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Nature’s Anger Management As I sit at my open house today, I have a chance to sit outside on the deck of this beautiful home and enjoy the chatter of the busy squirrels and the various chirps and songs of the birds. I am surrounded by beauty with majestic mountains, a meandering lake, and trees of all colors, shapes, and sizes. No phone service, no internet, no e-mail, no television, no radio. It has given me a wonderful opportunity to contemplate, to appreciate all of the lovely things in my life. I so desperately needed this time to refresh and reenergize after a week of news filled with terror and fear, hateful e-mails about our country, government, other countries, other religions, races, etc. and gossip about other people. What came to mind was a poem my mother wrote over forty years ago. “Let’s speak in present tense, you and I Forgetting all the shadows of the past We’ll both get out of yesterday And brush aside the angel’s hair That veils our eyes and hides us From each other…” The poem eventually ends with: “For if just once we’d disconnect Ourselves from time Today could be forever” My interpretation of these words is that we need to let go of the past, to work together in harmony, and live for today. We need to enjoy what we have, enjoy each other ( for our similarities and our differences), take in all of the beauty that surrounds us, and not be fearful of what lies ahead. I pray that everyone can soon discover God’s peace and path to happiness. Finally, if you ever find yourself in need of some anger management, simply try turning off the TV or radio, turn off the computer, turn off the phone, and truly enjoy nature, a child’s laughter, the love of a spouse, friend, or pet, or whatever can bring a smile back to your heart. Until next month J If anyone knows me well, they know that I abhor the cold and I never thought I could survive north of Palm Beach County, Fla. I always felt that in addition to the physical discomfort, the dark, dreary days and the loss of foliage would bother me. To my delight I have found that I actually look forward to each and every season here in the mountains. The changing seasons seem to bring out the inner child in me. I am thankful for the summer; for the lazy days on the river, sitting on the rocking chairs on our deck, and the lush foliage. For Fall it is the incredible colors and sitting around our fire pit. For Winter I would have to say the new fallen snow, unobstructed views of the mountains and river, and sitting around our fireplace. Finally, I LOVE Spring. With the passion and excitement of a child I cannot wait to see the emerging daffodils, wild plum trees, dogwood, cherry trees, wild violet and so much more. It is so exciting to plant new seeds in our garden and watch our vegetables grow. I suppose for me I need an occasional loss or change to enhance my enthusiasm and appreciation for anything that comes my way. As a good friend from High School once said to me many years ago, “I wish you sunshine and daffodils with a few rainy days to balance your being”. May these difficult times serve to renew your enthusiasm for all the gifts life has to give. A Tribute to "Copper " Christensen and What Our Dogs can Teach Us About Unconditional Love01/24/2011 Seeing so many abandoned, orphaned dogs and cats at the shelter broke my heart. We could only pick one dog and it had to be cat-friendly since it was going to co-habitate with our cat, Milo. We finally came across our sweet "Copper" who's cage was located in the cat area. She sat quietly with hopeful anticipation and it was soon to be discovered that we were all a perfect match.We made the perfect choice, Copper quickly settled into the family, and before long we stumbled upon Milo and Copper nestled together on the sofa. Copper was by our side through joy and laughter, anger and frustration, and sadness and loss. She was always unselfish, aiming to please. She celebrated our joy and comforted us in times of pain or sorrow. We said our farewells to Copper January 17th, 2011 with a lot of heartache and tears (the tears run down my cheeks once again as I write), but many sweet memories. I would like to honor and memorialize Copper by expressing just how much we can learn from our pets. Above all, unconditional love. I have known dogs that have been accidentally hit by their owner's cars, caught in slammed doors, and simply neglected in any number of ways, yet they continue to greet us with wagging tails. They love us purely with all of our faults and don't concern themselves with how we look, how successful we are, or how many times we have forgotten to walk or feed them at the proper time. Dogs are a reminder for us to to embrace joy and let go of any grudges, judgement and fear in our lives. I would like to close with a beautiful poem I found on line. Heaven's Doggy Door My best friend closed his eyes last night, As his head was in my hand. The doctors said he was in pain, And it was hard for him to stand. The thoughts that scurried through my head As I cradled him in my arms, Were of his younger, puppy years, And Oh...his many charms. Today, there was no gentle nudge, With an intense "I love you" gaze, Only a heart that's filled with tears Remembering our joy-filled days. But an Angel just appeared to me, And he said, "You should cry no more, God also loves our canine friends, He's installed a doggy door!" — Jan Cooper Many people in our area are managing to "live off the grid" and are working toward a sustainable lifestyle. Has our society become far too dependent on others/our government, etc. Would you be able to "live off the land" and be self-sufficient? I would love to see your responses. Happiness is a choice. Each day we can either choose to face the day with a positive attitude or allow the obstacles and setbacks to overwhelm us and make us anxious and angry. We all have a purpose in life. To find your purpose, make a list of all the things you want to accomplish in your life. The one that jumps of the page and makes you begin to cry is your purpose. (Alex Blackwell) Your level of self regard must come from your knowing within yourself that you have a sacred connection. Let nothing shake that divine foundation. On this anniversary of the horrific event that changed the world forever, may the memories and sadness bring all God's children closer with peace to all nations.. "Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past (or present). Let us accept our own responsibility for the future. J.F.K. | Suzy Christensen
Realtor for 28 years, musician, animal lover, sports and nature enthusiast, and passionate about health and nutrition, and the very proud wife of Keith and proud mother of Greg. ArchivesJune 2011 Categories |