Sunday, July 31, 2011

Sunday Morning at HOME

Across the Street from
Oklahoma City
National Memorial
in these little nooks
you can set your covered or contained candles

Lighting a candle for all who gather here
today
Powerful
and across the street
THE OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL
behind me the photograph above.

Lighting a candle for all who gather
and
the many I've met along the way,
may you know a day
of
amazing grace
and
beauty
today
and
always! 
For those in Oklahoma City, in Tulsa, In Ft Worth, Dallas
and for
Isabel, Teresa, Janelle, Patricia, Susan, Karen, Laura in Yuba City CA,
Crossroads Hospice and those who care out there working and walking the walk, Perry, Clayton, George, Janet, and all in green!
Rick, Calley, Ron, Rebekeh, Brenda, Becca, Audrey, Gabe, Dena, BEth, Lill, Jay Hanson, Jennifer, Beth Jett, Huntsville AL, Sheri, Wendy Reese and family, The Boy Scouts of Dora AL, Cam, Sandy, Toby, Edith Vaughn and family,Susan, Greg and Kyle Korabek (Landon Korabek on the other side now), Stephen Bright and family, Walter Littlemoon, Jane, Laura, Mitch, Jenn, Chris, Mary, Taft, Martha Deaver, Morris, Rose Brick, The Baitinger Family, The Yaslowitz Family, The St Petersbug PD, Congresswoman Gabbie and her family, Dahlee in NJ, Judy Kelley, beloved husband and family, Jennifer, (now being watched over by her beloved husband and child), Norma, EE, Little Cub to CJ and Angel eyes Jack, Daniel, Dave, Cindy and Steve, Marty, Sweet Pea and Pie Face, Florence, Jeremy, Dennis, Darrel, Greg, Leroy, Rebekka, Carly, John, Diana, Crystal, Karen, Janet, Callie, Lorie, Laura,


2 Wolves and Jinx in SD, (http://www.twowolvescreations.com/)

Kelly and family,Judy W and her 4 sons up there in New England, Cherokee Wick, Benni, Gayle, Jonathan, Great Aunt Effie's family, Marilyn Warren, Ilene, Tweak and Chris, Jen and Bian, Ericka, Shannon, Hannah Sherabow, Pam C. and family, Susan S., Angela A., Nancy W, Sue G, Kelly and family,Mato Oyate Kola, Susan Brouse, Cindy and Stevie, Kim, Olatz, EVB, Guin, Yiva, Mary, Sandra and family, Christina Hellen, Dotti B., Susan and Greg, Amy, Becky and Barry Long, Christina, Matt and children, Aaron, Lisa and family, Freda, Linda Katie, Pat D, Tink and Mitch, LITTLE Ben, Jerry, Trish, Barb, Anastasia, Mary, Rylee, Lindsay, Ann, Sarah, Ruth, Johnny, Bobby and the Tucker Family, The Spraker Family,Kenny H, Michelle, Sandy, Addie and family in Canada, Sandy, BraveHeart, Rowena, Chris, Robyn Elizabeth, Jean, Duke,Rowena, Chris, Baby Robyn Elizabeth, Diane Smallze and family, Patti and family, The Korabek Family and friends, The Gasse Family and Friends,

Officer Crawford of St Petersburg, The Kocab Family, baby Lilly Nicole Kocab, The Curtis Family, Tarpon PD, those serving here and there in Uniform... Those now walking The Thin Blue Line, (far to many joining that line recently across our Nation),

Mylee, Mikey and family in DC, Jack M & Janis in OC, Stephen, Stuart Wittel (back from his 4th tour as a fighter pilot of the US MARINES inAfghanistan) and his parents Sandy and Stuart, Lavie Coltrane and her loving family, Andrea Gasse and family here and in New England, Ali and family, Randy and Winnie in New Mexico, Jill Wheaton L, Dr Peter in NY, Dr Rev Bev, Irene M, Bernice, Eileen and family, Dorothy, Angela, Kamryn Elijah, Ode, "Southwest VA", Vicki, Matthew and family, Chris, Lovie, Nancy, Pedro and Our adopted family in BRAZIL, Our North American Black American Bears, The Windcross Convservacy and those beautiful Spanish Mustangs known as "pocket ponies"...

AND for:
Anne, Jim, JADE, Joseph, Cathy Madden, Nathan, and her family., Cindy in NC, Liz, Lee, Molly, Joanie, Jude, COFA, Judi, Ken, Matthew, Nick, Matt, Mark's family and many friends , Pat, Irene, Kevin, Dr D, Deb, Randy, Dr B, Isabelle, Kelsey, Sabrina , Charlie and family, Jean, Julie, Rhonda, Victoria, Mildred, Andi and family, Faith, Denise, Jim, Tom, Joey, Shelby friends and family, Judi, Phylis, Joyce, Gina, Tonya, Beverly and Family, Janeth, Melissa,Virginia, Stacey, Elizabeth, Nita, Gary Siegal, Adrienna, Brian Mawbey, the Boyan Family, Jean R and friend Christy Rider, Victoria and hubbie, Stephen, Gayle, Steph, Chris, Erica, Eileen, John, Mindy, Jack, Susan Werth Becken, her brother Mike and family, Craig James Lightfoot and his family, Kenny, Audrey, Ed Saner, Patty Crowley, Bennie, Gail, Jonathan, Moe, Beverly, Dennis, Peter, Trish, Cynthia, Heidi and her family, Kathy Knights family, Edith Vaughn, Candy, Cynthia, Jenn, Eve, Edith, Jason, Karen, Linda, Joyce, Belinda, Jeanette, Jennifer, Patti, Sandy S, and ...


(Feel free to let me know if you would like to add your/or a friends name to our circle)

Please lift these friends family and loved ones of these people in your hearts and prayers ~

YOU can join us today, you can step up, STAND UP, and can choose to to join with us IN YOUR HEARTS AND MIND AND SOUL.

Feel deeply each beat of your heart knowing that we are here only for this moment and life is fragile, oh how we need to remember that/

We have right here right now to make it right with all living things knowing we are all interconnected n the Universe.
WE HAVE THIS DAY... words and actions get imprinted on the heart, on the nervous systems of those we meet, greet and those we love.
KINDNESS is something that we all can do more with;
it is never ever out of style, out of vogue
and its benefits are tremendous.

JUST THIS DAY, GET OUT THERE AND MAKE IT SPECIAL~
Wado!
STOMP with great HOPE and HAPPINESS for this day it is yours, and for that I am grateful, aren't you!


Know that there are some powerful warriors on this page and in the next place along with some Powerful angels ~ and together we have banded together with the energy, love and support to facilitate healing and hope for so many along their journey...
and for that I hope you feel great connection in times of sorrow, confusion, isolation, and happiness; knowing we are all connected in the great circle of life~


The fire is burning brightly, the embers are hot and the sage is drifting into the air, with prayers being sent to all in the prayer bowl and many who are not. You know who you are and you are being thought of ...

That is the HOPE in Healing Heartaches ~

Walk In Beauty,
God Bless the USA and her people.
 
"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you."  Princess Diana



Walk in Beauty,



Friday, July 29, 2011

Oklahoma Thank YOU, and Good Mornin FT Worth Texas!

Thank you
Oklahoma
for your lovely welcome
your two days
of such remarkable
people!
This is what I saw as I looked up leaving the parking lot rushing to make the plane after yesterday speaking to a fabulous
group of folks of Tulsa!
GRATITUDE AND THANKS
over the tops of trees!
WOW!
I sure hope to return
next year or sometime
to
Oklahoma City
and Tulsa
and the many beautiful areas of Oklahoma
where I was honored to spend two days
speaking to some fantastic
professionals providing services to the communities there!
Leaving Oklahoma City
I did make sure
to
find
The Oklahoma City National Memorial
and
it was worth the hunt and find.
I stood on that sacred ground
filled with profound amazement
and
found that my face was wet
in the 107 degree weather.
I sat on the grass near one of the chairs
there,
I stood at the reflecting waters
and
I was filled with spirit.
I ached for those who died
on that day in 1995
when terrorism
hit Oklahoma City
and
I wept for those who were killed
and
the ones who were left behind
along with the community
that continue
to come.
The entrance way on each side has chain link fence there, with teddy bears, license plates, notes, personal effects, USMC, US Army T Shirts,
candles, flowers,
all attached to the chain link fence,
some new,
some old,
all there untouched though.
All honored as sacred there.
To stand still there, to walk there,
to remember
to honor
is to know you have entered sacred ground.
To enter there is to recognize
that we should never ever
FORGET
and
that many will live on.
The chairs are remarkable, their beauty stunning and haunting
each powerful
almost speaking to your soul.
THE CHAIN LINK FENCE on each side of the entrance

Entering the
Oklahoma City National Memorial
Standing at the edge of the
Reflecting Waters
the Chairs on the Right
with tears streaking my face
as I felt the power of this sacred place.
I am so blessed that I took the time to come here
after a day of spending time
with many who were here that day
to offer and provide care to survivors
and those left behind grieving their losses
now
living differently than ever before
a city that is filled with lovely people.
In the front of each chair
etched
is the name of each person who died that day.
Seeing this in person
is more than remarkable; more than breathtaking,
it becomes so very personal
and
heart bending
as you remember
and
you are filled with spirit and grace in this sacred place.
You want to stop at each chair
to pay your respects, to linger, to absorb all that is there
and
that was captured in the honoring.
It is a place of honor and grace
built from tragedy.
Before I realized it
I had stayed so long that I knew I would
really be late getting to Tulsa!
But I arrived safely and that was all that mattered.
And we had a fabulous day there
with more OK folks that were just great
and
the laughter filled the room mixed with tears
and
the intstallation of thought and validation
that the work being done by them is hard
as we spent a day together,
before
I had to rush like the wind
to make a flight to Texas!

GOOD MORNING
FT WORTH TEXAS!
I arrived last night late
and was greeted
here at the Hilton in Fort Worth
exhausted by rushing
and by the American Airlines
boogie.
I was met here by a young man named
Jacob "Million"
and he was a kind as kind can be!
What a wonderful asset to the Hilton he is
and
before I knew it,
he had offered to print my boarding pass for tonight
had hooked me up with a car for the ride to the airport for tonight, had arranged for my 6am wake up,
then took my bags to hold
while I headed for the little place to grab a bite to eat!
What a delightful young man he was
and
oh how I loved the extra mile and his smile mixed with
service and kindness!

The view out my window this morning
is a HUGE SIGN
that says
"COORS" along with a parking lot
and
the day holds promise of being with Texans
in the professional caregiving arena
from here!
Then it's off to
American Airlines once again
hoping to see Tampa
by 11pm.

NOTE TO SELF:  return to OK City, Tulsa, and surrounding areas, *(hope they invite me back)
haha

Now I hear Tropical Storm Don is headed to Texas
and
an AWOL soldier of the Army who who grew up in Texas
has been thwarted thankfully from another act of terriorism by a gun shop.
He had plans to BLOW UP,
 FT Hood and those there of the military
once again...
Thanks to a tip from the owner of the ammunition shop
he was caught, his plan thwarted.
Blessings to those who serve
and our country, her people
who take a "stand"
to keep us all safe in "OUR country".


OK, so I am turning off the TV
and
the computer!
Time to get busy and set up for those who are coming
to another
PESI/CMI education seminar
on
Compassion FAtigue today
and
it is 6:57am here in a hot Texas!

So here we go,
another day, a brilliant opportunity to have the best day ever.
I see that traffic is horrible in Ft Worth and Dallas this morning
so
I am thinking there will be a few folks who walk in the doors
with a bit of stress after fighting the traffic to get here
but
let's hope the hotel will keep the coffee flowing
and
the day will be one
filled with an attitude of great gratitude!

Wherever you are
Whatever you are doing!
Stay cool if you can,
Take Best Care of you>>> That YOU can do!

Goin to hit 100 today here.

The sage just was lit, and is filling this room and headed your way
with hope and healing ways from my heart to yours.

Walk In Beauty
DRSES
author of
Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life




Wednesday, July 27, 2011

OKLAHOMA CITY ...

The Oklahoma City Memorial

Middle of the night at my favorite place
The Embassy Suites
and
I just can't seem to sleep tonight
here in
Oklahoma City.

It may have something to do with the fact that hours were spent sitting in HOUSTON
awaiting the plane to arrive from Denver and San Antonio
to bring us
here to this wonderful city...
We were told the delay was a result of
weather in Denver!

However,
the more I have pondered it,
the more I came to realize that it was
more like the impact of realizing it had
nothing to do with the weather of Denver
but
once finally on the plane...
a young and anxious woman
sitting in the seat near me
let me have the real story!
Once in the air
her story was confirmed by a tired
steward who said,
"I can't wait to get to Oklahoma City,
cos' I've been flying since 7am and am more than ready for my time off"!
It was then he told me what had really happened to cause the delay.
It seems that the plane
that left Denver, was found to have
a nail in the tire!
That was the first major glitch in the system
causing my delay.
BUT
it gets a bit better.
Once to San Antonio as they prepared to leave for Houston, it was discovered the plane had
fuel leakage,
which required MAJOR repairs
forcing all passengers to sit on board while those repairs were made!
One more delay.
Seems the weather in Denver was as hot as everywhere else,
and
as we sat and sat, only to sit some more
our plane was suffering
rather major problems in both cities en route to us!

By the time we boarded and I became aware
of
what seems to be rather major issues
I looked at the steward
and
said,
"are we all good now?"
He laughed and said, "oh yes, let's go to Oklahoma City"!
I do love
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES though,
their staff is 99% friendly, helpful
and
with great humor!
Their planes are pretty, colorful and clean.
Their CEO has a message I can
get with and certainly admire.

Happy was I to touch down, get the rental car, only to get in it and realize it did not have the  trusty GPS I was promised,
so I finally made my way
to the ever lovely
and
welcoming
Embassy Suites!
Happy but worn out,
room service for me seemed the only way to spend what little evening I had.
But in realizing my gratitude for a safe flight,
I believe the most upsetting part is that
I had so hoped to visit and to absorb the
Memorial that I pictured above.
It is something I have wanted to see since it was done; to pay my respects and walk through such sacred grounds.
Maybe that is what is on my mind as I sit and think about all those precious lives
now memorialized in such a powerful way
as I try to think of how to fit that in
on my way to Tulsa after a day of speaking.
Some things are just important
just that moving.
It becomes an opportunity to not be missed.
And as I turned on the television here
I found a channel that talks all about
Oklahoma City, it's rich culture
"NATIVE AMERICA"
and
I wish I had more time to see the many things
that they speak of and show on that channel.
I can only imagine that I will be honored to meet some of
Oklahoma's finest in the mental/physical health professions today.
I look forward to hearing their stories
and
to sharing the messages
and hopefully enhancing their resiliency for the hard and challenging work that they do.
Many I'm sure still carry the trauma of that
day of The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19 children under the age of 6, and injured more than 680 people. The blast destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a sixteen-block radius, destroyed or burned 86 cars, and shattered glass in 258 nearby buildings. The bomb was estimated to have caused at least $652 million worth of damage. 
The damage caused to the community, the people, the families and the Nation?
There is no price for that trauma and heart ache.
The memorial
is a sacred place of honoring, of remembering, of healing.
Oh how I hope to find a way to visit there
and to be still among such a powerful place of healing and the many who have walked those paths between those chairs.
If only for a little while, I am so close to being there.

This is a beautiful city; at least what little I have seen with my eyes.
BUT
the show I watched certainly puts it on a list of places to visit, of sites to behold and people to meet along your journey.
The Cherokee people are here, their spirit strong, along with the Western history
that now
is shared with some "hot jazz",
the OKC Thunder
and
just all sorts of stuff where the buffalo roam
and
they say the "swagger is hot".

Here's to all of you
dear gentle warriors,
may you have an unbelievable day today
while you remember those
who survived that day in 1995
and the many whose lives were lost
by such a destructive act
of terrorism
on our soils.

Thank you to our troops for fighting for our freedoms and to keep our soil safe.

As for President Obama and his fight now
with the senate and congress and the house.
Last I remember,
"he is the MAN of the house"
so it is time.
Time to cut/slash/end
 Congress/Senate and those on the hill with their benefits and elegant salaries of the people. Let's start there
and see if that doesn't decrease the debt
while assuring folks their Social Security
while reducing the debt and getting us back to a Nation to be looked up to.
Take your stand Mr President.
YOU inherited on helluva mess
and
not no one can undue the bell that has been rung of greed through the years before you ever thought of running for office.
So cut the top, and save the folks who are working hard for the money here
and
need medicine and food
rather than cigars and liquor while toasting their descent.

"That's all I have to say about that."
[me and Forest Gump]

The sage is filling this room and I am thinking of all the gentle warriors here and everywhere.
Sending healing thoughts and prayers on the winds today and always.

Walk In Beauty,
DRSES

author of
Healing Heartaches
stories of Loss and Life

Order yours here and mention you are a warrior of this page in the special instructions with your name and message, I would love to send a special thank you gift!





Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Heading to Oklahoma!


Gypsy is looking at the suitcase...
She has her eye on the "walkin out the door"
I'm thinking!
I think after coffee I might need to have some
snacks for the babies in my hand
before I walk out the door!

It's time to hit the friendly skies again
this time
to Oklahoma City, Tulsa and then Ft Worth TX.
I'm hoping to meet some more wonderful
professional caregivers who will attend
andR
at the end of the day
will walk with a bit more pep in their step
as
they remember and/or find
tools to enhance their resiliency
for the important and difficult work they do.

There is an old saying,
"you can't please everyone all the time"
and
that is not an exception when speaking to people of other places, thoughts, professions.
Some find that my "humor" and engagement of those present is not what it should be...
HUMOR is essential in all of lifes work and play.
But
it seems more that folks that aren't engaged in the exchange are the ones who tend to comment on it.
Could it be that they wish they were engaging?
Or
could it be that they wish it was them that I was engaging with?
OR
have they just lost their humor secondary to compassion fatigue?

It's hard to know what others think or how they really feel unless they choose to engage you
or talk with you ~
Every day is indeed a
GIFT
and I would hope that we all enjoy all the many
freedoms and rights that we have while unwrapping our days.

I'm hoping for blue skies
and friendly TSA folks
who will greet me with a smile
and
not feel the need to get personal
in the same way
Ft Worth and Kansas City TSA now know me!
><
Yet another experience indeed ~

So as this day gets going
with
Gypsy watching the suitcase and eyeing me with displeasure as she knows a trip is happening
along with Jeepers who is staying on my lap
*as if that will help him*
and
then there is Patches
who is hanging in the bedroom
just snoozing away!

I wish you all enough today
as the sun is shining
and the heat is on here in Florida.
I look forward to seeing Oklahoma
and all those who will join me.
Ah, time to travel, to meet and to see
and then it will be time to get back home...


"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends."  Maya Angelou


For all those warriors here, I sure hope you are having some wonderful days of this summer
along with messages of hope in healing
along your path.

Walk in Beauty,
DSES
author of
Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life

*Order your copy and mention that you are a warrior here on the blogspot, and I'll send you a special thank you gift*
Just put it in special instructions with your name for autograph...