December 20--TACM

If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.  --Dolly Parton

    I believe I have written in the past about The Annual Christmas Meltdown. At least once every Christmastime I have a full-scale soul-rinsing cry. It has actually been on Christmas Day many times and that can be annoying. It is often a mixture of happy and sad tears. TACM was this week on Wednesday. I received some news early in the day which triggered a massive amount of emotion (anger, hurt, grief), and I let it run its course over the day. Smacking around a pickleball helped vent some energy. Tears carried away much frustration. I sat in the dark and prayed for "help!" And I finally came to the conclusion that the news I received was actually none of my business, that I should adopt the wisdom to "not take anything personally," get my good Christmastime attitude back in place, and move on with life.   

    One day at a time,

        Leta

Our friends' fabulous antique
aluminum Christmas tree!!!

December 19--A Difficult Choice

Even when love isn't enough... somehow it is.  --Stephen King

    I have made the difficult decision to stop teaching MELT Method. I finished teaching yoga at the end of 2023, and offered MELT at the Clearwater Wellness Center on Tuesday nights throughout 2024. The switch of days did not go particularly well. I am planning on a lot of travel in 2025 and beyond. Lastly, it costs quite a bit annually to be an "official" MELT instructor, and what I make does not justify the expense. I will continue to practice for myself as I am a total believer in the effectiveness of the techniques to keep me moving comfortably. 

    My most long-term, dedicated student was the only one to show up for the last class. That was fine. About half-way through I announced my decision and offered to answer any questions. We had a loving discussion of appreciation for each other and our 13 years of learning together. I will miss the folks in the wonderful small town of Clearwater, Kansas. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to be of service there. 

    KEEP MOVING!!!

        Leta

The cool lights my husband installed on our house,
with nearly infinite colors and patterns!

December 18--Going Nuts

It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.  --Mother Teresa

    We are blessed in Wichita to have two of the most awesome retailers on the planet--Nifty Nut and Spice Merchant. The latter is our source for fresh-roasted coffee beans and spices, and it is heaven-on-earth if you are a tea drinker. The owner has an excellent deal going wherein if one donates at least $30 per month to our local public radio station, KMUW, one gets a free pound of coffee beans each month. That's a no-brainer.

    Nifty Nut has every kind of candy, nut, dried fruit and munchie mix you can imagine, plus a whole lot more. Around holiday time, it is INSANE. Every Christmas they sell thousands of gift-wrapped boxes of mixed nuts. On Monday I braved the crowds for my one-time Christmas visit. The lines were several people deep. I knew it would be crazy, so I settled into roaming with my list in hand. Boy, did I get lucky--a worker who just finished with a customer saw me in a no-line spot and offered to help. He followed me all over the store packing up treats, and I was out of there in 20 minutes, nothing short of a miracle. While he was weighing out one of the items, he said, "I LOVE Christmas!" Given the madhouse, I said, "Are you being sarcastic?" He replied, "NO! I love this job. We are so busy, the time flies by." What a delight! He could have been cranky as hell given the environment, but he was choosing to dig every minute. 

    Nuts and coffee--two life essentials!

        Leta

Bins of coffee beans at the Spice Merchant

December 17--Let It Go

Nothing any good isn't hard.  --F. Scott Fitzgerald

    I am a "late bloomer" artist exploring with paints. Creative life energy goes into a painting and for the most part, I like what I paint. I've been considering lately if I am too attached to my creations. In my mind, I should be able to paint something then turn right around and paint over it and start something new. But NO! I want to keep these. 

    Enter the Universe giving me the "let go" message... The other day, my husband accidentally knocked off the stand a plant in a recently painted clay pot. I was able to re-pot the plant, and I think it will survive. The pot, however, went into the trash in over a dozen pieces. Goodbye, art. 

    I started another painting and promptly wrecked it with a glob of paint in a non-fixable spot. For the first time, I painted over the whole thing, and I'm starting over with a new idea that will come to me. I'm going with famous painter Bob Ross' sentiment: it was a "happy accident." I suspect I've made it over the "attachment" hurdle. 

    Have you noticed the ultra-cool, programmable, under-the-eaves lights that are appearing for the holiday? We have them! My husband braved the roof work and extension ladder climbs to install them with me nervously "holding" the ladder and being a runner. Our neighbor, a Broncos fan, has them also, and his were blue and orange on Sunday for the game. Fun, year-round lights with no more climbing, untangling, and fuss!!! Yippee!!!

    HO! HO! HO!

        Leta

More Christmas beauty from the Cleveland Zoo

December 16--Be Kind

The happiness of love is in action; its test is what one is willing to do for others. 
--Lew Wallace

May your holidays be filled with the spirit of joy, the wisdom of sight, the heart of love and the soul of light.  --Mary Davis

    I have been avoiding the mainstream news since the election in November. It has been a little weird sometimes, but in general I have been a much happier human. My husband will occasionally tell me a tidbit, like the murdered CEO. The other day I made the mistake of asking about Trump's cabinet selections, and my husband's brief reply caused instant "pissed off" feelings in my body. This was excellent confirmation that my no-news practice is working. I don't need to know the details of how the powers-that-be are determined to keep most Americans sick, dumb, poor and frightened. 

    Enjoying blissful ignorance and spreading kindness wherever possible,

        Leta

December 15--The "Ayes" Have It!

The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.  --Audrey Hepburn 

    My son texted me several photos of my smiling grandsons yesterday, and that made my day. 

    Affirmations are a powerful tool for keeping my thoughts focused in a positive direction. I have several that I recite each morning. I am especially fond of affirmations that support my health. I am blessed with excellent health and speak positively about my body and thank it often throughout the day. This is not a silly process!

    My awareness has been expanding lately that I have been too accepting of the pitfalls of aging. For sure, I have aches and pains! Of course there are times I can't recall something! Yes, old people have trouble sleeping! It's always something!!! I've been mindlessly going along with these. Time marches on, certainly, but I don't have to invite the less popular aspects of aging into my experience.

    This new affirmation came to me lying in bed yesterday morning: "Aye!" My initial thought was "awesome, youthful, energetic!" "Aye" rhymes with "I" so it feels personal. You could select whatever a, y, and e words are meaningful to you. Now I'm inclined to go with "aware, youthful, energetic." It is a vote for vibrant health and happiness. 

    As always, take what you like and leave the rest 😉😉

        Leta

A - Y - E !!

My woman cave window garden...
all plants thriving at the moment...

December 14--Open or Closed?

The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open. 
--Chuck Palahniuk

    I recognize a couple life circumstances that have cut me open. One has been the great losses in my life--all the members of my family of origin and both sisters-in-law have passed. Grieving a death certainly does not generate immediate happiness. The "true happiness" comes in recognizing the gifts those loved ones gave us in our time with them.

    Choosing to be a parent and raising two sons... I don't think anyone really knows what they are getting into when they make that decision. It totally qualifies for "completely cut open," and it has brought me more joy and happiness than I could ever have imagined. 

    In a more bizarre slant on this quote, I found much physical happiness, i.e. relief from pain, when the surgeon cut me open and gave me a new hip joint!

    When we are cut open--well, that's a wound. Wounds hurt. Yet they heal. Some take longer to heal than others. Our bodies, minds and spirits are continuously moving us toward wholeness. Let's go with that flow.

    Enjoy the weekend. Go, Chiefs!

        Leta