perspective – downtoearthpositive

The Terminal

The situation of my own eyes, caused me to look around the terminal. Faces amaze me. Maybe it is because I worked closely with people for so many years, I’ve become relatively good at “reading” faces. Oh sure, there is some conjecture and you don’t know all the details . . . but emotions can be a billboard.

I flew home in a bit of an emotional whirl. I was so sad leaving my heart, my Grandson. By the next time I see him, he will have so many more skills, and will continue to get taller and his vocabulary will become clearer. He will more than likely get over that “being two” stage too, (I think he’s almost there) . . . I’m so grateful for video chat and instantaneous photos. But it’s not the same as being there. Of course, I had a tear or two at the airport. I was misty eyed.

I also missed my husband and couldn’t wait to get home to see him. Love is a good thing! Then I received the text with the ultrasound photo. Oh my! There is really a baby in there! Sadness, joy, excitement, love, longing, expectation . . . All at once? Oh come on, you would be misty eyed too!

My plane was full. Evidently not one seat was empty if I heard the stewardess right, or is it steward-person now? That explains why the airport was so busy! I overheard a woman in the terminal say to her friend, “Yes, I’m heading home for a bit, at least we got Greg over from the brink of death.” They hugged. Not many heard her. Most people are so engaged with their cell phones in their faces and are physically there, but robotish, clueless as to what’s going on around them. But look, walking past, a young woman eyes deep-set, moving slowly . . .

she is in another world. Something has happened. She is shattered. Was it her boyfriend? Did he leave her? Or, should she leave him? Was she escaping? Did someone die? Did her brother not make it over the brink as Greg did? This was definitely a “love look.” Please, someone, give her a hug!
he is polite, yet guarded. He is “manning-up” but wants to cry like a little girl. Can anyone see me? Eyes averted.
A family . . . Mom & Dad look stressed, but the kids have sparkles in their eyes. You might think they were in line at Disney World, but this plane is heading to Pittsburgh, I wonder if it’s a connector or are they visiting someone special there?

On and on the possible stories go. I think sometimes it nice to just put the cell down, look around you. See people. Be Connected. Have a random conversation. When I do this, my world becomes larger. I think a part of this era of negativity is that (not only teenagers) are so busy looking at that small piece of electronics in our hands. Granted, I will look too, and frequently when my kids text, send videos or post cool things, but you know as well as I do that we can become quite mindless staring at our phones.

Here is a challenge in the next few days, put down the phone —look around you!

Enjoying the Adventure (Let’s all go on one!)

Dr. Dink

____________________

Please visit my other Blog: Brown Bag Letter

I encourage you to visit other bloggers. You’ll find almost everything imaginable that can be written, in every form, from all over the world!

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Post-it Notes to the rescue!

A friend contacted me about this blog yesterday and said she is finding it encouraging. That makes the time and discipline of writing everyday so worth the effort. Thank you! This got me reflecting . . . the five-year anniversary of losing nearly everything is coming up soon for me and I have realized that I might just have “something to give” because I’ve learned through the horrible things of life to get to the other side. Generally, with a positive attitude, although I have confessed in an earlier blog that I can be negative, I can even be a bitch. However, that’s “generally” temporary.

One of the things that has helped me come back to myself when going through rough patches is Post-it notes. I know, sounds elementary doesn’t it? I made the first four words of this paragraph in bold because this is only ONE thing but I found it so incredibly helpful. When I discovered the therapeutic use of Post-its I was incredibly grateful. I had thought they were “just for office use” or “a quick shopping list”. Little did I know until learned the practice from Jen Sincero, the writer of “You are a Badass” whom I give credit for saving my life, or at least my sanity during the life-adjustment five years ago.

One of the many things she suggested in this book was to write down sayings, reminders, words and mantras that you will see everywhere. I put Post-its on my bathroom mirror, my microwave, cell phone, laptop –everywhere I could. My poor husband, yes, he puts up with me! Here are some of my (very personal) Post-it reminders:

When I was a little girl I used to laugh so much that I drove my Mom crazy. She said sometimes she wished I would cry. I will become this person again! I will be filled with laughter & hope to laugh so hard that I pee myself!
I will be happy, joyful, full of energy, I will smile at others.
Be what you is cause if you ain’t what you is, you is what you ain’t.
Your walk walks & your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks.
I will appreciate the little things.
I will be the kind of friend that I need.
What is the fun in waking up at 85 realizing “you couldn’t find the time” to have fun
You can carry a horse over your head!
I will make a very strong effort to talk about people that I ADMIRE (even if they are dead)
I will look to work with integrity and choose not to be affected by others hypocrisy.
I will embrace the beauty:
- I will take walks & rides
- I will look for beauty multiple times during the day & say out loud, “Look at that!”

These, and other sayings were everywhere I was. I would stop and read them. Embrace them. I would have high expectation that I would somehow believe that these simple phrases could change, not the situation, but how I chose to respond to it. Was it easy? Hell No! Were there times that I wanted to throw them all away? Hell YES! Sometimes it’s just natural to wallow in the pain & I’m a natural kind of gal, eh? So, then, I found more sayings, more things that would remind me not only of who I was, but who I wanted to be. Notice most say, “I WILL” because, what I was living at the time was nothing that anyone would want to be!!!!!!

I guess the question is, do you have to go through a miniature HELL for this to work? No. You may simply want to remind yourself to smile, to enjoy life more, to —oh, you fill in the blanks!

If your looking for change in your life, or to embrace positive thoughts and actions in a very negative world, why not try Post-it note therapy? It’s what THIS Doctor ordered!

Enjoying the Adventure! (Even though the adventure has been Hellish at times).

Dr. Dink

________________________________________

Please visit my other Blog: Brown Bag Letter

I encourage you to visit other bloggers. You’ll find almost everything imaginable that can be written, in every form, from all over the world!

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Locked!

Do you see the little spots on the side of the bridge? . . . we shall get to that!

I’m a country girl, so a pedestrian bridge over an 8 lane highway with cars moving at 70 mph was a curiosity. I didn’t expect to see the sunset as I stood there above the noise of the cars, it was beautiful and I stood for a while watching, then. as I got to the center of the bridge, I looked and there was a Master lock on the wire fencing, I thought it was strange, and then looked further. One led to the other and more and more. What is this, I mused. Then I looked closely at the locks, there were names on them.

In Love For Ever

I’m Locked with you

Prom?

Love & hearts

MRO + IMO

A local couple taking a walk with their two children came on the bridge and confirmed that couples would come up on the bridge to confess their love and commitment to each other. (Goosebumps!) At first I thought, it would mostly be high school students. But then I saw an antique lock. For many years I was with people during the tragic times of their lives. I would stay at the hospital after the accident, or as a family sat at vigil as their loved one pass. So many times during these moments, I would ask the spouse, “You meant it didn’t you?” Their answer was always, “Yes.” So, I would repeat the traditional words that most folks said on their wedding day,

“To have and to hold,

from this day forward,

for better, for worse

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish,

until death do us part . . .”

I am willing to wager that most of those locks were placed by young teens with visions of love in their hearts. However, I believe that their were also special anniversaries, or the realization the impact of a diagnosis’, and re-commitments of love and devotion too. I came off that bridge with the biggest smile on my face (it was ridiculous) and a small pool of tears in my eyes. All because of the beauty of locks.

Have you reminded, or done something special for the one you love to remind them how much that love means to you lately?

Enjoying the Adventure!

Dr. Dink

Grateful

Today is Memorial Day here in America. There will be remembrances in nearly every community. For the most part, those ceremonies have been the same each and every year since “anyone can remember”. I’ve been to many, participated in a few. They make me grateful.

The evolution of this weekend has become a celebration of picnics, the beach season officially opening, summer is here so gas prices rise and traffic jams along the coast & to mountainous resort areas increase for most. Yet, it is good to remember the real reason behind this holiday which has become a good excuse to buy a six pack, or another bottle or two of red.

Memorial day is about Death and Gratefulness. Death has been such a huge part of my life as I was a pastor for 22 years. Death was a reality I was always prepared to face, yet not quite ready to face. There was an expectation whether that death had just occurred, or was imminent in the next few months that I would be intimately involved in the process. When you are intimately involved with death on a regular basis, it can make you or break you. Think about it, there really isn’t a middle ground, is there? Well, I guess, middle ground would be numb.

Dealing with death has made me grateful. I know it hits others in different ways, but for me, grateful. I live with the understanding that each and every day is a gift. A gift to be opened, enjoyed and used. A gift to show off to your friends, and decide not to share with those . . . . well, you don’t want to share your daily gift with!

Yesterday, I spend some time with a friend at the grave of her father, she talked of his untimely death, “too young”, she said, “he was two years younger than I am now”. He, like my father, served in the Korean War. It was a precious time we had, talking of our Dad’s, being thankful that they served, but didn’t die in the war. Private, personal ceremony. A time to remember, it was beautiful. I walked away grateful.

When I think of the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the military, and of their families who have had such great loss, of someone they loved gone, usually, “incredibly too young”, I am grateful. I’m grateful that because of them, I have the right to express my opinions on this blog, on social media, at the coffee house or on a public square. I’m grateful that I could choose to walk away from my career of 22 years because I couldn’t accept the ethics any longer. I’m grateful that I could start up and close a business or two. I’m grateful that I can talk on the phone, or text my family. I’m grateful that I can have a dog and a fish.

I started this blog because of the negativity pandemic that is going on in our society right now. I hate it, truly. But I’m grateful that we have the right to be miserable if we choose to be. Although I’m not a march-in-the-streets-protester, I can protest the life-sucking-negativity, in my own way because I have the freedom to do so.

So, my ceremony for today is my new discipline of early morning writing. I’m grateful I have that choice. I’m grateful for the many lives lost that give me the right to be who I am and for you to be who you are. I’m grateful for many years of being intimate with death so that I can celebrate life . . . daily.

What are you grateful for today?

Enjoying the Adventure, (And greatful to have the freedom to do so!)

Dr. Dink

____________________

Please visit my other Blog: Brown Bag Letter

I encourage you to visit other bloggers at the following sites. You’ll find almost everything imaginable that can be written, in every form, from all over the world!

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Daily Post

Uncanny

So, I think it is absolutely HALARIOUS that the “word of the day” on the morning I fly home is DISAPPEAR!

I’m not superstitious!

I’m not superstitious!!!

I’m not superstitious!!!!!!!

Really, I’m NOT!

Good thing, eh?

Have a great day!

Enjoying the Adventure!

Dr. Dink

Ahhh, the joys of different time zones

Thinking ONLY about yourself: the world is small and limited.

Thinking about others: the world in infinite.

When life situations occur, whether it be a season of sadness, change and life devastation. Or a quick moment of, “Oh no! What will I do now?”. If our response is, me, me, me. It leads to a place of not seeing anything but overwhelming smallness. However, looking to “the other” leads to a path of hope.

While texting a new friend early this morning, she said, “I’m off to bed!” And here I was with my cup of coffee, waking up. In an instant global world, I have to constantly think of time zones. Family in England, Friends and family East & West. Former students in China and India . . . what time is it for someone else?

Aren’t we in a different time zone, even with the person next to us? We enter each day with different perspectives, different backgrounds, moods, health, etc. Generally, it is very natural to respond to that truth. However, if we are too busy looking at “me”, we miss so much opportunity, even in the closest of relationships!

collaboration-community-cooperation-461049 Challenge for the day, do “something” for the other. Even if they don’t realize what you’ve done, you have the benefit of knowing the kindness. It makes your world much larger, brighter, and yes, positive place. It may be a word, an action —small or large, have some fun! I’d love to hear what you decide to do!

Enjoying the Adventure!

Dr. Dink

This post was inspired by the daily prompt: narcisist

Photo: Pexel.com

Please visit my (very new!) other Blog: Brown Bag Letter

I encourage you to visit other bloggers at the following sites. You’ll find almost everything imaginable that can be written, in every form, from all over the world!

Blogging Meetup

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Daily Prompt

Too Early?

Is it premature to say that TODAY IS GOING TO BE AWESOME? I think not . . .

I mean really, a cup of coffee, a banana and a phrase to set the day right. What a great way to start. So, now it’s your turn:

Today is going to be __________________?

Enjoying the Adventure, (secretly looking for tomorrow’s start-up word)

Dr. Dink

Blogging Meetup

Daily Prompt

Greater than Source

IMG_20170524_060658603

My Dear Friends,

As a shadow lengthens in the sun,

attitudes infect those around you.

hang out with people

who smile and laugh A LOT!

Enjoying the Adventure, (A wee bit taller today)

Dr. Dink

Daily Prompt

Linkfollowshare

Word Power!

Words heal & hurt,

Words emote love & hatred,

Words bless & curse,

Words help us with directions or get us lost,

Words vary, depending upon our mood.

There’s a vast forest of words to chose from that may have control over our day, even our existence. In order to have positivity influence our everyday lives those things that come from our lips often reflect exactly where our heart is.

Surely those of us who write get stuck when creativity is lost or blocked. Therefore, along with my trusty thesaurus, one of my new favorite sites has become Urban Dictionary. It can be quite entertaining to explore the evolution of words. Let’s face it, my Great Grand Father that I wrote about yesterday had no idea that “COOL” would come to have about a million different meanings, for instance, “The breeze feels cool on this Montana morning, reminds me winter is on it’s way.” —-Code for, “Oh Shit! Do we have enough wood split? I don’t want to be out there when it’s 20 below ZERO in February!” This is a perfect description of my husband and I this winter. We just didn’t prepare enough dead trees from the Pennsylvania forest neatly split & stacked in the yard to feed the wood-stove. Winter was colder than usual and longer than Spring this year. We spent a lot of time in the cold to get warm! Regrettable, just regrettable. I digress . . . back to words.

Words are incredibly powerful. We need to choose them wisely. I challenge you, dear reader, find some words that describe who you want to be, where you want to go, use those words as weapons against that which keeps you away from where you are heading. What words will strengthen relationships? What words will build? Have some fun –bring the positive into your life and the lives of others! Find even one word each day that will bring you to a better place.

Enjoying the Adventure!

Dr. Dink

via Daily Prompt: Forest

Negative Blindness

So, Yeah, I realized this morning that I have a case of negative blindness. It makes it very difficult to see, you see, and that is a good thing!

Last week I made a commitment to write about positive things. I’m just so tired of being bombarded by negative voices. These voices may be heard on the news, late night talk shows (whatever happened to comedy?), or a feed in social media. Negativity enters into many aspects of life when we are constantly hearing that voice and seeing those images. It just gets tiring, actually quite boring, reminding me of a skipping skipping vinyl record . . . blip, blip, blip. I decided to do something about it and guess what has happened in a very short time? I’m blinded! I’m having difficulty seeing it.

Consider me an optimistic cynic. I do ask questions, I do wonder what truth is, I do realize that bitching about something is perfectly normal & guess what? I’m not naive, I know that there will be plenty of time for bitching! That doesn’t necessarily take away from trying to have a more positive outlook, it just recognizes the reality of life is not a perfect rose-garden with sunshine & lollipops all the time. Shit happens & darn it, that just sucks.

One can easily get caught up in that last paragraph and be blinded from seeing beauty, grace, laughter and yes, sunshine & roses. However, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the entire world could just embrace positivity for a day? One day would lead to a week, month and so on. I like that I’m literally seeing things with a positive world-view. It changes everything.

Enjoying the Adventure & Quite Happy to Be Blinded!

Dr. Dink

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