Wow! Mother nature kicked up a ruckus across the South last night but my sweet little haven barely even got any rain although it was quite windy. I read that 250 people had died in the storms and my heart is heavy for all of those affected by the storms. I have been praying for my friends in Birmingham today because I haven't learned if they are safe yet, or not. I am hoping!
So, for the good news...it was a beautiful, balmy day today and I had all of the windows open and the cross breeze was divine. I love this time of year when we can have the windows open to enjoy the fresh air.
I am excited to see my son and my grandchildren who are visiting from Denver tomorrow. Well, I am visiting them tomorrow although they arrived Wednesday night. I am especially looking forward to seeing the kids because I haven't seen them for 16 months! It's another of the downsides of being unemployed. Travel has stopped completely and I sure miss it!
I love sending cards to my friends and to my family. Texts, e-mails, and Facebook are wonderful ways to communicate but I am a firm believer that it is still very exciting to get something in the mail besides a bill or an advertisement! Letter writing is becoming a lost art and it's too bad. I have letters I received over 40 years ago and they are incorporated into a part of my life's history. I'd hate not to have that, wouldn't you? So when you have a moment and you are walking by the greeting card section in any store, take a moment to look at the cards (some are quite amusing) and grab one and send it to someone you care about. I guarantee you that it will make their day and come back to you tenfold!
Prince William and Kate Middleton get married tomorrow. I wonder how they are feeling tonight!!!! Probably like anyone about to be married except intensified by a million percent! I'll bet it is going to be so beautiful and I have my DVR set to record so I can enjoy it at my leisure. I am excited to see her dress and how she will wear her hair and ALL OF IT!!! It's a fairy tale! The Prince has found his Princess and hopefully they will live happily ever after! That's the way it should be anyhow, or so I read many years ago.
Hope you are having a terrific day (or night!). Expect a miracle and remember, the best is yet to come!
Namaste!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Hump Day...! - Wednesday, April 27, 2011
I should be up cleaning the kitchen floor since I took everything except the table out of the kitchen yesterday yet here I sit! This is much more fun and I'm all about fun today.
Monday I went to an interview at a staffing agency and when she called (yes, this one called me) I thought she had an "imminent" position and I completed all the paperwork, including tax information, and sat and chatted with the "Recruiting Specialist" and went over my resume. She thanked me for my time and told me that she may need me to come back and take some tests and I said "Bring them on!" and here it is Wednesday and I've not heard another word from her.
Same day around 5:30pm I got a call from another recruiting specialist who is in Tampa who also saw my resume online. He told me about a position he thought I would be a good candidate for and I felt a little excited. So he sent me the information via e-mail and then asked for something so sacred I couldn't believe he was asking me to tell him over the telephone or by e-mail and I wondered if he was a scammer. He asked for my social security number.
Now what is the one thing you always hear about your social security number? Do NOT give it to anyone over the telephone or by e-mail. But, guess what?! After "Googling" the job position and the agency I decided what the heck and I called him back and gave him my ssn. He said AT&T has their own way of doing things and they will not accept any candidate without the SSN. Now I may be crazy to have done this or so desperate for a job that I am throwing caution to the wind, but if anyone tries to use my SSN to get credit, well they will get what they deserve which is NOTHING!
I read an article last night about a young woman, 23, who lost her $50,000 a year job and ultimately ended up homeless and then blogged and wrote a book about it. It was an interesting article and really a bit frightening because it's as if we are in a mini-depression but it is not so well-covered by the media so there is the "illusion" that everything is okay and we all love our illusions, don't we. She finally found a job that she likes and is back "in business" so I am happy for her. I guess the premise was, "see, it worked out for me and it can work out for you, too." Apparently there are many, many people, especially in California where she lives (and in Georgia, where I live) that are looking for a job. I never thought in my lifetime that I would find myself in a position where I am ready to work and can't find a job.
That may all change tomorrow though and I am going to enjoy my day. I am hopeful and optimistic and what's the worse that could happen? Well, let's change that thought...what's the BEST that could happen and I'll hold that energy today! For now, it's all good.
My children are healthy, happy (and employed) and my health is still good and I am definitely "employable." I am certain something will open up for me by the end of...well, better change that because I was going to say by the end of the month but since we're almost there, I'll say by the middle of May. Yep, I'm sure.
So, back to living in the moment and whew! It is really ALL good! I have the entire day to do whatever I want to do. I made a pot of espresso and steamed some milk with thick foam, just the way I like it and since I had one little, tiny bottle (the kind you buy in the liquor store that are called "mini's," I think) of Grand Marnier left, I decided to go ahead and add it to the mix and yum! yum! What a treat and it feels so decadent to be having alcohol before noon. Almost like being on vacation and having a Bloody Mary (or two) to start the day! For today, I consider myself on vacation!
I am going to play some music that I love (perhaps some Uriah Heep, "Demons and Wizards") so that I can sing along at the top of my lungs because there's no one to hear but me and now that Wizzie is deaf, it won't bother him either. I am going to go in and give my kitchen floor a deep steam cleaning and change some things around, reorganize a cabinet and clean the refrigerator. Oh, what did you say? Am I boring you?
Well, it helps me to feel happy when things are clean and organized so I try to stay on top of it!
I made it to the gym several times last week but even with my best intentions haven't made it yet this week but maybe later today? I have seen Water for Elephants twice now. I am obsessed with Robert Pattinson but only in my dreams. He makes me wish I were 21 again or perhaps it is that he makes me REMEMBER what it felt to be 21. He seems to be a genuine, good person who has done well and I wish him continued success and happiness with the love of his life who seems to be his co-star in the Twilight Saga, Kristen Stewart. They are a little wierd about their relationship but whatever makes them happy! I can't even begin to imagine what life would be under the media glare they live on a daily basis and I've seen pictures where I would love to smack down the photographer and tell him to just leave them the hell alone. It's just part of it, I guess, but not a very enjoyable part for them. Anyhow, I loved the movie and I think he acted the part well and I will probably see it again. I enjoyed his movie "Remember Me" and cried buckets at the end. It was a great movie and I don't understand why the critics tear his movies up so badly because they are as good, if not better, than a lot of the movies out there. I think if "Crazy Heart" which is one of the WORST movies I have ever seen, could win an Oscar, then Robert certainly deserves one for WFE!!!!
There's a slight breeze through my open window ruffling the curtains. I can hear my wind chime tinking and a bird is singing. I'm glad I sat down to write because I am cheered as a result.
I have been doing my "morning pages" (from "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron) but sporadically and when I do, I feel great! I self-motivate more often than not but some mornings, I just sleep in because I can and I know when I finally "retire" for good, sleeping in will be something I do several times a week. I'm not one who wants to "waste time" sleeping, normally, because there is so much to do!
Soon, I will have my studio BACK and I can't wait to get started "creating" again! Expect to see paintings, cards, paper and I don't know what else will flow but it will all be fun!!!! I'm still holding the dream of my own little motor home and doing arts/crafts shows! It will happen! I am confounded by gas prices and hope they get back DOWN (which is unlikely) before I hit the road in about 6 years! Still, it is a nice dream.
So, that's it...it is ALL ABOUT ME...right? No, it's about US! WE need to stay positive and motivated. Don't let the "news" get US down, look for the GOOD, the PURE, the POWERFUL, the POSITIVE and the OPTIMISTIC because it has been said that you WILL find what you are looking for so make sure you're looking for the right stuff!
Now...on to my kitchen and on with the day. I'm about finished with my cappucino's (hey...Jess & Arlo...I'm still using the expresso machine y'all gave me for Christmas some years (eons?) back! It's still working great and I love that you guys gave it to me! It is a gift that has been well appreciated!).
Okay, I'm done for today. I hope YOU have an awesome day...if you have a job...give it your best. If you don't and you want one (like me), keep sending out those resumes and while you're waiting for that perfect position, ENJOY the time and make the most of it. It is so easy to get depressed. I know, believe me! Perhaps tomorrow I can write about suicide thoughts but then again, maybe not because that is SO negative but I will jump out there and admit, it's a thought that has once or twice crossed my mind...but briefly. Anyhow, that's a topic for another day and I am here to help not only myself but anyone who reads my blog to stay POSITIVE and MOTIVATED and if not happy, at least to be able to see the JOY in the day. It is a great day to be alive and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!! And so it is! Namaste!
Monday I went to an interview at a staffing agency and when she called (yes, this one called me) I thought she had an "imminent" position and I completed all the paperwork, including tax information, and sat and chatted with the "Recruiting Specialist" and went over my resume. She thanked me for my time and told me that she may need me to come back and take some tests and I said "Bring them on!" and here it is Wednesday and I've not heard another word from her.
Same day around 5:30pm I got a call from another recruiting specialist who is in Tampa who also saw my resume online. He told me about a position he thought I would be a good candidate for and I felt a little excited. So he sent me the information via e-mail and then asked for something so sacred I couldn't believe he was asking me to tell him over the telephone or by e-mail and I wondered if he was a scammer. He asked for my social security number.
Now what is the one thing you always hear about your social security number? Do NOT give it to anyone over the telephone or by e-mail. But, guess what?! After "Googling" the job position and the agency I decided what the heck and I called him back and gave him my ssn. He said AT&T has their own way of doing things and they will not accept any candidate without the SSN. Now I may be crazy to have done this or so desperate for a job that I am throwing caution to the wind, but if anyone tries to use my SSN to get credit, well they will get what they deserve which is NOTHING!
I read an article last night about a young woman, 23, who lost her $50,000 a year job and ultimately ended up homeless and then blogged and wrote a book about it. It was an interesting article and really a bit frightening because it's as if we are in a mini-depression but it is not so well-covered by the media so there is the "illusion" that everything is okay and we all love our illusions, don't we. She finally found a job that she likes and is back "in business" so I am happy for her. I guess the premise was, "see, it worked out for me and it can work out for you, too." Apparently there are many, many people, especially in California where she lives (and in Georgia, where I live) that are looking for a job. I never thought in my lifetime that I would find myself in a position where I am ready to work and can't find a job.
That may all change tomorrow though and I am going to enjoy my day. I am hopeful and optimistic and what's the worse that could happen? Well, let's change that thought...what's the BEST that could happen and I'll hold that energy today! For now, it's all good.
My children are healthy, happy (and employed) and my health is still good and I am definitely "employable." I am certain something will open up for me by the end of...well, better change that because I was going to say by the end of the month but since we're almost there, I'll say by the middle of May. Yep, I'm sure.
So, back to living in the moment and whew! It is really ALL good! I have the entire day to do whatever I want to do. I made a pot of espresso and steamed some milk with thick foam, just the way I like it and since I had one little, tiny bottle (the kind you buy in the liquor store that are called "mini's," I think) of Grand Marnier left, I decided to go ahead and add it to the mix and yum! yum! What a treat and it feels so decadent to be having alcohol before noon. Almost like being on vacation and having a Bloody Mary (or two) to start the day! For today, I consider myself on vacation!
I am going to play some music that I love (perhaps some Uriah Heep, "Demons and Wizards") so that I can sing along at the top of my lungs because there's no one to hear but me and now that Wizzie is deaf, it won't bother him either. I am going to go in and give my kitchen floor a deep steam cleaning and change some things around, reorganize a cabinet and clean the refrigerator. Oh, what did you say? Am I boring you?
Well, it helps me to feel happy when things are clean and organized so I try to stay on top of it!
I made it to the gym several times last week but even with my best intentions haven't made it yet this week but maybe later today? I have seen Water for Elephants twice now. I am obsessed with Robert Pattinson but only in my dreams. He makes me wish I were 21 again or perhaps it is that he makes me REMEMBER what it felt to be 21. He seems to be a genuine, good person who has done well and I wish him continued success and happiness with the love of his life who seems to be his co-star in the Twilight Saga, Kristen Stewart. They are a little wierd about their relationship but whatever makes them happy! I can't even begin to imagine what life would be under the media glare they live on a daily basis and I've seen pictures where I would love to smack down the photographer and tell him to just leave them the hell alone. It's just part of it, I guess, but not a very enjoyable part for them. Anyhow, I loved the movie and I think he acted the part well and I will probably see it again. I enjoyed his movie "Remember Me" and cried buckets at the end. It was a great movie and I don't understand why the critics tear his movies up so badly because they are as good, if not better, than a lot of the movies out there. I think if "Crazy Heart" which is one of the WORST movies I have ever seen, could win an Oscar, then Robert certainly deserves one for WFE!!!!
There's a slight breeze through my open window ruffling the curtains. I can hear my wind chime tinking and a bird is singing. I'm glad I sat down to write because I am cheered as a result.
I have been doing my "morning pages" (from "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron) but sporadically and when I do, I feel great! I self-motivate more often than not but some mornings, I just sleep in because I can and I know when I finally "retire" for good, sleeping in will be something I do several times a week. I'm not one who wants to "waste time" sleeping, normally, because there is so much to do!
Soon, I will have my studio BACK and I can't wait to get started "creating" again! Expect to see paintings, cards, paper and I don't know what else will flow but it will all be fun!!!! I'm still holding the dream of my own little motor home and doing arts/crafts shows! It will happen! I am confounded by gas prices and hope they get back DOWN (which is unlikely) before I hit the road in about 6 years! Still, it is a nice dream.
So, that's it...it is ALL ABOUT ME...right? No, it's about US! WE need to stay positive and motivated. Don't let the "news" get US down, look for the GOOD, the PURE, the POWERFUL, the POSITIVE and the OPTIMISTIC because it has been said that you WILL find what you are looking for so make sure you're looking for the right stuff!
Now...on to my kitchen and on with the day. I'm about finished with my cappucino's (hey...Jess & Arlo...I'm still using the expresso machine y'all gave me for Christmas some years (eons?) back! It's still working great and I love that you guys gave it to me! It is a gift that has been well appreciated!).
Okay, I'm done for today. I hope YOU have an awesome day...if you have a job...give it your best. If you don't and you want one (like me), keep sending out those resumes and while you're waiting for that perfect position, ENJOY the time and make the most of it. It is so easy to get depressed. I know, believe me! Perhaps tomorrow I can write about suicide thoughts but then again, maybe not because that is SO negative but I will jump out there and admit, it's a thought that has once or twice crossed my mind...but briefly. Anyhow, that's a topic for another day and I am here to help not only myself but anyone who reads my blog to stay POSITIVE and MOTIVATED and if not happy, at least to be able to see the JOY in the day. It is a great day to be alive and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!! And so it is! Namaste!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Still transitioning...
Occurred to me that I need to get back to blogging especially since I'm in a job search once again and find the going rough! I heard it said that when the going gets tough, the tough get going and I've been trying. I've sent out hundreds of resumes and been to several interviews but I either come on too strong or not strong enough and it's hard to know what is expected anymore. There was a time when I was a one-interview person and if I could get the interview, I always got the job, if I wanted it. I am not finding that to be the case this time around.
I am not giving up though and I keep sending out my resumes every single day knowing that at some point, hopefully in the very near future, "the Universe will provide." I am doing my part, that's for sure.
It seems when there are "woes" in life, at least in my life, they seem to all lump up at the same time. I whine a bit but then I try to find a place of positivity and focus again and I'm trying hard to be there right now although it is an uphill event for me. So, I try to write my "gratitude" list in the mornings to remind myself of all the many blessings that are in my life and the many things for which I am grateful. It works for a little while.
Of course, if I don't find a job soon, I will find myself unable to make my mortgage payments and will become one of the homeless which is a scary thought to me. I can see how it happens though and that's something I never thought I would see. I've been working since I was 12 years old, non-stop except for a few years here and there when I stayed home with the kids and even then I watched other children. Now, I find myself one of the "more mature" employees and no one seems to want a "mature, professional" and it surprises me because if I were hiring, I would be thrilled to find someone with my experience, professionalism and skills especially since I am willing to accept a job making much less than what I know I am capable of earning. No one seems to want an "old bird" no matter how skilled and I am sure if I were 25 I would have had no problem getting one of the jobs I'm applying for so I am screaming "age discrimination" but I have absolutely no recourse and that's the most frustrating thing about looking for a job right now for me.
I just found out that the job I had wanted and interviewed for last week that is only one mile from my house and which I could do in probably half the time they have allotted and bring many added qualities and benefits to the position does not want to hire me and they say it's because I have only 3 years experience with Quickbooks. Well, that's a BS reason because I have been working with Quickbooks since the product was first released. I have sold it, trained others how to use it, set up different companies books on QB and so to give me a BS reason like they want someone with more QB experience makes my stomach queasy. Just say it like it is and that's that you want a YOUNGER employee. I guess that just proves they are NOT the company I'd want to work for anyhow if they are so limited and narrow in their thinking.
Well, that's my vent for this morning. I am feeling angry and aggravated so I think I'll put on some yard clothes and go dig in the dirt. That always makes me feel better. At least I can tend a flower bed and it responds lovingly.
I am still hoping for a good job in the very near future. I've been drawing unemployment for 13 weeks and I want to WORK! I WANT A JOB! I don't want to be on unemployment and I have mad skills and can't understand why some progressive company is not scarfing me up. Craziness. Pure craziness!
Going to dig in the dirt. Tomorrow is a new day and a perfect job may open up for me tomorrow. Hope your day is happy and productive! Namaste!
I am not giving up though and I keep sending out my resumes every single day knowing that at some point, hopefully in the very near future, "the Universe will provide." I am doing my part, that's for sure.
It seems when there are "woes" in life, at least in my life, they seem to all lump up at the same time. I whine a bit but then I try to find a place of positivity and focus again and I'm trying hard to be there right now although it is an uphill event for me. So, I try to write my "gratitude" list in the mornings to remind myself of all the many blessings that are in my life and the many things for which I am grateful. It works for a little while.
Of course, if I don't find a job soon, I will find myself unable to make my mortgage payments and will become one of the homeless which is a scary thought to me. I can see how it happens though and that's something I never thought I would see. I've been working since I was 12 years old, non-stop except for a few years here and there when I stayed home with the kids and even then I watched other children. Now, I find myself one of the "more mature" employees and no one seems to want a "mature, professional" and it surprises me because if I were hiring, I would be thrilled to find someone with my experience, professionalism and skills especially since I am willing to accept a job making much less than what I know I am capable of earning. No one seems to want an "old bird" no matter how skilled and I am sure if I were 25 I would have had no problem getting one of the jobs I'm applying for so I am screaming "age discrimination" but I have absolutely no recourse and that's the most frustrating thing about looking for a job right now for me.
I just found out that the job I had wanted and interviewed for last week that is only one mile from my house and which I could do in probably half the time they have allotted and bring many added qualities and benefits to the position does not want to hire me and they say it's because I have only 3 years experience with Quickbooks. Well, that's a BS reason because I have been working with Quickbooks since the product was first released. I have sold it, trained others how to use it, set up different companies books on QB and so to give me a BS reason like they want someone with more QB experience makes my stomach queasy. Just say it like it is and that's that you want a YOUNGER employee. I guess that just proves they are NOT the company I'd want to work for anyhow if they are so limited and narrow in their thinking.
Well, that's my vent for this morning. I am feeling angry and aggravated so I think I'll put on some yard clothes and go dig in the dirt. That always makes me feel better. At least I can tend a flower bed and it responds lovingly.
I am still hoping for a good job in the very near future. I've been drawing unemployment for 13 weeks and I want to WORK! I WANT A JOB! I don't want to be on unemployment and I have mad skills and can't understand why some progressive company is not scarfing me up. Craziness. Pure craziness!
Going to dig in the dirt. Tomorrow is a new day and a perfect job may open up for me tomorrow. Hope your day is happy and productive! Namaste!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Time marches on...January 27, 2011
I started to blog and then was interrupted and now I'm blocked! My best time for writing is in the early morning, just after I finish my morning work. Seems that's the best time for me to connect and find the inspiration and direction for what I need to write.
Now, it's 1:54pm and half the day is gone and so is my creative inspiration because I'm in "doing" mode instead of "thinking" mode. I'm off an running with my list of what needs to be accomplished this day before the sun sets.
I will also do something for ME today, too. I'm beginning to understand how important it is that we treat ourselves as we would others and that means TIME for what brings us joy and happiness.
I'm on Day 9 of my morning pages so I am being consistent and that feels good! Tomorrow I am going to start water aerobics and lots of fun stuff is up for the weekend so I won't blog again until Monday.
I am going to make every effort to get the Spiritual Learning Center on Sunday. I feel very strongly that I need to check it out.
So, as time is marching on and the day is getting by me I will say that it IS a great day to be alive and the best is yet to come! Namaste!
Now, it's 1:54pm and half the day is gone and so is my creative inspiration because I'm in "doing" mode instead of "thinking" mode. I'm off an running with my list of what needs to be accomplished this day before the sun sets.
I will also do something for ME today, too. I'm beginning to understand how important it is that we treat ourselves as we would others and that means TIME for what brings us joy and happiness.
I'm on Day 9 of my morning pages so I am being consistent and that feels good! Tomorrow I am going to start water aerobics and lots of fun stuff is up for the weekend so I won't blog again until Monday.
I am going to make every effort to get the Spiritual Learning Center on Sunday. I feel very strongly that I need to check it out.
So, as time is marching on and the day is getting by me I will say that it IS a great day to be alive and the best is yet to come! Namaste!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Breathe Deeply and Relax! ~ January 23, 2011
I didn't go to the Center for Spirit Living today although it is on my list for next Sunday. One of my life lessons is to slow down, balance and take things step by step.
I began the creative cluster last Tuesday night and with that group came my new commitment to completing my morning pages every day. I have been consistent and as a result, "things" are happening. Synchronistic, spontaneous, spiritual, and interesting experiences are occurring with such rapidity I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I find I am having to "cool my jets" because I am in fast forward. Sometimes it feels as if I'm traveling so fast that everything is a blur and I WANT TO SEE the scenery along the way. Do you know what I mean?
So much is coming to me at once and I need time to process everything. I need to stop, breath deeply and then breathe deeply again. My friend Kris says that I over analyze everything and that I "talk a point to death" and she may be right but this is my way of processing. We all process life differently and I think perhaps that is what keeps life interesting, at least from my perspective.
Kris, for all her crabbing about me, is a true gift from God to me. She is a dear friend and we met at a weekend retreat in Dahlonega, Georgia. The retreat,for Kris, if I remember correctly, was a gift from her daughter(s) and she came with a friend. Kris is from Virginia so it was an unlikely crossing of paths but as I said, I believe God brought her to me or us to each other. I was there to enjoy the retreat with my friend who was facilitating the retreat and I'd gifted the retreat to another friend so she could enjoy some relaxation, too. The retreat meant something different to Kris than it did to most of us there but the main thing that happened for me that weekend, was that our paths crossed and we became friends.
Because of that meeting, my life has been enriched in so many ways and I have had experiences that I could never, ever have conceived if I had not had that chance meeting. I won't go into all of the wonderful experiences in the blog today but suffice it to say, it has been EPIC!
Imagine being in the high Andes of Peru, in the middle of Lake Titicaca in a boat made of Torturo reeds by a Uros Indian. Lake Titicaca is supposed to be the highest navigable lake in the world at approximately 12,630 ft. The Inca believed that their first ruler and his sister emerged from a cave on an island in the lake, and that at creation the sun itself rose from the waters of the lake. It was a very spiritual place and I was there with Kris!
You know, you just never know what a day will bring. Each day is a gift. In 2003 the daily gifts were exotic and brand new and nothing I could have imagined. It HAD TO BE EXPERIENCED!
Today was not as exciting as day waking up in a lodge beside the sacred Urubamba River in Acqua Calientes at the foot of Macchu Picchu but it was a good day here in Buford, Georgia...and within ME is the memory of that morning I woke up, after a refreshing nights sleep with the window thrown open. I slept under warm, alpaca blankets with the sounds of the rushing river lulling me to a peaceful slumber. This is the view from my window. But my main point is that had I never met Kris at that retreat, I would NEVER had had this experience and many more just like them. She has been a friend and a mentor and a travelling companion and teacher...a true gift to me for which I shall be eternally grateful!
The morning after our night in Acqua Calientes, Kris and I rode in a bus, up a long, winding road to the very top of the mountain to see the ruins at Macchu Picchu. All the books I'd read, all the pictures I'd viewed and even a video or two did not prepare me for the actuality of Macchu Picchu. It had to be felt! I had to stand there with my feet on the ground, sacred ground and wonder how in the world those ruins got up there so far from everything and so high above everything. It was magical.
Words cannot adequately express my physical, spiritual and emotional experience there.
Speaking of a peaceful slumber, I'm writing this in the evening and it's about time for just that...peaceful slumber. So, I will wish you pleasant dreams and a start to a terrific week!
Namaste!
I began the creative cluster last Tuesday night and with that group came my new commitment to completing my morning pages every day. I have been consistent and as a result, "things" are happening. Synchronistic, spontaneous, spiritual, and interesting experiences are occurring with such rapidity I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I find I am having to "cool my jets" because I am in fast forward. Sometimes it feels as if I'm traveling so fast that everything is a blur and I WANT TO SEE the scenery along the way. Do you know what I mean?
So much is coming to me at once and I need time to process everything. I need to stop, breath deeply and then breathe deeply again. My friend Kris says that I over analyze everything and that I "talk a point to death" and she may be right but this is my way of processing. We all process life differently and I think perhaps that is what keeps life interesting, at least from my perspective.
Kris, for all her crabbing about me, is a true gift from God to me. She is a dear friend and we met at a weekend retreat in Dahlonega, Georgia. The retreat,for Kris, if I remember correctly, was a gift from her daughter(s) and she came with a friend. Kris is from Virginia so it was an unlikely crossing of paths but as I said, I believe God brought her to me or us to each other. I was there to enjoy the retreat with my friend who was facilitating the retreat and I'd gifted the retreat to another friend so she could enjoy some relaxation, too. The retreat meant something different to Kris than it did to most of us there but the main thing that happened for me that weekend, was that our paths crossed and we became friends.
Because of that meeting, my life has been enriched in so many ways and I have had experiences that I could never, ever have conceived if I had not had that chance meeting. I won't go into all of the wonderful experiences in the blog today but suffice it to say, it has been EPIC!
Imagine being in the high Andes of Peru, in the middle of Lake Titicaca in a boat made of Torturo reeds by a Uros Indian. Lake Titicaca is supposed to be the highest navigable lake in the world at approximately 12,630 ft. The Inca believed that their first ruler and his sister emerged from a cave on an island in the lake, and that at creation the sun itself rose from the waters of the lake. It was a very spiritual place and I was there with Kris!
You know, you just never know what a day will bring. Each day is a gift. In 2003 the daily gifts were exotic and brand new and nothing I could have imagined. It HAD TO BE EXPERIENCED!
Today was not as exciting as day waking up in a lodge beside the sacred Urubamba River in Acqua Calientes at the foot of Macchu Picchu but it was a good day here in Buford, Georgia...and within ME is the memory of that morning I woke up, after a refreshing nights sleep with the window thrown open. I slept under warm, alpaca blankets with the sounds of the rushing river lulling me to a peaceful slumber. This is the view from my window. But my main point is that had I never met Kris at that retreat, I would NEVER had had this experience and many more just like them. She has been a friend and a mentor and a travelling companion and teacher...a true gift to me for which I shall be eternally grateful!
The morning after our night in Acqua Calientes, Kris and I rode in a bus, up a long, winding road to the very top of the mountain to see the ruins at Macchu Picchu. All the books I'd read, all the pictures I'd viewed and even a video or two did not prepare me for the actuality of Macchu Picchu. It had to be felt! I had to stand there with my feet on the ground, sacred ground and wonder how in the world those ruins got up there so far from everything and so high above everything. It was magical.
Words cannot adequately express my physical, spiritual and emotional experience there.
Speaking of a peaceful slumber, I'm writing this in the evening and it's about time for just that...peaceful slumber. So, I will wish you pleasant dreams and a start to a terrific week!
Namaste!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Celebration of Life - January 21, 2011
Today is my daughter's birthday and I am feeling very fortunate and blessed to have her as my daughter. The birth of each of my children was such a miracle and a wonder to me. I chose to have natural childbirth and my husband was with me for the birth of all three and he was the perfect partner for me for the birthing process. He was there as my support person and his being there was a comfort to me and I am grateful to him.
We took LaMaze classes before each of them and after our first child, Joshua was born, we went to the class behind us and shared our experience. It was a 24-hour labor but I had read enough and practiced enough that I was able to get through it without having drugs. I knew exactly what was going on in my body and I worked with it. It felt like the right thing to do, for me and I was very much in the moment and at the moment of birth, it was as if the entire room was lit with bright light and I knew the angels were dancing this day. It felt like that with each of them.
Two years later, for Jessica's birth, we chose a different method (since we were "seasoned" birthers) and she was born in a room with dimmed lights and was delivered into a tub of warm water and her cord was not cut until it had stopped pulsating. She never cried once but her eyes were open wide and I don't think I have ever seen more beautiful or perfect lips.
Fast forward nine years and our third child, a daughter was brought into the world in the midst of the family. We all had a job to do. Joshua was eleven and Jessica was nine. We took them to classes so they would not be intimated by any part of the birthing process and they had a coach who was with them during the birth. She was my best friend. My husband delivered Jenny. Joshua cut the cord. Jessica accompanied her for her PKU tests. It was a bonding and very powerful experience for all of us. I have a picture of Joshua holding Jenny just after birth and they are gazing into each other's eyes and it is one of my most prized photographs.
Were the births painfree? Heck no! Were they worth the pain? Heck yes! Was it managable? Yes, it was because I had prepared myself, mentally, physically, and emotionally. What I hadn't expected was the gift of the spiritual connection I felt as each came into this world. I can't even describe the feeling as it must be experienced for one to understand. Those three moments were the defining moments in my life. The BEST three moments of my life and a time when there was absolutely no doubt in mind that God IS and the flood of emotions were so powerful that I can only hope the passing on (or death) experience is as powerful. In my deepest heart, I believe the coming and going are similar experiences. The angels danced the day they were born and I joined in the celebration.
So, happy birthday to my sweet daughter, Jessica! All three of my children came into this world under the sign of Aquarius. What does that mean? It's something I've pondered over time. I'm still not sure!
So, today is a CELEBRATION OF LIFE! I celebrate the day new life came into my world and I celebrate Jessica for being the one! I wish all expectant mother's the same joy of birth.
I have to take Mom to the Kidney Center in Gainesville today. I have a bike rack on the back of the Mustang where I hang her wheelchair. It works for us! My Mom was out cold when I was born and didn't even recover until hours after I came into the world. Makes me feel sad for her. She had a "spinal" which was a complete deadening from the waist down and then they put her asleep so the doctor could deliver me. Seems such a cold way to be born and it's no wonder I suffered from colic as a baby. Oh, that's for another day.
I'm grateful I was able to have the birthing experiences that I did and I am glad I was born into the world at the time and place I was born. It was perfect for me.
Today is a GREAT day to be alive and the best is yet to come! Off to the Kidney Center!
Namaste
We took LaMaze classes before each of them and after our first child, Joshua was born, we went to the class behind us and shared our experience. It was a 24-hour labor but I had read enough and practiced enough that I was able to get through it without having drugs. I knew exactly what was going on in my body and I worked with it. It felt like the right thing to do, for me and I was very much in the moment and at the moment of birth, it was as if the entire room was lit with bright light and I knew the angels were dancing this day. It felt like that with each of them.
Two years later, for Jessica's birth, we chose a different method (since we were "seasoned" birthers) and she was born in a room with dimmed lights and was delivered into a tub of warm water and her cord was not cut until it had stopped pulsating. She never cried once but her eyes were open wide and I don't think I have ever seen more beautiful or perfect lips.
Fast forward nine years and our third child, a daughter was brought into the world in the midst of the family. We all had a job to do. Joshua was eleven and Jessica was nine. We took them to classes so they would not be intimated by any part of the birthing process and they had a coach who was with them during the birth. She was my best friend. My husband delivered Jenny. Joshua cut the cord. Jessica accompanied her for her PKU tests. It was a bonding and very powerful experience for all of us. I have a picture of Joshua holding Jenny just after birth and they are gazing into each other's eyes and it is one of my most prized photographs.
Were the births painfree? Heck no! Were they worth the pain? Heck yes! Was it managable? Yes, it was because I had prepared myself, mentally, physically, and emotionally. What I hadn't expected was the gift of the spiritual connection I felt as each came into this world. I can't even describe the feeling as it must be experienced for one to understand. Those three moments were the defining moments in my life. The BEST three moments of my life and a time when there was absolutely no doubt in mind that God IS and the flood of emotions were so powerful that I can only hope the passing on (or death) experience is as powerful. In my deepest heart, I believe the coming and going are similar experiences. The angels danced the day they were born and I joined in the celebration.
So, happy birthday to my sweet daughter, Jessica! All three of my children came into this world under the sign of Aquarius. What does that mean? It's something I've pondered over time. I'm still not sure!
So, today is a CELEBRATION OF LIFE! I celebrate the day new life came into my world and I celebrate Jessica for being the one! I wish all expectant mother's the same joy of birth.
I have to take Mom to the Kidney Center in Gainesville today. I have a bike rack on the back of the Mustang where I hang her wheelchair. It works for us! My Mom was out cold when I was born and didn't even recover until hours after I came into the world. Makes me feel sad for her. She had a "spinal" which was a complete deadening from the waist down and then they put her asleep so the doctor could deliver me. Seems such a cold way to be born and it's no wonder I suffered from colic as a baby. Oh, that's for another day.
I'm grateful I was able to have the birthing experiences that I did and I am glad I was born into the world at the time and place I was born. It was perfect for me.
Today is a GREAT day to be alive and the best is yet to come! Off to the Kidney Center!
Namaste
Thursday, January 20, 2011
There is always a flow!
Penney Pierce in "The Intuitive Way" says "...there is always a flow, and you can enter it whenever you choose and stay in it as long as you want." I realize that in my life, I have stepped in and out of the flow and it was necessary to have the experiences I needed to grow.
I have been getting the message that I need to find a home for my spirituality where I am with others who are on a similar journey. With perfect synchronicity and in going with my intuition, this morning, somehow and I can't even tell you how but I was led to the website of Dr. Ken Wilcox at the Center for Spiritual Living in Atlanta. He is affiliated with Science of Mind which I have been loosely studying since 1998 when my dear friend, Sam (I miss you!) took me to the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta for my first experience at the Science of Mind Church. It was my "next step" and exactly what I needed then and now. I completely identify with the teachings and they feel right to me. On Sunday, I will go to the Center for Spiritual Living in Atlanta and see if it really is "home." It may be just what I need for NOW and I'm excited. I think I've met him before when I went to a Wednesday night meeting so this will be fun and interesting. If it's not a good fit, I can always go back to the SOM at the Woodruff Arts Center. The church service welcomes all and respects all. I took a friend of mine there once who is a Presbyterian and sometime Episcopalian (depending on who he's married to at the time) and he told me he enjoyed the service but he wouldn't be able to go there because they didn't worship Jesus as the ONE.
He so missed the point of the service and it was a message to me that I didn't get until I'd learned a painful lesson. In SOM, Jesus is A ONE, as Buddha is A ONE and both are respected and revered equally. Jesus is A WAY and Buddha is A WAY and there are countless more WAYS but ultimately, they all lead to GOD. To me, that's the difference between religion and spirituality. I know there are many who agree and many who disagree with me there and that's okay because their truth is their truth and I respect their right to believe as they wish (as long as they don't try to cram it down my throat).
I guess I got off on a tangent there but what's important to me is that from being "in the flow" this came to me this morning. I also got the Heirophant in the Spirit position this morning in my reading. That message was "Seek the presence of a master or teacher. Involve yourself in groups for personal growth." I consider the finding of Dr. Wilcox and the website that said "YOU ARE HOME" to be synchronistic event.
So, that's my spiritual experience for this morning but while doing my morning pages and listening to music, Carlos Nakai's "The Inward Journey" waas playing and immediately my friend Nadyne came to mind. She loves his music and she and I had a less than enthusiastic (or perhaps acrimonious would be a better word) parting and I miss her. I took the Nakai music as a sign I need to be a "bigger person" and call her. I will do that today. It's "on my list."
My Mom's up early today and she's needs my help so I'll have to cut this short this morning and I'm torn between letting my thoughts flow a little longer and getting up and helping her. She can do things on her own but I know she likes for me to do them for her and I like helping her. I try to spend time in the morning and evening giving her my total attention. We all need that and after all, she IS my Mom. Part of me is berating myself for wanting to sit here but I recognize that little voice IMMEDIATELY (because I AM being mindful!) and know that it is perfectly okay for me to want to be SELFish but I am CHOOSING to do something UNSELFish that is really a good thing for my own SELF. See how that all flows in a circle? I love it! Life is so wonderful, don't you agree!
It IS a great day to be alive. The sun is shining, my little Wizzie is right my feet, beautiful music, much to do today, and an opportunity, right now, to do something nice for someone else!
This is from my trip to Alaska with my brother, Jack, in 2005. What an AWESOME experience that was and yet I know....the best is yet to come! My next big dream is rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Talk about flow...run, River, run! I can't wait.
Wishing you a very happy, joyFULL day!
Namaste!
I have been getting the message that I need to find a home for my spirituality where I am with others who are on a similar journey. With perfect synchronicity and in going with my intuition, this morning, somehow and I can't even tell you how but I was led to the website of Dr. Ken Wilcox at the Center for Spiritual Living in Atlanta. He is affiliated with Science of Mind which I have been loosely studying since 1998 when my dear friend, Sam (I miss you!) took me to the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta for my first experience at the Science of Mind Church. It was my "next step" and exactly what I needed then and now. I completely identify with the teachings and they feel right to me. On Sunday, I will go to the Center for Spiritual Living in Atlanta and see if it really is "home." It may be just what I need for NOW and I'm excited. I think I've met him before when I went to a Wednesday night meeting so this will be fun and interesting. If it's not a good fit, I can always go back to the SOM at the Woodruff Arts Center. The church service welcomes all and respects all. I took a friend of mine there once who is a Presbyterian and sometime Episcopalian (depending on who he's married to at the time) and he told me he enjoyed the service but he wouldn't be able to go there because they didn't worship Jesus as the ONE.
He so missed the point of the service and it was a message to me that I didn't get until I'd learned a painful lesson. In SOM, Jesus is A ONE, as Buddha is A ONE and both are respected and revered equally. Jesus is A WAY and Buddha is A WAY and there are countless more WAYS but ultimately, they all lead to GOD. To me, that's the difference between religion and spirituality. I know there are many who agree and many who disagree with me there and that's okay because their truth is their truth and I respect their right to believe as they wish (as long as they don't try to cram it down my throat).
I guess I got off on a tangent there but what's important to me is that from being "in the flow" this came to me this morning. I also got the Heirophant in the Spirit position this morning in my reading. That message was "Seek the presence of a master or teacher. Involve yourself in groups for personal growth." I consider the finding of Dr. Wilcox and the website that said "YOU ARE HOME" to be synchronistic event.
So, that's my spiritual experience for this morning but while doing my morning pages and listening to music, Carlos Nakai's "The Inward Journey" waas playing and immediately my friend Nadyne came to mind. She loves his music and she and I had a less than enthusiastic (or perhaps acrimonious would be a better word) parting and I miss her. I took the Nakai music as a sign I need to be a "bigger person" and call her. I will do that today. It's "on my list."
My Mom's up early today and she's needs my help so I'll have to cut this short this morning and I'm torn between letting my thoughts flow a little longer and getting up and helping her. She can do things on her own but I know she likes for me to do them for her and I like helping her. I try to spend time in the morning and evening giving her my total attention. We all need that and after all, she IS my Mom. Part of me is berating myself for wanting to sit here but I recognize that little voice IMMEDIATELY (because I AM being mindful!) and know that it is perfectly okay for me to want to be SELFish but I am CHOOSING to do something UNSELFish that is really a good thing for my own SELF. See how that all flows in a circle? I love it! Life is so wonderful, don't you agree!
It IS a great day to be alive. The sun is shining, my little Wizzie is right my feet, beautiful music, much to do today, and an opportunity, right now, to do something nice for someone else!
This is from my trip to Alaska with my brother, Jack, in 2005. What an AWESOME experience that was and yet I know....the best is yet to come! My next big dream is rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Talk about flow...run, River, run! I can't wait. Wishing you a very happy, joyFULL day!
Namaste!
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