Self Esteem

Photo from Photos by MJ

As a family we have taken time to play a few kickball games together in recent months. Bonding is easy when cousins, aunts and uncles along with us, the grandma and grandpa, join in a shared activity. Cheering each other on, we enjoyed the game and our time together. Although no one was rigid in our game structure, allowing a few lenient calls. As I stood outfield, I thought it should be illegal for the younger kids to ever be called “OUT”. Of course, I realize that each of us needs to learn to play by the rules and be good sports. But in the overall scheme of life, I do not ever want any of my grandchildren to feel that they are “OUT” in the game of life.


My overall belief and underlying purpose as a parent has always been to help my children build strong self esteem. Early on as a mother, I determined that if my children had good self esteem, they could handle any thing else life may hand them. School would be manageable and relationships would be strong if they first had healthy self esteem. And that is my deepest desire for my grandchildren and future posterity.

 

Death is Part of Our Living

Photos from Photos by MJ

 Death is part of our living. When we lose someone who has played an important role in our lives, we are reminded of the precious gift of life, friendship and how others enhance our own life’s journey. 

We can learn empowering lessons from the good in the lives of others. Such is the case with a friend who just completed his life’s journey and left us with a wealth of lessons that will enhance our lives if we embrace these characteristics.

Let us love a little more, hug a little longer and say more kind things to those in our circle of influence.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer awareness month

 

Today I am the proud owner of a beautiful pink rose.

It had been too long since I took time to have a mammogram and determined I needed to schedule the procedure. When I called to make an appointment, they informed me that had an opening just an hour and a half from that time. Why not? I could have that marked off my list and wouldn’t have to think about doing it for days or weeks to come. So within ninety minutes I was in the office ready for the scan.

I shared some humor with the tech, sharing the joke about to prepare for a mammogram, all one needed to do it lie down on their side on the hard, cold cement floor of the garage and ask someone to back the car over a certain part of you then pull forward. Then repeat that same process, this time lying on your other side. Probably considered very sick humor, it got me through the appointment with a smile on my face.

One long stem pink rose and two pink nail files later, I walked out of the office with the satisfaction of caring for myself with preventative measures.

I encourage you to be smart about your health care.

 

 

Color Energy: Violet

Photos from Photos by MJ

Violet is like early dawn when everything begins anew. Grasses, flowers and human hearts arise to the song of life returning. And in the fleeting shadows, violet light dances over the spaces in between the lines of our waking consciousness where it touches our visible, knowable world with new concepts and ideas from the higher mind. In the brief moment between our dreaming and waking worlds, what we see or understand stands apart as extraordinary and different from the way we usually understand others or acquire knowledge, a kind of sudden insight or immediate knowing, a connection to spirit. Our dreams are made of such stuff, that illusory material that simply moves by and instantly disappears. But if we hold ourselves softly between the worlds, we can catch the stream of consciousness whispering from unknown realms, bring new understanding, love and even nobility to our dailylives.



Photos from Photos by MJ

Color Energy: Indigo

 

Photo from Photos by MJ *

 

 Leave behind those worrisome daily cares with indigo energy. The frequency of indigo leads you into a state where clutter in the mind disappears, concentration is focused, non-essentials are eliminated and ideas become clear. Whatever dream you have for yourself-composing music, writing a book, bringing relief to the world’s suffering people, or redoing your home can be realized, as this color shifts visions and dreams to reality.


*About the Photo- While Blueberries are said to be blue, the hue of indigo claims the color of this delicious fruit as it is a descendant of its relative the Indigo Berry which is native to India, the birth place of the indigo dye.

Kindness Math

Photo provided by Photos by MJ

We each have the gift of 86,400 seconds per day. Sharing only 17 seconds, or .000196% of a day for an act of kindness still leaves us 86,383 seconds. Small investment, isn’t it? If we are too busy to spare .000196% of our time each day, we are too busy!

Recently I enjoyed a book that reminded me this great life lesson. The man in the story discovered that in just a matter of a short time, in this instance, 17 seconds, significant things can happen. When this young man was a lifeguard someone drowned on his ‘watch’ in a matter of about 17 seconds. He determined to heal from this tragedy by dedicating his life to reminding others to routinely take 17 seconds to encourage others along their way.

I have been applying the 17 seconds of kindness a day in my life. Just today I passed a sweet elderly woman on a sidewalk. We exchanged greetings, and then she told me that at first she thought I was her daughter in law who lives in another state. I asked her what she would have done if it was indeed her daughter in law that was there in front of her. She told me she would have hugged her. I asked if it was okay if I hugged her. She agreed and I did. I complimented her on her pretty purple framed sunglasses. As we parted, I said “by the way, my name is Susan”. She then revealed that her name was Sarah…”Sarah with an “h” on the end”, she said. So to all the Sarah’s with an “h” on the end and all the other incredible people that I do not know but share time on this planet with, thank you for lifting my mood when I share that .000196% of time in my day!

I'm a Survivor

Choking back emotions as I watched scores of other cancer survivors at a recent Relay for Life sponsored by the American Cancer Society, I marveled at how many people at some point in their life experienced the shock of a cancer diagnosis. Each of these participants had their own story and I was certain that they must have experienced similar emotions as I did on that“day of all days” when a potentially life threatening diagnosis passes from the lips of a medical professional.

My heart connected to each of them in a the unspoken way only a ‘survivor’ can understand. It is as if you know to some extent what they have experienced and appreciate with them the precious gift of life on perhaps a higher level than ever before.

Blessed beyond measure, I am grateful to be among throngs of survivors, celebrating life and chalking up the years!