Mindfulness....

I was in a really terrible mood all day. I mean REALLY terrible. Can't say why, exactly, but nothing pleased me. I cleaned the downstairs, did laundry, baked chocolate chip cookies, knit, and even watch a bit of an old movie. Still miserable -- sometimes the world is just too much with us, I guess.

So, I decided I needed to clear my thoughts by taking a walk and being mindful. As Thich Nhat Hanh said:

 Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future.

If we can acknowledge our fear,

we can realize that right now we are okay.

Right now, today,

we are still alive,

and our bodies are working marvelously.

Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky.

Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.

And the miracles I saw changed my whole outlook... 

Deer Trail Down the Bank..

Joe Pye Weed. I saw this as a specimen in New England. Here, it is a weed!

A bird's nest, empty, blown from a tree. I collect them. What a gift!

This lovely let me photograph it and then flew above my head as I walked. Angel? 

 

By the time I arrived back home, my spirit was quiet, my legs tired, a gentle moisture from the rain on my face. I was alive. My body worked. All is well.

Confession and all that...

Fifteen years ago, I broke my neck in a freak fall down some steps. I was lucky as I recovered after six months following surgery and prayer. While I still have left-sided weakness on occassion, and a little vertigo, I am nearly perfect in that area. But, my doctor wanted me to lose 75 pounds. I did.

Now, I have gained back 20 of 'em.

This is what has started the walking and exercising again. I can't lift my left leg when I am tired. So, here I am, plugging up and down the road with Kathy Smith, who, btw, I don't like today. How can anyone be so perky when making another so miserable??

Yesterday I had a little incident that I didn't share, but it is just too funny to keep secret.

Bear in mind, we are in the country and have no neighbors for three miles. So, when nature calls, we slip behind a bush and answer, if it is convenient and an emergency. It was.

I carefully looked up and down the road, listened for car noises, slipped off the road and behind a nice tall bush. Moose joined me. Nosey.

Because my legs were shaking from walking so hard, I couldn't quite get "the posture." But, I thought I was "in position" enough to be safe.

Then, I realized there was no splashing.

To add insult to injury, not only did I nearly crawl the rest of the way home, but I had to do it in soggy duds.

Today? I drank when I got home. Better safe than sorry.