August 31--It Is a Constant Effort

Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate. 
--Albert Schweitzer

    Because of his self-centered, narcissistic, addictive and belligerent personality, former President Trump caused an extraordinary amount of misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to flourish in our society. He tried to make it OK to make fun of the disabled, hurt those different from us, and cheat and lie, just to name a few of his legacy items. We need to evaporate these attitudes if we are going to survive as a free country and have a planet that will support us all in the long term. 

    Life is better for ALL when we accomplish with kindness rather than force. 

    Yes, constant kindness is a challenge for me, too!

        Leta

Let us focus on LOVE and BEAUTY!

August 30--Move, Move, Move

Nothing happens until something moves.  --Albert Einstein

    Einstein could safely say this about science and the physics of the Universe, but also as a general life principle. 

    I like to wonder about things. I'm a math nerd, but I don't remember any of the "higher" math I learned in school (except geometry, that was my favorite--remember I used the term "nerd"). My wondering the other day while swimming laps was this. The sun is moving through space. The earth is spinning and moving around the sun once a year. The moon is not spinning but it is moving around the earth about once a month. How was anyone able to figure out where the moon would be so that we could shoot a spaceship to land there!??!!?! It's a small target in the vastness of space. Like so many things, I am so grateful that there are folks out there who are much smarter than I am and using (moving!) their talents. 

    Keep moving!

        Leta

August 29--Doing Gets The Results

You do it because the doing of it is the thing. The doing is the thing. The talking and worrying and thinking is not the thing.  --Amy Poehler

    "Treat and move your feet." "Baby steps." "Do the footwork." All of these are encouragement for doing. Something happens when we do. Talking, worrying and thinking may be helpful but generally do not accomplish much. How often have we killed a good idea by worrying it to death? How many books have not been written because they are only talked about and no writing actually happens?

    In my decade-plus of MELT and yoga teaching, I have encountered quite a few folks who spend a lot of time "talking and worrying and thinking" about improving their health or relieving their chronic pain. They want the results without "the doing." They don't want to spend the money, or they want a doctor or similar to fix it for them. Alas, that ain't gonna happen. Results require doing.

    I thought about learning pickleball for many months before I actually bought a paddle and showed up for beginner time at the YMCA. I worried that I could play without hurting myself. Would I be so awful at it that no one would want to play with me? Then I just showed up and started on the drills and playing. And yes, "the doing is the thing." I've enjoyed playing more than I ever imagined. 

    What "doing" does today hold for you?

        Leta

August 28--Beauty--Spread It Around!

Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.  --Anne Herbert

    There is a book by this title by Anne Herbert and M. Paloma Pavel (photo below). 

    I believe we are talking mindset here, encouraging kindness and appreciation of beauty as innate parts of us that we want operational at all times. I look to our local Saturday Farmers' Market as an example. There are a lot of folks there, sometimes standing in long lines to purchase goodies. People are friendly. I can't ever recall overhearing any cranky encounters. The offerings are beautiful--Mama Earth's bounty in so many forms--all the way from personal care products to flower plants to dog biscuits to a kaleidoscope of vegetables. I always feel good after being there because I have practiced and experienced kindness and was surrounded by beauty. 

    Let us live in kindness, truly seeing and enjoying the beauty that surrounds us,

        Leta

August 27--A Waste? I Think Not.

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.  --Auguste Rodin

    I love going to estate sales. Is that an essential part of life? No. I simply enjoy them. Just seeing the house is part of the fun. It may be a grand home with expensive stuff and beautiful artwork in a lovely setting, or it may be a former hoarder's paradise. Sometimes I find small treasures. Occasionally I make a great score (like the Miele vacuum). I've found a lot of useful craft materials at sales. What I always come home with is the reminder that I do not need more stuff just to have more stuff. That's using the experience wisely. 

    Some might consider my painting efforts a waste of time. I'll never be a rich, famous artist (this is mainly because I have no desire to be a rich, famous artist). However, I have learned that some form of creativity has to be active in my life to keep me sane. Painting opens my spirit like few other things can, and it pushes me "outside my box." 

    Then there's baseball. I spend hours each week watching the Cubs. Waste of time? Sometimes. But my love of baseball has taken me to 30 cities, on fabulous trips, meeting lovely people--the quest of a lifetime. I feel that I've used my passion for baseball very wisely. 

    Let us ENJOY however we use our precious time,

        Leta

From an early acrylic workshop...

August 26--I Am Me and You Are You

Begin with that most frightening of all things, a clean slate. And then look, every day, at the choices you are making, and when you ask yourself why you are making them, find this answer: Because they are what I want, or wish for. Because they reflect who and what I am.  --Anna Quindlen

    My husband really likes to stay busy. He is always looking for more projects to work on. I am very grateful for this. I, on the other hand, feel as though I am generally lazy and would prefer to do as little as possible. I know I am not lazy--I do get things done. But I thoroughly enjoy my daily hobby of napping, and it is a bonus to have no evening commitments so that I can chill and watch sports on TV. 

    I had my first session of physical therapy this week for my left shoulder. It has been sore for several months, and I finally decided to see if I could get some help to heal it. The therapist poked and prodded and tested the area in various ways to find exactly what to target. Then he gave me three exercises to do daily at home. I'm tickled that one of them is accomplished with my regular MELT practice. The therapist said several times, "I'm so glad you exercise a lot, it makes my job so much easier." 

    OK, so I'm not totally lazy, 

        Leta

The shoulder--a complex and awesome joint!

August 25--Kindness, The Best Option Always

Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you. 
--Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales

    My days begin with my husband bringing me an excellent cup of coffee--his sweet morning act of kindness. 

    There is much nastiness in the world. When I witness an instance of unkindness, it inspires me to be even more kind. Why does anyone think that rudeness, violence, name-calling, yelling, etc. are helpful or appropriate? We all have our triggers, I know. It takes a mature person to be kind in a stressful situation.
     Let's use airports as an example. Because I travel a lot, I've seen many instances of rudeness in airports. I get it--traveling is tiring and there are delays and mechanical and weather problems. Just because things are not working out smoothly is not a reason to be rude. The workers are doing their best (whether we think so or not), so it behooves us to put our "best foot forward" as customers. I personally have had much better results when I practice kindness rather than allowing my frustrations to overcome me. 

    As the Dalai Lama reminds us: "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."

        Leta

How about we ALL practice THIS religion!!?!?!?!