I remember when anger and frustration tried to possess me.  It was a darker time and I wanted to blame others and leave light and love behind.  Lucky for me I was born in light with love around me and it made it easier to reclaim it. 

I usually don't play in the drama of Xanga.  I find it is a therapy I don't need.  For those who do, that's all fine and good for them and I have no attachment.  It keeps me free.  I might have stepped over the line today in my comment that I left on a site here in Xangaland. I thought I was just adding my perspective, but upon submitting my comment, I now saw that the writer was looking to fight. Previous comment had been replied to in a negative fashion.  Time will tell if I get the same return. Thanks goodness I have the block ability and I'm not afraid to use it.  It keeps me free

@Shining_Garnet got me writing little bits of positive this week.  I think I missed the Relaxing day and Gratitude posts, so I'll do two in one with my Jaynebug twist-ability.

I'm grateful that I practice the art of relaxation.  It comes with many possibilities or rather techniques and I have improved my own over the years. I can can now let the tension fall away by simply wiping it off and letting it go.  I remember years ago when I wanted to learn meditation and was advised to let the thoughts or images pass by like clouds.  I considered it and then found myself focused on the clouds passing. The trick was to let them pass without thought.  I had to relax and let it go.  I apply this practice in how I look at life's everyday frustrations. I'm extremely grateful for that because I do many high stress jobs working with people and deadlines.  I have to be able to let go and know that I only have to attach to what works in positive ways for me.  When problems arise, I let myself see a solution and it guides my response.

I'm grateful that I can be a light and a bridge for others.  How can we make changes in our world if we aren't willing to be the example of what we want in our daily experience?

I am grateful for this relaxing space. I'll hold a spot for YOU.

(pats heart, and points to you)

I thought about this one when I should have known better and just admitted it. I knew that I'd pick the one that has stayed on my mind since I saw it quite a few years back.  Anyway...Day 3 -Movie with a Positive Message.

The movie is about a couple who love each other very much.  He dies and she is devastated. She goes home from the funeral and he's there (always cold) and has brought others from the other side.  The movie is strangely amusing as the other characters are watching movies on TV most of the time and working through their own personal death experiences as she and her dead husband let go of each other so she can move on.  It takes you through the negativity of death or losing a loved one then brings you to the positive of letting go in order to live.

@Shining_Garnet has me keeping a positive perspective this week. I'm pretty positive about looking at life in a positive light anyway, but she got me thinking about the directions of positive influences in my own life. Thanks @Shining_Garnet.  You ROCK!

Currently Teach your children By Stills, Nash & Young Crosby see related

  "Excuse me T-Man."

  He jerked his head up and looked at me with the chain dangling in mid swing.

  "I can give you three choices right now.  You can put the chain in your pocket, in your backpack or give it to me.  Now before you make your choice I want you to know that if I get it, the story will continue."

  "What do you mean by the story will continue?"

  "I'm so glad you asked," I said cheerfully.  "I will gladly take it to the office and hand it over to the principal."

  He frowned at this tidbit of information.  Another student raised her hand.

  "Mrs. H?  You sound so happy about that."

  "Ahhh, yes.   I am happy to give T-Man here the opportunity to learn something new.  Now if he doesn't want to be responsible for himself, I am happy to provide him the chance to learn the lesson he needs so he can make positive good choices in the future."

  "Won't he get in trouble with the principal?  Are you happy about that?

  "Well, if he needs to have the principal help him learn, then yes, I am very happy for him.  You children are here in school to learn and it's your job at this age to make mistakes at times, so we can help you in that process of learning.   I'd much rather that the T-Man here learn this now at age seven, then when he's seventeen.  Maybe he needs to have the principal and his parents get together so he can learn that swinging a chain in class is not a good idea."

   Now I ask the whole class:  "Why can't we all swing chains in class?"

  "Someone could get hurt," they say in unison.

  "Exactly, and the last time I checked this is a puppetry class not a chain swinging class."

  They all laughed including T-Man.

  T-Man smiled rather sheepishly at me and the chain disappeared into his pocket.

  "T-Man."

  "Yea."

  "Thank you for giving us all this opportunity to learn something new today."

  His body language perked up and I didn't see the chain again for the remainder of the class.  We moved on to working on their puppetry shows and voice projection.  Class ended and as we walked out to the playground where the children either go on to another class, get picked up or walk home, I got in step with T-Man and put my hand on his shoulder.  He looked up at me with those big brown impressionable eyes.

  "T-Man?"

  "Mrs. H.?"

  "What are you going to do with that chain?"

  "I'm going to leave it at home."

  "Excellent."

  I love these children.

 @Shining_Garnet has offered up the opportunity to turn this week into a positive experience. Click this link and add your own postive to the party!

  (pats heart, and points to you)

 

Take the challenge to post with a positive perspective this week. When negativity trys to stop you, laugh at it or smile to yourself and write on by. 

It's a CHOICE! @Shining_Garnet offers up a path.

 

Day 1 Photo.

Yep! I'm positive! 

(pats heart , and points to you)

Currently Songs of a Prarie Girl (Dig) By Joni Mitchell see related

Get it out. Let the words just fall from the keyboard.

I've been up to my ears in busy. Seems the way of the world these days.

Still a lot of hate out there that breeds new hate. 

The only thing I'm hating is how my tired body feels.

I was heard saying that I'd rather go out crazy than angry last week.

Did you know that it only takes one positive person in a area filled with negativity to shift the energy? 

My camera is on its last clicks and it will be low on the list for replacing.

Guess I'll take pictures in my minds eye.

Fishing is fine Bricker. Saves me every time I fish in my head.

I'm still getting budding roses in the gardens where I work. Not many leaves on some, but a rose on the end. Salmon colored. BEAUTIFUL.

I'd like to give a mass class to control freaks and Chill them the heck OUT. So many kinder ways to work with others.

College Dude is "rockin it!" at school. Has a job, junior statis as a sophmore, independent and strong. Love that boy!

Hoops is struggling in school and I relate. Jr High was hard for me too.  I just keep telling him he can push through and find some joy in the end. Love that boy!

Miss A has changed her name to Miss T (middle name, 6th grade), & joined the basketball team. She's lonely this year. I'll hold a space for her to find a good friend. Love that girl!

Mom is rolling a film of her life in her dementia home. Sometimes we float by on a memory. I hold a space for her to release fear. What is done is done. I love that woman!

My music has been my saving grace this year.  There's something good in the tunes that lets me release and fills me back up with light.

Release is my lesson to learn.  Guess I should go to that control freak meeting myself. haha coughcough!

Space to let it all go. 

(pats heart, and points to you)

 

 

Yes, there I was again.  Surrounded by the fast moving avoidance 

Occupying us its "get out there and shine" ways

I watch from inside my head as it ALL.....S L O W E D.... D O W N 

Washed in watercolor it became an illusion

I smile knowing the secret

I scan the room... seeking

Ah! eye contact

I pour the wine and move on

 

 

 

Currently Lifes Rich Pageant (25th Anniversary Edition) By R.E.M. see related

I opened my Xanga to post and found the same message that I've ignored for, "gulp" maybe years. The message encouraged me to change my settings.  My update page always appears smaller because it is smaller. I decided to "go for it"!  I clicked on the Rich Text setting, submitted the change and voila!, I found a whole new page wide open and ready to receive my rich thoughts, my rich moments, my rich day.

I have completely forgotten what I was going to write about because I'm feeling so incredibly RICH!  Ah Yes!  It's the simple pleasures we each take in as individuals that truly give our hearts a boost. 

May you find some richness in your day among small things.  Then at the end of the day, make a mental note to pile them up together and celebrate LIFE.

Enjoy your RICH day! 

(pats heart and points to you, and you and "hey!" you too!)

Last night I was in the middle of a busy, fast paced energy of a job.  It really doesn't matter what I was doing or who I was with because it's been happening a lot of late.  I was however observed as the quick moving orders flew around me.

"You are so calm," I  was told. 

 I smiled and nodded. 

 "How do you do that?," she asked. 

I decided this summer when I got so sick and still had to work all my many jobs that my choice to get wound up or to take things personally when they were coming from someone who was obviously uptight, or high strung, or maybe just feeling stressed was not going to work for me. 

So how do I stay calm when there's a storm around me?  If I tell you, you have to try it okay?  I'd like it to become a movement toward a better future.  May it appear in your town soon.

Here's the thing.  Calm is a choice.  When someone throws their static energy my way, I pause.  I wait and let it hang in the air.  I can almost see it swirling over my head like bees or dark clouds.  I smile at it from inside my head.  (does that make sense?)  Hm...well anyway I smile at it and let it pass by.  It's not my stress until I gather it up and claim it, so I just don't claim it.  Then I respond with a comment that leaves me free to take care of the situation without carrying the nervous energy on to the solution.  It has worked successfully and it builds my confidence in being the calm every time it happens now.

When the storms hit you with their static, STOP.  Wait, then smile inside and let it break up.  You are the answer to a crazy world when you become the calm in the storm and it will pass. 

You can change the storms into light breezes in a few small steps.  You know what? I know you can do it. The rest is up to you know who.

 

(pats heart, and points to you)

 

Missing is the fear.  Missing is the old me. Missing a friend from childhood. Missing the boat on a few ideas.  Missing my sanity at times.  Missing a long walk on the beach. Missing my art. Missing is the tightness in my shoulders.  Missing a letter in my mailbox that isn't a bill.  Missing an opportunity to communicate face to face.  Missing the lazy summer "daze" of cloud watching.  Missing fishing.  Missing no deadlines can be stressful.  Missing a button on my favorite sweater.  Missing the rain on my roof.  Missing a few notes at rehearsal. Missing my time off. Missing another thought about missing. 

Missing no moments to:

 

 I was really just missing all of YOU and got carried away!

(pats heart, and points to you.)

 

I'm sitting at the pub waiting for Songwriters At Play to begin. It's the Slo Down Pub location if you click the link. The musicians who show up tonight and every Thursday night are touring and playing their original music in California and beyond. Living the dream. I'm quite content to absorb this excellent experience of honoring thoughts, that lead to music that helps us understand that we share so many emotions, and wonders within.

Music offers a connection, and oh yes, there are times when the connection can be harsh, or abrupt and even painful. But when we find the sound that sooth us, we can transport ourselves to safety or release or somewhere else completely. I close my eyes to a song that touches my heart. It sends me!

The music just started so I'm going to unplug and unwind.

(pats heart, and points to you music lovers, and yes, everyone else)