Never Get's Old

 LOVE, kindness, good humor, joy, hope, faith, tenderness, 

tolerance, forgiveness, peace, patience, freedom and goodness

Better Life

One more day and many ways to make life better more beautiful for ourselves and others. A peaceful frame of mind is important and a good way to move forward into positive places. The world does not feel so hostile and cruel when I can be calm and lean into the spiritual realm. I am armed with elements beyond the limitations of this earthly plain. Internal peace is tucked away in our hearts and souls and accessible as needed. The trick is to pause and remember inward tools available to get a grip on things that seem slippery, out of balance and unreasonable. The world and the haters in it are part of life's obstacles. Peace, Love, Respect are absolutely the solution to the confusion and chaos that seems out of control as leaders forget how to lead with integrity and honor. 

Peace of mind seems easy enough but when stressors pop up and anxiety wants to run amuck it's not so simple to switch gears and pull yourself out of negative frame of mind. To focus on blessings, the things that bring us joy like people who love us, our precious pets and the many resources we have to make life comfortable, well, it's good to recall things that  make us happy. Even better when we can play our blessings forward in prayer, action and intention to make life better. God speed. 🏵️

Heart to Heart ❤️

 

May your heart swell with joy, laughter, love, peace, contentment and may your heart heal when it feels broken, bent or bruised. May you find what you have lost and strength when you are weary and teary. May all of the disappointments transform into new ways to move forward with a different way of looking at things.

May everyday bring you the satisfaction of knowing you did your best 

My heart to yours 

With Love ♥

Dear Humanity,

I hope you are Ok, at least more so than not. You have been through a lot, more than anyone can imagine. You are loved so very loved and cherished in a special way among the twinkling stars and glistening galaxies. Dear and precious Humanity, you are a song of songs, the universe' magnum opus, you are all the astronomical things beyond common description and understanding. The asteroids and quasars, all the nebulas and planets, light and darkness, the void and vastness right here surrounding us revolving around us like a toddler would expect. Oh blessed, bewildered, beautiful people, enjoy the ride, dance, dash and ramble, nip, tuck, duck and roll through the cosmic highway to the best of your ability. 

Oh, precious planet, home to humankind so vulnerable, minuscule and marvelous. We share this magnificent, miserable, mysterious, magical marble, we share the heart and soul, the joy and pain. We share air, the sky and the best and worst of ourselves. 

We are blessed, burdened, humbled and enriched by one another. 
I am part of you, and you are part of me. 

Peace to you.

With Love,

mei

Wrap It Up!

Winding down another month. It has been 31 days worth of surprises, appointments and disappointments, good cheer and tears of joy, sadness, exhilaration and on-going grief. 🐾The surprises come out of no where which is what makes them surprising. The appointments include health check-ups, shared meals and pick-up times for consumable goods. The disappointments transcend into humble lessons in patience and timing at God speed. 

We anticipate, look forward to, dread and delight in certain experiences. As the days of our lives unfold, seem to stall out and feel mundane something shifts in a moment, a day, word of something about someone, great news, bad, exciting, compelling. Every single day is part of our travels through life. Every experience propels us to the next thing. It barely happens through each day, the months and years every single moment leads to the next.

Then we look back and ask where does time go as we turn over a new month in the calendar. Here's to wrapping-up another month and making the best of a fresh one. 

JAX 🐾

We rescued eachother over twelve years ago. It was as much of an adjustment to get used to having the big brutus of a Boxer around as it is now to adjust to good dog not being here now. His soul and great spirit remains and visiting me the afternoon following his send-off in the morning at the veterinarians office. The painful decision stemmed from advancing heart failure that was making it more challenging for him to get comfortable and move.

In the dream I sit at the dining room table and look up to see Jax standing in front of the loveseat. I stand up and walk a few steps toward him to make sure he is really there. It is so vivid yet I think to myself, this is a dream. I walk to the other side of the couch and good boy moves over to where I sit so that I can love him-up with kisses and hugs about his beautiful furry face and head. The moment with Jax dissipated into my awaking from the nap was taking. It was as powerful and heaven sent message for me as the butterfly incidents following brother Mark's death in 1994.

It is so amazing how much our beloved pets mean to us, their presence enriches our lives. It is priceless therapy to know the warmth, love and trust of a pet who makes life so much more enjoyable and fun and full of surprises and joy. 

I miss you quite much, Jax, my guy, my hito, companion through Covid, the good days and bad, the wonderful times and worrisome occasions that turned-out better just having you around, so comforting with the innocence, humility and heart warming ways befitting an angel. 🐾💔

Trick or Treat

Pick a hand, any hand, you will be dealt according to the luck of the draw and your choices, as the challenges of life play tricks on you along with accompanying treats. One adapts and modifies accordingly. Ideally, going with the flow rather than fighting the current, it makes for a smoother ride and more positive outcome to move along peacefully, not necessarily quietly but peacefully for sure. Treachery in people, leaders and teachers and others who may not have deserved our trust, become inspiration for change and courage to move in other more productive contributing ways. It is within our means to cultivate our own environment and desire the best for ourselves and others. Very simply, my prayer is for loving, harmonious days and nights, for everyone, everywhere.

When we think and speak from a peaceful place, the world seems to be much more approachable. When we are lost in doubt, fear, despair, worry, we create chaos for ourselves. Runaway thoughts and feelings only render confusion and overwhelm an otherwise peaceful moment. Worrying becomes a go-to familiar thing to do especially during stressful times. It seems as though we find things to fret over, when it is much more satisfying to recalibrate our thinking, switch gears to a calm cool pool of ideas that do not suck the life and liveliness out of you. 

Sounds easy enough yet the dark forces of the world lurk about with every intention to discourage the encouraged. Hate-filled elements seek to run interference with beautiful minds, hearts and souls. The ones living life the best way they can with what they have. It doesn't take much to treat oneself to a good thought, something cheerful that will sprout joy. Small inconsequential things for ourselves or someone else can transform something ugly into a wonderful thing. It feels fine and right to fortify, nurture and grow our own goodness. Kindness is so spectacularly simple and effective in changing the direction of things at any given moment. 

To treat myself right and others well is correct, looking though the lens of dark illusions, disillusioned, jaded, bitter about injustice, unfairness, goodness muddied trampled on and tainted heartlessness of people, aspects of life that seem too harsh and hateful to be real. May we remember the important and powerful holy spirit and soul that shelters us, in direct association with Love, the sweetest of treats, gifts, blessings, how loves power lights our way.  We have the sacred capacity to shine and share light with those whose light has dimmed or think they have no light left at all.

A Funny Thing Pt.1

In my early 20s a funny thing happened on the way to the rest of my life. I got stuck in my head about everything. The agony of despair, doubt, not knowing the questions to ask, how or who to ask, much less the answer's to look for during what I came to refer to as the 'crossroads'. Pitch black and numbing, nothing seemed right or real, no joy only what feels like going through the motions. Peggy Lee sang about the thick suffocating human experience called; "the blues", aka, feeling shitty, depression. In the song that laments about life; "Is That All There Is?" the musical questions ask about fulfillment, illusions and disillusions. Maybe it is more a matter of perception but based on what? Learned behavior, past or present experiences, genetics, predisposition, fate? What determines how one views things, through the lens of heartache, success, good or bad health. What triggers us is particular to each one of us. 

In a nut shell, I was conflicted by being born a girl but feeling like a boy and feeling bad about the damn internal messy, mixed-up thing of it all. Having a 'normal' twin brother was part of the calibration or constant self comparison that perhaps made me think I was a mistake. After those dark days saturated in sad grievous thoughts and walking head-on into the preverbal raging fire, I marched out the victor feeling like a bloodied, wore-torn soldier but standing tall after fighting the battle of a lifetime, I am good, 'rustic', one of kind, better for the wear and tear and aging quite imperfectly. It has been, is now and will be I pray, the faith, hope, comfort I receive from The Holy Spirit(s) above, among, around, under, in and out of us and what can not be fathomed. The girl and boy, man and woman in me is soft, strong, tender, sheds tears of joy and can feel like a badass all at once.

In the song; "Alfie" again the question begs for answers; "What's It All About, Alfie?" The answers sometimes surface out of nothing and nowhere for some, for others the answers to the perplexities never go away and for others various therapeutic methods, means and ways of digging oneself out of virtual hell involves a resolve to surrender to something big or barely there, something within, greater than any real or imagined problems, worries, aches or pains. Some questions simply will never be answered that is the thing, as we absolutely have the capacity to decide in an instant, at warp speed or the gradual realization of your own preciousness, the sacredness of life in all it's painful unfair ways, presenting itself in such a blessed way, you have a choice, to switch mental gears, is one choice when your heart desperately wants to heal and move forward new and improved. It happens, it is a most humbling and magnificent illustration of God's amazing Grace. 

The Human Condition

Behold, humankind! Evolving toward the best versions of ourselves at the same time regressing into dark places, places that represents the worst in humankind, cold and cruel. Given the chance to start all over again how long can the human race sustain the beautiful harmonious notes of peace and respect, fairness and justice for all. We become rewired and advance to the point of the inability to think or behave in any negative or destructive way toward ourselves or anybody else. In Buddhism the ultimate goal of a good life is to live a simple existence, giving and receiving compassion, love, and respect, the very basics to enjoy peace of mind and contentment, happy and healthy.

Children, elders, others with little or no voice are only treated kindly and patiently. The world has elevated itself to a place that thrives on everything good, resources are equally distributed and everyone is grateful for every little and big thing. Every color, culture and every nation goes about life in peace. There are no exceptions in a utopia-type world order where humans are now conditioned to cherish and respect every inhabitant of this precious place in the universe.

We want to think positively with a fresh attitude toward our own place in the world, to believe it is a new time in life and a good time to be alive. In the whole scheme of things we experience moments and fragments of perfection. Possibilities and probabilities go their own way in reality. We hope and hold on to better days, better ways to think and be happy and share what we can to cultivate a good life for each other. We pray for peace and hope for miracles and changes that need to be made to create all of the things that transform heartache to happiness and emptiness to fullness, sadness to joy.
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A Year

A little over a year now since you've been gone Mom, it seems like this morning when you knew your time to take your leave had arrived; you said; It's time. No don't go Mariana, Maria said, that Saturday morning, January 30th, 2016. You sang a little song, prayed a little prayer and called it a day ~

I drove-up and went straight to your room and walked calmly toward you. I could not get close enough to tell you that I love you, will always hold you in my heart, thoughts and prayers. We knew this moment would happen at God's speed. Still the sting of realities bite was numbing and knocked the breath out of me. I wanted to express my gratitude for taking care of me, all of your six children, keeping us out of trouble not letting up on your wish to know your kids were clear about the difference between right and wrong and the importance of Respect.

Your voice, your laughter, the voice of disapproval, disappointment, anger, joy, frustration, fear, faith, appreciation, love, affection... it is locked and loaded in my memory bank. You influenced me in so many ways, by your example I learned to be kind and compassionate, thoughtful and generous and grateful for blessings bestowed upon us.

I love you Mom. THANK YOU

Ring of Life

We get to a point where we have squeezed-out every drop of fear, life, love, blood, sweat and tears, then a gust of courage, life, love, laughter and comfort comes along. One finds themselves immersed in the mysteries, magic and miracles of love lost and found, of life and death, our every breath bordering on the balance of light and darkness of joy and pain, loss and gain. Moments of reprieve may seem fewer and far between but become more important and make more sense out of hope and faith than ever before.

We move along in the ring of life, bobbing, weaving, jetting back and forth hoping to maintain a strong sacred heart, avoiding technical knock-outs or defeat by decision. We take life's jabs and punches, ultimately one blessing, blow, one kiss, misfortune, grand slam and spectacularly simple moment at a time, on the ready for any mental, spiritual or emotional opponent.

The physical realm is pushed beyond it's limits but the desire and discipline to train and optimize our awesome places of the heart, grows ever grander with the potential to overcome the little and large obstacles, the busy and quiet times, the full and empty days and every which way we go in our heads, hearts and souls- that make us champions of the world in love, light, goodness and a beautiful blessing to others. Yes ~

Beginnings

The beginning of new life, a new day or year, a relationship, project or career, it starts out at the beginning so hopeful, happy about the possibilities the goodness and potential growth. We wonder which direction the wind will take us. We move forward with good intention to love, to be our best, a blessing and better for the wear and tear.

Beginnings prepare the way for the rest of the journey and destination the challenge to do it right with respect to those in our orbit. We honor precious life by living on the one day at a time plan, learning lessons we hope, gently, loving in accordance with those we must treasure, cherish and love to infinity as we keep them close to our heart and we grow like beautiful flowers in the garden, as the days go by the tending of our garden becomes second nature and necessary to thrive and stay alive. Life unfolds in mysterious ways we could have never guessed and more than our imagination could have ever dreamed as the left curves and sharp edges and sudden twists and turns leave us bewildered but stronger and wiser, toughened-up and tenderized.

From the beginning we start fresh with any luck on an even playing field with equal opportunities and chances to create a quality of life,  beautiful moments, times that matter, mean the most and are important. We start with an eagerness to make it count, to be excellent for excellence sake, to anticipate the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary places and people, situations and experiences that will stay with us forever if only in our memory. In the end we want to look back at a good run, the good fight for the betterment of the whole, the love that will linger in our thoughts, forlorn for those heartfelt connections however fleeting or lasting they are. We hope for and hang-on to happiness, peace of mind, finding our way, quiet nights and full days filled with joy and the satisfying fragrance of everyday miracles, blessings, light, love, laughter, encouragement, respect and endings that may or may not happen at all.

Matters of The Heart ♥

Strong is the heart, as healthy are the mind, body and spirit.

~ Peace On Earth ☼ And Goodwill Toward ALL ~

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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. ~ St. Francis of Assisi