Gratitude

This time of year always reminds me how blessed my life is and how wonderful it is to enjoy the standard of living that surrounds me.  One of the major influences I have had in my life early were books. 

Having been raised as an only child (my sister above me is nine years older and my oldest brother is twenty years older), the only friends I had growing up were books and my imagination.  So, I used books to communicate, to teach, to carry me away to wonderful places to meet wonderful people. 

Today, my favorite leisure time experience is curling up with a good book and it doesn’t matter if it is fiction or not.  My idea of a great vacation is, plopping down on a chaise lounge with a good book, and someone fairly young with just a few clothes serving me cool drinks as needed. 

When I look around my office, my walls are lined with bookcases and are filled with the experiences of people who were compelled to enlighten me with their wisdom in their books.  I find it to be an interesting area of thought to be able to put common sense into readable communication because common sense is not so common these days.

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am so grateful to all of the authors who had the courage to publish, who gave so much of themselves in print, to teach me what I am today.  When I look around the world I have created for myself, I am infinitely grateful to be so blessed. 

Allow the Great Substance of the Universe to be your expression and experience of life today.

Hotels

Having just spent a week at a plush hotel in Las Vegas, I had forgotten what it was like living with thousands of people all moving in their own worlds like they were living at home. 

I was stunned at the amount of doors that were slammed throughout the hotel at all hours of the day or night.  I realized that living behind closed doors amounted to being at home alone if one choose to do that. 

Once out of the room, everything changed.  The rules of etiquette and just good manners were lost.  I was again stunned at the rudeness, impatience and people just cutting in line like they were the only ones in the universe. 

I first encountered the line cutting in the sumptuous buffet that was offered at all hours of the day or night.  I was incredibly surprised at the quality of food available upon demand and in quantities that meant that there was more than enough for all no matter how many times you wanted to get more. 

I had heard my former husband refer to a “rube” but had never quite experienced what it meant first hand until Las Vegas.  I watched this man charge through the place, often just reaching in front of others without regard to courtesy or manners.  And I watched as many were so stunned by the actions, they didn’t say anything to him.  I am not sure what I would have said either.

For the rest of my stay, every time I was awakened by a door slamming shut, I just figured it was the rube.  Apparently, there were a lot of them staying on the same floor as I was.

Courage

During the time of my former husband’s, illness, I found a metal cutout of the word courage at one of the hobby stores.  I bought it thinking this was a good word for me and I placed it on my desk to see it often.

Little did I know at the time that I would need the reminder of courage as life continued for me.

Another note I have on my desk reads, “Write a happy ending to your story.”  I realized today that I needed to write a happy ending to every one of my days, weeks, months and years.  In order to write a happy ending, there needs to be activity and usually, it mean, “new” activity. 

It takes courage to have a daily event of new activity of any kind.  It takes courage to step out of a comfort zone and allow something new and different to be presented.  It takes courage to be positive about how wonderful life is and all that it means. 

Maybe courage is really a gift of grace - gift of possibility and greater rewards.  Courage isn’t needed when one is in a comfort zone.  But it is needed just to think about something new and different. 

The beauty of something new and different is that the reward of having the courage to step out results in fascinating and equally wondrous results.  I have discovered that the greater the risk, the greater the result. 

Writing a happy ending to “a” story is as easy now as imagining the biggest, greatest, most outrageous way that life can show up for me.  I want all of the benefits that life has including fun, easy ways, peace, love, and money. 

How much fun would it be to have all of our dreams fulfilled?

How We Influence Each Other

At the Asilomar Conference Center, located on the Pacific Rim in California, while attending a religious gathering, I remember having had a meal with a colleague and she introduced me to the wonders of a fountain pen for writing.  Rev. Jennie was using a Waterman Fountain Pen. 

I don’t remember how many years ago that has been but what reminded me of that experience is that I am still using my original Waterman I bought shortly after using her pen. 

Actually, I consider my Waterman “just broken in.”  It writes beautifully with a very smooth nib on all kinds of surfaces.  I didn’t know that the more you use the nib, the better it gets as it “gets” use to the way you write and the pressure you use, etc.

Since that time, I have learned how to turn my own pens.  What I really wanted was a Mont Blanc pen, but couldn’t afford it, so learned how to make my own as I could easily afford a “Cindy Flor.” 

Using what I have created is an experience in itself and wanted to give credit to Jennie for creating a new path for me in not only writing, but also journal writing all these years.  Now, I buy inks from all over and when the mood hits, I mix and match different shades to be able to experience more of what I have. 

Since that time, I received a Mont Blanc as a gift.  The joy of journal writing now is choosing which pen, what color ink, and not playing favorites with my collection of fountain pens. 

Thanks, Jennie, for opening a whole new experience for me.  I love my pen collection and the luxury of choice every day when I sit down to write. 

Allow Everything

Two quotes had me in a quandary this last week.  The first is from Ernest Holmes in which he tells us, “Just keep right on knocking at the doorway of your consciousness until every “no” becomes a “yes,” every negation an affirmation, every fear a faith.  You cannot fail if you remain steadfast.” 

Somewhere I read that life is a gift.  So, by saying “yes” to everything that shows up in our lives is accepting the gift in a greater, grander way.  No matter what happens, it is a gift. 

I didn’t reach a goal that I wanted this week and was very disappointed and have to really recoup from hearing three “no’s” to something that I think is really wonderful – the biggest advantage of it is to save money and have the product delivered to the front door.  Who wouldn’t want to save money?  I couldn’t get my mind wrapped around that? 

The sad thing about it is that I know the people were lying to me about the reasons for not buying from me.  That is another thing I couldn’t get wrapped in my head – why lie about something so insignificant.  Imagine the cause and effect set up around that?

What was the gift in the people saying “no?”  Well, had they consented, I would have had to work with them.  Now, I don’t.  Maybe in the wisdom of the Infinite, it saved me from some huge problems later on. 

The other quote is from Alan Cohen, who, says, “Denying the body is another from of indulging it.  What you fight, you empower.  What you allow, you release.”  The importance of that quote is the allow/release part.  Make it all okay and it is easier to accept, think about, and for me to “get my head wrapped” around a concept in order to let it go for the highest and best – usually for me.  Which tells me that I need to allow and release for the highest and best to all I come in contact with too. 

Okay, allow and release with ease.  Got it!

Writer's Block

This has been the week for having “nothing” to write about.  Nothing seems to be interesting to me this week.  I know that there is a lot going on, but not worth writing about.  This is one of the reasons why I am not on Facebook – the endless minutia of boring lives.

What I find fascinating is the process of writer’s block.  There are times when I am writing that I can’t keep my fingers flying fast enough across the keys to keep up with what is going on in my head.

The lesson for me is to write when I have the ideas and not, when I don’t.  Seems simple.  But somehow I don’t follow the lesson.  In other words, I don’t use what I know.

I am finding this to be more prevalent as time marches on.  It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just not worth doing.  And I am finding that trend to be with some of my clients too.

When thinking about it, it is a very dangerous way to be as it is easier not to do than to do the things that are basic and important for a fulfilling, satisfying way of life.  This is where habits can carry through until inspiration comes knocking at the door again. 

“Writer’s block” is a fallacy.  I am writing.  Instead of rambling on, I declare myself filled with wonderful ideas, the discipline of carrying them out and the wonder of seeing something new and different on my pages. 

Over and out!

Taking the Leading Part

Somewhere in the writings of Ernest Holmes, he tells us, “We must be careful and not get into ruts; always be doing something new and different, and you will find life becomes a great game in which you are taking the leading part.” 

Coming up with new and different ideas every day, or week or month can be challenging.  Who knew there were that many “new and different” things to be, do or have?  The idea being that we stay active in every area of life.

I love learning how to do new things that I am interested in.  My issue is always having the time to devote to those interests.  Learning how to speak and read Spanish is one of those interests.  I have done a lot of fits and starts over the years and when I have a chance to speak Spanish to someone, I stumble over what words are appropriate in the situation. 

Years ago, I wanted to learn shorthand.  It still interests me but again I rarely find the time to practice or do what they suggest, which is to take dictation from the evening news.  Do you know how fast newscasters talk?  I didn’t think so.  Believe me, it’s fast.

Now when I am in a conversation with someone on the phone, I go into my craft room and sit and use my foot - cycle just to get in some exercise.  Whenever did I find time to work full-time?

Staying active in life is easy.  Determining which part of the activity I want to participate in each day is my challenge.  I can remember a time in my life when I didn’t have choices.  How blessed I feel now to know that I am surrounded with a multitude of choices and having the freedom to walk away and start something completely new and different.

I am no longer retired; I am actively finding more and more fun things to do.  Join me?