Service

Wayne Dyer has transitioned. So has Oliver Sacks. So has Wes Craven. All the same
weekend.

Life is short, life is fragile. I am the kind of person who finds herself often helping
others resolve situations that have little or nothing to do with me. Every so often, I
feel resentful because there are plenty of ways I would prefer to spend my time than to
go through piles of junk mail to see what to keep, what to throw out, which is something
that happens whenever I arrive at my parents’ home when they are away…but then I remember
that I believe we are all here to serve and in this tiny way, I can serve them.

Laughing despite it all!

Last night I went out with friends, close friends, friends who have known me for
more than forty years (boy we’re old!!!). It is incredible, the three of us are
having serious issues of some kind and yet, we were able to get together for dinner,
dessert and incredible laughter. So much laughter that my throat is sore but in a
good way.

It is amazing what laughing out loud, with one’s whole body and soul can do for the
spirit and can achieve in terms of being able to face just another day.

I am blessed to have such people in my life.

A new week!

I hope I didn’t make a mistake…I love muffins and I just finished eating
a delicious cranberry/orange muffin that was heavenly. I don’t get the
chance to do that often since I am not usually in the area where they bake
these items. I am visiting and couldn’t resist, I just hope my body does not
react to the ‘gluten’ as in the past. In the meantime, I will enjoy the memory
of what it tasted like.

My conscious decision in 1998 to move our family out of the city was very necessary
at the time. I could feel what the traffic, population, air quality, cement etc
were doing to my mood and I felt I could be a better mother in a different environment.
I don’t know whether I was a ‘better mother’ and I will never have a chance to figure
that one out because I can’t relive the experience in the city, but now my children
are adults, working or finishing up college and they decided to move back to the
city (can’t blame them, they are young) and when I visit I get to gauge how life
has become for them. I can see that my son is becoming cranky and while I can
appreciate that he has a lot going on in his life, I can also see that the lack of
green spaces (which he never appreciated before) are beginning to take their toll.
He is working, has a steady girlfriend and that part of his life is very stable.
I just hope he can work some things out in his mind so that the rest of the people
in his life (whom he loves and trusts) are not the ones who are on the receiving end
of his venting.

I have to really step up my commitment to the writing part of my life. I realize even
as I do it that I procrastinate by devoting time to weeding outside, to deal with the
tons of junk mail that is delivered on a daily basis. To just deal with the many
routines (recycling, clearing debris, housework, decluttering) that are not mine when
I am not here.

Still I am mostly a joyful person who appreciates life and sees value in all the things
that I do.

What a difference a few days make!

Wow, I feel like a completely different person. After eating and drinking normally
and keeping it simple, I am back to my energetic self.

It is really amazing how quickly we can get into a bad cycle of eating and drinking and
spoiling all the progress that had taken so long to make. As I age, I realize that the
candy, cookies, chips and booze will always be there, there is really no sense in trying
to eat and drink it all in one day!

Moderation, moderation, moderation!

Proper nutrition and hydration

I am traveling for a few weeks and it has taken me a full day to feel like myself.
It is amazing how the body really does react to proper eating and drinking and its
opposite. On the airplane, I tried to keep myself hydrated but I did have a glass
of red wine which I hadn’t had in a few months…the next day, I woke up and my
left thumb felt uncomfortable. Indeed it was a bit swollen and I knew that proper
eating with lots of good, clean water would soon remedy that situation.

I am very averse to taking medication of any kind but I admit that allergy pills
come in handy when I am in an environment that has lots of toxins as I am right now
in one of the largest and busiest and dirtiest cities in the world. I have lots
of energy which is a good thing because I have a lot to do which includes having
lots of fun with my children!

Action is what counts

I think about writing in this blog every single morning! Alas real life gets in
the way and I can see by the haphazard manner of dates in previous postings that my
intention to write HERE every day has not been followed through.

In the words of Wayne Dyers “excuses begone” needs to be my motto for the rest of
the month. I will not be so concerned about content or depth of thought, just sit in
chair and get a few sentences out. Goodness knows the writing itself does not come
easy but not getting into a chair and beginning is the worst sin of all.

I fancy myself a writer, a collector of stories (short and long) that will one day
appear in book form (whether in print or e-book, I’m not sure!). Then I think about
the illustrations I would like to grace the pages of said book and I begin to think that
I cannot delegate that task to another, thus must learn to illustrate on my own. Then
I laugh at myself for my total lack of ‘reality checking’…with what free time, pray
tell, will I learn to illustrate!?

A gorgeous Sunday

It’s a gorgeous Sunday in my little town, but I can smell burning from somewhere
nearby and that always makes me sad because it is not only harmful to the environment,
it permeates all the spaces in my home and creates tension within me.

For today, I will accept that Sundays, a day of rest and relaxation for me, is perhaps
the only opportunity people have to dispose of their garbage and lacking other modern
contraptions (like proper garbage cans!), they opt for burning things.  So far it is only
the smell of wood or leaves burning, not the dangerous and really offensive smell of
burning plastic and other toxins.

In spite of this minor annoyance, I intend to have a great day!

The muse

It’s funny how every morning I have a muse and then it vanishes when
the day’s duties face me! I am a generally happy person but every once
in a while I wish a fairy would come to my home and garden and take care
of all the time consuming tasks that have to be done (weeding, dusting, etc.)
in order for everything to look spiffy!

I walked my property today for the first time in many months. The coffee
plants are suffering because of a lack of rain but even more startling was
to see how everything is looking miserable because the “master’s” eyes have
not been following progress (or lack thereof) in the field. It is time to
suspend some activities and take up others. I feel energized right now and
hopefully that energy will translate into being able to communicate my needs
to the gardeners we employ and pay!

Staying the course!

I am determined that this will be a good week.

I am getting over a rather severe heat rash in an uncomfortable part of
my body and which has no doubt been exacerbated by stress. I do believe
in the power of suggestion and my mind is oftentimes gripped in the
tentacles of hipochondria. After realizing that only time will heal
the rash completely, I am trying to relax and turn my attention to the
many other things I have to do.

My nutrition has been set back in the last 10 days or so but I am confident
I can get back on track soon.

August 2nd!

A new month is already in its second day! It is unbelievable how quickly
the days pass and I am glad that I can look back at what the year has been
and can see places where I have grown and measure some progress.

For today, I will live the day and enjoy the fruits of the labor I have
undertaken in the week.

Sunday is a day of rest and today, I will honor that.