The REAL Reason Men Get Married...

... is so there is someone who will clean the science projects out of the refrigerator for them.
                  LOL,
                     Leta

Continuing with the Mother Earth theme

     I'm reading a very interesting book about taking responsibility for one's own health. There are a lot of questions in it. The question that fits this blog post theme is, "Do you take walks, garden, or have other regular contact with Nature?"
     At the moment, Sunday is my only day off. I want to be lazy and watch non-stop basketball. However, I made myself go out and do more garden clean-up. I really do love gardening, it's just getting myself motivated to go outside. And guess what? I feel better. Fresh air, green grass, bright sunshine on my skin, loads of weeds in the trash, a feeling of accomplishment, an appreciation for the wide variety of growing things in our little spot of Mother Earth.
     Let's remember how good it feels to be in the sunshine, breathe fresh air, and move about in Nature. Our health and happiness depend on it!
         Breathe!
             Leta

Mother Earth

     I am blessed on my workdays that about 15 minutes of my drive to and from work take me through the glorious fertile farmlands of the midwest. In the past few weeks, it has gone from brown soil with the seeds preparing to burst to the rich emerald green of sprouted wheat. But this isn't the only beauty. These wheat fields stretch on for miles of relatively flat ground, leaving huge expanses of sky for the most awesome sunrises and sunsets one might imagine. Mother Earth truly is the finest artist!
     I am blessed to notice these things and appreciate them. It makes for a great start to a workday and comforting drive home. Can you find something of beauty on your way to and from work? Can you find something big and awe-inspiring to be curious about? Can you simply enjoy a full breath of truly fresh air? Mother Earth is full of treasures for us!
     Loving nature,
          Leta

What do you love about where you live?

     My husband and I have been talking lately about the things we love about living in Wichita. With all the political unrest in our state, it's a nice change of focus.
     Just off the top of my head, I love that it's easy to get around (if you don't think so, go drive around say, Houston, for a few days). We have great art and theater, lots of variety. Downtown along the river has transformed into a thing of beauty. We have a lot of great locally-owned restaurants. Folks smile a lot here. Botanica is amazing, as is our Sedgwick County Zoo. It's comfortable to live here.
     This is a fun exercise. Wherever you live, it surely has lots going for it, if only you'll notice. If not, maybe it's time to move, but remember, if you do that, you're taking you with you.
      Enjoying where I live,
              Leta

How does it feel?

It's Monday. "Monday" most likely inspires some sort of feeling within your body. Check that out... is it a joyous "Wow, another new week of fun!" or "Shit! It's Monday already!"??? I expect that with just reading those two options, you can see that the first one feels better than the second. This is an example of an extremely important concept...
From Buddha: "We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like the shadow that never leaves."
I encourage you to pay attention to your thoughts and how they make you feel. If you don't like the feeling, change the thought. You can do that.
I'm choosing joy this Monday. I'm ready to go!
       Leta

Lovin' life, be still...

I'm back. I haven't written in a while, because...
I took a more-than-full-time, temporary job doing taxes, in Clearwater. So not only is there the work, but there's also the half-hour-one-way drive to that fair town.
I'm really enjoying it. I'm learning a lot! And I'm getting to meet lots of great folks who live and work in the area. It's a neat small town. I also teach yoga there, and I love my students!

My quote for this writing is from Lao Tzu: "Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river." My job has put me into a beginner's role again, because though I'm a numbers-nerd, there is virtually an infinite amount to learn about our federal and Kansas tax systems. I'm also challenged by the long hours, as I am still teaching my four weekly yoga classes, too.

Some things I'm practicing to sustain this effort (other than counting down the days to April 15!) are staying in the present day, and what is right in front of me, rather than how I'll make it working yet another Saturday. I'm not trying to do too much in my off-time. I'm getting plenty of rest (my husband will vouch for this!). I'm doing something creative for myself--teaching myself to crochet again. It's great to do that on my lunch break, to give my brain a break from numbers.

Overall I feel strong in my ability to learn and do the job (mountain) and stay centered comfortably as each day flows (river). And every day I am finding more in my life to appreciate. I am happy and grateful!
          Celebrating LOVE every day,
                  Leta

Profound Words

     I'm including in this post two quotes from President Obama's 2016 State of the Union Address. While so many folks think the world is going to hell, these two statements show me how far we've come just in my lifetime on the slow journey toward world peace. I was born in 1955, and my early years were spent very much in a climate of war, and "bomb the hell out of them."
     This is different. President Obama quotes Pope Francis:

His Holiness, Pope Francis, told this body from the very spot I’m standing on tonight that “to imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place.” 

     And in his optimistic closing, the President said:

That’s the America I know. That’s the country we love. Clear- eyed, big-hearted, undaunted by challenge, optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. That’s what makes me so hopeful about our future.

     For us to have a President that uses the phrases "unarmed truth" and "unconditional love"... holy cow!! Ultimately I believe that's the direction in which we all want to move, whether or not we use those particular words. I agree with President Obama, we have extraordinary reason to be so hopeful and excited about our future!
     Lovingly,
          Leta