Change-2

[caption id=“attachment_3629” align=“alignleft” width=“525”] “We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails.” -Author Unknown[/caption] Life has drastically changed these days for people all over the world since the Coronavirus appeared. Every conversation and move we make revolves around this outbreak. From the World Health Organization and other bodies responsible for health down to health authorities in individual communities, we’re well-informed about what to do. This post is not in the least bit scientific or medical. Those details are best left to the experts. Any such information on the virus that you need to know is as near as your television or computer screen. You are probably already washing your hands regularly, keeping surfaces clean, and avoiding crowds. ...

“Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” (Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free) Resilience is one of those words that I don’t quite understand, especially in relation to myself. When I’ve seen it in other people or heard other people describe resilience, it’s always been in the face of some terrible situation or happening that has taken place or is presently happening in a person’s life. The person speaking usually says of the person experiencing this event or situation that: “he/she is resilient and can get through this” or some similar cliche. Two phone calls I had this past week have given me reason to think about how resilient we are all called to be in this life. ...

It’s hard to believe that my memory is not what it used to be. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my last post should have been “special” in some way to mark my 200th published post. For a while there, I was thinking what significant title or remarks should be made to mark this milestone. Then, would you believe it - this 67 year old brain completely forgot. Instead, there was the post “Santa’s Mailbox” which was my last one. I am making this 201st post “the one.” That’s the reason for the fireworks you see below. ...

[caption id=“attachment_2976” align=“aligncenter” width=“300”] “Have you had a kindness shown? Pass it on; ‘Twas not given for thee alone, Pass it on; Let it travel down the years, Let it wipe another’s tears, ‘Til in Heaven the deed appears - Pass it on.” (Henry Burton)[/caption] ...

It’s my 67th Birthday today. I haven’t blogged for a while because my computer was hacked. However, thankfully, it’s up and running now since my brother gave it a complete overhaul. What an age we live in! When I went to do a search on Google, there were all these images of cakes at the top of my screen. I wondered which well-known person was having a Birthday today. I moved over the image to see who it could be - lo and behold, it said: Happy Birthday Jean! For someone 67 years young, it was wonderful of Google to acknowledge my birthday in this way. I am fortunate to live in this digital age and to have this kind of experience. Growing older comes with wonderful surprises! ...

[caption id=“attachment_2958” align=“aligncenter” width=“584”] From an evolutionary standpoint, human consciousness has not been around very long. A little light just went on after four and a half billion years. How often does that happen? Maybe it is quite rare. Elon Musk[/caption] ...

[caption id=“attachment_2933” align=“aligncenter” width=“5256”] “The symbolic language of the crucifixion is the death of the old paradigm; resurrection is a leap into a whole new way of thinking.” – Deepak Chopra[/caption] It’s time to celebrate Easter once again. Like Christmas, Easter is one of the big celebrations in the Christian calendar year. The crucifixion of Jesus took place on Good Friday and the resurrection followed three days later. On Good Friday, many people go to church but not quite as many as on Easter Sunday. Even people who don’t attend church the rest of the year sometimes go to church on Easter Sunday. I once heard a priest lament about the numbers that come out for Good Friday services. He said that people aren’t as much interested in the death of Jesus as in his resurrection. Below are some interesting statistics I found on the internet showing the percentages of persons of different faiths (age-of-the-sage.org). As you can see, there are many people for whom Easter is just a secular holiday. ...

As we approach the end of 2015, thoughts about years past and particularly 2015 come to mind. My own experience of life after 66 years on the planet reveals that there are always many varieties of experience - some that bring untold happiness and some tinged with sadness and grief. This is true of any given day or year. My own personal review of this year finds me thinking about the massive job it was to downsize from the place we called home for 30 years. This job took up most of the year. There were challenges along the way but with wonderful teamwork and support, the job got done. It’s nice that this particular season of life is over and another has begun. “Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.” (Thomas Merton) What was planted in my soul this year is the fact of impermanence - things change and we move with the changes. I thought at one time that I would live and die in that house but my feelings about ownership and possessions changed - all for the good. ...

[caption id=“attachment_2569” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”] “When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.” ― George R.R. Martin[/caption] It’s nice to discover new things about oneself. I didn’t know that I was so enraptured by sunsets until I moved recently. In my old home, I rarely saw the sunset. In my new home, watching the sunset has become a nightly ritual - something I don’t like to miss. It’s a spectacular light show watching the kaleidoscope of changing colours. I’ve had to run for my camera spontaneously on so many occasions with the feeling that I couldn’t let the moment pass uncaptured. I’m not sunstruck; I’m sunset struck! It’s such a wonderful joy to see the vast array of colours and all the changes taking place so quickly before my very eyes. Twilight time has become very important for me. ...

The poem below is a new discovery for me. I came across it on Facebook a few days ago and was fascinated by the insights that the poet, Rose Milligan, was able to present in these four stanzas. I was curious to find out who she was but there wasn’t a plethora of information available on her. Dust If You Must Dust if you must. But wouldn’t it be better, To paint a picture, or write a letter, ...