There's a Blizzard Outside and I'm Hunkerin' Down

This afternoon, I was sitting in my office catching up on some reports and injecting late-comers with the seasonal flu vaccination at about 2:30 pm today. An email "alert" came across my desk that stated hospital officials supported state weather alert warning by offering over-night accomodations for staff that would not be able to return home after their shift due to the storm. Flash-back to the 2007 Firestorms in San Diego! My mind immediately began to subconsciously check off our "emergency preparedness" supplies at home in anticipation of hybernating for the next few days.

Fortunately, I was prepared with food, water, comfort "treats", lanterns, first aide, etc. if needed. We could lose power, water and the ability to be mobile at any time and still be okay (of course, we'd definitely feel the effects of losing the TV and DVD player with the power loss, but hey...BOOKS are in the many bookcases lining this house!)

There is a feeling of peace that comes with being prepared. There is joy in "hunkering" down with family in a cozy home that is filled with love and laughter and good food! I sit here, right at this very moment, watching a downpour of white snowflakes blanketing everything outside of my cozy "four walls" and I feel safe, warm and happy.

Surviving the storms in our lives make us strong and bring confidence that the next storm will be conquerable. Finding joy and putting color in a flat-light moment attests to our power to overcome.
I wish for you the ability to be prepared for whatever life may hurl your way, strength to overcome and peace in knowing who you are and what you can become.

Happiest of this Thankgiving holiday!

Marti

Tears, Rain and Things That Don't Make Me Cry



I am sitting here in the most beautiful office overlooking Millcreek as it's raining. The tree in front of my office window was just about as tall as me, the last time I saw it. Now, that same tree reaches with long sturdy branches across the manicured lawn, an umbrella shading delicate flowers and ivy running along the creek bed. The creek's current cascades over stream rocks creating a rushing sound that soothes me while the raindrops dance on the water's surface. All of this I am able to view through the framed large window in front of me as I sit here warm, awed and peaceful.



Well, almost peaceful...I just was stabbed by a very old piece of wood panelling, a tiny sliver imbedded in my ring fingertip. It's painful reminder pulls me back from my serenity each time I tap an L or O or the period key.

My life is sometimes like that. I realized today what an amazing gift I have to choose joy almost unconsciously as I go through the events of my day. Joy that is alot like the view outside my window: natural, peaceful and fulfilling. That is...until something stabs my consciousness and reminds me that all of life isn't pleasant.


I don't think these types of "reminders" are meant to destroy our experiences, although they easily could when focussed upon long enough. My grandma is a perfect example of this. She is 97 years young. She cannot hear, has suffered several heart attacks (and still occasionaly mentions the "headache right here" - pointing to her chest - that "bothered me just a little last night but it's gone now", along with the many accumulating maladies that accompany a 90+ year old body. These little "stabs" in her life do not seem to trouble her as much as my sliver is troubling me as I type this blog. Her days are filled with studying old journals, writing new journals, organizing photos and family history, football and tatting (not in that order). Right now I can hear her upstairs watching old home movies put onto DVD's, the volume so loud the neighbors can sing along with Glenn Miller's Orchestra as it plays. She is laughing and cheering and pointing to faces of loved ones long gone from this life, waiting for her to join them. No, those little "stabs" in her life don't distract her. Life is "grand" as she would put it, should you ask.


My sister made the same observation in her new blog, which I highly recommend you take time to read. She is hysterical and has a very dry sense of life. The perfect antidote to "stabs". Her website is: http://www.everydayshari.blogspot.com. In fact....I'm off to read her latest post and forget about this sliver!

Namaste ~

Marti

Walk the Talk

I'm a day late blogging and I apologize to anyone anticipating a typical Wednesday night post. So much is going on around here right now I can't even begin to get clever or inspirational...I'm holding on with my fingernails myself!


Interesting how after only a few months of posting my thoughts about life and "riding the wave", God sees fit to give me another little TEST! My wave just fizzled out and I'm almost too exhausted (and scared) to turn around and face the next one...even though I've been promised it's going to be a FABULOUS ride!
Not easy getting back into life! So not easy saying "goodbye" to family as they move off of their own wave and turn around to face the next, particularly when I'm not included on the ride.

So, to myself and my loved ones...have a great ride and I'll see you one the next one hopefully.
Namaste ~

Marti

Comfort Chaos

Several of the sites I write on (ie: Blog) feel more open to a general public review. For whatever reason, this blog feels different...somehow more personal. I have posted the blog below on several sites tonight but felt that I wanted to make it a little more meaningful here. So here goes....

It's difficult to see a loved one leave. I have one son who just landed in the Middle East on his second deployment a few days ago. I have a daughter who will be someone's wife on Saturday. My baby leaves for college not long after that. In the middle of all of these plans, my daughter-in-law arrived with both children. What a wonderful reminder of the circle of life that surrounds us all. As some leave, others arrive. Yesterday's activities are stashed away as precious memories while todays events are relished. All of this blends together into one big chaotic series of experiences we call life. And so it was for me tonight....

My house has been chaotic for the past several weeks. Only six days remain until my daughter is married, five days remain until my son and his family arrive from Denver, four days remain until Wendy is here, three days until the last of the food preparation is planned, two days until I get to go to the gym and one day until work starts again. People are bustling and blowing through here like a torrential flurry of fall leaves on a blustery October evening. I'm not keeping up....but I'm loving it all.

Tonight, my grandson climbed onto my lap, laid his head in the crook of my arm and fell asleep. The chaos circlied us like sharks in a frenzy...but we stayed still, peaceful in the midst of it all as I rocked him to sleep. This moment was mine as I memorized his sweet slumbering face.

The moon just waned and chaos followed, as it should. There is bliss in this kind of chaos and I'm glad for it.

Have a very happy, chaotic week!

Marti