Grateful on Thanksgiving 2016

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  Of course I'm thankful for all the obvious stuff--family and friends and health.  I'm also grateful for some less-obvious stuff.

I'm grateful for the 2016 presidential election.  It woke everyone up and we were passionate, involved and interested.  I didn't like the outcome, but I loved the energy surrounding the whole mess, and appreciated the absence of indifference.  

I am grateful that I know I could be wrong.  My plan is to never be accused of a closed mind.  

I'm grateful for my yoga teacher and class.  

I'm grateful for my groups and classes in Fort Worth. They make me think and laugh and feel loved.  And I'm thankful for a darling new and old friends who are in them.

I'm grateful for creative outlets.  Right now they involve beads and yarn. 

I'm grateful for arthritis, which makes me aware of the value and blessings of life and encourages me to keep moving.  

I'm grateful that my kids occasionally ask for my advice, and I'm especially grateful that I know not to offer it unless asked.  

I'm grateful for Esther Hicks and her message to stay positive and receptive.   Her plan--and now mine, too--is "happy, healthy, happy, healthy, happy, healthy, happy, healthy, happy, healthy, dead."

I'm grateful for prescription drugs.  =) 

I'm grateful for hundreds of things and thousands of people (you know who you are).  Here are a few more things:  Ellen, the color coral, ideas that make me think, popcorn, hair products, Fraiser reruns, my shoes, funny quotes, wise quotes, my four walk-in closets, the first hour of every day--coffee, Sadie Lou, newspapers on my iPad in a comfy chair in my sunroom, daily phone calls from Hobart, and everything I've ever learned.  

I'm also grateful for photos and being able to carry them around with me everywhere I go.  Aren't iPhones incredible? Camera, photo album, address book, calendar, lists, recorder, entertainment, encyclopedia, dictionary, news, weather, sports info, personal files, reading device for books, music, shopping and coupons, GPS, activity monitor, etc, all in that little phone I can hold in my hand!  

So here are some photos from 2016.  I'm grateful for the memories they evoke in me. 

I'm grateful for time with old friends. 
 

Tom and Teresa are friends on Whidbey Island.  I get to spend time with them when am at Hobart's.
I was on Whidbey Island twice this summer for a total of five weeks.  

Occasionally we discover that our friend, David, is sitting out on Hobart's deck, relaxing and waiting for a beer and a visit.  

Hobart is ready for a hike in the woods.  I made sure he had his handkerchief.  

 This photo was taken in late June.  I love the cool weather there...  

 ...and the huge trees and gorgeous forests...

 ...and Hobart.  

 We are not good at selfies.

Ruthie (Houston), Bev (Severna Park, Maryland), Judy (Bellevue, Washington) are Newton childhood friends, who were here in November, and yes, the stripes were deliberate, a throwback to our junior high days.  Jannie couldn't make it at the last minute and we missed her.   There were originally 7 of us but two have died.  Our history together goes back 70 years, a friendship so deep and valuable, we have gotten together almost every year for the past 25 years.       

In October Brenda, with the scarf, invited some Theta friends to her home in Guilford, Connecticut. Darling town, precious friends, great fun.
Me, Mary-O, Brenda, Nancy, Mary Helen, Anne

Later in October these Theta friends, aka "The Group That Does Not Compute" came to my house for a visit.  We have gotten together yearly for decades.  Originally there were 6 of us but one died and one can no longer travel. Nancy (St. Louis), Sharon, (Kansas City) and Mary-O (Wichita)

Last spring I drove to Bella Vista, AR, to visit Katy, my dearest Bella Vista friend. She took me to Crystal Bridges and, as always, we had great visits and lots of fun.  The problem with Katy is that she has a perfect life, perfect husband, perfect children and perfect grandchildren.  I love her anyway.

Laurie's youngest, Kayden, fastest kid on the team. 

Ellis, Paul's middle child, so full of energy.
  

Most of Laurie and Jon's boys with Daddy Bob.  
Patrick, Kelson, Kinser, Kayden, Justin, Bob
(Chris is missing)

LouAnn, Sadie Lou and POPCORN!  

Kinser, the quarterback, is now taller than Laurie.

Jack was the Donkey in the Shrek musical.

Laurie and Jon's dog, Beagan, is very grateful that his 20 pound tumor was removed!  
(Did I gross you out?)
  

Kelson, chilling out at his brother's ballgame. 

Chris and his darling fiancee, Diane

Happy Joe

 Maria and William--siblings out for an evening.  

Annette, headed to a Halloween party

Jack (and mom LouAnn) with his first college acceptance--from Oklahoma City University

My sister Jean with her valedictorian grandson. 
She turned 80 this year!     

My kids at Laurie's 50th birthday party.  
Paul, me, Laurie, Annette

Sadie Lou loves to go to Walmart with me.

Georgia was one of the wicked stepsisters in the Cinderella musical.
(She doesn't look very wicked, does she.)

Jon, on a seafood diet.  YUM! 

Sadie Lou is lying at my feet, waiting for me to play with her while we watch the evening news on CBS--Scott Pelley. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I'll be at Laurie's for parades and football and games and food. And I will be thankful for my wonderful life. 



 

An Ordinary Day

May 19, 2016

The day began like most of my days begin--in my sunroom swivel rocker with a pot of coffee and my iPad, Sadie napping close by, patiently waiting for her breakfast and morning walk.  I played Words with Friends, read an editorial comparing Trump's successful tactics to those of the Fascists', and then watched a couple of You Tube videos--a muskrat that could escape any enclosure and a bull that was unchained for the first time in his life, dancing and rolling in pure joy. 

The day progressed--breakfast and a walk for the two of us. I washed the sheets and put them back on the bed, and wrote a birthday email to a grandchild who's had a rough start in life.  

I made three trips to Nelda's.  The first was to return the polka dot glasses she had loaned me for my Sunday school party I hosted the night before.  The second was to try out her new foot vibrator to see how it made my legs feel.  The third was to pick her up for a concert that ended our day.  

The afternoon was spent, as every Thursday afternoon is spent, at my Thursday Group, which is always a warm and meaningful time.  

One of the Group members, Beth, was singing in a concert that night at the First Presbyterian church, so Nelda and I went.  We sat down across the aisle from Beth's son, a talented, gorgeous, brilliant young man who was visiting from California with his girlfriend.  The concert, Teach the World to Sing, was only an hour long, mostly a cappella.  Eighteen gorgeous voices, perfectly blended.  I closed my eyes through much of it to avoid distractions and really hear the music, a trick I learned from Hobart.  

It occurred to me on the way home what an extraordinary, ordinary day it had been.  I think it was Maya Angelou who said, "Never underestimate the value of an ordinary day." She's always right.  My day was filled with ordinary experiences--clean sheets, green lawns and flower beds, humorous videos, thoughtful articles, beautiful music, friends.  Ordinary?  Yes.  But a rich, wonderful day.  

Joy.  

It's So Damn Easy to Have 

an Amazing Life.

Abraham-Hicks Cancun Landcruise

April 23-30, 2016

"It's so damn easy to have an amazing life," flew out of Esther Hick's mouth one morning during the week-long workshop at a fabulous resort, Paradisis, in Cancun.  Laurie Beth, Jon and I spent the week listening, learning, taking notes, discussing, questioning, and loving our week there.  The morning after Esther told us it was easy to have an amazing life, this sand sculpture appeared on the beach.  Evidently, unbeknownst to anyone, there was a sand sculptor among the 1350 participants.  He and his wife had created this the night before.  

 

Later in the week this one appeared.

When Esther connects with Abraham, her gang of spiritual intelligence guides, magic happens.  Her basic premise is the law of attraction--we create our own reality but we don't do it alone.  Source Energy wants to fulfill our desires but we must be in a state of allowing in order to receive.  "Efforting" doesn't get us there.  

I've listened to and watched You Tube videos of her and read her books for several years.  I love her--she's sharp and wise and intuitive and very funny. Seeing her deliver her brilliance spontaneously was a thrill. 

I started writing down some one-liners of hers about a year ago as I listened to her on You Tube. I recorded more at the workshop.  I called them "Hickies" (Esther HICKS).  So I'm sharing them on my blog.  Here they are.  

 HICKIES

Light is within you. Stay happy and shine.

Everything you are feeling is an indication of everything you are thinking.

When you plant corn, you don't get tulips.

Your duck tape is uncover-up-able.  

  

Unless you feel good without the stuff, the stuff you want can't come.

You're not having as much fun as you intended. You're taking life much too seriously.

You can't be eternal and done.

Be at peace with what is while you wait for what is more.

Nothing that you want is upstream.

Are you keeping up with you? If you are passionate, happy, and energetic, then you are.

Every problem creates a solution.

When you croak, you will be right up to speed with who you really are.

Secret to success: Change "how" to "why".

You can't care about anything you can't control.

You don't have to uncreate anything.

Clarity is the prize we are looking for.

Get clear and happy and good things come.

It isn't the doing. It's the expecting.  Be patient.

You can't talk about the drought and expect the rain.

Trying is the problem.

Present yourself as you want to be and don't give a rip about how others receive you.

A belief is a thought you keep thinking.

I'd like to give you the freedom to agree with me.

All topics are the same. Live and let live.

Everything moves in the direction of whatever has your attention.

There's no struggle if you don't care.

It's so damn easy to have an amazing life. 

You never need to justify your worthiness.

TV dilutes the power of your enthusiasm.

Put no lid on pleasure.

Be the receiver of good, not the earner.

If your light isn't shining, you are of no benefit to anyone.

Not giving a rip about harmony attracts harmony.

A light, soft approach gives you everything you want. 

Source Energy is not at another party.

Life is as amazing as you allow it to be.

Never go back to fix it.

There is no forgiveness because there is no condemnation.

  

Here are some photos of the resort.  The banners were there for the event. 

Life is supposed to be fun.

Things are always working out for me. 

Appreciation, happiness, clarity, love, ease, joy.

Center court at night

Esther Hicks

(although she's usually smiling)

View from my private balcony

Nap time on the beach--beach beds

I truly believe that the Universe or Source Energy is taking care of me and every once in a while sends me a little message reminding me that it is.  The Abraham-Hicks logo is a tree.

I was frying myself an egg a few days ago and here's what it looked like. Definitely a message!

Isn't life wonderful?  

Laurie Beth Turned 50

We celebrated Laurie Beth's 50th birthday with a big surprise party.  She was truly surprised which was a surprise to all of us. It is NOT easy to keep a secret from Laurie Beth. My gift to her was a big plastic container filled with things I have kept through the years--her letters from camp and college, school papers and emails she had written, and little notes she wrote as a child.  Two of the notes sent us into peals of laughter. She was such an interesting little girl.  

The first one was a declaration of her love and a thank you note for being "pregnat" for her.  

The second one was to the Tooth Fairy, instructing her to take special care and consideration with this particular tooth.  

What a journey these 50 years have been!  

Here we are at her party--my precious kids and me.  

A Moment with a Painter

A painter came to my house to give me an estimate for painting the siding after my hail-damaged roof is replaced. Van was recommended by my roofer.  He was tall, middle-aged, serious and all business.  We toured the outside of the house; he came in to discuss the paint colors and some possible repairs of rotted spots on the trim. It didn't take long and soon he was headed for the front door.  Just before he walked out, he turned to me and said, "I love your home.  It's life-affirming."  And he left.  

I thought about his remark--"life-affirming"--for the next few hours, and what his simple statement revealed about him--his sensitivity and depth. He generously gave me a gift I will always remember.  

Life-affirming.  A compliment and a goal.  

Letting Go

Here's something I've learned.  Sometimes it's important to let go--of toxic relationships, ideas that don't work, attempts to fix everything, expectations, or anything that doesn't add to the quality of my life.   I'm good at letting go of most things, but there are some I'm still struggling to release.  

Dog guilt!  How much attention is enough for Sadie Lou?  If I walk her twice a day, play tug-and-toss at least once a day, comb her every night, take her in the car when I can, and let her sleep with me, is that ENOUGH?  She doesn't think so.  She gives me this look that says,

 "What? You aren't going to play with me?  You'd rather read?  You've got to be kidding."

        Or, "I'm tired of sleeping! I'm so bored." (sigh)   

I also need to let go of my bathroom scales and quit weighing myself.  My weight has been a life-long obsession and it's stupid.  It's an ego thing which makes it really stupid.  I wish someone would sneak into my closet and steal my bathroom scale.  If you do, I promise not to replace it.  Here's what it looks like in case you ever find yourself in my closet.  

I would like to give up being irritated by people misusing "fewer" and "less", "you" when they mean "I", and the nominative case as the object of a preposition.  (Yeah, I used to be an English teacher and loved teaching grammar.) (And, yeah, I give myself permission to end a sentence with a preposition and to get creative with my punctuation.) 

I'd like to let go of ice cream--especially Peanut Butter Party, Mudslide and Salted Caramel.  And especially when I've let it sit out on the counter for a little while until it gets melty around the edges and I scoop around the outer rim, creating a little moat. And then the moat keeps getting bigger and bigger because someone has to eat the soft, melted part but there's no one to do it but me.  Eventually it looks like this.  



I can't be trusted. 


The list goes on.  So if you, like me, suffer from the inability to let go of something, read my poem.  Maybe it will help.  

Letting Go

It's easy to cling, and so hard to let go.

I've struggled with both so I think I should know.

Like a baby who grabs and holds on to your thumb,

Clinging is instinct, but soon you'll go numb.

You cling to beliefs and the things you've been taught

Long after discovering your "truth"'s simply not!

Clinging is simple; you don't have to think.

You just keep on circling like you skate in a rink.

Around and around--the same pattern each day.

You don't buck the tide, don't go the wrong way.

Just go with the flow. Be predictable, please.

(The problem's that clinging's a fatal disease!)

If it's life that you want--to live, love and grow,

Just loosen your grip and then simply let go.

Let go of the path that has been your routine.

Go searching for fields that are open and green.

Let go of the "ought-to"'s and "shoulds" and "I can't".

Just take off your shoes, and then sing, dance and chant.

Eat with your fingers and paint with your toes.

Run backwards through town with a rose up your nose.

Wear hot pink and orange, and mess up your hair,

And sit on the floor with your feet in the chair.

Kiss babies and puppies, and laugh really loud.

So what if you happen to draw a big crowd!

Let go of the thoughts that have kept you in line.

Let go of the safety net.  You'll be just fine.

Let go of expectations.  They'll never be met.

Let go of your judgment.  Forgive and forget.

Acceptance is nice, but it isn't the goal.

The freedom to BE is the aim of your soul.

So free up your spirit and watch yourself glow.

All that is needed is just letting go.

Nancy Kinser

July 20, 2002