My New Motto - Hayride!

The other night I was laying awake in bed. It was dark. It was quiet. My mind was hopping from thought to thought in that way it loves to do, just like a squirrel in a tree.

I was musing and I was fretting. Suddenly I heard a deeper voice. "Hayride!"

"Um, excuse me?" demanded my thinking mind, somewhat peevishly.

"You heard me - Hayride!" the voice exclaimed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" My mind is not very happy about being interrupted.

The voice explained. "You are WAY too serious about everything. Don't you know this is all just a game? Do you think all this is real? It's just a lark, an adventure. You're supposed to enjoy it. It's like a big fun HAYRIDE!"

Really? My deeper self feels that I am taking the problems of my life too seriously. I should instead conjure up the image of a worn wooden wagon, golden scratchy bales of straw, and the steady brown and white horses plodding along before it? I can just see myself, sitting on that hay, feeling the sun on my head and shoulders while I look around curiously at the farm and laugh with the other passengers and...

Oh. I see. So that would be a better lens through which to see my existence? Just kind of focus on enjoying the ride and seeing the sights. Hmm.

Hayride - my new motto for a long and happy life.

when I am 93...

I made a decision last week, as much as one can ever make a decision about the future. I decided that, God willing, I intend to live for a very, very long time. Yep, I'm going to make it at least into my 90s, maybe even hit 100, round the bases and keep going.

See, I'm at that age in life when it's possible to stop thinking of oneself as young. I've seen my friends slowing down, shrugging away dreams, lowering their expectations for the rest of life.

But I think that's a huge mistake. Whatever you think is how you act. And how you act becomes how you live. So...

I've decided that compared to how I'll look and feel at 90 right now I am a picture of blazing youth and vitality. I've got teeth, I've got hair, and the sagging is not too bad. When I get out of bed, nothing creaks or pops and I can pretty much move however I want.

And, honestly, honestly, I believe it's only going to get BETTER from here. Oh sure, I'll get wrinkles; we all do. But who's to say that wrinkles are all bad. They just prove that you've lived a little.

It's just so exciting to think of such a long future stretching out before me. I have time to start a whole new, super successful career. Heck, I have time for two. With 5-odd decades out in front of me, I can achieve any dream I might wish.

I can easily devote the next 10 years to being the best, most attentive mother in the world, and then I'll still have time to hit every night club and cafe in Paris and London.

This intention brings with it some responsibility. If I'm going to live a long life, I want to be healthy and happy. That means that I have to live every moment like I'm going to be around for a long, long time. Healthy eating is a must. So is saving some money to fund all those travels.

I can't think of anything more important for a long and zesty life than daily exercise. I tend to be sedentary and slow, but if I want to be out dancing when I'm a senior - and I do!- then I better make sure to move as much as I can. Health leads to health, you know.

Okay, that's my plan. I know it's not all up to me. Fate might decide differently, and that would be fine. But, for the parts that are under my control, I have a positive intention, optimistic energy and the willingness to make choices to take me far along that yellow brick road.

Hey, why don't you come along?

Faith and Hope and Christmastime

I saw a great quote on a button this weekend.

We were browsing the Music Store in the Village of Claremont. If you have a chance to visit, this few block stretch of town is so cozy and seasonal. I love to stroll the streets and window shop. Red and green decorations burst from every store. Sure it's commercial and speaks of simulacra, and it's a bit harder to have the Christmas spirit when you're sweating in the 95 degree sunshine pouring down upon you, but it's still magnificent.

So many things are magnificent and worthwhile and comforting, if you open your heart to them. When your circumstances don't lend themselves easily to celebrating is exactly the time to celebrate.

But that's a different post.

For this one, I saw a great quote by Tagore - you know the amazing poet/writer/artist/thinker of Bangladesh and my friend T's favorite.

Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.

I spend a lot of time thinking about Faith. Hope, too.

They seem so universally touted, yet so elusive. Almost cruel at times in their capriciousness. But in my heart, I've never turned my back on either of them. Not when things were going well and especially not when life sucked. Because Faith and Hope will save you. They will give you the light that glows within and warms you at your coldest times. They will show you what is good around you and how much worse your situation could be.

There is a great deal of difference between hope and attachment. Attachment only wants one certain outcome. Hope merely says that no matter what the outcome, everything will be okay. In fact, it already is.

It truly is. Each of us has more blessings than we can count.

Kneeling at the altar of the Santa Barbara Mission, the glow of the candles warmed my heart. I may not be Catholic. I may not be able to tell you exactly what I am. But I know what I feel, in that wordless wonder deep within.

I feel Hope and Faith. I wish the same comforts for you throughout this sacred season.

Affirmations

Our instructor suggested we use positive affirmations. Where better to post mine than here?


Writing comes easily and naturally to me.

I am delighted by how fun and easy this all is!

I am a winning grantwriter.

Affirmative

I've known for quite a while now that when I'm feeling depressed, worried or anxious, the best thing to do is find something positive and move in that direction. Doesn't really matter what - cleaning the house, cooking a meal, chatting with a lonely friend, yoga practice, writing something good - as long as I focus on the positive energy and moving forward, things improve. I feel even better if that energy involves some way of helping others. Nothing lifts me out of my doldrums like connecting with someone in a way that makes the world a better place.

To that end, I attended a grant writing workshop yesterday that turned out to be fantastic. The instructor was organized, knowledgable, personable and friendly. Best of all, she agreed to critique proposals for me at any time!!! Now I have a mentor who can give me feedback on my writing. (It's not like fiction you know.)

Since then, the skies have opened and freelance offers have rained down upon me. I am now writing for not just one, but four nonprofits! I have steady work until at least summer with the potential to develop more if I can fit it into my schedule!! I am so happy - there's nothing better than getting paid to write in a way that helps good causes and helps those in need.