Life is like the weather ....

Most of the United States is experiencing wild temperature swings and irregular weather. It is not unusual for there to be days on end of freezing temps, snow and then rain, followed by unseasonably warm days. Where I live, 40 degree temperature swings are becoming customary during this winter season.

For several reasons, I am a sensitive sort, tending towards melancholy, which can be quite debilitating. 

There was a string of gray, overcast, pouring-down-rain days a little while ago and I was literally forcing myself to get out of the cocoon of my bed. Sleeping is my escape of choice when the world appears to be harsh. While not an optimum 'choice' of 'lifestyle', I can think of worse escapes.

Lightning Sequence

Eventually the weather changed to bright, sunny, mild days upon days. I spent many fortunate afternoons walking about in this beauty - the birds were singing (a little early for the Cardinals' mating songs, but they were singing their hearts out and it was splendid), a few trees were budding out, there was abundant greenery and blue skies galore.

 The thought occurred to me that the ups and downs of life are like the weather. Now, this is not the most profound thought, but for some reason it struck a deep and resounding chord inside my spirit.

When the glorious days of sun and beauty appear, I need to enjoy them to the fullest! No time like the present, as my beloved Dad used to remind me.

When life seems overwhelming or problems appear to close in, I should simply wait .... either circumstances or my attitude will change.

I still maintain that most of the time, things 'go right', but most humans only seem to notice when things 'go wrong'.

Here is to change and being grateful for the good times! I need to be grateful for the bad times as well. Strife tests my strength, teaches me courage and provides a dramatic contrast for the abundance of good in my life.

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia

The Winter Solstice

I want to take this opportunity to send each and every one of you best wishes for the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, and therefore the longest night in the Western world. 

Perennially, winter is the time of year that our homes are strewn with strands of glittering lights, candles, tinsel and evergreen branches or trees.
This cheery tradition originates in a time lost through the ages.
Light and darkness ultimately represent the cycle of life and death. All things in nature have a rest period, a dormancy, sleep, rest, a 'death', so that the circle of life remains unbroken.

On the night of the Winter Solstice, December 21st, we light our candles as a reminder of the presence of light even in darkness.

Yule Candles

May you have a festive Yule, a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, joyous Holidays and a winter season filled with the warmth of love, the wisdom of truth and life-affirming beauty.

Happy Birthday, Keith Richards!

....and Happy Anniversary! 

Patti Hansen and Keith Richards

Thank you, Keith, for making the most of a thoroughly misspent youth (except the boy scouts).

Congratulations on pulling off many seemingly impossible feats.
We love you.

Tell Patti that we love her too!

In Honor of my Dad and Pearl Harbor

 Or, how I came to be born in southern Indiana .....

 

The P-47

Attitude Adjustment

When my alarm sounded yesterday, I was greeted by a drizzly, bleak Monday. 

My very first thought of the day was "ugh", which was immediately followed by a mental 'to do' list that made me not want to get out of bed.

As cranky, wrong-minded thinking took over my mind, I was reminded that at the precise moment of my alarm's sounding, a woman I know was making her way to chemotherapy.

Inspiration

I closed my eyes and imagined that I was facing Stage IV cancer, radiation, chemotherapy and all of the attendant suffering.

My small, unnecessary grumblings became miniscule trifles in an instant.

May I continue to be mindful of others. 

May I know compassion. 

May I always hold gratitude in my heart.

May I never take for granted the embarrassment of riches and blessings that have literally fallen into my lap. 

May I always be of service to others.

Thank YOU for reading.

Is Twitch and Grind the New Twist and Shout?

I had a true Epiphany the other day! Well, make that one partial Epiphany ... after days of waking up with a miserable pounding in my head, sore jaws and teeth, I reached for the phone. I was about to place a call to my wonderful, incredible dentist for a prescription of muscle relaxers, when - light bulb moment - I realized that I make this very same call, at the very same time, every single year.

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia

The nocturnal teeth clenching and grinding occur every year at the start of the holiday season. Which, I might add, begins earlier and earlier....ggggrrrrrrrr

Retailers trot out the Christmas stock displays the day after Halloween.

I am so over "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" and all of the commercialism that has ruined my true enjoyment of a pleasant annual wrap-up.

Most of us have so much "stuff" that we do not even know how to begin to feel true gratitude.

Take Thanksgiving: the mainstream American stuffs their body more than the gigantic turkey that weighs the dining table down to a groaning board. Then, "the day after" - or now, the "night of" Thanksgiving, people rush around like lunatics buying junk they simply do not need.

No wonder I clench my teeth!

This year, my classic bruxism was accompanied by the great eye twitch which went on and on for over 4 weeks. Folks, that is darned near a record for me - and I am no stranger to "the twitch".

I do not know why the holiday season brings out so much anxiety in me. Perhaps it is an internal command to be Happy! Be in love! Have lots of Stuff! 

I do not know. 

I do know that I do not like to be forced into doing anything. 

The beautiful holidays of my childhood have collapsed into heaps of stuff and debt ... gifts seem to be bought not out of love, but necessity or duty or force or guilt.

Hmm .... now I may be getting somewhere. Guilt, eh? 

Well, after all, I was raised Catholic!

Twitch. Clench. Grind.

Fall Back! Time is Money

When I was in high school, the proprietor of the bookstore, Brother Eugene, prominently displayed a clock inscribed with these words: "TIME IS MONEY".

Brother Eugene taught me many things, not least of which was the lesson of "TIME IS MONEY". He also taught me the extremely important life skills of how to organize and prioritize my time.

Gentle Reader, this life is s-h-o-r-t. I have been acutely aware of this fact as long as my memory.

I entered a profession where my value was billed by the MINUTE. This billing practice simply added to my respect of time. 

It prompted me to wonder why many artists do not price their time when it comes to selling their work.

I have learned that TIME IS MONEY should really be written:

TIME IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY.

Any person who has suffered loss can attest to this truth, be it loss of a loved one, loss of youth, loss of health, loss of money, loss of practically anything. Physical loss may be felt more acutely later in life when one realizes that death is closer than birth.

Given that our time in this life is limited, why is it then, that no person is immune to the luxury of wasting time with anger, regret, fear, depression, envy ______________ fill in the blank? 

I console myself with the fact that at least I have become aware my own wasteful foolishness. I took time for granted and it taught me an unforgettable lesson.

I have a lifelong friend who is suffering from ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a disabling condition that no amount of money can remedy, cure, fix, resolve or ease. Bedridden for about two years now, my dear friend is positive and optimistic, despite his non-ambulatory condition and attendant suffering.
What is time like for him?

A clue can be had by the parting words that he spoke to me at the end of our last visit:

"There is never enough time". 

Truer words were never spoken.

TIME IS WORTH MORE THAN MONEY

 Image courtesy of Wikipedia