I was inside for a while because a . . . → Read More: Vignette: Prayers in a Parking Lot]]> On the second day of our retirement ride, Rich and I had a very unique experience.  We were some where in Tennessee having left Marietta, GA on the Tuesday morning and we were headed toward Paducah, KY.  Our norm each day was to ride for about one hundred and twenty miles, then take a rest stop and gas up if necessary.  On that Tuesday morning we had taken a break at a rest stop somewhere in Tennessee.  I had headed into the building to use the facilities while Rich took a stretch.

I was inside for a while because a bus had made a pit stop just minutes before we had arrived and there was quite a line for the ladies room.  When I came out Rich was standing beside the bike deep in conversation with an older gentleman.  I hung back a little giving them room for their discussion.  Then Rich looked around and saw me there, motioned me forward and introduced me.  I very much regret that I do not remember the gentleman’s name, but I can tell you some things about him.

I learned he was a retired Navy man, a Veteran from World War II.  He, too, had owned a bike back in the day and had met and married his wife shortly after joining the service.  He said that they really enjoyed riding together back then.  His wife came out of the building at this point and joined us and we learned that they were from Knoxville, TN.  They were very committed to their church back in Knoxville and they told us they were in fact on a day trip with fellow church-goers.  We asked where they were going and the gentleman, with a chuckle, said that they didn’t know.  They were on a “mystery trip” and had no idea what their destination was!

At this point, reaching out his hand, Rich thanked him for his service to country and said we needed to get going as we had quite a few miles to cover that day. The gentleman grasped Rich’s hand and thanked him in return for his service to country too.  Then, to our great surprise, he extended his left hand toward my right hand and asked permission to pray over us. With joy in my heart I reached out to take his hand and he connected with his wife on his other side, and she in turn clasped hands with Rich.

And right there, the middle of a rest stop parking lot somewhere in Tennessee we were blessed to receive prayers of gratitude and prayers for protection from two strangers. He asked the good Lord, our Father, to watch over us, to keep us safe from all harm.  He asked for blessings upon us as we continued our trip and prayed that we would have a wonderful and enjoyable ride.  With full hearts we said our goodbyes, mounted the bike, and rode off leaving our parking lot friends to enjoy their mystery tour.

Although I do not remember their names, I can picture them in my minds eye.  I can see the four of us standing beside the bike, the big tour bus in the background, holding hands and praying together. It was beautiful and was most definitely a highlight of the ride for me. That memory will be with me in years to come, and I hope that Rich and I will be able to do the same for someone else one day as we ride our Harley around God’s creation.         

Along the same lines:

• Vignette: Lunch At Arby’s
• Traveling: The Retirement Ride
• Sacred Riding: My Harley Prayer Time
• Vignettes: The Spirit In Publix Supermarket
• Spiritual & Physical: An Incredible Journey

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

I probably . . . → Read More: Self Nurturing: Sedona Massage]]> I received my first massage many years ago.  I was living in the UK at the time.  I believe it was sometime in the sixties and I discovered a small massage and facial salon had opened above a shop near my parents home.  I very tentatively booked an appointment and remember how my heart sang and I knew that I was hooked from the very first touch.  There is nothing quite like a massage for relaxation, de-stressing, pleasure, and coming home to yourself.  Massage does for the body what a deep relationship with God does for the soul.

I probably received one or two more massages during the next few years because I really couldn’t afford more than that.  Then, about five years later, I moved to Sardinia, Italy with my first husband and our two boys.  In 1970, we helped to open a large holiday village called Forte Village in the southern part of the island not far from the capital, Cagliari. 

There were many holiday agency reps working in the village and the two girls from the Swedish company, Vingresor, were extremely grateful for the “extra mile” that I went in order to help smooth difficulties for their customers.  They came to me one day and said they would like to show their appreciation in some tangible way and asked me what I would most like.  I knew they had their own massage therapist on call in the village, so I requested a massage.  They were gracious enough to gift me with a series of four massages, and my love affair with receiving massage was rekindled. Since then I have received many massages and eventually, when I was fifty three years young, I trained to become a massage therapist myself.  I feel as much joy giving massage as I do in receiving them.

Fast forward to April 2011.  As I mentioned in my previous posting Traveling-  Las Vegas & Sedona Rich and I enjoyed a wonderful visit to Sedona, AZ.  I knew that I wanted to receive a massage in Sedona because it is a place of natural healing and there are many alternative therapy healers in the town.  As Rich and I were settling into our condo, he checked out a file of information about various activities and points of interest in the area, and called my attention to an advertisement. The wording in the ad from Sue really spoke to my heart and soul, and I knew that this was who I would book my massage with.

A few days later found me in Sue’s studio.  Little did I know that I was about to have a very significant and life-changing experience.  For the next two hours Sue worked intuitively with my body.  I have never received a massage quite like it.  She used many different modalities during the course of the massage and I knew that something very special was going on, especially when she started chanting as she worked my heart chakra.  I remember thinking, “I hope she is going to tell me what that was about”, as I felt a kind of a “whooshing out” feeling from my chest.  Then shortly afterwards, as Sue worked on my lower abdomen, I could feel “something” going on and a great deal of heat.

At the end of the massage, when Sue gave me some water to drink,  she asked me if I wanted to hear her perceptions.  My heart lifted and I said I wanted to hear everything.  She checked first of all if I believed in past lives and also asked me if I was familiar with any of the ancient civilizations such as the Mayans or the people of Atlantis.  When I assented, she shared that while she had been working on my heart chakra she was drawn into a vision where she saw me as a tall, regal person, dripping with golden jewelry, and knew that I was one of the ancient wise ones.  She felt that I was royalty of some sort and told me that whenever I walked into a room people were enveloped in a sense of tranquility and felt healed.  I told her that many people told me this today also. 

She then went on to tell me that it was no longer enough to just “walk into the room”, that I was “being called to more”.  She said that I needed to be ready for more work and not to be afraid.  I remembered Kevin’s words just a few weeks earlier at the Lenten Healing Mission.  Sue then explained that while she had worked on my lower abdomen she had felt “something birthing”, and she encouraged me to be ready, to prepare myself for some new work that I was going to be called to undertake.

As I left Sue’s studio, I felt very blessed.  I was filled with a sense of peace and yet was also aware of a very heightened sense of energy.  I felt like I could have run for ten miles.  I was very grateful for this because later that afternoon Rich and I went to experience the energy vortex at Bell Rock and I was able to climb about three quarters of the way up the rock formation without feeling tired. 

I will always remember my massage experience with Sue with much gratitude.  My main personal work since that time has been to quietly prepare myself for whatever work Spirit wants me to do.  Just two weeks after this experience, I attended a Qigong event in Orlando and a complete stranger there repeated the message: “Margo, you are being called to more.  Do not hold back.”  I will share more about this experience in another posting.   

Along the same lines:

• Traveling: Las Vegas & Sedona
• Vignettes: Signor Ludovic’s Story
• Self Nurturing: Massage
• The Vision: A Spiritual Gift
• Vignette: Prayers in a Parking Lot

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

It is a gorgeous day.  Another one of those sparkling “Princess Di” days.  The sun is shining brilliantly from a clear blue sky and there is a slight breeze sighing . . . → Read More: Spiritual Growth: The Two Sides Of Life]]> It is Sunday morning and I am sitting in my lanai.  I relished a short lie-in this morning after our trip home yesterday afternoon, unpacking and sorting out clothes and getting them washed and put away. It is good to be home in familiar surroundings.  We had a great week in Orlando and it was good to be away from the usual routines.  But it’s always lovely to come home.

It is a gorgeous day.  Another one of those sparkling “Princess Di” days.  The sun is shining brilliantly from a clear blue sky and there is a slight breeze sighing through the pine trees out back.  Everything is gently moving and I can see all the individual needles on the pine trees fluttering in the breeze and shimmering in the sunlight.

I sit back in my chair and breathe in the soft, warm air.  Yes, it’s warm here in sunny Florida at the end of November, although I hear that temperatures are going to dip down later on this week.  In the meantime, I am enjoying this “Indian summer” and feel very happy and content.  In fact my heart is full joy right now as I look at the beauty that God has placed right here in my back yard.

I notice that the small brown birds, I believe they are sparrows, are back again as they pass through on their way to who-knows-where and they are clustering on the feeders.  There’s a flash of red as a colorful cardinal claims his place and the sparrows flutter away until he is done.  I can hear the squirrels barking in the trees as they playfully, or maybe not, fuss at each other. Mokka, our cat, sits in the sun, her tail slowly swishing as she thinks her cat-thoughts about the birds.

But even as I am aware of the joy that I feel I am also aware that there is sadness punching and poking at my heart.  It feels as though one ventricle is full of joy and the other is full of sadness.  My life is blessed in so many ways and I am truly grateful for that.  Yet I have a longing for a healed relationship with my sister who I miss so very much, and another longing for a happy, satisfying relationship with my daughter who I also miss very much.

And I am reminded of one of my favorite authors, Kahlil Gibran, who, when asked in his book The Prophet to speak about Joy and Sorrow, responds with these wise and wonderful words of wisdom:

“Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.”…………..

“Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?”……………

“When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”………..

”Together they come [Joy and Sorrow], and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.”

And so hangs the balance of all life.  One moment we are in joy, and the next we are in sorrow.  And sometimes we carry them together.  And I can only learn to surrender to what is, to accept the gift of my emotions no matter what they are.  As a character in the movie Shirley Valentine said, “If I can feel it means I am alive.”

Along the same lines:

• Shared Wisdom: Grief
• Spiritual Growth: My Quiet Time
• Self Nurturing: God’s Great Outdoors
• Joy: Tis the Season
• Musings: The Evasive Muse

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

For about fifteen years now Richard has created and maintained a web site about techie things, . . . → Read More: Musings: The Blessings In Life]]> My husband, Richard,is a geekie-techie kind of guy and this helps to create a good balance in our relationship because I’m more of the arty-crafty type who, as already mentioned in several of my postings, tends to fly by the seat of her pants.  Even though my husband’s attachment to his computer and all things technological sometimes drives me a little crazy, I have to admit that I’m very blessed to have him in my life.  After all,  I have a resident expert computer-problem-fixer.

For about fifteen years now Richard has created and maintained a web site about techie things, mainly connected to Windows related stuff.  In fact his web site domain name is WindowsObserver.com just in case any of you other techies want to check it out.  Over the last few years he has developed a strong relationship with Microsoft and has been involved in their Beta testing, has written a few articles for them, and has been nominated a Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional).

Because of this latter status, he was approached and asked to sit on a panel at a Customer Support conference to be held in Orlando, Florida this week.  When we looked at our planners and saw that I would be attending my Audire program in Winter Park from Friday to Sunday, we decided to combine our trips so that we would not spend five days apart.  Consequently I find myself in the lovely complex called The Villas of Grand Cypress (Golf Resort).  The accommodations are absolutely lovely, surrounded as we are by golf greens and trees, although I’m a little disappointed that a resort of this caliber does not provide a small mini refrigerator in each suite (I carry supplements and fresh juiced produce that need to stay cold).

So this morning as I woke up and came to, I opened the drapes to be met by a stunning scene.  Right outside my French doors is a small patio that over looks a retention pond, and swimming across the middle was a group of ducks.  The far side of the pond is flanked by the rolling dunes of the golf greens.  On the other sides of the pond I see lots of trees and plants through which I can make out other villas.

About fifteen yards from my end of the pond there is a small island, no bigger than twenty feet in diameter, on which there are five or six large trees, a couple of saplings, a few bushes and some small sego palms.  The sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight, and squirrels were scampering across the porch and chasing each other up and down the trees immediately beyond the porch.  When I opened the French doors, a flock of white egrets (I think they were egrets – white with long, skinny, curved yellow beaks), appeared out of nowhere and walked right onto the porch, obviously looking for a handout.

Although it was not warm-warm, it was warm enough to sit outside for my quiet time with God.  It was so peaceful and so lovely that the first thought was of gratitude. I read my morning reflections and then just sat back and took in the beauty of God’s creation and suddenly felt so blessed.  Today is Veteran’s Day, and I think of all those men and women in far-flung and dangerous war zones around the globe, separated from their families and everything familiar and comfortable.  My gratitude levels soar as I compare where I am right now and where they are.

I continued to contemplate and meditate and watched a small blue heron approach my edge of the pond and swiftly dip his beak into the water, drawing it out a second later with a tiny wriggling fish which he quickly devoured.  The air is clear and fresh with a hint of wood smoke, that unique smell that permeates everything during the Fall.  Then suddenly I see a small movement on the island.  There, perfectly camouflaged in the shadows, was a “Big Blue”.  He stood perfectly still keeping a watchful eye on the water, waiting for the slightest movement which would indicate breakfast!!

As I took this all in, I was overcome with emotion.  My throat filled up and I felt tears spill down my cheeks.  I am so blessed, my life is so rich in many ways.  I may not be rich in the conventional meaning of that word.  I don’t have lots of money, nor do I have a luxury car or a boat or any of those high-ticket items.  But I do have the money that I need, a car that is more than functional, the possibility of being in this place at this time.  I have an amazing, loving husband, and so many good friends.  God has filled my life with so many gifts and I am truly grateful.

Along the same lines:

• Vignettes: Gratitude in Central Park, NYC
• Spiritual Growth: The Two Sides Of Life
• Musings: Feeling Blessed
• Musings: Kicking the Spiritual Doldrums!
• My Bonsai Tree–Finally

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

Our local streets have filled with more traffic than there has . . . → Read More: Musings: Sliding Into Autumn]]> I am a spring-into-summer person.  I love the awakening of the land; the buds on the trees and bushes, the early daffodils and tulips, the birds and the bees awakening from a winter lethargy, and the sun rising higher in the sky and giving more warmth.  I am not a fan of the arrival of autumn, even though I think autumn itself is a very beautiful season.  I simply don’t like the fact that it heralds the coming winter and the cooler temperatures and the presence of grey days.

Our local streets have filled with more traffic than there has been for the past couple of months.  Yes, school is back in session, the beginning of another scholastic year.  I have no little ones at home any more, so the only way I am aware of the school year is through the wax and wane of traffic volume and the occasional comment from teacher friends as they gear up or gear down for the start or close of the school year.

However, as all the children go back to school and the traffic somehow seems to double on the roads, I get that first hint that summer is over.  I fight the arrival of autumn with everything in me.  I have friends who talk about not wearing, or accessorizing with, white after the first of September.  Why ever not?  The sun is usually still as hot and bright as it was on thirty one August.  So, rebellious as ever, I wear white until it gets grey and rainy or just too cold to seem appropriate anymore.

It seems like the first of September, or at least the Labor Day weekend, heralds the beginning of “we can’t do that any more” season.  Despite the act that we are blessed with extended summer weather here in Florida, people seem to stop doing everything overnight.  No more picnics and bar-b-q’s, no more going to the beach, no more back yard parties, and everyone pulls their boat out of the water.

The two things that Floridians do hang onto, however, are shorts and flip-flops.  Year round, those two articles seem to have become the unofficial state symbol of the State of Florida. Even on a cold and rainy day, which fortunately we get relatively few of, there are those die-hard southern guys and gals who staunchly wear these two items as proudly as if they were the State flag.

But back to autumn.  The Fall season always brings a feeling of melancholy to my heart and soul.  I know that all the seasons are God-given and I appreciate them as such.  Perhaps in the bigger scheme of things the yearly passing of the seasons reminds me of the seasons of my life.  Although I have enjoyed them all, some more than others, I am well aware that I am in my own personal autumn.  This means that winter is just around the corner.

I am well prepared for this, at least as well prepared as any human can be.  Because of the Christian faith values that I hold and adhere to, I do not fear the winter years because I know they will culminate in a new life.  It’s just that I still have a lot of living that I’d like to do and many more things that I want to accomplish.  But, like everyone else on the planet, my time will come when it’s meant to and I have little control over that. 

So in the meantime, I’ll wear white until it’s too cold, I’ll go to the beach as often as possible after Labor Day and, although I don’t own a boat, I’ll imagine floating out on the sea with my hand trailing in warm waters.  I also have my beloved lanai at home and as usual will spend as much time as possible out there doing my writing, reading, or just enjoying the incredible gifts of nature that surround me.       

Along the same lines:

• Musings: The Changing Seasons
• Musings: The Tapestry of Life
• Musings: Commitment Now
• Poetry: The Urchin From Naples
• Musings: A Slow Return to Normal?

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

The joy of sitting in . . . → Read More: Return To My Spiritual Sanctuary]]> Much as I loved and enjoyed my trip to San Antonio, I am so grateful to be back in the spiritual sanctuary that is my garden.  I try very hard to keep my small personal routine on schedule when I travel but it is never quite the same.  Perhaps if I had lots of money and could stay in the kind of places where I could be guaranteed a quiet terrace, garden, or patio where I would not be disturbed by anyone or anything except God’s incredible creation, then it might be a little different.

The joy of sitting in my lanai fairly early in the morning, surrounded by hummingbirds, butterflies, cardinals, titmice, and mourning doves, as well as the flowers that bloom in my garden and the pine woods out back, is indescribable.  The quiet and the beauty restore my soul and fill my heart with happiness.

In my solitude here each morning there is a peacefulness that fills my whole being, a tranquility that I am blessed with, that allows me the perfect start to each day.  My meditation books are there within easy reach and I am called to a place of quiet communion with my Creator that sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Here I can bare my soul to the One who loves me always, no matter what.  Here I can tell Him my concerns, share my joys with Him, and make any specific requests that I may have.  I read recently that, “Faith functions in connection with prayer and persistence.  Persistence cultivates the belief that prayer will be answered.  A person with a persistent spirit will be blessed.” (The Power of Prayer by E.M. Bounds) 

And so I continue in my prayers for special causes that I have, for the many people who have asked me to pray for them, and for all those who have no one to pray for them.  And in my praying I am drawn closer to my God.  In my praying I go deeper on my spiritual path.  And in my praying for others I am released of the bondage of self-importance and of self-centeredness.

I am immensely grateful for my sanctuary.  For my special place where I can retreat from the chaos of the outside world.  For the quiet that offers me the time to recharge and regenerate to face whatever challenges the day may bring.  For the time each day that I am blessed with to nurture my soul. Amen!!    

Along the same lines:

• Prayer: A Tool Of Spirituality
• Spiritual Growth: Friendship & Prayer
• Spirituality: More about Prayer
• Musings: The Power Of Words
• Spiritual Growth: My Quiet Time

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

The month before I arrived in Jacksonville, Pat lost of her then 8 year-old daughter.  Three years later she was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiation during which she lost her hair . . . → Read More: Spiritual Growth: Friendship & Prayer]]> I am going to share a very intimate and personal story about a recent situation in my life.  This story involves a friend who, for privacy reasons, I will choose to call “Pat”.  I have known Pat for the six years since coming here to the States.  In that short period of time she has faced some severe trials and tribulations.

The month before I arrived in Jacksonville, Pat lost of her then 8 year-old daughter.  Three years later she was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiation during which she lost her hair but not her sense of humor nor her faith.  Last December she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, has had surgery and now faces chemo and radiation – again.  She still has her sense of humor and incredibly strong faith.

Ten days ago, after seeing Pat in church just a few days after her brain surgery, which was a miracle in and of itself, I received the following email from her:

“It was good to see you last night.  I didn’t get the chance to talk to you after Mass and really it wasn’t the place, but I wanted to let you know how much you have been with me through this whole thing.  When they told me about the tumor and having to get the PET scan to see about other possible places, I sort of let my imagination get away from me.  It was really scary not knowing how involved the rest of my body might be with cancer. Of course, I started praying, but you were in my head also.  You, to me, are such a spiritual, faithful, prayerful person with such a great understanding and insight to our faith.  Yet, I know you have struggled with letting go of control of things.  That is where I found myself before my scan, praying and still trying to control the outcome.  Stupid.  So there you are in my head trying to convince me to give it up.  You got me to visualize a totally clear scan (neck down) have FAITH and TRUST.  So during the scan that’s what I did.  I prayed for it and you told me to trust God and let Him take care of me. In times of doubt and panic it calmed me to continuously turn it back over to God, let Him take it from me and TRUST He would, put my hands up and let go.

I feel so blessed that you came into my life when you did and are still here for me.  You have planted so many seeds in people’s hearts and minds, I just wanted to let you know that something beautiful grew from one of those many, many seeds.  Thank you and I love you!”

The following is my response to this email:

“It has taken me a while to get my emotions and my thoughts sorted out since receiving your email.  After reading it I wept.  It just touched my heart so deeply.  And I went back to one of the reflection books that I had read that morning which quoted: ‘During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears …..’  Hebrews 5:7.  The reflection went on to say: ‘Praying is no light and trivial exercise.  It engages all the powers of man’s moral and spiritual nature as is evident in the scripture verse above………. It takes only a moment’s thought to see how such praying drew mightily upon all the powers of God …….. This is the kind of praying that brings the soul close to God, and that brings God down to earth.’ 

These are the kinds of prayers that I have had to make recourse to in my “letting go struggles”.  I live a very happy and joy-filled life in many ways  and I am truly grateful for all the blessings that I have and continue to receive.  However, I have never been brought to my knees as I have over my daughter.  And, although it was for very different reasons in your case, I know that you too have been brought to your knees over your daughter – so you understand that kind of struggle. 

The very next morning, in the same reflection book, I found this scripture, ‘I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.’  Romans 15:30.  And the reflection then went on to talk about the effort that Paul put into praying: ‘It is like a great battle.  Like a soldier, the praying Christian fights a life-and-death battle.  His honor and eternal life are all at stake.  Everything depends on the strength he puts in it………  This kind of praying engages our undivided hearts, our full consent to be the Lord’s’.  And I know that if I redouble my prayer effort I will benefit in the long run.

So then I read the next reflection book (I read 4 or 5 each morning), and here is what I found: ‘Your journey through life is often not easy, and you may experience times when you awaken to find yourself battered and bruised, lost and forsaken, lying helpless along the side of life’s road.  Your resources gone and your strength spent, you may wonder if there is hope for you.  Will anyone come along to help?  God has promised that there is no circumstance from which He cannot rescue you.  If you call out to Him, He will help you to your feet and provide comfort and support until your wounds heal and you are able to continue on your way.  Though the circumstance that caused your fall may still be present, He has promised to walk with you, steadying your feet and filling you heart with hope until you reach your final destination.’

Pat, we are so blessed to have our faith, to have our loving God.  We are also so blessed to have all the friends that make up our parish family who will add their prayers to ours in times of difficulty and struggle.  And at that moment I was reminded of yet another reading that I had done the previous day which reminded me, ‘The grace of God sustains me in every moment……Whatever lies before me, I can be sure that God is in the midst of it…….. I trust the grace of God to guide me.  I live calmly and confidently, and I walk my path in peace.  I have absolute assurance that the grace of God is equally present in the lives of those I care about.’

And right there I found yet another degree of inner peace.  Your email opened my heart and my eyes on another level and let me read deeply into these reflections and led me back to reread them and take them more fully into my heart and mind.  I am always so humbled and so grateful that God loves me enough to send me messengers over and over again to remind me of His message of love.  So let us both take heart in our “struggles” knowing that we have an awesome God.  Thank you for being my messenger.  You remain as always in my prayers.”

And so the circle ripples out, when friends support each other with prayers and love and compassion.  One seemingly small act by one person is received as such a huge blessing by another which, when verbally acknowledged to the first person then becomes an even bigger blessing to them.  And in my case, it opened me to further blessings as I went back over my spiritual reflections and took the lessons even deeper into my heart.

Along the same lines:

• Return To My Spiritual Sanctuary
• Spiritual & Physical: An Incredible Journey
• Shared Wisdom: More About Grace
• Shared Wisdom: My Friend Max
• God’s Messages: He Never Gives Up

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

But joy is not tangible.  You can’t see it, except as a reflection in yourself or someone else.  And you certainly can’t touch it, or smell it, or taste it.  And you really can’t hear it unless it is expressed through someone’s words or laughter.  And yet . . . → Read More: Joy: Tis the Season]]> Joy is such a short simple word for such a full and rich and complicated emotion.  How can I describe joy?  It has so many facets and so many ways of manifesting in my life.  It is most certainly an emotion that fills me up, rather like an exquisite meal fills my tummy.

But joy is not tangible.  You can’t see it, except as a reflection in yourself or someone else.  And you certainly can’t touch it, or smell it, or taste it.  And you really can’t hear it unless it is expressed through someone’s words or laughter.  And yet there is nothing quite as magnificent as experiencing joy.

When I sit on my lanai in the morning I am filled with a quiet joy.  The feeling creeps gently inside me at that time of the day.  I am slowly coming to my senses out of sleep.  I am not a morning person and it takes me a while to be fully present in my body. 

So I sit and listen to the birds as they too slowly awaken to the day.  I smell the fresh air which usually carries the subtle fragrance of the pine trees behind my garden.  If the sun is rising I watch it wake the day with rays of light and this always bring light into my heart.  This quiet morning time is very blessed as I make my connection with God and invite Him to join me in my day.

Joy can also be a noisy, rambunctious (now there’s an old-fashioned English word!!), eruption of feeling.  I know that Rich and I felt that kind of joy as we watched the Dallas Cowboys play victoriously against the New Orleans Saints just a few days ago:-).  Nothing quiet about that one as we jumped for joy and punched the air in exhilaration.

Joy can be felt at the sight of an amazing God-created sunset or an equally beautiful sunrise.  It can come with the birth of a new baby or in a froth of white wedding gowns.  Joy can manifest at something as simple as receiving an unexpected letter or card or hearing the voice of a distant loved one on the other end of the telephone.

And joy is also a warm excitement that radiates from my heart throughout my body as I realize that we are once again at that moment of the year when we celebrate the birthday of our Saviour.  As I prepare to go to Mass this evening there is a sensation of anticipation in my heart that has nothing to do with the gifts under the tree.  Although they will also produce their own joy upon opening.

Tonight there is the joy of knowing that I am a beloved child of God.  Of knowing that God loved me so much that He gave me the ultimate gift of His only Son, Jesus.  And then realizing that Jesus, in his turn, loved me so much that he made the ultimate sacrifice that I might know Him and be with Him eternally.  Tonight is the ultimate night of joy.

Along the same lines:

• Self Nurturing: God’s Great Outdoors
• Return To My Spiritual Sanctuary
• Shared Wisdom/Poetry: Choosing To Live
• Spiritual Growth: God’s Love for Us
• Vignettes: The Spirit In Publix Supermarket

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

This morning one of my reflections was about joy.  As I read it I realized that even though I have not been wandering around looking like a sour-puss, I have been shutting my soul off from the sunlight of the Spirit.  So, right now, in this very moment, I have made a decision to kick the spiritual doldrums!

The sun is shining . . . → Read More: Musings: Kicking the Spiritual Doldrums!]]> Enough is enough is enough!!  I have been wallowing.  At least I think that’s what I’ve been doing.  As some of my closest friends would say:  get out of yourself; live in the solution, not the problem.

This morning one of my reflections was about joy.  As I read it I realized that even though I have not been wandering around looking like a sour-puss, I have been shutting my soul off from the sunlight of the Spirit.  So, right now, in this very moment, I have made a decision to kick the spiritual doldrums!

The sun is shining (which always helps – me at least), the sky is a brilliant blue, and even though its is pretty nippy (the thermometer on my sheltered lanai reads 46 degrees!!), the birds are swooping in my back yard, singing in the trees, and all is really very beautiful.  I am grateful to be alive and feel blessed in so many ways.

I have a beautiful home filled with attractive furniture, interesting and unique items from around the world and, most important of all,  it is bursting at the seams with love.  My pantry and my refrigerator are both well stocked.  There may be many things that I would like, but there is nothing that I need.  I am truly a very blessed person. 

So what gets me so spiritually low?  Me and my ego:-(.  I am a very normal (some people may dispute that!) and basic human being.  I am flawed in a way that only human beings can be flawed.  Despite many efforts to be different, I am full of human wants and, like a little two-year old, when I don’t get my way I have a tantrum.

No, I don’t lie down in the middle of the supermarket produce aisle and kick and scream till “Mommy wants to disappear into a hole in the floor”.  My tantrum is much more sophisticated, much more mature, much more adult!  I usually retreat into self-inflicted martyrdom.  I glide through my days in an aura of subtle Oh-woe-is-me-ism, casting soulful looks at everyone who crosses my path.

I am also tempted to sulk a little.  Oh not a real pouty obvious sulk, but sulking it is nonetheless.  I take on a serious air and to all intents and purposes it seems as though I am bearing the weight of the world on my shoulders.  At least that’s what I like to think I look like. Very melodramatic!!

So this morning I’ve made a decision.  I’m shaking off the doldrums.  I will no longer sulk (maturely or otherwise!).  I am going to reflect the joy that the day is presenting to me right now.  I refuse to be weighted down or repressed anymore, nor to subject others to the hideous grayness that I have been radiating out from my soul.  I am a blessed child of God and will act accordingly.  Perhaps this is a small measure of spiritual growth.  Amen!!!       

Along the same lines:

• Spiritual Growth: Forgiveness
• Musings: Parenthood; Life; Death; Faith
• Return To My Spiritual Sanctuary
• Musings: Living Life (Lost Treasures)
• Musings: Feeling Blessed

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

But those other times when more feet left their mark are when . . . → Read More: Mentors: Along the Path of Life]]> Where do I start?  As I look back along the path of my life there have been dozens of moments when the sets of footprints have been many.  I know that God has been with me all the way, even when I have chosen to ignore Him.  So I know that there has been at least one set along the sands of time when He was carrying me and, when I was “in a state of grace”, then we walked side by side leaving two sets of prints.

But those other times when more feet left their mark are when some very special people walked with me.  People who loved me or at the very least cared about me enough to accompany me through difficult times.  Sometimes these people were professionals whom I sought out for specific help.  Other times they were special friends, the kind that leave footprints not only on the path of life but also across my heart.

If I were to be honest, even though I did not recognize it at the time, I would have to say that my mother was my first mentor.  It would probably be even more honest to say that I was not capable of recognizing her in the mentor role.  But with the wisdom that age eventually gives us and with the passage of time, I am able to understand and admit that she did indeed give me many of the values that I hold dear today.

My Aunty Polly was another mentor in my young life.  She was not a blood relative but someone my parents knew from before they were married.  She had an amazing ability to make me feel loved and cherished no matter what I may have done.  She always had a compliment for me and she always smelled of some divine French perfume, and when she hugged me I wanted to stay inside her arms forever.  As I struggled through my teen years her love and support never wavered.  She was always ready to be my champion.

Sad to say I remember no particular mentors in my life during my upper school years or college years, although Aunty Polly was ever available if I bothered to approach her.  This barren period of my life stretched into my marriage to my first husband.  But the barrenness was of my own creation as I slid further and further into isolation.

It was not until a few years after I separated from my him that I began to seek help and became aware that there were some very compassionate people available if I but looked.  Dear Fr. Hill, the Catholic chaplain with the U.S. Navy in La Maddalena, Sardinia was the first of those.  His laughter filled the corridors of the Navy base and filled my battered heart with hope.  In turn he introduced me to a young woman called Lou Ann who was to mentor me through the first few months of struggling out of my “dark period”. 

As I took my place among my fellow citizens on this path of life I slowly understood that there was no stigma in seeking help from professionals.  Since then I have been blessed with help from many psychologists and spiritual advisors: Dr. Lockart, Dr. Fernandez, Dr. Werbel, Dr. Boger, Chaplain Gerry Smith, Chaplain Steve Jensen, Chaplain Wendy Bausman, Chaplain Rod Kelley, Chaplain Terry Robertson, Chaplain Paul Witt, Chaplain Robert Church, Chaplain Mark Logid, Chaplain Greg Gillette, Chaplain Larry Smith.  I know there were others.  I can see their faces but my memory is being unkind and not allowing me to remember their names.

My dear friend Herm del Prato in Naples, Italy was another soul with whom I shared many personal stories and struggles.  His ear was always willing and he was never judgmental.  And how can I forget my “soul sister” Cawne who came into my life in 1987 and, in her own woundedness, opened up a whole new path of spiritual possibilities to me.  Despite a large geographical separation we are deep friends to this day.

As I think of my life today I realize it is full of mentors in the unique friends who I choose to surround myself with.  Men and women who are all questing on their own paths and yet willing to share and give of themselves to me. My beloved Mavis, who is also a substitute mother-aunty-sister-friend and who teaches me to remain teachable.  Cathy and Lorelei in St. Augustine who help me stay true to myself. 

Kathi, Paige, Tish and Robin who all help to keep me “right size” and show me how to live by going out there and living life themselves.  Michael, who massages my body and through his skills, talents, knowledge, and experience helps me to get nearer to myself. Linda who helps me care for my garden and teaches me lessons of genuineness like no other.

And there are many more, too numerous to name, who through their actions and the way they live their lives, fill me with gratitude for their presence, for their friendship.  They enrich my life with love, with compassion, with humility, with joy.  They nurture me along my path.  I am truly blessed. 

Along the same lines:

• Musings: Kicking the Spiritual Doldrums!
• Shared Wisdom: More About Grace
• Spiritual Growth: Prayer and Meditation
• Shared Wisdom: More Words On The Path
• Musings: Sharing Our Gifts And Talents

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

Diving into the “dark period” of my life I isolated from the creative Muse.  But as I approached the end of those troubled years and was close to . . . → Read More: Musings: Sharing Our Gifts And Talents]]> It has taken me a long time to”go public” with my writing.  About two weeks ago in my posting Poetry- Words Painting Pictures, I shared how I have always been fascinated and influenced by the written word.  Even as a child I would write poetry and, as I progressed into my teens, I wrote funny “ditties” for friend’s birthdays.  I even wrote a skit or two that we used in high School.

Diving into the “dark period” of my life I isolated from the creative Muse.  But as I approached the end of those troubled years and was close to breaking out into the sunshine of true living, it does not surprise me that the first sign of her return was in poetry – even though it was somewhat depressive.  I think the expressing of my feelings as I came through that difficult period helped me to walk out of the darkness and into the light.

Shortly after the poetry came the painting.  (Art classes were second favorite to gymnastics and outdoor sports when I attended the Ursuline High School for girls.)  I lived in Sardinia at the time and I was blessed to have a wonderful artist in my life at that time.  His name was Santiago (still is, he lives in Puerto Rico with his wife Josefina), and he was an engineer who worked in the same set of offices as I.

Santiago was one of those many mentors in my life that I will write a posting about soon.  He was a quiet, slightly built man with a round face who looked more like a studious professor than an engineer; not that I know what an engineer should specifically look like!  But one thing he was passionate about was the creative and artistic process.  And I am happy to say that he enjoyed sharing that with others as much as he indulged in it for his own delight and personal satisfaction.

To go to Santiago’s house on the island of La Maddalena, Sardinia was like going to an art gallery and attending a concert at the same time.  Every wall in every room was covered with his art work.  He produced paintings prolifically and painted every corner of the island from every angle possible.  He used oil paints as well as water colors and his work was magnificent.

He also played the guitar, and many glasses of wine were consumed as he shared his passion for painting and music.  Josefina was a very patient hostess who probably did not fully understand this strange English woman who kept appearing at their doorstep.  But I wanted, needed, to be steeped in the creativity that permeated their household (Josefina was very artistic in her own way too), although I’m afraid she may have thought sometimes that I just wanted to be steeped in wine!!

It was exposure to Santiago and his love of painting that influenced me to go into town one day and buy all the basics to start painting again.  Of course, being somewhat obsessive, I then began to paint in every free moment possible, sometimes working until two or three o’clock in the morning even though I had to be in the office by 8am.  But it was wonderful to be in the grip of the creative Muse, and to watch a painting unfold and develop was an incredible experience.

This all happened in the early to mid seventies.  I married my husband Richard about ten years later and although I stopped painting I continued to be involved in some form of creative art.  We met in a little theater group and our relationship developed amid the smell of grease paint and the magic of the spotlights.  Over the years I recouped my love of calligraphy (the art of beautiful writing) and created and printed many pieces for sale. 

Today I create cards with the help of Stampin’ Up products and my teacher Mary Gillette.  For me it is so exciting to see a piece of creative work develop and then hold the finished product in my hands.  To share that with someone as a Birthday card, a Thank You card, or a Christmas card adds another layer of pleasure and satisfaction to the process.  It also gives me great pleasure and joy to share my writing with others in the hope that someone, somewhere, will find their own pleasure and perhaps a little enlightenment in the words that I write.

Over the years I have discovered that God has blessed me with many gifts and talents other than a sense of the artistic. As my life unfolds and I continue to be open to whatever path He leads me on, it seems that part of my life’s mission is to be in the right place at the right time with the right words for specific people.  To this end God has blessed me with the gift of compassion for others, especially those who are travelling their own dark path or are struggling with hardship and tragedy. 

I think this is why I am able to do the work that I do as a volunteer with Community Hospice of North East Florida.  It also helps me as I volunteer at my own church in the Ministry of Consolation.  And then there are all those individuals who seem to cross my path “by chance”, but when we say goodbye and continue on our individual journeys, I understand that I have ministered to them in His name.

As I read back over this article, I realize that it is not at all what I thought I was going to write.  But that is often the way it is for me.  I start off in one direction and end up going totally in another.  I think it has something to do with that “meandering” quality that God instilled in me.  But I also think it has more to do with inviting Him on the journey with me as my fingers start their journey across the keyboard.       

Along the same lines:

• Musings: A Day Off – Sort Of!
• Poetry: An Italian View
• Musings: The Present Moment
• Musings: The Power Of Words
• Musings: Unblocking Again

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

Last weekend Richard and I took a trip.  We mounted . . . → Read More: Musings: The Muse Is Back]]> I’m never quite sure what happens to me when my normal routine is disrupted.  All I know is that it seems to take me forever to re-find myself, to get back into my everyday patterns and the activities that I love doing.  Sometimes the disruption is a “going away” thing; a trip, a vacation, a retreat.  Sometimes the disruption is caused internally; an emotional hiccup, a hormonal hill, an unexpected trauma.  The journey back is more difficult when the disruption is a “double-whammy” – a trip AND an internal shift.

Last weekend Richard and I took a trip.  We mounted our much-loved Harley and hit the road.  First stop was Orlando where we spent the night and participated in Night of Joy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  (That experience will be a posting of its own.)  We had a great ride and even though we encountered some of the usual backed-up traffic on I-4, we arrived safely.

On Saturday morning we slept in a little after our late night at the concerts and, after breakfast, we got back on Harley fully kitted out in our rain gear.  There was a steady drizzle of rain which wasn’t too bad, but the closer we got to Tampa the harder it came down.  We were glad to reach our destination – the lovely luxurious Westin on the Causeway – change into dry clothes, order up some room service, and just relax.  Later in the evening we took a cab to Mass at Christ the King church, then crossed the road to eat at GrillSmith on South Dale Mabry Hwy. (Another separate posting on this experience!)

On Sunday morning we prepared for the other highlight of this trip: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game against the Dallas Cowboys.  Richard and I are die-hard Cowboys’ fans and this was a great game to be able to travel to.  The weather was reasonable even though showers were promised.  We had our rain ponchos and what’s a bit of water if you can get to see the “Boys”!!  (The game will be another posting!)

We happily prepared for our trip home (the “Boys” won after an exciting game that could have gone in either direction until the fourth quarter).  Apart from a short we-are-lost detour at the beginning of the trip (unfamiliar city roads and road construction!), and a small shower closer to home, we had another great ride and arrived home safely at about 10pm.

Now that was a fabulous weekend; no hiccups, no problems, and a very happy ending.  It just carried a simple “disruption” tag to my usual routine.  So why on earth did I wake up on Monday morning feeling like I was sliding down some treacherous slippery hill of grayness?  I guess if I could answer that question, and especially if I could offer a solution, I could get very rich very easily!

Thank God that I have done a lot of personal growth and spiritual growth work over the last thirty years.  At least this puts me in a position to be able to actually recognize that I was on this slippery slope.  It allows me to know myself enough that I am aware that geographical and time disruptions to my routine affect me in ways that perhaps other people do not experience.  I am also willing to put a name to that slippery slope, that most people avoid because they feel it carries too much stigma: depression.

I feel blessed that I have built a support system of incredible friends and that I know to reach out no matter how small the hiccup or hill may seem.  I do not want my hills to grow into menacing mountains that I cannot surmount.  I also feel blessed and grateful that the depression that I suffer from occasionally is not acute and does not require medication.  I also recognize that if I did not have the self awareness that I have worked so hard to achieve, and if I were not willing to take action and ask for support and help, I could easily spiral into deeper depression.

Many people out there, especially those in the male category, refuse to even consider that they may be depressed.  I think it is time to concede that as human beings, with all the in-built emotions and hormones (yes, you guys have crazy hormones too!!) and all the external stress that we deal with on a daily basis, it is normal for us to have “ups and downs”. In our “ups” we are high on happiness and excitement.  In our “downs” our happiness is pushed down, de-pressed.

Sometimes it requires nothing spectacular to de-press our feelings.  It can be something as simple as the end of a special occasion (a trip, a celebration) or even a split second thought or memory that triggers a series of other thoughts that take us down.  And sometimes all or any of this can take place on such a subconscious level that we cannot put our finger on what is causing our “down”, our de-pression.

So on Monday my plan had been to get up and immediately hit the computer and share all the wonderful experiences of the weekend and whatever else the Muse presented.  But somewhere on that slippery slope Muse had jumped off the wagon and I was left with “gray”.  Plan of action: pray, call a friend, go meet with some people who didn’t think I was crazy and who understood exactly what I was going through.

And that is how I am very blessed.  I have gathered around me people who are available to me, who care about me enough to give me their time and their invaluable friendship, who are willing to listen, to share their own experience in similar circumstances.  With their help, it has taken me four days to fully come back up and feel normally enthusiastic about each day.

I have been patient and gentle with myself.  I have not “self-bashed” myself because I haven’t written anything since Saturday.  I have allowed myself to be “lazy” and focused on doing just the absolute essentials on my schedule.  And lo! the Muse is back.  More postings to follow!!!!      

Along the same lines:

• Musings: The Evasive Muse
• Musings: Time Away From The Muse
• Musings: Open And Closed
• Musings: Life And Lemons
• Traveling: The Retirement Ride

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.

I know that unfortunately there are many people who do not have a good relationship with their father.  The sad statistics on child abuse the world over reflect this situation.  And I have read that these statistics do not give a true picture of the enormity of this problem because much child abuse goes undetected or unreported.

I managed to drag myself out of bed at 5.45am today.  I am not an easy morning person.  Once I am up and get going then I am okay.  It’s  the clawing my way up out of sleep and letting go of the sheer wonderfulness of being snuggled up that I find hard.  But I really want to create a routine for Thursday mornings; going to 8am Mass followed by a special Rosary with a small group.

When I walked into the church the first thing I saw was a closed coffin in the center aisle in front of . . . → Read More: Vignette: Remembering Cindy]]>  

I managed to drag myself out of bed at 5.45am today.  I am not an easy morning person.  Once I am up and get going then I am okay.  It’s  the clawing my way up out of sleep and letting go of the sheer wonderfulness of being snuggled up that I find hard.  But I really want to create a routine for Thursday mornings; going to 8am Mass followed by a special Rosary with a small group.

When I walked into the church the first thing I saw was a closed coffin in the center aisle in front of the altar.  We had a funeral Mass set for 11am. I am part of the Ministry of Consolation and knew of this, but hadn’t expected the coffin to be there already. Then as I took my place I realized I had sat behind Jim.  So between the coffin and Jim I was thrown into the reservoir of my memory.

You see, another area in which I volunteer is with an agency called Community Hospice of North East Florida.  I had been introduced to this agency by a new friend just a few months after arriving here in January 2004.  My mother had been cared for by Hospice in London, UK during the period between her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (12 February 1996) and her passing (9May 1996).  So I determined that I would become a volunteer with the organization here in gratitude for those wonderful nurses.

I underwent training in July of 2004 and was assigned to my first patient in August.  The main thrust of Community Hospice’s work is to be there in full support for the patient and family, offering compassionate care, and to help lend dignity and meaning to the patient’s end stages of life.  My role as a volunteer is to offer respite to the main care-giver as often as possible, allowing them some time to run errands or have some personal breathing space without having to worry about their loved one.  It is a small mercy that I feel I can give to someone in such circumstances.

Over the intervening years I have also trained as a Peds Volunteer, a Complementary Care Volunteer, a Spiritual Care Volunteer, and an Ambassador (volunteering on behalf of Community Hospice at Health Fairs and speaking to small groups about the services the agency offers). But back to Jim.

I met Jim almost two and a half years ago when I was assigned as a volunteer to his wife, Cindy.  I will never forget walking into their living room and seeing the look of total fascination on Cindy’s face.  She could not take her eyes off of my hair.  My hair is somewhat noticeable – it is purple!  As Jim and I talked I would look over at Cindy from time to time to include her in our conversation even though it soon became obvious that she did not speak, and always her eyes were on my hair.  So I got up and went over to her and asked her if she wanted to touch it, just to check out that it was real.  She did so, rubbing it gently between her fingers as though she were touching a piece of fabric.  And so our relationship was cemented.

Cindy was diagnosed with Frontal Lobe Syndrome (I don’t remember what the correct medical term is), a disease that slowly robs a person of their emotions, their ability to speak, then takes away their strength as the brain shuts down pixel by pixel.  When I first started visiting with Cindy, even though she could no longer initiate or maintain a conversation, she still was able to communicate in her own way.  When I asked if she wanted something she would either just look at me with no real expression or reaction, indicating no, or she would take a deep breath in, raise her eyebrows, and sigh her breath out, indicating yes.

In the early months of our visits when she was still mobile, even though she couldn’t talk, Cindy had a mind of her own.  We would be sitting watching TV and suddenly she would be up out of her chair and headed for the stairs or the front door.  I would have to be quick off the mark to catch up with her and gently but firmly bring her back to her chair.  If it wasn’t too swampy-Florida hot, then we would go for a walk in the neighborhood and I would be hard pressed to keep up with her!  Often we would spend time in the garden on the swinging chair watching the birds and the squirrels. 

It was on one of these rushes to the front door that she suddenly stopped beside a small cabinet just inside the door.  There were a couple of objects laid out on top of the cabinet along with two Rosaries.  Her hand reached out to touch these and I asked her if she would like to say a Rosary.  Deep breath, eyebrows raised, great sigh out.  So we each carried a Rosary back to our chairs and I began the prayers.  Imagine my surprise as I realized she was whispering the second half of the Hail Mary.  And so began a ritual that would take place almost every time I visited.

Cindy loved receiving hand and foot massages and when I arrived she would always check out if I had my purple tote with me.  That was where I carried my creams and a towel.  Sometimes I would bring paperwork that I needed to do and would immerse myself in that after making sure she was comfortable and didn’t need anything.  But I would soon become aware of movement coming from her direction.  Looking up I would see that she was leaning forward and her eyes were fixed on my tote.  As soon as I touched the bag she would lift her hands, deep breath in, raise her eyebrows, sigh out. 

It was during one of these massages that I was given the gift of the “presence” of Cindy.  I happened to look up at her face as I was gently rubbing the cream into her hand and I saw a tear roll down her cheek. Initially I was concerned that perhaps inadvertently I had hurt her, and I let go of her hand, came close to her face and put my hand on her cheek and asked what was wrong.  She just looked at me with those beautiful deep eyes of hers and lifted her hand to me as if to say “just keep on massaging”.

Another way that I shared time with Cindy was to watch DVD’s.  Her all-time favorite was Disney’s Anastasia.  I had never watched that movie before.  I guess it became popular after my daughter had become a teenager and was beyond Disney.  I think I could recite it word for word, song for song now.  There was only one other video that competed with Anastasia for Cindy’s attention – Shrek, and I know that one pretty much inside out too!

The seventeen months that I spent with Cindy were a true gift, a joy.  Being able to give her friendship and care was an honor and a privilege.  But another gift that I received during this time was given to me by Jim.  He allowed me to experience the true marriage commitment of “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part”.  His love, dedication to, and care of Cindy right up to her last breath were deeply moving and nothing short of spectacular.  I feel truly blessed to have been a part of their lives.  

Along the same lines:

• Poetry: Journey To Reality
• Vignette: Prayers in a Parking Lot
• Fantasy: The Dandelion Fairy
• Vignette: Mother-Son Love
• Poetry: Driving To Kentucky

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©2012 Life Coach: Spirit, Body and Mind. All Rights Reserved.