The Red Hat Ladies
With A Bear Front And Center
Took Largo Florida
By Dance, Laugh and Purple Haze!
And they came... and came/// and came...
The music played, they danced the Conga, they did the twist... they played in the park and they had quite a time ~ The Red Hats were everywhere in every size and shape! A good time was had by all; and many left with bookmarks and books titled: Healing Heartaches, signed by {DRSES}
SO ... I'm thinkin as I'm drinkin my coffee this morning; "Better think quick DRSES, you have finish with the ole packing, love on the dogs, make sure you have ever"ting", and hit the road for your trip" NO WAIT... first think, be mindful, write blog, drink coffee.... AWWWW, BETTER...
REMEMBER, "Every Day's A Gift" aw, yes, that' better... B R E A T H E....
OK,
COB comes to Florida today! yippee, "Oh nooo", little dogs say; (insert laughter)
*****
So, since Ever Day IS A Gift... Today's thoughts are on: giving the gift of .... YOU!!!
GIVE THE GIFT OF YOU
Sharing of yourself…
Maybe you have time to give by volunteering, or love to give by mentoring a child or tutoring. Perhaps you are a great baker and can participate in a bake sale for a fundraiser.
Just maybe... you have been so moved by reading Healing Heartaches that you now are telling everyone you know about it... maybe you are gifting it to everyone you do business with... like a woman I call Lovie in Pinellas County,
Or telling all about it like Jaren's Mom shouting it's praise from here to Maine to Brazil!
Or... maybe you are in Apex NC and you are honking and broadcasting like a goose on a mission starting up a book club and now have the author's permission to call it: HEALING HEARTACHES BOOK CLUB!!!
Read a children’s book at story hour at the library, challenge your town (Apex, NC) to read Healing Heartaches, visit a nursing home or elder care facility. Help out at the local animal shelter… the list is endless. Get Involved with life and all those living in it!
It’s easy, and good to donate stuff from our overcrowded closet or garage to a thrift store.
It requires that we get organized, clearing our thoughts in addition to our closets and spend precious time bagging and delivering what we really want to get out of the house anyway. We may need to ask for help to get this done from neighbors, teens at hospice, teens needing to feel good about themselves, (call my Godsons, they love to help others) Nothing wrong with that, and we should pat ourselves on the back for this type of contribution too. BUT…Giving of ourselves is different. It requires giving emotionally, giving of our precious time.
Sometimes our lives feels crowded with things to do, errands to run, contacts to follow up on, bills to pay, house and yard work calling, phone calls to return, emails stacking up and left unread.
Sound familiar? Busy, busy always, but which of these tasks fill us with joy, replenish us emotionally? *** Where did those 24 hours go that I had just a moment ago???****
I’ll venture a guess that only the ones that fuel a people connection add to the rich fabric of our lives. When we make a real connection, lift someone up, reach out and spend a bit of time with a friend, or make a new friend… we feel less overwhelmed by tasks, and more grounded in what really matters. Folks show up when we whet our breaths and ask for them, when we get creative and look for them; when we put the energy into the Universe that we need a little help and a little light!
I get that time is a valued commodity, and I too suffer from “time management” issues. And here I sit with my thoughts and my coffee this morning... Going away for days but oh here I sit.. haha Sometimes the entire week jets by and I spin out of the vortex to realize that I don’t know why I feel no further ahead of my “to do” list than when the week first started…
So how to break the cycle of always “doing” and not spending time just” being”?
Put on some music that you really enjoy. I think we just read/wrote about the power of music to move and inspire ... Sit quietly with your self and glance back at the week. What of the many tasks you accomplished brought you or someone else a good feeling? What gave joy, tenderness and caring? Where did you share the love? If there were too few on your list, go back to the drawing board and reassess your plan for this next week. Did I mention, "you should have seen those red hats en mass dancing yesterday"!!!
I promise that if you park one, just one thing, on your schedule that gives of yourself to some other human being, you will improve your own life, and the life of someone else immeasurably. Since you are going to be busy everyday anyway, why not enrich the quality of what you are doing. The quantity of tasks seems to take care of itself. We all are given the gift of 24 hours ... whew they go so fast... seems there is just not enough hours in a day!
Start small, make a cup of coffee or tea and call that person you have been meaning to call for weeks. Call you BFF, or your sister, maybe your Mom or your Aunt. Don't have any of those?
Sit with your coffee; make another cup and sit it across from you... talk to that person that you "used to know"... tell them of what you want/need/hope/dream... GIVE THE GIFT OF YOU, and make it count for the coffee moment of reflection, of hope and inspiration. Make a connection. Reestablish a connection. Sick of the phone? On the phone all day everyday at work and are having an allergic reaction to picking the phone up on your day off? What about sending a card with a hand written note to someone you care for. Share the love…
What about a letter? Not an email? No… a real honest to goodness old fashioned letter written on paper. Got a stamp? What would you say if this were the last time you might have the chance to write to someone? I remember the joy of grabbing the mail out of the mailbox and finding something other than ads and bills. (I still get that excitement) Remember how fabulous it felt to toss the mail aside and open a real letter? It would make my day. I would sit and read it, then reread it. Savoring the news, loving that someone thought of me and took the time to write. (I feel that same excitement each day the emails arrive when folks have written after finding my email at the end of the book, and are sharing their thoughts with me)You can give this little gift to someone you may have neglected lately.
OK, so whether you can make time to volunteer, or get involved in your community in a big way, or just jot a note to a loved one, or a gift to YOU. Take the time, make the time. Steal the time from some meaningless chore that you would otherwise have ticked off the endless “to do” list. You will be better for having given of yourself.
So there you have it... thoughts for the morning, as the sun is now beginning to come through the trees casting a beautiful and warm dance on the Spanish Moss.
Before closing and you think me a "last minute" packer, I will share with you I had a plan, a great plan of being all ready for my trip; all set after spending time with the Red Hatters in Largo... BUT, then the unthinkable happened.
My cell phone decided to mess up... SO... I was advised to go into the VERison store for them to "manually" fix it.... 3 hours later... I was seeing red, having missed a client session by phone, and an incompetent representative having "destroyed/cleared/wiped out ALL 209 of my contacts in MY PHONE..... I then returned home with a phone that was clean... as in NO NO NO EMAIL/CONTACTS/NOTHING NOTHIN NOTHIN
AND THEN SPENT 3 HOURS MORE ON THE PHONE WITH VERIZON....
"can you say... I AM NOT HAPPY WITH VERISON"
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
'][' So if you do not get a call from me, it is because I do not have your phone number ~ ~
Did I mention I do NOT like this???
OK enough of that rant, moral of story? I am late in the doings of being ready, thanks to verison
NOW:
Regarding Fred the Lizard: Olivia wants all in Apex and the world to know: Fred IS Fred!
Chris, Wear your warpaint today friend, your angels are with you as you go to see the Docs, we hear ya, wantin a robe to wrap up in ~ NOTED. I hear that one is on the way to NY
Linda: Healing Heartaches Book Club, with Goose honking mascots broadcasting the launch, bravo, think Oprah might just be interested in knowing that Apex has been challenged to read and be uplifted by Healing Heartaches!!!
Wilma Mankiller, enjoying the day with friends and family, and hopes all are doing the same
Lee Brewster, fierce violin player, look him up on itunes, CD available, will away from his loving family on cruise line soon entertaining many ~ Play on Lee, with your beautiful sounds!
Sharon Sharp: wants to add Healing Heartaches as selection for her Book Club in Northern Virgina! Larry Sharp was a wonderful man, a loving and devoted dad, (and both Larry and Sharon great friends of none other than COB!)Details to come
My pal, JOe Graff out there in the west is loving life, having to have some surgery in April to improve his baseball playing on a "nerve" so wishing you well Joe, and loving seeing your memories on this page.
OK, sending all thoughts, hugs on the winds, and keeping the fire burning for all.
Time to get busy... the four-leggeds know something is up!
Wherever you are, whatever you are up to on this remarkable day... I wish you enough!
Walk In Beauty,
DRSES
Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss & Life
http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/
order your autographed copies here!
Now available at: Amazon.com, Borders.com bbotw.com
Healing Heartaches Inspired Jewelry by Joan
http://www.etsy.com/ type Healing Heartaches in search bar and then click on jgrusso2010 on the images!
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13 comments:
Hi everyone-here's and update on my flight to NY for breast cancer--"the 'girls' were born in NY and will be staying in NY" The rest of me will be returning to Fl with my angel's help for a very loooong time! not sure on the follow-up of chemo, that all depends on what they find after the 'girls' leave. Thank you all for your support and love that has been sent both thru Sherry's blog and personally.
"talk to ya later"
P.S. If you have Sherry's phone #--give her a call--she can reprogram any received calls back into her phone.
I am very thankful that FRED is FRED!
Names are important and we like FRED!
Take Sherry's advice - From personal experience she can be a really "tough" cookie, and really makes you do the work to get yourself on the right road, not letting you take the easy way out - but always with a loving heart, AND IT WORKS ! We all need a little push every now and then, or we become complacent. So the challenge for us today is to follow Shers lead. I am thinking "Pay it Forward" Maybe we can start our own " Pay it Forward Healing Heartaches Movement. In the words of Nike - "JUST DO IT"
Do agree with the tough cookie part!!!!!!
Regarding warpaint: Has anyone seen the movie:
WHY I WORE LIPSTICK TO MY MASTECTOMY? Her lipstick was surely her warpaint.
I choose to wear something else as my warpaint.
Kinda curious if others "literally" interpret warpaint and what they wear.
I am glad to learn that I am not the only person who cannot read these blogs daily and sometimes needs a break. I guess the blog above me explained why we need a break. WE are not always ready for the "tough" cookie.
I read the blog everyday. Usually after a long day at work and a long commute. Look forward to it every time. Keeps me positive and focused on what is really important. I remember my parents who adopted and fostered a tom of kids over the years dressing us up in our Sunday school best and taking us to Blue Plains Old Folks Home to make a mini childrens choir and sing for the elders. Wheelchairs then were like chin back chairs that reclined. Loooong time ago. We made easter baskets out of egg cartons and delivered them to an orphanage at easter. Baked cookies for sick kids with new casts that lived in our neighborhood. Delivered clothes and hot meals
to needy families. Learned many life long lessons without a word being spoken. My DAD EARNED $1 AN HOUR DURING THOSE DAYS AND SOMEHOW WE STILL DID ALL THAT AND MORE. So I learned early about giving without a word being spoken about our deserving a thank you. For those lessons I am forever thankful. Talk about a wealth of memories. As A result, I value volunteering and have found many ways to continue these silent deeds. As Dr. Showalter so aptly points out, when we "give" we are enriched. Our lives are measurably better, as are the lives we touch. The phone allergy rang a huge bell for me and I too love real old fashioned letters!
As for Chris. Good that the "GIRLS" are home with family in NY and good that they will stay and you will come home free of breast cancer, ready to take on the world. Lots of love to you. You are strong and will heal well. Tell us how we can help other than sending love and hugs.
Thanks for the reminder to do for others. Sometimes in the rush of everyday lie, we forget the value of giving the gift of ourselves....
If you become a Facebook fan, will this blog come in your live feed?
I am soooo BLESSED BY THE WORDS OF ALL OF YOU...
Thank you all, "Wado"
to JOan, my darling one, you have a great, I mean great idea, I am honored, THE PAY IT FORWARD HEALING HEARTACHES MOVEMENT" Let's do it!!!
Chris, YOU ARE THE WARRIOR, WE ARE WITH YOU, As John Travolta approached the bull with joy in the movie Michael, threw back the sides of his coat, and stomped his feet with a grin on his face and said, " BATTLE "... we are with you as you prepare to say so long to "the GIRLS" leaving them in NY... we will be with you and await your return home to FLorida...
Blog, live feed, fan page... hmmm, JOe G, help, Gary Sims, help.... out of my league on that, but will research...
Great stories on the long commute and volunteering as a child/adult and phone alergies of anonymous, what a wonderful woman you must be... bravo to your parents, your wisdom keepers for allowing you such moments of giving through amazing grace.
Keep this page alive with such beautiful threads of wonderment, thoughts and feelings to the ole "tough cookie" ~ ~ ~
OTC used to mean over the counter to me, now it could also mean OLE TOUGH COOKIE.
COB + OTC = ?
EVERY day's a GIFT
That is the front license plate on my car.
People, even the toll booth collectors in many
states, comment on that front plate, STOP me.
I have believed in that motto, lived by that
motto and will continue to share it.
CHRIS: You and the " girls" have had a good
time together, what better place to leave them in good hands, than in N.Y. where their roots are from. Good luck, see ya back in Fla. !
Dr. SES: happy travels, good luck with the
cell phone drama. Don't cha just wanna
SCREAM !!!!!!!!!!!! when technology works against itself ? or perhaps VERI-SON-of a __
Hope everyone is having a good day.
Till tomorrow........ I remain me.....
I am not sure what PAY IT FORWARD MEANS ?
I do know I was inspired while waiting to use the bathroom at a hospital today. The woman behind me in line was holding an ice pack to one of the "girls," appeared to be in pain, and shared she hoped it would not be cancer. Since she was alone, I asked if I could hold her ice-pack while she used the toliet ( just did not like the idea of the ice pack on the germ filled floor, then back to the "girls." I held her ice-pack and she asked me to pray for her. I said I would. She said well how about now. So, I said a little prayer in front of strangers in a hospital bathroom....all of whom I will probably never see again.
It made my day at the hospital better simply because I held someone's ice pack & prayed for them.
...oooO..............
....(....)...Oooo....
.....\..(....(....).....
......\_)....)../......
.............(_/.......
even though angels have wings,
they still remember how to WALK beside us
Blessings to all!
Lovely one and all, and so beautiful an end to a long day ... g'night all.
Not know "pay it forward"? so sad... maybe you just don't know the expression, for surely today you know the intention :)
OLe tough cooke : OTC> hahahaha
"real tough cookie" per Joan~~~~ heehe
very funny indeed, "where's the Mama" Olivia and I do get quite a kick from that...
Oh my COB is with the babies now... hope they are having fun.
sweet dreams all.
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