Category: One for the Journal

It started as a beautiful day in March 1996 on a California beach, surfer Jesse Billauer, days away from turning pro, caught a glorious wave that in turn hit him hard. The wave, in perfect form, picked up this energetic surfer and let him ride, until the wave tired of him, then as quickly as the wave picked him up, it deposited him onto the ocean bottom where a rogue sandbar was waiting. That day, 17-year old Jesse fractured his C-6 vertebrae, a spinal cord injury that rendered him paralyzed.

But Jesse’s story does not end here as one might think that it would. Years later, Jesse returned to the sea, ‘Seeking’ he said ‘for the exhilarating freedom I used to experience.’ With the help of his friends, one who built him a suitable board, Jesse began riding once again.

Skip forward to 2001, Jesse dove into another sea of unknown, he launched an initiative so that others living with a disability might know the same rapture that he felt. Life Rolls On is a non-profit organization formed for the sole reason to improve the quality of life for those living with various disabilities. Hosting umpteen events throughout the year, Jesse’s mission is reaching hundreds of people stricken with all sorts of neurological disorders. That, I say, is a powerful outreach!

The ‘power being in the perspective, not the circumstance’.

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Jesse says, “A wave is like a canvas, you can paint your description of how you’re feeling at that moment… Each time I get in the water, I feel cleansed of everything else going on. It’s beautiful, just beautiful.”

https://liferollson.org/jesse-billauer

To be successful in life, you have to believe in karma, it forges intregity.

Recognized in age old teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism, karma is the spiritual principle of cause and effect. Not much different from Newton’s Law, ‘every action must have an equal and opposite reaction’. When ever we speak or act we initiate a force that will react accordingly. Simply put, ‘getting what you give’, or, as my grandmother used to say “You reap what you sow!”

This story is meant to bring some focus to good karmic living, and I hope by doing so I become more enlightened, and you, too. I researched the laws of this principal, and I must say I really like the below list! If we can all try to live by these few moral laws, we will have propagated a surge towards the return of decency and diplomacy in our society.

1. Become a thankful person.
2. Meet each person and encounter with honesty.
3. Volunteer or be in service to others.
4. Take care of the lonely and forgotten people, old and young.
5. Stop malicious gossiping.
6. Spread light and positivity wherever you go.

So, folks, in a quest to better our world and gain some better karma for yourselves, begin with this thought:

Each Day, One Good Deed.

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“Thoughts lead us to our purpose; our purpose put us in action; our actions form habits; our habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny.” – Tryon Edwards

I sometimes wonder if other women think like me. This story is about what I believe is a common flaw found in many women today.

Do you ever slip into judging your peer? I think most of us can – and do – given certain circumstances and conditions. It’s in our DNA to compare our lives, our loves, and our future side by side to that of a friend. And, often comparisons turn into judgement, which is unfortunate and rarely ends well. Most times, these turns are not intentional, but because we are human – it happens.

Living without judgement is about mutual respect & regard. When viewing or interacting with another woman look for mutual values, and frankly, learn to mind your own business! By not allowing any passive/aggressive exchanges to fly off the cuff, a way will be paved in forming an attitude of trying not to change one another.

To succeed in growing this seed, find those women who are committed to your happiness; ones who offer you the encouragement to live the life you want and were meant to live. Choose the ones who do not ask you to invest your precious time in their drama.

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I would like to be known as an intelligent woman, a courageous woman, a loving woman, a woman who teaches by being. — Maya Angelou

Finally, The sunshine has returned and sanity has been restored to the Suncoast. So for my reward, this little island gave me some sugar!

Bye Bye rain and thunderstorms, where ever you are headed, I hope you are kind to my neighbors!

The best thing about being a sister is having a sister or brother. Being one in a series; together a pack with a pecking order and each holding a distinctive role. Having someone in life that shares your experiences and common character traits is transforming, even if later in life geographical distance punctuates the relationship.

Being an only child is interesting; they are a unique combination of independence and dependence that you don’t normally encounter in the traits of siblings. Yet, these children still form the bonds that siblings experience but with cousins or close family members that share their world.

Sometimes as we mature the sibling relationship becomes strained or even dislocated. These are unlucky relationships and are probably due to history or rivalry or the like. If this occurs it’s best to protect one’s life and sanity as sad as that is.

Keeping or maintaining a consistent communication as we mature is key to bettering the deep connection that only the siblings share. I know that by having a sister I have learned how to love and respect other women, and from having an older brother I learned how to expect to be treated by a man. Consider the value of having and nourishing a sibling relationship when you are self-reflecting on this Friday, the end of another work week!

PS. I wish I could tell you the Florida sun was shining down here, but alas it is STILL raining!

Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at …………….. -Maya Angelou

I heard a story today that struck a beautiful, resonant chord in me. It was a narrative of a mid-20’s young black man who was out on a ride.  He eventually spied an elderly white woman on her walker in sweltering 100-degree heat, a slew of grocery bags draped across the handle bars. This young man pulled his car over to the side of the road, got out and asked, “Could I offer you a ride, M’am?” A selfless act of kindness.

Was it the heat that made him think to stop and offer help? Did she remind him of someone special, perhaps his grandmother? Was he destined for somewhere where his arrival time was important, and did he cast that aside to be of service? Maybe all of these things, but his taking action and following his instinct to make the first move, despite any other needs he might have in place, were extraordinary acts of good-heartedness.

For today’s story illustration I chose this photograph of the Professor ostensibly in counsel with our 16 year-old nephew. Their inter-generational heads deep in conversation – together young and old. The Professor has the look of excitement of seeing the world through a younger perspective, and Nephew looks as if he is taking in the scholarly wisdom being offered him. Relationships, such as these, are important to our society.

As to the end of the story of the benevolent young man with the helping hand–the elderly woman graciously accepted the ride and allowed the young man to untether her groceries and place her walker in the trunk. And then he drove her home, a distance of more than two miles.

All because he listened closely to his instinct to do good. That inclination lies within us all.

The end of the week is the perfect time to take a break and immerse oneself in the magnificence of our universe. Sitting under a Sea Grape tree delivers just the right mindset for a Friday afternoon. Once I nestled in, I began thinking about human decency and what it means to live by those standards.

This is a story about decency. Simply put, most of us want to be better, want to deepen our ways of spiritual living, degree by degree. There is evidence of the significant rewards to be realized for human kindness.

Merriam-Webster defines decency as ‘…being marked by moral integrity, kindness & goodwill…’ I like to think of myself and others around me as being hard-working decent folks, but I believe we need to go deeper than just our immediate circle of contacts. We are living in difficult times. Decency is not just arms-length deep anymore. Indecency has now risen to a national level. The absence of honesty, goodwill and thoughtfulness is rampant. The spiritual state of humanity in our society has become very poor.

Now, I do not expect to unravel these monumental issues we face as I sit quietly this Friday afternoon in the shade of a palm tree, but I do hope to open up the minds and hearts of others so that more respectable behavior can abound.

My prescription ~ live small but see big.

Whenever I hear the saying, ‘fear is a liar’, it always makes me pause to ponder.  I get that fear is telling you to be afraid although there is nothing to fear.  I think, however, that this mantra goes deeper.

I received a video text message from my granddaughter yesterday morning.  PMB is ten but going on twenty-eight, she is the most sturdy and fearless child that I have ever known.  Plus she’s got the work-ethic of a tyrant; she never lets up until she reaches the finish line.  She is my hero.

Her voice on the video asked me “Can you come to my house tomorrow?”  Now, mind you, her house and my house are 1,000 miles apart.  She continued her dialogue, playing to the camera as only a seasoned veteran can do; her voice was telling me “I’m having an MRI tomorrow.”    My goodness.   I knew that this was coming up – as a precaution to an injury in her Dance Cheer sport.  The Doc said, “Good idea to get a picture”.

We texted back and forth for a few, and then the day got busy and it was already tomorrow. I was anxious to hear something.  I didn’t have to wait long.  I opened up FB and the first thing I saw was her beautiful face boasting a courageous smile, two thumbs up, looking sassy and victorious. Wrapped around each wrist were layer-bracelets spelling out “Fear Is A Liar”.  I knew then and there she had made them to wear when she went to face-to-face with the demon MRI machine.  I reached her mother later, she confirmed it true.

I thought about this little warrior slaying her MRI dragon, and the message that her bracelets spelled out, and, I realized her display of courage was not the absence of fear, but her triumph over it.  So, fear is a liar, I get it now!

 I chose this photo of the Professor because I thought it so representative of the virtue Hope. By his posture at the water’s edge, arms extended reaching skyward unaware of the camera, he is demonstrating Hope.

The building blocks of Faith, Hope and Charity are like a three-legged stool. They are the three great virtues of humanity. Some have written that the word or action of Charity is the greatest of the three. I agree, yet, I can clearly see that all three are interchangeable. To begin ~ planting the seeds of Faith within one’s soul nurtures the possibility of Hope. When these two mesh together and guide us, we become open to the qualities of Charity which is to be in service to others and thus implanting your heart with pure love.

I believe this world needs now, more than ever, an infusion of Charity into our humanity. Some ugly swords of late have placed this call upon my heart. I have Faith in all of my fellow followers that we will walk together through these difficult times. I have Hope that our souls will be anchored in a safe harbor as the storm passes us by. And, I have a call to Charity for all of us as Charity upholds and purifies our ability to love. Through this endeavor, we find our way to divine Love and realize the fruits of these actions: joy, peace, and harmony.

Find a way to deliver some form of Charity today, and tomorrow too! No amount is insignificant.

Today started off easy. That’s the kind of Friday I like the most, the end of the work week withdrawing with dignity as the sweet anticipation of the weekend enters my brain. Since this grace was so well presented to me, I took it as that..a gift. So, I picked up my beach chair and headed to Little Beach to give thanks for the day and the week.

While sitting and contemplating, I knew that I had done good things this week. In the hours that I worked, I had given good service and advice to my clients. I had helped someone I knew was in need by completing a pro-bono project for them. I dug in my pocket and made a small contribution to a school that opens their doors to refugee children, and I reached out to others to do the same. I have provided a listening ear to friends who needed to be heard. I have offered smiles where ever I went, and even had a few returned! I practiced patience and have been successful in remaining cheerful. I have slept well knowing these small acts of kindness have been realized.

I am sending out this message in hopes that you, too, will contemplate on your successes this week and pride yourselves on the small ways you made a difference. It is so vitally true that small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can change the world!

As you conclude your Monday through Friday responsibilities and ease into the week’s end, I wish you all fair winds and following seas!