Insights – Melannie Thomas

Archive for November, 2010

This is my ‘Word for the Day”.   I invite you to meditate throughout the day on the various elements of/in your life.

I am a sky watcher.  I am not a student of astronomy, I just love the beauty of the heavens.  I oooh and  ahhh at the awesome wonder of it all.  So, needless to say, I am a big fan of meteor showers.  I have been known to get up at 1:00 am and drive several miles to find the best viewing spots.  I have put a mattress on the ground and spent several hours enthralled by the show; although sometimes disappointed because of overcast or scant numbers of the streaking meteors, I continue to be a big fan.

Although the peak show for the Leonid’s was last night, I hope you can catch a glimpse of the magic in the sky.

Ii is remarkable how hard it is to stay in touch with family and friends.  The techno-age certainly offers a variety of means to do so, but they can be challenging in and of themselves.  It really seems to boil down to time and the demands of time.

A sure-fire indication of how stressed and pressed for time Americans are is in the lack of time we have for connecting with family and friends.  For me, both gardens are rather large and I find myself either ahead or behind in tending them.  Yet, when I do spend time in the gardens, I come away refreshed. 

I was reading this morning about women and stress in the workplace and the subsequent increase in heart attack associated with such stress.  Finding a few precious quality moments to spend in the garden can certainly go a long way to helping reduce this kind of stress.

Today I am participating in a Wellness Fair.  As I prepare for the event I am reminded that wellness really is a whole or holistic affair.  For the body to be ‘well’ the mind and spirit need to be healthy too, and vice versa.

I invite you to take a few moments today and do an inventory of your personal wellness.  Marking for change those habits/behaviors you want to  improve; creating an outline for future reference; a foundation for creating successful strategies tailored to who you are and to your lifestyle. 

Remember,  change is a process not an event.

Today is a very special day, set aside to commemorate and honor our Veterans.  I have the privilege of attending an annual Veterans Day Parade.  It has become a tradition that I have participated in for more than a decade.  It is a moving and powerful experience that I share each year with a dear friend who initially invited me to the event.

There have been times when tears have filled my eyes and gently watered my cheeks as the parade of men and women,  representing so many wars so valiantly fought,  pass by in a humble and  proud procession. 

There are many times when I clap my hands in thankful, acknowledging applause, along with the crowd of onlookers ; when I shake the hand of a Serviceman; make eye-contact with an aged Veteran and exchange a brief smile or nod.  I watch with awe as salutes are exchanged between members of the Armed Forces in the parade and those in the crowd.

I invite you to take a few moments from your day to acknowledge the sacrifices our fellow citizens have made and are making  while serving our country. And please remember the families of our military forces and the many sacrifices that they have made and continuue to make everyday.

God Bless America!!

I live in a mild climate.  There are times when it does not feel that way.  I do acknowledge that I have never been snowed in or had to deal with snow removal.  I do live in earthquake country.  My point being that no matter where you live, you should be prepared for disruption, even disaster.

Where I live is prone to winter power disruption and flooding.  I don’t, won’t live in a flood zone, but I have been flooded out.  I have been unable to access my home because the roads were flooded.  I do prefer to be flooded ‘in’, but that brings it’s own set of problems.

Batteries, food, potable water, medications, first-aid supplies, warm clothing, rain gear, accommodation for pets, portable radio, gas in the car, a hard-wire phone line, working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, a camp stove, lantern, and table games are some of the preparations I make.  A family contact plan is also important. 

In addition, I like to have some foods on hand that are interesting and fun, ditto table games.  It makes passing the time much easier.  Fortunately, it has been a few years since I have needed to implement my preparations. 

Regardless of where you live, preparing for the unexpected can make facing the challenges of nature easier to meet.

“The end of democracy and the defeat of the American Revolution will occur when government falls into the hands of the lending instuitions and moneyed incorporations.”

Thomas Jefferson

It is that time of year when we adjust our clocks.  Spring Forward, Fall Back is a great way for me to orient myself regarding where the precious extra hour is supposed to go.

Daylight Saving Time was designed to give folks extra evening summer hours so they could have some fun after work, beneficial to retailers, but not so for farmers.  The idea of saving time got support in the early days of electric consumption.  People would have extra hours of sunlight and not have to turn on indoor lighting and in doing so stress  early delivery systems.

However, even though DST was touted and talked about for a few years, it was not until Germany enacted a plan in 1916 to save on coal consumption.  DST was adopted by the United States two years later in 1918.

My computer clock adjusted itself several days ago, but the ritual of changing the clocks  is pretty much done by hand, one-at-a-time.

I get the concept, I experience it’s effect.  But twice a year I marvel and giggle that we mortals actually think we can literally save time.  I know that in the process many of us lose sleep, and during the adjustment period we are either running early or running late.  And, to add to the confusion there is EST, MST and PST. 

I am an early-bird,  I like light in the morning.  However with ageing I am suffering ‘night-blindness’  when I drive, so I also like the later evenings.  Hmmmmm, life is indeed about compromise.

Such an incredible day.  The more I allowed yesterday to unfold, the better it got.  Beginning with coffee and crossword, both excellent and fulfilling, then onto client consultations; very uplifting. 

Entering my final preparations for the Altar & Altar Making class that I am presenting this weekend ( and again on November 20), I am feeling really good.  I love teaching and this is going to be a fabulous class.

Earlier in the morning I made a quick dash to ‘Andy’s’, the local Farm Market Stand, and scored some artichokes at an awesome price.  The afternoon was filled with another wonderful client connection; a great conversation with Mark Cummings-Rogers and preparing a dinner including those artichokes.

Squab, rice and an artichoke recipe from a beautiful Italian Vegetarian Cookbook gifted me by my dear friend Elizabeth right before her move to Mt. Shasta.  Mm-m-m-m.  So, the recipe called for a cup and a third of white wine.  H-m-m-m-m.  My sister sent me two bottles of Chardonnay made to her specs by Amity in Oregon.  I was saving one for my upcoming Birthday and one for Thanksgiving.  Oh well!

The day became a fabulous ‘unbirthday’.  As I sat down to begin my feast I looked out the window.  The apple trees were bathed in a subtle, gorgeous golden hue.  I turned off all the interior lights, marvelling at the cloak of gold that surrounded me.

With excitement welling I moved quickly outdoors.  As I faced west, the sunset swallowed me whole.  Maxfield Parrish colors splashed across the heavens, taking my breath with them.

With an Oregon-made Chardonnay in hand (that is an unqualified match for this years Sonoma County Harvest Gold winners), I toasted my Unbirthday, giving  thanks to the Creator for all my blessings.

In the wee early hour,  looking heavenward, my breath catches as I view the crisp, starry morning sky.  It is a perspective; a stunningly visual affirmation of how small I am in the greater scheme of things.

Absorbed in the starry spectacle, I wondered what the view will be from my new home.  Although still a rural location, I will be closer to city lights.  And what about the other views that have become so familiar?  I know what I am leaving; I don’t  know what I am moving toward.

I like it very much; the look and feel of my new home.   It is a sweet little place.  Perfect for me as I begin the twilight journey of my life.  But it will be different.  I will adapt to the change;  I will wonder at my new vision of the early morning sky.

It will be different.