One Year

It has been a year since my last post. That is a reflection of how sad my life has become... I have been so busy balancing work, life and family, I have ignored myself. This blog is my voicing out to the world. There is something very liberating about that. I get to be me... and here I sit... who is me?

What have I done over this year... I have gained a best friend, I have lost a life partner, I have been promoted at work, I have fought the bullies attacking my daughter, I have gained weight, lost weight. I have planned vacations and cancelled them. I guess it is like the tides... in it comes up and high, and then down it goes very low.

The Bay of Fundy Tides

Poppies

Poppies have always been one of my favorite flowers. I have grown them from seeds, nurtured them through the seedling phase, and planted them in my garden, only to have the spring up each year, fuller and more robust.

I have since learnt, Poppies are used as a symbol of both sleep and death.

Sleep because of the opium extracted from them; remember that scene from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in which the new found friend’s journey to Oz is threatened by a lifelong sleep in the poppy field.

Death is symbolized because of the common blood-red color of the red poppy in particular. Poppies were used as offerings to the dead during Greek and Roman Times. As well Poppies are used as emblems on cemetery tombstones symbolize eternal sleep.

A second interpretation of poppies in Classical mythology is that the bright scarlet colour signifies a promise of resurrection after death.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Breathe into me, Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.
Move in me, Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.
Attract my heart, Holy Spirit,
that I may love only what is holy.
Strengthen me, Holy Spirit,
that I may defend all that is holy.
Protect me, Holy Spirit,
that I may always be holy.

A Little Chuckle...

The Snooty Waiter!

Your whole life is a paradox; you love to boss people around, but at the end of the day all you're good for is taking orders. You have insufferably high opinion of yourself and you strut around in your immaculate suit blissfully unaware that you are also wearing an apron. For a reason.

June

1895

The intoxicating Oleander branch in the top right, symbolises the fragile link between sleep and death.

The beginning of June found be intoxicated by an unknown virus. I slept for days to awaken to the unknown. Supreme faith that better things were to come.

VIRTUE

Benjamin Franklin’s goal of moral perfection and how he set about attaining it through living his 13 virtues. Franklin, a printer, had a small book of charts made up that allowed him to keep track of his progress in living the virtues.

The word VIRTUE comes from the Latin virtus, which in turn is derived from vir, Latin for “manliness.”

I have read through his virtues and wish to explore each of them, their meaning and how it could affect not only my life, but yours as well, including the sorts of people we chose to surround ourselves with.

The first virtue is TEMPERANCE.
                   

By conquering your primal urges for food and drink, you’ll have the confidence to start making improvements in other areas of your life.
drink would make adherence to all of the other virtues easier.

Eat not to dullness...

Gluttony... overeating... hunger is a primal urge, however knowing limitations and avoiding overindulgence with this primal urge will allow you optimum control.

Drink not to elevation...

Excessive drinking leads to a "comfortably numb"feeling, until that one drink that pushes you over the limit. Alcohol distorts reality, and this counteracts the virtur of being present in every moment, experience all senses at all times.

This virtue's focus is personal responsibility, what you place in your mouth is your responsibility.

A true man is in control of himself in every situation.

"Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation."

SUNSHINE

So the sun came out yesterday, after 7 days and nights of rain!

NEW DAY, NEW LIFE!

Live your BEST life NOW!