Life is what happens when you are not Blogging..

Yes, life is what happens while you are not sitting in front of a computer for hours typing words that have meaning to perhaps only you. That is not to say that it is not cathartic to vomit your feelings all over the computer monitor in front of you. That can be particularly useful to exercise your Demons. That is not life though. It is a distraction from living your life. So, I have been living, while I have not been blogging.

Holloween, and all the candy and costumes has come and gone. We had an awesome Kids Holloween party. The In-Laws visit has come and passed, and we all survived. Thanksgiving is now upon us, and it is a time to be grateful for everything in our lives. Yoga comes to mind..... Yoga continues to be the grounding force in my life. I would feel lost without a daily Yoga practice. I find it funny that people come and go in Yoga practices, especially in morning Mysore practice. Just as in life itself, one day people are there, and the next day you may never see them again. Then they may pop up out of nowhere and just show up. Bam! back in your life..... I guess that the lesson in this is to appreciate the people in your life while they are there. You never know when you may never see them again.

Thanksgiving in all of its' gluttony is not a holiday that I typically celebrate. It is usually a relaxing day with the immediate family, a small feast of Tofurky, veggies, and a pie or two, and the simplicity of spending the day together in gratitude.. This year however, a students from one of my Yoga classes invited our family to share Thanksgiving with his family. After ascertaining that his offer was genuine, and checking with my family, I accepted. It should be fun meeting new people and sharing Thanksgiving with, what we hope will be, new friends. The daughters are thrilled because this means that they will have real turkey to eat and not just Tofurkey. Life is such an amazing journey, and you just never know where it is going to lead you...

I have been reading a really interesting book that the Flower Lady let me borrow. It is titled The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life by Drunvalo Melchizedek . It is extremely fascinating and intrigueing. It is about many things including spiritual geomotry and Dimentionality. It is an easy read, but is extremely thought provoking. I will blog more about my impressions of it after I have finished it.

The approaching holiday season is always busy for me. I do quite a bit of freelance work doing Christmas decorating. I also have my own house to do , which is a major job in itself. I am really busy with Casino party work this time of year as well. Of course I still have all the Yoga classes that I teach and take as well. This makes for a busy schedule...

I am off in a few minutes to take a Power Mat Pilates Class. I have never taken a Pilates class. I am always open to broadening my horizons, so here I go....
Here are a few thought relevant to Thanksgiving and Gratitude that you may relate to.....

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)



If Turkeys Thought
If turkeys thought, they'd run away,
A week before Thanksgiving Day.
But turkeys can't anticipate,
And so there's turkey on my plate!
Jack Prelutsky


POEM 989 (circa 1865)
Gratitude— is not the mention
Of a Tenderness,
But it's still appreciation
Emily Dicknson









BE THANKFUL

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.
~~ Author Unknown ~~










Lester Burnham: [narrating] I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time... For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars... And yellow leaves, from the maple trees, that lined my street... Or my grandmother's hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper... And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new Firebird... And Janie... And Janie... And... Carolyn. I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday.






"Whatever we are waiting for -- peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance -- it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.
Gratitude arises in that in-between space where the inner and outer worlds meet and touch and encompass each other. Authentic spirituality, genuine politics, and good economics arise from a spirit of radical gratitude."


-Ellen Vaughn, Radical Gratitude