Insights – Melannie Thomas

I have always thought it strange that we end and begin a ‘new year’ in the middle of the winter season.  Yet, there is an aspect that seems to fit for me regarding the reflecting, planning and goal-setting for the coming year.  The winter season is a perfect time to go within; to assess the past year and all it’s glories and defeats; and, to create a plan for the coming year.

For the first time in a really long while I am feeling  excitedly optimistic about the coming year.   I have been mulling over ideas  for the past three weeks.  I am now ready to commit  my goals to paper. 

There is no doubt that part of my optimism comes from the acknowledgement of how amazingly blessed I am. 

I have a good roof over my head; I can turn on a faucet and not only get potable water, but hot potable water, and,  I can shower in this luxury in the midst of cold, dark and murky weather; I have reliable transportation; good, healthy food in my belly;  amazing services (phone, utilities, mail).  I have the love of friends and family; I am free to come and go as I please; and  I can worship the God of my choice without fear of being nailed to a cross or burned at a stake.

I invite each and every one of you to take a year-end inventory.  Give ‘thanks’ where thanks is due.  Open your mind and your heart to the possibilities awaiting you, like dormant seeds patiently preparing to sprout.

What crop are you going to plant this year?  What seeds are you going to sow?  Plan now!

Your future is in your hands!

As we get closer to Christmas and all the celebrations occurring in the Winter Season, take a moment to catch your breath and relax.  It is so easy to overlook this very important process.  Taking a time out is a good thing.  It helps not only one’s energy and attitude, but the immune system too.

So sit back, take a deep breath, have a cup of tea and bask in the quieter moments of the season.

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.