Ode To My Very Best Friend

This morning I made the decision all pet owners who love their animals have to eventually make, and that was to say goodbye to my sweet Bonnie Girl.  You see, Bonnie was not just my dog and constant companion, she was also my best friend.  She was the last gift John gave me before he died.  I always laughed and said she was the only purchase I ever made on his credit card.  If he was here, he would back this statement up as absolute truth.

Bonnie came to us as an 8 week old puppy, flew to Seattle from a breeder in Tulsa. From the moment I let her out of her crate and laid eyes on this little lass, she held my heart in her paws for the next 8 1/2 years.  

Bonnie moved into our house and took it over like all Scottie dogs do.  My poor Nicholas had to watch his P's and Q's as Bonnie always had her eye on him.  They played like most doggie siblings did, but when it came to mommy, I belonged only to her.

Bonnie was a strong little soldier.  She was with me when John passed, when Mom passed and Bonnie was there with me over these last few months of nursing a broken heart.  Now her spirit will be with me as I grieve for her.  

We had plenty of adventures together, back and forth to Pullman to visit her Sis, over to Port Orchard for Christmas dinners and those daily walkies we both so enjoyed.  When I drove the long drive to Boise that fateful day, Bonnie sat in the back, in her bed looking out the window wondering where in the world we were going.  She loved her new back yard and loved chasing dogs and people up and down the fence barking.  She was the queen of her domain.

These last few months started to show something had changed in her.  She'd slowed down like most of us who are over 60 do in some form and fashion.  Her balance was off a bit and I started to notice the little things that age brings all of us.  The last couple days her feet started slipping out from under her and then I knew something more was wrong.  The doctor said she had a brain tumor, had lost feeling on her right side and was blind in her right eye.  This is no way to anyone to live, and my love for this sweet dog took over and I let her go.  She's at peace now and that's just the way I wanted it to be.  Her new existence is peaceful and filled with love.  

So my sweet Wee Bonnie Jean, rest in peace and I know I will see you again in another time.  Mommy loves you baby girl.  Go chase those birdies and squirrels and terrorize a cat or two.  You will continue to rule but in the heavenly realms.  

Wee Bonnie Jean 2013 - 2021

2021 - The Year of Blessings

Believe it or not, 2021 is coming to an end and 2022 is right around the corner.  Where did the last year go?  What did I accomplish?  What did I do to help shift humanity?  Does anyone else ask the same or similar questions?  It's crazy to think frankly, I have lived long enough to see 2022.  Every year seems to go faster than the last one and here we are, once again looking forward to a new year.   

2021 was certainly better than 2020.  When I think of 2020, I think about looking in the rear view mirror and seeing nothing but devastation.  The devastation of the world as a whole was staggering.  2020 was the year that was and never to be seen or spoken of again.  2020 simply sucked.  2021 was much, much better.  For yours truly, I started my journey toward enlightenment, learning the simple truths of life and saying no to ideas or people that no longer served me.  One lesson I learned early on was, if it looks wrong, smells wrong or is screaming wrong, it's wrong.  I learned to trust my still small voice that always said to take a step back and look at the big picture.  When I did, the answer was always crystal clear.

Relationships changed in 2021.  Those who did not show respect, kindness or the simple courtesy one affords to another, were changed out.  Oddly enough, some of those I thought were friends turned out to be nothing more than place holders for the real deal.  I'm proud to say I have made a ton of new friends here in Boise.  I have lunch or dinner out fairly often with the "girls,” and enjoy the simple fact that life is good.  I started to play golf weekly through out the "season," with a couple of wonderful ladies.  We've bonded and need badly to get together soon. I found another friend who loves to get out and laugh, drink a Bloody Mary or two and enjoy Sunday afternoons at a quaint wine bar playing Bingo and sometimes shopping the boutique.  My bestie Robin moved here in May and what a time we have had!  We have Christmas and New Year's Eve all planned out and 2022 will be the year we step out and part...tay!!!  So in essence, my social life here in Boise is better now than what it was, even when I was in my 20's!  I love it and no, I'm never bored.

My relationship with God changed, grew and became much more sacred.  The personal relationship I now have with Spirit is profound and frankly awe inspiring.  My intention for 2022 is to deepen my connection, stay true to what I believe and not be dissuaded by others who have a tendency to pontificate.  We are all entitled to our own opinions and beliefs.  No one should ever try to change another's mind that way.  If they do, then goodbye.

Bonnie and I continue on our health and physical fitness journey.  I must say, for two middle aged females, we're actually in good shape.  She loves her daily walkies and we try to get a mile in when the weather is cool.  The summers here are too hot to walk a low rider dog, so she stays home or I'll have to carry her back.  I continue to work out with a trainer who is not only my fitness guru but also has become a trusted friend and inspiration!  For a 66 year old, I look pretty healthy, all things considered.  No, I'll never be model thin again but damn, I've been told I'm pretty hot for my age.  I'll take the complement with a smile!

And finally, 2021 brought me peace of mind and a ending to my saga of sadness.  As I've mentioned in the past, I look for blessings in all experiences.  I have blessed the past and moved forward.  I am at peace and feel contentment in all areas.  The past is over, done and in my rear view mirror.  Life is too short to dwell on what we can not change.  I have forgiven and moved on and it's a great feeling.  Hell, look at all that came in my life from the situation I now call a blessing!  My life today would not be as it is without the "blessing" of that one person.  See, there is always a rainbow at the end of a storm.  

In conclusion, 2021 is almost over and it proved to be, as we've discovered, the year of change and blessings.  To all of those who have read my blogs this year, I can not thank you enough.  We'll see what 2022 brings as I hope it brings me new blog ideas and more writing opportunities.  My prayer to everyone is for peace in your hearts, and contentment in your souls.  Life is good and we will march forward together to even better.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year my friends and here's to 2022!

More Than Enough

Remember the old SNL skit with Stewart Smally?  He use to say "you're are good enough, you're smart enough and doggone it, people like you!"  As silly as some of the skits on SNL are, this one is one that has resonated with me for many years.  How many of us have gone through life never thinking we were enough?  It doesn't really matter what we are enough at.  This blog is dedicated to all of those, including me, who have never felt like they were quite enough.  We're going to explore and stop this negative way of thinking by the end of this blog.

I was one from early age who never felt like they measured up.  I glossed over this a bit in my blog Fellow Weirdo's Unite.  I was always sort of the girl who didn't fit in as I was not pretty enough, smart enough, athletic enough, blah blah blah.  After I graduated from SMHS and found my bearings if you will, that feeling of not being enough continued but changed it's focus.  After high school I started dating and got good grades in college. I thought I had found my niche,  I had a good career but I never felt like I was quite enough.  The feeling of not being quite enough transcended into my day to day living.  I always felt second class, not quite there and frankly simply not good enough. 

In 1989, I started paying attention to what I believed and how I was feeling.   I badly wanted the chance to be a wife and mother and this I became.  I was married for 19 years and then then sadly became a widow.  Over these last 8 years after John died, I have done a lot of soul searching and have begun to see the world in a whole new way.  I began to finally live the life I was meant to live and I have started to become me, the me I was meant to be.  Now that I've bared my soul, I'd like to share a few ways I recreated my thoughts and ideas and hopefully some who feel like I did will take heart and apply some of my life lessons. 

• You are who you are, you are whole, perfect and complete in the eyes of God.  Basic and true.
• Live for you, no one else.  
• No one else's ideas or opinions about you matter.  This includes parents, teachers, siblings, spouses or friends.
• Morality does matter so live by the Ten Commandments of Life. These basic truths can be found in all spiritual thought of substance.  I'm not preaching, just saying. The truest words ever written still survive 5000 years later.  Find a Bible and look them up, Exodus 20:2-7 to be exact.  
• No one is worth your time if they have no interest in you.  Respect, love and kindness must be mutual between all of those you call a friend.  If not, perhaps you need to reevaluate that relationship and move on.  These people are those Energy Vampires and I've mentioned them in the past.  They are not worthy of being your friend.
• Your self worth should NEVER be found in another's idea of you.  Not much more needs to be said.  Over the years I thought I found my self worth in what others thought of me.  Once I opened my eyes and realized my self worth is found in my heart and soul, my thoughts shifted.  It's a freeing feeling.
• Look into your heart and you'll find the Divine Source for all life.  God lives in each and every one of us, look within and you'll find the greatest gift ever given.
• We are given free will by grace, use it wisely.  
• Give thanks every day and look for the good in all situations. Gratitude is a gift from God. 
• Forgive others and yourself.  Forgiveness is not always easy but necessary in order to move forward to my final thought, that is...
• Look for all the blessings in life.  Every situation should move you forward to the next.  Blessing those situations and people will elevate you to the next level.  Trust me, I've done it and feel at peace.  

So dear friends, my life lessons in a nut shell handed out with love and grace. I plan to capitalize on these life lessons as we move forward into 2022 and beyond.  As our lives are constantly in a state of growth and change, be mindful and listen to your heart.  This is where you will find ultimate peace.  

Sedona Rainbow September 2021

Fellow Weirdos Unite!

In honor of Halloween, and moving into the month of November, we are going to explore the art of being Weird.  There are many who walk to the beat of a different drummer, one that is different than the norm.  There are many of us who are looked at as strange and some of us are just plain odd.  Merriam Webster defines weird as: "1. of strange or extraordinary character: odd, fantastic.  2.  of relating to, or caused by witchcraft or supernatural, magical."  This month's blog is devoted to those weirdo's who walk among us, those of us who stepped out of the shadows and walk their own paths with their heads held high.  This story is real, honest and actually freeing to admit, and I call it my own.

I've been called weird for all my 66 years.  As a kid, I never felt as though I fit in, it was hard to be different in a milk toast world.  I was never part of the "in crowd," I always felt very alone.  I was never the one picked first in PE or to dance with at the Saturday night dance classes.  I was the outcast, the off beat kid who wasn't tall, blond, or excitingly pretty. It was tough in those days of San Marino living.  To this day I still carry the scars of being That Girl, the one who in some respects, lived in the shadows.  Over the last three decades however, now that I have gained my self confidence and walk my path, the feeling of being weird or alone has disappeared.  Now I'm me, just who I am and who God meant for me to be.  What you see is what you get!

My path is different than some, off beat from others and not of the normal necessarily, but it's been my journey to walk.  Many years ago when I found spirituality and changed my life, I was the different one.  I was not one of the norm or like those with whom I interacted with daily. For awhile I tried to embrace what I thought was normal but three years ago, I re-found my center, my real self and now once again I am "different."  Life is much better now and I'm back to being me.  Now that I'm back to being me again it's not as daunting, and the feeling I need to fit in is not important any longer.  I actually like who I am and the path I'm on. I came out of the shadows and now I'm the one who speaks her truth through this blog and in other venues.  I may not be a great inventor, artist or song writer but I will continue to make my truth heard, even though it's not necessarily true for everyone.  I will continue to be honored that this blog is read and I read the comments with an open mind and heart and feel truly blessed.  

Remember, Thomas Edison, Nickola Tesla, Mark Twain, Henry Ford, Florence Nightingale and the rest of those who stepped away from the norm?  They walked their path, chose their journey, and lived the lives as they were called to live.  All of these brilliant people were deemed "weird" by the societal norms of the day.  We would not have electricity, telephones, modern nursing, fine literature or the mass produced automobile if it wasn't for those "weirdos" who stepped out from the shadows and claimed themselves and their calling.   In this day and age, those who are innovative, creative and have a dream, need to come out of the shadows and been heard.  Take Elon Musk for example, I bet in his youth he had a hard time fitting in.  Look at all he's accomplished, he was one of those who brought the electric vehicle out of the shadows and into mainstream thinking!  There are many more new ideas out there waiting to be discovered.  Just imagine if these great thinkers, the weirdos of yesteryear had been shy or reticent!  Our lives today would be surely different.

So I challenge you dear reader, step out of your comfort zone, look to your purpose and live your life when you find your true calling.  Life is too short to be someone you are not.  Life is what you make it, enjoy and go forth fellow weirdos and rejoice!

"The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd.  The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever seen before." - Albert Einstein

Full Moon over Meridian Idaho October 21, 2021

Radical Self Love

Recently I started reading about Self Care or Self Love (we can call it both actually) and pondered the subject more during my daily meditation.  Sadly, I believe that we women tend to put everyone else ahead of ourselves.  Somewhere on life's journey we need to remember to start caring for Me, the person in who's skin we live, 24/7.  The body and soul that we should be nurturing is us, me, myself and I.  Now, please don't get your feathers ruffled and scream how selfish!  It's selfish not to think of ourselves as we can not care for others, if we are not in a good space within our own being.  Self care is necessary as we move along this path of life.  Men and women both need time for ourselves, time to nurture ourselves and time to learn to live a fruitful and happy life.  

First all, Radical Self Care is not simply taking a bath once a day and brushing our teeth.  Self care has to do with our mental, physical and emotional well being.  I write all the time about my passion for journaling.  My mental well being is comforted by what I write in my pages.  The most offered advise I give to those who ask is to journal every morning, put your thoughts on paper and don't be shy.  The more one expresses one's self in the pages of our very private journal, the better we feel.  The point is, with your pen in hand, pour out your heart.  I read recently that by writing in long hand, on paper, tunes one into one's heart and the divine within.  Writing on a lap top or iPad can cause distraction.  So invest in a good pen, buy journals at the nearest Ross or TJ Maxx and write away! Trust me, what ever was bothering you when you sat down to write, will magically disappear.  You dear one, have cleansed your heart by your own hand.

Radical Self Love also encompasses our physical well being.  I strongly encourage each and every one of us to develop an exercise routine and stick to it.  I work out three days a week at the gym and I'm back to walking Bonnie daily as the weather has cooled off.  We walk over a mile a day and the fresh air alone on our daily walk is invigorating, soul cleansing and a good meditation as well.  I also golf, bike ride (not as much as I'd like) and I'm going to learn how to play Pickleball when I have time.  My intention is to go hiking again now that's it's cooled off here and the fall colors are beautiful.  So people get outside, move your joints and breath in the crisp, cool fall air.  It's good for your soul.

During the winter months, we can still practice our  Radical Self Care inside and away from the snow and ice.  True friends are so important in our daily self care routine.  Having one or two really good friends to connect with on a regular basis, to share thoughts and ideas with, is so important. If it's snowing or raining, zoom a friend as it's still a break in the daily routine. I zoom a lot as some of my wonderful close friends live elsewhere and now that I'm used to it, it's fabulous!  Since the Covid crap is finally going away, meeting for lunch or if the weather permits is a trail walk, is a way to get ourselves out of the daily rut of life and be out among the living.  People need people but be careful as there are so many out there who do not have our best interest at heart.  You'll know after one or two discussions if "that" person is someone you resonate with.  I'm currently reading a book called Dodging Energy Vampires by Dr. Christiane Northrup.  These energy vampires are out there and they walk among us. Learn to avoid them at all cost as they are toxic and will suck the very life and energy from you.

Radical Self Love also encompasses what we think.  Norman Vincent Peal wrote a book called The Power of Positive Thinking.  His basic premise is how we think is what we are.  The book The Secret by Rhonda Byrne takes it further.  How and what we think, we can manifest into what ever we want.  These are extremely simplistic explanations of both books but basically; how we think is how we present ourselves to others.  How we think is how we live our lives and how we think is who we bring into our lives. The Bible says; "For as he thinketh within himself, so is he."  Love yourself by thinking positive thoughts and ideas.  Once one puts out the positive, one will receive back from God, positive.  It's simply a universal law.  

Last but not least, our spiritual well being is not only important but necessary for our entire human experience.  I'm not concerned about what my readers believe, I'm concerned about the nourishment of your souls.  I probably just sent a few into a dead faint but honestly, what one person believes in may not work for the next.  I've long ago left the proselytizing game and only try to spread love and light through my actions and deeds.  This blog has been a game changer for me as I've resonated with so many.  Living here in the United States, gives us all the freedom to worship and enjoy a spiritual experience in what ever way seems appropriate to our well being.  The point is, finding a spiritual connection to believe in, study, and be at peace with, is the key to our innermost well being.  

In conclusion, Radical Self Care or Radical Self Love is really an amazing concept once we get the hang of it.  Taking care of our mind, body and soul is a privilege and one we should never let go of.  This mind and this soul is the one we carry on into eternity.  We only live this life once, so make it worthwhile while you're still here and make it worth the effort.

The following appeared in my email queue this morning... how appropriate! 

The Tastiest Insights are often the simplest solutions by Matt Kahn:

Ingredients:

Several generous scoops of self-love

A few pounds of love for whatever arises

A pinch of "How may I serve?"

A sprinkling of integration of ego

A potent teaspoon of unwavering integrity

We Deserve The Very Best

As we travel on this journey of life, we encounter many twists and turns, good times and bad, happiness and sorrow.  As I ponder these hills and valleys, I always seek to figure out what is truly my life's purpose.  I've discussed my feelings over many blogs but I've finally come to the decision there are many women (and men) just like me, who have hit this time of middle age and have no clue as to what's next.  Recently, while I was writing in my morning journal, I had a true epiphany.  My purpose is to speak my truth to others with the same life questions, doubts and fears.  One avenue for me to do this is sharing my heart in this blog.  When the lightening bolt hit that morning, I came to realize this blog could be valuable not just for me but for others as well.  I keep track as to how many people read these every month and I actually count over fifty, some months even more.  This is huge for an unknown such as I, sitting in my house with my dog.  I am heartened to know I have resonated with at least 50 people, all who have joined me on this journey of life.

Therefore over the coming months, we are all together going to explore our new journey.  This blog will most likely resonate more with women than with men, women more my age than younger, but I hope those of all ages who know me will keep an open mind as I believe, I have something to offer everyone.  Men may find my words will give them insight into the thoughts and ideas of their wives and girlfriends.   I do not think I'm much different than other women and there are so many out there who have faced some of the same challenges that I have.  The more I talk to people, the more I realize I'm really very normal.   I very much want to hear from my readers with comments and other life questions to explore in the upcoming months.  But for the purpose of this writing, we're going to explore the title, We Deserve the Very Best.

So many of us have been taught to believe we are not deserving.  We’ve been programmed to believe we are not worthy of a great love, a great life, a great car or a great house.  What bullshit!  We all deserve the very best and have the absolute right to believe it into existing.  Manifesting for instance a new house, is normal.  Why would we want to settle for something that is not what we want, or is substandard to our purposes?  Frankly why would we settle if it's not the right for us?  When I moved to Boise last year, I moved with the clear intention of exactly what kind of house I wanted, the basic area where I wanted to live and of course my price range.  I made a well defined list and voila I now live in a new build, single story home with 3 bedrooms and a nice size yard to garden and for Bonnie to play. This house fits all my furniture (I was not ready to downsize), has a large garage for all my other stuff and in a great location.  I manifested this home, put it out to God to handle and a year later I am still comfortable and content living in Casa de Teresa.  I am deserving of my new house and give thanks with gratitude daily. 

Thirty years ago or more, I learned a way to manifest and this was to make a well defined list. When I finally decided it was time to get married, I made a detailed list of everything I was looking for in husband material.  I tweaked that list for several months and by "accident" John appeared in my life and for the next 20 years we experienced the twists and turns that life offered us.  There were a few areas where I was not specific enough.  For instance, I asked for a baseball fan but did not specify which team.  Turned out I married a die hard Yankee fan and here I was a die hard Dodger fan.  That difference created a lot of angst, especially during World Series time.  I learned to love the Yankees but the Dodgers never left my heart.  Another small item I forgot to add was I wanted a "Jack of All Trades" type guy.  Well not so much in that department either but hey, Handymen do need to earn a living...

Three years ago, I decided it was time to think about dating again as John had been gone five years.  I made my list again but sadly for my heart and soul, I forgot a few pertinent details that I have included in the newest list for my age appropriate boyfriend.  This sad experience just goes to show, the more exact and detailed one is, the better the results.  If it seems like an obvious "no biggie" or "that's just a given," I promise you that they are NOT.  Be specific as the Universe gives us what we asked for and those "no biggies" or "that's a given" are glaring and destructive if neglected on our list.  I'm just saying, as I lived it out sadly... Ugh...

So I divert back to my original intent for this blog.  We deserve the very best, the very best out there appropriate for us and the very very best of what life has to offer.  No one, not one of us, should ever settle for anything less.  If we do, we diminish our own self worth.  Recently when I was making the "boyfriend" list, a friend of mine said to me, you want only the Cream of The Crop.  I got to thinking, I've run the gamut from great to creepy, slovenly to clean and smelling good.  Nope I won't settle,  I want the Cream of The Crop dammit, I deserve it and I'm not settling.  I see so many women my age just settle because they think this is the end of the road.  Selling out to less than what we deserve is simply not acceptable with our new way of thinking.  Ladies, and men, stand in the truth for what you want and go forth and find what your heart desires.  Trust me, it's out there, don't settle!  You dear heart, deserve nothing less than the very best 

"The moment that you start to wonder if you deserve better, you do."  Unknown

The Awesome State of Being Middle Age

September is Yours Truly' s birthday month and time take to take an assessment of the past year.. As I approach year 66, I have entered into a state of awesome wonder as I simply can not believe I've lived this long.  I'm not one to celebrate much, frankly I don't really celebrate at all.  The days of ice cream and cake and tons of presents are over and have been for several years.  I'm not one to be the center of attention so singing Happy Birthday is probably not going to go over well.  These days however, the days of middle age, I take more stock in where I came from and where I'm going.  So here I am, number 66 is upon me and I ask, who the hell am I at this stage of life?  What is my path, my purpose and what do I do next?  Therefore, this month I'm again opening my heart and soul  and will try to take a leap into the future while speaking from today.

I remember asking my grandmother why she wanted to live alone, thinking she was probably lonely.  I can remember her saying, “I just don't want to take care of an old man, I don’t like being around old people and I like my life the way it is.”  Well, I feel ya Nannie!  I enjoy my freedom and I like being around people young at heart as I'm not ready to be an old fuddy duddy yet nor will I ever be one by the way.  After the emotional roller coaster I experienced through the breakup with Mr. Wonderful, I’m doing just fine alone with my sweet Bonnie and peace of mind.  Okay so perhaps an age appropriate boyfriend would be nice or a pool boy but I don’t have a swimming pool so forget that.  The cute trainer at the local gym is not my style and way too young so I've thrown my hands up and just learned to trust.  I have tried on line dating by the way, and it is not for sissies.  I had one coffee date with a complete loser and the rest who've reached out seem to be fakes, frauds or phonies.  Therefore I'm good just the way it is now and listening to my higher self.  I'm still open to a new love if the Universe wants to drop someone interesting into my life again.  However, please, please, please do not bring me an old man or one with tons of baggage, drama or financial woes.  I'm simply not up to the emotional effort of being an old man's "darling."   

My parent traveled a lot in their RV and I tend to think they saw all of the lower 48.  I’d love to do that and I must admit I’m a bit envious of my friends who have RVs and travel trailers.  It was a thought we had ten years ago but now just a dream.  I would like to visit all 50 states but frankly, not alone in an RV.   But traveling is still on my agenda and now that I took the jab, I'm able to start planning again. Recently I got an email from an on line travel group and threw caution to the wind.  So, I’m flying off to Peru and Ecuador to see Manchu Picchu, the rainforests and the beautiful Andes in September of 2022.  Over the next twelve months, I will have plenty of time to contemplate, set up a Peru 2022 travel board on Pintrest and save my pennies for souvenirs and the fun stuff.   I won't back out of this trip and will post pictures on Instagram when the time comes.

I love music but didn't listen to much of anything in the first few years after John died.  Several years ago I again began to listen to the music I once loved.  The at one time very hip music of the original "boy band" the Beatles, is still a top favorite in my music queue.  Jackson Browne, The Byrds, George Strait and yes my favorite of all The Monkees are all there as well.   So I guess my darling One and Only snickers a bit when she hears me sing along to Last Train to Clarksville, Twist and Shout or my very favorite, I'm a Believer.   Maybe my music is old fashioned to Generation X and the Millennials but who the hell cares!  I will continue to sing to my heart's content and our music someday, when we're in the nursing home, will be Stairway to Heaven or Doctor My Eyes.  

Okay so let’s explore the spiritual side of being 66.  Believe it or not realistically, we’ve only got maybe 25 more good years.  Those 25 will go by fast if we don’t take advantage of every moment!  After I retired I made a practice to get up early every morning and enjoy the day. Seven years later, I still get up no later than 7:00 and enjoy my coffee while watching the sun rise. By the way, the sunrise in Idaho can not be surpassed and will report back what I observe in Peru.  I give thanks every morning to God for allowing me another day and allowing me the opportunity to live for another moment.  I pray the Universe will allow me to be a light for someone to resonate with.  Being a light is not just being a faithful friend or throwing a couple bucks at a homeless shelter, it’s so much more.  After opening my mind, listening and truly understanding what the Universe has to say, being a light is being of pure heart and soul, walking with honor and integrity.  Am I that pure heart?  No I’m not always but I’m trying hard to listen, learn and be an example.  One basic lesson I have learned is be who you are meant to be, be the very best you can be and stand in your truth for good.  There still exists the basic truths for life and the Ten Commandments speak it well.  We need to take heed of these ten basic truths, understand the simplicity in them and begin to live by them again.  The world would certainly be a much better place!  

So finally I ask myself, are you happy or just existing?  Are you still sad and angry or happy with who and where you are on this journey?  I can say I’m finally happy and happy with the new life I’ve created.  It's taken me awhile to admit this by the way as it's been a rather uncertain 15 months. Looking back, to pick up, move to where I knew basically no one was incredibly brave.  I left my safety net of twenty years and took a giant leap of faith.  This journey we call life has had its twists and turns, happiness and sorrow, good times and bad.  I look at every person I've met on this journey, this is every single one and I call them a blessing.  The lessons I've learned from these blessings will continue to affect me into the future and beyond.  Not one experience was a waste, just a learning experience. 

In conclusion and to begin this new year of life, I have now risen above all the muck and BS and can say, Happy 66th Birthday to Me.

The following affirmation was published in the August 2021 Spiritual Living Magazine.  It will become my life quote for year 66:  

"Today I pause to listen to the voice within.  It calls me to be who I am meant to be.  I follow my heart and live a life that is fulfilling and meaningful, I am at peace."

June 2021, Hulls Gulch trail Boise, Idaho