Books

Usually when reading a non-fiction book, I am thrilled to get one or two good ideas out it.  Two good ideas have make the book worth reading.  Three or more make it a stellar read.  

Right now, I am into a book that has made me read it for the second time in just a short time.  I am about half way through the book and I have gotten 44 interesting ideas or reminders of what I need to do or remember or put into practice.  

The name of the book is "Walking Home" by Sonia Choquette.  It is about her pilgrimage experience in walking the Camino.  

My spiritual practice is in "New Thought" so we don't have a long history of anything and certainly it doesn't have the ritual or practice or discipline of something as strenuous as walking the Camino.  Maybe that is why I am getting so much out of her experience.

As she is walking, she is delving into herself and doing some deep soul cleansing and releasing.  Since she has to carry most of her belongings, she noticed how heavy her thoughts were and how heavy her pack was - as she lightened up her thoughts, her pack became lighter.  Interesting correlation.  Some of my thoughts that came up while reading all this is: what is dragging me down?  I need to find my "good way."  Allowing life to fill me with grace and magic.  Enjoy the peace and quiet along the journey. I am not always "right."  Feel nourished by the light and beauty around me. Be gentle with myself.  Find ways to stay good natured about all of the stuff of life.  When situations feel wrong, learn how to walk away from all of it.  Lift the weight of anger, blame, resentment, negative thoughts and dark feelings.  Refuel in nature.  Find time to rest, relax and renew.  Feel gratitude for all of life's experiences.  Stay loose and flexible.  Find the reasons for all of what is going on.  Make it easy.

Join me in finding other books that remind us how to make life more interesting, fun and exciting.

Life is Fleeting

Spoke with a friend recently whose husband was killed in a hit and run accident and we were talking about how we never know what is on our path of experience.  He was there in the morning and gone in the afternoon.  

She told me of the reactions of the family and how everyone had a different opinion as to what was needed and what she should be doing.  He had sat down recently and told her what he wanted which included being cremated with no viewing, mourning, or funeral.  He only wanted a "Celebration of Life" ceremony.  

One of his daughters who lives some distance away insisted she come for a last viewing.  Since that was not what he wanted, my friend said "No, don't come."  

I got to thinking about that and I realized that most of us don't take action on what we should be doing to stay in touch with family or friends.  We wait until it is too late and now I am sure the daughter is angry with my friend and feeling guilty that she didn't get to see her father one more time.

In my spiritual practice, the emphasis is on "now."  Stay in the present moment, now is the time, there is no future - only now.  I think this applies to what is going on around us too.  Now is the time to take action with staying in touch with people.  Now is the time to say what needs to be said.  Now is the time that we take the time to see who needs to be seen.  We need to make that phone call before it is too late.  And we need to tell people we love them rather than not telling them at all.  Or maybe it is just a "thinking of you" card and saying, "hope you are well."  

This simplicity of connection is important and helps us to realize how fleeting life is and it helps us to feel good about ourselves and how we care and connect with the people in our lives.  Who do you need to connect with today, if nothing else, just to say "hello?"

Yuk! People!

Now that I have retired again, I realized that I don't have to be "nice" to people anymore!  In fact, I am thinking about switching sorority chapters because one of our members was the most childish, obnoxious, spoiled brat at our last meeting.  And I got upset because we were all "catering"  and putting up with her nonsense!  

On the way home, I realized that I don't need to put up with this nonsense anymore and I am no longer going to associate with people who are into these kinds of "games" or the manipulations of situations.  

It is no longer my responsibility to correct, to appease or to play the peacemaker in any shape, form or fashion.  

For years, I have sent out Christmas cards and when some of them are returned, I spent hours tracking down the people to get the right address.  No more!  Done.  And done!

When people are rude, behaving badly, or simply in a bad mood, I will excuse myself and take myself out of the situation or at least away from close proximity.  And when asked, I will speak my mind and not "sugar" coat any of it. 

In the process of all of this, I want to be more honest, and am willing to tell my truth.  Agree or not, ask me if I care!  Can you tell? I am so done with people for awhile.  I guess I need some time to cool off, chill out, and let all of my bad feelings disappear.  In the meantime, I would suggest you keep your distance!  

Creating a new story

In the process of creating a new story for myself, I looked at some pictures from my childhood and school years.  As I looked at myself with new, kinder eyes, I was astonished to discover what an extraordinary person I was then, and then, I realized, NOW too.

I made a list of the people who worked at expunging my spirit, and turned them over to God to handle.  I may have come out a bit wounded, but as time went on, I healed into someone perfect, whole and complete just the way I was.  

So many years gone by where I didn't appreciate me, my spirit, my spunk or some of the other qualities I find more then endearing now.  I greatly appreciate my sense of humor and can now laugh at some of the experienced I thought were devastating before.  

My new story now includes a greater sense of faith and more pleasant discoveries and adventures.  As I am still in the process of creating something new and different, I allow this to be the forerunner of the exciting events of this year.  

I invite you to join me in the process.