Growing!

The other day I was watching the movie, The Yearling with the iconic stars, Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman.  Their only son returned home after getting lost and his father noted that he came back changed.  That is what harrowing life experiences do for us.  They alter us and adjust our viewpoints.  The son understood why his father made him kill his pet deer that had grown and become a menace after eating the family crops.

We too are growing day by day and this pandemic has forced many of us to see things in another way.  Several have matured through solving problems moment by moment.  It may be new for some to chug away at arising dilemmas all day, but others have known nothing but struggle and strife.

We may wonder why some people seem so unmoved by upheavals and others run around in a frantic fluster.  Those that appear calm know deep down inside that this too shall truly pass, for they have earned higher levels of maturity.  Like the irritations that go on inside the clam as it creates a pearl, the seemingly laidback person can sigh, “Been there. Done that.”

They know that no amount of screaming, crying, walking the floor, staying up all night nor wearing down their friends with endless tales of woe will change anything.  Sometimes others can bail us out and sometimes they simply cannot.  Some situations come to be confronted, endured, and handled. If we do not handle those problems, then they will handle us.

Over time, we will find that everything has an answer but like the boy in The Yearling, oftentimes, the change must come from within.  Wayne Dyer said, “When you change the way you look at things, things change.”  Once we alter our outlooks, we can live freer and less infringed upon by circumstances. 

At the end of Indiana, a French novel written by George Sand, I heard her message loud and clear.  I say her because Madame Dupin was the real authoress.  The protagonist had been disappointed in love but as time went on, all the bad feelings evaporated as she moved on and loved the one who was loving her.  She matured and stopped pouting about what might have been and lived life.

Maturing takes work.  It requires constant prayer, and hours of quiet reflection as we do deep soul-searching.  It takes admitting when we have been wrong in our actions or in our opinions and mostly, it takes a willingness to change.  If we can do that, then we will operate as calmer, more seasoned, mature beings who can handle whatever comes along.

Lynn M.                                       June 27, 2020

Living Again!

I recall George Bailey’s plea, “I want to live again,” towards the end of the movie, It’s A Wonderful Life.  As I look out and see people walking, smiling and enjoying the sun, this line rings so true!

After being locked inside for over three months due to the current pandemic, people are truly living again!  They have felt stymied by the protests, looting and massive losses of lives and jobs, but they are now exhaling.

They are vibrantly living again and remembering to take no thing nor person for granted.  They better understand the meaning of the phrase, “Here today. Gone tomorrow.”  They are letting out the staleness from pent-up, cabin fever and taking in huge, happy, fresh breaths of air.

Hope is being renewed and futures are looking brighter than they have for quite some time.  Some are wearing masks and some are practicing social distancing though others are not being as vigilant.  Either way, people are moving forward and affirming “We shall remain, “as the Native Americans vowed to do.

Lynn M.                                                   June 20, 2020

The Gift of Life!

What do you do when you are shaking like a leaf and swaying like a palm tree? The recent events have us all reeling and looking for some solid base on which we can locate an anchor. Then we can throw it out from the turbulent waters and hope that it latches onto some steady land.

The pandemic, the loss of life and the loss of jobs have left many families unable to put food on the table. Or in some cases, others do not know how they are going to bury their loved ones. I heard a conversation the other day between two people who had lost loved ones and they were discussing costs. “Do I cremate to save money, or will we be able to raise the money for a full funeral?” This was a surreal reminder of where we are as a nation right now.

Just when we thought it could not get any worse, it does. All hell breaks even further loose when George Floyd loses his life while being played out on television through the blatant insensitivity of a few. Now we have outraged citizens and burning cities which have caused a most imperfect storm.

So, we pause, and we pray. That is the only sure way that we will get through these dark, scary, and uncertain times. History has a way of creeping up on us and repeating itself. “Those who don’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” said George Santayana. So here we are again being reminded that we did not get it. The lesson was not learned so the situation has cropped up again.

Doing business as usual does not get new results. Old formulas bring about the same ‘ole by-products. Simple. Just as we must take baby steps while businesses reopen to get our economy up and running, some of us need to take baby steps in dealing with other human beings. Slow and steady wins the race. We must mindfully place one foot in front of the other and before we know it, we have advanced a whole mile as we grow our finances and our humanness.

As we emerge from our safe cocoons of self-quarantine, we remember the beauty of the sky and the sun. We remember that nothing is promised nor owed in this life and we are reminded that many will not ever have the opportunity to see them again. We as mortals are quite dispensable at any given moment. And no, wearing a mask is not a political statement. How absurd! It is a lifesaver.

For those who did not get the childhood lesson, guess what? The Golden Rule still works. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It is a law and it creates good karma. Defy it and oh well, “May the force be with you!”

Life is a gift. It is a privilege, not a right. We should take no day nor person for granted. All sunrises and sunsets are gigantic blessings. Every soul we encounter along our paths is a precious being who could very well be an angel in disguise. They could be testing us and keeping score to see how we are handling our earthly affairs!

Lynn M.                                                            May 30, 2020

The Little Things

We have all heard the old adage that reminds us to slow down and smell the roses.  It’s the small, everyday things that bring us the greatest glee.  It may be something as simple as opening a window and letting in some new, fresh air after using air conditioning all summer. We can breathe in and experience true nature in all of its glory.

Or, we can take note of the richly colored leaves dotting the landscape during the calm season of autumn.  Many are still on the trees, yet some have fallen but their beauty still beckons and demands our attention.

We can listen to the chatter of children as they walk by and go to and from school.  We automatically smile because we remember when we walked to school filled with innocence and anticipation.  We can recall the faces of dear friends from times gone by.

Perhaps, we decide to drive more mindfully as we travel to work and notice a store that we had not seen before, so we vow to come back and take a look-see.  Or we perhaps run into some old acquaintances and we greet them with friendly smiles, handshakes or hugs.

It is the little things that mean so much.  In our rushed daily living, we may unintentionally take these occurrences for granted.  But, if we are asked to pen a poem or a narrative of some sort, we will usually remember something meaningful and simple that truly touched our hearts most deeply!

So, when life gets hurried or even messy with all of its unexpected twists, turns and challenges, it would behoove us to make a pointed effort to enjoy the small pleasures.  It is what makes life abundant and the most precious things are often free for us to notice, enjoy and ultimately savor!

Lynn M.                                                                                                 October 14, 2017