Thanksgiving Turkeys

Skating through the holidays without frustration and argument can be worthy of an award.  One that I am not worthy of, by the way.  Thanksgiving brings on the question of where do we go, who do we invite, what shall we eat and what about Aunt Francis? And last but not least, HOW are we going to put up with sister-in-law Sue, the know-it-all.

Honestly, I find the holidays to be rather pathetic.  What has it come to?  A family that rarely gets together any other time of year is required to suffer through a meal at the same table and pretend to be happy about it. I'm no Eor but what has occurred as a result of what's his name having a sit down meal with the pilgrims just doesn't cut it.  We are now required to bring flowers, food and gather on this one day each year and 'gobble' all that is put in front of us; all the while hoping that no one breaks out into a knock down drag out.  And did someone mention gluttony?  How many Americans can you count on one hand that could use another helping of greasy gravy over mashed potatoes?  We make me sick.

Though our country is going through an 'economic crisis' and there are so many unemployed and sadly, people living on the streets, for the most part, those of us who sat down to our traditional dinner have more than anyone could ever hope for and more.  So we celebrate it by shoving more food down our throats.  Love it, LOVE it! ARghhhh...why weren't we feeding the ones that don't have anything to be thankful for?  I am as guilty as all.

All in all, Thanksgiving and the holidays can be a lot of fun.  We all love our families and our spouses, children and significant others and fixing a big feast for the people we love can be exciting.  


And though each family has its turkey or two, when times get tough we know that we'll all gather together in a flock and do our part to help one another. 

So while your cleaning up the Thanksgiving dinner and straightening the mess in the house from all the relatives, or if you're just returning home and are thanking God that you live alone, remember that EVERY day can be Thanksgiving no matter where you live, who you are or what turkeys you have to interact with on a daily basis.

Let's get back to basics.  Many of us already have.  The holidays are meant for sharing time, love and attention with our loved ones, not over-eating, fighting with our families and running ourselves into debt.  Be smart this holiday, think simple, think love and think 'thank you.'

CAPTIVES

Trapped in our heads, the chaos ensues.  The circular, merry-go-round running faster and faster in an impetuous burst of confined, blinded mastery; the naive soul sinks to despair. 

Lost without the daily torment of rituals ingrained, we find a superficial solace in activities outside of ourselves, in physical pleasures and in mind numbing substance and food.  

Where is the relief?  Our rituals are what have kept us sane, are they not?  Or are we living in the only state we know?  Hypnosis.  Like birds in a pet shop, when the long awaited cage door opens, we gingerly step outside, thrilled to embrace the exhilaration of freedom from our confines.  But upon testing the emptiness we become disoriented and frightened, craving the four walls that have held us within a predictable existence from the beginning of time.  And though those walls are covered with scales and cold to the touch, they are familiar, there is no guessing about our limitations, which are many, and we rely on them to keep us safe.  Safe from what?  The frightening world that they promise us if we dare to step outside their bounds. We hunker down at the bottom of our safe havens, mouths wide open like a huddle of hungry chicks, begging to be fed something of sustenance, questioning not the value of what we ravenously ingest.  The proverbial tray of food that slides through the bars on a daily basis is comfortable, laden with mind numbing chemicals and additives leaving us in a perfectly prepared state, open to the suggestions we so hope will rescue us from our demise.  We are taught to parrot our zookeepers and repeat back what is fed us, over and over and over; parroting is a sign of great ability, is it not? And while we parrot, we train our minds; to accept, to believe, to protect our food and...... to follow. 

Torment is of the dark.  Sadness and fear feed the dark.  Belief systems create limitation. With love and light, darkness cannot reside.  There is no limitation to creation and creation is 'God' and 'God' is light. 

Are you parroting what you are told?  Are you taking it in, believing it because you have been 'told' the source is credible?  Are you taking part in rituals, afraid to embrace the truth or not knowing how?  Do you ever question the source of what you follow, research the source, experience the source for yourself before succumbing to the broadcast of 'information?' Do you climb outside of your cage, take a step back and give objective observation a chance?  

Your mind is tuned to the frequency that it has been taught to zero in on from the beginning of your 'life' on this earth.  Do you truly believe that sports, reality shows and control-based ritual is what you are meant to live? Is setting the alarm every day and getting out of bed to go to work so that you can support the Elite of the world what you came here to do? Is military involvement 'defending your country?' Says who?  Someone who has been telling you, over and over and over. They hope you believe.  They know with enough repetition you will because your mind will be imprinted within a short period of time. What is being fed to you by the Elite and everything they own and run?   .....there is no escaping your cage......unless you see that the door is open and you decide to step outside of this far-fetched reality.  

Abundance Is Yours For The Taking

 Free Your Mind

Let go.  Jump.  Consider yourself free and you will be.  You were not meant to reside inside a cage of limitation, a prisoner of war; internal war inside of your body's mind.  Seek the quiet and know that what resides inside of you is what you invite.  We are nothing but energy.  Energy that our minds decode.  With that said, choose to decode your surroundings to suit your desires and your dreams and with love....and you will be met by the visitation of the light. Because with the light, there can be no darkness.  Love is all there is.

Read up.  Read about the Queens of this world.  Read about those that run Our government. Read about the media.  Read about our health organization. Why do those that run this world all come from the same family bloodline?  Why?  Who, or is it WHAT runs this world? Dare to ask and dare to know.

Be Free.  You Were Meant To Be. 

Run Forrest, Run!

Do you ever look at all your problems and find yourself feeling as though you would like to escape?  Does running out the door and not looking back sound like the relief you're looking for? Or maybe escaping isn't your idea of relief.  Maybe the unknown that is waiting outside the door is just too scary.  Scarier than the problem you are facing. 

Then you could possibly be a sweeper.  What's a sweeper, you ask?  A sweeper generally picks up the edge of the throw rug and sweeps all the undesirable matter underneath it, then gently replaces the rug.  Dusting off their hands, the sweeper feels as though the issue has been resolved.  It is not within plain sight, therefore it does not exist. Ahhh. The sweeper feels better now because even looking at the problem is too painful.

Then there are the action figures.  Action figures see the problem and immediately leap upon them, fearlessly tackling them to the ground, pummeling them to the point where they are no longer recognizable; mere fragments of what they once were. Action figures want things resolved, once and for all. No B.S. No long, drawn out hassles.  Just get 'er done!

Last but not least, there are the ice sculptures. Though ice sculptures are interesting to look at, they generally do nothing to generate even the slightest relief from the pain resulting from an uncomfortable issue.  Frozen, scared and unable to move, the ice sculpture simply stands perfectly still, believing that if they can just continue to look good to everyone else, no one will notice they are melting from the heat of their pain. Don't move and maybe it will just go away.

Everyone has a way of dealing with the uncomfortable situations they are faced with in life. Some methods are more efficient than others.  Some take care of the problem for the short term, others for the long term.  But every method has its place.

Which is your chosen method? Are you looking for a short term fix or a long term solution that will free you from this problem once and for all?

So step one: Examine the issue. Come on all you ice sculptures!  It's not as bad as you think.  Just take a quick glance.
Step two: Examine the roles that are available to you and the outcome that will occur as a result of playing each one.  What do you want the end of the story to look like?
Step three: Pick your character and go to work! 

Now relax and enjoy the outcome of your chosen role in your life.  And hold yourself accountable if upon experiencing the outcome your life story is not unfolding the way you would have it.

Feeling Kind of Down? Maybe We're Not Good Enough........

Sometimes going in a different direction can bring on feelings of apprehension and uncertainty.  An idea wrapped in enthusiasm and excitement can lose its initial glow, flickering down to a minute pile of glowing embers, tucked away in the corner of our minds. Our attitude can spiral down till all we can see in front of us is the ground.

Today I was meandering around, painting walls and cleaning a few cupboards, not too enthused about anything much.  I decided to check my email and upon opening one in particular I found a message from a friend.  Not just any friend, mind you, but a life long friend.  Her message indicated that she was struggling through her work day, reaching for something to give her the strength to continue on; my daily (which has become not so daily) blog. I got a visual of her crawling through the desert, clawing at the air, handfuls of sand trickling from her sun-burned fingers, a look of desperation on her flushed face. She stated she could not go on any further without reading the message of my daily blog, of which I had not yet written.

I haven't written in a few days.  My enthusiasm took a down turn and I doubted my ability; my ability to write, my ability to entertain and my ability to inspire.  So I had just let my ideas burn down into a small pile of embers in my mind, glowing a bit but certainly not lighting me up. Not my usual perky self, I had been feeling a bit down.  Because as far as I am concerned and to my knowledge, my musings are not changing anyone's life for the better.

We all need inspiration once in a while.  Even those of us who are working to inspire others.  Feeling down can be a real drag. When you're moving in a new direction in life, having a day of the sags can really be frightening.  The doubts that fill your mind can be overwhelming.  "Maybe I'm past my prime.  Maybe there's no hope for me.  Maybe I never had it to begin with.  Maybe I should just conform again.  Because maybe no one will like what I do."

Though my friend would support and encourage anything I decided to embark on, crazy or not, my doubts perked up and lifted when I saw her email.  Someone needs me!  I make a difference!  I communicate, I inspire!  Looking straight ahead and seeing nothing but my dream, I rushed to complete my domestic tasks and dog-walking so that I could plant myself at the computer and do what I love; write!

So when you don't think you can make it even one more step in the direction you are moving and everything seems a dull, lifeless shade of poi, remember: Whatever your purpose,  keep feeling it in your heart.  It is the sensations from living our goals, not achieving them, that brings us life.

And though it may seem like what you do doesn't make a difference, think again.  Someone out there is relying on you to fulfill their day. 

"If it Flies, Floats or F***s ....Rent It"

                              
  " I'VE GOT YOU LIL' JIMMY.  YOU'RE OK. "
 ....pant, pant, pant..."OH CUPCAKE, HELP ME! I'M SO SCARED!"


                                                


Do you ever wonder about the people you went to high school with?  Do you ever wonder where they are, what they are doing and whether they're happy and having a great life?                                                            

Sometimes people evolve into greatness, personal greatness.  Why?  Because of the paths they choose.  Do you think it is the best schools, the best clothes, the best exercise program and the best cars along with the best bank    account that brings that greatness?  Well think again.  Greatness is what you choose to be, above and beyond what your mind decodes as success. It is the attitude you develop because of and in spite of how your brain interprets your life experiences.  Wealth measured by material gain is temporary and physical.  It says nothing for who you are.

Stand up and place your hands in your pockets. Who are you today?  What do you stand for?  Now hold out your hand and place a stack of greenbacks in it and squeeze tight.  Who are you now? 

Might you be the same individual who stood up just moments ago, empty handed?  We come into this world empty handed.  We will go out the same.  What we develop while we are here is what we will leave with.  The development of our spirit.

How much love can you handle?  Some of us, not much. So we bury ourselves in what we call our 'work.' Sadly, fear-based thinking keeps love at bay and invites misery stacked upon sadness, often times coupled with hatred.  And then we strike out due to the fear; fear of pain, fear of rejection, fear we may feel the way we chose to feel once before.  And typically, this will perpetuate itself over and over again because we have programmed ourselves to react to what is outside of us as something of an enemy, not to mention our reality.  Peering out from the black veil of protection, so scared we can't take positive action, we remain lifeless and dull, wearing the false face of worldly success.

Life can be beautiful.  Life can be filled with love.  Life can be exhilarating.  But life, your life, is what you make it.  It is what you choose to interpret.  It is how you program your mind, which is merely a computer, to accept information as either safe to download or as a threat to your system.

Fear based thinking keeps people from loving relationships, from experiencing joy and from the union of two people sharing their lives.  Fear comes from our wounds and our wounds come from how we interpret what happens outside of us.

So next time you view a man as a macho pig when he incessantly makes verbal assaults on the opposite sex, stating it's better to rent than buy something that flies, floats or f***s, (hence openly admitting that for him a woman, like a boat, is not only his penis extension but his flotation device, protecting him from the elements he can't bear on his own) because he fears she will find out he is not good enough, hence pull the plug, leaving him to drown and take some of their mutual worldly possessions (crap that burdens him).......or you see a woman as too much of a feminist because she will not allow a man to open her door because that will scream to the world that she is weak and incapable, question yourself and your own perceptions. 

Make the choice to see them as the beautiful souls that they are, interconnected with you and all other living things.  And know that they have simply made a choice, at this point in their life path, to have the experience of allowing themselves to be infected with a virus of sorts.  One that will continue to eat away at them, providing the misery they are programmed to expect, creating a life stage of jaded illusion and an eternal black hole of emotional need within their hearts.... until they accept that we are all one; all from love and all returning to love, together.

It's Dark and Rainy...I Don't Wanna Go Out There.....

..... I'm warm, comfortable and reading a good book.  The dog is wrapped around me keeping the chill off and the house is peaceful.  Why would anyone in their right mind want to go outside on a cold, rainy November day when they can have comfort, warmth, a book and a dog?

Honestly, it's rather depressing knowing that I can't go outside.  On the other hand, I'm too tired, I'm not motivated and I just want to sit and read and snack on 'stuff' all day.  What's wrong with that?  Nothing really, except that I have no energy whatsoever.  This is a good reason to sit on my butt.  I can't go anywhere because I just don't have the energy.  Heavy sigh....yawn...I think I'll wander into the bathroom and at least take a shower.

Holy cryin' out loud!  Who's that?  Another heavy sigh and the realization that it is me, myself and I that I see in the mirror looking back at moi. Art is a beautiful thing but becoming 'art' is not my goal in life. Guess what?  The shower is going to happen quickly because nature calls and I don't mean the toilet.  Time to get outside and attach myself to this dog for another drag around the park trails.

So I bundle up and grab the leash.  The dog, by the way, is ecstatic.  She doesn't care if it's -20 out there, she is a bowl full of enthusiasm.  Blech.  It's sloppy, wet and just plain ugly out.  Here we go.  Slop, slop, slop, out to the car.  Of course there has to be a few mad rushes through puddles before my lovely creature decides she will jump onto the front seat.  Whatever.  My car has become the dog-mobile and I have accepted that fact after much kicking and screaming with each episode of irrepairable damage.  Ugh.  Where are we going?  I end up on a drive through the country.  Bless my canine's heart, she is thrilled to have some new scenery and of course the opportunity to howl at cows.

After some time we end up back where we started and drive to one of the lovely city parks for an afternoon of squirrel chasing. I utilize her sled-dog pulling abilities and mush her up a steep hill through the woods.  She decides to stop and come back toward me,  half way up,  sending me spinning round the flimsy branch I caught just in time to keep myself from literally falling back and rolling down the hill.  After much scrambling and laughter I encourage her to try again and up we go, to the top.  My heart is in my throat and I release the leash, allowing her to be free while I stagger along wheezing.  She embarks on an hour of mad dashes toward everything and anything that moves in her path, including many startled squirrels.

     

Just because it's raining cats and dogs doesn't mean you will be bombarded by a plethora of claws and tails. 

Soon I have forgotten how slovenly I was feeling earlier and I am jogging through the paths and gingerly tip-toeing through the tree roots.  Still, I reminisce of being a semi-flat chested 18 year old, with no additional body fat, running at top speed through the trees.  Alas, the jolt of my breasts, hitting bottom before they rise again in their attempt to meet the sky, brings me back to my current reality.  Life in the woods is challenging when you're carting around the daily reminder of what you have sucked through your lips in the past 8 years. I feel as though there is a 30 pound slinky riding up and down my mid-section as I struggle to become remotely airborne.  And did I mention my ankles and how they threaten to collapse each time my feet make contact with the earth?  Upon my body's descent from what feels like a fall from the heavens the impact is excruciating. Why so many little, fragile bones in the feet and ankles?  I will leave that for another day of musing.

When have I ever allowed anything to get in my way when I have set out to do something that I was determined to accomplish?  I haven't.  In fact, a couple of years back, before knowing I was severely anemic,  I,  bound and determined to see a mountain goat, up close and personal, hiked 5 miles straight up to the top of Alpine Lookout and 5 miles straight back down.  Was it challenging? Sure. In fact I can remember gasping for breath to the point of being over wrought with emotion, feeling the surge of tears welling up inside of me.  Knowing now that my body was not able to carry the oxygen that it needed, it all makes sense.  But at the time, I was rather irritated and embarrassed that I was having a difficult time ascending the trail.  But, I kept going. I was going to make it to the top of that mountain come hell or high water; and I did.  Might I ad,  my mountain goat was there to greet me and we had ourselves an up close and personal little chat.

You too, I can imagine, have brought to reality many of the dreams you've created. And without allowing anything to stop you.  So why sit inside on a crappy day just because it is raining?  The woods were lovely today.  The scent of the earth and the crispness of the wind was exhilerating.  The joy I felt watching my dog run maniacally about the trails was unmatched.  And the rush of fresh air into my lungs accompanied by my pounding heart and the blood swimming through my body made me feel alive again; refreshed, enthused and happy to be on the planet. I also felt a sense of accomplishment.  I jogged my body around and hopefully scared off some of that additional, complacent 'self' I have accumulated over the years.

So get up!  Move around and stop letting the onset of winter bring you down.  It IS cold out there.  Corporate America was cold too.  But you got up and did it every day.  How did you survive it?  You prepared.  You dressed appropriately for the conditions and you didn't let the little stuff get in your way.  You still have the strength to achieve your goals today.  Being employed by an entity doesn't make you successful.  But employing yourself and giving yourself the push you need to accomplish your own goals is what success is truly about.  It's about feeling it; in the air, in the blood cursing through your veins and in your heart.  Being alive can be magnificent.  IF you choose to live.

Global Warming? Not Where I Live

I don't know about you but the cool air has arrived in my town.  Just a few more preparations and home is ready for the ongoing chill of winter.

The onset of winter has always been a time to bring out the indoor projects.  Whether it be redecorating a room, writing that long dreamed of novel or just cuddling up by the fire to watch a few movies, winter can be a time of reflection and planning. As well as a time to live in the moment with our loved ones.

Being locked in the house together can disturb the complacency of the daily rush through our professional lives and the activities of those who choose to stay busy while unemployed.  Issues that have been set aside for discussion on a rainy day, well, it's high time they are discussed and resolved.  Otherwise winter is going to be longer than we anticipated.

Getting the cold shoulder can be much more difficult to endure than the chill of the winds of winter. The protection of a warm coat and a wool scarf  can repel the elements and make a walk through the snow inviting and enjoyable.  There is, however, no protection from the cold bite of the air when there is tension between those who cohabitate.  Walking into a room can be devastating to the soul if warmth and shared love does not abound.

So in preparation for winter,  let's drag out the sewing projects, gather together the notes we have saved to write those novels and pick out paint colors for the new decorating project.  But first, let's hold up one finger and test the domestic air current in our homes.  Is it a warm breeze?  A few gusts of cool air followed by a lovely el nino or is it icy gale force winds accompanied by a small craft warning?  Let's assess the domestic atmosphere and prepare by cleaning things up together.  Let's toss out those old attitudes and matted down misunderstandings that we don't need and prepare our nests with additional love so that hunkering down together this winter is filled with warmth and joy.

Slumps

Being in a slump can really suck your energy.  I have found this to be true since I have been off work.  I can find all kinds of reasons for just a few more winks of sleep, just one more bite of cake, or just a few more minutes of relaxing on the couch.  It's too early, it's too dark, it's too cold, it's too late, it's too soon, it's not the right time, it's too boring, I'm too tired, I will do it tomorrow, I deserve to rest, I don't WANNA!

Heavy sigh.  I think I'll have another cup of hot chocolate and contemplate my fat rolls.  I wonder when I will get up the gumption to do more exercise than walking the dog and relying on her to pull me up the hills.  I wonder how many marshmallows are in each packet of chocolate.  I wonder how many more leaves will fall into the yard.  I wonder if the job market will ever pick up.  I wonder if I'll ever feel motivated to recover that couch I bought.  I wonder if I should get up and wind the clock.  I wonder.  Sluuuuurp. Ahhhhhh.  I wonder if anyone would notice if I sat in bed and watched TV, read and napped all day.  I wonder if I would feel guilty if I did.

Reading the latest on Facebook, I found a friend online.  We discussed lunch this week and then determined through much chatter, that we could combine lunch with cleaning her outdoor sheds and straightening up her back deck, in preparation for winter.  She too, is in a slump and needs someone to help her get motivated.

What a wonderful day we had.  Screaming at spiders, throwing away junk, sweeping clods of dirt and organizing garden tools. We squealed at webs, jumped sideways at bugs, laughed at our fears and got the job done.  When you have a friend there to chat with, the idea of getting things cleaned up becomes exciting and you become filled with newly found energy.  The burden of guilt, procrastination and self-beatings come to a cheerful hault and you are encompassed in a buzz of vibrancy.

Staying in a slump is a heavy load for the body to bear.  The lowered energy that results from thoughts that give us reasons not to do the things that we really want to do can spiral us down into a catatonic state of stoic inability to lift our head off the pillow.

If you find yourself in an unemployed state of rigamortis, gather up the strength to call a friend.  Inquire as to what they need help with.  Insist on providing the assistance they need to get that job done that they have been putting aside.  Set a time and jump out of bed and rush to their assistance.  Ask them lots of questions and watch the rust leave their brain and listen for the chatter of ideas that start flowing from their mouths as they take physical action toward their goal.  Feel your inner burners fire up and send you into non-stop action, accompanying them along their path to a successful day.  Your own projects will come to the forefront of your mind and you won't be able to wait to get home so that you can tackle your own pile of discarded to-dos. Relish the feeling of being fully alive.

If this is too overwhelming for you, your head feels glued to the pillow and you cannot find the strength to offer a friend help, pick up the phone and call them anyway.  And ask for a hand up.  It's OK.  That's what friends are for.  We are there for one another, through thick and thin, good and bad.  Friendship.  It's a beautiful thing.