Easter. The day of connectiveness. He died for us, rose for us and will come again for us.
Yesterday while working on myself, I had to hold the meridians that run through my arms to my little fingers. While holding the points, I was required to process thoughts that had once been stressors - experiencing integration, feeling worthiness and receiving support. Deeply meaningful and Easter appropriate upon retrospect.
Also yesterday over a beer at a local brewery, Mom shared a story about Uncle Al, my grandfather's (Dad's side) brother. Uncle Al was the epitome of a Western cowboy. He always wore a cowboy hat, boots, western shirts and pants. Auntie Joyce and him traveled the US, rock hounding, panning gold, hunting, collecting and living an amazing life of connectivity with each other, to others and for the Earth.
I was quite young when they'd visit and upon departure they always left me rocks. Back then the love was based on beauty, but as I grew older the rocks' energetic properties came to light. The last time I saw them was during a visit to Arizona and yes, they gave me turquoise upon leaving.
Auntie Joyce called Mom recently and expressed that Uncle Al had gone through a joint replacement last year. Bless the spirit for he was in his still active 90s. He happened to not be feeling up to par at joint rehab and they suggested he should go to the hospital. He refused. So at home later that day, Auntie Joyce was helping Uncle Al remove his cowboy boots. The one side was more difficult to take off and Auntie told him tomorrow let us not do the cowboy boots. At that in a state of peace, Uncle Al leaned back and died.
Beautiful connectivity. It is palpable in their story.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Time is so temporary.
It has been a long time since posting and I almost forgot about breathe...
Life seems to be changing. There was a time when I filled myself with giving in order to feel complete. No longer. I suppose a near death experience does that - it shifts the bookends. In the past, my recovery from issues preventing me from wearing pagers left me like a rabid dog waiting for a turned on pager and scurrying off to some crisis. Now - not so much. I enjoy less training nights, meetings, and thinking about how far I have to run to my truck should the pager alert.
The question I hear often is when are you coming back? My answer: not sure. The gift I have is in the midst of chaos, all seems rather clear on what to do. The ability to rapidly analyze and develop a correction plan comes very easily. Does that mean go back to all of what I've been doing many years or shift to something else? Oddly, now is when people are coming to me asking for my help, and I am not giving yeses. I am sitting back, watching, asking, contemplating and it is so refreshing!
Without the continual buzzing around, I've been able to take quiet moments. I see a lot of people in very small boxes they have constructed for themselves and fought to contain others. I wonder how they can grow? How they experience dismal defeats and joyous moments of excellence when they've wound their lives so tightly?
Time is so temporary.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The wind is constantly shifting direction tonight. So as the smoke revolves, I pick up my chair and move. As I plopped down this last time, ping came the thought - this is JUST like life. Shift. Shift. Which way? Try this. Then as the flames died, the smoke grew in intensity as a few more sticks were placed. Then POOF. Flames. Yes - that would be just like life. You never know the exact combination, but every once in a while the right elements for combustion will unite.
This is National EMS Week. I think back to 1988 and why I even signed up for an EMS course. It was to help a friend who thought he could not pass. I figured since I was enrolled as a NMU student that fall, the class could only be beneficial to a resume. He dropped out. I remained not knowing really why. This touchy stuff had me to the granite cliff edge many a night.
The last evening of class in February of 1989, I refused to fill out the state paperwork. Suddenly I was called to the hall by the instructor. Eighteen years old and the first time to be called into the hall by a teacher. He said in so many words - what in the hell are you doing?
I told him that I never once thought I was good at this EMS stuff, I had only taken the course to help someone else, I was financially obligated and as a full-time student had too much to lose to just drop earlier.
That was the first time I heard about how some people are gifted with talents they perhaps do not see or want. I listened. I remember. I walk that talk now with others.
The semester ended, I signed up for a lot of spring and summer classes, and then I received a call. A person I had taken the course with and who lived nearby said that I needed to help the community. Study. Join the township service just as an extra set of hands until the state test was offered in August. Guilt trip. Total inability to say no.
The 4th of July weekend in 1989 was my first EMS call. I had just received my huge red brick pager. Orientation was here's a phone number to call when it alerts. So I arrived first...to a rolled-over caravan filled with non-English speaking adults and children.
As I reflect and wonder what is next on my professional and personal horizon, I look at the experiences, the shift this way, then that way, smoke....smoke....and wonder what the next flickering flames will bring.
This is National EMS Week. I think back to 1988 and why I even signed up for an EMS course. It was to help a friend who thought he could not pass. I figured since I was enrolled as a NMU student that fall, the class could only be beneficial to a resume. He dropped out. I remained not knowing really why. This touchy stuff had me to the granite cliff edge many a night.
The last evening of class in February of 1989, I refused to fill out the state paperwork. Suddenly I was called to the hall by the instructor. Eighteen years old and the first time to be called into the hall by a teacher. He said in so many words - what in the hell are you doing?
I told him that I never once thought I was good at this EMS stuff, I had only taken the course to help someone else, I was financially obligated and as a full-time student had too much to lose to just drop earlier.
That was the first time I heard about how some people are gifted with talents they perhaps do not see or want. I listened. I remember. I walk that talk now with others.
The semester ended, I signed up for a lot of spring and summer classes, and then I received a call. A person I had taken the course with and who lived nearby said that I needed to help the community. Study. Join the township service just as an extra set of hands until the state test was offered in August. Guilt trip. Total inability to say no.
The 4th of July weekend in 1989 was my first EMS call. I had just received my huge red brick pager. Orientation was here's a phone number to call when it alerts. So I arrived first...to a rolled-over caravan filled with non-English speaking adults and children.
As I reflect and wonder what is next on my professional and personal horizon, I look at the experiences, the shift this way, then that way, smoke....smoke....and wonder what the next flickering flames will bring.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Sitting aside a new fire pit in the back yard. It's dusk and chilling down briskly so I popped in the house and put on Dad's old Navy pea coat. My parents gave it to me the other day. I have always been mesmerized by a bon fire - the licking flames, glowing embers, changing colors. I can hear the fountain and also the popping of the wood. It is the best, very best of both worlds. In my dreams I wanted a home that entwined a fire place with water. This may be as close as I get.
Dive bombed by a robin. Sorry. I pay the mortgage here. At least for a few more months.
Started the day with a productive meeting about an upcoming emergency exercise, then a quick trip to the grocery store had a friend and me running into a very nice brush truck from Baraga. So we introduced ourselves and checked out their apparatus. I certainly would take that any dreamcicle over the Army truck we have that pre-dates my birth.
Raked for a while and discovered that I'm going to bring more rocks home. Time to ground the place better. Plus, I'll put them around the fire ring. As I sit here thinking of how to spiff up the home and watching the bright planet in the sky, I think wow it is about time that I do work for myself.
Gave the Model A's another base coat. I think tomorrow mine will be started. The National Model A Convention is coming to town and I picked up some wood cutouts that will be hung from the downtown light poles. My intent is to incorporate glow in the dark paint along with glitter and some fringe. Are you scared yet? On another note, I sketched out a logo tonight for a local race. Don't have the software to make it look good, but I just had to put graphite to paper and get over the urge.
The birds have fallen asleep. Now that is astounding. The conductor put down the baton.
At that, I'm putting one more log on the fire...
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Beep. Beep. Beep. That was the home answering machine the other night. Rare that anyone calls my home during the age of cellphones that are practically like another organ. So I listened to it and then listened to it again. A stranger somehow found my number and wanted information on hospice. My first thought - this is different, but there's a Higher power that drives things in life. I only know of hospice from when Grandpa was ill. So, the next morning, I called the person back and we chatted.
In the past few days I have shared moments with two people challenged with the ever present lingering notion of when cancer will rear its head again. A challenge to one's faith.
Tonight a call to check on a neighbor.
There have been so many of these types of occasions lately. It is like I am getting this re-assurance of what Mom said the other night - you are a true public servant. There is a reason why you have no spouse and children, at least yet. As a friend echoed, your calling perhaps is to be with and give widely amongst people who know you listen with more than just an ear. A person who takes the time to find answers after others have searched...even when it may be right there, yes right there, in front of their faces as those are the most difficult to self-see.
Up in the air a lot these days, I suppose increasingly so through this past year. The house will be paid soon. It was supposed to be the starter place. My professional careers have taken me down so many diverse paths - well, it's Sybil-istic. Not one to ever plan beyond a few days, and without an ounce of competitiveness or manipulation. I was raised with the notion that women were to find men so they could be taken care of for their life. While I have no qualms regarding that personal choice, I find it to be fertile ground for great limitations and lasting devastation. Love is to push each other to a level where alone you would not achieve. There are still a sect of women who purposefully seek those that will provide for their every want (not necessarily need) independent of the consequences to others. The deep inner belief of two becoming one shall never be truly welded when one person of the package is there because of what he or she gets, instead of gives. Breaks my heart to witness this erosion of a person for another.
Do unto others...
In the past few days I have shared moments with two people challenged with the ever present lingering notion of when cancer will rear its head again. A challenge to one's faith.
Tonight a call to check on a neighbor.
There have been so many of these types of occasions lately. It is like I am getting this re-assurance of what Mom said the other night - you are a true public servant. There is a reason why you have no spouse and children, at least yet. As a friend echoed, your calling perhaps is to be with and give widely amongst people who know you listen with more than just an ear. A person who takes the time to find answers after others have searched...even when it may be right there, yes right there, in front of their faces as those are the most difficult to self-see.
Up in the air a lot these days, I suppose increasingly so through this past year. The house will be paid soon. It was supposed to be the starter place. My professional careers have taken me down so many diverse paths - well, it's Sybil-istic. Not one to ever plan beyond a few days, and without an ounce of competitiveness or manipulation. I was raised with the notion that women were to find men so they could be taken care of for their life. While I have no qualms regarding that personal choice, I find it to be fertile ground for great limitations and lasting devastation. Love is to push each other to a level where alone you would not achieve. There are still a sect of women who purposefully seek those that will provide for their every want (not necessarily need) independent of the consequences to others. The deep inner belief of two becoming one shall never be truly welded when one person of the package is there because of what he or she gets, instead of gives. Breaks my heart to witness this erosion of a person for another.
Do unto others...
Sunday, April 29, 2012
A real friend helps us think our best thoughts. Do our noblest deeds. Be our finest selves. ~ anonymous
Picked that quote out of a jar this morning, a jar given to me by a friend who mostly understands that those to whom I become close will experience just that....a stirring to be the best they can be and in reverse also I experience their help. I think back through the years and some people were just not ready for that kind of maturity in a friendship, or their external situations disabled them in continuing what life is all about - connections with people. There is a line that forms between those you find interesting and are compelled to share lives with versus those you are more than satisfied occasionally talking to and being on the fringe. I have noticed it is those with low emotional intellect that seem to be on the fringe.
Speaking of low emotional intellect, may I recommend the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. I was astonished to read how within my professional careers, I have been so fortunate to experience elements of combating this! I recall collaborating with a group of persons on our personality styles, expressing the ultimate necessity for us to regularly meet and share each part of what we were doing for the whole, and at the foundation trust in one another had to reign or there was no team.
A frustration I currently experience.
So, I found myself taking on-line surveys this morning. At one time in life, I picked leeks for money, so this survey stuff seems like sprinkles on a cupcake. I have been shaken through the last year to analyze just how out of whack our consumer products cost in comparison to my dwindling income. I have to go back to the late 90's to compare with my take-home now. So with that said, ingenuity is kicking in again.
THINKING best thoughts
DOING good deeds
BELIEVING there is a reason for everything
Picked that quote out of a jar this morning, a jar given to me by a friend who mostly understands that those to whom I become close will experience just that....a stirring to be the best they can be and in reverse also I experience their help. I think back through the years and some people were just not ready for that kind of maturity in a friendship, or their external situations disabled them in continuing what life is all about - connections with people. There is a line that forms between those you find interesting and are compelled to share lives with versus those you are more than satisfied occasionally talking to and being on the fringe. I have noticed it is those with low emotional intellect that seem to be on the fringe.
Speaking of low emotional intellect, may I recommend the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. I was astonished to read how within my professional careers, I have been so fortunate to experience elements of combating this! I recall collaborating with a group of persons on our personality styles, expressing the ultimate necessity for us to regularly meet and share each part of what we were doing for the whole, and at the foundation trust in one another had to reign or there was no team.
A frustration I currently experience.
So, I found myself taking on-line surveys this morning. At one time in life, I picked leeks for money, so this survey stuff seems like sprinkles on a cupcake. I have been shaken through the last year to analyze just how out of whack our consumer products cost in comparison to my dwindling income. I have to go back to the late 90's to compare with my take-home now. So with that said, ingenuity is kicking in again.
THINKING best thoughts
DOING good deeds
BELIEVING there is a reason for everything
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Stepped on a dinky little chunk of aqua glass this morning. In my living room? How very odd.
The blinds and a few valances that came with my house are now all down from their cobwebbed resting places. The house will be paid off in a few months, so I figured that it was about time to change a few things. With birthday money from my parents, I bought cellular shades and have two sample books spread across the floor for others. Thanks to friends who recently purchased blinds as they got me motivated after 20 years of stagnation!
Decorated just a little today for Easter. I was hoping to watch cheer on the faces of others, but plans have changed. It is a blessed moment to sit in silence and reflect that it is He who is in charge and that is what matters.
This past week has bottled quite a bit of highs and lows. Just seems that life would be bland and unfulfilled without knowing them and yet at times wondering...well, should I become less vulnerable? Walls. They're so very easy to build. Discerning when to build and where to have the windows and doors is quite challenging. It must be why the sunrises and sunsets are so breathtaking. Without a window or a door, you'd never see them.
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