You want Proof? I've got "PROOF"!!!

WOW!
Talk about a Surprise Package in the mail...
WOW!!!

Ten days ago I got an email from Tyler at Proof Eyewear letting me know that they would be More than happy to donate a handful of "imperfect" glasses to me to take on to India to donate to a few workers there...
and today,
I Got Proof in the mail!!

 and some really cool stickers too!

I had hoped to donate them to Operation Shanti's workers, but Tracy informed that they don't wear sunglasses...
so what we have decided to do is to wait until we arrive and as we get to know certain workers and people in the community that really could use these we will update the blog and inform you of who they are and get their "Story" and photos!!

It will be a good way to learn about people who work hard and are in need of a pair especially if they are outside in the sun all day long. It's important to protect your eyes in the hot Indian sun.
Since we will be starting out in Mysore and living there for awhile..at least for the begining as it seems to be getting more and more pricey there and we have traveled all over India so we know of other beautiful areas that we may just decide to move to later on and settle down in.
But it will be amazing to meet some of the "locals" who might go un-noticed and are in need of eye protection!

I have 5 pairs and thus the story begins..
I will be bringing Toothbrushes to Operation Shanti kids as well as to Ashadayaka Seva Trust children! Compliments of my Amazing Dentist Kevin Jeffers.

So LOT'S of fun stuff in the works and some really great stories to come~~
That's what life is all about. Giving.

So here's to you Proof Eyewear team and Dr. Jeffers. You guys are the BEST!
Namaste~~

Here is the pair I ordered and bought myself. I LOVE them. So lightweight yet such great style and protection! These are called "DAME" (for the Dame no less!) hahaha!! 

"It's Good Karma" she said...

I'm a true believer in karma. You get what you give, whether it's bad or good.
Sandra Bullock

What is Karma really?
There are many beliefs about Karma. But I tend to go with the quote above from Sandra Bullock. In all honesty is seems really quite simple to me. You get back what you give out.
Whether it's good or bad. I have found it be true in my life anyway.

I also always get back back so much More than I have given. It doesn't have to be about money or gifts..it's that feeling you get when you give. Even if it's grabbing a shopping cart for someone in front of the grocery store..it can be as simple as that.

Last night I had another one of my "Intuitive Hit's" ( getting those alot lately) and so once again I decided to ride it out and follow through with the idea...
It was while I was brushing my teeth no less!!

Tooth Brushes!!

I wanted to get some tooth brushes for the kids in India. I now know of another charity in the town were moving to called Ashadayaka and a couple of really nice guys from Chicago have been helping them out while they are there. There are 35 kids from ages 3 to 18 living there, and I Knew they could at least use some new Tooth Brushes (if not more). But since were moving there and have limited weight allowances I thought they would be light weight, yet so needed.
I also wanted to get some for Operation Shanti of course!

So first thing this morning I got on the phone with my dentist as I know he has done work in 3rd world countries donating his work free of charge to the people in need.
I asked the girl at the front desk if I might be able to purchase some tooth brushes for a couple of charity organizations in Mysore, India and I told her about both of them.

In no more than a heart beat she said "Of Course we would Love to do that"!!
She said she would give me a box full to give out!
I offered to pay her...
but she refused and said just this..
"We want to give them, it's just Good Karma"

Yes. It is! My kind of peeps...they surround me these days and I am Ever so Grateful~

Lakshmi

Lakshmi

One of my favorite Hindi Goddesses.
I think she is so beautiful.
She adorns my home and her Blessings shine forth for us.

I have a friend who looks so much like her it's almost as if she is her Reincarnation.
And that said friend is equally as beautiful inside as well as out.

We have begun to sell our household items once again..
and we are having really good luck this time around as well.
It's pretty facinating meeting people who come and buy your things and you find out you are on a similar path..somewhat...but your thoughts about things are quite the same and I just Love that! I Love knowing that these objects that I have long loved are going to such kindred spirits and they will be in similar homes with people who Shine their love on this earth.
Makes it so much easier "letting go"!


“You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles.” 
~ C.Joybell C.

PROOF!

A Lotus Girl is Back!!!

As most of you know by now, my husband and I are moving to Mysore, India on May 3rd and we are extremely excited as this has been a dream of ours now for about 8 years now.

As most of you Also know, I have done a few different charity projects for Operation Shanti which is also based in Mysore, India.

So the other evening my husband and I sat down to tune into one of our favorite TV shows..
Shark Tank. A show in which people come on to try to get financial backing for their products that they have created and developed.

That night there was this segment on Proof Eyewear, and three of the brothers were on the show..I cried of course as will you as it touched me to the core.(besides the fact I fell in love with all three of them!)
Here is a little about what they do..

Here at Proof, we have always strived to give back to those around us. That is really how we got our start.
We want to provide products that have meaning and do something good. We strive to bring our
customers environmentally friendly products. All the wood we use in our products is sustainably sourced.
Along with doing good to mother nature by using sustainable materials in products, we also
pride ourselves in doing good to those around us. A large portion of each sunglass /eyewear sale goes to a
charity in India that provides sight–giving cataract surgeries to those in need. There are countless people in
need in third world countries, and a little bit of help can go a long way in restoring sight to thousands.
Since we got our start as a company in 2010, we have donated and helped provide relief for the people of
India, along with participating in other worthy charitable causes.
If you think you have a good idea or project that Proof can help get involved with please email us and let us know: dogood@iwantproof.com
Stay tuned to see what our latest project is.
-Proof

and here is the segment from Shark Tank...

After seeing the show I had one of my "Intuitive Hits" I suppose you could call it..
and I told my husband that I was going to write them a letter and ask them if they might be willing to Team Up with me and perhaps donate some of their imperfect/extra sunglasses for me to take to India and give to some of the workers/parents of Operation Shanti and perhaps maybe a few for a couple of the rickshaw drivers that drive the yogis out to Karunya Mane to volunteer their time helping out with the children.

So I did. I wrote that letter.
And today I got a response from Taylor, one of the brothers..
here is what he said~

Tracy,

Thanks for reaching out to us and thank you for the kind words. Sounds like you are about to embark on an amazing adventure. We could probably scrap a handful of imperfect shades to get out to you guys. We would love to get involved and promote it on our end. What would be the next steps?

thanks

 

I am SO excited to work with this great group of brothers from Idaho who give so generously

and want to give yet More!

 

Stay tuned...

I will keep you informed every step of the way. From start to finish and this is going to be Great!

 

P.S. I ordered myself a pair a few days ago as a matter of fact!! You really should check them out, they are AWESOME!!! I will show you  mine when they arrive!!

Peace is just a word. Or is it?

Peace

To feel at Peace inside every cell of your body..
is like the greatest Gift you could ever wish for.

I have wanted to feel that for a very long time.
Just to be one with the Universe. OK, some of you may think, Um, yeah, right Tracy. What are you on?!! But Seriously!! It took me a LONG time to get this feeling, and now that I have it most every day...throughout the whole day...waking up with it, going to sleep with it and reveling in it throughout my day. I tell ya, it just doesn't get any better than this!

What brought it about you ask?

Well, it could be a combination of a couple of different things and I will share those with you now!

I started a religious Ashtanga practice 4 days per week.
Before I had been practicing maybe twice per week...if that.
I was a hardcore RUNNER and running was ALL I thought about doing. Every Day.
But, thank god for an injury that made running extremely painful. I still ran, don't get me wrong, With the pain. But one day something told me to just Stop and I did.
I now am a Hardcore Walker!! Hey, it works along with my beloved yoga practice~~

The second thing I did was I eliminated wine with dinner.
I now have water or nothing.
I'm not a saint by any means...on Saturdays and sometimes Sundays I sometimes will indulge in one glass of my favorite red..or possibly my favorite beer..Hop Stupid Ale. But only one..because, well basically that's all my body can handle and that's all I care to have.
It's just right.

The third thing I did was dedicate more evenings to quiet time.
I almost cannot even stand to hear the TV anymore. I revel in quiet, and peace.
I have been reading so much more (like when I am in India) and my meditation practice has gotten so much deeper and it just fills me up with such Grace.
Chanting my Mantras...well, I do that pretty much throughout the day!!
While I am walking the dogs, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, watering the front yard..you will hear me chanting! I Love it!

The fourth thing I have really been focusing on is being Positive!
It was not so easy a month ago..and I won't go into the "why" part. Suffice it to say, it just was darn near impossible.
But I am in this amazing flow these days and to sum it all up. I think it has to do with everything above combined!

And I'll tell you what, it's a feeling I never want to lose!
Because when you have that feeling and you are in the flow, Good things happen!

More on that to come....

Letting it Go

I was having a conversation today with someone I am very close to.

We were talking about the past and I was reminded of times long ago that I had completely forgotten about. Memories that I just would not have ever thought about if I had not been reminded.
I got to thinking about our conversation after I had hung up the phone.

What makes us remember certain things from our past and what makes us forget?
I honestly do not know the answer to this question.
If you do, Please clue me in.

What makes one person cling so tightly to memories that would better off forgotten...
when the pain they hold causes you so much pain to this day?

I don't know if it is something that "protects" you and you are Blessed because you don't remember..and you can live your life and move on.

Maybe this is all just too "deep" to even ever know the answer.
But I do know that some burdens are just too heavy to carry and ultimately we walk through life a little lighter without that burden on our shoulders.

“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that that situation is over, you cannot move forward.”
~Steve Maraboli  Life, the Truth and Being Free

What Heals

Yesterday as I was standing in my kitchen. I heard a car drive by and then a little voice yell out "Yes, she is"!!!!!

I stopped what I was doing and went and looked out, and driving up on he other side of the street was my oldest son and my two little grandchildren~~~

They couldn't get out of the car fast enough and they ran across the street with the BIGGEST smiles on there faces and my heart just burst out of my chest with happiness~

Sometimes the best medicine is just seeing the people who you Love so much it hurts!

We had the best visit, even though it was short. It is always so healing just holding a small child in your arms. It just "does the trick"!

Today I opened up my front door and I had so many packages on my front porch, it looked as though it was Christmas morning....
and among them was a package from Kaili and Marley and this is what was inside...

I have to tell you.
When I opened up the package and saw these inside I broke down. I just could not stop crying. You see, these past few weeks have taken a toll on me emotionally and just seeing this little Knight in Shining Armor and this little purple Care Bear...well, all I can say is "I needed these"!

Can I just say, children Heal a broken heart better than anything else on this planet.

Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is.
~Gary Zukav