I have been pondering lately the difficulty of grasping the present moment. Humans seem to be able to think of the past and dream of the future, but living in the present is extremely hard. I am guilty of it, no doubt about that. In fact, I have always loved looking at the past through photos, books, thoughts, memories, etc. I am finding the more I think about living in the present, the less thoughts I have about the future. Perhaps it comes from being in my 50s and realizing I have more past than future, and the present is quite important.
It seems that we are able to view the past through tainted lenses; we remember the good and forget the bad. Our minds skew the past and polish the future, but it's too much effort to change the present. We also view it through our own personal experience. If you asked three siblings about their childhood, you would most likely get three different responses. We are all individuals with our own perspectives and thought processes. We always seem to think the future will be better. Once this happens, then this..... So it makes me wonder, is our present really that bad that we can't enjoy it? Children seem to be able to live in the present until they reach puberty and start thinking about cars, dating, college, etc.
This morning I saw this video which touched me greatly and made me want ever more to live in the present moment. It's really all we have.
Thought for the day: Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Buddha
Thursday, October 31, 2013
The Old Milwaukee Road
On occasion I will walk on a road outside Colfax that makes a nice loop back into town. I have noticed that people like to drink beer and litter on that stretch of road which is a pet peeve of mine. So last time I walked with my husband, and we picked up cans. We only made it about 1/4 mile before bags were full so will have to make another go of it at some point. Below is a photo of what we found and why I now refer to it as the Old Milwaukee Road.
This experience confirmed a couple things for me....Wisconsin folks love beer and some people are fools.
Thought for the day: "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
-Albert Einstein
This experience confirmed a couple things for me....Wisconsin folks love beer and some people are fools.
Thought for the day: "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
-Albert Einstein
Got My Eye on You
Henry has been creeping out more just to see what is going on. For the most part, he stays in the basement or at the top of the steps. However, on occasion, he will check out what might be going on in other parts of the house. Below is a photo of him watching us in the kitchen and dining room.
As a typical cat, he does things on his own time and when he feels like it.
Thought for the day: "Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this." - Anonymous
As a typical cat, he does things on his own time and when he feels like it.
Thought for the day: "Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this." - Anonymous
Friday, October 25, 2013
Pennies From Heaven
Normally I am not one who would believe in our departed leaving coins around for us to find, but since losing my sister in June perhaps my thoughts have changed. I once knew some one whose husband had passed away, and she found pennies everywhere. Below is a photo of the pennies I have found in various places in the past two months. It seems to be more than one would normally find and so it leads me to wonder if there really is such a thing as pennies from heaven.
Most of them have been found on the street or sidewalk, but the last one I found was sitting right in the middle of the floor in one of my closets. This is not a coat closet but a storage type closet, and I have been in there many times. This one caused me to really take notice and pause.
Maybe there is nothing to it at all, but right now it makes me feel better to think that Lynda might be telling me that all is okay. Of course, I have joked that if she really wants to say hello, leave a couple of $50's.
Thought for the day:
Most of them have been found on the street or sidewalk, but the last one I found was sitting right in the middle of the floor in one of my closets. This is not a coat closet but a storage type closet, and I have been in there many times. This one caused me to really take notice and pause.
Maybe there is nothing to it at all, but right now it makes me feel better to think that Lynda might be telling me that all is okay. Of course, I have joked that if she really wants to say hello, leave a couple of $50's.
Thought for the day:
| “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” | |
Too Much Loss
As I have ventured outside in this colder winter-like weather, I have found it chilling me to the bone. Normally I don't have an issue with cold weather and in fact, at times I can embrace it. So this got me thinking (not again!) about why the cold bothers me this fall. Then I realized that it was a reflection of my own soul. Since losing my sister in June, I have not really been able to fully deal with her loss. Perhaps the warm sunny days of summer helped me put it on hold, but now the change of seasons has truly revealed the state of my soul. It is dark, cold and full of loss.
It is difficult for me to grasp how quickly one can be gone and yet life goes on. It makes me think of my own demise...will the lives of those around me continue as always? Do we put so much effort into living life only to be forgotten so quickly? It makes one wonder why we toil so hard and worry so much about life when we know it will end, and the world will continue to turn without us. Perhaps that is why we all hope for some thing beyond our earthly constraints. We couldn't possibly end after putting so much into our own existence and that of others.
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Well, I must deal with this loss. I am just not sure how to do it quite yet. Maybe I need to spend some time at her house in order to truly comprehend that she will no longer be there. I have been looking through old photos and understanding our history together. I am grasping that losing Lynda has set me adrift because she was one of my caretakers; some one that knew me and cared for me my entire life. She along with my parents and so now they are all gone. It makes you feel a bit orphaned.
All this has also made me realize just how much loss there has been in the past two decades. I have lost many special aunts, uncles and my parents. The host of characters that made up my formative years such as neighbors, family friends and church people....all gone. There has been the loss of a family dog and three cats. You begin to realize why the elderly feel like there is no one left.
And so I must take a look at the condition of my soul and do whatever is necessary to get it to a place of warmth again.
Thought for the day:
It is difficult for me to grasp how quickly one can be gone and yet life goes on. It makes me think of my own demise...will the lives of those around me continue as always? Do we put so much effort into living life only to be forgotten so quickly? It makes one wonder why we toil so hard and worry so much about life when we know it will end, and the world will continue to turn without us. Perhaps that is why we all hope for some thing beyond our earthly constraints. We couldn't possibly end after putting so much into our own existence and that of others.
.jpg)
Well, I must deal with this loss. I am just not sure how to do it quite yet. Maybe I need to spend some time at her house in order to truly comprehend that she will no longer be there. I have been looking through old photos and understanding our history together. I am grasping that losing Lynda has set me adrift because she was one of my caretakers; some one that knew me and cared for me my entire life. She along with my parents and so now they are all gone. It makes you feel a bit orphaned.
All this has also made me realize just how much loss there has been in the past two decades. I have lost many special aunts, uncles and my parents. The host of characters that made up my formative years such as neighbors, family friends and church people....all gone. There has been the loss of a family dog and three cats. You begin to realize why the elderly feel like there is no one left.
And so I must take a look at the condition of my soul and do whatever is necessary to get it to a place of warmth again.
Thought for the day:
“Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see” William Newton Clarke
More Henry
I have been off the radar for awhile and since last posting, Henry has moved into our home. Just about a week ago early one morning I opened the patio door, and he came in. After a few minutes, I quietly closed the door. He attempted to run towards it once, but after that he has not even looked outside.
He has taken up residence in the basement for the most part; he does, however, venture up now and then. In fact, one night he showed up in our bedroom and spent the whole night with us. He started out sandwiched inside a mattress pad that was on the shelf. This way he felt protected but could look out and see what was happening. Then he started laying on a sleeping bag on the floor, and this is where you will normally find him.
I also placed a blanket at the top of the basement steps, and he will sleep there at times. Of course, Maxine (our dog) is jealous and has to hone in on my time with Henry. She also likes to eat his food so I have to keep watch. Henry loves Maxine and looks up with adoration at her. He went too far one day when he started batting at the ID tags on her leash. It gets complicated.
Yesterday I managed to get Henry into a cat carrier in order to get him to the vet. He needed vaccinations and also antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. It went better than expected, but he did hide from me for a couple hours afterwards.
So looks like Henry will be warm and dry for the winter; perhaps he will want to venture out again in the spring.
Thought for the day: “If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow; but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much.”
― Mark Twain
He has taken up residence in the basement for the most part; he does, however, venture up now and then. In fact, one night he showed up in our bedroom and spent the whole night with us. He started out sandwiched inside a mattress pad that was on the shelf. This way he felt protected but could look out and see what was happening. Then he started laying on a sleeping bag on the floor, and this is where you will normally find him.
I also placed a blanket at the top of the basement steps, and he will sleep there at times. Of course, Maxine (our dog) is jealous and has to hone in on my time with Henry. She also likes to eat his food so I have to keep watch. Henry loves Maxine and looks up with adoration at her. He went too far one day when he started batting at the ID tags on her leash. It gets complicated.
Yesterday I managed to get Henry into a cat carrier in order to get him to the vet. He needed vaccinations and also antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. It went better than expected, but he did hide from me for a couple hours afterwards.
So looks like Henry will be warm and dry for the winter; perhaps he will want to venture out again in the spring.
Thought for the day: “If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow; but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much.”
― Mark Twain
Monday, October 7, 2013
The Saga of Henry
In a previous post I told the story of Henry, the stray cat. Since that time he disappeared for 16 days and returned again. While he was gone, I was heartbroken. I didn't realize just how much he had stolen my heart and how much I loved him. He appeared in my dreams, and I found myself looking out the patio door often feeling lonely. Little by little I took away his stuff and ultimately decided to throw away his moist food.
The very day I threw away that food he came back! My daughter and granddaughter were visiting, and I happened to look out the patio door. I yelled Henry, Henry! He was in the yard eating old pieces of bread I had thrown out for the birds.
He was starving and covered with cockle burs, not to mention a few ticks. Over the course of a couple days, I got him well fed, cleaned up and applied the rest of his meds.
Twice this week I have gotten him to come in the house for a brief time. He sat on my lap for quite awhile, and I felt like we were both thinking the same thing. Would his moving in be a game changer? Is our relationship better the way it is? Last night he came in and most likely would have stayed, but I opened the patio door to give him a choice. I don't want to frighten him too much or make him feel trapped. He went out again, but I will try again tonight. Henry gives me purpose and a link to childhood memories.
Above is a photo of Henry having a good rest on the deck due to a full stomach and lots of hugs from the woman that loves him.
Thought for the day: Nature teaches beasts to know their friends. Wm Shakespeare
The very day I threw away that food he came back! My daughter and granddaughter were visiting, and I happened to look out the patio door. I yelled Henry, Henry! He was in the yard eating old pieces of bread I had thrown out for the birds.
He was starving and covered with cockle burs, not to mention a few ticks. Over the course of a couple days, I got him well fed, cleaned up and applied the rest of his meds.
Twice this week I have gotten him to come in the house for a brief time. He sat on my lap for quite awhile, and I felt like we were both thinking the same thing. Would his moving in be a game changer? Is our relationship better the way it is? Last night he came in and most likely would have stayed, but I opened the patio door to give him a choice. I don't want to frighten him too much or make him feel trapped. He went out again, but I will try again tonight. Henry gives me purpose and a link to childhood memories.
Thought for the day: Nature teaches beasts to know their friends. Wm Shakespeare
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