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Transition

This is a year of transition for me; I will be writing more about this in the future. I, like everyone else, have been dealing with the Covid-19 situation and post-election stress; however, my transition started way before either of these events.

I recently came across the following poem from the book Ten Poems to Change Your Life by Roger Housden that really spoke to me. I hope you find a special message to you in the prose like I did. Enjoy!

Jeanette

THE JOURNEY
by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice –
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do –
determined to save
the only life that you could save.

Faith and Trust

Feelings of trust and faith can sometimes pop up at the most unusual moments and interesting places. I discovered this recently in my car.

Last week I drove four hundred miles round trip to see some friends in Maryland. The route I took is what I call the “Pennsylvania Turnpike Speedway” because that is exactly what it feels like. Heavily laden with trucks and cars, this road transverses through the Pennsylvania countryside complete with mountains, s-curves and one long tunnel. The scenery is beautiful, if you are the passenger, but as the driver your main attention needs to be on the road and the other drivers. You can, however, still enjoy the landscape as you keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel. (Thank you Jim Morrison.)

On the return trip I started to have a different perspective about the turnpike. I started to think of it as the highway of life, filled with different types of people and experiences. And like life, you need to trust and have faith that everyone will do their part to help others. As I passed a truck, I had faith that he was a capable driver and trusted that he would stay in his lane. When I started to become a little nervous about a curve, I had faith in my ability and trusted my experience in maneuvering my car. These thoughts made the trip more pleasant.

I think I am a very good driver and do not want to paint a picture that I was a nervous wreck while driving – just cautious. And just like in the highway of life I have practices that I use to keep myself calm and relaxed in each situation. Deep breathing, music, and meditation are my best tools for this. This new way of thinking about trust and faith are now also in my stress-reduction toolbox.

I invite you to look at new ways where you can think about faith and trust for security and happiness in your life. See where your own highway of life can benefit from these new thought patterns. And remember to enjoy the scenery along the way.

Smiles,

Jeanette

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”
Stephen Covey

Today I Saved A Life

Today I saved a life. It was a small life, but nonetheless still a life. It belonged to a mouse.

Two weeks ago, I started hearing loud crunching noises under the stove in the evening while I was quietly reading in the living room. I imagined it was a mouse because I have heard them before in past houses. I have destroyed them before.

This crunching became a nightly ritual. Crunching, me going into the kitchen, crunching stops, and then resumes when I returned to my book. I don’t know what she was chewing on because I saw no evidence in any food. I assumed this mouse was a she and I hoped there was not a nest of babies. She was just hungry. Aren’t we all? I hoped important appliance wires were not getting ruined with her appetite.

I decided that she needed to go and find a new home elsewhere. I wanted to trap her not to kill her. I have done the latter many times and I stopped after I witnessed the actual moment when a mouse’s neck got in the way of the wire trap. It was an image I did not like. I only have one little mouse, not a plague of them, I can get rid of this inconvenience humanely.

I finally found a humane trap at the hardware store and set it under the stove. Last night while reading I heard the faint snap of the trap door; I knew she had taken the bait. It was only after I heard her banging around in the small plastic trap that I decided to deal with the situation at ten o’clock at night instead of the morning. I put the mouse-filled plastic trap in a shoe box and placed it outside. I hoped she would not get too cold.

The instructions for the humane trap said to let the mouse loose two miles away from the house. Early this morning I walked one quarter of a mile from my house to a little woodsy area, deciding that this was far enough away so she would not find her way back. I felt good, like something special was about to happen and that I had a secret none of the neighbors knew about.

At the woods I opened the box, and nothing happened. No quick action from her to escape. I looked in, to see her crouching, wet, and startled with dark eyes starring me. It was at that moment I knew I was doing the right thing, saving her life. She was so scared, and I realized she was a part of nature that I touched for a moment. Putting the box on the grass, I told her it was safe to leave. She cautiously walked out and stopped in the grass. After a few seconds she slowly wandered into the deeper weeds, hopefully to reclaim a new home.

This was a very mindful moment for me as my concentration was only on her and the stillness around us. I was reminded how precious life is, no matter the form.

Seeing her go into the woods left me with a good feeling. I had saved her. I had connected with another creature of nature, even if it was only a mouse. It reminded me of the power of our world, our universe.

My hope is that you slow down and find your special mindful moments where you connect with a special piece of nature. It brings a sense of peace and appreciation for being alive.

Miss Mouse is on her own now and her fate is in her paws, or maybe someone else’s. I am left with that mindful moment at the edge of the woods and the mess to clean up under the stove. I feel good and all is well.

Smiles,

Jeanette


“In nature we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection with something else which is before it, beside it, under it, and over it.” Goethe

Smile, Even When There is Not a Camera

Yesterday I was reminded of the importance of a smile, even if just for me. This all started when I decided to go to the grocery store. I was excited about shopping for healthy food choices for the week because I had not done any major shopping for awhile. This excitement changed once I got in the store and was reminded that it was a Monday, the day for restocking shelves and replenishing home supplies after the weekend. It was busy. The rainy day was also making it a destination place, adding to the blocked aisles.

I felt myself getting irritated, but then I smiled. Yes, I was wearing my mask, but I still smiled. The irritation I started to feel cued me to smile, and I immediately felt better. Instead of being miffed over the busyness in the store, I reminded myself to be grateful that I was able to be out and about in the store and that I could afford to shop for what I wanted. My smile led to a deep relaxing breath and away I went to fill my cart.

The reminder to smile actually started that morning during my reading. I came across the quote “…meet life head on with a smile.” It led me to think deeper about the value of a smile and the happiness it can bring. It brought up memories of my mother telling me to always smile and show my teeth, “It makes you look so much prettier”. If a smile can lead to a pretty attitude, then I am all for it.

Smiling and humor also has health benefits: improved mood, pain relief, lowered blood pressure, stronger immune systems, stress reliever, better relationships, and a younger appearance.

I spent the next hour in the grocery store smiling. And even if other shoppers could not see my smile, I know they could see the twinkle reflected in my eyes. Especially at the checkout counter when I saw the bill. Of course, I was smiling, twinkling, and having a nice conversation with the check-out lady, appreciative for the items I was able to purchase. I hope you find and share your smile today.

Smiles,

Jeanette

“Use your smile to change the world, don’t let the world change your smile.”
Chinese Proverb

My Morning Ritual

One of my favorite times of the day is early morning. With this spring season the birds also awaken earlier and fill the air with their morning songs. No alarm clock needed; their notes are enough.

I have a morning ritual that always helps me set a positive and energized tone for the day. With my first cup of delicious coffee, I begin with some spiritual reading; something that connects me with a universal power that guides me to a happier life. Authors who have been at my side this year include Borysenko, Williamson, Tolle, Dyer, Hicks, Richardson, Breathnach and Salzburg. Through the years I have enjoyed many others and look forward to discovering more.

In reading, I can be embraced by an entire chapter or two, a thought for the day or a single quote. Whatever touches my heart and gives me that loving spark for my day is what I am drawn to read.

Along with reading I write in my journal. I write quotes from what I am reading and how it relates to my life. I continue to have eye-opening moments prompted by my morning reading. Closing my eyes, concentrating on my breath, I will do a short meditation to allow that lesson to really sink into my body.

My morning continues with my yoga and stretching routine. Through years of sometimes inconsistent yoga and Pilates practice I have developed a routine that works for me and my achy hips. I end with relaxing meditation.

What I love about my routine, no matter how much time I spend with it, is that it wakes me up, it connects me with something greater than myself, it gives me a life lesson for the day, and it puts a smile on my face. All I know is that my days are more fulfilling and energized when I include my morning ritual versus when I do not.

Find something that works for you to help you seize the day.

Smiles,

Jeanette

Editing Your Life

I am sure everyone is ready to make some New Year’s resolutions or goals for 2021. The word resolution has some bad connotations. Most people start with their resolutions during the first week of January, only to let them lapse by the end of February.

We need to dump the word “resolution” – it sounds too strong and definite for us to really grasp the concept that we can change. A better phrase, thanks to the Daily OM newsletter, is “editing your life”. I can’t say it any better than the Daily OM did, so I share this article with you.

Editing Your Life
By Daily OM

You have the choice to accept your life script you’ve written thus far, or edit it so you can create a life that fulfills you.

Our lives can be compared to an ongoing movie script over which we have complete creative control. Within us lies the power to examine what works or isn’t working in our lives and make “edits” to our life’s script, accordingly. Choosing to actively edit your life can be incredibly empowering. As you evolve, you have the choice to accept the script you’ve written thus far or edit it so you can create a life that fulfills you. You can cut out from your life’s script what is no longer working for you. Acknowledging that you are responsible for the experience you create gives you the ability to create the life you’ve always longed for.

Granted, editing your real life isn’t always as easy as erasing a line of text. If you’ve carried emotional baggage or held on to an unhealthy relationship for a long time, these may be difficult to edit out. But when you do cut out what isn’t working from your life, you’ll feel lighter and more alive. Editing out activities that you find stressful, disassociating yourself from people that drain your energy, and letting go of your emotional baggage are all beneficial cuts you can make. In the empty spaces that are left behind, you can add in anything you like. Just as you have the power to edit out negative situations or beliefs that you no longer wish to have as part of your life, you can now include the kinds of positive experiences, people, and beliefs that you would like to fill your life with. The manifestation of these thoughts and images as realities in your life will inevitably follow. As you make changes to your life, you can also add in the bits where you choose more intimate, healthier relationships, seek out adventure over tedium, and are no longer negatively impacted by old experiences.

To begin editing your life, simply think about your positive and negative experiences. When you determine what parts of your life are no longer serving you, make the commitment to remove them — though, it is important to remember that there is no proper timing or way to do this, and patience and compassion for yourself are always important during this process. Then, ask yourself what has brought you profound bliss and consider how you can make those experiences and beliefs part of your life now. With a little editing, you’ll be able to clear out what is no longer serving you and make room in your life for more happiness, love, and wisdom.

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Thank you Daily OM for your wisdom. To you readers, I leave you with the loving question of how will you edit your life in 2021? What good things will you make part of your life?

Happiness always,

Jeanette