Summer and enjoying life's pleasures

A few suggestions from me for the beginning of our summer season:

Make time for yourself today.
Do something that you love.
Connect with nature.
Be thankful for the blessings you have.
Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone.
Remember to share and your joys will be multiplied.
Try to find humor in your life.
Give love sincerely.
Walk barefoot in the sand or grass.
Extend a smile to those you meet.

days, hours, minutes

Right now,  there are not enough hours in the day for me. I want to do it all. I don't understand when people say they are bored. I feel like I am an in a crazy frenzy with so much I want to do, the things I need to do and the whole people, places and more of life.  . . .  I don't want to hurry through any of it, but time is of the essence. Slow deep breath in, slow deep breath out . . .  now, when are the lazy days of summer coming again?

What it takes to get through the day

There are times when we grumble about life's everyday hardships. About the many things we have to do to during the day and how much time it all takes. And then we see something that makes us think about what everyday life might have been for those generations that were here before us. More simple perhaps, but lots of effort to do almost anything.
     I just think how long it took them to get anywhere especially without roads of any kind. When we put life in perspective . . . it often helps us appreciate what we have.

I've got your back

It feels good to know that someone is in your corner and believes in you.

Sometimes

Sometimes I lay awake at night thinking about things and words I'd like to say to someone.

 Then in the morning, I leave it alone.

Good things those long nights sometimes.

An early winter view

My backyard earlier in the season.
I love the blue sky and beginnings of the snow. Remember the excitement of seeing the first snowflakes fall?

Being Away

    Why do we feel the need to apologize for being away from writing on our blogs?

    I don't think anyone expects us to blog everyday. I don't think we signed a contract to write daily. Although when I am in tune with a writer I look forward to seeing what is on their mind and how we connect over a subject matter, or how their words can affect my moods or way of thinking. They often times will embrace my emotions that I am experiencing too. I don't apologize for not visiting their blog for a while. Even though I sometimes feel a little guilty for not commenting or reading some of my favorite authors more frequently.

      Just like in life, it bothers me when I haven't seen or talked with someone for a while and the first thing they do is apologize about it. I have done it myself. This apologizing thing. We get busy with daily life, we have unexpected circumstances come up. We might feel ill or overwhelmed or tired and maybe even lazy. But nothing takes away from the intention of wanting to be with someone.

     I am not going to apologize for life getting busy. I am embracing the chance to read, to talk, to see and to feel the people that make a difference in my life. No more "I'm sorry that  I haven't been in touch. . . " . Why start off in a negative mode? Let's appreciate and acknowledge what's wonderful in life. From now on it will be "I'm so glad that we had this chance to reconnect again".  Positivity begets positivity.

     This is a little story of  two grandmothers.
One of them said to her children, grandchildren and friends everytime they came to visit . . .  "Oh, why don't you come to see me more often? I am lonely and want company. Where have you been? It's been so long since you were here last."
The other grandmother said to her children, grandchildren and friends when they visit . . .  "Oh my, how wonderful that you made the time to visit me. I know how busy you are and I feel so special that you had some time to spend with me! Tell me all about what is going on in your life."

Which grandmother would you make time for?

Going through Life

      At what age in life do we go from being young, attractive and desired; a vibrant person, to becoming a hardly noticed, often overlooked, sometimes dismissed senior?  And what age is a senior?  Is it 40, 55, 62, 70?  Age is irrelavant. I've always thought that old was 10 years older than what I was. It's not a sudden thing although at times it feels like days pass like hours.It's a slow progession this thing called Life. Shadows slowly come over us as rays of light shine on the next generation, flirting and bathing in the wholesomeness of vitality. Youth not understanding all that life still will unfold to them, roads to travel that they never planned on..

From long ago

      As a teenager I used to do my mother's hair. It's been a  long time  now. People really don't do hair anything like this anymore.

      We would go down into the basement. She would sit in a painted celery green chair at a table with a plastic flannel backed tablecloth . (She painted almost everything celery green.  I used to dislike it because there was SO MUCH of it at our house. Of course, now I am drawn to it).      

     She was the hairdressee and I was the hairdresser.
A few times a year we'd do a perm.  I remember that nasty smell.

    Most often we'd do a color, or just a wash and a set. It was a time to bond. Always in the evening. And always just us two.
     I'd shampoo and curl her wet hair in the little pink plastic-snap-together curlers or the steel -colored metal clips if she wanted waves. She would sit under the giant General Electric expanding "bouffant"  cap that looked like it was hooked up to a vacuum cleaner. It blew out hot air. It had a round stwardess looking carrying case and was portable as long as you didn't go farther than the electric cord allowed . You looked like an alien gunslinger.

( To see a picture of the exact same one we had go to
 *****      www.popsucker.net/2008/05/retrophilia_general_electronic)


     After my mom's hair was dry,  out came the curlers and I'd comb her soft hair. No hair products, no spray, no high fashion . Simple and pretty.
     Every Saturday, as soon as I would come home from work, I would do her nails. She would hardly let me get out of my uniform. It had to be right now. Nothing fancy. A soaking, a filing and of course her favorite pale pink chiffon colored laquer. I had to be careful of her right hand forefinger that was mangled in her time as a prisoner of war. I never knew how to make it look pretty. and she always had to touch it up herself.

     And every once in a while, I gave my father a manicure too. I filed his nails and rubbed lots of lotion on his dry construction worker rough hands.

    We have put aside the details of grooming and bonding others, our family and friends. We go to professionals that do a marvelously wonderful job. But in that process we have lost a chance to make a memory with those closest to us. Like animals in the wild, grooming each other is a natural behavior. We'd  have idle time for conversation. To open the heart and speak the mind. Or times of quiet to contemplate a prior disagreement and then a coming around.

     Funny, I never minded doing those things.  I never loved doing them either. It was a part of what we did and who we are.

Welcome the Sun

The morning sun is welcome to enter my home every day. I don't want the sun to have to sneak in through a crack in the drapery forcing its way inside. I put out the welcome mat by leaving my bedroom windows wide open, no blinds, curtains or drapes as covering. Now, it is notable that I am so NOT a morning person. But I love how the sun gently comes calling. Slowly coming over the horizon, sometimes partnered with clouds and sometimes boldly on it's own. The sun's brightness and heat make their way delicately and gently into my room. The sun comes to me as it does all of earth, the birds singing it's daily debut. If the sun doesn't get my attention, it gets brighter, hotter and I find that I cannot ignore it's calling any more. It has an in your face engaging force that is undeniably persuasive.  The sun has given me the invitation to rejoice in the opportunity to live another day.

Kindness of Others

Today my busy day was filled with appointments, errands and checking off my lists (of things to do or get when I'm out) kind of day. A hectic day and I was stressed about all the things I had to do. I decided to get done what I could and let it be. But strangley I began to notice something.
Everyone I made contact with today was especially nice, helpful, polite and friendly. And it was a Monday too.
1-a neighbor making sure my car was okay.
2- a patient at the Dr's waiting room office wishing me well and thanking me for having such a nice conversation with them.
3- the nurse at the Dr's office helping with the paperwork to expedite my time there when it wasn't part of her job.
4- a phone call with a very, very courteous operator.
5- a restaurant waitress taking my carry out order, and forgetting to put my name on the order, and when I picked it up the owner remembered what I usually order ( I only go there once every 4-6 weeks)and brought it out to the car for me.
6- my neighbor (another one) taking my groceries into the house for me.
7- several people holding the door for me. Someone holding the elevator for me.

WOW. Not these many things usually happen in one day. These are little things, but they were all so appreciated. It's great to have acknowledgement that there are so many kind and caring hearts in the world. Today was a wonderful day sponsored by some of God's beautiful children of all ages. It makes me more excited about giving to others.

He stole my heart

     He stole my heart. I think it was the baby blues that seduced me first. We met as strangers on a stairway in the late evening some time ago. I was on an extended trip, leasing a darling little condo on an island. He came by one night, watching me and keeping a safe distance. He was coy and had an engaging personality, a seasoned flirt. His voice teasing me with his repetitive meowing.

     The next night he was back,

KINDNESS

Every gesture, every caring deed . . .  lives on infinitely.

When was the last time you did a random act of kindness?

Appreciating some simple things today

Simple things I am grateful for today:

 . . . The fresh feeling of running my tongue across my just brushed teeth.
. . .  seeing my friend's lips turn into a smile when she sees me unexpectedly.
. . . a sincere and long hug that comes from the heart.
. . . a bite of extra creamy milk chocolate melting in my mouth.
 . . . being able to hear the sounds of baby birds chirping in their nest.
 . . . sitting next to the lake in an old fashioned andironack chair and feeling the serenity of nature.
 . . .  feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin.
 . . . the relief that putting on sunglasses brings to my squinty eyes.
 . . .  having the opportunity to live life another day.
 . . . the comfort in knowing that I am positive and hopeful and have not given up on people.
 . . . seeing a dog that was adpoted from an animal shelter, licking and wagging it's tail with her new family.

Away from Home too Long

        I've been gone from home since Christmas day. And now it's St. Patrick's Day.  I have moments of homesickness that grasp me tightly out of nowhere. Tonight is one of them.   I won't be home again until probably the beginning of May.  I am combining pleasure and a work project.  Sometimes being away from home is exciting, adventurous and necessary.
     But there are moments when I long to be home.  I feel restless, meloncholy and low in energy.  An empty ache inside. 

MAKING LISTS and CROSSING THEM OFF

      Are you a list maker? At one time or another we all make them.
     Think for a minute about the ones that you have made.
     There is the famous and almighty new years resolution list which most people  make but don't adhere to very long. We have our lists of goals to achieve. There are  everyday lists of

Looking at Your Heart

What does your heart look like?
     My heart looks a bit worn and tattered. It's not as bright red, not as perfectly shaped as a young brand new heart. It's been hurt and broken and tested. It's been embraced and pushed away.
It has a bruise here and there. Several lacerations, a few pretty deep. Lots of scuff marks.
     Relationships can change your heart. Loss makes it's mark with a heavy hand. Time changes it. Life can do that to your heart.
     But it is also large and caring. It is capable for much more than what it looks like it can do. It is wiser than before, more resistant, more patient. And forgiving. But most of all it is hopeful and always has room for love. It knows truth and sincerity. It knows kindness.
     Look beyond the heart, look into it, until you see into the heart's very soul. And that is where we grow, we share, we know, we understand. It is where we love unconditionaly. It is where we are all beautiful.
(photo - unknown source)

A Peacock and a Tiger

     Do you ever feel like you don't quite fit in?
     Let me set a sample scenario for you. For instance. a group setting, a relaxing weekend evening, A BBQ, bonfire, balmy skies, with a bit of chill in the air, everyone getting closer to the fire to get warm. First a bit of idle chatter, weather, a little news, introductions and maybe a few drinks, or not. Certainly everyone is friendly, you feel welcome, perhaps you know some or most people, everyone chatting, laughing, seemingly having a great time and you are very much a part of the conversation. And yet for some reason you feel that  you don't quite belong?

The humility of aging gracefully

      Why are we so afraid of getting older? What ever happened to aging gracefully? To be an elegant  and beautiful or handsome mature human and be proud. Why can we not celebrate who we are, what got us here and that we have lived some years of a life already?  What makes you old and undesirable? Does your definition of old age depend on how old you are? Is a wrinkle a defect? Is a scar a badge of honor or a disfigurement? Is grey hair a sign of a withered being or is it a mark of nature and time?  Why do we lie about our ages? Why do we fell like we need to lie about our age? When we are young, we want to be older, when we are older, we want to be younger. 

Eleven Simple Words

Sometimes, there is a line in a movie, or a quote from a book, will touch you in a manner that stays with you and grows within your mind, your heart, your soul. These are eleven words that have touched me. 

"BE happy for this moment, 
 
for THIS moment is your LIFE"