Life-Changes-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. ...

To make anything of beauty, it takes time, effort, and work. When I was much younger, it was harder to see how interconnected life really was and derive all of what that meant. Somehow, individualism and independence caused me to shy away or misunderstand that every facet or thread in the weave of life matters. What I didn’t know is that it takes a whole lifetime for a tapestry of beauty to unfold where life is concerned. But I know now. “We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone… and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one’s life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that create something.” ~ Sandra Day O’Connor ...

Birthdays are celebrations of life when you are present to celebrate and can be actively involved in the celebration. A “Celebration of Life” for you happens when you’re no longer around for the celebration - you’re dead. (Jean) Thankfully, I’m around for this year’s celebration of my birthday today. I have been actively involved in expressing the way in which I want to spend this birthday. At times, my life’s journey has felt like being on a roller-coaster ride and other times like a cruise ship sailing smoothly along. ...

Growth is the only evidence of life. John Henry Newman I watched a Masterclass online for the first time last night. It was given by Robin Sharma who is an author, coach, motivational speaker, and leadership expert to many big companies. I clicked on Conscious Life News at around 6:30 p.m. in my mail and learned about this online class there. It was the last day to watch for free and I became interested because it said: “Robin Sharma says that the #1 purpose of life is to GROW!” I saw there were only two sessions left and I decided to watch the 9 p.m. which was the last one. ...

I’m pleased to introduce my good friend, Cynthia, who is seventy-eight years young. She has always been a very positive influence on me in her outlook on life and her youthful enthusiasm for living. I wanted to know what was her secret to “youthful aging.” What were the life lessons she learned along the way that might help me with my own aging process? For those of you who have followed my posts, you may have noticed that I like to highlight my friends. I have done posts on the skills, talents, and abilities, or whatever moved me about some of my friends - and this post is just another example. ...

[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] ...

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. ...

[caption id=“attachment_2471” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] “Making a big life change is pretty scary. But know what’s even scarier? Regret.” (Zig Ziglar)[/caption] Downsizing has been a big job. I’ve missed blogging during the time that this important life change has been taking place. It hasn’t been one life change really but several, each one hinging on the other. ...