Go For A Walk

How easy is this? Go for a walk! Really! It does wonders for clearing your monkey mind, dropping a few pounds, unplugging from the chaos, plugging into the great outdoors, bringing focus to what matters, and balancing your thoughts; not to mention, putting a smile on your face. Walking inspires me and it will inspire you. Going for a walk could just be the best thing you can do for you, and it doesn’t have to cost more than a good pair of shoes, or maybe not even that.

On a recent personal journey of Deepak Chopra's, he shares this inspirational thought: After spending time bathing in a stream, begging for their food, shaving their heads and walking barefoot...

Deepak Chopra to Thai monk, “It hurts without shoes.”

Thai monk to Deepak Chopra, “It hurts on the foot
 that’s down, but the one up feels really good so focus on that one.”

Go for a walk! It’s easy, really! Follow me. When you head out that door, you never know where you may end up. Wherever it is, I guarantee it will be a better place than you started from.

• On the Rocks photo courtesy of Marcus Winter

No Curtain Necessary

We abruptly woke to the sounds of an impeding storm working its way up Lake Chelan. Rolling thunder, as I count one Mississippi, two Mississippi, cracks of lightening across the sky, sizzling snaps of light punctuating the darkness, and the soothing sound of drenching rain, mark the dawn of a new day. Thunderous storms delight me, and fill me with awe. When I was a child, I was afraid of this natural phenomenon, but I kept prodding myself to observe. It was one of those things I could not help but watch, even if I was just peaking through the curtains. As the years passed, if there was an electrical storm, I had to stop whatever I was doing, pay attention, and observe the power around me. No curtain necessary.

Years ago, we had a Husky dog by the name of Ivan. Ivan did not understand this stormy weather Mother Nature occurrence at all. He could feel a storm coming long before I did, and would start pacing and whining. If it was the middle of the night, he woke me before the storm did. I would roust myself from my sleep and sit with him⎯arms wrapped tightly around his robust chest. As I opened the curtains to observe the lightshow around us, I soothed him by gently rocking, and softly humming in his ears. Before the thunder rolled, Ivan would tense and allow his fear to take over his entire being.

Our dear Ivan never got used to these storms that rolled through his life from time to time. I wasn’t able to explain to him what was happening, or tell him how to peak through the curtains in order to learn to overcome his fears. Throughout my life, I have constantly forced myself to look, forced myself to peak through the curtains, forced myself to observe, and this has taught me to not let fear take over my entire being. I now allow the storms of my life to roll over me, if not through me. After all, it is what it is, storms happen. I will gladly step out into the storm, if necessary, in order to get through to the other side of it. Because, as I have observed, there is and always will be another side, and there might just be a rainbow.

Top photo Lightening over Adelaide courtesy of Ersu

Bottom photo rainbow with lightening courtesy of thinboyfatter

Glow On

Recently, on a lovely night in North Carolina, I was at a cabin on a private lake with my husband, the caretaker of the cabin, and Carson, his ten-year-old family friend. I came to North Carolina for one thing, and one thing only, observing fireflies; or as they’re called in these parts, lightning bugs.

The only fireflies I have seen in the past were of the cartoon type. You know, the little bug with a light bulb butt. I’m here to tell you, there is no light bulb. But, oh my, do they glow. Fireflies are winged beetles with bioluminescent lower abdomens. Their size can be up to one inch, although the ones in northwestern North Carolina are half that size. They are found in warm, humid areas and are nocturnal. Since I do not live in an area where they would be accustomed to hanging out, I have never seen them. Thus, my mission this summer was to experience these little fairies of the dark. While I would not normally travel during the summer vacation period, it is the only time they are visible. You see, all this glowing is related to mating. Ah, but of course. Mating is taken care of, eggs are laid for the next season, and they die. Sad, but true, as is the fact they are diminishing in numbers due to light pollution and pesticides.

On this night, with Eastern Whippoorwills singing in the background, I was able to view the various green and gold glows of these lovely fairy-like bug-a-boos. Some would flash with a quick pulse, like a match going out. Others kept a steady glow; like shooting stars as they streaked from here to there, and back again, around the grasses, brush, and trees. To my astonishment, Carson quickly caught one as it flashed on, then placed the little bugger in my hands. I briefly cupped my fingers around so we could watch the light show up-close and personal. I hadn’t even thought about trying to catch one, let alone hold it! It was a moment of magic. That was the topper of the trip for me as I proceeded to get my glow-on.

While every North Carolinian I talked to was amazed I would travel across the country just to see lightning bugs. These conversations all sparked similar thoughts, as in: What other things do we have that you don’t? What things do you have that we don’t? And my favorite, I’ve forgotten just how special some things are. On this day, I want you to consider the magic happening around you every day, and night, in your own neck of the woods. Or, perhaps you need to venture beyond. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to get your glow-on!

Firefly w/glow photo courtesy of Terry Priest

Dancing to Happy

For the past year, the speed of my life has jumped a bit faster than I normally strive for. I wouldn’t call it overdrive, but I have ventured into that lane from time to time. I have wondered if this is the universe testing me. If so, how am I doing? Let’s just say, I’m getting used to the pace. Some things are in my control, some things are not, some things are fun, and some things definitely are not. It's a choice. Rather than fight it, I am learning to go with the flow, as if I am in slow motion when everything else is zipping by me. I’ve found this visualization does wonders for me personally. It actually reminds me that I have control over how I look at things. It reminds me to slow down, to take time-out for myself, to find the fun in whatever I’m doing, fun or not! When I’m in slow-mo, I find a sense of happy. 

Summer finds us outside with many activities to add to our usual year-round gotta-dos. As I look at those not so fun activities, I am striving to not let them take me down this summer. For example, the other day I spent six hours on yard projects. These were some of the not so fun activities I was talking about. I decided I needed more inspiration than listening to the lovely chatter of birds; I needed a lift in my day. On go my ear buds and I plugged into music with a beat. Tunes that made we want to dance and sing my way around the yard, which I did.

While the neighbors may have wondered what the heck I was doing, they may have actually thought, “Gee, Michelle looks like she is having a blast!” Six hours later, I dislodged the music from my head with a smile on my face. It’s interesting the number of people who have mentioned to me how fast their lives are moving these days, so it’s not just me. Whether it’s some cosmic, universe testing thing or not, we all need to find a way to dance around the yard. Can this really make us happy? It sure could help!

You may have noticed I haven’t posted weekly this month. I usually take summer off from posting, but instead I will just slow the rate of posts a bit.  Going forward into summer you will hear from me from time to time. I’m going to remind you to find your fun, find your slow-mo, dial it down, get out of overdrive, and strive for happy. Don’t let summer take you down. Here’s a little ditty that is bound to make you smile. There you go, I know you can do it. Let Pharrell Williams show you how...

                                                     

Enjoy a happy summer. 

Dancing in the sunset photo courtesy of Giovanni

Pounding Dirt

Gardening is always therapeutic whether I am pounding dirt, as my dear friend Phyllis calls it, or drawing-in the nurturing aspects of it. In times of trouble, anger, confusion, I could go on here, pounding dirt has saved me from myself.

What I know for sure is this, pounding dirt is a grounding form of therapy, and may just bring on a good ache. I consider it releasing the mental to the physical. With focus and gritty determination, get out there and pound some dirt! I guarantee whatever was bothering you prior to the dirt pounding will subside.

Dirt #2 photo courtesy of Tim Samoff