A Delightful Day

TODAY'S QUOTE:
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.
Mother Teresa Indian humanitarian & missionary (1910 - 1997)

Well, today was delightful. All four of my children were in my home, together for the first time since Christmas. Add five grandsons, three dogs, and me to the mix and you have a noisy crowd. I enjoyed it soul-deep and I believe everyone else did too, except the newest puppy, who was confused by it all.
I received a new lawn mower, as an early Mother's Day present. I sighed in relief as one more bothersome detail vanished from my worry list. I helped install a faster modem on this monster. I placed the box, holding all of Jerry's gathered treasures on my dining room table and watched his children divvy it all up with grace. I could see them remembering moments as they unpacked from his trunk and transferred handpicked items to their own.
The large plastic tote is empty now and I feel lighter, somehow. It was finally time to take that step, no tears fell from any eye, and although some items were handled with reverence it was on the whole a very comfortable journey for everyone involved. Stepping into the future with confidence takes a willingness to let go of the past. I hear the echo of his footsteps still, but everything I carry, from that long ago time, is compatible with any life I build for myself now.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Anger Makes Me Mad

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were. Cherie Carter-Scott, "If Love Is a Game, These Are the Rules"

Being forced into dealing with my own anger makes me mad, since I do all I can to avoid the need for it. The only thing that inspires my rage is a person who repeatedly insists on overstepping the line I draw between myself and unnecessary irritation. Negatives used, battling ram style, open no doors with me. I have no trouble standing my ground if forced into battle. But it is such senseless toil.
I never hold a grudge, although for sanity sake there are people I avoid, knowing the pattern that a relationship with them will demand. I never wish anyone ill, even if they wish me some. Anger just takes too much space and uses up too much energy not to drop it like a hot potato asap. But it is always best to combine reason with rage. Screwing up is much easier when high emotion has you by the brain--breathe. Half cocked guns often shoot the people holding the trigger--unclench. The exercise of spewing it all out covers you with a stench and leaves a bitter taste in runaway mouths--relax.
A gentle word might work just as well as any other to get their attention, most times it works much better. Debating in a respectful manner is more productive than trying to shove your opinion down someone else's throat or swallow theirs. We do not all come from the same location, experiences vary, so the fact that we have different slants on life is no big surprise. Point of view is a valuable consideration. Use it to your advantage.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

CLICK ON TITLE FOR A FLASH MOVIE

(THE ROAD TO TOMORROW)

Deal With This Today

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.
Michael Pritchard

I felt so disjointed yesterday, sliding from one emotion to the next with no walls between them. Today was much different, but it took careful planning to get the most done without constantly tripping over all the left over debris.
I took no time to make a, To Do List. I invested my energy in preparing one I entitled, Deal With This Today. I transferred all the items off my, Put Off Till Later list, knowing that nothing makes a person feel more in control than simply taking control. I marked each item off as they were completed and the haze lifted layer by layer along the way. Bootstap tugging is such an empowering exercise.
My strength seems fully restored. And I got rid of all the nagging things that I had been juggling. The process of getting over yesterday has guaranteed a more carefree tomorrow. And in some twisted way that has made all that happened yesterday valuable, because it forced me to write a list in bold black letters, then follow through with bold determined actions.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

CLICK ON TITLE FOR A SPECIAL FLASH MOVIE

(THINK ABOUT IT)

BE PATIENT IT TAKES TIME TO LOAD

BUT IT IS WELL WORTH THE WAIT

THANKS FOR THE INPUT DAN

The Business Of Coping

This has been a day of high emotions, varying from mountain high to valley low. My dream is the high portion, raising a teen aged son alone accounted for all the lows. Talking to teenagers is trying at times, reasoning with them is quite impossible when they raise an attitude wall to muffle any sensible thing you are saying. Doing my best, but grrrrrrr!
I do not believe that striking solves anything, or he might be black and blue. But grounding until he is better grounded was necessary, which caused its own conflicts. It could have occurred at a more opportune time, but life is rarely orderly in that fashion. So you see I have issues that I struggle with, the same as anyone else.
I am not perfect. But I dream, and reach for things while I go about the business of coping. I hope something here encourages you to do the same.
I got this email and forwarded it to most of my contacts, and am putting it here to reach more. Please copy and paste and send it on.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE - A true story
Susie is recouping at an incredible pace for someone with a massive stroke all because Sherry saw Susie stumble - -that is the key that isn't mentioned below - and then she asked Susie the 3 questions.
So simple - - this literally saved Susie's life - - Some angel sent it to Suzie's friend and they did just what it said to do. Suzie failed all three so 911 was called. Even though she had normal blood pressure readings and did not appear to be a stroke as she could converse to some extent with the Paramedics they took her to the hospital right away. Thank God for the sense to remember the 3 steps! Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.
Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
*Ask the individual to SMILE.
*Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
*Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (ie. It is sunny out today)
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage. A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people, you can bet that at least one life will be saved. BE A FRIEND AND SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE. It could save their lives.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Food For Thought.....A Special E-Mail

What would you do ? Don't look for a punch line. There isn't one. My question to you is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question.
"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe, that when a child like Shay comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child." Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and, getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and turned and threw the ball on a high arc to right field, far beyond the reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!"

Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
By the time Shay rounded first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases toward home. Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third!"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, "Shay, run home!" Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.
That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world."

AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people think twice about sharing. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people on your address list that aren't the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural order of things." So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up that opportunity, and leave the world a little bit colder in the process? You now have two choices: 1. Delete this. 2. Forward it to the people you care about. You already know the choice I opted for. Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

Well folks you can see the choice I made. I left it in a form that can easily be copied and pasted into email form again and sent to all your contacts. Sharing this kind of thing with the most people you can only makes sense. Anything that gives me goosebumps ends up here. I am going to be real busy for at least the first few days of the opening of my new site and time to write is limited, but I will add to Journey's End daily, if not my own words then words that mirror my thoughts or lift my heart. Ain't life grand??

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

The Secret

Well, I have been on a secret journey for 3 months now, and today is judgment day. Countless hours and headaches went into this, but also fierce love and attention to detail. I wasn't traveling alone and I don't plan on living here alone, either. All visitors simply click on title for rerouting to our new home. The our in this new Journey's End belongs in equal measure to all who care to come inside and decorate their own space. The welcome mat is out and the light is always on. Welcome home friends.

Facing Facts

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
Aldous Huxley, "Proper Studies", 1927English critic & novelist (1894 - 1963)

They sure don't, but wouldn't it be lovely if it were that simple. Many of us act as if it were so, acting and reacting are much easier than going toe-to-toe with adverse factual information. Failure to face things only gives a bad situation the fuel and time to grow to a larger size.
I know this by heart, but sometimes my mind rebels. At times it is quite overwhelming to realize that I have to face things solo, after 30 years with a sidekick. When the pile is too large I try to reason my way through it without despairing, and most times I succeed on the first attempt. But it can be a real bitch. If ignoring would work wouldn't it be lovely.
Rebuilding a life would be much easier and remodeling myself would be instant. But since ignoring things is not a possible solution, facing issues will continue to be my way. The speed at which I travel will vary, from snail slow to lightning quick, but it will always be the fastest that I can travel forward at that moment in time.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Eye-balling Fear

TODAY'S QUOTE:
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt US diplomat & reformer (1884 - 1962)

That idea in the back of your mind could be reality, except for fear. Sometimes we fear failure, at other times success. Fright is like quicksand, holding stationary then dragging under any human who treads within its reach. We are outnumbered, there are countless things to be afraid of, but they are outclassed because facing a fear makes it instantly harmless.
In a real way the torture of fearing is much more painful than the overcoming of it. I fear, but 40 years of giving into it was more than enough. I have no time to spare now. Fear will more often spur me on than stop me. The best way to control it is to wrestle the reins out of its sticky claws and drive yourself. Fear never got me anywhere I wanted to be. I bet you can say the same.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

CLICK ON TILE FOR FLASH MOVIE

(THE ROAD TO TOMORROW)

Experience Life

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him. Aldous Huxley, "Texts and Pretexts", 1932 English critic & novelist (1894 - 1963)

Life is a gift that should be opened slowly and savored fully, but unless you pay attention it will simply slip though your fingers like quicksilver. Getting the most out of living requires mindful participation, which means that knee-jerking impulses should be instantly made suspect. More often than not, reactionary behaviors cede all the power to the situation. And that is too much like boarding a bus without knowing its destination too entice me to climb onboard.
If we become puppets, controlled by whatever happens to us, there is no occasion for hope. I learned that lesson slowly. I am not immune to happenings, but I do try to minimize the damage caused. Walking through the fire will be all the more painful if you add to the height of the flames or insist on strolling there longer than necessary. Use it then lose it. Feel it then deal with it. Be it or be free of it. The choice of what happens to you is out of your hands, but the choice of how you respond certainly is well within your reach, if you take the time to grasp onto it before giving into the panic urge.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Reach For Excellence

TODAY'S QUOTE:
I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business. Michael J. Fox, quoted by Lorne A. Adrain in 'The Most Important Thing I Know'US (Canadian-born) actor (1961 - )

The act of reaching for excellence is faith born. Faith in your own power to do the best job you can no matter the task makes grasping excellence possible, without that you simply lack the drive needed to reach more than the mundane. The cost of excellence is dearer and the rewards are priceless.
God is in charge of perfection, but He is also a great mechanic of imperfections. And once repaired He forgets they even existed. If He forgives and forgets, we should be able do the same. Holding grudges against yourself for being human makes no sense and grudges aimed at others only drag you down.
I am as guilty as anyone of building walls against those who have wounded me, with no just cause, but I do forgive them. I am hoping God realizes that I do not wish them pain, yet I will not subject myself to the role of easy target. Abuse leaves a powerful aversion to any pain that can be avoided. I steer clear of what I know will cause agony, without really solving anything. Pain for pains sake is stupid. And I am not stupid. Some things need a bigger tool than I possess to mend them.
Life teaches you that some battles are necessary, some are not. I choose my battles carefully. Revenge is not in my database. Spite is more destructive to the one spewing it than the one it is aimed toward. I will continue on this road and follow it past all obstacles, with such a clear vision of where I am heading it should be a pleasant journey. Reaching for excellence is so much better than settling for the ordinary.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Pick Yourself Up

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Every minute you are thinking of evil, you might have been thinking of good instead. Refuse to pander to a morbid interest in your own misdeeds. Pick yourself up, be sorry, shake yourself, and go on again.
Evelyn Underhill

Today I danced! Now I am here, so my whole day overflowed with good thinking, followed by soothing actions. I am exhausted in such a healthy way. I had forgotten how wonderful it felt to stroke someone's spirit. Secret places, folded carefully away, are opening to let the world back in, on a one to one, face to face level that has been absent since Jerry got ill.
I am picking myself up, step by step, watching the road ahead with interest. My life is so rich and I know this is just the beginning. Sometimes when I consider it all, dreams attained and the ones that remain in different stages of development, I am almost overwhelmed. Almost, but not quite. Reminding myself of how far I have traveled, and the cost of the trip, so far, quickly re-centers my bobbling confidence.
Thought control is vital to staying centered. The past is over, if something was learned from every misstep then something positive is left behind, paying a just rent for any agony suffered. Absence of thought just leaves a person traveling in a tight circle, reliving the same mistakes over and over. What is dwelled upon fuels our steps, so I use thoughts in the best way possible to get the most distance possible, down a road worth traveling.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Your Best Behavior

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Don't reserve your best behavior for special occasions. You can't have two sets of manners, two social codes - one for those you admire and want to impress, another for those whom you consider unimportant. You must be the same to all people.
Lillian Eichler Watson

My best possible behavior alters daily, but I try to be real whatever my setting. The concept of doing my best in every situation is something I try to live by now. Time is just too short to travel half-assed through life. And I hate begging anyone's pardon, because of a situation I created, so I try very hard not to create any.
Tomorrow is my first day of paid labor in ages. Everyone I meet will get acquainted with the same person. Head games are well below where I stand. If I inspire talk amongst my co-workers I want it to be positive, but if I give my best it will not matter what is said.
Giving your best comes easily when you feel passion for the things you involve yourself in. I drop all walls and face new situations and people without judgments when I approach anything worth the doing. The growth of self is demanding changes in how I invest my time. Some behaviors of the past have been abandoned altogether, some passions have been redirected to more worthwhile endeavors. I am just an angel with a dirty face, seeking to ease pain by any avenue I can find.
Knowing how to ease my own came first, everything I learned led here, and I believe I am mostly free of major detour points now. Writing about it to touch others in a positive way is only one fork along this road. Hands on stroking of my fellow man is a part of me that has been ignored because of fear of reliving pain, still raw, from wounds suffered on the death march I was involved in.
I hate being afraid. Facing it will render it impotent. Letting it lead me makes no sense; I would much rather lead it to the nearest cliff, and push it over the edge. Actions that come natural deserve a life of their own, so I am resurrecting them from the ashes of the past. A road worth traveling is the location where a persons best intentions join hands with their best behavior and makes magic.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

The Twilight Zone

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt 26th president of US (1858 - 1919)

The twilight zone is a safe place, nothing much ever happens there. Anyone can live inside its shrunken boarders, rent free, just move in and vegetate. Working to make this world a better place never begins on that neighborhood watch. You will never wish upon a star from that location; the sky's the limit is down the road, a spell, and that is where the stars are kept.
The temperature is always luke warm, even a short visit will inspire impotency. Mostly cloudy is the most common weather condition. Sunglasses are obsolete, sunscreen is quite unnecessary. Joy and sorrow are only skin deep emotions. The only depth there is shallow. The landscape is generic and sterile.
That is simply no place I want to reside. I live in a place where touching other people is mandatory. Making things better is Journey's End creed and I carry it soul deep. I got the job I was seeking and will gladly give comfort to the elderly in whatever capacity that I am able. Tomorrow I call a local paper to see if anything here will convince them of their need of my words somewhere in each issue.
This journey is whatever you make of it. Make a difference, or move to the twilight zone, but do not anticipate a visit from me. My lifepath just does not head that direction, if yours does maybe a move is in order.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

The Art of Daydreaming

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night. Edgar Allan Poe , author, editor, & poet (1809 - 1849)

Daydreams are handpicked and magical, driving us to actions fueled by imagination. The dreamers portion of my brain is highly developed. I have dreamed enough imaginings into reality to understand that the line between the two is only as hard to cross as you make it.
Daydreamers are often criticized for what they cannot help. And Thank God being told to stop dreaming has little effect upon a true daydreamer. The world would be a poor place if all the lively minds ceased their spinning.
Poe used the word cognizant, which means mindful and aware. That just about sums it up. A person who dreams in the light of day sees things through eyes not limited to what is up close; what is quickly becomes what can be, since no walls separate the two. A walled up mind never imagines what seems impossible and a body led by such a mind never escapes the prison those wall erect.
Daydreaming is a worthwhile pastime, no matter what you have been told to the contrary. Test your own capacity by letting your mind drift where it will for a portion of time every day. Choose the smallest imagining and try to breath life into it, as you watch it bloom into reality, your soul will sing a tune like no other. And before long your daily dreams will outnumber your nightly ones, who knows if you are really blessed they just might replace them altogether.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE