Daily Reminder # 395

Just gratitude and Tara Grace (she has become quite the social butterfly these days) today. Posting late once again. I'm still recovering from the Construction which is now mostly over, though they will be back one more time for a short visit.  That's my new chair Tara's sitting on. 

 Some things I'm grateful for today: (items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to persuade the Universe that it should provide me with these items.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• clean sheets
• water
• iced tea
• fans
• Margaret
• music
• my TV
• the remote control
• Netflix
• paper towels
• litter box changed/garbage out
• the garbage man
• my camera
• my rock collection
• the internet
• my computer
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• Sam-e
• Vitamin D-3
• Omega-3
• IP-6
• my washing machine
• sunlight
• can openers
• my mattress
• a clothes dryer
• winning lottery numbers
• a paid off mortgage
• a Bose sound system
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• a sun room on the back of the house
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• more flowers in the back yard
• changing this list from red to black
• Nintendo
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• sight
• hearing
• taste
• touch
• smell
• beauty
• my kitchen
• groceries
• Pandora Radio
• my bird feeders
• tiger lilies
• computer games
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• the ability to think
• ideas
• imagination
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• my friends
• Delaware Opportunities
• my new chair/walker
• my cane
• that my legs still hobble me from room to room
• Dr. Bronner soaps
• books
• poetry
• toy mice (happy kitties)
• clouds in a blue sky
• resilience
• Jon Stewart
• Stephen Colbert
• humor
• laughter
• resilience (of body and spirit)
• determination
• love
• compassion
• hope
• life

WISHING YOU A GLORIOUS DAY!

Daily Reminder # 394

Well, despite my dire expectations, it wasn't a bad day. Most of what was done wrong was fixed and they will come back at some point and finish the last bit. Except for not having electric (no computer, no TV.... eeek) for 6 hours, it was a reasonably pleasant day. Luckily it stayed on the cool side so the absence of fans wasn't a problem. It was a little tense at first, but Mr. Powell came and talked through the issues with Dominic. He just brought one assistant with him today - an interesting young man heading into his senior year in college, who loves China and has traveled there several times already in his young life. He is learning Chinese and wants to go to Tibet. He's heading to China again in August.  So, except for some anxiety about doors opening unattended and my initial fear of confrontation, it ended up being a very pleasant day. As for the doors, it's one of those cosmic jokes that the Universe seems to enjoy. Agoraphobic woman lives in a house where none of the doors want to close properly. How's that for irony? Or something.

Another nice thing about the day was that Tara spent a lot of time with me. Much head butting was done between naps... and I got some pictures. She does have some kind of camera voodoo. So hard to get a good photo of her. 

Some things I'm grateful for today: (items in red are pre-gratitude, an attempt to sway the Creative forces of the Universe into hearing and answering my hopes and prayers.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• my house
• Jeff Powell
• a non-confrontational day
• electricity
• upgraded electricity
• my TV
• the remote control
• my camera
• my computer
• the internet
• computer games
• matches
• the smell of white sage
• my new walker/chair
• my cane
• that my legs still get me from room to room even if it hurts
• fans
• my refrigerator
• lemonade
• more flowers in my back yard
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• zero balance on my credit cards
• a clothes dryer
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• winning lottery numbers
• a paid off mortgage
• Nintendo
• a sun room on the back of the house
• changing red items to black
• reiki
• angels
• my reiki bear
• music
• Pandora radio
• Delaware Opportunities
• Netflix
• Sam-e
• Vitamin D-3
• Omega-3
• IP-6
• Ibuprofen
• tiger lilies 
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• interesting people
• ideas
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• poetry
• words
• resilience
• paper towels
• my kitchen
• my rock collection
• things of beauty
• colors
• my mattress
• dreams
• sleep
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy 
• my friends
• my neighbors
• kindness
• imagination
• Jon Stewart
• laughter
• hope
• learning
• compassion
• kitty hugs
• kitty head butts
• inspiration
• breath
• love
• life

May Our Reality Always Rise Above Our Expectations

And May We All Learn to Expect Great Things

Daily Reminder # 393

I'm writing today's reminder at 7:30 in the morning, an hour when I am usually curled up snug in my bed. Usually if I am up at this hour there is something to look forward to, some happy anticipation mixed with anxiety. Today it's just dread.  The contractors who got the Delaware Opportunities bid are coming back to have a second go at defacing my home.  I can't begin to express how totally unhappy I am with what they have done. Shamelessly bad work.   Mr. Powell, from Delaware Opportunities is coming too to scold them and make them put it right, but I have my doubts about whether they are capable of such a thing. And they are supposed to upgrade the electric and put my ceiling fan in today. If the quality of what they did elsewhere is a sign, I don't know that I feel safe to have them do that. I'm trying not to be negative, but it's hard, especially because I'm angry, but for me anger turns inward or into anxiety. I was not allowed to be angry. I got punished for it by the collective of angry people who preached at me about what a bad thing it was to be angry and who made me pay for any efforts I made at taking care of myself. Even now, I anticipate these men, who have done horrible sloppy work on my sweet little home, being angry at me, punishing me for the audacity of being unhappy and ungrateful for what they have done.  There are voices in my head saying they would have done a better job if I were able to take better care of the house. Really. I am terrified and I'm pissed. I don't want them to set foot in my house again and yet they must. I'm torn between anger and fear and a deep sense of helplessness. Mr. Powell will make sure they correct their mistakes, but he can't still the voices in my head. And neither, apparently, can I. So it goes.  Mercifully, it is reasonably cool this morning because the electric will be turned off for who knows how long. Ah, joy. 

On a happier note, the new chair arrived and it is sturdy as a rock and comfortable. I'm still getting used to it. It doesn't sit quite as high as the old red one. But I don't have any fear that it will give out under me. That's a good thing.  Unboxing it was quite the feat and there's a huge box still sitting in the middle of the room, which of course I am ashamed of, what with people coming and all. But anyway, I got to spend a little time at the back door late in the afternoon. A lot has happened since I last looked out. The tiger lilies are blooming and the hasta bush is getting read to  flower. It was a mixed joy to sit there since the new door - besides being filthy - has some issues too and that kind of got more of my attention than the out doors.


Right now, I wish I could just fly away. But I can't. Such is life.

Ok.  Instead of just whining about what they did, I'll share some of the very bad photos. I'm so upset I can't even photograph their work in focus....

So, that's some of what they have done to my little house which never harmed nobody and deserves better. They are late. I'm glad. Hopefully Jeff Powell will arrive at the same time they do or before. Angel - maybe because she senses my anxiety - is driving me crazy crawling on the keyboard and being needy and restless. I'll be glad when this day is over. I hope.


Some things I'm grateful for today: (items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to move the Creative Forces of the Universe to act on my behalf.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• Jeff Powell
• iced tea
• kitty hugs
• cool air
• fans
• water
• music
• Pandora Radio
• electricity
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• the ability to speak up for myself
• computer games
• my TV
• the remote control
• ear phones
• yogurt
• my camera
• a clothes dryer
• Nintendo
• zero balance on my credit cards
• a sun room on the back of the house
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• more flowers in the back yard
• winning lottery numbers
• a Bose sound system
• changing red items to black
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• the colors of the rainbow
• my rock collection
• my computer
• the internet
• email
• my friends
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• my new walker/chair
• my cane
• that I can still hobble around
• my microwave
• sight
• hearing
• taste
• touch
• smell
• anger
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• poetry
• breezes
• my hands
• UPS
• indoor plumbing
• ideas
• inspiration
• flowers
• birds
• grass
• art
• Sam-e
• Vitamin D-3
• IP-6
• Omega-3
• Ibuprofen
• resilience
• hope
• laughter
• beauty
• forgiveness
• love
• compassion
• life

May Life Always Give You Someone 

or Something to Make You Smile

Daily Reminder # 392

A change of pace.  Poetry and gratitude tonight. 



















Some things I'm grateful for today:  (items in red are pre-gratitude... an attempt to convince the Creative Forces of the Universe that they REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want me to have a truckload of money and other good things... and really soon so I can share them and enjoy them myself.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• my home
• cool air
• poetry
• YouTube
• the internet
• google
• my TV
• the remote control
• Fareed Zakaria
• matches
• the smell of white sage
• music
• Pandora radio
• my friends
• paper towels
• strawberry/banana yogurt smoothies
• Netflix
• a clothes dryer
• a paid off mortgage
• winning lottery numbers
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• more flowers in the back yard
• a sun room on the back of the house
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• Nintendo
• red list turning to black
• zero balance on my credit cards
• a Bose sound system
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• earphones
• taste
• touch
• smell
• sight
• hearing
• colors
• beauty
• fans
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• my friends
• email
• Sam-e
• IP-6
• Vitamin D-3
• Omega-3
• Ibuprofen
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• the joy of singing
• poetry
• words
• ideas
• hope
• resilience
• my temporary walker/chair
• that the new one will arrive tomorrow
• my cane
• that my legs still let me walk-ish
• electricity
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• memories
• computer games
• coconut oil
• lemonade
• my desk chair
• my rock collection
• imagination
• my camera
• my computer
• paper towels
• my mattress
• Dr. Bronner soaps
• my washing machine
• my friends
• laughter
• joy
• possibilities
• hope
• love
• life

May You Walk, Run, Dance and Rejoice

in the Poetry of Who You Are

Daily Reminder # 391

Well, until my chair arrives on Monday - or unless I let go of my irrational fear - photos are going to be all Angel all the time.

Some things I'm grateful for today:  (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an attempt to marshall the creative forces of the Universe to gather in support of my hopes and dreams.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• cooler temperatures
• my house
• water
• lemondade
• naps
• computer games
• indoor plumbing
• my camera
• my TV
• the remote control
• the internet
• my computer
• my friends
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• the smell of white sage
• sight
• hearing
• taste
• touch
• smell
• popcorn with butter
• peach/mango yogurt smoothies
• electricity
• Sam-e
• Omega-3
• Vitamin D-3
• IP-6
• Gogi berry juice
• a paid off mortgage
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• more flowers in the back yard
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• a Bose sound system
• winning lottery numbers
• Nintendo
• a sun room on the back of the house
• seeing this list go from red to black
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• a clothes dryer
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• anticipation
• the temporary walker/chair
• that it hasn't collapsed yet
• my cane
• that my legs still get me around-ish
• the microwave
• ideas
• resilience
• music
• the joy of singing
• poetry
• Ibuprofen
• Crocs
• skin cream
• toothpaste
• my electric toothbrush
• Listerine
• my teeth
• my hands
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• paper towels
• my reiki bear
• witch hazel
• eye drops
• Pandora radio
• computer games
• beauty
• the colors of the rainbow
• my rock collection
• Netflix
• stubborn-ness
• determination
• everything
• compassion
• humor
• laughter
• love
• hope
• life

WISHING YOU A WONDERFUL DAY!

Daily Reminder # 390

Just gratitude tonight. 


Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to spur the Creative Forces of the Universe into action on my behalf.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• coffee and International Delight
• Gay Marriage Passed in NY
• my TV
• the remote control
• my camera
• my computer
• the internet
• fans
• water
• Root Beer (even though it's bad for me)
• cheese
• Strawberry/banana yogurt smoothies
• Sam-e
• Vitamin D-3
• Omega-3
• IP-6
• electricity
• music
• ear phones
• my friends
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• that no chairs collapsed under me today
• indoor plumbing
• email
• the telephone
• the smell of white sage
• Netflix
• mail
• Pandora radio
• eye drops
• Ibuprofen
• my mattress
• the microwave oven
• Nintendo
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• a sun room on the back of the house
• more flowers in the back yard
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• paid off mortgage
• a clothes dryer
• winning lottery numbers
• a Bose sound system
• red items to transforming to black
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• zero balance on my credit cards
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• the new chair has been shipped
• my cane
• the temporary chair/walker
• that my legs still get me from room to room
• toy mice (Angel LOVES them)
• paper towels
• sight
• hearing
• taste
• smell
• touch
• beauty
• Angel hugs
• frozen food
• Gogi berry juice
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to think
• the ability to type
• resilience
• that Obama care may help my dying friend
• books
• poetry
• my hands
• google
• computer games
• my rock collection
• witch hazel
• blogger
• inspiration
• ideas
• thoughtful people
• birds 
• my bird feeder (even though I haven't gone to the back door)
• resilience
• imagination
• laughter
• love
• hope
• life

Wishing You Sweet Dreams

and Happy Waking

Daily Reminder # 389

I really am off center at the moment. I completely forgot about the Daily reminder. It's 4:00 in the afternoon so this really shouldn't count, but I don't want to break my record or break my promise to my friend to keep going until she accomplishes her mission. I thought this was some good inspirational talk. 


My country is so divided at present, so rife with fear and bigotry and ignorance.



And this concise explanation of the economy which I had not seen before...



I'm going to skip gratitude again since it's so late and I'm tired and I just don't feel like it.

Daily Reminder # 388

I've got the blues. Really.  The only new pictures I have are of the absolutely shamefully bad work the people who were here on Monday did. So, I'm just going offer up some blues. Even going to skip gratitude today except to say, "Thank You for Everything. I have no complaints whatsoever." (Hah!)  It's still a good mantra even if you don't mean it. I was sinking into a deep hole this morning and pulled myself out of it with that sentence. 


Today's reminder is that music heals.  Here's some healing blues to heal the blues. 

Wishing You Joy!

Daily Reminder # 387

Well, this is being posted very late, but I was just too tired last night. I'm still afraid to take my chair to the back door, so it's kitty pictures today... if I can get the picture function to work.... otherwise   I'm still very traumatized after my fall this weekend. I'm kind of afraid to take my chair to the back door. I googled my heart out and found a metal frame chair that is supposed to hold up to 500 pounds, so hopefully I will feel safe again once it arrives. Meanwhile, I'm tired and depressed, even by my own standards. I'm not at all happy with the quality of the work the Delaware Opportunities people did. Want to try and take some photos to send to Mr. Powell.  I'm having to copy and paste photos, so I don't know if it will work. I'm not tired and depressed enough. Think I'm going to need to do the Thank You for Everything Mantra today. A lot.

Tara is so difficult to photograph, but I feel guilty only
posting pictures of Angel who is a photographer's dream.

This is the chair I ordered. Got good reviews. Supposed to hold up to
500 pounds.  The frame is all one piece so.... hopefully I can feel safe again.

Some things I'm grateful for today: (items in red are pre-gratitude.... an appeal of sorts to the Creative Forces of the Universe, to help me out.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• fans
• water
• coffee and International Delight
• yogurt
• my TV
• the remote control
• my computer
• Dr. Jim
• the internet
• google
• my home
• my camera
• zero balance on my credit cards
• a paid off mortgage
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• a Bose sound system
• Nintendo
• winning lottery numbers
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• more flowers in the back yard
• a sun room on the back of the house
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• turning the red items to black
• Pandora radio
• music
• the joy of singing
• Sam-e
• Omega-3
• Vitamin D-3
• IP-6
• Brylane Plus size stuff
• credit cards
• UPS
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• sight
• hearing
• taste 
• touch
• smell
• hearing from a friend (2 actually)
• ear phones
• my nieces, my  nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• my soon to be delivered walker chair
• my temporary walker chair
• Delaware Opportunities (even if I'm not happy with the work)
• the new Angel gate
• resilience
• ideas
• inspiration
• hope
• laughter
• love
• life

Thank You For Everything.

I Have No Complaints Whatsoever

(well, hardly any....)

Daily Reminder # 386

Mostly just gratitude this evening. It was a very long day. People came to the house and sawed and hammered and thumped. I have a new back door, a cool new Angel gate, a wider bathroom door and the saddle bump into the bedroom is gone, making access easier. Even by my bad housekeeping standards, the place is a mess. They left a lot of stuff messy and not quite finished. (They are coming back to do electric at an as yet unspecified date in the near future and will presumably finish up some of the unfinished odds and ends.)  Still, it's frustrating sometimes when people who can walk don't realize that moving something across a room and not putting it back is a BIG deal for someone like me. There's also some kind of stupid requirement about adding smoke and radon detectors, which would be fine except I already had one and the weatherizing people added one, so now there are like 4 or 5 and they are ugly and just kind of stuck on the wall. But that's me being tired, I think. The back door seems nice though I haven't sat there. I'm still anxious with the loss of my red chair. The one I'm using now seems is different, seems less solid to me (which is partly because the last one I sat on collapsed, I suppose) and I just feel like an appendage has been amputated and replaced by a shorter one. So, anyway, not the best day. Nor the worst. Good things happened. I'll sleep and it will all seem better, I hope.  I've been watching Glee on Netflix. I just love it. I usually resist shows that are really popular but curiosity got the better of me and now I'm hooked.

Some things I'm grateful for today: (items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to persuade the Universe that it really wants me to be very rich and have a clothes dryer and Nintendo and flowers before I die... way before I die....)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• Delaware Opportunities
• new doors and gates
• water
• coffee and International Delight
• UPS
• music
• Pandora radio
• 60s rock
• Glee
• Netflix
• my computer
• the internet
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• my TV
• the remote control
• my camera
• my cane
• the red chair/walker replacement chair
• that I can still get from room to room
• clean clothes
• interesting people
• email
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• lemon sherbet
• watermelon
• cheese
• a Bose sound system
• Nintendo
• a clothes dryer
• zero balance on my credit cards
• a paid off mortgage
• a sun room on the back of the house
• freshly painted living and dining rooms
• more flowers in my back yard
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• winning lottery numbers
• turning red items to black
• Angel's voice
• Tara's head butts
• my back yard
• my house
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• fans
• electricity
• poetry
• words
• communication
• my friends
• sunshine
• blue skies
• cool breezes
• YouTube
• google
• ideas
• learning new things
• indoor plumbing
• good changes
• Sam-e
• Omega-3
• IP-6
• Vitamin D-3
• Ibuprofen
• soap
• my electric toothbrush
• Listerine
• toothpaste (Colgate total)
• my kitchen
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• surprises
• computer games
• inspiration
• hope
• resilience
• laughter
• life

Wishing You Joy!

Daily Reminder # 385

Well, there are still birds at the back door. In fact when I went out there a while ago (I'm writing this early) the red breasted grosbeak was on the feeder. Unfortunately, as I reached happily for the camera, my chair collapsed under me. I knew there was something off this morning so I tightened all the screws, never thinking to look at the legs, which I thought (wrongly) were indestructible. I guess sliding the chair around all the time, often while sitting on it, was a bit more than the metal could take. So, anyway, I found myself flat on my back with the chair underneath me (not comfortable on many many levels), laundry dangling over me, and not much room to maneuver eve if I were capable of flexible movement. The up side is that nothing was broken but my pride and my sense of security... and of course the chair. I eventually managed to get the chair out from under me which at least was less uncomfortable and made it possible to get onto my side and pull myself out of the space between cabinets.  This left me still as a beached whale and kind of scared, but I manged to get onto my side and calm down. I tried to stand up using the broken chair but it was too unstable and since I thought Shannon was coming over (she changed her mind) I just lay there for a bit. Then I asked my little voice if she was really coming and it said, "no," so I figured I had to try and get to the phone that I had actually (don't usually do that) brought into the kitchen. It, of course was in a basket on the floor way, way far away and behind a counter, so I had to inch my way and - to make a long story short - find a tool so I could get the basket with the phone. I called Shannon, asked her to bring me a different chair and was able - though it was touch and go - to get myself standing.  Lots of positive in this story. I didn't get hurt, I was clean (had just showered), I had the phone with me, though not on me. I lived. Even though one side of my body doesn't work right, I was able to drag myself across the room. And again. I lived. I wasn't hurt. 

Angel - who usually keeps me company at the back door - squeaked at me a few times and apparently decided that beached whales are boring.  I think she may have been a little freaked out by it. What I'm freaked out about - besides playing beached whale for 30 minutes or so is that tomorrow the men from Delaware Opportunities are due to arrive at 8:00 am. I feel totally unprepared for their arrival and now there's a collapsed chair in the middle of the living room to add to my shame. Of course, they will arrive and be nice and work hard and I'm hoping maybe I can get them to cart the dead chair away. I'm kind of sad about the chair, not just because it was solid (well, I thought it was), but because it's the last remaining piece of my table and chairs I had in my apartment in New York. I loved that table. But the chair and the table are both just things. Life will go on. And I think I'd better post this and go to bed so that I get more than two hours sleep. I think I forgot a lot of things on my gratitude list tonight. I'm still a little freaked out by everything.

Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an attempt to persuade the Creative Forces of the Universe that it would be a lovely thing for them to grant my wishes as soon as possible.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• water
• beautiful weather
• my camera
• my mattress
• my TV
• the remote control
• indoor plumbing
• a lovely shower
• my bathroom
• Shannon's help
• an alternative to my red chair/walker
• that I was able to get up
• that I wasn't hurt
• Netflix
• Glee
• Sam-e
• Vitamin D-3
• Omega-3
• IP-6
• Ibuprofen
• my telephone
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• electricity
• my kitchen
• blue skies
• birds
• colors
• sight
• hearing
• taste
• touch
• smell
• Nintendo
• zero balance on my credit cards
• more flowers in my back yard
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• winning lottery numbers
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• a clothes dryer
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• a sun room on the back of the house
• a Bose sound system
• a paid off mortgage
• changing these items from red to black
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• my rock collection
• sleeping kitties
• pictures (even bad ones of Tara)
• lemon sherbet
• fans
• ear phones
• Pandora radio
• music
• the joy of singing
• my electric toothbrush
• Listerine
• my teeth
• my hands
• the ability to type
• Dr. Bronner soaps
• skin cream
• my alarm clock
• my mattress
• eye drops
• the ability to read and write
• friends
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• computer games
• email
• strength of will
• resilience
• hope
• love
• compassion
• being in one piece
• life

WISHING YOU (AND ME) 

A SAFE AND UNEVENTFUL DAY

Daily Reminder # 384

The yard was good today. Even the chipmunks were well behaved, content to munch down in the grass and let birds use the feeders. This made me happy. There is even a little food left for tomorrow. The people from Delaware Opportunities are coming on Monday to replace the back door, widen the bathroom door, put in a hinged Angel gate and do a few other things. The electrical work apparently has to wait for NYSEG to do something.  I think I may have a day without electric. Eeek. Think I will let Neale Donald Walsh do the work again tonight because it sort of fits with something that has been on my mind.

On this day of your life, dear friend,

I believe God wants you to know...

that you may speak your truth, but

sooth your words with peace.

Tell your truth as soon as you know

it. Yet tell it gently, kindly, and with

compassion for the hearer. Someone

needs to hear the truth from you today...

but that person also needs your deep

compassion as you speak it.

Seek to say what needs to be said with

softness, and with a wide open heart.

Remember, the truth can hurt... but it

hurts a lot less if you care how it feels

while saying it.

Love, Your Friend...

I think this is very true. Sometimes it's very scary to speak your truth. My friend in Ohio who I have been reiki-ing is now in hospice care. I wrote a letter to her sharing my experiences reiking people who died while I was doing the reiki. It's a profound experience and I wanted her to know how beautiful it was. But it is a very intimate subject. I know Sara only through cyber space. I don't know how she will feel about me speaking about dying.  I just hope I did it right and that she hears the intention. Actually, I told her husband to not hesitate not to read it to her if he felt it was inappropriate.  We are conditioned in our society not to talk about death and dying and I think it robs people of the ability to share their fears and their experience... both the person dying and the person helplessly standing watch. After my sister died, I talked about her a lot to her children. I thought it was important to keep her memory and her living self vibrant in their memories, so that her murder didn't become all that they associated with her.  I don't know what's right or wrong. I just do the best I can and hope that my intention is felt even if my words are not appreciated. I've always thought that "Truth" has an energetic resonance, that it can be felt as well as heard. Of course, the world being what it is, some people resonate to different things than I do, so maybe capitol T Truth is more complex than I want to think it is. Anyway, that's my food for thought for today. On to pictures and gratitude.

I feel so thrilled that I have been able to glimpse these sweet,
intimate moments with this little bird family.

Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to entice the Creative Forces of the Universe to manifest a whole bunch of good stuff for me and to do it soon.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• my back yard
• birds
• my camera
•  well behaved chipmunks
• roses
• butterflies
• colors
• fans
• cool air in the evening
• water
• lemon sherbet
• Schwans
• cheese
• coffee and International Delight
• Pandora radio
• music
• the telephone
• talking with friends
• my friends
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy
• Netflix
• mail
• my computer
• google
• Sam-e
• Vitamin D-3
• IP-6
• Omega-3
• Nintendo
• more flowers in my back yard
• a sun room on the back of the house
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• a clothes dryer
• a Bose sound system
• a paid off mortgage
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• $5,000/week for life from PCH
• winning lottery numbers
• moving the items in this list from red to black
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• colors
• sight
• smell
• touch
• taste
• hearing
• music
• the joy of singing
• the ability to read and write
• email
• my hands
• the ability to type
• one-click sites
• electricity
• bird feeders
• that birds got to use them today instead of chipmunks
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• indoor plumbing
• computer games
• my mattress
• my red chair/walker
• my cane
• that I can still walk sort of
• skin cream
• laughter
• hope
• love
• compassion
• life

Wishing You a Wonderful Day!