Random Acts of "Kindness"

Archive for March, 2013

WHERE ARE YOU

A couple of years ago I was reading either a magazine or a book that asked me to name ten people in my life that were important to me. No problem — I did that easily. Then the author asked where on the list I was. Surprise, I wasn’t there at all.

For the last 20 days I have joined Deepak Chopra and Oprah for a 21 day meditation. It ends tomorrow on Easter Sunday. I have trouble meditating — my mind, my body, the noises in my environment — they all distract me. Each day, at the end of the meditation, Oprah asked three questions that I have found very interesting. They all pertained to regaining my health. Instead of journaling on the computer, I have written in long hand in a book. The questions are helping me pay attention to me, to keep myself on my list.

My life can be very quiet and uneventful. If I am doing what I should — exercising or resting, eating healthy, not extremely worried, going with the flow of my life — “my friends” remain in the background. They “help” when there is a need, otherwise my life is uneventful, I have NOTHING to write about.

Since I found and accepted the invitation to meditate, my life has been quiet. Hoping to increase my energy level I have added more exercise to my day. I am paying more attention to my diet, hoping to melt. I wish I could say that my sleep is more restful, I’m hoping that will happen.

This week, the noise coming from North Korea caused me some concern since my son and I are planning to go to Hawaii. A message came through the morning I heard of the stealth bombers to DETACH FROM DRAMA. I am paying attention to the message — other than pray for a peaceful world — there is nothing I can do anyway.

When I was at the Mind, Body, Spirit Expo a knowledgeable person advised me to talk to a nutrionalist, my body needs some minerals that are either missing or in short supply. An invitation from a near by hospital invited me to a healthful dinner where a  Doctor of Internal medicine is speaking on vitamins and supplements. I have accepted the invitation.

On Good Friday, the last question of the meditation was: “How do you know when you are living in or out of alignment with your life’s purpose?” I had to laugh, when I’m out of my life’s purpose I get hit on the head. Pebbles in the road become boulders.

My youngest daughter was at our house with her two children. They were trying to play Skylanders when the Portal Of Power stopped working. Our daughter told her children that unusual things happen in Gramma’s house. We wanted to take the kids to McDonald’s for lunch and active play in the playlot before they had to get back into the car and drive back home for three hours.  Our grandson wanted to play on the computer. “My friends” must have agreed with me.

Category:

Uncategorized

Tagged with:

ENERGY WHERE ARE YOU

Since I set the theme of this blog as recognizing help from “my friends on the other side” it seems against the rules to grouse about life in general. But grouse and complain I do, just not here — and sometimes I get HELP from the other side.

The ulcer on my left leg restricted my ability to stand for a long period of time. It didn’t affect my ability to walk, so I was able to shop, as long as I didn’t have to wait in line for a long time. I passed on going to the museum, decisions to go out reflected my energy levels and level of pain. Exercise was also affected — making my leg hurt was not in my best interest and I knew it. When the leg screamed, I laid down. As a result, my energy is very low.

This has been brought home to me as I feel the need for a nap soon after getting up in the morning. Exercise routines that were easy are now a challenge. I HAVE NOT given up yet.

I decided for Lent that I would meditate every day. It hasn’t happened. Until last week when I received an invitation from Oprah to join Deepak Choprah’s 21 day Meditation Challenge. After 13 days I still can not meditate. If it isn’t the noise in the house, my mind has its own thing going on but I try and try again. The questions following the meditation have been very interesting. They are making me pay more attention to my body and they have generated “Help” from the other side.

It should come as no surprise that I have been trying to lose weight for a very long time, with no success. One meditation and questions concerned eating for balance. I received an e-mail detailing the amount of protein needed to support the body. Dr Oz had been on the cover of a weekly magazine with the same subject recently. Through the years I have determined that I needed a protein diet but the amount I consume hasn’t reached the target point. I remembered that the South Beach Diet worked for me a few years ago, it is protein based. I actually lost weight. The South Beach Diet was on the cover of a weekly magazine today.

Thursday, the soft boot was removed from my leg, a gauze bandage covered the healing sore.  My husband and I stopped at Food For Less to pick up supplies. I met a man from Texas in the vegetable aisle and was able to help him find the vegetable he was looking for. He shared the reason he was in our cold town instead of his warm state. Both he and his wife have come North to help their daughter and her family. I talked to him for so long I phoned my husband to tell him the store didn’t swallow me. The next morning, an e-mail reminded me that even though I reach out with a warm word, I should not become the cane for another person.

Exercise, I still don’t have the energy. The word Yoga has been surfacing on a regular basis. Although I haven’t signed up for a class or put an hour DVD into the machine, I’m doing some yoga exercises most days as well as deep breathing.

Has my energy returned? Not yet but I’m working on it.

Category:

Uncategorized

Tagged with:

HI MOM

I was congested in my throat and chest. I will admit that I didn’t think I should go to the Mind, Body, Spirit Expo on March 2, 2013 at Northlake. It was cold outside, and it was often chilly in the meeting rooms. I will also admit that I always totally enjoy the Expo and wasn’t happy that I thought I shouldn’t go. Since I have realized that I walk to a different drummer, I am very comfortable there. I was going to stay home,  be an adult and pay attention to my health. My friend’s in high places didn’t agree. They thought I should go. The message came through very loud and clear. First thing in the morning, I opened the bible to a passage from Jeremiah: “like the anguish of a mother with her first child.” I listed my reasoning for staying home.  I was reminded that life is a creative process with many possibilities. I was told to TRUST and TAKE BACK MY POWER. I was also told to surrender to the Divine. The messages all had the same theme — and I got the message. I also got the last parking space at the Expo.

I have to admit that I was glad that I went. A few years ago, I attended a workshop at the Expo where the presenter told me that my mother was there, she is often with me when I wash clothes. And I have to admit that I am grateful for her presence. Since she passed when I was four, I don’t know her. Since her passing was so tragic, my family didn’t speak of her. I don’t know her stories but I have been told that I am like her in many ways.

During the day, I was reminded of my mother four to five times.  I don’t remember all of the occasions. Our middle daughter has had two nicknames. Her name is unique since I made it up when I was a Freshman in High School to honor my brother, who also passed. This woman not only had my daughter’s nickname, but her husband’s name was Terrence — my brother’s name. Later  in the afternoon, someone told me that my mother was with me.

When I’m at the Expo, I try to be more alert to information that I need, but also anything that would be helpful to my children. Sometimes they can take advantage of it, at other times, it isn’t possible. I met a doctor who might be able to help the spasms in my middle daughter’s back. He is from India and only in the States for a limited time. Sadly, her schedule doesn’t permit her to meet with him.

Although my oldest daughter was at the Expo, we often attend separate presentations. I went to a workshop presented by an artist and received ideas that would be helpful to both my daughter and I. It’s time to find my paints!

I planned to attend a two hour workshop to end the day. The temperature of the room was so cool, I went to get my coat. I watched as they set up the room for the presentation and realized the speaker was an author.  I listened to her opening music and knew it was time to leave.

Returning to the lobby, I saw a woman from my neighborhood and asked if she needed a ride home. Her driver was from the south side and was happy to be able to go home.  The driver works in the Palmer House, a building that my youngest daughter wants to use in her story.  She actually knows the person that my daughter needs to speak to.

Thanks Mom!

Category:

Uncategorized

Tagged with:

LEXIE, OUR ENERGIZER PUG

We sent a friend home on March 4, 2013. She was a black pug with a very white muzzle, 16 – 17 years old, half blind and half deaf. She had a long tongue which hung out of her mouth. She had trouble walking, could no longer run or climb stairs, and had a fish tail walk. A compressed disk in her back a few years ago had affected the use of her back legs.  She moved into our house with our son and Tidbit, a fawn pug, a few years ago.

She barked — when she needed to go out, was hungry, thirsty or wanted a cookie. In other words, she had a good quality of life. The human’s in her life were well trained.

She didn’t mind going out in the rain, liked to eat the snow and loved to take showers in the summer and eat popcorn anytime. Car rides were a joy, as well as spending time in the country.

She was small but mighty. She thought she could eat any dog that crossed her path. Luckily since she was small, we picked her up. Left to her own devises, she charged after the four footed dog that crossed her path. She did not care how big it was — a German shepherd or a poodle; she wanted to take them all on.

It was no longer necessary to put her on a leash when she went out. Daily walks increased in time. It wasn’t unusual to spend 20 minutes nudging her up the sidewalk. She only took a step or two before we needed to nudge her again.  She didn’t like to stay in the back yard. She always wanted to experience the world around her. We never knew what it was she saw, heard, or felt but she liked to stand and meditate — watching the traffic, feeling the vibrations of passing vehicles. The icy sidewalk was hard for her, she couldn’t get traction.

She was an inspiration. With her many problems, she just kept going. Monday morning, I took her for her morning walk. The sidewalks were clear of ice and snow. To my amazement, she actually took more steps than usual before taking a break.

Our son noticed a lump on her back on Sunday night. He wondered if cancer had returned. He decided that we would keep a watch on it.  A doctor’s appointment called my husband and I out of the house early on Monday. While we were gone, Lexie kept barking. Our son surmised that the lump was not allowing her to get comfortable. The vet agreed, it was pressing on her kidney.

Since we weren’t home to say good-bye, Monday night I heard her bark four different times. When I told my husband, he said he heard her barking too. She just wanted to say goodbye. After I verbally acknowledged her bark, I haven’t heard it again. Monday night into Tuesday, 10 inches of snow fell. At least she didn’t need to try to walk in that.

Category:

Uncategorized

Tagged with:

Tag Cloud