199. What You Want

Think about what you wish you had… what you want… what it will feel like when you have it… Rather than thinking about what is.

198. Hug Yourself

Some days are just not great. Everything seems to go wrong… you hit every red light you come to, you spill your drink, and drop food on your shirt…the dog or cat pees on your carpet… you know, one of those days when you really need a hug!

There is a Hindu woman who understands what a hug can do to help people. According to Wikipedia, ” Her Holiness Sri Mātā Amritānandamayī (born Sudhamani Idamannel; 27 September 1953), often known as Amma (“Mother”), is an Indian Hindu spiritual leader, guru and humanitarian, who is revered as ‘the hugging saint‘ by her followers. ” She began hugging people she met who felt down or sad when she was just a child. She felt it was her job to let the love that poured out of her be offered up to others through her hugs. For years she has worked up to 20 hours a day just hugging anyone who needs a little love. People line up and wait for hours for one of her hugs.

But what if you’re not near family or friends who might offer a hug when you find yourself in need? Hug yourself! Poppycock!!… you say, how can you hug yourself?!? It might sound silly, but it works. Simply quiet your mind… take a couple of deep breaths… close your eyes, and think back… picture yourself, or think of yourself as a child. It doesn’t matter how old, just your younger self. Let your younger self stand or sit right beside you. Think about how great that little kid was! Not about their problems, but just how awesome that you wish they knew they really were… How much you love that little kid, or how much they need the love. Now, give them a great BIG, long hug! REALLY hug them tight! As you’re sending love to your younger self, do you FEEL the love coming back??! You bet you do! It really works, doesn’t it??! You just hugged yourself… now, don’t you feel better?!

197. Heaven, It’s Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be – or- Life’s About To Get Good

Everyone loves, even longs for, a perfect day. You know the kind of day I’m talking about… The sun shines, it’s not too hot or too cold, but just right. There’s a light breeze, just enough to keep the air moving, but not enough to blow hair into your face. You wake up rested and refreshed (is that even a thing??). You hit every green light on your way to wherever you go. You run into only people who are having equally good days, they are as polite and courteous to you, as you are to them. Your entire day goes well from the moment you get up until the moment you fall asleep, just like in Barbieland. Although, if every day was filled with enjoyment and sunshine, you might possibly find yourself longing for a little rain to come into your life. Just like Barbie, you might find yourself wanting to experience more.

The perfect day makes me think of Heaven. Word on the street is that Heaven is a great place to be, but think of everything you’ll miss out on when you’re there. Sure, no war or fighting, that’s probably Heaven’s biggest selling point. The whole no suffering or death thing is huuuuggge! But, really think about it. I mean, REALLY! The flowers are always blooming, right? They don’t die either. No leaves to rake, because, well, that would mean the leaves were dead, and that’s the number ONE rule…NO death! How about sadness? That seems like something you wouldn’t find in heaven. Does that mean there are no movies with sad endings in heaven? Or books with bad/sad endings? Or are they there, but you just don’t feel sad when you watch or read them?

What else might you NOT experience? I’m guessing if you’re living in Heaven, you’re never going to smell anything unpleasant again. No skunks spraying or dog farts. No stinky Durian fruit or smelly blue cheese. How about a bitter taste? Is that a “thing” in heaven, or are all tastes pleasant? I guess you’d never again experience “cold”, or that feeling, because of, well, the whole lack of a human body thing… Maybe that explains the question about bitter taste too. Never again would you taste burnt toast, (or smell it)! No flat sodas. Forget foods, let us move on… This just popped into my head… never would you ever again see someone trip or fall down! I mean, if the person doesn’t get hurt, sometimes that can be funny! Kids even trip each other. None of that is in heaven! How about rain and darkness? You’d never again have an itch you can’t quite reach to scratch. Never again will you be able to tell a little lie to get out of doing something you’re just not in the mood to do. Never will you feel a sense of accomplishment after working hard to make something happen, and then having it finally come to fruition. I mean, how hard would you have to work in Heaven? Would you experience a longing for anything… because in Heaven (I’m guessing) there’s nothing you can’t get or accomplish. How about anticipation or disappointment, will you feel that in Heaven? The list is endless.

The good, the bad, the bittersweet, that’s what life is for.  Don’t shy away from shadows, raise a glass to darkness, toast the falling star. There’s beauty in the broken, honey, even in the scars.  

 ~Bard, AI

What if that’s why you’re here living in this place called, Earth? Maybe we come here simply to experience all the things that aren’t available to us in Heaven. That would help explain reincarnation. I mean, how much time could you handle absolutely everything going your way? How many perfect days before you get a little bored and long for something more? Realizing this could help you to live your best life while you’re here, enjoying not just the good stuff, but the unpleasant bits too. When you think about life here with all this in mind, doesn’t it make life even more amazing?! I don’t know about you, but for me, it makes what we’d call the “bad” bits of life a little less bad. The saying, ”It’s all good “, takes on a whole new meaning.

This place called, Earth is full of surprises! Life is full of mystery, magic, and surprises! Embrace it all and experience it all with as much zest for your life as you had when you were a young child… Because life’s about to get good!!

Matthew 18:3²: “And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”

196. Enjoying Your Journey?

Well, it’s that time of the year when everyone reflects on their year’s journey and ponders what they’d like to accomplish in the coming year. Most people, it seems to me, are under the illusion that their accomplishments will lead to happiness in their lives. Maybe to an extent that’s true, but only if you are enjoying the path you’re on because the journey is what life’s all about.

That becomes really clear, really fast, when you’re diagnosed with what doctors consider To be a terminal disease, like ALS /MND. Suddenly, the journey is all you have. Medical doctors/scientists tell us PALS that time is up with a diagnosis like MND. Do NOT pass go and do NOT collect $200! Whatever destination or accomplishments you had planned on will no longer be possible. They are wrong… but, that’s a whole other story!

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – T.S. Eliot

Understand this… we should all be enjoying our journeys because the journey is really what it’s all about. We’ll never be satisfied with what we have, we’ll always want something more, or different. That’s just the way we’re wired. Sometimes that can cause problems, depending on how much you buy into the need to acquire the latest and best shiny new bobble that comes out, but, in general terms, it’s okay to always want something. If you were totally satisfied with every aspect of your life, what would be the point? Even if you don’t feel the need for “things”, you should feel the need or desire to do or accomplish something.  We should enjoy each and every day as much as possible. Not because it might be your last, because it won’t. I guarantee you will wake up somewhere tomorrow. Will it be where you are today? I don’t know. Again, that’s a whole other story.

Embrace the possibilities of each new day and try to have fun in the process. Even the potholes and inevitable detours will lead you to new adventures you would have otherwise never taken… it’s all about the journey!

195. Joy

Tis the season for joy! Tis always the season for joy! Joy is what life is all about, this time of the year and always! You came into this life to have fun. If you’re not having fun, then you’re doing it wrong. Find what brings you joy, and do it!

Joy! Webster’s dictionary offers this definition of joy;  “to experience great pleasure or delight”. How do you define joy? For me, joy is a happy memory, or a kiss from my grand-pup, Lenny. Joy is helping someone else in some way, or writing a post for my blog. Joy is opening my email and seeing a note from a friend. Joy is having my cat fall asleep on my lap. Do what brings you joy, even if it’s sledding down a snowy hill and you are currently past prime sledding age… take the necessary precautions, and do it anyway (watch the video clip at the top of the page)! Think of joyful things. Watch joyful movies. Listen to music that brings you joy.

When you face tough times, your thoughts about those times are the only element preventing you from feeling joy. Know that joy can be found in even the darkest of times. When a loved one passes on, of course, you will be sad. But, you can also find joy in remembering the fun you had together. Re-watch their favorite movie or TV show. Enjoy a meal or drink you know they loved. Do something that reminds you of a joyful moment you shared.

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy

and keep choosing it every day.”

~ Henri Nouwen

Joy is always there, waiting for you to engage with it. The more you think about joy and look for it, the more it will find you, this holiday season and always.

194. No Limits

Sing along with this 90’s European techno music (but just the chorus, some of the lyrics are shabby-LOL)! They sing about no limits… there are no limits to the things that we can accomplish. No limit to our abilities. None! Let that sink in for a moment!

It was not that long ago that running a mile in only four minutes was thought impossible for a human to achieve. That is until Roger Bannister came along and did it. Once people realized it was possible, more people began running the four-minute mile. Now well over 1,700 people have been able to run a mile in four minutes or less. The fastest so far was timed at 3 minutes, 43.13 seconds, a record held by, Hicham El Guerrouj. I wonder how long until someone runs a three-minute mile?!

If there are truly no limits to our abilities, the impossible becomes possible. We just need to find a way to accomplish whatever it is we want. Just knowing that it is possible, is half the battle. A quote from one of my favorite speakers, Esther Hicks speaks of our healing limitations,

Someone asked us recently, “Is there any limitation to the body’s ability to heal?” And we said, “None other than the belief that you hold.” And he said, “Then why aren’t people growing new limbs?” And we said, “Because no one believes that they can.”

Excerpted from San Rafael, CA on 2/27/99

Could you even imagine… GROWING… a new limb?!! I have read about people who had an organ removed, only to find years later that they somehow have the organ again. It’s common for a liver to regenerate to full size after a portion is removed, which is how they can remove just a portion of the liver for transplant surgeries. We often forget that the skin is considered an organ, which regenerates whenever you have a scrape or cut. Maybe one day, growing a finger or a gallbladder will be as common as growing new skin!

We continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. What will you achieve knowing there are no limits?!

193. Signs, Signs Everywhere A Sign #II

If you are a regular reader, you know, thanks to ALS I don’t get out much, especially since Covid. I saw many PALS (people with ALS) get very sick, even die, after getting the Covid vaccine, so I opted not to get any. I just hunkered down with Leslie Jordan and waited it out. I decided to take a different approach when it comes to protection of all kinds. I turn to Spirit.

Whenever I go out, I ask Arch Angels Raphael and Michael to place a bubble of protection around me and whoever I’m with to keep us safe and healthy. A zone where no germs can enter, and no harm can come. The last time I did this, I was already in the van and we were on our way to town. I started my silent prayer, and before I could even finish, a semi-truck and trailer turned in front of us as we waited at the stop light… painted on the trailer was a huge angel holding a large shield. I took that as a sign that we would be kept safe and remain healthy, and there was no need to finish my request… I said a silent, “Thanks.” I didn’t even think to look for a brand or company name on the truck, I have no idea what they were hauling. I was just so surprised to see the giant angel… and at that exact moment… because I’m certain I have never seen an angel on a truck before!

We went to TJMaxx that day shopping. Shopping is something I have only done a couple of times since Covid. My breathing abilities have taken a turn for the worse in the past couple of years. Going anywhere is no longer easy because I need to use a BiPap machine to help me breathe most of the time, and it is a very heavy and cumbersome piece of equipment to carry with you. So, we shopped for quite a while, then my headache let me know I probably needed to use my bipap to reduce my CO2 buildup and take a deep breath. So, my daughter took me out to the van and got me set up on my bipap so she could go back in and purchase our items. It was an unusually warm day, so she turned the air on in the van and went into the store. It didn’t take long before I began to wonder if turning on the van was a good idea. I was in my wheelchair in the back of the van, and I literally can’t move. The van was unlocked and running, sitting in a parking lot in Muncie, Indiana… not exactly the safest city in the state! Anyone could have jumped into the van, probably not even seeing me in the back, and taken off! But, I remembered the picture of the angel on the semi earlier that day and trusted that I was being protected. Many minutes later, we were on our way home, with no problems!

It was a great day out for us all, we made it home safely, and days later no illnesses either. I will continue to rely upon and trust in God/Spirit /Arch Angels for my health and safety. Spirit is always available to help with whatever you need, all you have to do is ask and watch for the signs!

192. Unexpected Message

This is dedicated to my former school teachers, David Wintin and Austin Custer.

I had a dream last night. Nothing new there, I dream complicated, detailed, vivid dreams pretty much every night. However, this dream came with a message.

I was in school, and to graduate each student had to write a series of three stories, the last being fairly short, but had to be written in a short amount of class time, it was not a take-home assignment. For some reason, I hadn’t cared enough about my class to even do the second writing assignment, and now here we were at the third and final one. I was not expecting to pass. However, something changed when I was preparing at home for the final writing assignment (we were allowed to prepare, but couldn’t start writing until class time), and I started thinking about all that I had learned from my teacher. You see, this teacher did more than teach a class, he befriended his students. We had fun over the years. I had learned much that didn’t come from a school book, without even realizing it. I decided that night to sit down and write my second story, which would be a thank you to my teacher for all he had done over the years for all of his students. We had a certain format we were supposed to follow, but that didn’t allow for all I had wanted to say, so I added extra pages and worked all night long writing in order to finish before class the next day.

I brought my story with me for the final test. I got busy on my final story, adding extra sentences in the margins and filling every bit of space to express myself and my appreciation to my teacher. Our final stories were reviewed and graded on the spot, so we would know if we would graduate or not. I didn’t care about graduating, I had learned what I needed from that class and teacher. He was pleasantly surprised when I turned in, not only my final story but also the extra-long missing second story. Tears welled up as he read my work, and I awoke feeling as if it had all actually just happened. I was so full of appreciation and grateful to have had such a beautiful dream… a tear rolled down my face.

The message was clear at that moment…. that life is just like school. We are learning things even when we don’t realize it. Sometimes the most important lessons pop up when we least expect them. The souls’ lessons are learned not just for today and this life, but for tomorrow and future lifetimes (if you believe in that sort of thing). All the knowledge we need is within us, from all of the stories our lives have written, in all the lifetimes we’ve led. To access this knowledge, all we must do is quiet our minds, close our eyes, and look within.

When I’ve lost my way or when I am confused about a path to take, I remember that most answers I need I already possess – deep inside. I am naturally creative, resourceful and whole. If I consult my invisible compass, I’ll know what to do.

-Steve Goodier

191. I Manifested A Cat

What have you manifested lately? I’m not saying I manifested a cat, but…. yea, I manifested a cat!!! Let me explain.

So, I basically love animals in general. I love dogs and cats both, but… there’s something about having a cat curled up in your lap that can’t compare to anything else. I always had outdoor cats growing up, and after I got older and got married, we always had an inside cat, or two. Always. For close to 50 years of my life, I had a cat. But, before our last cat passed, my husband announced, “No more! ” Now, if I were able to take care of a cat on my own I would have argued, but… stupid ALS!!! So, I went along with it, even though I wasn’t happy. We at least have a dog, so I did have a pet, although he pretty much ignores me unless he wants something… he treats me like a mom!

I mentioned we’d always had cats in the house, well we lived outside of town, for the most part, so we always had outside cats too. People were always dropping them off. So even after our indoor cat passed away, at least I saw cats when I went outside. But our neighbors (my parents) acquired several cats that lived outside and some of ours just sort of merged over to live with them, and the male cats wandered off to find some new female friends. So before I knew it, for the first time in my life, I didn’t have a cat!

It was a needed break, really. Especially with the cats who lived outside. Taking them for vet care was expensive, and the ones we spent the most on never stuck around long. We were constantly seeking homes for kittens. So a break was kind of nice, but after a few years I started to go through feline withdrawal (I swear it’s real). I mentioned the fact that I’d like a cat from time to time, but my husband was still saying, no! So, I did the only thing I could, I pled my case with The Universe/God. I asked for a cat. I specifically asked for a cat to just show up at our house. Then, I kinda forgot about it. Sure, occasionally I let God know I still wanted a cat, but for the most part, I didn’t think about it.

I would guess that close to a year later, my husband mentioned that a tiny kitten appeared on our front porch one day. It was so tiny, he was sure it wasn’t weaned and should be with its mother. He didn’t want it to die, so, he fed it. We only had dog food, so he went into town and bought a can of moist cat food. It hungrily ate half of a small can of food. Well, it obviously wasn’t going anywhere, it was too tiny. It stuck to the porch for days, and at some point a cardboard box was put out with a tiny kitten sized hole cut in the side so the kitten could go in and out, but no animal bigger than it could get in. I hadn’t even seen this kitten, because, you know… ALS (I don’t get around on my own), and at first I didn’t want to see it, because my husband was still insisting that it was not staying! He wanted it to survive, but we had to find a home for it when it was big enough. I didn’t mention the fact that if he could feed it, anyone could feed it!

A week went by, I finally saw it. It was cute! But, I don’t think there has ever been a kitten that wasn’t cute. Then two weeks had passed. I heard stories about the kitten daily. It finally came in for a quick visit. Even our old Labrador mix dog loved it!  

It’s been at least a month now, and it was only a few days ago that I remembered I had asked for a cat, and I got one!!! The Universe knew what it was doing! If a full grown cat had shown up on the porch, my husband would have never fed it. It would have ended up wandering off to live elsewhere. But, a teeny tiny kitten, well who can resist that?! A tiny kitten needs help. Yes, the Universe is tricky when it needs to be! Our kitten now has a name, Shorty (can you guess who named it), and comes in each evening to drink her evening snack and play with the dog. 

I believe we manifest more than we realize we do. It’s just basically putting an intention out into the atmosphere of what you want, and then doing whatever you can to make it a reality. Sometimes that requires you to take several steps on your own (you can’t be a doctor unless you go to school). Sometimes, you just have to wait. If you’ve never tried intentional manifesting, I highly recommend it! 

190. Stay In The Light

You know how people get the lyrics to songs mixed up? Well, the Bee Gee’s classic, Stayin’ Alive has apparently always sounded like, “stay in the light” to some people. I kinda wish it was! I like it! Play the song and change the lyrics in your head, let me know which one you prefer. The Light is where you want to be! Just hang out in the Light for a couple of minutes, or more, every day and your life will go so much more smoothly! Really. I’m talking about the Light of Source/God/All That Is/Spirit /Etc…

That doesn’t mean you must spend time praying or meditating, although you could. But, you could also just sit outside while you drink your morning coffee (or tea or smoothie), and do nothing except watch nature around you. You could read a chapter in an inspirational book (or a page if that’s all the time you have). You could start your day as I do, by reading my daily inspirational emails before I open any other email or check my FB messages. Besides that, I normally end up watching, listening to, or reading at least one thing every day that keeps me in the Light, or as Esther Hicks would say, in the vortex.

Something that:

• reminds you that you can do anything
• reminds you that you are loved, and you are love
• helps you understand that we are all One
• inspires you to be the best you that you can be
• brings you joy

We all wake up in the vortex, or the Light, but how long you stay there is up to you. Seriously. No matter what happens, it’s on you how you react and how it affects your mood, and whether you remain in the Light, with a positive outlook, or if all you see is gloom and doom. I wake up every day and am quickly reminded that I can’t get out of bed on my own. I can’t even move my arm on my own, but does that affect how I feel mentally? Nope! Add a spider into the mix, and that’s a different story, but… I try to stay in the Light as much as I can and for as long as I can.

Add just one small thing into your daily ritual that will help you stay in the Light. Get creative. If nothing else, try listening to the Bee Gee’s every day and hear them sing, “Stay in the Light”!