Blithering Idiot - Oct 20th 2022

 "In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you." 

Buddha

"If it is important to you you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse."

Anonymous

My thoughts today: I am struggling with a responsibility I  voluntarily undertook that is turning me into someone I do not want to be. 

(Recently I watched a scene between Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and Commissioner Dreyfuss on Youtube and thought GAK!!  - I'm turning into Commissioner Dreyfuss 

Alternatively I find myself singing Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

You might say I am allowing myself to get sucked into some weird vortex of darkness

None of this sounds like living gently... Sometimes Buddha just got it wrong (I think) 

And I don't seem to be letting go gracefully cause I'm still in this...

And somehow I haven't found an excuse that will allow me to wake up in the morning without feeling I've not given it my best try... I know I know, we learn from failure and it is important to know when to fold the cards...

Sadly I am not there yet.

So off I go on this journey, limping, burning, confused, and tired..

Time to stop doing the same things over and over and expecting different results!! (quotes of the past 15 years mingle in my mind)

I have made a couple asks for help in different directions recently and now I have to trust that people are creative, resourceful and whole enough to say no if they are overwhelmed too because I realize my excuse for not asking is that I worry about things beyond my control and also because I didn't have the questions before.

Need to be specific on direction before the questions are specific enough for people to do anything other than be confused about what i'm asking...

Paradox city is where I reside 

There you go folks... today's rant

Cheers

Jeanne

When will we ever learn - March 10th 2022

 “You may conquer an army with superior tactics and men, but you can conquer a nation only by conquering the hearts of the people.”

Jack Weatherford, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

When will we ever learn?

“How differently would we see our time on Earth if we wrote the date as January 26, 4.543 billion?”
Ziya Tong, The Reality Bubble: Blind Spots, Hidden Truths and the Dangerous Illusions that Shape Our World

Cheers

Jeanne

Trails - March 17th 2022

 “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.”

Edward Abbey

Edward Abbey | Americans Who Tell The Truth

Cheers

Jeanne

Humility rocks! March 24th 2022

 “True will is quiet humility, resilience, and flexibility; the other kind of will is weakness disguised by bluster and ambition. See which lasts longer under the hardest of obstacles.”

Ryan Holiday, The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage

My thoughts:

Everywhere I look around I see examples of the best and the worst of what people choose to be. The best give us a reason to believe in humanity and inspire us to become better. Those are real leaders.

Cheers

Jeanne

Choose Hope - March 31st 2022

 “Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.”  Christopher Reeve

“In spite of the knowledge that there were many ways in which I could fail, I had taken the first step.”
Paulo Coelho, The Pilgrimage

Cheers

Jeanne

Prepare for Adversity - April 7th 2022

 “It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

My thoughts; There are many life stories being determined right now under extreme circumstances. We, who are not faced with extremes at this time, have the opportunity to think about how we would like our life story to be, who we want to be and how we would want to react if faced with war and very tough choices. I think about living with integrity and how could I live with myself if I sacrificed that integrity, no matter what alternative was threatened? I hope thinking about this now might help me better know who I am and make future decisions based on that knowledge when faced with a desperate situation.

Cheers

Jeanne

You deserve your love - April 14th 2022

 “Be kind to your body, gentle with your mind and patient with your heart. Stay true to your spirit, cherish your soul and never doubt yourself. You are still becoming, my love, and there is no one more deserving of the nurturing grace of your love.”

Becca Lee

Cheers

Jeanne

Ghost on a lost Highway / Let it be - April 21st 2022

"All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us"

J.R.R.Tolkien

My thoughts: 

We all lose our path sometimes. Our moral and spiritual compass are guideposts  that can steer us in to discover what it is we want to do with our finite time on earth. There are songs for this. I find it comforting to listen to them and know I'm not the only one. 

These are two of the songs:

Let It Be

The Beatles

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken-hearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be parted
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Yeah, there will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Ah, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Oh, there will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Ah, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Songwriters: Lennon John Winston, Mccartney Paul James

For non-commercial use only. 

"It will not break you. Dust yourself off, take a step forward, don't let them see you despair. You are more than a ghost on a lost highway. You are the morning, the river, every breath of fresh air."

Courtney Peppernell

Cheers

Jeanne

Define you to help them - April 28th 2022

 "No one, no relationship, no role, no thing, NOTHING, outside of you defines you. You have to define yourself and then everyone around you reaps the benefit of that"

Julie Horton

Cheers

Jeanne

Cancer to live - May 5th 2022

 "It took cancer to realize that being self–centered is not the way to live. The answer is to try and help others."

Terry Fox

“Courage doesn’t always roar, sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering ‘I will try again tomorrow’.” 

 Mary Anne Radmacher

Cheers

Jeanne

from here to Impossible - May 12th 2022

 “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” –  Arthur Ashe

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” – Francis of Assisi

Not that anything is that easy, choosing the direction can be the hardest...  but what feeling of accomplishment or growth and learning comes from doing the easy things? When we attempt what seems impossible, alchemy has room to make things happen!

Cheers

Jeanne

the Four Agreements - May 19th 2022

 "But it is not what I am saying that is hurting you; it is that you have wounds that I touch by what I have said. You are hurting yourself. There is no way I can take this personally.”

Don Miguel Ruiz

From the book: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

The Four Agreements are

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally.
3. Don't Make Assumptions.
4. Always Do Your Best.

“If you don’t understand something, it is better for you to ask and be clear, instead of making an assumption. The day you stop making assumptions you will communicate cleanly and clearly, free of emotional poison. Without making assumptions your word becomes impeccable.”
Don Miguel Ruiz

Cheers

Jeanne

Spread the light - May 26th 2022

 “There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” 

Edith Wharton

My thoughts:

This past week has been difficult as I heard sad news about two friends who are and always will be bright lights in my life. Two people who inspire and challenge me. Two people who I learned to love, respect and trust through countless moments of shared laughter and tears, through discussions and arguments, through meals, travelling, and living full on adventures. Two different people who exemplified that living is to explore, learn and do new things, to face fear and not hide, to work hard and play hard, to love generously and dance with joy and through pain. Their candles will never dim, no matter how distant. Their light will always be reflecting in my light, growing in my heart and spilling over with all the light it cannot contain and needs to share.

Cheers

Jeanne

"Your heart is where your inner light resides. It is part of every sacred journey to reconnect with your inner light, step into your divinity, spread the light of love before you, return to the essence of love, and inspire others to do the same.”

Molly Friedenfeld   

The Long and Winding Road - June 2nd 2022

 Today's quote is a song, a reminder we are all one family here on earth and when one of us suffers we all suffer. 

Kindness matters in this world no matter who we are.

This song came to me in a 'Heart Thoughts' email this morning.

https://youtu.be/Ye4cELYLzJM

The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where?
Who knows where?
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

So on we go
His welfare is my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another

It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share?
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

He's my brother
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

The Hollies, 1969: He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

Cheers

Jeanne

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video The Justice Collective - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother (2012)

The Justice Collective - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother (2012)

Becoming - June 23rd 2022

 "Every person that you meet knows something you don't; learn from them."  H. Jackson Brown Jr.

"If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies how different our ideals of beauty would be."
Lauren Jauregui

"Between who you once were and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place."

Thoughts today;

We are all becoming all the time...there is no end to the dances we can learn

Cheers

Jeanne

Sunny Smile - June 9th 2022

"It was only a sunny smile,

and little it cost in the giving,

But like morning light 

It scattered the night

and made the day worth living."

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Cheers

Jeanne 

Power

In the midst of our fear and anger,

In the midst of our pain and sorrow,

In the midst of our anxiety and worry,

We can still give a little smile to a stranger or a friend, 

It doesn't cost much, just an awareness that we are not islands,

We are connected, though we live in our own minds and bodies, 

The desolation of our isolation can be lifted,

When we see or are seen by another 

With a little smile.

Value 101 - June 16th 2022

"Your ordinary acts of love and hope point to the extraordinary promise that every human life is of inestimable value."
Desmond Tutu

“The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.”
Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values

Thoughts today:

I'm now reading 'The Elephant Whisperer' by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence

There is a lot to learn from the elephants and the wild, if only we can quiet our self important ego and humble ourselves to listen. All of nature is talking to us, if only we can listen and trust our place in the intricate network of this universe is not to subjugate it but to accept our role in it. We humans may have the gift of a bigger mass of brains, but without wisdom and respect for others these brains fear and react more selfishly than any animal.

Cheers

Jeanne 

Thoughts today:

You tell me you hate what they are doing; the government, the scientists, the corporations, the rich, the rebels, the violent, the police, the this the that,

The others, the others, its always their fault

They want to subjugate us, for their gain, their power, their control of resources 

Then what do you do?

You fear, you fight, you close ranks with people who believe what you do and lash out at everything that is preventing your freedom

You become a group like those 'theys', a group putting your own interests above all else. Because you are right of course, that is what makes it okay... 

But... but but but

Has this ever changed anything except create struggle and war, fear and hate, ultimately we might shift power from one group to another after a lot of bribing or killing. 

So what do we do? We rant and we rave and we fight ourselves. Has this ever changed anything?

Sometimes we make everything so complicated. The simple, but herculean, task is to recognize we are the problem and we hold the key. 

The only change we can make is to ourselves, and when we sincerely, heart and soul deep take in that joy in living is not about competition. take in that what we do can either effect change in the world 

or perpetuate the hate and fear that has permeated and saturated our societies. 

The simplest and hardest thing is to look deep into ourselves for our values then live them, ignoring the rest, not becoming addicted to fear, blame and accusation rather than showing the alternative is to live strong, live true, live humble and trust that being who we really are is enough.

I'm now reading 'The Elephant Whisperer' by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence

There is a lot to learn from the elephants here, if only we can quiet our self important ego and humble ourselves to listen. All of nature is talking to us, if only we could listen and trust that our power is to know our place in the intricate network of this universe. We may have the gift of brains, but without wisdom and respect, without shutting up and listening, we are like a virus spreading plague on the earth, and the perpetrators of our own destruction.

Repack your life - July14th 2022

 "When the time is right, let go."

Excerpt from: Pilgrim

Written by Sybil Rampen

Illustrated by Tsochoy Go

"Pilgrim said to himself, "My adventure is almost over, I will return to my beginning."

He thought about the loads that people carry, their pain, their needs, their habits. Pulling heavy suitcases uphill and down, using all their strength and concentration.

He mused to himself, "Some carry relics passed on for centuries, Others pack up treasured memories, But we all need a suitcase of our own. It is part of who we are. But they can burst open when they are too full. Every day we must pack and repack to fit everything in, but unimportant things have to go

Treasure only the real, the meaningful.

Cherish the experience of living.

Preserve the essence with its joys and emotions.

Lift up your heart.

When the time is right, let go.

Grow wings."

Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre – Oakville, Ontario (joshuacreekarts.com)

Cheers

Jeanne

Slow is okay July 21st 2022

 

“Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”

Chinese Proverb

Cheers

Jeanne

Maturity- return love for hate July 28th 2022

 "The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say, 'I was wrong'."

Sydney J. Harris

"Maturity begins when we're content to feel we're right about something without feeling the necessity to prove someone else wrong."
Sydney J. Harris

For those of us who think we know who, what and when to listen and judge, I highly recommend reading "What We Lost - Inside the Attack on Canada's Largest Children's Charity" by Tawfiq S. Rangwala. 

Cheers

Jeanne