Laughter

"A day without laughter, is a day wasted." - Charlie Chaplin
I am in total agreement with Mr. Chaplin......and I can assure you all that I did not waste today.  Jordan, our 5 year old great nephew
spent the day with us ......we have laughed all day.

A five year old laughs pure, his eyes sparkle and his laughter is infectious.  We laughed at cartoons......we laughed while blowing bubbles......we laughed because we found a cool, grassy puddle just waiting for us to splash through.....we laughed as we made blueberry smoothies and while cooking lunch.  We laughed as we made up games to play with building blocks and play dough........I am exhausted from laughter.

My wish for you all tonight, that at some point this week, your day is not wasted and you are exhausted from laughter.

Rainy Sunday

"Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon." - Susan Ertz

When I read this quote this morning, I was struck by its truth.
These words describe many of the students that I have taught through the years, these words describe me at some places in my life, they probably describe most of us at some point or another.

One of my students had a lengthy conversation with me before class today, about the present, about living in the now.  He said for the first time in many years, he could sit on the porch and rock.......and be happy, just rocking. This young man has reached a turning point in his life.....he's ready for a new path.

This coming Sunday, if it rained all afternoon.........would you wish away the rain.......or you would enjoy it?

Darkness

Sometimes life becomes so difficult, so hard, so painful........we think the worst, we question the value of living, sometimes we act on those thoughts.  I talked with a student today, who had been in that darkest of places.  The light of love has to shine extra bright to those in the dark, who think the world would be better off with out them.

You have to remember that your life touches people you don't even know or remember.......your experience,
can save and/or guide someone else out of the darkness.  Each of us is so unique, our life experience so valuable, we can't willingly end the life of who we are......we have to understand, a life of service......how important that we give, that we serve, that we are there to lead those who come behind us.

Depression and the desire to end one's life........that is the darkest of the nights, the most painful of pains......it is the cry that is often heard too late.......it doesn't have to be that way.  Love is the light, feeling/being needed fuels the light to shine even brighter and a helping hand has to be given.

I reminded my student today, that his life, his experiences, his love.....was needed by so many.  His life could help so many others......he knows, and he is working toward leaving the darkness.......it will not be an easy road.....in some ways leaving the darkness will be harder than entering the light, after all the darkness offers a false sense of comfort.  But, he is brave and strong and the will to live, the will to love is starting to surface.

I think there are many that struggle so desperately with that darkness......maybe they think they have no options, no hope, no light.  It is complicated, and a slippery path, but it is possible......with help, and with love......the light is always there......the eyes and the heart have to open......a helping hand given.

Set the Timer

Five  minutes........Rick and I talked about all the irons we both have in the fire on any given day and how stressed we get when things begin to pile up.  One of the things that I have been trying to do, spend five at least five minutes a day on the important things, on each one.......if I need to send e-mails, for five minutes that is all I do......make calls, five minutes and nothing else gets my attention....fold laundry, five minutes....
straighten book shelves or closets, five minutes......What can I tell you? for me, it works....it is amazing how giving something your un-divided attention for five minutes works.
Five minutes, walk.......five minutes, breathe.......five minutes, play guitar......do vocals......dust furniture.....
clean bathroom.....
Things are  more organized, I can see my to do list growing shorter and I am much less stressed.
I have always had a day planner, but I would look at that to do list and panic sometimes....... now,
I look at it, spend five minutes and before I know it, many times by the end of the day......everything is done.
To be honest, often just getting started on something for me is the hardest part, especially if I know it is a lengthy task......but starting it with the intent of only spending five minutes, well many times I end up spending the  amount of time I knew it would take because I spent the first five minutes getting started and before I knew it, the task is complete.
I know that sometimes, even five minutes is difficult to find but try it.......five minutes might just work for you.
Five minutes, set the timer.

Small Town Saturday Night

Saturday night in a small town, there is nothing like it........tonight we did a benefit for Backyard Blessings.
A local organization that helps to feed our local school children on weekends during the school year.
We live in a poverty stricken area, this organization sent over 13,000 bags of food home with children this .  past school year.  Children who get lunches when they are at school, but very little when they are home on the weekends.   It's hard to believe isn't it that so many in America have so little.
We have helped with this fundraiser since it started three years ago.
Tonight, we ate hot dogs, drank lemonade, listened to local groups perform, watched tons of kids play on jump jumps and heard laughter ring throughout the local park.  I can promise you, many who were there have little, but everyone gives what they can........and everyone there had a good time.
Nights like this one, give me hope........there were no dividing lines, no politics.....nothing but average folks
doing all that they can to help each other out.......what a great night.

Put Your Oxygen Mask On

Salmon Fishing in Yemen........the title intrigued me, the story line reeled me in (no pun intended)  It is a beautiful movie that Rick and I watched tonight.  I am all about a good story (special effects are not the first things I look for in entertainment) It is a movie about faith on its most basic level, belief that possibilities are there, that the impossible can sometimes be achieved if only for a little while.  It is an English  movie and I admit I am a sucker for European films. And, Emily Blunt is one of my favorite actresses.

It has been a good day, slowly the downside of treatment has retreated today.....not yet a 100% but getting there.  A  couple of my Monday night students gave me a gift certificate for a massage, I used it this morning.
I felt sorry for the masseuse, she kept exclaiming about the number of knots in my back and shoulders, it was deep tissue massage so she earned her pay........she probably needed a break after me.

This afternoon......a very long nap.  The teacher, practiced what she teaches today.......I lived the airplane story today.  What is the airplane story........when the flight attendant gives the safety demonstration, you know the one about the oxygen masks.......you always put yours on first, then you can help others......
what I teach.......you can't help others, if you don't help yourself, you can't care for others, if you don't take care of yourself.  I took care of myself today.

Sometime this weekend........put your oxygen mask on.......take care of yourself.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are such happy flowers, the colors, the way they lift their faces.....always to the sun.  These are from our garden, they are six feet tall and the bees are loving them!
The whole house felt different after I brought these in today.
Even though my knees were wobbly and shaky, I felt better looking at my blue pitcher filled with sunflowers.
I hope these beauties brighten your evening.
goodnight, sweet dreams