WHAT'S MISSING?

The view that saves each day

Moving past the five month mark on Covid-19 now, much of life as we knew it "before" is missing.

I miss seeing the smiles I at least hope are behind those masks.

I miss hugs.

I miss seeing friends and the long, leisurely conversations.

I miss ease.

I miss planning for this year's road trip with Jenna.

I miss teaching and the camaraderie of the wonderful students laughing and sharing and creating together.

I miss all this and more, yet...
There is much to appreciate as well. 

More time for longer walks with my plus one friend, Catharine, and the joy of those deep conversations.

Ever greater appreciation of time spent with family.

Good, caring neighbors

More time to explore books and good writing.

The joy of producing dinner from my own garden.

Thinking, not on the fly, but with a greater depth, about all things in this crazy world.

And more...and always, always, always cool breezes and birdsong to enjoy.

STANDING SENTINEL?

Watchful waiting

So much of time lately seems to be done in watchful waiting. Still, it behooves us to do more...to live life even as changes roll over us.

So...haircuts on the street. Dining only outside (Question:What about when weather comes?Answer:Deal with it. We are resilient humans after all) Wear a mask. Keep social distancing. Give up a few things to gain even more. Gardening (Who knew so many had a green thumb?) Zoom webinars (There are so many interesting things out there with which to connect.) Long walks. Reading (Again, so many good books and finally the time.).......

What are you doing to live life as the changes come?

IS THERE A ROAD MAP?

Is there a road map?

Coyotes howl in the too near distance as nighttime descends here in the canyon. Busy mind wrestles with the cares of the day even as some small creature is probably losing its last hold on life.

On my mind: Our parents lived to be 90 and 104 so people tend to say things about the long life my siblings and I should expect. But, even without a pandemic, that isn't necessarily so. As I worked on things related to our mother's trust earlier in the day, the fact that my brother had passed not long after mother even though he was just 75 was on my mind. No guarantees.

And so, no guarantees? Then shouldn't we rightly grab onto all of life that we can while we can, living it to what is fullness for each of us? I say yes. Grab onto the mane of that horse called Life and ride for all you are worth.

Sure, there's Covid-19 and I am not advocating tossing your mask, foregoing social distancing, or any other foolhardy actions. But what can you do to live fully within the confines of what is given? Find it. We do not have to live in fear, negativity, and anger. Seek the joy in each day that fulfills you. As that slogan says, "Just do it!" 

Ride with the wind at your back and a smile on your face.

EVERY DAY?

Postcards galore

"Create every day! Make it your job."

Well, my job got in the way of my commitment to twice a week on this blog. It was on my mind to write yesterday, but I just got carried away with a new series of fun pieces and worked on it way into the night. 

How I have found myself creating lately is by finding usefulness in the creations. Cards, postcards, etc.--small things that can be sent to hopefully brighten someone's day. And, it may be my "job,"but it also brings joy into my own day as I work.

So, back to work I go...heigh ho, heigh ho 😃 And maybe I can make up for my oops by posting three blogs this week. We shall see.

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Essential playtime

"Is your life organized around what matters most to you?" In my earlier counseling/coaching days this was a staple question asked of clients. It popped into my head again today as I commiserated with myself about the many things that seem near impossible these Covid days.

As the question and the commiserations rambled around in my mind I realized that, while there are so many things like time with family and friends and road trips and teaching workshops--things that matter A LOT to me--other things have begun to show up that still feed my soul. 

My brown-thumb gardening attempts are challenging and yet showing signs of success. Finding ways to stay in touch with friends and family calls on creativity at times. Enjoying the time for reading, watching webinars of unfamiliar, often intriguing authors reading their work and talking about the process of writing for them. Taking ever longer walks and exploring new pathways. These things have begun to fill the time in fascinating ways that have begun to "matter" too.

We humans are really pretty adaptive so perhaps what matters most can adapt and evolve as well.

The sun shines not on us, but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing. (John Muir)

SOFT SOUNDS IN THE SILENCE

Solace

As I drift off to sleep each night the sound of a lone owl softly hooting in a nearby tree brings a gentle smile to my face. It is a lovely sound that somehow brings the solace of normalcy (or is it the normalcy of solace?)

The sounds of nature are often what brings comfort to counter the aggravations of a given day. Whether the soft lap of waves on the shore, the hoot of the owl, the cooing of doves, the trickle of water in a lovely brook, or a soft breeze blowing through the trees, these sounds in their very softness temper the noises of our everyday world. Hearing these things, I for one find myself eased by them.

What are some of the sounds that lift your spirits?

A creek in a canyon

AND ONE MORE THING....

OK I think most of us are familiar with that song from Sound of Music about "a few of my favorite things." Well, I got to thinking the other day about gratitude and what are some of my favorite things. It really got me going. I would have said I was pretty fussy and there wouldn't be all that many, but I thought to divide up into the senses. I WENT NUTS!

So here goes...

Not sure why but I started with sounds:
the call of black oystercatchers
the sound of waves crashing
first birdsongs of morning
the hoot of the owl late in the night
the harsh cry of an overhead hawk
the rattle sound of a crow
cooing of mourning doves, ..."who are you, who are you?"
the sibilant sound of rain starting up on the roof
the whir of hummingbird wings
the strange sound of a tree chock full of bees
a beautiful area that goes straight to the heart
joyful, free laughter (and of course the child's shy giggle)

Then, smells:
vanilla
night blooming jasmine
orange blossoms
bread baking
woodsmoke
new-mown grass
sweet scent of newborn babies
cinnamon
hot-mulled cider on the stove
gardenias
sweetpeas, especially the lavender ones
basil
freshly sawed wood/wood shavings
white roses

Taste:
the tang of sweet lemon squares
the first sip of strong morning coffee
bread straight from the oven
watery crunch of romaine lettuce
sour bite of a ruby red grapefruit
sweet spicy mix of cayenne with sugar
warm salty taste of chicken soup when down with a cold
sweet liquor taste of amaretto
nutty sweetness of dark chocolate covered almonds
lemon pepper on grilled fish or steak
sweet crunch of coconut (texture good too)
flavor of just about any greet vegetables
creamy sweetness of butter pecan ice cream (my mother's fave too)

Sight:
plumeria in full bloom
the far off view across miles of ocean on a gray drizzly day
sparkle of sunlight on the midday sea
billowing clouds scudding across the sky
pelicans soaring across the ocean before their sudden dive
blown bubbles, iridescent on an afternoon breeze
fresh green of springtime hills
the smile on the face of a child
looking up through tall, dense trees
waves of yellow mustard on a hiking trail in the hills
a scurrying lizard who stops to do pushups

Touch:
Oh, how I miss touch...soon, oh, please, soon! Until then I don't think I'll go there.

And, of course, there are always those uncategorized things that just cannot be left out:
The crows in all their glory, the sunflowers, the hibiscus, the "old-timers" from my grandmother's long ago garden--gardenia, camellia, hydrangea, and iris...
and not to ever be forgotten, my wonderful family and friends.

Oh, of course just one more thing: the feeling of dancing around the room all alone to Bruno Mars😅

And there will always be "one more thing" that I've left off, but.......

I hope this has prompted some of your thinking too...feel free to share in the comments section.