growing

Bloom where you’re planted..

Being Present

BLOOM WHERE YOURE PLANTED“Forever is composed of nows.” – Emily Dickinson

I found myself doing something today I rarely do: looking back. Specifically, looking back to times that I was either unbelievably elated or terribly sad. The untimely death of Robin Williams, may he rest in peace, is what got me examining my emotional states-past.

To my complete surprise, this endeavor was quite a challenge!  It astounded me that although I could remember feelings associated with life-changing events, i.e., marriage, birth of my daughter, date of divorce, etc., I could not isolate many individual times of joy or sorrow to reflect on them.

I have the memory of a dolphin (1). I can remember having my tonsils out around the age of two, and in some detail. But try as I might, I could not put myself into individual moments of great happiness or extreme despair.

The fact of the matter is, all we have is this moment. Our entire lives, past, present, and – if we are fortunate enough to have- future exist in this very moment.

Think about it. The past is but memories, good or bad. And even when I, with a really great memory, try to relive the feelings in my mind, I cannot. I can’t foresee the future. I could certainly create an image in my mind of a best/worst case scenarios for any given wish or fear, but if they would ever actually become reality is anybody’s guess.

We rush about with brains that never rest. It is said that we have 70,000 thoughts per day (2). Most of them scattered fragments, but still a good percentage of formed cogent thoughts. The problem is, most of them are related to non-existent situations, events or outcomes, because they are past or future.

Contentment and peace in life comes from inhaling each precious moment, not worrying or wondering or wishing.

Just being right where you are: Present.

If we were able to tally up all of the moments – every single one- that were truly painful (physically or emotionally) and all moments in our lives to date that were just fine, or even fabulous,  I am quite sure that the latter tally would far overshadow the previous.

Message to us all: LIVE in each moment. Take joy from little things.

Bloom exactly where you happen to be planted, no matter how challenging the present moment is.

Look at what happened just now. The present became the past!

Next!

 

(1) http://www.neatorama.com/2013/08/08/Forget-Elephants-Dolphins-Have-the-Longest-Memory/#!bCpGtJ

(2) http://www.loni.usc.edu/about_loni/education/brain_trivia.php

Cafe Gratitude

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I give thanks constantly. All day. Every day. I believe that grounding myself in gratitude within my faith makes me appreciate more the everyday things….the things we take for granted.

We wake up each day. (Gratitude) We can think, see, feel, hear, touch, taste (our coffee!), smell…..(Gratitude). On and on. I think that once we make a conscious effort to realize that every precious moment of life is a miracle, we will be more grateful, and through being more grateful, and extending kindness and love to others, more blessings will come our way. It’s a well that never stops giving, never runs dry.

heirloom vegetables

While in Santa Cruz in the summer, I count the days between the farmer’s markets. The Central Coast of California has such rich volcanic soil that many bountiful crops are harvested and brought by farmers directly to the outdoor markets. I relish these so much for not only the healthy organic fruits and vegetables they provide, but for the colors, smells, textures, – experience of meeting and talking to everyone, learning about them, making new friends.

One such friend is Serene, from whom I’ve been getting a dollar-a-minute massages from the past couple of years. She has such a gentle and beautiful soul, which combined with her talent for finding every single knot and pain I didn’t even know I had, makes her just a fabulous human being.

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Yesterday while getting my weekly 20 minute massage, which – no pun intended- I “sorely” needed, I was wearing my bluetooth, something I never do, as I certainly want to tune out the world while getting my massage, but which was necessary for an important phone call I was expecting from the USPS as to why I haven’t received my forwarded mail in a months’ time. I took the expected call to find it was a local friend reminding me that “our” birthdays were coming up. (I wish I could forget!) His, in a couple of days, and mine a week from yesterday. I told him I hadn’t forgotten and would call him back, then explaining and apologizing to Serene for taking a call.

At the end of the massage she hugged me (as we always do) and said “The massage today is on me, for your birthday.” I told her no, I couldn’t accept that, but she insisted. It was then that I told her- which I don’t normally point out to people who are on my “list”- that I had been naming her in my prayers the past couple of years for added blessings in her life, which of course is true. She thanked and hugged me again.

Life is a circle. We may lose our “groove” at times in our lives, but the circle will continue. What we give, we always will get back. Perhaps in other or unexpected ways, but always the circle will continue. What we choose to put out to the world is just that: choice.

I choose to start and end my days in “Cafe Gratitude,” – which, by the way, is a real place, a lovely cafe in Santa Cruz, but even when I’m back home in Scottsdale, a place my heart and soul reside in.

Every day.