JUNE 29TH

Our darling daughter was born.

Fist bump my Sweetheart!

Annual Fist Bump Your Friend Day June 28th

Sweetheart and I walk, vacation, eat, call, text, meet up for lunch, laugh, sing, dance, draw, paint, bike, and plan together often.  When we are especially happy with one another we fist bump our hands.

So today, just for fun let's fist bump a friend.  Hey, let's make June 28 every year Fist Pump a Friend Day.  I'm in, are you?

I'm Going to Miss this World When I'm Gone

Tonight sitting on the deck having a salad with my Sweetheart we looked into the deep woods of our backyard and saw a glimpse of white in the distance on a few trees where sunlight had creeped in. There to the left is that lone white birch tree my Sweetheart has loved looking at for so many years. Overhead there are trees that reach up a hundred feet in the cool evening air and to bend your neck back and just absorb all the beauty and fresh air is heavenly.

My best friend is next to me and we talk as always how loving and kind our children are and how loving and kind the mates they have chosen are.

Life is easy as we discuss how to grow our business. Today I listened to Gary Vaynerchuk read on audio book (Crush It) his ideas to develop a business and how much he loves teaching this.  He spoke of how much he and his father are thankful coming from communist Russia to here to have their dream come true.  To have the opportunity to build and own your own business (they love capitalism) is what coming to America meant for them.  They worked hard and they got it.

Grateful. Grateful to be here on earth, especially the USA.
Thankful to have family and children who love one another.
Happy to sit silently on a deck, breathe in cool, fresh air.
At peace having my Sweetheart by my side for this life.
Faithful to each other we sit together making plans.
Like we did 40 years ago.
Enjoying books and technology that connects us to the world beyond our woods.

Yes, I'm going to miss this world when I'm gone.

Are you Doing What you LOVE to Do?

What you love to do is what you have a natural talent to do.  You are so good at doing it that you take it for granted when others tell you are gifted in this thing.  You take it for granted and think I'm not that special who would pay for this talent?  Or other people have done it better before me, another reason WHY NOT TO DO IT.

I have lived this in my life. I loved being a stay-at-home mother. I love my husband. I love to create original artwork.  I love to teach children art.  I love to write to perhaps prevent others from making the same mistakes I have made and I'm brave enough to share in writing without worrying about being judged.  How can I do this?  Because I truly love the human race and see good in everyone if I look closer.  I truly accept me with all my imperfections and that makes it easier to accept others with their imperfections.

I asked my mother once what our heritage is and she said on her side, "We have relatives that came to America on the Mayflower."  I asked Dad who we come from on his side and he answered, "I don't likely know but last I heard we were hatched down by the creek and crawled up here."  He was a jokester.  Never have had a reason to snub my nose at anyone, never understood others who do.  We are all one here and we are meant to live with passion and purpose doing what we love with love.

I write my blog for free because I love that anyone can access this information I have paid dearly to learn by financial and experimental means. Sixty years here, yes I have learned many, many things the hard way and now life is smoother than ever.  I want others to get here younger so they can enjoy their life sooner than I did.  Life is fun, the universe always has your back, and you will find your way to personal success if you are not afraid to step out and try. Try and keep trying until you succeed, you will if you never give up, and in truth sometimes you succeed even in spite of giving up.  😉

Doing what we love, getting paid for it IS living.

The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles shared once again as a reminder by Sandy Gallagher of the Proctor/Gallagher Institute.  Great people those two, Bob Proctor and Sandy.

A Good Woman

Yesterday I went to a high school graduation of a dear friend.  Her family was there as well as her fiance that I had not met.  The family and friends were so peaceful and fun as they danced, played, ate, and shared this event together.  My friend who is younger than me always impressed me when we first worked together years ago because although she had more children than me, as a single parent it was clear she was "happy."  She went about her life working part-time and caring for her children without deep stress.  When she worked, only close family members took care of her kids, she has a big family that like her, believe children need to be protected and that is accomplished best by close family. She told me she loved being a mother. She is a good mother.

Over the years we have stayed in contact and she continues to impress me with all the heartaches and troubles life brings her and her children, yet she stays "cool, calm, and collected" staying the course always believing "all will be well." She has a positive attitude and a beautiful smile.

I have had a much easier life because of the things I have available to me but she has had a smile through hers that took me years to understand and know inside. There is no doubt that I believe once these precious gifts from the universe, the little people, children, arrive they deserve the best chance, the best start in life, the most kindness and unconditional love we all can give.

This woman gives this. She is Christian with no other influence except her mother, her Grandmother, and her great Grandmother who I met at the graduation.  These women can tell tales of confused and bad behaving men they have had in their life and yet they all survived life caring for these precious children.  There is no greater love on this earth than what this family, the children and parents have for each other.  It is clear the all the children love their mother.

It was a wonderful day being with a friend who I remember why I stay in contact every time we visit. She tells me of the challenges and the triumphs she and her children have come through since last our meeting and how she and the children made it through. Never tells of the challenges to get all attention on her or to dominate a conversation, not even to get sympathy, just facts. She is open and honest as is her family.  Open mind, open heart, equals great love for others.  None of these people bother judging another, or raving about politics, they mind their own business believing in God and that all will be well.

Like so few I call close friends, she is valued by me.  Thank you Katrina for a wonderful day and another example of world peace that your family is to me.  Your children are "blessed" to call you mother.
I'm looking forward to your wedding. You are a good woman.😉

Music, I love it! Matt Anderson my newest discovery!

Often I go to YouTube to listen to old songs I love from the 50's and 60's and when I come across a new guitarist and singer that is doing the covers I listen.  Bill Withers, BB King, Vincent Ford, Bob Marley, James Taylor, etc.

Matt Anderson is from Canada and sings with such passion and his vocals are so strong and in tune, powerful.  As a matter of fact I ordered his cd "Second Time Around" stat.  He is a new Joe Cocker sound with his own voice.  The voice is so passionate that I cannot listen to it long, it is overwhelming for me.  Why? Not sure, maybe something to do with my AddHd?  Loud gets to me after a short time.

Plays a Lakewood guitar if you are wondering like us.
Is he new? No he has been around 15 years... his website is www.stubbyfingers.ca/

Check Matt Anderson out on YouTube and see if you like him too.

Does the HD of Add Hd mean "high definition"? That would explain a lot...

Eleanor Roosevelt Knew People Gossiped She was Gay

Eleanor Roosevelt was a person our daughter first brought to my detailed attention when she did a paper on her in high school.  I knew of the Roosevelts of Hyde Park and have been there several times to visit the homes of Val Kill and Springwood Estate with children and friends.  What began as a fascination became a passion to read every book I could find on this unusual marriage and family.  On the surface as on the surface with us there is an outward appearance of respectability and success because of access to wealth and land but like all of us the family had some dysfunctional relationships and unsavory characters.  Yes it makes for an exciting read.  Overall, like most of us the family is good people with good hearts.

I never tire of reading anything surrounding Eleanor, she developed into an independent woman who dedicated her life to public service and her husband's presidency so she and he could have the greatest effect in change for the common good of all Americans.

In her older years she became less afraid of what people thought about her and even enjoyed the gossip her closest secretaries and friends would tell her.  She was instrumental in writing the International Declaration of Human Rights for the United Nations and she meant it to include every race, religion, sexual orientation, and culture of every human being on the planet.  The UN has survived since its foundation however there are those in government that think it is useless and unnecessary but it endures.  How long?  Time will tell.

One of ER investment was in a furniture company and a school, both owned with gay women.  She allowed the gay women to live in her Val Kill home and she enjoyed conversation, play, and business with them.  One journalist Lorena Hicks, openly gay, travelled with ER to report on her many adventures to the press. There are many who said they were lovers and there is a book of letters between the two of them.

ER was a woman of inclusion of all lifestyles and peaceful governments.  She even laughed at the gossip and mystery of her being gay as if this was important at all. It was not. World peace is much bigger than who is sleeping with whom.  Only radical religious people want to condemn and stop such a small matter. Sounds like people are sticking their nose in other people's business again. Focus people focus!

Earn My Freedom

Byron Katie has a website www.thework.com that anyone can download the worksheets and find videos of "How To" fill out the worksheets and relieve your mind of stressful thoughts.  She has an amazing life story that she shares throughout all her books. She was a successful real estate agent that never took a real estate course.  She was wealthy and had everything anyone would want in the USA. Fabulous house, family, personally wealthy, husband and children but she was desperately overweight and depressed.  She tells the story of how anything her mother wanted she bought for her yet she and her children were not invited to family reunions.

She says "the work" found her and because she was open to receiving help she put every thought down on paper and did the work to remove the stressful thoughts from her life.  She spent years putting every single negative thought on paper. Can you imagine this?  Every single negative thought, judgement, uncomfortable feeling, she dug as deep as any human can and because she saw what she did could heal anyone who did "the work" she went on to share her deliverance with the world for free.

Now the other unbelievable thing about Katie is that she had no previous religious teachings, study of the Tao Te Ching or any philosophy study yet she speaks the truth of all of these in her experience that is healing millions around the world today that do "the work."  She says there is no such thing as "enlightenment."  To say one is enlightened and another is not is to cause separation in the world and we are not separate.  The work brings everyone without exception to the realization that we are all the essence of kindness regardless of how confused we may act.  She explains that only a confused mind would ever harm another.

I have listened to her audio books dozens of times and will continue to do so because I learn more and more about me and my negative thoughts. I am working on clarity of thinking because I desire a sound mind.  I have come to see that until I have a sound mind, I will not have a sound body.  I have also learned that all the work I do to rid myself of negative thoughts about others is actually ridding me of negative thoughts about me.

So after studying her "work" for about 2 1/2 years I see that "defence which is the first act of war" belongs on paper.  All war belongs on paper for in writing it on paper I can begin to see the war inside of me.  To achieve inner peace does not mean you passively sit by and let harmful things happen to others or you, actually there are actions to take to put harm to an end.  The action I take, the action you take, may be different but it is the same result, to have world peace.  All war on paper. What a thought!  What an action!

I have met Byron Katie. She is the real deal.  I can have what she has but I have to earn this freedom.  I will do more and more worksheets.  I will have inner peace and I am willing to do the work to be free.  Are you ready to write down every negative thought, negative feeling you have about another person?  It is work, but I believe it is worth the freedom earned through the effort.

Judge Not that You be Not Judged? Are you Crazy? This is a formula for Disaster!

Let's be brief.  You judge every day where you work, where you go, what you wear, what you say, what your "respect" boundaries are, what religion you follow or not, and who you spend your time with.  You better judge these things and pick good influences in all of them or you could end up in bad circumstances.

Yes this means you do judge other people and whether they are good influences or bad.  You have to judge these or you are not safe in this world.  Yes we are kind to everyone but there are bad characters in the world and these bad characters do not have your best interest in mind.  

There are people who would harm you and people that would help you, learn the difference and be wise.

Angry People Do Not Like the Word "NO" from Others

Anger I have a Ph.d in it.  I also saw it was killing me and making me a victim to all the "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts" I thought others "should" live by.  I also got angry when others told me, "No, you should not do that!' or "you can't do that!"  Everywhere I turned, there I was, rightfully living among others who like me had the right to live too, but "the BIG ME" knew better...Others did  not have the right to live without my rules.

After all I am nice, polite, thoughtful, kind, patient, good, and the rules I live by are the best.  What a crock!  My "Big Ego" had to make others wrong some of the time if I was always right.  Years go by, life around me changed and I carved out a safe place to hide my negative thoughts and be comfortable but I knew I was angry inside.  I had severe debilitating migraines and although not easily provoked I had a temper just under the surface.

When I finally tire of automatic negative thinking that could make me physically sick to my stomach and scared of the outside world to the point I would not stand up for myself, I knew I had to change. I could not stand my own mind anymore.  Raised in the Christian church, I studied the Bible for years and got no relief from the scriptures.  What I did come to see through this study was that GOD does not care what anyone calls GOD, as long as something brings you inner peace and gives you motivation to live a life of peace.  In other words all roads of peaceful thinking and living lead to the same entity.  Wow! What a discovery for me there.

Here's one, have you or a family member ever been cut out of your fair share of the will?  That one will eat you up inside if you let it. Long term anger turns to bitterness that rots the inside of you. This can make you angry.

I decided to discipline myself to learn as much as I could about how to control and change my thoughts to be kind every day to everyone without being taken advantage of.  Yes I have been used knowingly and unknowingly and both of these betrayals lead to "anger."

Come to think of it, all roads lead to anger if they don't lead to inner peace.  Which brings me to the word "No" from others.  We do not live in North Korea or Nazi Germany, we live in a country where we can go to a Grateful Dead concert outdoors and drink alcohol and smoke weed without getting arrested.  We live in a country that is trying to make the punishment fit the crime.

So the word "No" that we actually obey has to come from within.  If we do not learn the word "No" from within this will lead to more anger.  Life has boundaries. Death is proof of it.  Addictions are anger pacified. All addictions, negative thinking, obesity, anorexia, working out physically, couch potato, drugs, alcohol, reading, academics, science, etc.  Anything done in excess is an addiction.

The only cure for addictions comes from saying "No" inside of each of us. No one can do this for us. In reality once we understand and take responsibility for our own actions and say "No" to benefit our life, mind, and body, I do believe we can take "No" from others. Honor their boundaries and opinions equal to our own. See when it applies to us and when it only applies  to another.  Some people feel safer with a lot of rules, others do not.

"No more" judging others, "No more" negative thinking, (this one is tricky because no one can see my thoughts) "No more" name calling when I disagree with someone, after all if you do the work with Byron Katie, you will find every name you call another is actually you.  We are one. Namaste.

Next blog, when to judge.

Accept to Manifest is Foundational to Everything Great

How many times do we read stories of tragedies that turn to victories because the human started over from scratch whether it is a disability or an accident to go onto produce their greatest discovery? When will we who do not face dire obstacles stop making excuses that prevent the rest of us from being our best?

These people accepted that the situation was bad and decided to keep living.  They went through the physical therapy necessary.  They had to do things differently because they had no choice, might have lost a limb, an eye, etc.  But with that "no choice" they went beyond to discover another talent, another way to produce an invention, a piece of art, and achieved more than before.

You can find these stories everyday.  So many us without physical disabilities or mental illness or addictions have excuses not to tap into this higher self.  I am among these as well, I do have ADHD and suffered depression my entire life, but instead of letting it kill me, I leaned in to discover how to overcome or at least manage it without pharmaceuticals.

One thing I have learned for sure...first I accepted it.  I admitted there was something wrong with me, and then set out to manage it.  In order to do this I had to forgive people around me who unknowingly labeled me "lazy and stubborn." To call a child this is to make the child believe it. This creates a bad self-image to have to overcome as an adult.  Depression is rampant among ADHD.  I had to accept my weaknesses and find ways to compensate for each one.

In my early forties I was going deaf.  I had hearing aids in both ears by 45 and the audiologist told me I would be totally deaf in 6 years.  I accepted this.  I would laugh and tell people who felt sorry for me, "I've heard enough of others talking my entire life that silence would be welcomed."  I never felt sorry for myself. Later in my fifties a friend asked me to join her at a "laying on of the hands ceremony" with her. She had MS and wanted healing.  I told her I would go but did not really put much stock in the belief.  To my unbelief, after that ceremony, my hearing was restored 4 days later. I cannot explain it.  I am extremely happy to hear again.

Foundational belief I had was total acceptance.  I see this works. Complaining does not. Why me? mentality does not... Acceptance yes!

The Black Bear Visits

Father's Day 2017 began with us sitting in the backyard he, sipping coffee, me, sipping water enjoying the mountain view again.  The air was perfect and with an occasional light breeze it was a perfect morning.  We sat and meditated.  With thankfulness for our children we sat a while.  A sudden breeze made the glass table umbrella blow upward and we jumped to rescue it before it lifted up, up, and away. It has done that before.

The umbrella secure and in the house, we decided to go inside with the three cats to have breakfast.  I opened a can of catfood for the sweeties and went to make my morning protein shake when I turned to the sliding door and there stood a black bear.

I grabbed my phone and got great pictures and a video as the bear looked into the house and meandered around to the garbage and side porch where it turned a 5 gallon water bottle on to the driveway.  The bear nuzzled my porch plant and I thought it might eat it for a snack which is ok with me.  Animals are animals and I'm ok with them doing things that seem natural to them although destructive to humans. Then the bear went out to our green building where the door was left open and it entered.

A police officer showed up to our door 20 minutes later to see if we saw the bear and were concerned. My Sweetheart said, "No, he is our bear. He visits our garbage and moves back into the woods."  Officer said someone called from across the street that saw the bear in our yard.

People.

We Think We Can Put Change Off to Another Day

We feel sick, we feel mad, we feel we should, but we do nothing.  We want to do something different for a career or move to another place but we don't.  To change takes effort and many times we are not sure that it is going to be better on the other side of change so we do not try.  The truth is unless we try to change for a better life we will never know for sure if there is something better out there.  And then there is tomorrow, we can wait for another day but the trouble is we are not going to live forever so we waste time.  Another year goes by, no difference, another year goes by, no effort to make a change, another year goes by and then a decade.  Where did the time go and why am I not further along than I planned?  It takes courage and motivation to make changes.  When the "why" is big enough you make the move.

What's your motivation? You are not getting younger. What do you want?

Yes Yes, Thank You and Good Day

When dealing with negative people in general it is much easier to say "thank you" and good day. Any other conversations lead to more reasons from them, why something will not work or a disagreeable perspective. Life is short spend it with people who have great ideas about the future and how to help the earth and its people.   Expand wisdom with open communication, open hearts.  Be with people that look for solutions not problems.  Happiness among friends is much more fun.

Expect the Best and Prepare for the Worst

No one tells you this when you are growing up or did your parents tell you?  The world is striving to be the best and we sure applaud the winners.  All the athletes in the game of life are working their hardest but we all don't win so what are we?  Just human that's all.  It's so simple.  Yet we are afraid to just be, proving our worth to what? Think about it. I do every day.

I have driven myself to crazy and back trying to figure how to have inner peace. I went to church for years looking for inner peace but I did not find it there. Then one day I blew everything I ever believed about anything out of the water and started over. (Around 28 y o) I became open to learn new different things because the thoughts I was holding onto sure were not working to make me more peaceful. Confusion, anger, migraines, and stress I had it all.

Most of my crazy came from trying to make religious teachings from Christianity fit into reality. Religions judge people and every action outside of what is in writing as wrong.  It does not take many hours of studying the book before you see this. And I spent 14 years studying in depth until my eyes of understanding were open and I saw that God, the universe, never judges us evil, this is made up in the mind of superstition.

I am a non-fiction reader. I prefer reality and history over fictitious thinking.  Thank goodness! Science makes sense to me.  What if science and religious beliefs are the same thing?  No division. What if life is just as it is?  And when bad things happen, why not you and me?  Every one of us has bad things happen and good things happen. We use our critical thinking skills to decide how to handle each situation. Probably why Buddhism resonated more with me, it speaks plainly concerning human actions and consequences.  This I can understand.

Still when I could not figure some things out I accepted it is what it is and pretty much let it go.  In time answers came to me and I acted on these.  Now at 60 I can say, life is not normal, it is just life and we all are plugging through the best we can.  How different would my life have been if I had been taught as a child that life is wonderful, expect the best and prepare for the worst, it is a lovely ride.

No big surprises, just life, Relax all will come in due time, right on time. No more stress, it can kill you or at least make you sick and I don't need any of that, who does?  Grateful to say migraines are gone, anger much more controlled by me thanks to Byron Katie and the work she teaches. Learning more every day. Chillax...

Oprah knows it, Gandhi knew it, Dalai Lama knows it, Mandela knew it, Jesus taught it...

Only you can change your attitude to one of gratitude and watch, waiting patiently, in time your entire life will open to windows of opportunity for you. This is a great discovery. Once we do this one thing watch how colorful our future becomes.

My life changed completely for the better once I became open to change and took action on the ideas.

Short Term Anger is a Wake Up to Do Something Call

Yesterday I wrote about long term extremist thoughts being wrong. To clarify, I mean when any of us think we have "the only way" to a solution it becomes a place of anxiety and division.  This way may be the "only way for me" but it is not the only way to accomplish everything for everybody.  We all are so very different in our experiences and perspectives.

There is a way to unity. It is to understand short term anger is a call to take action to make things better if you think it is needed, but to hold on to anger over days, years, decades, is to destroy a mind.
We are not meant to fight and kill one another down here over a difference of race, religion, politics, or sex.  We are built to find the harmony among us and live it.

Well-meaning people that cause division, example: Someone may see a bad situation and see the exact opposite as being the answer but in truth.  That one way is a personal to the person, (And may possibly be the quickest way to remedy a bad situation) but to enforce that on everyone in the name of having the only right way is destructive in itself.  It causes arguments and division. The best way to be a positive influence on others is to live your truth and see if others want to join in. Education is key in this.

When others see you are happy and content, they notice.  If others see you living a stress free happy life you will be asked "How do you do it?"

Then and only then can you share your "How to..." and maybe, just maybe another will join you by their choice not by your force.

Recently a friend told me of a very well-meaning person trying to convince him of her way being the only way, the right way...but my friend said,"Take one look at her face and see the anger and rage in it, no thanks, I don't want what she's selling." (Which was enough for my friend, to not want to get involved with the cause.)

No one likes to be told what to do once we learn to think for our self as adults.

You Can Waste Decades Trying to Figure This Out Like I Did or Learn This Today, Always your Choice...

This world is full of religious righteousness, prejudices, racism, jealousies, greed, and class consciousness.  We all experience it at some point and we either despise it or become a part of it. Most of this is learned behavior but there is an element from DNA that makes us susceptible to the disease of the mind as well as the body.

Now it is our turn, our life, our mind, to change the harmful thoughts and fertilize the kind thoughts.

Here is what I know for sure, every thought that leads to an extremist long term hatred, extremist long term violence, extremist long term separation, extremist hateful action, that takes advantage of another's life or takes away their freedom to live and choose their peaceful life is the wrong path to follow. Even in the best of intentions. (This includes overly protective actions of well-meaning people)

This is your life.  You choose every waking moment what you think and then act on it. The thoughts that are kind would not harm or try to control another.  The thoughts that are confident make us able to listen to a differing thought from another without being persuaded to do harm.  We don't have to be alike in every way to live in peace.  We do have to zero in on what is peaceful and kind and promote more of that and less of the other.

There are many roads to the top of the same mountain.

If We are Not Careful We will Miss the Beauty

There is a view of the mountains out our back yard that is so serene that I make a point every day to stop and breathe it in.  I start most days when home, with a cup of tea and a sit in the yard to get peaceful before starting the day.

For years we have watched a tree with a branch that obstructed the view a little. Now 25 years later it can obstruct the view a bit more. We have planned for years to cut that branch off before it totally blocks out the mountains but we have not.

Today I sat out back watching a cat play with a mouse and asked my Sweetheart to come out and enjoy nature before he too moves on with his day.  He grabbed his coffee and joined me. Upon sitting he noticed the tree branch lowering its head even further and again said the same old thing. “We need to cut that branch off so we can see better.” 

Today I said, “We know Sweetheart that branch is in the way, but do you think we could look past that thought and just see the beauty here now? Could we not mention it every time we come out here until we cut it down?”

He replied, “You’re right.”

He translated this to mean, “You know this reminds me...we need to keep our eyes on the bigger picture of life, and not get caught up in a few branches in the way. We know they are there and when we can we will remove them but until then, enjoy the view.”

Today May Be the Best Day of My Life

Who can say? How can I know? Today may be the last for all I know, so today may be the best day of my life.  Sweetheart and I studied some Bob Proctor principles of how to break a bad habit.  Good break down to simple steps, thank you Bob.  Ate breakfast, bought and delivered a flower to a sick friend.

Sent out cards to loved ones.  Replaced elastic cords on zero gravity lounge chairs, touched up with black paint, ready for summertime tanning. Cleaned out rock garden, well almost, came across a garden snake sleeping curled, so left that for another day, don't want to disturb the dear little thing.

Cleaned up garbage, the black bear is back.  Plucked weeds and trees out of walkways and on to the storage house to take up walkway to level and replace for a straight walkway. Listened to Ted Talk while working.

The talk today was a 61 y o writer who made a list of all the things she knows to be true.  Agree with most of them but have hesitation on a few religious restrictions she likes.  But it works for her and that is the touchstone of her peaceful mind.  She sounds like a dear person.

The walkways remind me of our third child, he laid them down for me with leftover bricks from another project. He is so clever, and the walkways are so nice.  I pause to rest and look out at the mountains over the river and thank the universe for a peaceful life.

My sweetheart and I walk up and down the driveway for a little exercise as we hold hands and think of the years we have loved one another.  We wish all couples could love each other and live in peace with each other.  It is a beautiful day, a simple day, today may be the best day of my life.

Nelson Mandela Found the Key to His Prison

How can we walk out the door to our own freedom everyday? Same way, control our thoughts.

Amazing man and story. Thank you Nelson for your life's example.

Are We Watering the Seeds of Anger?

The humans that fight for animal rights and vegan eating have petitions to sign of the abuse noted in any country concerning the removal of traditions or rituals that harm or potentially harm animals.  These petitions alert naïve Americans to practices foreign to our culture.  Some of these are so absurd it is hard to believe humans anywhere accept and perform such abuse. So we sign petitions.  The follow up on the outcomes sometimes does help stop the abuse. Thankful for that.

The line between abuses of animals seems crystal clear to us who know certain acts are violent and harmful. 

How is it that the line is not crystal clear to the minds of Americans when it comes to abuse of artistic freedom?

Did You Know "Beauty and the Beast" has a Real Love Story Behind it?

Did not know that the writers of the music in Little Shop of Horrors movie, which I am not a fan, wrote the music for the animated Disney version of "Beauty and the Beast" which is a movie I love. Talent is talent.

Spent the afternoon watching the new "Beauty and the Beast" with Dan Stevens and Emma Watson watching the special features with a round table read.  What a process and what amazing talent to act and sing.  Of course all the people in the new movie come from musical backgrounds on stage whether it was USA Broadway or London stage.

To be surrounded by talented actors, writers, directors, focusing on the script and production at hand must be a wonderful experience.  No monkeys, no circuses, just discipline to make the best performance possible.  And this film was a classic.  It will be around for a long time.

Something of interest to anyone about the movie story line...It came from a day when royals tried to outdo other royals by giving unusual gifts to one another.  It would seem to be able to give an animal or mineral never seen before or a human that had a special talent, to another royal in another country became a game of one upmanship.

One king knew of a family that had "hypertrichosis" or abnormal hair growth all over the body especially the face. He took 10 y o Don Pieto from his family and presented him as a gift to Henry II.  At first he was put in a cage and paraded around the court for all to marvel at and many thought he was a half man, half, ape.

When he grew older there was a woman who took care of this "animal man" basic needs and in time they became friends..  Eventually the two married.  He and his children became members of the court and were educated and dressed in royal finery to perform for guests or just as a curiosity for all to see. He recited poetry or told stories for entertainment.

There is much more to the story and how life ended for the family however I will leave that for you to discover.  The premise is the making of this beloved movie today, "Beauty and the Beast."

This condition is also thought to be the beginning of the werewolf story.

This is a picture of the actual "Beauty and the Beast" couple.

And When the Day Makes For Confusion Go into this Mode...

Today as I happily sang along to Stevie Nicks and enjoyed the ride in rainy weather thankful for the wonderful life I have I return to find a real problem at work that I have no control over or participation in and think...

We (Sweetheart and I) need our online business more than ever.  So I patiently wait, keeping a positive outlook as I continue to build the business of our dreams.  Write another blog and work on my first book, knowing all is well, all will be well, and patience is key to the outcome.

Sending white light of healing to all involved helps me keep thoughts in line with kindness.  Yes the mind has a tendency to go to the negative and so I study www.thework.com with Byron Katie as I drive.  Watch nature videos, remembering to stay grateful.

Reminding myself, "Do not get caught up in the web others weave to make life less than fun. How? Control my own thoughts and the mode is "Grateful."

Your Invisible Power

Is your ability to control your mind and the words you speak.  Here is a BIG tip, I learned, if you tend to be angered easily and you do not like the results of it.  Men typically yell and get loud, some women do too, or others get quiet and frustrated, thinking they have no power or think what's the use?

Both are victim personality traits.  When you take responsibility for your thoughts, actions, and words you can become peaceful.  You become in control and powerful, you can move mountains. You know when and what to speak.

A practice to get in control of your anger and emotions...

Easier to control yourself when you are elated, so control it.  Instead of jumping up and down, screaming with excitement, slow down.  You can be enthusiastic and happy without showing lots of demonstrative actions and sounds.  If you can slow down when you are excited, you can learn to slow down when you are frightened or angry.

Doubt it? Try it for 6 months to a year and see if you do become much more in control of your mind.

It works.  Accept good things happening as if it is expected every day of your life and when bad things happen you will not sink so low as to be depressed.  Your calm mind will be solution oriented and work to solve problems much faster. This takes work and I am working on it now.

More problems are solved in peaceful conversation. Anger and yelling does not solve anything, it festers resentment.  Let's move towards world peace. If it is to be, it must begin with me.  Namaste.

Men and Religion Are not The Problem...

The problem is extremist opinions that want to control others to be like them.  Whenever there are extremist who believe their way is the only "right" way, this will blind them to listening with openness to another's different point of view.  Unity would result if acceptance of different approaches to achieve the same goal were discussed.

Many people I love have been helped by religion.  Religion is not for me but many good, good, people love their religion.  I accept this.  Men are wonderful in their nature to protect and provide. This world would be total chaos without both female and male input.  Being the best friend with my husband has come from years of talking and understanding his viewpoint, which I have disagreed with many, many times, however he is a good man.  I accept him as he is and he is my biggest supporter.

Celebrities got to be celebrities because they broke the mold and went for the brass ring and got it!  I salute you and enjoy the talent you share with the world.  There is a line of civility and respect that average people hold that maintains a peaceful existence between us all. Celebrities would do well to consider this before inciting more violence and division with words, actions, or pictures.  Whenever I strongly disagree with another I have learned to look within to see what of this resides in me and how I can rid my mind of it to become more peaceful. If peace is to be, it begins with me.  Namaste.

Agreeing to Disagree and Remain Kind to One Another

This one thing would change the world as long as any form of violence was not an option.

God is Reality

If You Are Patient the Answer WIll Come and You Must Speak

Many times in life we think we have to have the answer now. But we don't. As a matter of fact when we don't have the answer it is best to wait.  In time the clouds will fade and the universe will point the way. To have inner peace is to have the patience to wait.  A very wise move.

Recently I had a situation that others knew the answer for me.  Inside, I knew it was not for me. Once I exhausted my own ideas, I waited.  The answer did come, an unexpected opportunity arose.  I took it.  Key is to move when the opportunity opens.  Stand up for yourself, use your voice. All will be well but not if you don't make a move.  When you know in your heart you are right, you must speak.

I Knew An Older Lady who Spoke Her Mind Every Time

I knew an old lady, (93 y o) who was good. She claimed to be “Black Protestant!”  She lived well and she loved her husband dear for many years.  They were not able to have children and she was a foster mom for years. She said she was so disappointed that the children she took into her home, left and never contacted her again.

Her husband and she always had a successful business. They had a butcher shop that my parents-in-law frequented for years before she and her husband moved away.  The friendship between my parents-in-law and the two continued.  Every year each couple agreed to meet, and go out to a restaurant to treat the other couple to an anniversary dinner.  They did this for years.

One day I met her and her husband at my in-laws house, they were going out on the yearly dinner date. She made me laugh with her brutal honesty, strict religious views, and open opinions.  She was stern but I like a woman with a back bone.  A few years later her husband dies and I go to her home in Saratoga for a visit. She and I become friends.  As she aged I became her POA and helped her enter a nursing home where I visited her weekly and bought her clothes, etc.

I remember she and I went to a Bed and Breakfast in Vermont one weekend. It happened to be a weekend that a group of surgeons gather on their annual ski trip. When these docs saw her in a wheelchair, they all ran to her side and pushed her wheelchair to the table and enquired if they could help her.  She loved the attention.  I left her in the center of these men as she flirted with each of them calling them “dears” while she ate her dinner.  She was priceless. In her element being the center of male attention.  She like me, loved men.

The greatest lesson she taught me was this.  She said, “You Know the difference between me and you? Being older, I don’t give a darn, I’ll say what I say no matter who is listening.”  She knew who she was, she knew what she stood for, she believed in herself, and she loved her husband.

I loved Ms. Bea.