I love a project. I admit it!

I’m probably at my best when I’m creating something fun for someone! …like the memory books (hundreds of pages) for my family and close friends, or the dream come true whale watch trip to Mexico I organized for my husband’s milestone birthday, or the milestone birthday for my uncle when I rounded up cousins and family (some who never met) to be in ONE country and one location for a few days… I definitely love a creative project when it involves giving!

In 2005 when I was very active on the msworld.org message boards (a place to ask questions and get answers to everything MS!), a group of us thought it would be a great idea for MS to have its own car magnet. We worked as a team to come up with a beautiful prism colored magnet that had the words “Solve the MyStery – Cure Multiple Sclerosis”. Later that year I entered my first Walk for MS ~ I added characters to the STM slogan, and used these to make jackets for my walking team. See, another creative giving project!

Although I was diagnosed with MS in 2004, I have had symptoms since 1985. The “near miss” of perhaps having MS back in 1985 changed my outlook from that point on. I decided then that I would do anything and everything that I could and wanted to do – traveling, horse riding on the beach in the Caribbean, snorkeling, hanging upside down off the bow of a 40’ catamaran with my head under water whilst it was under way – crazy stuff that I might never have done if I KNEW I had MS.

My husband and I have been together for 28 wonderful years, legalizing it 22 years ago. He is my best friend and my soul mate, my rock in this shaky world.

Sailing is our passion but we don’t mind being called stinkpots if that’s what it takes to get out on the sea after work, kill the motor and enjoy the peace and quiet. Taking out a makeshift supper of a cold cooked chicken and a bag of salad from the supermarket, a loaf of French bread, a bottle of wine, and watching the full moon rise long before anyone on land can see it - these are the days we live for. Watching for Minke whales, seals or porpoises to break the water’s surface not far off the bow, listening to the sea shhhing by as the sailboat moves through the water and hearing the gentle winds in the sails, are the days we live for. There’s nothing much more perfect than days like that.

So, I guess that’s my outlook on life – do it today, because I CAN!

This past autumn, I was making flower topped pens for little gifts for friends, when I first heard of Our Heart Greeting. OHG was organizing a project to present gifts to the volunteers who run msworld.org. I was already having fun with the pens and it seemed to be the perfect gift for this project. Since then, I have become an active member of the group!

OHG might almost sound like it’s too good to be true, but it’s not, it’s very definitely true, with many creative hearts and many, many kind souls. The group seemed to represent such an opportunity to be able to contribute whatever creativity I had in me and to combine it with the creativity of others, all for the good of someone in need, and at no expense to the nominator or the nominee. Right up my alley! What I bring to Our Heart Greeting is my love for a giving project, and my love for doing all I CAN DO in life!

To support OHG’s most recent creative campaign, I donated some of the postcards I designed using the Solve The MyStery slogan and characters. OHG has inspired my projects! Although I do still have to get the full-time job in, and meals made, I’ve set up a line of greeting cards using my photography, and have designed postage stamps and magnets with the STM theme. I’m working on a website for the Solve the MyStery magnet, and have developed a product gallery on zazzle.

Phew! I told you I loved projects!

The Our Heart Greeting arena is one of giving and creating, and encouraging others who are friends living with MS. It’s my honor and privilege to beee buzzing in the OHG hive!

Drop me a line any time! ohg.sunbeam@gmail.com