A Family Thanksgiving

Saying Grace – Normal Rockwell

This image hung in the kitchen at my parents’ house for decades. On the wall, next to the kitchen table where we ate our daily meals because my Mom loved it. Each time I see this, I think of my Mom because it was so significant to her and part of our upbringing. It’s titled Saying Grace. Are you familiar with it?

For me it’s a good reminder that life is what we make of it. No matter who’s watching, we can be ourselves, authentically us, shining on and comfortable in our own skins. We don’t have to conform to the masses, but instead, stay true to ourselves. Counting our blessings even when they may seem small and passing along traditions that are important to us. Quietly, without fuss or fanfare, the simplicity in Saying Grace comforts me.

Do you feel it too?

Life was simpler then I think and many times Normal Rockwell captured that family-oriented simplicity in everyday living. It makes me grateful for the blessings I’ve received and isn’t that what Thanksgivng is all about? It’s not about the turkey, the sides or the pies. It’s about FAMILY (friends included) coming together with love, understanding and Freedom From Want, even for a short time.

Freedom From Want – Normal Rockwell

Sharing the Thanksgiving feast is a blessing that I count many times over. While both of my parents have now passed, these memories become even more precious as time goes by. Our family’s love continues. We are looking forward to spending time together, my sister’s family and mine. To be remembered, to be included, to share with others is priceless.

My wish for you is to have a Blessed Thanksgiving if it is one of the holidays you celebrate. Even if it isn’t, I send blessings your way too. Take a few minutes to give thanks and share your gratitude for what we concentrate on grows abundantly. I wish you Freedom From Want.

Happy Thanksgiving! We are blessed!

Shine On!

xo

You’ll Know When It’s Time

It has been a sad time at our home. Our fur baby Tiffany (Tiffy) has been sick for a few months now and I wasn’t able to write about it. But if you search for ‘Tiffy’ on my blog, you’ll find many posts about our resident cat expert in healing through ‘fur therapy’ as she has been with us almost 14 years, snuggling in our arms and hearts with her strong purr healing.

But the time has come and as I write, with tears streaming down my face, I can’t believe we had to say goodbye to her. Anyone who knows us will remember how chatty our Tiffy was as she never stopped talking/meowing to us until she got her way…and she did get her way more often than not. She and I spent every morning presently together, as she demanded to be held like a baby and snuggled after my first sip of coffee. I can’t even begin to describe how bereft I feel without my little love.

I wish I didn’t know when it was time. I wish I could have healed her so that she could have stayed with us longer. My heart is breaking without her here. My sons and I are feeling her absence as she was such a force of love here. I thought that when our first kitty Chessie (you can search for her too) passed that my heart broke wide open, but Tiffy’s loss has broken all of our hearts. Thank goodness we still have Tigger as I hope she is ready for her very needy family to get some fur therapy. May Tiffy have taught her well.

Fortunately, each precious kitty has her own set of strengths so perhaps we have to wait to see what Tigger’s are now that Tiffy has passed. Tiffy was a force to be reckoned with and so now Tigger will step up. I know it won’t be the same as each relationship is different, but as I sit here typing to you quietly, Tigger is next to me, somehow understanding that we need each other. Her calm quiet presence soothes me.

Thank you for letting me share. Keep shining your heartlights!

Shine On!

xo

Happy Blessed Easter

I wish you all a very Happy Blessed Easter. May an abundance of Easter blessings be yours. Above is the stained glass window from my childhood church which brings me back to the decades of Sundays I spent looking at this amazing window.

When I saw this photo, it touched my heart in ways that I hadn’t predicted. Something so very familiar and yet from so long ago brought a tear to my eye in a nostalgic way. Have you ever had this feeling? It’s the tenderness in the moment wrapped in the gratitude for their love.

May you all stay well. May you keep gratitude and joy in your hearts. Please continue to shine your heartlights for all to see for we need more light in this world. God Bless.

Shine On!

xo

Soup, Snow And A Saturday

I have the biggest smile on my face because it’s snowing outside.  Add that it’s Saturday and my sons are home with me makes my smile grow!  I already put a chicken on to make homemade chicken soup so we’re all set!  What a glorious day it will be for us!

It’s the perfect ending to winter break for our family because next week begins school again.  So in the meantime, I’m loving this day.  Wouldn’t you?

I could sit and watch the snow fall for hours.  I love the smell in the air when it snows.  Have you ever noticed it?  I love that after a snowfall I can go in my backyard and see the tracks from all the wildlife – deer, groundhog, birds and of course, my rabbits – and how they’ve been out and about in the snow.  How grateful and blessed I’m feeling today!  Can you tell?

I hope you have a lovely day filled with all the comforts of home and healing because that’s the plan here today.  Hold your loved ones close and enjoy the Presents of Presence!

Shine On!

xo

 

November First Rabbit Rabbit

Today’s a special day, the first of November which if you know me, you know we say Rabbit Rabbit, White Rabbit, White Rabbit!  But it’s also All Saints Day for those who are Catholic.

Even though my Dad passed away years ago, today would have been his birthday and I can’t help but think of him today as he comes to mind often in unusual ways.  In fact, I’m grateful as friends of his have reached out to me today to let me know they are thinking of him too.  I got the card below which touched my heart and I think goes well with the faith part of today.

May the sweet card above inspire you, increase your faith and help you to find joy in the month ahead.  What a beautiful quote from Mary Alice Michaels!

Shine On!

xo

We Are All Family

“Each time a person passes by you and you say ‘hello’, imagine that person turning into a candle. The more positivity, love and light you reflect, the more light is mirrored your way. Sharing beautiful hellos is the quickest way to earn spiritual brownie points. You should start seeing hellos as small declarations of faith. Every time you say hello to a stranger, your heart acknowledges over and over again that we are all family.”

― Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

About a year ago, I moved away from neighbors with whom I’d bonded for almost twenty years.  We were a tight neighborhood, all of us ready to lend a helping hand and to enjoy each other’s company.  It was a sad moment for me when we left our safety net of neighbors, but luckily, we have all stayed in touch.

Last night, my sweet neighbors surprised me with peonies from their yard.  I adore peonies and their sweet fragrance.  Every year my neighbors shared their field of peonies with us all.  So I can’t even begin to tell you how much it meant to me that they remembered me and made the effort to drive across town to deliver them in a beautiful vase!  Their generous and kind gesture made my heart smile so much!  It reminded me that no matter what the circumstances, we are all family when we choose to be.

The connections we make, the smiles we share and the kindness that continues makes me so grateful for all of the heartlights who make up my family.  We are all so blessed.

Shine On!

xo

As Our Loved Ones Age

Maybe it begins when you realize they are forgetting silly things that you know they well-know.  Maybe you notice when they aren’t as spry as they once were.  Maybe you sense that they aren’t following the conversations or involved in them as they once were.  Maybe you notice that the rituals (daily bed making for example) aren’t completed.  As time goes on, you realize that there’s a little hitch in your loved one’s routine, conversation,  eating habits, sleeping habits and such.

Many times we brush those moments off with the thought that hey, they are getting older.  But how many signs does one need in order to shake up our thinking and begin the growing alarm that our loved ones may need more help?

That is a personal issue for many people as we can easily explain away when we aren’t ready to deal with the issue at hand which is:  our loved ones are aging and need our help.  For some people, it’s a mind-blowing thought (especially if we are their children) when our loved ones have been people we looked up to, respected, revered and who took care of us.  To see them slide even a little can cause us to feel that tinge of panic or to altogether dismiss it because we can’t even begin to go there in our minds.

But let’s been honest – aging happens to us all, so we need to help when we can!  Because someday, it will be our turn.  So what do we do when we begin to notice more frequently, aging signs in our loved ones?

Tread lightly is my advice.  Know your loved one and approach the subject accordingly.  Some people welcome a little help.  Others vehemently oppose it.  Nobody likes someone else to point out that we are functioning at less than our normal ability so be kind as you broach the subject.  Be respectful.  Offer help in a non-judgemental way and allow the conversation to flow in a peaceful way.

Caveat:  unless you see imminent danger, then be proactive and respectful.

It’s not easy for your loved ones to admit that they are weakening or finding their normal routines more difficult.  Getting confused, losing objects and forgetting to eat are tell-tale signs that you need to step up your communication with them.  But do it in a non-threatening way.  Take more time with them when possible.  Encourage them to share with you how they are feeling and what they are noticing if anything.  Do it the way you would like ti done for you.

I have some friends who are noticing their loved ones showing signs of aging that are concerning to the well-being of their loved ones.  It’s not an easy task to flow into the parenting role of a loved one who is older than you.  It’s not always met with gratitude, but instead sometimes it is met with distrust.  It’s scary for your aging loved one to feel that they are not as strong as they once were.  Some fight it and others simply allow the aging process to flow easily.

My advice is to keep your eyes and ears open and to broach the subject with compassion.  Listen to your intuition too as many times we know, we just don’t want to see because it’s hard to think of our loved ones in that way.

I wish you well on this next chapter of your journey.  I’m here if you need a hand to hold as we’ve experienced this as well.  You are not alone.

Shine On!

xo

Gratitude For Eight Years On WordPress

I got a note from WordPress today telling me that eight years ago today, I began my blog.  It doesn’t seem that I have been writing for eight years to you all, but I’m assuming WordPress knows what it’s talking about, don’t you think?  Ah, the benefits of blogging!

In eight years, much has changed in my life.  My initial focus was to help other women battling cancer, specifically breast cancer as I endured it myself and I am still here.  But as life developed, I have written about other subjects too including:  poetry, pets, children, parents, relationships, Mother Nature, horseback riding, Alzheimer’s and Dementia, holidays, angels, spirituality, religion, Rabbit, Rabbit, photography, SendOutCards, amazing books and movies, inspirational quotes, life in general and even death because I had first hand experience with all of those topics.  While I was enduring hardships, you were all there for me with your loving support and I am ever grateful.  I wrote to share my experiences in hopes that I would be able to help someone else along that path.

I am ever grateful for the loving connections that have evolved through our blogging community which we have grown through our writings and by reaching out in kindness, generosity and always with a loving heart.  Friendships have blossomed through our writings that have cemented many of us soul to soul in miraculous ways.  From WordPress comments to emails to actual phone calls, I can count many deep friendships which span the world now for which I am honored to be a part of in this lifetime – and yet, we have never met face to face.  But the love is there, without ever being in each other’s physical presence.

It’s so interesting to me that I have yet to meet anyone face to face that I met through blogging and yet I count many of you as true friends.  What a gift this Presents of Presence has been for me!  I pray that you feel the same way – that my writings, my comments and my love for all of you shines its heartlight and helps to raise the energetic vibrations of this world’s energy to encourage peace, love, compassion and understanding along with connections to all.

May your heart be lifted today and may your heartlight shine for all to see, for I see you out there dearest friends and I am ever grateful, as always, for our connections.

Shine On!

xo

Spring Has Sprung!

Heralding in Spring today on the Equinox, I look outside to a snow-cloud covered sky.  While I must admit, I was excited for Spring to have sprung today, I also am probably the last person in my neighborhood who can say yes to one last snow fall for the season.

Because for me, there’s something still very magical about snow falling, the crisp cold in the air and the smell, oh! the smell of snow coming!  You know that smell, don’t you?  That smell excites me to my very core because I love to watch snow fall and to be out amidst those big huge flakes as they waft down.  Oh, I’m so excited, like a little child!  My children laugh at me because I’m the one who insists we should wear our pjs inside out for a potential snow day off from school!  Have you followed that tradition too at your house?

I love the fact that towards the end of the week, after the snowfall, we will have warmer temperatures which means melting snow and not as much shoveling!  Woo Hoo!  But honestly, I don’t mind shoveling as long as there’s not a lot to do.  You know me though, I like Mother Nature’s gifts for the most part.

We’ve had our share of snowfalls this year thus far, so I am sure that there are plenty of people who don’t like my Pollyanna attitude towards the anticipated snowfall.  But as a gal who enjoys what a snowday offers – staying home in our pjs, being housebound while watching the outside world go by in a sea of white flakes, playing board games and watching tv, and eating comfort foods with my children – well, then can we just enjoy one last snowday – please!

Shine On!

xo

 

Past Experiences Do Not Dictate The Outcome Of The Present One

When similar situations repeat themselves, sometimes we can go into a mind spasm.  We relive the past in the present situation, mindlessly worrying that the outcome of the present situation could be the same as the ending of the past one.  I know I’m writing generally here because frankly, the situation could be anything that you’ve endured.

But there’s that trigger, that Oh my gosh! realization that we’ve passed this way before in the past.  I tried to put it out of my reasoning mind, knowing that as before, I am doing the best I can with the resources I have.  But there’s that little worrisome thought that this time may repeat the last one’s ending.  Mindful of not wanting the same results, I pushed away the thoughts, trying to reason my way out of not manifesting the past again.  Because I don’t want what happened in the past to repeat itself.  Yet, I couldn’t shake the fear.

So I rechecked the facts, because my need for control, especially now, is fierce.  All seems well at this time which is good.  But in talking with a kind friend, I realized I was beating myself up internally for feeling as if the past could repeat itself and I was helpless to change what may be the outcome again this time.

When she parroted the situation back to me, as I listened to my own situation but in her voice (as if she were me), compassion filled my heart and I cried.  I realized that I needed to have compassion for myself and for my own feelings in this situation.  I understood that pushing off the absurdity of the situation repeating the past with the same ending wasn’t a ludicrous thought that I had to push away.  I understood that it was a natural thought process that if all lined up as it had previously (which is certainly possible), the ending could be the same.  I struggled with the thought, talking back and forth with my friend as we processed the scenario.  When we were finished talking, I realized what I already knew.  I can only do my best with my own resources and it’s in God’s hands.

I have to be content with that knowledge and find peace within me.  Because at this point, the situation is stable and not showing signs of further chaos, but the threat is real.  It’s just a question of if it’s here or not.

I think perhaps PTSD may be in varying degrees something that we endure over a lifetime when repeated similar situations occur.  Fear and past knowledge often make it difficult when we feel helpless.  So how do we overcome those aching worries?

We need to find compassion for ourselves for even going to that dark place of fear instead of tamping it down and turning away from it.  When I exposed the fear to the light with the help of my trusted friend, I cried and released some of the traumatic fear I was holding for the present situation.  With the tearful release, I was able to ground myself again in the knowledge that I am doing the best I can and only time will tell the actual results.  That gave me a small dose of peace for which I’m ever grateful.

Finding peace is precious and priceless as we endure stressful situations.  We all experience life lessons in different ways.  What I’ve found is that in being love, sending love, and wrapping us all in love, we know that love shines our heartlights into the darkness of fear based thoughts.

I’m not bringing that fear into my thoughts anymore.  I know I can flow with whatever may be on my path as long as I continue to stand in the light and not in the darkness.  Please keep shining your heartlights dear friends!  I can see them and they give me great comfort!

Shine On!

xo