What can I say now? I don´t know. Failure, or should I say crash in challenge and the joy seems to turn out to be an illusion. I have no Ausrede or explanation for what I have done to others and for what happened and I can only give my deep apologizes for the hurt done.
Joy: Today I had a phone interview with SS and rcvd some great news. I can actually submit a claim for SS at the end of this month! It will be a widow benefit she told me since my ex husband’s ss is higher then mine. I was shocked to learn it can happen so soon and that is was definitely in fact true that I am eligible to do this.
Challenge: My co-worker and I were asked to take over weekend file work which is 2x a month (requires 3 hours on a saturday and 1 sunday a month) which I I do not want to do. However lately she seems open to suggestions in how we may alter or possibly do things differently.
Joy: The sunset was an amazingly gorgeous tonight 🌄
A recent joy is looking at my silly cat, who is in love with a cardboard box for boots that I let her sleep in. She will sit there all day and a good chunk of that day, her box is exposed to direct sunlight. She loves that warm sunny box.
A recent challenge is all these ridiculous job interviews. They are so humiliating and such a strange formality to me, I don’t know how else to get to know future employees, but there must be a better way.
My cat is always enriching my life by being so beautiful. She is not friendly or cuddly, but she is funny and pretty to look at. Interviews for jobs are awful, but I guess they help me improve my oral communication skills 😛
There has been a strange and unusual challenge in my life recently . . .
my beloved husband
has known me for 40 years,
and has observed that I am a cat lady,
living with two to four felions
at any given time.
I’ve loved them all deeply
for their inner natures,
quirks,
personalities,
and their love for me.
They have all held special places in my heart
and it grieves me terribly
when the life of any one of them
is spent.
My heart breaks anew
with each loss,
and brings back memories
of all of those who have gone before.
This summer,
in July
I lost my precious Sophie Sue,
who graced my life for 19 years . . .
this one was especially painful.
I still see her in the stars
and hear her in the leaves rustling
in the trees.
A few weeks ago
I mentioned to my other half
that I thought it was time to give another cat a home . . .
not a kitten,
as I don’t want to outlive one
as I get older.
What roiled up
was an unexpected challenge
offered with many firm reasons
why I shouldn’t do this . . .
after a few days of arguments from him
and silent determination from me,
I finally told him
that I’ve always had animals–
both cats and dogs,
and always in multiples.
“It’s who I am . . .
it’s who I was when you met me
and it’s who I am today.”
When I said that
he thought about it
and finally understood where I was coming from.
Today I brought home
a beautiful grey boy,
who will be a good friend for Phoebe,
once she comes off of her high horse,
and he has already rubbed his head vigorously
on my husbands legs,
so the battle is won.
I am both grateful
and filled with joy,
looking forward
to sharing the task of giving him a name,
once we see a little more of his personality.
This creature has found a home.
This challenge
has enriched my being
by reminding both me and my husband
that I am a person with thoughts,
feelings, and desires,
and that sometimes
compromise
is good for both of us. ♥
I was shocked
when I came up against a stone wall with my husband,
dear Joseph . . .
he had never FORBID me anything before,
but cats have a way
of softening the heart. ♥
I recently joined a morning walking group and have found it to be a joy. My challenge is that I strained a hip muscle and had to miss the group last week. I am healing and will attend the group this week, but I will probably have to make it a much shorter walk. The positive side is that I am going to physical therapy to strengthen all of my hip muscles to help prevent further injuries. I am learning patience and to honor my body as I get older.
A joy is my sister saying sure when I asked to go there for Thanksgiving.
I’ve shared here about my wedding challenge. The cusp of it was socializing angst. I’m glad I didn’t go.
Recent joys – moving back to the coast. Surfing again. Living in a quiet neighborhood. Found a lovely yoga studio to practice at. Made a few new friends.
Recent challenges – moving our life again after only 2 years. Leaving good friends and students behind. Not teaching/not working yet.
My life is enriched by both of these because this path reminds me that both are necessary, that I need to hold both to learn and to experience what this life wants me to experience. I feel like I understand what my dharma is, but I am in a place of surrendering, trusting that it will unfold – just as it did before – in the most perfect way at the right time.
Thinking of a recent joy or challenge, how have both enriched my life as a whole?
I ponder on the question and the only thing I can say is that my life is both joy and challenge right now and it appears to me to be enriching my soul. It is reminding me of what today’s quote from Tagore is saying. “Clouds come floating into my life from other days no longer to shed rain or usher storm but to give colour to my sunset sky.”
I also find Richard Rohr’s meditation today joyful and challenging because it features the word “Kin-dom” which is an expression I have used for years. We do not need Kings. We need Kin-dom. We do not need religion. We need gratefulness. We do not need power. We need trust. Instead of building weapons. Let us build community. https://cac.org/daily-meditations/belonging-in-gods-kin-dom/
Notice that gods is not spelled with a capital G. We are meant to be “One Bread, One Body” That’s what kin-dom means to me.
Beautifully said,
dear Carol Ann . . .
would that we could all see beyond the barriers of
status, colour,
race, species,
clothes, and monetary wealth.
It’s still so obviously apparent.
I can almost tell a church goer
from a non-church goer,
democrat from a republican
by these hints.
May we all
strip off the glasses
that try to see things differently . . .
we are all on ‘kin-dom’. ♥
A 10-day trip with my sweetheart to spend time with my older brothers and their wives provided both joys and challenges. It enriched my life to see my oldest brother, who’s 80, and my second brother, 78, along with their wives enjoying travel, sightseeing, good food, time together. Quebec City in particular brought a lot of joy: So much to see, walkable streets, courteous driving culture.
Challenges arose from planning where to go and what to see and accounting for everyone’s abilities as we did a lot of walking. One sister-in-law was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s. She could walk a fair amount, but not as fast, far, or easily as she once could. My second brother needs a knee replacement. I’m much younger at 63 and don’t have the same physical challenges.
This was a “preview of coming attractions” and a recognition that I too will slow down over time. Staying active now is the best medicine for the future so I can continue to find joy in going to new places.
Joy: Music.
Choir: Harmonizing with a room full of people. Flow and learning. Beauty from human voices. Weekly euphoric medicine.
Piano and composition: Learning to hear music anew. A journey of coming home to harmony.
Challenge: My very long stomach ache.
It has taught me to:
Soften into others’ love and support
Become aware of how past habits and inheritance have led me here
Honor and humbly sense into the gut-brain connection
Catch up with the latest mental health science, which now views brain- and gut issues as an interconnected, metabolic system
Take food and cooking seriously again
Drea, I’m reading Andrew D. Huberman’s new book, “Protocols” and think you would find it interesting and helpful. I got it from the public library as I have no doubt it is quite expensive to buy. He is an extremely wise scientist.
This is a current joy and challenge – my husband and I work as election/poll workers. He is a judge; I am a teller/clerk. We love doing this as citizens; we love the people we work with; we love meeting the public and getting to know the people of our town and county better as they are regular voters where we work. The challenges included are technological, political, staffing, scheduling, long hours, us not getting to see much of each other many days, and sometimes on rare occasions a contrary voter who won’t listen to reason. I am a much better informed voter, citizen, and well rounded person for doing this, challenges, blessings and all. Be kind to those who work at the voting centers where you vote.
Last week, my workplace downsized my workgroup, and I am now responsible for the roles of three people. I am mourning the loss of friends I have known for 15 years, as well as feeling overwhelmed. I am a provider for my family, so I am thankful to still have work and a paycheck. Joy also showed up this last week while celebrating my father’s 82nd birthday, seeing my sister and daughter who live out of state, and praying daily. My SO is going on retreat this weekend, and I know he will be praying for me. So, Life and Mystery both are present in my consciousness.
Your work changes sound like stories I read at Ask A Manager, a great site with a robust commenting community. If you haven’t found it yet, I highly recommend it for support and solid, no-nonsense advice from the Manager, Alison Green.
As I mentioned earlier, last weekend I attended 2 different athletic events, at 2 different schools, for a grand niece and a grand nephew. I drove 230 miles round trip to do so. The challenge came in searching their schedules that would allow for one trip to support both kiddoes, coordination with family, prepping the van to be our lodging, etc. The joy came through youthful energy, deepening relationships, and a deep appreciation for all the adults who support so many kids in wonderful ways. I drove home tired, and deeply appreciative of the love and memories that come from nurturing relationships.
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What can I say now? I don´t know. Failure, or should I say crash in challenge and the joy seems to turn out to be an illusion. I have no Ausrede or explanation for what I have done to others and for what happened and I can only give my deep apologizes for the hurt done.
Joy: Today I had a phone interview with SS and rcvd some great news. I can actually submit a claim for SS at the end of this month! It will be a widow benefit she told me since my ex husband’s ss is higher then mine. I was shocked to learn it can happen so soon and that is was definitely in fact true that I am eligible to do this.
Challenge: My co-worker and I were asked to take over weekend file work which is 2x a month (requires 3 hours on a saturday and 1 sunday a month) which I I do not want to do. However lately she seems open to suggestions in how we may alter or possibly do things differently.
Joy: The sunset was an amazingly gorgeous tonight 🌄
A recent joy is looking at my silly cat, who is in love with a cardboard box for boots that I let her sleep in. She will sit there all day and a good chunk of that day, her box is exposed to direct sunlight. She loves that warm sunny box.
A recent challenge is all these ridiculous job interviews. They are so humiliating and such a strange formality to me, I don’t know how else to get to know future employees, but there must be a better way.
My cat is always enriching my life by being so beautiful. She is not friendly or cuddly, but she is funny and pretty to look at. Interviews for jobs are awful, but I guess they help me improve my oral communication skills 😛
There has been a strange and unusual challenge in my life recently . . .
my beloved husband
has known me for 40 years,
and has observed that I am a cat lady,
living with two to four felions
at any given time.
I’ve loved them all deeply
for their inner natures,
quirks,
personalities,
and their love for me.
They have all held special places in my heart
and it grieves me terribly
when the life of any one of them
is spent.
My heart breaks anew
with each loss,
and brings back memories
of all of those who have gone before.
This summer,
in July
I lost my precious Sophie Sue,
who graced my life for 19 years . . .
this one was especially painful.
I still see her in the stars
and hear her in the leaves rustling
in the trees.
A few weeks ago
I mentioned to my other half
that I thought it was time to give another cat a home . . .
not a kitten,
as I don’t want to outlive one
as I get older.
What roiled up
was an unexpected challenge
offered with many firm reasons
why I shouldn’t do this . . .
after a few days of arguments from him
and silent determination from me,
I finally told him
that I’ve always had animals–
both cats and dogs,
and always in multiples.
“It’s who I am . . .
it’s who I was when you met me
and it’s who I am today.”
When I said that
he thought about it
and finally understood where I was coming from.
Today I brought home
a beautiful grey boy,
who will be a good friend for Phoebe,
once she comes off of her high horse,
and he has already rubbed his head vigorously
on my husbands legs,
so the battle is won.
I am both grateful
and filled with joy,
looking forward
to sharing the task of giving him a name,
once we see a little more of his personality.
This creature has found a home.
This challenge
has enriched my being
by reminding both me and my husband
that I am a person with thoughts,
feelings, and desires,
and that sometimes
compromise
is good for both of us. ♥
Congratulations on your new family member, Sparrow.
Wonderful sharing, Sparrow. Brought a smile to my face, thank you.🧡
Mine too,
dear M2 . . .
he is a lovely creature. ♥
I’m so happy for you and your new grey kitty 🩶
🙂
Congrats on your new family member – can’t wait to hear his name. He will be loved for sure.
Our grey mackerel tabby
has been named,
dear Michele . . .
Gabriel.
Gabe,
for short. ♥
Yes he will,
dear Michele . . . ♥
The grey boy has indeed landed in a safe and loving spot, dear Sparrow. Thank you and your husband.
I was shocked
when I came up against a stone wall with my husband,
dear Joseph . . .
he had never FORBID me anything before,
but cats have a way
of softening the heart. ♥
Oh, Sparrow! I am so happy for you and your new grey boy. What a lucky cat 🩶
Congrats on your new little buddy! 🐈⬛
I recently joined a morning walking group and have found it to be a joy. My challenge is that I strained a hip muscle and had to miss the group last week. I am healing and will attend the group this week, but I will probably have to make it a much shorter walk. The positive side is that I am going to physical therapy to strengthen all of my hip muscles to help prevent further injuries. I am learning patience and to honor my body as I get older.
This is something,
dear Contented One,
that we all have to learn
or suffer the consequences . . .
you are doing great. ♥
A joy is my sister saying sure when I asked to go there for Thanksgiving.
I’ve shared here about my wedding challenge. The cusp of it was socializing angst. I’m glad I didn’t go.
Recent joys – moving back to the coast. Surfing again. Living in a quiet neighborhood. Found a lovely yoga studio to practice at. Made a few new friends.
Recent challenges – moving our life again after only 2 years. Leaving good friends and students behind. Not teaching/not working yet.
My life is enriched by both of these because this path reminds me that both are necessary, that I need to hold both to learn and to experience what this life wants me to experience. I feel like I understand what my dharma is, but I am in a place of surrendering, trusting that it will unfold – just as it did before – in the most perfect way at the right time.
Thinking of a recent joy or challenge, how have both enriched my life as a whole?
I ponder on the question and the only thing I can say is that my life is both joy and challenge right now and it appears to me to be enriching my soul. It is reminding me of what today’s quote from Tagore is saying. “Clouds come floating into my life from other days no longer to shed rain or usher storm but to give colour to my sunset sky.”
I also find Richard Rohr’s meditation today joyful and challenging because it features the word “Kin-dom” which is an expression I have used for years. We do not need Kings. We need Kin-dom. We do not need religion. We need gratefulness. We do not need power. We need trust. Instead of building weapons. Let us build community.
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/belonging-in-gods-kin-dom/
Notice that gods is not spelled with a capital G. We are meant to be “One Bread, One Body” That’s what kin-dom means to me.
Beautifully said,
dear Carol Ann . . .
would that we could all see beyond the barriers of
status, colour,
race, species,
clothes, and monetary wealth.
It’s still so obviously apparent.
I can almost tell a church goer
from a non-church goer,
democrat from a republican
by these hints.
May we all
strip off the glasses
that try to see things differently . . .
we are all on ‘kin-dom’. ♥
🙂
We are one bread and one body – body/mind of the universe. 💞
So true Antoinette.
Welcome back Joseph. 😉 hugs
A 10-day trip with my sweetheart to spend time with my older brothers and their wives provided both joys and challenges. It enriched my life to see my oldest brother, who’s 80, and my second brother, 78, along with their wives enjoying travel, sightseeing, good food, time together. Quebec City in particular brought a lot of joy: So much to see, walkable streets, courteous driving culture.
Challenges arose from planning where to go and what to see and accounting for everyone’s abilities as we did a lot of walking. One sister-in-law was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s. She could walk a fair amount, but not as fast, far, or easily as she once could. My second brother needs a knee replacement. I’m much younger at 63 and don’t have the same physical challenges.
This was a “preview of coming attractions” and a recognition that I too will slow down over time. Staying active now is the best medicine for the future so I can continue to find joy in going to new places.
Move it or lose it, I have heard often Barb.
Joy: Music.
Choir: Harmonizing with a room full of people. Flow and learning. Beauty from human voices. Weekly euphoric medicine.
Piano and composition: Learning to hear music anew. A journey of coming home to harmony.
Challenge: My very long stomach ache.
It has taught me to:
Soften into others’ love and support
Become aware of how past habits and inheritance have led me here
Honor and humbly sense into the gut-brain connection
Catch up with the latest mental health science, which now views brain- and gut issues as an interconnected, metabolic system
Take food and cooking seriously again
I am grateful,
dear Drea,
that you have music to bring you joy
in the midst of
your confusing stomach issues.
Balance in all things. ♥
Thank you Sparrow.
Drea, I’m reading Andrew D. Huberman’s new book, “Protocols” and think you would find it interesting and helpful. I got it from the public library as I have no doubt it is quite expensive to buy. He is an extremely wise scientist.
Thank. you Carol, I’ve placed it on hold at my library.
It’s easy to see changes are not always easy. When seen as life as the whole the present becomes much more gentle and accepting.
Yes,
dear Antoinette . . .
yes. ♥
Wisdom, dear Antoinette
Gently , gently Carol Ann. Doing this together.
This is a current joy and challenge – my husband and I work as election/poll workers. He is a judge; I am a teller/clerk. We love doing this as citizens; we love the people we work with; we love meeting the public and getting to know the people of our town and county better as they are regular voters where we work. The challenges included are technological, political, staffing, scheduling, long hours, us not getting to see much of each other many days, and sometimes on rare occasions a contrary voter who won’t listen to reason. I am a much better informed voter, citizen, and well rounded person for doing this, challenges, blessings and all. Be kind to those who work at the voting centers where you vote.
Thank you, Katrina. My husband is a poll worker as well. You are all so very important to our democracy.🍁
Thank you
to both you and your husband,
dear Katrina . . .
we need more brave people
like you. ♥
I’m so glad you and your husband are doing this. Sending loving energy your way.
Thank you for doing this, Katrina.
Last week, my workplace downsized my workgroup, and I am now responsible for the roles of three people. I am mourning the loss of friends I have known for 15 years, as well as feeling overwhelmed. I am a provider for my family, so I am thankful to still have work and a paycheck. Joy also showed up this last week while celebrating my father’s 82nd birthday, seeing my sister and daughter who live out of state, and praying daily. My SO is going on retreat this weekend, and I know he will be praying for me. So, Life and Mystery both are present in my consciousness.
Always,
dear RL . . .
in one way or another. ♥
Your work changes sound like stories I read at Ask A Manager, a great site with a robust commenting community. If you haven’t found it yet, I highly recommend it for support and solid, no-nonsense advice from the Manager, Alison Green.
Wonderful that you got to see family recently.
A recent joy and challenge was the Tampa trip. It showed that I was able to receive protective care even if I prefer and thrive on autonomous.
As I mentioned earlier, last weekend I attended 2 different athletic events, at 2 different schools, for a grand niece and a grand nephew. I drove 230 miles round trip to do so. The challenge came in searching their schedules that would allow for one trip to support both kiddoes, coordination with family, prepping the van to be our lodging, etc. The joy came through youthful energy, deepening relationships, and a deep appreciation for all the adults who support so many kids in wonderful ways. I drove home tired, and deeply appreciative of the love and memories that come from nurturing relationships.
Amen…community…something we so desperately need. What a wonderful great Aunt you are.
Thank you, Carol Ann.🧡