Self Development
Beyond Help?
Here a few thoughts for a beautiful and productive day. “Delight in Living” is within your grasp.
So it was a late night and I went to stop for fuel for my car. I pulled into the slot in front of the pump, shut off the car, grabbed my purse and keys, and stepped out. It was a cold evening so I pulled the hood of my coat over my head and opened the gas intake to the car. I turned and around the started to answer the questions on the pump. As I pulled on my glasses I was startled to see only half of the pair was on my chain around my neck. Oh dear. Not good.
Thank goodness I got the gas and jumped back into the car to check my coat for the other half. No luck. By this time the car was starting to warm me up and I pulled away. When I stopped the car, I found the other half was laying next to the center console panel of the car.
I actually had to run into a store and read a few expiration dates. As usual it made me think of how lucky I am. I got through the day far away from home. I can read half way decently without them although it takes some effort. And even though they are prescriptions glasses, I did have back-ups at home.
I must admit I was annoyed that they broke, since they were my favorite pair. Yes, they were beyond help the way they broke and an older prescription, but I will miss them. They served me well. It is so easy to get attached to things. Why is that? Are you attached to possessions? or Perhaps you are clinging to a person for companionship who you are around often? Do they make your life easier or not?
It is amazing the things that are beyond help and need fixing. Possessions are replaceable. People are not. If you have a good friend or set of friends that is wonderful. Treat them with respect and let them know not only in words, but in your behavior. Take time to help them, listen, and move forward.
Unlike some physical injuries that only a miracle could fix, health and relationships are essential for us. In comparison, broken glasses are not that important. Now in a like manner, who we select to be with is something we can control. Our reputation and their reputation are often linked together. Maybe we are in the same profession or work at the same company. Maybe you are neighbors and help each other with daily tasks. If you are young, you may seek each other for temporary housing or to get ahead. Although we bring together some opposite qualities, we are for the most part joined as friends to serve others and move ahead. If you have doubts about who you are befriending, now is a good time to reevaluate the impact that holds. Don’t rush into situations that take lots to undo!
Let the mini miracles of insight be your guide!
Do You Ignore Signs?
A red light turned on in the vaporizer last week. It is usually green and stays light. It began to flicker and then stay on red, not green. So did we just ignore it?
Often one can find themselves in trouble if they don’t respect signs. Signs may be an indication of danger or warning of some sort. Although they can be visual and read, they may also appear in other ways. An example would be: Watch for standing water and don’t drive into it. It may have a sink hole, open sewer, or deeper than it looks. There is no written sign to tell you that, but rather common sense and perhaps knowing that from seeing something on TV! I know that because as a child, our area used to flood easily. I became aware of the danger that flooding can create.
Signs are placed around us for a purpose. When I am Podcasting, the door is closed with a sign that says THIS DOOR IS LOCKED, PLEASE RETURN LATER. People are usually respectful and don’t start pulling or knocking. A DO NOT SMOKE sign could be keeping a smoker safe from a flammable area. Or someone inside could be on OXYGEN and it would create danger for all.
Not all places are Open to Everyone.
Not everything a person does is for the world to see. We have PRIVATE as a word in our English vocabulary, because it is an important one meant to set boundaries. Can you recall the first time, you saw a sign like this? We have all seen PRIVATE signs on a television mystery shows or at a business or doctors office when I was a child. Private tells us not to enter, or to knock, or maybe even avoid.
If you are traveling, signs of warning or advice are displayed differently. It might be an icon instead of a word. Often one sees this at the intersections of streets in Chicago or other large cities. People do not always observe these and cause accidents. Prudence dictates we pay attention before learning the hard way!
What other kinds of signs must we recognize? Are the signs of illness? Signs that our car is ready to overheat or be out of gas? Signs that we need more training or understanding before we tackle a piece of dangerous equipment in the garage? Signs that our business is about to fail or the company we work with is beginning to lay people off of work? Signs from God that we have prayed for?
Knowing how to see signs and then read them correctly can save us time and trouble. It is good to teach your children to recognize the power they hold. Expand your influence by becoming a good example. In that way, you will help yourself and others to “Delight in Living!”
Building Relationships 101
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Good morning, this is Linda Gullo. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you!
Welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments where small achievements may become big accomplishments. Our small steps and daily habits can still take us to far away places and help us meet success by repeating them.
Hopefully, here, at Mini Miracles from Minor Moments you will find an insight about yourself. My plan is to help you like yourself and love life. It is meant to help you recognize the gifts you have been given and that they are meant to be enjoyed. We all have gifts and until someone or some experience shows us, we often miss seeing them. Instead we get caught up seeing our less admirable behaviors.
This week I’ve been thinking a great deal about the relationships that each of us is blessed with--Our wonderful family members and friends that are presented to us during different times in life.
So let the stories begin. The first is about my mother. She died some 35 years years ago, but Sunday’s were her day to shine. She loved having dinner for the family. We all knew it would be served at 1 o’clock and like a magnet we were drawn home. Even though our kitchen was small, the meals that came out of it were simply delicious, tasty, and fabulous. As a teenager my first use of the car was to go get Grandma from her apartment and bring her home to have dinner with us. She always came to be with us on Sundays and usually came with a shopping bag of fresh fruit from the fruit market. She’d also have things for each of us and her crocheting to keep her busy.
Mother’s old stove would have been turned on after the morning church service. The oven was filled with a roast, casserole, beans, or specialty. On top, the burners had vegetables and side dishes steaming. Mom always cooked plenty so we’d have dinners and lunches for the following days. She might have made a cake or pie earlier or jello was the dessert. My husband, who I was dating in college would come in and affectionately hug my mom. They had a great alliance early on and Sunday dinners seemed to connect them even more. He’d begin by guessing what we were having for dinner by the wonderful aroma from the kitchen. He was usually “right on”, My mom enjoyed this guessing game until the year when she got a new stove. The oven was sealed so well that those beautiful cooking smells weren’t flooding through the house like they used to do. She also missed the warming pilot lights were the bread would be rising or the garlic butter melting. That change made the game less fun.
Progress in sealing the ovens was good in some respects, but it changed the family dynamics. And I have noticed and perhaps you have also that with every new and improved appliance, phone, or car, some things that we really like are lost.
I am thinking of all the digital marketing, photography, and social media, in how we instantly connect with one another. It has it ups and downs. We may be seeing more photos and expressing the momentary highlights or complaints on Facebook, but doing business, exchanging quotes online, and sending out a quick thank you in the form of texts have somehow disconnected us. There is a loss in the personal aspects our generations once had. I am thinking of the “day long picnics” and going to show as a group–these provided us with great joy. We talk all week about the silly joke or the bird that landed on the table as we put out the food.
The intent of thinking about one another is a fleeting thought. It is so unlike the thoughtfully written out Birthday card or lovely note to someone recovering from an illness. We don’t engage in the conversations we once did over a cup of coffee– where one could feel the emotions of them getting the job. Or sharing the sadness over the death of a family pet. Their is a joy that comes from the spontaneous laughter and banter that goes on when people are together. We see one another’s body language and can feel when they are passionate about their hobby or limping due to a fall.
Recently I was introduced to the idea of a memory stone. Each stone represents an experience one writes down. It is to recognize something that changed our path or redirected us into a different way of thinking. Ironically the really significant moments for me were surprisingly selective and few, but they included another person, who in some way helped me find direction.
I challenge you today to start creating a MEMORY STONE MOMENT. It is something that moved you forward and helped make you the person you are today. The second part of the challenge is to be part of someone else’s memory stone. Will you be serving as a mentor for a neighbor? Perhaps a relevant person in the community food pantry? What do you do that might impact someone else?
When I was in College, I worked one summer with a lady who was always so tidy and appropriate in the way she dressed. I suspect she was in her late 30’s, quick witted, and very professional. She taught me to use a switchboard which had many incoming and outgoing calls throughout the day. It was an international business and so calls needed to have the times and details noted. It had a plug in arrangement to learn well. She had a system in place that obviously she had designed. It worked well and she was an excellent teacher insisting that no step be missed.
I found out the reason was that each step was needed especially when multiple lines began ringing all at once. And they did quite often. In our time together, she shared she had a stroke when her children were small. They actually helped her learn to speak and read again. They helped her walk and get her strength back.
Her witness to me was undeniably a witness of endurance and resilience. She had fortitude and a character of strength. It was pretty impressive for me to see first hand. I am really sorry that I lost touch with her after that summer. She made a real mark on me seeing that could have been a permanent setback was not one for her. She was able to stay steady in the midst of numerous phone calls because she had also learned to pace herself and prioritize well.
The relationship with her 2 children had to be really close after going through the learning phase in reverse with them.
Relationships are very important. We all need to recognize and see that during these technological times. Are you able to balance the time with family without losing them? So many older people I know are not into their smart phones or computers. They find themselves feeling really lonely at family times. I wonder now how different it would have been at those Sunday dinners if we had all marched in texting others or watching the sports on them. There wouldn’t have been the silly conversations or card games after dinner. We would have been disconnected while being together.
Another thought hit me as I was outlining this Podcast. It was of a lady who I had met via the telephone. She would answer the telephone at a church. Whenever I’d call she would engage in thoughtful conversation with me and often take down my message. Her voice was upbeat and cheerful and very polite! I hope I was the same to her. Years afterwards, I learned she was bedridden with a disease that had disabled her. Wow to have such a wonderful attitude in spite of her own situation. My point being that we often don’t know what others are going through if we don’t engage on a personal one-on-one level.
My mother’s uncles owned a farm in North Judson, Indiana. We would often go there for 4 day Holidays to visit. All the cousins were bunked on blankets lined up on the floor while the adults got the cots and beds. We’d giggle as kids often do and listen to the country sounds. The trains entering town, the morning owls, and the morning roosters were more than just something we read about in books. It was real. And so were the sounds of rain and the dirty feet from running barefoot. Our shoes, if we wore them, had to be shook out because they’d be full of sand. Our moms were always sweeping the floors in the morning after breakfast so the linoleum floors didn’t scuff up so fast. Being involved as an extended family was fun and created close relationships during that generation.
Today I have shared several short stories about relationships with my own family and acquaintances. I challenge you to do the same. Maybe it was on a vacation where you learned about some friends? or a gathering for a toddler’s birthday? A wedding of a neighbor who is close to you?
Transform your year! It is still only March. Pursue your dreams and continually set new goals for yourself. Have a great weekend and week ahead as you step forward. Remember that a “single step may put you on the escalator of success!” Have a great weekend and I will see you then.
Are You Bent Out of Shape?
This past week I grabbed this spatula. It was “inclined” to be even more helpful then in the past because it is warped in a good direction. However, it wouldn’t help a left handed-person. I am not sure when it bent, but it took me by surprise. Things that happen by accident can be just the thing to help us move forward.
It is easy to get out of joint if we are ignored by people we do business with and have paid highly for their services. It is easy to get in a bad mental state if we are wrongly accused. Or if one is a victim and the perpetrator gets off free. When we get bad news that we might have warded off can also throw us into the doldrums. But on the other hand, somethings happen and are such a big gift. They wake us up to new opportunities and ideas.
Staying physically fit is really important, but doing it gradually and with a good balance of working out muscles is important. So too, getting ourselves out of place by not following up on our intentions or listening well can also make one grumpy. Staying mentally fit means following through with our intentions; setting good plans in place and following them. It means gradually one must be all around well balanced. It means sticking to our convictions and seeing things improve.
Going to work regularly; smiling when one has a commitment and following the action plan. Recognizing our part in a family and prioritizing their needs makes us part of that equation. Having space to mentally discern our spiritual life and pray regularly gives us a deeper identity. Giving our time and talent to our community and doing it all with the joy of giving makes our personality more complete. Earning our way and being part of the resolution is wonderfully engaging.
Warped attitudes can start when we are spoiled as little children. It can happen when someone has bullied us. Being attacked verbally can impact everyone, so did you feel attacked? Did someone model pouting as a way to draw attention? Do you feel entitled because you have money or an education? What attitude do you carry? Is it an attitude of gratitude or one of power that makes you better than others? Is it an attitude of apathy or empathy? Does your position as a leader only one of self gratification? Many good leaders have lost the humbleness of once being a good follower. So where are you?
Do you bully others because you see it was effective at some point? Do you feel unappreciated so you withdraw from all activities? Do you create a space for being physically fit, mentally free, spiritually connected, and with a commitment to earn a living? Are you called to find more education or expand your thinking in a wholesome and healthy way? Where do you want to be?
I would assume that you don’t want to be warped like this spatula? You don’t want to be hunched over and mentally broken, because you aren’t engaged in life! So jump in and start planning your days. Do it one at a time. Repeat the actions that create good habits. Learn to listen to others who are good mentors. Look at all the parts of life that make you who you are and for Pete’s sake, don’t get warped and out of shape! Enjoy your day and “Delight in Living”.
The Time Has Come To . . .
About 11 years ago I left a home I was visiting at and a storm began to pour water from the sky. I felt a little like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, who found herself lost. The rain came down so fiercely that I made the wrong turn. It was dark and I was indeed going slowly. I did not have GPS or a “Yellow Brick Road” to follow. At first there was no awareness that I was heading far from my destination. In fact, it wasn’t until I realized that the little I could see was totally unfamiliar. The time had come to turn the car around.
It was a good decision, because I’d still be going the wrong way. We do that in many areas of life. We either figure it is too late, we are totally unaware, or we don’t want to know we made a bad decision. That can be with our occupations and having invested time in a field we don’t like. It can be with our weight going either up to high or having lost way too much to be healthy. It can be in driving somewhere new. Or it can be with our education in learning that the money it cost or will provide doesn’t serve us well.
Going the wrong way means there is a consequence. It can be a financial consequence that sets us back like having to pay off a school loan without having a job. It may be a health risk by having made a bad choice in the diagnosing the disease correctly. Often the consequence is loss of time and talent or even years of our lives in a bad relationship. 
Many of these issues can be resolved with support from a good mentor or coach. They cannot do the work for us or make the impossible happen, but they can help one clear out their thinking and advance forward. They are in a sense, the GPS in life. They are the map for a lost direction or for clarity that something else can be done. If someone is truly ready to listen and is open to change, anything is possible. Our attitudes are the first line of change.
Peace for you day. Let it be one of delight! If you need a coach or want information, please connect here with us at www.lindagullo.com
9 Simple Ways to Be More Productive
Taking Action is one of the best ways to get motivated and be productive. Here are a few thoughts to start moving.
1- Get the top 3 things on your list done well each day. If more gets done, you’ll be ahead of the game.
Make your workplace one of beauty by adding flowers, opening the windows, or rearranging furniture.
2- Connect with one friend each week just to relax and brainstorm. Meet for breakfast, have a lunch, or take a walk together.
3- Schedule an hour free each day just to meditate or pray. It clears the mind and allows one to be more productive.
4- Drink plenty of water to stay well hydrated. Your skin and organs will thank you.
5- Provide a good nights rest for yourself either by going to bed early or resting a bit longer. Turn off all electronic devices an hour ahead of time and settle down to a peaceful time either reading or just relaxing.
6- Clean your work site, cleaning up left over papers and consolidating projects.
7- Do something physical each day. It doesn’t need to be at a gym, but a good walk or workout is helpful. Take the dog out for a run or toss it a ball.
8- Make your workplace one of beauty by adding flowers, opening the windows, or rearranging furniture.
9- Ask for help to get organized or to help get odd projects completed. Delegate things to someone else if they are better at doing them.
Small habits create big gains to “Delight in Living!” Have a Productive Week.
How Do You Hear Success?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Introduction by Jim Haisler (thanks to Jim!)
Welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments where small achievement may become big accomplishments. Our small steps and habits can still take us to far away places by repeating them.
Hopefully, here at Mini Miracles from Minor Moments, where you’ll find of insights and knowledge about yourself. My plan is to help you like yourself and love life. It is meant to help you recognize the gifts you have been given. We all have these gifts and until someone or some experience shows us, we often miss seeing them. Instead we get caught up seeing our less admirable behaviors.
Hi, this is Linda Gullo and every week I share a few thoughts with you to inspire and get you thinking about your own life. Today, I’d like to ask you the question, “What does Success Sound like to you?”
When children are little, a mother listens to hear laughter and silly banter between the children playing nearby in the yard. She listens to hear if there is a problem and keeps a keen ear open to any distress. For her, success is hearing the children having fun and playing.
A few years ago there was a fun song called What Does the Fox Say? (by Ylvis) It was a creative and imaginative song that we all were listening to and singing along with on the radio. I guess hearing animals of prey in the distance to prepare encountering while on a camping trip would be successful in keeping everyone safe.
Last night on our local PBS station (WTTW in Chicago) we listened to Andrea Bocelli who paid tribute to songs from famous movies like The Days of Wine and Roses. I watched and listened to a man who is blind and yet so comfortable in singing and playing the piano. During the break the Host of the Show on PBS said she had been to one of his shows and that he was so relaxed singing. His ability to hear the notes and duplicate them was for sure with practice, but also with hearing it well. That is success spelled with a big S.
On an everyday level though success comes at the basketball game or the weekday practice on the school grounds. The sounds of “cheering” on friends spells success to those on the field.
Maybe success is communicating with another person who you needed to share some important things with for a better understanding of what is happening. It may simply listening and being together to heal an old misunderstanding.
After the power goes out in our home from some major power problem, it is unusually quiet for we have a well that also shuts down. When the power returns, it is the sound of having running water again. That is an awesome sound we take for granted.
Years ago we had a big, fawn colored Boxer named Lord of Regal Domain. He was fearless until it came to the overhead Hot Air Balloons that would come over our house in 3’s. As the balloons let out air to raise up the sounds could be heard in the distance and he would head for the back door of the house. To him it was ominous and threatening. To me it spelled success that the balloons were working and in the area.
Tomorrow I am heading out to the Geneva area for one of the Productions of the Wizard of Oz. I am told it is a very long production and yet great. In the past when I attend these singing and dancing theatrical presentations, the kids long for the responses of the audience (which by the way is right there next to them–it is performed in a very small space), the expressions of the audience are watched by the children and they light up when the clapping takes place. It puts smiles on their faces.
In business, success sounds like the phone ringing with a new client or the sound of someone walking into the office. It may be that you have just done a live presentation and it was well received with applause.
If you drive a car, the sound of the car starting is strangely a good feeling. It lets you know you are able to proceed on the way to your destination. If the sounds coming out are odd or rumbling, it may likewise tell you to get service.
In the event of a problem, sounds tells us that help is on the way, when you hear an ambulance or fire truck arriving.
The taking off of an airplane engines is a relief when you’re going up and the sound of the landing gear touching the runway is a relief upon arriving. That is success spelled in the way of joy and a big sigh that you have reached your destination—namely the ground in a safe way.
So it is as we proceed thru life that success can take on many different dimensions. Do you spell success in a different way? Next time you are thinking you are not a success, just think of all the sounds that are around you and encouraging you to step ahead.
Listen carefully from now on and see how sounds around you can make you feel better. Listen to the people speaking for clues of acceptance or rejection. Follow your gut when things sound oddly wrong. But then delight when things are happy and empowering.
Please join me here regularly at Mini Miracles. Each episode is based on simple and real stories. These short podcast episodes are jam packed with upbeat and encouraging tidbits for you to take along for the week.
There are so many things I’d like to provide for you. If this is your first time listening to me, you know that this is a treat for me. Podcasting allows me to reach out of the 4 corners of my office where I work as a Counselor and Transitional Life Coach. If you would like either service you can call our office at 815-459-5161 during the week or email me at linda@delightinliving.com I want to be part of your day as inspiration. I invite you to like yourself and enjoy life. Our Coaching services are available in different packages on line and over the phone to serve your needs when it comes to Changing Jobs, The Loss of a Loved One, the Empty House Syndrome, or just learning to feel your best at any stage of life. Mini Miracles provides handouts and encouragement while we serve you.
Have a fruitful week of Successful sounds and emerging joy. Bye for now and see you next week.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall . . .
Well everyone of us has an image of how we see ourselves. Sometimes that image has been badly distorted by some trauma or someone that has harmed us. We don’t have to look into a mirror and ask the question to know how we feel. Feelings are not right or wrong! When one feels pain, it isn’t questioned. It is addressed by therapy, medication, or physical exercise. The same thing is true of our emotional and mental well being. People don’t have to suffer, they can process things and put them into a different perspective.
Meet Blue, who is indeed a handsome parakeet. Parakeets thrive on talking to themselves in the reflection of mirrors. They are most entertaining when they do this. It isn’t the same for people.
Our businesses also carry images. They reflect how well we treat our personnel, how kind we act in public, and if we are indeed doing our job. I find that many people are poor representations of their business. They don’t realize that every encounter is a photograph of how they do business. I recently called a business leader for what to him was a trivial matter and in his sighs and eagerness to throw out an answer was very disturbing. It will make me think twice about the way he conducts business with his clients and his employees.
I recall one man, who was a Chiropractor. He acted rather inappropriately at a large gathering by divulging a patients identity without their permission. I am not even sure he was aware of this mistake, which is even worse. Confidentiality is essential.
Confidentiality issues are important when it comes to being reputable. That was also true of a Lawyer I was at a meeting with several years back. He openly announced a clients name in public. Identities are important to each of us. They enable us to feel significant. After that event, I never referred patients to him and took his name off my referral base.
I see Blue here who is looking for a physical reflection. What kind of reflection do you seek? Is it one that is good for business? One that is just a physical image or one that is congruent with the way you conduct business?
Mini Miracles is a branch of Delight in Living and offers on line Coaching sessions on a regular basis. Feel free to contact us for help. Have a “Delight in Living” day and recognize all the mini miracles that rain down on you!
Fishy or Fake
You are smart and me too, but we are easily deceived. The Podcast this past weekend was all about a Wax Museum that I visited with my daughter when we were in Dublin. Ireland. It got me to thinking that so many things can be made to look real when they aren’t real at all. We know that the movie producers and photographers can make things look differently than they are in reality. They spray artificial fruit to look real on the set. They make people look differently with makeup and costumes. I have always known that and so have you. Why is it though that we buy things we don’t need? Or we go to places of entertainment and then are mad that we spent money?
Lots has been said in the recent days about Fake News. Well, it got me to thinking that there are lots of fake people too. They may be the ones living next door to you who appear rich, when in reality have everything on credit cards and really are overspending. Or it may be the people you do business with who are providing a product that is not up to par. It isn’t always easy to spot them.
It is because we think about things as they appear and we are not really seeing all the facts. Look beyond the media of the press, look at the purchases, and the marketing that leads you to believe in certain things. Here are fish in a basket. It was taken at the wax museum. They didn’t have an odor. Yet they had been there was ages. We could tell they were not real fish, but they sure did look real.
When I was a child I saw a lovely Ballerina Doll on an advertisement. She danced on her toes and twirled around in pretty costumes to music. I wanted her so badly and Santa give her to me. She was however, a big disappointment! I knew I shouldn’t complain and only to be thankful, so I was quiet. It would have been impolite to say anything about a gift given to me, especially one I really thought I wanted. The doll didn’t dance unless I twirled her around. She didn’t have all the outfits; just the one she came with on her already. She had straw-like hair that twirled with her, and she wasn’t very big. I still have her and keep her as a reminder of a big lesson.
Well, it isn’t all the disappointments that are bad; it is the way we respond. I am glad I was not complaining about this doll. I learned a lot about being thankful. I learned that we need to check things out better. I learned that not all things are what they appear to be in reality. It was a learning experience. I have learned not to get mad at myself, but either return the item, or kindly express my disappointment. Then I try to move forward. Criticism doesn’t get us far and we burn many bridges behind us.
In today’s society, we see a generation that is feeling rather entitled. This is a real problem for those who have worked really hard to reach a level of success. They did not feel entitled and have pride in what they have earned. Attitudes can do so much to destroy relationships and make people appear something they are not. We all need to be responsible in helping those that are growing up to earn their way in an honest manner. It will help them be successful all during their lifetime.
What is your most recent learning experience? Did you buy something online and find the quality was less than expected? Did you go to a store thinking it was good FAST FOOD and it was dried and took you forever to get your order. It was not fast at all.
Be aware and it will make you feel more congruent with who you really are as a person. You’ll accept yourself more and enjoy life! Have a great day and just be observant. Thanks and may many miracles rain upon you today.
It’s Mardi Gras
Well I have come to love the Liturgical Seasons. They help us enjoy different periods of time and remind us that life is indeed a journey. Some of these times include the more popular Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, and Eastertime. They help us embrace the seasons of our lifetime.
Today is a Day of Celebration among Christians called Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. People are closing down the last 2 weeks of Celebrating the arrival of the 3 Wise Men (celebrated in January) today with fun. In New Orleans there are Parades, colorful beads, costumes, and people dancing. Today is traditionally a day when people eat the rich foods of their ancestors.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the Lenten Season. It is Ash Wednesday when people recognize they were dust and will return to dust. Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Season have always been meaningful times for me. My parents set the example for us and I recall the damp, cold, days that often went past Easter. We received Ashes on our foreheads. The ashes are from the Palms of the past year (s) that parishioners bring back to their church to be burned. It is also a time of minimizing our desires. We offer prayers, sacrifices, and alms during the next 40 days.
Every year I focus on something different. One year I went to all my doctors appointments, saw my dentist, and took care of the things I had put off. Another year, I focused on doing things for others and reaching out. As a child, I gave up candy. Sometimes people take time away from television or their social media to pray more. Others visit their home bound friends and people in the hospital. One year, I used Fridays as a means of visiting churches and being more prayerful.
If you are one of those unfortunate people going through a painful time in your life, you may wish to offer it up for a special intention. God Bless everyone, as they walk their journey starting tomorrow. I hope this time enriches your life well.
In life our days turn into weeks, months, and years of opportunities. I love the symbols of the circle and wreaths so this one is now in the office to welcome in my patients and clients. Peace in your days!
But this period is a time of self reflection too. IF you are so inclined to honor these days, I wish you 40 days of insight, sacrifice, and self discipline. If you give up your daily latte, you may wish to donate the money you’ve saved to a charity. That is the “alms” part of doing without so someone may be enriched.
I recall one year that I kept changing my focus, but I got a lot out of the changes I made. It made me aware of all the things I could be doing to be a better person. Perhaps it is a time to sit quietly and stop the “horse race” that seems to be the way of today’s world.
Perhaps you have also thought this through and would like to send me your ideas? I am always appreciative of what other people enjoy doing. Have a great day today! Delight in Living!