As I watching out my bow window at the lake and
its peacefulness, a boat with two men fishing went by
slowly cruising close to shore. The men were not
talking, just simply enjoying the comraderie and the
peace of the water while throwing out their lines. My
thought was just how rich they were in this very moment.
Another thought came and it was how rich I was also
and I could take this moment to go out in my kayak.
A man was coming to check out my subpump and
crawl space but that was about an hour and a half
away so after some hemming and hawing, I made
the decision to seize the moment and go out onto
the water. It was so fabulous. The water was like
glass and it was eery to be gliding through the images
of the houses in the water. The birds were singing
and it was just so gloriously peaceful. At my age,
it is about time that I become aware that I can do
what I want when I want. It is only habit that keeps
me from being spontaneous like a child. I wish to be
more childlike and enjoy every moment. Please join me.
The energy of the times is upon us. Of course, Spring
brings its own energy and we alternate between being
so busy getting our yard or garden in order so that we
can enjoy the summer and being so laid back enjoying
the warmth after a cold winter. There is also the energy
of what is happening as we prepare to meet the changes
that are coming as we move forward to 2012. The
eclipses (3 in a short amount of time) are generating
such energy in weather patterns which are causing
many mood swings in us humans.
I know I do not have dementia or alzheimer’s yet I
exhibit the symptoms. One day my mind is as clear
as a bell and I am so efficient and the next day I can’t
seem to keep it together. Things that I normally do by
rote I forget and forget any new things that I need to
do, my memory fails me and I repeat many steps just
to accomplish what I usually take for granted. For
instance, I go to my yoga class every week, yet this
week I had to make three extra trips from my car
to my locked house because I kept forgetting something.
Today, you won’t believe it, I went to the Post Office to
get my mail out of my PO Box, came home and realized
that I had left the keys which included my house keys
still in the box. Back I went to get them and they were
right I had left them, still hanging from the key that opens
the PO Box.
Is that happening to you? You are not going senile or crazy,
the energies surrounding us are really upsetting the apple cart.
Have you noticed how many simple situations have become
complicated? Things that normally go so smoothly that we
take it for granted. Here are a couple that I have experienced
just this past week.
This month I paid my mortgage which is with a different
bank than my checking account on May 2. On May 19th,
I received a notice from my bank that I had not paid my
mortgage which I KNEW I had.
It seems the bank for my mortgage had changed their address
over a year ago and the forwarding from the Post Office had
expired so it was not delivered. Worst of all, the check was in
limbo and not returned to my checking account so I could
reissue another payment. Because of the Patriot Act, one
bank cannot discuss with another bank my problems so a
conference call is needed????
It is May 27th and the issue is still not resolved although
I have repeatedly called both banks. I have already received
a bill for two months now although my mortgage bank said
they would waive the late penalty when it shows up on my
newest bill????? I KNOW it will eventually get squared
away and all will be well at least for this episode.
PS. While writing this newsletter to you, I was guided to
call my checking account bank to check it again. This
is unusual as I don’t like interrupting my flow to you
but the guidance was insistent. Guess what? I bet
you can guess. The money was redeposited in my
checking account so now I can pay last month’s
mortgage just in time to pay this month’s payment.
Thank you for the energy you were sending me
even before I sent any to you.
I hired a carpenter to make a new stoop or entryway to
the back of my house which happens to be in the front
which is close to the street. Since I am on a lake, the
house was reversed so the bow window looks out
onto the water. You probably remember how I
complained that my door was continually blocked
from opening because there was only a 2″ space
between the floor of my stoop and the storm door
causing me to have to shovel every hour or so when
it snowed.
This carpenter came to give me an estimate. His sister,
my therapist recommended him. I did not know this but
he is a licensed carpenter who works every Saturday for
a much lower fee than his normal one. He said it
is his way to give back to God for all that God
gives to him. Another angel is sent my way.
It was supposed to take him 4-6 hours and he came
last Saturday. He ran into problems as no concrete
had been placed under the posts which is why it was
leaning so badly. My house under the door was
rotting because so much moisture was settling there
as it was not level. He needed to find some flashing
to prevent any further deterioration and the store
was closed. He stayed 8 hours leaving only once it
was too dark to see.
He came back after work on Monday night but
still needed more time to finish, he was coming
back on Thursday night. He lowered the whole
stoop so the step up was much easier than before.
I was not happy with the one of the tops of the
banisters. It had ugly knots and it was much
darker with darker lines than the rest of the stoop.
I was trying not to be so picky but it was something
I would have to live with as my son convinced me not
to paint it. My deck is peeling so bad that I keep bringing
in flakes of paint every time I go out on the deck
and he did not want me to have to go through that
with the stoop. There was no way I could cover
the stark difference, what was I to do?
Thursday morning I woke after many bad dreams
about my stoop. I know this sounds silly and it
actually is kind of funny. Here I am in such a
quandary and it is 7:00AM. I finally went to
my neighbors house who does not live there
full time and checked out his railings to see if
maybe eventually the colors would even out.
My stomach is not happy as I am fighting with
myself about calling the carpenter. The words:
“Speak now or forever hold your peace” kept
running around in my head. I was scared to
appear so foolish as to let this little thing bother
me but I could not deny that it was.
I paced around for about 15 minutes and finally
decided to call him to see if he would replace
the top of the railing for me. I told him that I
know it truly is a “woman” thing but the fact
that one is light and the other dark knocked
me off balance. It just did not look right and
it spoiled all of his good work as all I could
see was the dark one. Does this happen to you?
Do you ever focus on the negative instead of the
positive? I felt like I was betraying my own
hard won wisdom and then another guidance
came in. It said: “Love yourself as I love you,
do unto yourself as you would do unto others”.
I realized that I was surrendering to something
that made me unhappy when it would be so
easy to honor myself by asking for what I
really wanted. I did not want to cause him
any more work or time away from his
family so I was willing to cause myself
unhappiness. All I had to do was to have
the courage to ask for what I wanted. Why
is it so hard to do? Why do we make ourselves
victims when it is not really necessary?
So……I took deep breaths and called him. He was
so considerate and said he would do whatever
I wanted and he was not even irritated with me.
I had to go to the lumber yard to refill the propane
tank so I offered to pick up the 2×4 so he would not
have to go out of his way to do that.
It was so easy, it was only my fear of asking that was
making it so difficult. It now looks so great and
balanced, all the wood is the same shade even
though I know it will weather to gray but at least
it will be evenly gray. Here had been another
opportunity given me to conquer a fear and
I am grateful for the courage it took. It really
was not about the wood but simply another
chance to grow in patience and courage and
LOVE.
This weekend is all about honoring those who
serve in the military. Where would we be without
them and who would we be. Let us take a moment
to honor their dedication, courage and self sacrifice
that we might be free.
I would like to honor all the ones who stay home
here in the USA and daily dedicate themselves
to serving others. The firemen, the policemen,
the doctors, the nurses, the whole medical
profession and ALL those who serve us in
myriad ways that perhaps we do not even notice.
Let us all become aware that even the cashiers
and those who do their daily jobs like the postmen,
landscapers, etc. are serving each and every one of us
in their own special way. I thank all of you for serving
me and for allowing me to serve you in some small way.
This 13 year old girl is wonderful, check it out!
‘Il Silencio’ (The Silence)
The conductor of the orchestra is Andre Rieu from Holland. The young lady, her trumpet and her rendition of TAPS.
Many of you may never have heard taps played in its entirety, for all of the men & women that have died for you to have the freedom you have in America. This is an opportunity you won’t want to miss and I guarantee you’ll never forget.
Melissa Venema, age 13, is the trumpet soloist.
Here is Taps played in its entirety. The Original version of Taps was called Last Post, and was written by Daniel Butterfield in 1801. It was rather lengthy and formal, as you will hear in this clip, so in 1862 it was shortened to 24 notes and re-named Taps. Melissa Venema is playing it on a trumpet whereby the original was played on a bugle.
Watch at this site.
http://www.flixxy.com/trumpet- solo-melissa-venema.htm
HAVE A HAPPY AND WONDERFUL MEMORY-AL DAY
This is the weekend that the lake becomes alive as most people
will launch their boats and may even put out their rafts and buoys.
Some children are already in the water. It is opening week-end.
Love and Light
Mary Grace
www.TheWoundedChalice.com
www.TheWoundedChalice.com/blog
[email protected]
PO Box 403
Wales, MA 01081, USA
413-245-3977