Storm brewing

Both inside and outside we have a storm brewing. :)

Those red things are birds trying to get away from the storm.

The guy below is wanting to come in and dry it's feathers. 

(Friend's house)

Don't get lost

I read something in a novel today:

"No one ever got lost bein' part of somethin'. Only when they're not."

(From Keeper 'n Me, by Richard Wagamese)

All life around us is a part of us. When you are connected to that, there is no separation. No loneliness. No feeling of not belonging. The only way I know how to feel this belonging is to be quiet. To pay attention. To be silent. To feel the peace and silence of this moment. Silence, or peace, or love, or God, is all around and within. To feel that is living life. And being life. It is easy to get lost in the busyness of the little bitty stuff. It is easy to stay lost forever. Just sit for a while and listen. Stay whole.

Nothing special.

I let the day be as it was. In the morning I walked the beach. The surf was high and lots of surfers were lined up past the waves, waiting for the big one. Many found their big one. It is beautiful to watch someone dance with such grace with the waves.

I saw a cartoon once of a stereotypic eastern guru, you know, long beard, long hair, and naked except for a loin cloth, and well, he was surfing. Apparently we're supposed to just ride the waves of life going where they take us. No resisting. Enjoying life as it comes. Hmmmm, we have this idea about surfing that the folks are laid back and living a freedom filled life, I don't know. The surfers I saw today looked pretty intense. They have lots of gear nowadays. No mere loincloth. They are running like crazy for the waves and seem to have a pecking order as they wait for the big one. But I don't know anything about surfing.

I went with mom and her friends to a casino. Not my usual hangout. It was a long ride and I thought to myself that this is going to be a long day. Indoors and in the dark. But luckily, I changed my attitude quickly. Okay, so how wonderful can this day be? I surrendered myself to whatever came. The day ended up being nothing special. And it was also nothing unspecial or boring. It was a wonderful day. There is a great beauty in not wanting things to be different than they are. There is a great power in letting the day unfold and above all - having no judgments about it. It felt like there was no past or future, the day being merely part of the eternal moment.

Lest we forget

April 25 is Anzac Day in Australia. It is 100 years after thousands of Australian soldiers lost their lives in Gallipoli and the Australians still pay an amazing tribute to fallen soldiers. At dawn today people gathered at war memorial shrines everywhere. There were afternoon marches and parades with veterans from all wars participating, from age 24 to 100. Descendants marched with their forefathers medals proudly on their lapels. Businesses were closed all morning. It's the amount of people that turned out that really impressed me. 120,000 people in Canberra! That's one third of the city's population. That's at dawn! More than 30,000 in Sydney. 50,000, 90,000 in other cities. Wow! This country's youth participated. 

Watching all this remembrance brought a lump into my throat many times today. I remembered my dad's stories about WW II when I was little. We went fishing and I played with my dolls in the boat while my dad fished. He told all kinds of stories about the war. I listened as I played somehow knowing that he was healing from deep wounds.

Day off

We've had a day off from appointments. I walked on the beach in my bathing suit and am hopefully starting to like a native.

Mom is looking good!

It's magical when you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And then you just start taking one step and another step, knowing fully that there may be twists and turns when you don't see the light, yet now you know it's there. That is how I feel today.

Waiting

Waiting can be difficult. Waiting can be easy. I was waiting today in a closed office (no windows). I explored sitting and doing nothing. When I thought of how lucky I was just to sit and no need to do anything, I felt wonderful. I was appreciating the moment of peace and quiet. But if I thought of it as a waste of time then I was annoyed and felt like a victim. How dare I have to sit here. I have more important things to do. I noticed it is always my own perspective that my peace or pain come from. I had no need to flip through magazines or muse on the other people in the waiting room. I have no cell phone with me. Waiting became easy and sweet. Acceptance of the moment is always the key to peace. It is what it is. 

One thing I like to do is soften my eyes as if I am looking out the sides of my head. My breath softens and it's easier to be present. It takes remembering and practice. It takes slowing down. It's too bad we honour busyness, rushing, and more is better.

We sat in the park across the roadway yesterday. Just sat and watched the birds putzing. Mama peacock with her children. And the dad watching nearby.

Cookies!

3 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

Combine all 3 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Drop tablespoon sized balls onto a cookie sheet. Use a fork and flatten. Bake 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes.