The Heralded Penguin

© Rui Saraiva | Dreamstime.com

I’m of the Viet Nam and Kent State generation and can remember the feel of singing “All we are saying is give peace a chance.”  The swaying bodies, the deep resonance, the fervent belief that if peace were found – because, oh so, certainly, it had been lost – then the world would be right. I was young and hopeful.

Today, I am not so young, but I remain hopeful for what I call everyday peace. I do not flash the peace sign, nor do I use the current generation’s lingo of “peace out.” Instead, I endeavor to live my daily life from a peaceful place, which, let me tell you, is easier said than done.

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Samuel Aranda

We are told – and we know this to be true – “a picture is worth a thousand words.” 

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This piece, originally entitled “IQ Tip: Stress Test”  is by Kim Allen from those wonderful folks at HeartMath. The “IQ” in this context refers to Inner Quality.

“We’ve come to take stress for granted. It’s an inevitable part of life so we complain, adapt and accept more and more stress as the way it is. We’re turning into stress athletes using today’s stress as basic training for even more tomorrow. No pain, no gain. Until everyday stresses accumulate to a level that hurts our health, damages our relationships, compromises our performance and reduces our overall sense of well-being. Ouch!

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Did you know that April is National Stress Awareness month? Who knew? Here are three suggestions to help you forget you were ever stressed:

1.  Watch this short video of a very fun flash mob in Russia.  This is a toe-tappin’, ear-to-ear grinnin’ good time. You might wish you were there.  I did. 

2. Read a good book. Click here for Balancing Act: Reflections, Meditations, and Coping Strategies for Today’s Fast-Paced Whirl. You know it’s an Amazon best-seller.

3. Laugh and take a breath:

Comic Steve Wright said, “I think God is going to come down and pull civilization over for speeding.”

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Years ago, hunkered down in a heavy conversation with a one-time friend about our spiritual peregrinations, we shared stories about making sense of uneasy and disconcerting experiences with some of our spiritual teachers. My friend called them “Bad Merlins” and the name has stuck. Read the rest of this entry »

Pink Sherbert Photography; D. Sharon Pruitt

Today, in our northern hemisphere, is the spring (vernal) equinox. Astrologically speaking, this is the New Year. It is time to begin — or to quote the now-famous Nike ad: “Just do it.”

This is the time to plant your seeds of new intentions, new activities, new goals, and new dreams. What we do now energetically, influences our future. It is akin to planting your garden. What is it that you want to flourish in the coming year?

And this spring is filled with much planetary activity that will not only keep up the crazy weather patterns, it will also parade in front of each of us — by way of retrogrades – our personal issues for reconsideration and review.

Spring is a fiery, combustible time of creativity. There is friction and new growth. We all want to be our own daffodil.

Happy Spring, my friends. Today, if up for a bit of ritual, weed your inner garden and plant some new seeds. Our days are fast and furious; take the time to honor what it is that you really value and believe. Be true to you. Follow your energies; do what lights you up. Our planet needs your particular brand of light and your style of creativity.

© Geraktv | Dreamstime.com

And as you stand there

Late again

Because you forgot to allow time to park

And the elevator was slow

And you left 10 minutes late to begin with

With your shoes that pinch

And your pants that are a little too small

Since you started eating white bread again

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ticnaptown.com

Dear Bobbi Kristina,

My heart goes out to you. There is much pain that goes with being the kid of a substance abuser. I am guessing you have lived many lifetimes in your nineteen years; you have been daughter, mother, nurse, caretaker, confidante, hall monitor, best friend, enabler, co-conspirator, and everything else in between. We all wear many hats and many faces when our mom is a user and we don’t want to lose her.

I was 24 years old when my mother died from the DT’s – delirium tremens due to her severe alcoholism – following surgery.

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© Tracy Hebden | Dreamstime.com

Compassion and understanding come in many forms. Christine Miserandino gives us her Spoon Theory, a first-hand, insider’s view of what choices are required when dealing with a longstanding illness.

Undoubtedly, like me, you know loved ones who are dealing with chronic illness, physical disabilities, side effects from medications, and medical challenges. Christine Miserandino’s (www.butyoudontlooksick.com) Spoon Theory opens the door to greater insight, caring, and love. This piece is definitely worth your time and energy.

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It’s too much. It’s way too much. You just can’t take one more something to remedy, re-organize, or create anew. You have been chugging right along, working to keep pace with everything that has come your way.

There have been moments when you have been breathless. Yet, you have persevered. You have focused on your priorities. You have managed to handle — with no small amount of finesse, I might add — the personalities and the politics. You have worked your magic. You have juggled, delegated, multitasked, created lists, made multitudinous calls, researched options, become one with your computer, stayed up late, set the alarm super early, and just kept going forward one step at a time – doing anything and everything to get over the hurdle and solve your dilemma.

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