Sunday, July 27, 2008

FOR CLOSENESS... TRAVEL courtesy of Steve Goodier

Hi! Thanks so much for all of your messages of love and support. We are very busy caregiving over here and appreciate your emails very much. I love this story by Steve Goodier www.lifesupportsystem.com and hope you do, too.

For Closeness T-R-A-V-E-L
Inmate Mitchell King had a visitor - his wife. King was serving a six-year jail term in Auckland, New Zealand for armed robbery. But his wife didn't want to be away from him for that long. So they held hands. And they stuck. She'd rubbed her palms with Super Glue.Their new-found closeness was short-lived. And their separation painful. Her technique is not one I'd recommend for a closer relationship.But if you want more closeness; if you desire relationships that are deeper and broader, more meaningful and longer-lasting, then remember the word "travel."T is for TRUST. Trust is the glue that holds people together (not Super Glue). A relationship will go nowhere without it.R is for RESPECT. "Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead," writes Anna Cummins. It's about respecting others and letting them know that you value them.A is for AFFECTION. Sometimes affection means love. Sometimes it means a touch. Always it means kindness.V is for VULNERABILITY. Though we may feel afraid to let another too close, no relationship will go anywhere without risking vulnerability. Entrepreneur Jim Rohn says, "The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out the joy." And the love.E is for EMOTIONAL INTIMACY. Learn to be open. Learn to communicate freely. What kinds of relationships you make are largely determined by how openly you have learned to communicate.L is for LAUGHTER. Victor Borge got it right when he said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." It's also the most enjoyable.For relationships that can really go somewhere, just remember the word "travel." Then enjoy the trip!

Monday, July 21, 2008

WHAT IS THE SONG IN YOUR HEART

" A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.
Donna Roberts

My dad is home, and as most of your know, he is courageously living with brain cancer. Since his most recent surgery , He has been experiencing significant problems with memory and word finding. He can no longer remember my phone number, how old my daughter is or the names of some of his oldest friends. My dad also did not remember that my husband and I wrote a book together. On a daily basis, I am reminded of what is truly important in this life. Love. Relationships. The precious time we have with loved ones. What is most important in your life and who will remind you of it when your memory fails?

Thursday, July 10, 2008

INNER PEACE DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN SMOOTH SAILING

I am sorry I have not been posting a lot lately. We have got a whole lot going on here. Our daughter was just in the emergency room on Tuesday as she broke out in the most HORRENDOUS hives and had trouble breathing. We still have no idea what she is allergic to so I am toting around an epinephrine pen , hoping for the best but prepared for another emergency situation. My dad is having brain surgery on Monday and every time I look at him I just want to cry. Hugo and I just got done editing our final book draft. We thought the whole manuscript was 100% perfect and celebrated our hard work. Then dear friend pointed out some errors on yoga poses I wrote! Hugo and I are accustomed to relatively peaceful and drama-free lives and this recent cascade of events has us wanting to rename our book and this blog " The Inner Insanity Diet". On a positive note, here is an uplifting story , courtesy of Steve Goodier www.lifesupportsystem.com





The List
Do you have anything to be thankful for? In his classic novel Robinson Crusoe, author Daniel Defoe has shipwrecked Crusoe take inventory of his life. He makes two lists. One is a list of his problems. The other is an inventory of that for which he can give thanks. A problem he writes is that he has no clothing. On his corresponding list he writes that the weather is warm and he really has little need for clothing. Another problem is that all of his provisions were lost at sea. But on the other list he writes that he has fresh fruit and water and can provide for himself. And so it goes. He lists his problems and likewise lists all that he has going for him. He is surprised at the size of the list of his assets. How long would your list be if you took inventory of your blessings - all of that for which you can give thanks? For family. For friends. For faith. For health and the necessities of life. Did you know that some one million people will die this week...how is your health? Those who have food, clothing and shelter have more than much of our world's population will ever possess. Do you have these necessities of living?How long would your list be if you took inventory of your blessings...and added one new item daily? Would you be amazed at the size of the list?You have 1,440 minutes in every day. How would your life be different if you spent just 15 of those minutes daily giving thanks? Just 15 minutes filling your mind with concrete examples of how fortunate you are? Most of us would discover even after a few days that the exercise was life changing!Poet Courtland Sayers put it this way: "Five thousand breathless dawns all new; One million flowers fresh in dew. Five thousand sunsets wrapped in gold; One million snowflakes served ice cold. Five quiet friends, one baby's love; One white sea of clouds above. One June night in a fragrant wood; One heart that loved and understood. I wondered when I waked that day - In God's name - how could I ever pay?"Christian mystic Meister Eckhart said, "If the only prayer you say in your whole life is 'thank you,' that would suffice." I suspect he is right.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES




Hugo and I have been celebrating with heavy hearts and good intentions this weekend. It is my mom's birthday and we had a small party for her at our house yesterday. On Friday night, we went to Harry's Seafood on the Wilmington Waterfront for a delicious dinner. http://www.harrys-savoy.com/seafood_aboutus.asp. We loved sitting together on the patio and watching as the boats coasted along the canal. Our conversation drifted to old friends, as my dad casually asked if I had spoken to my old friend Paula lately. Literally five minutes later Paula serendipitously stepped into the restaurant and joined our table for some conversation and cocktails. Is this just a random co-incidence? I don't think so. I believe that all the random events of our lives have a hidden purpose and distinct meaning. If we follow our intuitive hunches and pay close attention to these co-incidences I firmly believe they can lead us to a healthier and fulfilling life. What co-incidenced are you experiencing today? What can you learn from them?

Friday, July 4, 2008

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.-- Japanese Proverb.


Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety.-- Plato.

I am feeling fearful today. My dad's surgery is almost upon us and we are having lots of important yet difficult discussions around here. We recently reviewed the bound galleys for The Inner Peace Diet and found some pretty egregious errors (like we left of the chestnuts in our Red Cabbage, Apple and Chestnuts Salad). Who forgets stuff like that? We are practicing feeling our feelings and total acceptance today. How is your day going?

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

LIVING IN THE MOMENT




" Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." Buddha



"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment." Henry David Thoreau


Living in the moment is one of the quickest routes to inner peace. If you find yourself struggling with negative emotion in any way, you will likely find that you are resisting the present situation. It is very easy to revisit the past or worry endlessly about the future. Our minds are conditioned for this type of thinking, which often results in tremendous discomfort. The good news is , is that it's fairly easy to live in the present moment. I find that the simplest way to become grounded in the present is to pay attention to my breathing. Yesterday, while chatting with my dad's neurosurgeon, I did a quick body scan and realized I was holding my breath. Taking shallow breaths is one way to avoid the present moment and avoid unpleasant feelings. By becoming more conscious of my breath I was able to deal with an unsettling situation with a clear and focused mind. What are you doing right now? Are you open to this moment or are you resisting it is some way?