Looking to the LIght > through soot

If ya think this looks awful

you should see the inside~

Good morning morning

oh my is the coffee splendid

and the morning looking beautiful

now that I am working to regain my senses

since returning home.

Sandy and Stuart are amazing they are

each time they walk in the door

I tell them they look like

tired chimney sweeps

and we laugh

as

we all talk about

soot being the blackest of the blacks

in look and in trying to clean...

It is truly amazing

but most amazing it the amount of resilience

and

the humor that our dear friends have found

during the last three days

or however many it has been since 11p

Saturday night.

I've lost track of the days

since returning home

and

I'm quite sure they have as well.

The investigation continues

here

and

we continue to be proud

of those who serve the community

that we live in.

The compassion and caring of the

Tarpon Springs PD and FD are remarkable

as

was the response time

both saving the house

and

saving grace of mind I am certain.

Sandy and Stuart appreciate all the many gestures

and thoughts here

including the offers to help from the many

good hearts and warriors here.

It is still unsafe inside their home

and at this point

they are still not sure what the needs

are

but they want you to know

they are ok

and

they thank you all.

Keep those well wishes and thoughts coming though,

they are warriors.

BUT

they are now at the point where

they just need to

absorb this

to do what they can

and to try as much as they can

to not talk so much to others

and not to have to be touched with the concern.

You know that feeling?

YOU are coping real good until you are touched by another

or

another expresses their concern for you

or has tears in their eyes on your behalf.

That then becomes too painful

as it mirrors pain

itself.

><

These have been most frightening times

and

days of great heartache

but

today

the sun is shining

and

I am reminded of

LIGHT

This picture was taken in Indian Country in Arizona...

Driving from one city to the next

or shall I say

"being driven"

yep

once again I was blessed to have my very own driver

cuz Angie along for the Arizona tour!

She did a great job,

and

was willing to stop on a dime to take a picture

from 89mph to zero if I asked

or

if she saw something she wanted a photo of!

and I must tell you

she took more than 500 photos on the trip!

But

we were both just tickled to life

driving through the desert when

all of a sudden we passed at least a half dozen

high dollar boats being pulled by pick up trucks!

We both just looked at each other then at our surroundings...

NO water and no signs for water

but some great looking boats were being hauled somewhere out there in the desert!

Once again

it seems I am a magnet for those

protecting and serving

and

Arizona was no exception!

I was honored to meet

Mesa Police Department

and

then in

Tucson

I had the opportunity to meet

Officer Moli

of the

Homeland Security

Border Patrol.

We chatted a while and then he gifted me a beautiful patch like the one on his sleeve

and said

"Doc thanks for serving at 9/11"

I was honored!

Right after I saw Angie just bucking for an introduction

which led to her getting her picture

with officer Moli! She was off the hook crazy for that one!

And

the rest that happened in Arizona stays in Arizona ~

Time together was great

cuz and I; she sat through two of my seminars

and even participated with those there,

then we were off to the next town, to the next group of wonderful people.

Many lessons are being learned being on the road so much...

More to come on that.

Yes, the recent days have been difficult

It is hard to see

"family of choice" being violated in such a personal and ugly way.

It is difficult in wrapping your head around how easily a home could be destroyed

and

how ugly the world can be.

It is more than frustrating knowing that there are those in offices of the electric company and that of city offices

that should and could extend empathy in being helpful during times of high stress

but

choose not to

and

that may just be the hardest pill to swallow

once you get the soot off your body and out of your lungs.
Now it is important to walk away for a bit
from the horrors of next door
for a respite
to do something with a clear cut
begining, middle and end.
Stuart mowed the yard; then fixed a beautiful old wood piece of furniture that magnificently was undamaged but the wheels on the bottom needed tightened.
Sandy found a beautiful bottle and was vigoursly cleaning it just to see it sparkle once again,
there was a begining
middle
and
end result of beauty there.
Something not soot related
or pain filled.
Who would have ever dreamt I would want to mow the yard just to see the end result
was beautiful!
Yes as one reader and warrior here stated last night
Tarpon Springs has seen its share of tragedy over the last year.
DLB's car broken into a few months ago;
the bombing of a local jewelry and gun shop around the corner
and most lovely man who owned the jewelry store;
a murder at the local publix by a disgruntled employee and a kind family man killed;
our Tampa Police and ST Petersburg Police murdered.
We have witnessed horrible things over the last year right here in our neighborhoods
by mean spirited or no spirited people
while losing so many
to prescription drug overdoses.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
in this little but lovely community
where horrible things have happened to very good people.

Kindness costs nothing to an individual but can mean and do so much to the individual and their spirits and souls.

One thing that is so very important to know

during all of this.

Things are things

and

they can be replaced.

Home is where the soul resides

and where you find comfort.

It takes time to rebuild

and

to find safety

but

it is possible

and

with the love of each other

and

that of true friends

we can overcome and achieve happiness and safety

and

faith will move mountains

but

during the face of crisis

the smell that permeates your skin

and your head nose eyes and throat

you can still maintain your humor

your sense of self

and

still find light

if you look.

We'll stand by our dear friends,

we'll stand not broken

although bent at times

by conditions of which we have no control

but

we will all know

that the sun is bright

its rays are healing

and

that the light will penetrate darkness

and

humor will break the deafening quiet.

BUT

we also know there is a time to ask questions

and a time for small talk

and

a time

to just say

NO MORE TALK

><

there comes a time when you are just talked out.

Oh Lawd

whatever am I to do?

I have not heard from Oprah

and

today

is the LAST SHOW.

what in the world are those millions and gazillions of folks goin to do that sit in front of the t.v. the last 25 years goin to do

with the limbic system starts to excrete those chemicals (cortisol)similar to grief/loss/

and

depression and angst

over

NO O?

OH no what to do without Oprah?

And to think

Patti Labelle was on her show yesterday

to pay tribute to O

and

Me of all the people in the world

Missed it???

Now talk about sad, that is just as sad as sad can be...

Hoping for a re run of that one.

Oprah babe,

it's still not to late to add

Healing Heartaches to your next best read

after all

you are taking a cruise after this before jumping into

OWN

you will need to read between times

of great joy

and excitement

and

wonderment with Gayle and STeadman

wont' you???

I've lit the sage,

with thoughts of all who enter here

know you've had a walk through my mind.

Take best care of you

do something life affirming for you today

and

send some positive energy to those around you.

When you see a first responder

be sure and

thank them for their service!

We delivered a DLB famous chocolate cake

to the FD and PD tonight

with a note of thanks

to those

who lined the street here.

Take best care of YOU friends...

STOMP

Walk In Beauty

DRSES

http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/