November 16--Give and Give

They who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing.  --Hindu Proverb

    It's a mindset--one either supports circulation and flow in life, or one dams it up. My dad was a very generous person, giving freely of his time and financial resources. He and Mom started life together with very little, so he could have been a miserly hoarder of all he earned. He taught me the "keep the flow going" lesson for which I am eternally grateful. Giving continues to bless my life every day. 

    Everything in nature gives abundantly. We would do well to follow that lead.  

       Leta

Fall leaves--now there is abundant giving!

November 15--Balance

Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind. 
--Lionel Hampton

    This is certainly true for the many wonderful people in my life. It makes my heart feel happy to think of them and how they have blessed my sojourn on Mother Earth. 

    Life has been interesting lately. In the past two weeks I have had two nasty falls. One was when I fainted during Covid, and I bruised my left side in assorted places. The second was when doing some cleaning (see, I told you I despise cleaning!) and Christmas decorating. I fell off a chair (insert here: "that was dumb!!!") and fortunately, our recliner broke my fall, so I bruised only my right side. I feel great gratitude that these did not result in any injuries more significant than bruises. Alas, I hate being thought of as "an old person who falls." I have not fallen in years before these two incidents, and I don't plan to fall again for a very long time! I attribute my toughness to Melt and yoga and staying active, and that's good motivation to continue those practices. 

    Upright and moving,

        Leta

     

I say often: "It's a good thing one does not have
to have perfect balance to be a yoga teacher!"

November 14--little/BIG

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.  --Robert Brault

    Amen! I think of my sweet husband caring for me during my recent experience with Covid. I stayed in the lower level of our house, and he was up and down a lot bringing me food, water, meds and anything else I requested. That was definitely a "big thing."

    There are so many things in my life that are little/big things: swimming, golf, walking Barney, hanging on the new deck with my husband, road trips, gardening, fun times with family and friends, home-cooked meals, teaching and coaching... Looking at this list I see that it is the day-to-day "little" activities that make for a great life, and that is one BIG thing. 

        Leta

Sweet Barney 😍

November 13--Phrases of Love

There is as much greatness of mind in acknowledging a good turn, as in doing it. 
--Seneca

Please

Thank you

You're welcome

    How about we all use those three phrases more often? It would make both me and Miss Manners happy. I suspect that we have all had poor service and good service. Given that most of us generally prefer good service, let's acknowledge it! The more we bless good service, the more we shall receive it. 

    Lovingkindness pays,

        Leta

A fern in the woods of PA

November 12--Living or Existing?

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.  --Oscar Wilde

    It is quite difficult from the outside looking in to tell if someone is living or merely existing. What about Mr. Wilde--it is commonly known that he really enjoyed his alcohol.  Was he living or existing? Addiction is rampant in our society. Having been on both sides of addiction--actively using and recovering--I can say that if one is still practicing the addiction, that's existence, not living. 

    Each individual must decide what it means to live, and if the effort is worth it. This is an ongoing process for all. Many changes have been happening in my life, and I am pondering what my new version of living looks like. What do I want to keep? What do I want to release? The clearer my picture of living, the more likely I am to create it. 

        Leta

Where is your path leading?

November 11--It's TIME!

They always say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.  --Andy Warhol

    Isn't time an interesting thing? What did people do before clocks were invented? There must be some natural organic function within us that understands the passage of time and could easily guide us through life without clocks. But then I would be late for appointments, which would drive me nuts. 

    Sometimes, however, I feel like there is always a time readout in my face, emphasizing the super-quickening forward march of time. Nowadays when I go into a hotel room, I either cover the clock faces or turn them to the wall. I'm really looking forward to my upcoming time in Jamaica where no one cares what time it is!

    Consider the idea that time heals. I guess that's so for a physical wound. I'm not so sure about grief. I believe time can mellow a heartache, but it doesn't eliminate it. 

    There is very interesting information relative to time in the book by Gay Hendricks titled "The Big Leap." Time is human creation and we can create as much of it as we want. Have some fun with that one!

        Leta

November 10--We Can Do Better

Our life is the creation of our mind.  --Buddha

The land itself and the conditions of that land, like altitude and climate, impact our genome just as our human ancestors do. We are born on it, die on it; we come from it and return to it. The land and the waters, oceans and rivers, are part of us, relatives and ancestors in a very real way.  --Patty Krawec

    Two quotes today. Let us use the powerful creative ability of our mind to take better care of our dear Mother Earth. We belong to her rather than she belongs to us. 

    Let us use the powerful creative ability of our mind to take better care of our magical and mysterious bodies. Our priceless vehicle for being alive on the Mother deserves our loving attention and care.

    Let us use the powerful creative ability of our mind to take better care of our mind/spirit/emotions. It is essential for expanding into new consciousness that creates a world that works for everyone. 

    Let us use our creativity wisely,

        Leta