May Each Year Bring New Possibilities and Joy

...as we go through our journey in our brief time on Earth, we suffer great losses, and experience little joys...we are grateful for all we share and hold in high regard.  This year, my mother was one such loss... One that we miss greatly...She was a wonderful person ...nurturing, loving, and kind...her life was brief in many ways... but she also lived in the richness of people who loved her. 

our horse L.S. Quinarius, 19, did not get to live as long as her mother, Smokey Boots, 34, but they got to share their lifetime together - a rare thing - since herds and families of horses are routinely dispersed and sold without knowledge of the attachment!  We witnessed firsthand how close they were to one another...and now we believe they are together again in the afterlife...

we also lost 2 goats, a young one(Hercules) and an old one (Sorrellina)...sweet animals both

To the treasures of time together...forever

IN MEMORIAM: MOM 92 YEARS WITH LOVE

He was Mom's favorite singer and as I think of her today, shortly after we lost her, I feel she is with our loved ones and being loved again, close to all her men, my brother and father, close to her Mom and Pop.  Close to our beautiful sister, and close to our Aunts and Uncles, sisters, and brothers.  A beautiful reunion of joy, comfort, and well being forever into eternity.

The Jagged Edge: Part I

The Jagged Edge: Part I

Living on the jagged edge -  a catch 22 - a double edged sword.

Freedom is undervalued, a priceless commodity.  Freedom comes with a price - the jagged edge.   Sometimes - it costs everything - a life.

Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Dianne Fossey...the list goes on.  People that paid their life in exchange for freedom.  The freedom of African Americans, Indians of every Caste, The Mountain Gorilla.

Every person fights each day to preserve it.

The Jagged Edge is the story of how that fight often results in tragedy.

in memory of Auntie and the work she did and the gifts of love she gave.  She introduced us to theater.

In Memorium: Auntie

We come together for a family gathering in Memorium of our Auntie - a figure that influenced each one of us in a special way - we are grateful for our time together - memories take us back to the times we shared, individually and together.  We will miss you Auntie...

Our maternal and paternal side of our ancestry lend such leadership to our family.  We reflect on those teachings  - knowingly and unconsciously.  So much to emulate and so much to learn.  Moving forward in time, we will honor their memory and send prayers of goodness in the afterlife,  knowing they may hear and feel how much we miss them.

“A Noiseless Patient Spider,” Whitman:

A noiseless patient spider,

I mark'd where on a little promontory it stood isolated,

Mark'd how to explore the vacant vast surrounding,

It launched forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,

Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you O my soul where you stand,

Surrounded, detached, in measureles oceans of space,

Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to con-

      nect them,

Till the bridge you will need be form'd, till the ductile anchor hold,

Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, O my soul. (CRE 450)

I think of my Aunt and she reminds me how to grow old with grace according to many of the "self help" books.

1/ Cardio - working out helps to feed the brain more blood/oxygen.  A 30 minute workout is all you need to get the heart pumping.  I like tennis as a cardio sport - also keeps the brain active with court strategy.  My Aunt used power walking in her 50s and early 60s.  Once she retired, she did cardio no more.  We never asked her why.

2/Comradarie/Social/Friendships - "people who need people are the luckiest people in the world" - as it turns out - socializing is great for aging.  More fun, laughter, being out and about.  These are some of the ways to add quality to your life.

3/Pets - dogs, cats, even goats - any pet adds love - and that is always a good thing.  They may limit travel so one needs to weigh the pros and cons.

4/Travel - exploration keeps you young for all these reasons - keeps your mind active seeing and learning about new places, people and culture.  May involve the companionship of other people if you travel in groups or pairs.  Involves alot of walking - if you are going to places that involve more than a spa or beach retreat.

5/Massage - this is my own take on aging well - touch, muscle stimulation and detoxification.  Always makes me feel rejuvenated!

6/ Mediterranean diet - olive oil is one of the keys - also, fish and mostly plant based diet.  Vitamins, omega 3s, anti inflammatory - all rolled into one.

7/ Keep Learning
anything that stimulates the brain is a powerful tool to aging well - learn a language, get a Masters degree, learn a new trade.

For more on this and other useful ways to age healthier - read The Blue Zones - a study of centenarian cultures.
https://www.bluezones.com/blog/

story corps

http://storycorps.org
...I enjoy listening to these recordings, and will likely make one with family, friends, fiancé - those important to me and my life - best of all - listen to their story.