Sleigh bells ring you listenin’

christmas shopping

Are you listenin’? And I am not talking about listenin’ to a bombardment of holiday ads to buy, the sound of cash registers, the voices of people clambering around stressed out searching to meet the expectations that come prepackaged with the season. Are you listenin’ to your true self and what you need? Does that… [Continue Reading]

“Joy is not in things; it is in us” – Robert Wagner

Power in the Skies by kelsey_lovefusionphoto, on flickr

As a kid growing up, I remember us having a boat, an airplane (I thought all kids flew somewhere for pancakes on Sunday), a couple cars, a nice house…. and yet I never saw joy in my father’s face.   As an adult I vowed to myself I would not make those same mistakes in… [Continue Reading]

What’s RAGE got to do with it?

nuclear

You would have to be living under a very big rock if you did not know that Japan had a very big tsunami that destroyed at least 4 nuclear reactors and that the spent energy rods that are supposed to always be kept under water and cooled are exposed and heating up. While these rods are… [Continue Reading]

OLD WORLD vs YOUR WORLD… how to straddle both and not break!

Old World by jantik, on flickr

Your world is a fine balance in the space between old cultural norms and new cultural norms. Not old cultural as in useless, but old as in ” the old country” and new as in “your adopted country”. I have seen so many people who have moved here from someplace else and still try to… [Continue Reading]

Ten Tips for recognizing a shadow

Shadows by ana branca, on flickr

You have a long list of SHOULDS You cannot substitute choose for SHOULD You long for some peace from the SHOULDS You know what everyone expects of you Your “EVERYBODY expects me to”…. Voice is very loud You have forgotten what you used to dream about You days are filled with everyone else’s priorities You… [Continue Reading]

Celebrating flaws…

Water Pot by mckaysavage, on flickr

A friend sent this to me and I thought that it is worth sharing An elderly Indian woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full… [Continue Reading]

Donate the OLD to make space for the NEW

Donations by dccentralkitchen, on flickr

We are all going to be bringing in NEW STUFF into our already crowded lives and homes next week. Here are a few ways to make your used stuff be useful to others. www.SPORTSGIFT.ORG….. donate old sporting equipment. www.NIKEREUSEASHOE.COM… old gym shoes( can you say hold your nose?) www.PROJECTNIGHTNIGHT.ORG… ideas to help homeless children www.CHRISTINA.ORG…… [Continue Reading]

NO NO NO NO NO… how to hold to your NO and respect the other!

NO by supernintendo_chalmers, on flickr

OK, here it is. Early morning call from a company that I had sent in a BIO to. I sent in my info because the offer said ” NO PURCHASE REQUIRED!” The caller was delightful, she is from NY and so am I. She loves NY and so do I. She asked me lots of… [Continue Reading]

HAPPY DIWALI… The festival of Light

Many Blessings to YOU

This past weekend was the Hindu festival of Diwali. I have a dear friend who knows much about her roots (unlike me!) and I asked her to send me the true meaning of this wonderful festival ( see below). As I was re educating myself with the True meaning of Diwali, I had many moments… [Continue Reading]

How sweet it IS?… here is how sweet it CAN be.

child on horse

Is this not a SWEET image. A little girl on her white 18 year old horse… just being a little girl on her horse.  This is not a story about this little princess, it is rather a story about the QUEEN mother in her life. Lets call the mom ELIZABETH… just because it makes sense… [Continue Reading]