BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: check yourself

Yes, October is now known for Pink Ribbons, advocacy and Awareness. It is a month of reminders to schedule and follow-through with those annual mammograms. Time to schedule those boob squish appointments! We all know that prevention is key; we know that Breast Cancer along with all Cancers will change lives and take lives if given the opportunity to invade precious bodies.

CANCER SUCKS... there is no if buts about it. This is the time to become pro-active if you aren't already, and to Stand up to Cancer and for yourself or the memory of a loved one or someone who is in the fight for their lives.  The time is NOW, the stakes have never been higher; as we read of more and more who have been diagnosed, those who are now finding themselves reliving memories of loved ones who have died from Cancer and miss them so very much.  Knowledge is powerful medicine, it prompts us into action and to prevention as we move into our own way of doing and being advocates of a system that is larger than large. We can advocate from our computers, write letters to those in power asking/demanding for funds that allow the research for Cancer/MS/childhood diseases to be continued. We can support organizations doing grassroots work that will enable all to take advantage of mammograms and be able to get ahead of what could easily get out of control like a runaway train in their lives.

We can send men and women to the moon, can watch pharmaceutical companies create mind altering drugs that make us wonder how/why and for whose benefit; yet we still wait for the cure of Cancer of MS or HIV/AIDS.  We can see the power of Apple and Iphones and technology that boggles the mind, yet we are stumped by the brilliance of research while jets fly in the sky and we see women and men go through the devastation of chemotherapy and radiation that burns the skin and is life changing as we wait for better than good news of what is on the horizon while pharmaceutical companies make millions of dollars from drugs that few can afford at the counter to keep Cancer on the other side of the door in their fight or insurance have denied them.

WE rely on some to come up with the generosity of donors and those philanthropists to provide care to those who cannot, and place life above ability to pay, and hope against hope that MD Anderson will allow one more admission in their brilliance of physicians to treat along with those specialists who still believe that they have a shot at putting patients above dollars in the desire to cure Cancer and restore a body to wellness.

Cancer is an uncomfortable conversation; talking about Breasts/prostate/anal cancer is hard for many, embarrassing for most.  Breasts are something that is most accepted when seen on gorgeous women with voluptuous  bodies in bathing suits, gowns that have plunging necklines and in what is called in Florida "Titty Bars" where they dance and are exotic in nature and by design.
Breasts are sexy, some men and women oogle at the sight, the thought of them, babies suck for milk... women get boob jobs to enhance, to lift to make perky, to make bigger, smaller, rounder, to do all sorts of things to and with... BUT no one wants to talk about the big "C", when not viewed in that way; are used to feed the babes in private and not talked about so much. Breasts are used in cartoons, laughed about as they sag. Gravity is a cruel bitch sometimes... and Cancer sucks.
Breasts are not discussed when lumps are found, when fear is surging through the body and a call comes that a woman needs to return for an ultra sound, Breasts are not discussed on social media or at cocktail parties when the threat of loss is impending or has happened after a mastectomy or double mastectomy.
Remember the  radio program discussing a woman who was at a beach topless. She was a warrior of breast cancer; had a double mastectomy and chose to be on a beach topless. It created tremendous controversy. The majority of men thought it was "just wrong" and basically in bad taste.  Many women also agreed feeling it was "in bad taste".  It begged the question,
"why"?
Men wear no shirts on the beach, many have what is called "man boobs" and are less than attractive actually when you are realistic about it.  Yet a woman with her scars of survival, who is in shorts and has nothing to cover is talked about, judged, and not in a kind way is worthy of judgment by those who have no earthly idea of the miles she has walked, the pain she has endured and the courage it took to allow the world the view of her battle.  

Sometimes we SHINE, we step out, we do it our way, in Healing Ways... IN PINK, we find our voices, our walk and those who talk the talk are the ones who have indeed walked the walk. You can see it in their eyes, feel it in their very words, their soul and the spirit. FIGHT, SUPPORT, CARE, GET INVOLVED.

Many who gather here are Warriors, they have known battle, many are still fighting and they know they are never alone.

Many who gather here have also know remarkable loss and have walked a trail of tears while finding the strength to live differently, while realizing that we are never alone and that hearts joined in love will continue to love from here into the next place.

In this brilliant month of October, we Stand United as we educate, as we raise awareness of Breast Cancer... My heart is wrapped around all who have fought, are fighting, those who died in the fight... Those who have just been diagnosed... we are standing with you...

More facts for the month of

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

1. There are currently 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States.
2. During 2002-2006, 95% of new cases and 97% of breast cancer deaths occurred in women 40 years and older. The biggest single risk factor for breast cancer is age.
3. White women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than African American women. However, African American women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.
4. Currently, about 1 in 3,000 pregnant or lactating women will develop breast cancer. Research has shown that once a woman has been diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy, her chances of survival are less than a non-pregnant woman.
Women age 40 and older should have screening mammograms every 1 to 2 years
5. It has been estimated that if every woman over the age of 50 had her yearly mammogram, breast cancer deaths in this age group would drop by 25% or more.
6. Breast cancer in men is rare, accounting for approximately 1% of breast cancer rates in the U.S. Nearly 400 men die of breast cancer each year. African American men are more likely to die from breast cancer than white men.
7. Risk factors for male breast cancer include age, BRCA gene mutations, Klinefelter’s syndrome, testicular disorders, a family history of female breast cancer, severe liver disease, radiation exposure, being treated with estrogen-related drugs, and obesity.
8. One in 40 women of Ashkenazi (French, German, and East European) Jewish descent carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 (breast cancer) gene, which is significantly higher than in the general population where only 1 in 500 to 800 people carry the gene.
9. The risk for breast cancer increases when a woman has been using HRT for more than five years. The largest risk is when both estrogen and progesterone are given together. Women who have had a hysterectomy and are taking pills containing estrogen alone are at less of a risk.
10. One myth about breast cancer is that a person’s risk is increased only when there are affected relatives on the mother’s side of the family. However, the father’s side of the family is equally important in assessing breast cancer risk.

*Taken from Facts on Breast Cancer*

This month we are seeing everyone across the world working to raise awareness. Buildings are lit, banners are up. Even the major sports teams in football are donning pink; their shoes, gloves and banners of the NFL/AFL are supporting Breast Cancer Awareness.
Have faith, we are with you those who need to feel the love, need to know you are not alone.

Get your pink on, spread the word, and walk with those who are fighting the fight.



It's BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Get yourself checked! No excuses.

Carry on.

Walk in beauty
DRSES

Enjoy the fruits of your labor today

Enjoy the days of your harvest, the good that is in the day... May you find relaxation on your schedule as you move through this remarkable day doing what moves you, what inspires you, what tickles you to life.
The prayer bowl is filled, with thoughts of warmth, joy, laughter and strength for all.

Our hearts are big  enough, strong enough to heal, to stand, to dance on into our days with such great light... May you know peace:

For:

DLB, Dot/COB/Mom, Angela, Kamryn Elijah, D'Vante, Olivia, Joan,  Linda McDonald, Laura, Mitch, Eileen, Audrey, Anne, Patti R., Pat, Stephen, Matthew, Jane, Walter, Jen, Snoop, Erik, Shari Taylor Webster, Stephen Bright and family, Gayle, Chris W., Penni,
Elizabeth Gardiner Myers, her beloved sister-in-law and family,  little Rylie, Jan, Charlie, Eagan,  John D, John S., Kurt, Kendra, Matt, Stoney, Regina, Suz, Corby, TK, Ericka, Louise, Tommy, Joan, Bob, Fluff, Scott, The Korabek/Shram tribe, AnneMary, Shirley, Karen, Lori, Tanya,  Kendra, Kurt, Joan, Jack, Tom, Chris, Sabian, Rus, Stan, Greg, Scott, Christian, Mike, Richy, Areila, Penny, Ford, Bob, Frank, Eric, Kurt, Bob, Chases Cows, George, Justan, Phillip, Deion, Hunter, Pop, Ledg, Matthew, Stephen, Pat, Jennifer, 



ZERO, soar on dear one, we miss you always yet know you are with us in all the familiar places ... Prayers and strength for Alexis and her family,  Chelsea, Baby Florenzo, and Sara may the Creator welcome you all home to the Ancestors...   Those in Christiansburg VA and surrounding communities for strength and healing, VAAP, Stephen Deirslen and family,  Kurt, Ali, Jeremiah, Pop Spring, Joe, Rachel, Matthew, Nick, Leanne, Leslie, Stephen, Gayle, Karen, Janet, Perry, JT, Moses, Little Nicholas, Karen, Ericka, young Peyton, Bill, Shauna, Dixie, Kurt, J&L, John, Alexis, Kassity, Kelsi, Bob, Lauri, Larry,

KM, Osh Kosh, Choctaw Nation, SODA, Kari, Jamie, Tiffany, Bob, David, The Durant P.D., Windhorse, Hezra and Dan, Pat, Joan, Jane, Mickey, Cynthia, Rubuye, Patches, Charla, Kurt, Lyle, Bear, Sylvia, Heidi, Samatha, Marcus, Brenda McQuire, Jan, Joan,  Louise E. Duckwork and her family, friends, Brother Michael Belford, Rev Bev and family,Erin, Bear, Ellie, Andrei, Maggie, ED, Mary, Ari, Kostas, Jean, Rene, Joanie, Stevie, Nat, Matt, Jamie,

The sage is filling the air...

For Sandy Hook and those in Newtown CT., for all those who have been touched, shattered and devastated by violence we are with you here and pray for an end to such horrible things happening in our world. 

For our warriors, We are fighting alongside you and thinking about you.

Rebecca, Hudson, Peyton, Dottie, Zero, George, Peyton, Billy Ray, Yvonne, Les, Lana, Lanita, Kelly, John, Bill,

~ `~

For:

Erin, Ellie, Andrei, WM, Yvonne Cassie, Mildred, Michele, Evelyn, Kelly, Betsy, The Faulkner Family, Stan, Dan, Christie, Ledge, Rick Paul, Colin G Brady, 

  NYPD, Guardian Angel Hospice and those there, Lanita, Dana, Leslie, Dottie, Kelly, Molly, Evan, Jeff, Ruby, Kevin, Scott, Dakota, Ruby, Dottie, Todd, John, BK, Clare, Yvonne, Evelyn, Sonny, Trace, Lyle, Michael, Beverly, Shauna, Dixie,

Julia Skinner and her NRV ELITE in Christiansburg VA,thank you for a wonderful year.

Coach Woodka, the Tarpon Springs Basketball team, Coach Carb and family, Cooper, Mark, Marvin, Zaden, Zamerion, Daniel, 

Carol, Sandy, Carrie and her family in Aurora,Ali,BK, Carolyn, Karen, Kelly and her family up North,

For those who have asked and we are standing with you in your time of sorrow, angst, difficulties.

   Heidi and family, Dianne, Ken,  Lori, Cynthia, Scott, Ali Legend, and children,  Heather Belle, Carolyn, Rog, Dusty, the 5,000 guardians now standing in the memory of Thomas O'Brien, the family of Trayvon Martin,

For:

  Harriet, Sherry Reed, Mary Grace, Shirley, BK, Stephanie, Lorrie, Pop and his family,

Sherry C.,  Katie and Bill Majestic, Marvin, Layne, Lori, Jim, D, Heidi, Julia, Rolling Thunder, The Patriot Guard, Carol,The Schram/Korabek family, Kyle, Mark, Todd, Yvonne, Harry, Kevin, Jen, Charles,  Glenn, "the littleOne", Anne Klein, Monica Graff, Penny, Chris, Joy, Anne, Sara, Jenn, Shirley, AnneMary, Michael, Jeannie,Patti Labelle and family, The Wounded Warrior Brigades,   Warren Buffet, Best of health be restored to you sir, Kyle Jones in TN; a magic maker, a musician and a good man, M Dave Glenn Alley a talented musician who is extending himself in service to others, blessings to you friend,BK, Kevin, Dash, Graham, Suzannah,

Seth Greenberg and family, Eileen D. and family, Steve and family, Anne, A, Sandy, "EI", Kev, Chris,

Lyle Emerson and his family in Buffalo and little Kendra 3 years old who is fighting Lymphoblastic Leukemia,

Bernice Etsitty and the life of her son, gone too soon Garrett Joe,Joey, Sam, Tyler, Robbie, Elizabeth, Tommy,

Duke Limongello gone too soon,

and all the children of all colors, all ages, and causes

gone to soon.

Sandy Hook Elementary School

in memory and prayers:

  Charlotte Bacon, 2/22/06, female
- Daniel Barden, 9/25/05, male
- Rachel Davino, 7/17/83, female.
- Olivia Engel, 7/18/06, female
- Josephine Gay, 12/11/05, female
- Ana M. Marquez-Greene, 04/04/06, female
- Dylan Hockley, 3/8/06, male
- Dawn Hochsprung, 06/28/65, female
- Madeleine F. Hsu, 7/10/06, female
- Catherine V. Hubbard, 6/08/06, female
- Chase Kowalski, 10/31/05, male
- Jesse Lewis, 6/30/06, male
- James Mattioli , 3/22/06, male
- Grace McDonnell, 12/04/05, female
- Anne Marie Murphy, 07/25/60, female
- Emilie Parker, 5/12/06, female
- Jack Pinto, 5/06/06, male
- Noah Pozner, 11/20/06, male
- Caroline Previdi, 9/07/06, female
- Jessica Rekos, 5/10/06, female
- Avielle Richman, 10/17/06, female
- Lauren Rousseau, 6/1982, female (full date of birth not specified)
- Mary Sherlach, 2/11/56, female
- Victoria Soto, 11/04/85, female
- Benjamin Wheeler, 9/12/06, male
- Allison N. Wyatt, 7/03/06, female

   

and for

OUR President and his family

of our United States of America,

those who are serving our Nation and their service animals

and all who have served

and their families,those who have fallen and are still missing we honor and thank you,

May the Creator bless you for holding us in your arms to protect our freedoms.

We  remember.

danLrene, CJ, Florence, Jenn, Bill, Denise, Ashe, Stuart Jr,  Barry Gibb, his family, Whitney, the Houston family, the family of our disco queen Donna Summer ,

Andre, Bill, Taft Abras, Mary Labyaks' family , Andrea, Patti, Jamie, Sasha, Kerri, Josh, Kar, Cash, Neil, Lori, Cindi, Tom, Shasta, Bill Simpson and Family, Jenn, Steph, Dana, Kari, Sandy, Marty, Marsha, Wanda, Ellen, Cindee, Peggy, Joyce Cruz, a CANCER survivor working at Southwest Airlines *it was an honor to meet you dear one*, Ike Davis, in New Mexico, an artisan who plays in the mud and creates beautiful tings out there, *http://www.negroartist.com/* what a joy you are to so many of SOUTHWEST, thank you for visiting with me, prayers of continued success and tobacco to your Pueblo uncle! and for Christos Fandaros, Thomas Galvin, John Knudson, Curtis, Susie Langham, Stasia and Billy Hall, Christina Chavez and Rick and Ryan, Pam Meyer, Whitney, Diane Bystista, Susan, Leann Vincent, Roxanne Duran, Carole Poppendeck, Mary Jo H-shortes, Bridget, Robert Tanner Mara Tanner, Yolanda L Acosta, Antonio F. Balderrama, Denise Flowers, Lisa Balance, Sherry Stedman, Rose, Marquette, Acosta, Ortega, The Pueblo Peoples,

All those I was honored to spend time with in

" Choctaw Nation, IN, VA, DC, MD, FL, CT, PA, Ohio, Michigan, South Dakotas, Geisinger Medical Center, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio, Solaris Hospice, Evercare, Hospice of the Western Reserve, Gesinger, Guardian Angel Hospice,  Crossroads Hospice, New Hope Hospice, Comfort Keepers KS, El Paso, Santa Fe, Albuquerque"

Jeremy, Florence, Cal, Sarch, our friends of Portugal, Mike, AnnMary,Stephanie, Jimmy, Keli, Kasi, Katherine, Julie, Allan, Lynda,LeeAnn, KS Comfort Keepers, Stephen Bright, Linda and staff Melody,Brenda A and children Sarah, David Rachel; Gloria, Pete, Fred, Max, JJ, Barb and Leo Henning, Rick Fechner, Ryan Baurain, Melissa Reid, "Probation Professional pals", Jim Vander May (*who has been working in the Professional field for 45 years in Michigan*, Dale, Herschel, Bonnie, Louise, Holly, Jerry, Faith, Yvette, Happy, Audrey, and Rod Markowski and family, Lynn, Ryan, Jordon, Darryl Markowski, I thank you for your service) Brian Markowski, Shannon Becker, Nick, Reagan, Dr Iris Taylor of Detroit Medical Center,, please take best care of you) Sandy R. Carol, Stephanie, Geri, Chris, Matt, those in Oklahoma City, in Tulsa, In Ft Worth, Dallas, Ike, Isabel, Teresa, Janelle, Patricia, Susan, Karen, Laura in Yuba City CA, The Walter Reed Warrior Transition Brigade, Hope Hospice, 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, 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, Dahlee, 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, Larry, Clive,

2 Wolves and Jinx in SD, (http://www.2wolvescreations.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 Brian, Ericka, Shannon, Hannah Sherabow, Pam C. and family, Susan S., Angela A., Nancy W, Sue G, Kelly and family, Susan Brouse, Cindy and Stevie, Kim, Olatz, EVB, Guin, Yiva, Mary, Sandra and family, Christina Helen, 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  of the US MARINES and his parents Sandy and Stuart, Lavie Coltrane and 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, 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"... the dolphins , always our most remarkable dolphins!!!

AND for:

Anne, Jim, JADE, Cynthia, 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 prayer bowl.

Walk in beauty
DRSES

The Kids are learning how to be stressed in school... just great

I stand amazed. I have had the opportunity to learn from others this week the teachings happening for our children elementary schools. Hold on people, we are teaching our children to learn new things every day, this week we are giving their brains information on ways, signs, signals, symptoms of
S T R E S S

Oh lawd, just what the country is in need of. Little kids, 7, 8 or 9 year olds now being taught the word, being given books to read with pictures to associate in the ever developing minds on Stress. 

What is wrong with people? Children need to be taught to read, to write, to become good citizens, to volunteer in the community, to enjoy their childhood. They need to laugh, to feel excited, to learn words that feel good on their tongues.

But to learn "stress"?  I'm fairly certain at the age of 7 I had never heard the word "stress". Pretty darn sure that I NEVER equated "butterflies in my stomach" as "stress", nor how to deal with such dastardly moments. This is a page from the book that is now being used in the school system for kids... Notice the title, pay close attention to the picture, the implication, the message being fed to the brain of a child...

 
"When you feel "stress" you may have butterflies in your stomach. (yea so?) Your hands may sweat. (ok) Your heart may even beat fast.(ever played kickball? Prepared for a great surprise?) It is important to know why you are feeling.... (encouraging someone to talk about feelings perhaps rather than feeding them the word/emotions of stress?)

Perhaps teachers should have used that day in school to talk to kids about rights and responsibilities of being a productive loved member of their homes. They could have easily shown the very same picture of a kid standing at the sink, with words that spoke of: "When you are responsible in your home you gleefully participate in the chores. Once you help Mom with the dishes, you have desert as you talk about your day!"  To think, what a plan is that...

STress is killing people in our country; professionals, caregivers suffering compassion fatigue, teachers saying they do not feel valued, folks being afraid of mass shootings, trust at an all time low. Now we have educators teaching our next generation learn words/emotions at an age where they should be reading fundamentals, playing, learning relationships, coming home and having fun.  Growing up is not all it's billed to be, there will be stress soon enough leave the children alone to be children! Teach them how to play well in the classrom, how to play well in the fields or auditorium. Teach them to be good stewards with field trips, stopping along the way to pick up a cup or can then placing it in the trash. Take them to a VA Hospital with baked goods for our Veterans, to a nursing home to touch or hug our Elders. Teach them stories of the Native Americans that is relevant to their growth and well-being. Hell, use the quotes of Dr. Seuss to inspire, motivate, learn that leave them filled with joys at the end of the day.  Build them up rather than give them something to think about, be afraid of, or use in ways that also teach them to become manipulators. Each child walks into the school system with their belief system from home, from the Ancestors. Most are joyful children with no agenda, some cannot tie their shoes, many have no idea what they want to be when they grow up, but will tell you in a hot minute how to program your Iphone.  Let them be kids rather than labels or the next generation of therapists meal ticket.

 A book covering health? Teach them about their hygiene, teach them about the importance of brushing their teeth standing on one leg for balance.  Have parents come in for show and tell.  But for Gods' sakes do not teach them to become "stress" with photographs that sear images into their brains that then become excuses not to do dishes, run vacuums or learn to cook. Parents it is your job to let the schools know you "are not putting up with that".
Get creative, want to know what is going on in the developing brain of those kids? Try asking them!Give them a tool to help them express feelings/thoughts that they do not understand or have the tools to deal with. Perhaps you could make something similar to this enlisting help or not from a kid. Keep it simple. Kids do not like long winded drawn out talks, they just have not developed that capacity in their brains yet. Remember when you were a kid? A young adult? Perhaps even know?
 

It falls to the parents/guardians to serve notice on how and what they allow the schools to send home for kids to read. It's up to the parents to balance all those things assuring that the kids don't end up a stressed out mess in the corner afraid of the next shoe dropping. Yelling at a kid by a teacher or telling a classroom that one kid is excellent the rest are not? what is up with that?

yes yes I know, teachers are having a hard time. I would not want their job, but if I had it... I would try to make learning fun, would try to look for the good.
I would not teach kids about Stress showing them a sink full of dishes that implies they will feel butterflies in the stomach rather than wash them and put them away if they want desert!
 So yes, fill the classroom with reading writing and arithmetic. Then fill it up with "life skills", rights and responsibilites for a young person to establish for right way relations that will grow each year making them into the best they can be. Remember to sit across the table with conversations, in and out of the classroom. Kids will tell you, it is a wonderful world. Especially if you ask them.

 Best of luck little kids...

Walk in beauty,
DRSES

Friday thought: Just BE

Look out weekend, here we come! The day after another tragedy unfolds in our Nations Capitol has people scratching their heads, wondering the whys of it, the hows of it, the "oh please God no's of it.  We as people once again gather in extreme shock of hearing that one woman from Stamford CT had a child in her car as she attempted to ram through the gates of the White House, flee toward the Capitol where all hell broke loose. The woman was shot as she tried to run ... of course we will wait for more details to emerge over the coming days.

Once again we shake our heads as the folks inside that building were on lock-down for a bit; the business going on inside probably affecting all of America. Three days into the Shutdown, the programs, the WWII vets storming past their museum that someone had the nerve to try and close during all this stupidity of grown men having their pissing contest that affects each and every American standing on soil. Could it be that this tragedy in a black luxury car of a woman with an innocent child will jar them into reality? Guess we all will see about that.
...............

It is Friday; a day to get yourself in the place you want to be as you move into the weekend. What is happening is what is happening. As much as we may not like it, may disagree strongly about it, worry has never served anyone well. Fretting, wringing hands does not look good on a person, nor make for happy times.  "Feelings" can at times work against a person, rendering them helpless to move moods, or challenge them to "just be".  This day is a chance to change that, to monitor feelings, to change your focus while changing your state; from fear to fantastic... From feelings to doings, from self to other, from how it has been to how you want it to be.

Time waits for no one, it is movement, motion, always going strong. Be Bright, Be Happy, Just BE.

Expect resistance from others, know that folks want you to be where and who you have always been. No one likes change, but it is the only thing that is constant! We can depend on the tide; it rolls in, it rolls out. Usually bringing with it great gifts of the sea, great tranquility as the light plays on the shimmer of waters edges.

Just BE, free to do what feels best to you as you change your focus seeing that your state of mind and feelings change with it. Feel the Universal spirit move within you as you embrace the opportunity of new things, new people new understandings of your light.

Just BE.. bright, happy, enjoying those things that fill you up as you outshine the sun.

Yes, yes oh yes, there are tragedies in our personal lives, sadness, sorrow in the world. I'm not asking you to run from that, to escape that. Only that you find the core strength (if you can or choose to) along with learning to breathe, to balance and to BE. Life is a great balancing act. Center self first, step by step, leap by leap. Fall down 7 times get up 8...
And so it is!

Friday, Friday, Friday... are you ready for the weekend? Balance on!

May you have a blessed weekend, a joyous weekend, one that fills you up within. STep on into your weekend, with your head held high, you are the master of your destiny! 

 Walk in beauty,
DRSES

 

Finding your stance

That Dr. Seuss was just a brillant one.. Schools should make his books mandatory reading from kindergarten through high school for wisdom and sage advise. His quotes should be used in therapy sessions mentioned in friendships and family dinners often! Not having children in grade school, I was fascinated at first, then found my mind went quickly from fascination to disgust as I learned teachers are now using a book to instill fear and stress into the brains of the little ones. There are chapters for "stress" with a child standing at the sink in a kitchen going on to describe the "stress", with butterflies in the stomach! Rather than teaching children about roles in the home, rights and responsibilities, chores and the excitement one can get from those magnificent butterflies in the stomach... they are teaching children STRESS symptoms... Setting them up for the next new diagnosis while making parents want to just boycott books while making most shake their heads in disgust. Really? Seriously? I would be on that school board in a hot flash wanting to know "what are you thinking here"?

  What is positive when giving life lessons through education of how to feel stress when 7 or 9 years old? We all are in a constant time of change, everyone changes, situations change, people change, the seasons change... Kids change from breakfast to lunch as they sear images into their brains, as they think, wonder, explore butterflies and wonder. .Life can sometimes be rough; it can knock us off balance at times... and when that happens,

how we react will often depend on

how we position our stance.

You know, how we can immediately react and"balance" or reset our stand...

kind of like being on a balance beam if you will, it's all about the balance!

Sometimes we stand just like any other day, and if you try this you just might be in for a big surprise.

Have someone help you on this.

Just stand straight and have someone you trust stand in front of you;

then have them take their hand, their forefinger and just press/push against your shoulder...

It probably won't take too much pressure and you will notice you "lose your balance"

SNAP

Just like that!

Caught you off guard huh?

Now, time to reset your balance I'm thinking.

OK

Focus, feel your feet, on the ground, plant yourself firmly... feel deeply in your stomach and connect the two solidly.

Seat yourself firmly and solidly planted and connected.

NOW

ask your friend to try it again.

Solid now right?

That is how you stay balanced, with a stance that is solid.Your core being in line. It may take practice, it may have been that you have been off the mark for years, for months, for situations, for trying to do or be more than you are. It may be that your focus was here rather than there, that your desire to do for one was greater than another, your need to work more than you should, to work less than you are able...

You may find you have stood up once to often when the boat was hitting those waves a bit hard, finding yourself on the ground wondering how did you get there!

Once you find your stance, work on your core strength, work on what you feel you need to do in order to create or re-build... that is when you will find the center again.

Then when those moments take you by surprise, you are solid. You can get back easier to you, the divine source within. Things won't disrupt you from your stance so abruptly.

Feelin me here?

The life experiences are meant to "shake us" to move us in directions sometimes unimagined, and that is ok,

change is all around us.

BUT

we can feel and BE in control of those major quakes and unexpected times if we are on solid ground from within... by grounding ourselves and our stance.

Ever been on a boat?

Hit a wave or two and noticed how your stance changes on its' own?

Got your sea legs goin?

Been hiking?

Walkin' up hill and notice how your body shifts, you lean into it...

It's all in the stance!

"click"

Been on a ladder lately?

Notice how your body changes?

You become more alert in your movements,

more present with each step,

more aware!

If we know deeply from within

that no matter our circumstance

or the cards that are dealt

we can

stand

with amazing grace

through the storms of life

and

still weather it

without falling down

without losing our stance

by

securing our stance in our mindfulness

and

intention

Stand UP

Stand strong

Be the YOU that you are

Walk In Beauty

DRSES

Thoughts on the wind to all as the fire is burning brightly

We Are gentle warriors here,

that is the HOPE

in Healing Heartaches

http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/

www.drses.wordpress.com

www.sherryeshowalter.com

 

 

Butterflies, fall, transformation, FALL is in the air

Ah, the wonder of Butterflies

and the lessons that they teach us.

Transformation

Hello October, my time flies... Morning light changes, the darkness was quiet here, the littles are still sleeping as I feel the gentle breeze move, the fall is of our year here. The butterflies will come today,I can feel it as I type my thoughts for this day... Yesterday the sun was bright and the day gifted me with more than one beautiful butterfly... they danced and danced, performing for me for the longest time... reminding me of the transformation with each graceful dip and swoop across the plants and then high up to the trees; and back for me to admire. I love butterflies ...

That reminds me of a story~ and I HOPE it will fill your heart today ~

Many, many years ago back when the Earth was still quite new, there once lived a beautiful butterfly who lost her mate in battle.

 To show her grief, she took off her beautiful wings and wrapped herself in a ashen cocoon. In her sadness, she could not sleep, she could not eat and her relatives kept coming to her lodge to see if she about her.  She grew weary of them asking, she didn't want to be a burden on her people so she gathered her wings and her medicine bundle and went away on a long journey.

She wandered about for many days and months, until  she had gone all around the world.  On her journey she kept her eyes downcast and stepped on each stone she came to as she crossed fields and creeks and streams. There came a time, one day as she was looking down, she happened to notice the stone beneath her feet, and it was so beautiful that it healed her sorrow, almost as if something "clicked" within her right at that moment in time.

 She then cast aside her dark cocoon, shook the dust from her wings, and donned them once more.

 She was so happy she began to dance to give thanks ~ wado~ for another chance to begin her life anew. Then she went home and told The People about her long journey, where she had been, the things at the creek, how it had "clicked" and how it felt to fly differently now with her wings once again, and how it had healed her. 

The Legend Continues To This Day...

To this day,The People dance the "Fancy Shawl Dance" as an expression of renewal, transformation and to give thanks for new seasons, new life, and new beginnings.

The shawl in the Fancy Shawl Dance represents the butterfly's wings, the fancy steps and twirls represent the butterfly's style of flight. This is another reason you will sometimes hear the Fancy Shawl Competition Dance referred to as "the butterfly dance", and it is most beautiful to watch and to participate in.

As we approach the dark months, many feel the urge to cocoon now,  but "click" in a moment, you may want to fold your blanket neatly (cocoon of modern times) and STOMP... be a butterfly and dance, to the sounds of life, the drum of your heart beat and rejoice in the great gratitude that you are alive today... 

"The caterpillar dies so the butterfly could be born. And, yet, the caterpillar lives in the butterfly and they are but one. So, when I die, it will be that I have been transformed from the caterpillar of earth to the butterfly of the universe."

{John Harricharan}

The fire is burning brightly with thoughts on the wind for all in our prayer bowl ... and all who gather here, please hold those up in thoughts that you see and know from the names posted here on Sundays' just because you can and choose to ...

For that I give thanks, and so it is !

Walk In Beauty,

DRSES

author of

Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life

http://www.sherryeshowalter.com/

The Wild of Monday

It's time to rock n roll into the week, dance on top of the desk, the car, or if you must on your bed... time to let the good times roll if you will with wild imaginations and move the thoughts into action in good or bad ways...

As I read the morning emails I sat letting my imagination roll as Dot/Mom/Cob described her weekend findings: A ground hog at the river in VA that walked toward her with attitude. She shot, she missed. It moved in under the cabin. I cried.  Only later to return home to the smell of "skunk" infiltrating her home, the wild kingdom now following her as I imagined her shooting holes in the floor there on a rampage. I cried again, thinking perhaps I bruised a rib and read on. Doors open, windows open, she then had visions of babies under the house, a community of skunks while groundhogs were having a party at the river in her absence... what is next in VA, bears perhaps or maybe just Kamryn on a sugar overload?

 Hello Monday, you sure do look good to me! Sun shining, final proofing of Down The Hallway slow but sure, line by line, word by word... as visions of skunks, groundhogs Mom with a gun now stomping through her home trying to scare the critters off go bouncing through my mind. Only to see through the tears of laughter as the day goes full tilt and zooms by here at the end of September the last day of this fast paced month.

Hard to imagine tomorrow begins October in all her glory, but what a day to end on, only to finish that email, jump on facebook reading my buddy Ken Hess is eating Liver n Onions... Enough to flip the stomach if ever their was something so early in the day after such a read. I'm sure if he or Joe Graff lived in VA they would slay the ground hog and stew up the skunk just cos' they are that good!

But for now, Dot/Mom/Cob is left with Kamryn and chocolate, with foot stomping and music, and heaven help us her gun.  She is by now in the pool at the YMCA or volunteering at the Nursing Home weaving great stories to those she volunteers with, and hatching a plan! Perhaps she will sneak the residents out for the day and go on a groundhog hunt, or a skunk search... Wild times in the little town with an escort by the Sheriff lights and sirens to boot!
I can see it now.

The town will toast her, will proclaim the day with her being the SKUNK slayer. they will not have to wait for groundhog day to announce spring as she will be standing on the streets with the dead groundhog in hand! Maybe the whole community can get involved in this and celebrate! Even the local church can put up a sign like the one I found here...

And in other news today... oh wait, that  news bad or is scary stuff, this is much funnier, let's just stay with this! Start the week of right, with laughter, with humor, with imagination and move from there.

Yep, that's all I have to say about that.

Somewhere something awful has happened, something bad is happening... and for that we all offer up hope, prayers and thoughts of healing.

For those serving our great Nation, we support and we offer gratitude.

Walk in beauty,
DRSES