Welcome to goodness. 

What if someone said that to you? Would you believe them? Or would you be skeptical?

Our past life experiences can harden us to believing that such a reality exists whether in people, experiences or life in general, but if my journey has been any indication, having had my heart broken not only in romantic relationships but life as we live it, I am realizing that life and the people we are wise enough to bring into our lives after learning who not to put out the welcome mat for can indeed bring a wealth of goodness.

On multiple occasions this week I was reminded of this truth, and I found myself having to pause and realize, truly absorb and let it sink in so as not to lose the lesson, how fortunate I felt. Perhaps having not felt this way in such abundance in the past made me relish it even more, but I would like to think that we need not suffer severely or significantly to stand in such a moment and be grateful. 

It doesn't hurt to do your due diligence, and it is vitally important that whomever you are seeking advice from is someone from whom you should be receiving it, but I had a couple of people who I trust remind me to strive forward and trust that indeed it was goodness that was knocking. Jump in and drink in the goodness Shannon, they advised.

I hope you have an abundance of goodness surrounding you at the moment, and if you don't, I am confident that you are cultivating it as we speak. Because as we each go about curating our unique simply luxurious lives, we are creating a world to attract the goodness. How so? We are becoming the best versions of ourselves, we are learning how to love, but also advocate, we are learning how to tap into and understand the world around us and feel a part of it rather than alienated by it. As well, we are discovering how rich and beautiful each and every day can be, and when we understand and incorporate all of these lessons, a life we enjoy living materializes and we attract people who appreciate similar qualities of life. Abundant goodness is absolutely possible, and when you feel it, savor it but don't worry, more is on the way.

Something else that is on its way is the annual French Week here on the blog. Announced this week, for seven days, two posts each day will go live to further feed your French predilection. Mark your calendars for Sunday August 6th through Saturday August 12th. It looks to be a week of much Ohh La La! (Cheesy, I know, but . . . well, I am excited!)

And it was a new French restaurant that opened in Bend a few weeks ago that inspired this week's TSLL Recipe: Homemade Ricotta Mousse with Fresh Berries. It was my first attempt at making cheese, and I have to say I didn't expect it to be easy or turn out well. I was thankfully wrong on both accounts. Be sure to check it out as it is a lovely summer dessert that is quite simple but appears quite sophisticated. 

Now to the newsletter! I will let you enjoy at your own pace whether it be with a hot cup of tea or coffee as you greet the day or later in the weekend as you settle in to relax. Thank you for subscribing and until next week, I'll see you on the blog.​​​​​​​