Reading “The Alchemist” by Paolo Coelho

The current winter storms in the Pacific Northwest prevented my usual flurry of activities and opened a window for relaxation, reading and meditating. The phrase Personal Legend sent me on a personal search.

I’ve revisited my childhood to search out my favorite dreams and activities. This is a difficult task but I remember hungering for love, truth and a friendship with God.

God and I talked often … or I should say I talked to Him. His communication back to me was a feeling, or help with a decision.

Or letting me drop off a cliff.

But in my earliest memories I knew all people were equal and were not to be judged.

Enjoy the nostalgic photo. Hugs

 

 

 

Has a month gone by already?

Still messing around with technology.  Got a new Verizon Hot Spot, and setting it up.  Scurrying through each day wearing more hats than ever!  Wife, husband’s administrative assistant, bookkeeper for our wee businesses (writer, Consulting Engineer, Cottage Rental)  And also Mother, Grandmother, Caregiver, Landlord. Since Husband’s stroke last October, he has recovered so well, that no one would guess he has any difficulties.  He still has the acreage and the vegetable Garden in top shape. And every time I turn around he has done something special for me.  Now, one of these days, I expect to be able to write, “I have published one of my manuscripts.” The photo below reminds me of love, marriage, pearls of daily adventures, natures beauty, and um …. I’m  rambling.  Good night all!  Wishing each and every one the best!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Gratitude List

Autumn Trees in the Pacific Northwest

On those days when grumbles surface, catching them before they rule the atmosphere, challenging the negative with the good things often brightens the day, lifting me out of a funk into a different place. While blogging tonight, the list got longer and longer, so I’ve left many big and small things out. Had to quit somewhere!

Below is the gratitude list I could think of tonight …

-Husband, Children, Grandchildren, Brothers and their families
-Friends and Freedom
-Continuing Community Education
-Continuing Writing Education
-Kindness received and given
-Reading and writing
-Music
-Social networking with readers and writers, Connections
-Imagination, Problem Solving
-Walking
-Logical mind, even though one tracked & at times absent

Fresh nutritious salad

-Fine Doctors to keep me ticking … and walking … along with access to great health care
-The Internet, Computers, Printers
-Universities, Colleges, and Libraries
-Telephone calls, and long conversations with loved ones and friends
-Cell phones.  What ever did I do without one?
-Television, especially PBS, and Radio
-Relatively good hearing
-My Prius automobile, and my husband’s Highlander 4WD ( we usually keep cars for 15 years)
-The dogs, King & Buddy (Yellow & Chocolate Labs)
-Gasoline
-Food, fresh, organic when available, Good well water
-Vegetable garden provided by husband in the summer
-The 24 minute drive through beauty to get to the outdoor swimming pool
-Pain medication, Vitamins
-Minimally invasive Surgical techniques to solve many problems
-Memories, Bird songs, Breezes, Boat rides
-The present moments
-Large bodies of water, lakes, oceans, rushing streams
-Photographs that quick start memories

Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau AK

-Mountains, Glaciers, rain forests
-Trees, bushes, berries, flowers, grasses
-Autumn colors, Sunsets, Clouds, Blue sky, Rain, Snow
-Crocuses signaling the arrival of spring, and Pussy Willows
-Change that challenges
-All the senses, taste, smell, touch, see, hear and the 6^th sense, intuition
-Compassion given and received
-Love, given and received
-Hope, Faith, Trust, Destiny and believing there is a purpose to all things, as in order in the chaos
-Freedom from practicing religion and respect for those who do

-Struggles.  Ouch.  Hate to mention this one, but all internal change, spurred by struggles, provided learning, an increased capacity to feel, to love, to reach out.  Didn’t learn much while having fun.  The hard times had a purpose.  They did pass.  Often understanding followed. But didn’t understand when in the midst of a struggle so eventually learned to wait it out.

The entire gratitude list is woven into the evolution of my soul.
Would love your comments and additions to the list.  Have a good week all.

Embracing change and love on Thanksgiving?

Was this the first Thanksgiving?

On this Thanksgiving Holiday, many of us will be in tight quarters with those we love.  Some we seldom see, some we dearly love, some we find irritating, some are tired and the celebration duties are wearisome, some have lost loved ones and are grieving, and some of us are simply alone, either by choice or by circumstance.

Is it possible to be carefree about tradition?  Unyielding to keep things the same and capture old memories can be destructive to relationships as folks often come from different traditional backgrounds.

The Thanksgiving celebration is not about food, though food is part of the celebration and tradition, but the day is set aside to give thanks, share hope and love, and keep in mind forgiveness, tolerance, understanding, acceptance, kindness, sharing, and change.  Yes change.  Nothing can stay the same … or like a pool of water, it becomes stagnant.

How many ways can we show our love? Giving thanks every day of the year?

• Care for loved ones when illness strikes.
• Back off when loved one is frustrated.   Ranting space is often a need.
• Do something unusual and unexpected for another.
• When you need praise or attention, don’t assume the  loved one will know it … ask!  We all need to be appreciated and for them to know we need that from them could make them feel valued.
• Enjoy the freedom from judging those who are different, or who are struggling with problems.
• Give loved ones freedom to grow, and let the loved ones know that you also, need to grow.
• Trust, if not in them, in God (My spiritual life does not include religion, but to each his own.)
• Allow freedom, accept the present, and give messages of hope.
• Find something to admire and mention it.
• Don’t expect loved ones to make you happy.
• Happiness is within, but we grow through tough times, evolving to a higher plane.

This is a lofty list but can we be thankful for that which we desire to achieve, and for that which we already have?

Wishing a very wonder-filled day in America to all the Thanksgiving celebrants, and to the world in general.

Self Discipline Versus Freedom

Sun Setting, Peaceful Time of Day

I promised a Thursday blog, but I didn’t say what time … did I?

Yesterday, as I dragged away from a 12 hour day at my  computer at 10:30 PM, I decided to approach Thursday by relaxing over my “do list.”  However I am a disobedient child, not to anyone else, but to myself, and today, when I planned to do some catching up on bookkeeping, I am writing. Yesterday, my list directed me to write, so I worked on the books.

Most folks don’t want to be backed into a corner by others. But me? I resist my own efforts for a disciplined approach to accomplishments.  There are a multitude of classes and books covering goal setting and motivate behaviors.  Goal setting to me, feels like a trap.  Self discipline again.  And there sits my trusty timer, smiling at me. I do know it works for others, so I’m not knocking the concept. We are each unique.

Forgiveness and love begins at home in my own heart, toward myself.  And it’s working.  I am relaxed today, and in five years no one will care about my “do list” including me.  The deep creative part of me is stirring amidst this peace.  The writing improves.

In a prior post we discussed the subconscious response to positive thinking.  Folks talk about “wanting to do something” and “believing you can do something” and both are important. It is getting to the “wanting with your whole heart” and “Believing with your whole heart” that is difficult.  We have constructed barriers or fences for protection. Michael Hague, writing teacher extraordinaire,  calls it living in our identity, but once we are brave enough to break through, we can live in our essence.   So if something in the subconscious is more powerful, the half truth must be overcome and the barrier removed.

I have a tight fisted grip on freedom.   What does freedom mean to you?   And I’d love to hear what you think about self-discipline, not mine, but yours.  Grin.