do sometimes, and why I started the gallery, and we were sharing that sometimes we just do things because we do them, even if it makes no sense to anyone else why we would take the risk to do something like open an art gallery.

It's people like this little girl and Artists and community members of all ages whose response when they walk in the door keep me doing what I do in the way that I do it. When they walk in the gallery and tell me either in their own words or sometimes just in their actions how inspiring and beautiful it is, something in me is made so joyful. Sometimes there are things we do that make no sense to anyone else, and then along comes someone who affirms that what we're doing is important. Every time a visitor has such a positive response, every time someone walks by and says as one woman did the other day, "A best boutique!" or as she said it in German, "Ein besten boutik!" I find myself feeling all glowy and happy and warm inside. It meant so much for me to hear that woman's words, because I know a little German from my Mother and Grandmother and my high school classes, and when she said what she said, I thought of them and some friends I've had over the years and a visit I made to Germany a number of years ago to visit with someone who I knew from an old apartment building I lived in once upon a time.

YES Gallery is a community space, and often when people visit they thank me for what I have created and provided there. In an interesting way it's also a very spiritual place, because whenever I hear compliments and thanks I let people know that there is something more than I am that has made it possible. There isn't a way that any of it could have happened without God and without other people, and the quality of the energy and feeling there wouldn't be possible without God and the beautiful energy of the people who share their beautiful blessings and inspiration in the space. The inspiration and design and everything in it are things that came from a place much greater than I am, and that is not anything that I can say is my own.

I was listening to someone who was talking about spirituality, and I was trying to think about what it is that I would tell them if I could. When we say yes to beauty and joy, when we say yes to love, when we say yes to taking a chance on a dream that God has put in our hearts, the end result is always something that is filled with light and life. It's not always easy, and sometimes we can feel disheartened and discouraged, but then a little girl walks in our door and says that an art gallery is her favorite place, and somehow we find that things start to glow and hum again with the rhythm of fairytales, dreams and all the most beautiful things in a heavenly life.

Gifts Of Art

From Visitors Of All Ages And Backgrounds

At YES Gallery

408 6th Street

Hoboken, New Jersey

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Leaping Into Faith, Hope And Dreams And Growing Into New Life

It's been a very busy time for me for a long while now, and although the holiday season usually gives a time of more quietness, this time around I've been feeling like I have had so much to do that there has been very little time to just rest. When I first opened YES Gallery I had wanted to do regular events, and I've been scheduling them every month since the Grand Opening on August 23, 2022. When February rolled around I thought that maybe I just wouldn't do an event because there was so much going on in my life around and within the gallery, but I kept feeling like God was nudging me to go ahead and have an event and keep the joy of the gallery alive even in the midst of so much of everything else that is happening.

When I thought about the calendar, something made me think that maybe it was a Leap Year. I've been so busy that I hadn't even thought of that until I started thinking about when I could schedule an event. Sure enough, when I looked at the calendar I saw that this year is a Leap Year, and so I decided to schedule the event for February 29th. Because I was feeling as if I didn't really have much time to plan anything really big, I decided to just let celebrating the day be the inspiration for it, and when I made the invitation I used the idea of what it means when we take a leap of faith which after all is what YES Gallery is and what really all of my life has been and is now, especially after God walked into my life and began changing things around in 2005. As I've written before, that time was not only life changing for the way I felt and the things I did, but it changed my path to be one that was a walk of faith that is always and ever an adventure of healing that takes me into places that sometimes seem like I wouldn't have wanted to go. As the journey has gone on over these years, I've found that God always brings us through to a beautiful land, and that the places where He brings us are better than what we thought we wanted to begin with.

So Leap Year became a jumping off point for reminding myself of the gift of faith, of being able to take a leap of faith, of hope and dreams. The event itself was lovely, as events at YES Gallery always are, and this time for some reason it was peaceful too, as if God knew that I and the people who visited needed to be a little bit quiet and to take time to talk together and share moments that were joyful in a quieter way. I had scheduled it from 5pm-8pm, and during the entire time there were people coming and going, some I knew and some who were completely new to the gallery. The conversations shared were lovely, and the time shared together was very meaningful as we met in community and spoke with each other in a way that deepened friendships and began new ones.

Taking A Leap!

Faith And Dreams

Growing Into New Life

A Lovely Visitor Arrives

At YES Gallery

Blessings,

Jannie Susan