June 30--The Wisdom of Years

The years teach much which the days never knew.  --Ralph Waldo Emerson

    As I impatiently watch the timer count down on the microwave, I remind myself that those are seconds of my life ticking away. That thought didn't cross my mind in younger days. 

    When I went to the orthopedic doctor the other day to have my sore knee checked out, the front desk person wrote "fall risk" in big letters on my paperwork. What? Where did that come from? Just from my age? I didn't fall to hurt my knee. I didn't complain of falling. I wasn't wobbling. Assumptions relative to age can certainly be maddening. 

    Looking back at earlier years, they were a whirlwind of finishing school, getting settled into working life, falling in love, getting married, being a homeowner, and having kids and raising them. In the meantime, I was working on my spiritual growth and recovery from addiction. Life was very full and rich, and it was all I could do to take one busy day at a time. It can be hard to see one's personal growth and learning each day, but as Emerson suggests, the perspective of years reveals much change and wisdom attained. 

    I offer words from the Serenity Prayer to summarize what the years have taught me:

    -the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

    -the courage to change the things I can,

    -the wisdom to know the difference.

    It's an ongoing practice!

        Leta

June 29--Satisfied?

To be able to look back upon one's life in satisfaction is to live twice. 
--Kahlil Gibran

    Peeking ahead, the July theme in "Daily Joy" is adventure. Adventure is what makes life satisfying, and it means different things to different people. 

    Can you look back upon your life in satisfaction? For consideration:

• Have you experienced some adventure? 
• Have you had good relationships with family and friends? 
• Did you expand mentally, emotionally and spiritually? 
• Did you try new things? 
• Did you fall in love? 
• Did you conquer one or more challenges? 
• Did you create something that pleases you? 
• Did you enjoy at least some part of planet Earth outside your hometown? 
• Have you stood on top of a mountain? 
• Have you had a dip in an ocean? 
• Did you fulfill a personal quest? 
• Did you survive a situation that seemed impossible to live through?
• Have you experienced how another culture lives? 
• Have you helped someone? 
• Are you "comfortable in your own skin?" 
• Have you made amends where indicated? 
• Have you put your unique talents and gifts to good use? 
• Have you enjoyed the companionship of a pet? 
• Have you celebrated milestones of yourself and those you love? 
• Have you cared for yourself gently and lovingly? 
• Did you get to do/be/have what you wanted? 
• Are you still living each day with anticipation of good? 

    Life is good, and yes, I am satisfied.

          Leta

From a mountaintop in central PA, looking down on State College

June 28--What's Your Angle?

Happiness is largely an attitude of mind, of viewing life from the right angle. 
--Dale Carnegie

    I have been happy in the worst of times and cranky in the best of times, and vice versa. I can thus conclude that my level of happiness is a choice that comes from within me rather than being determined by outside influences. This is empowering. I can view life from the right angle no matter what is happening around me. 

    My right knee has been troubling me for a couple of weeks. I tend to get cranky when any physical ailment slows me down. I've been reminding myself that "this, too, shall pass." I have an appointment with an orthopedic doc to check it out. In my mind, it's a big, annoying, happiness-dimming deal. Then last evening, I saw in an MLB game a horrific collision between two players that left one with a career-threatening leg injury. That quickly gave me the "right angle" to see that my knee issue isn't that bad. 

    Both happiness and unhappiness can gain momentum within us. I lean toward happiness just because it feels so much better. 

        Leta

June 27--Let It Flow On By

To make the best use of what is in your power, take the rest as it happens. 
--Epictetus

    What is in my power... the stuff I can control... really very little. Myself, my perceptions, my reactions. It's plenty of work in life to manage those things. It's a much better use of my time to work on the things I have power over, rather than to try to fuss, meddle and control the rest that is far out of my sphere. 

    Our world has seen events in the last few years that I would have never anticipated seeing in my lifetime. With so little control over these things, we've had to learn, to save our sanity, to "take the rest as it happens," and let it go. We make the best use of our power when we live each day well, with kindness, consideration and gratitude for those folks who share our lives. 

    Thanks for reading!

        Leta

 

June 26--Free Will Rocks!

We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right.  --Marianne Williamson

    Facebook is the perfect example of Ms. Williamson's quote. While I don't spend much time on Facebook any more, I can count on certain "friends" to focus on the negative and certain others to post only positive items. 

    As I sit here and ponder what is wrong in my life, I'm having a hard time coming up with anything worthy to list. I got one! I don't have a maid to clean the house. Geez. That's because I'd rather do it myself (really!) than pay someone to do it. See what I mean? I am routinely so focused on the good in my life that I have to think hard to come up with anything wrong. And that is a good thing, for I've been working with my coach to maintain the mindset of "Yes, life CAN be this good!" 

    What we focus on in life expands. It is a law of nature, along with our free will. That would seem to me to make the choice a fairly simple one.

    Life is good!

        Leta

From the Life Is Good store, my favorite clothing

June 25--Take a Step Back

Distance has the same effect on the mind as on the eye.  --Samuel Johnson

    The further we step back, the more we can see. Think of backing up to look at a painting or sculpture in a museum or taking in beautiful scenery. That's using the eye. 

    The bigger picture is most advantageous to the mind as well. We can get so mired in a problem or drama that there seems to be no solution. Mentally distancing from the situation gives us a new perspective and hopefully clarity. I suspect we've all been in a tense relationship situation where the best plan is to step away, regroup, and reconsider in order to behave appropriately and create the best outcome for all involved. Meditation is a powerful distancing tool, opening us to the realm of infinite potential as we recognize the expansiveness within us. I would offer that napping and exercising are also good distancing practices.

    Thinking of distance in terms of travel, certainly we get to see beautiful scenery, but we also nourish the mind learning about different cultures, traditions and history. There's way more to life than just our small day-to-day worlds.

    Stepping back and moving forward,

        Leta    

"The Bean" in Chicago's Millennium Park

June 24--Someday

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.  --J. K. Rowling

    Someday. Someday I'll be rich. Someday I'll be happy. Someday I'll have ________. Someday I'll lose weight. Someday I'll exercise. "Someday" is infinite and in the future. Life is now. Daydreaming is fun, no doubt. It is useful if we use the practice to create the baby steps of today that actually lead to dream fulfillment. Dreaming without action carries us away from the present where life is happening. We miss a lot. 

    I suspect we have all known someone who was living for retirement and passed away shortly after achieving that milestone. Being in an unsatisfying job tends to put one into "survive until" mode, where life passes one by in the anticipation of the big event, whatever that is. 

    There is something in every day to appreciate--waking up, coffee, bird song, air conditioners, electricity, flowers, transportation, food, home, loved ones--the list is endless if we simply pay attention. 

    Gratitude makes for good living,

        Leta

Tony Robbins