The Milk of Human Kindness

It ‘ain’t’ easy to find balance; to stop time and commit moments to memories, but these efforts are essential to one’s soul. Finding the time to fill yourself up with the joys of others is where you can reach the deepest chambers of your heart. We are all in need of the cultural shift that has been presented to us. I believe the increase in awareness will bring about a great societal change.

The loss of one of my heroes, the undeterrable Ruth Bader Ginsberg, has placed me in a sober and thoughtful place. The life work of this amazing focused and dauntless woman was to bring change to a sexist world. By her championing the cause, she was able in her lifetime to bring about a shift in the attitudes, conditions and behaviors that promoted stereotyping of the female gender. She, with her diminutive stature, raised an iron fist for feminism all the while displaying a feminine grace with her lace collars, statement necklaces and silken shawls. I wish I could have thanked her before she left this earth. Yet, I instinctively know she was aware of all the tributes that followed her departure from this world.

We are all in a quandary about where this pandemic will leave us. There is no precedent for the world being upside down. Finding our way to a more spiritual life; learning to be kinder, more patient, more loving will definitely precipitate a movement and bring about new meaning to life itself.

This is the nectar of the Milk of Human Kindness. I hope its topics will plant seeds in your soil and sprout great vines of hope in all.

I leave you with the words of the great songwriter, Randy Newman…”Human Kindness is Overflowing”

Caution – May Contain Unsuitable Content

As you know, The Professor is back watching his beloved baseball, most particularly his World Champion Washington Nationals.

Last night, as I sat quietly occupying myself, my mind wandered long enough to catch a glimpse of the game. I noticed the Umpire reaching into one of the two satchels strapped across his waist. “Man,” I said to the Professor, “How many balls can that Ump carry?” Well, I should have known that would spark a conversation and open up an impartment of knowledge from ‘you know who‘.

“Well,” he began, “Each of those satchels holds about five baseballs. But the ball boy changes those satchels out just about every at bat, so the ump never has to worry about not having enough. By the way, Miss Writer…” he continued, “those bags are not called satchels, they are called scrotum bags!” I shrieked with laughter, “That’s ridiculous, ha ha who ever came up with that!”

I let it go and returned to my mind wanderings eventually making my way to my studio. Now, maybe it was my naiveté or maybe it was old fashion curiosity, but don’t you know I found my fingers on Google. Those satchels are called Equipment Bags or plain ole’ Ball Bags.

The Professor fed me a line of bull. Damn, he got me again!

Sounds of Summer with Covid-19

Baseball is back, and the rhythm it brings has our little beach house humming.  The Professor is in his glory with night after night of games being broadcast, some back-to-back, to get in what remains of the actual season after the forced Covid-19 halt.

I must admit, I am not a sports fan.  However, I am an adoptee into a family of rabid fans of every sport ever played.  This self-imposed integration into this family had me up against of wall of either sink or swim.  I chose to swim (sports pun intended here!)  So, I commune with sports running in the background of my desired lyrical life.  That being said…if I had to pick a sport to play on as a backdrop, it would be baseball.

Even though baseball games are long in duration, they are quiet.  Now, I do not mean quiet in the sense that they are now being played without the attendance of their fans; I mean there is quiescent sense to the game of baseball itself; it is a passive almost peaceful battle to the bottom of the ninth inning.  There is also the comforting narrative of the Professor’s favorite announcers, F.P. Santangelo & Bob Carpenter, and the backdrop of a lovely summer evening.  It must invoke childhood memories in one; it is no wonder it is called America’s game, it is agreeable. 

There is something soothing that comes to a person who commits to watching a baseball game on the screen.  It’s a 3 to 4-hour respite from the political ads and the harsh reality of our country’s current strife.  The viewer can let his or her mind wander all the while concentrating on the batting line up and emitting audible shouts at the Ump behind home plate.  Heck, the Professor has even taken to putting names to the cardboard cutouts of the fans, and this little aspect always provokes hilarity in him.  Huh?

So, if you want to envision me in my current habitat, for whatever reason, see me as happily curled up on the sofa with my uke beside me and a paper and pen nearby.  And, in that picture, put a soft blur onto the huge TV screen in the background!  Those boys rolling in dirt ARE part of my reality, and while they were not exactly invited to my party, they ARE in attendance. 

Secretly, I really don’t mind!

“The thing I like about baseball is that it’s one-on-one. You stand up there alone, and if you make a mistake, it’s your mistake. If you hit a home run, it’s your home run.” — Hank Aaron

Working with Humorous Angels

I was born to do angel work. I am not sure with all the human flaws I possess why I was chosen for this work, but I was. And, this is not something new that I have come upon, my mother told me I was like that from the minute I could relate to others. She often told me it was a difficult task parenting a child who gave everything away without a second thought. She said that when she and my father would give me toys they would disappear within days of the gifting. “Where is your new toy?”, they would implore. My response was always the same, “Little Johnny didn’t have one so I gave it to him!” After a while, it became common place and was accepted.

As I matured, angels started to appear to me. They were apparently pleased with my solo work and were anxious to provide assistance and further guidance. Well, let me tell you – these angel gals are hilarious. There are two of them; they both possess a sense of mirth and certainly keep me on my toes. Wherein there are hundreds of examples I can offer, the most recent occurrence really had me chuckling.

A sweet and kind soul who I love to be around had suffered a betrayal that rocked her world upside down. This lead to isolation, acute aloneness during the pandemic, and deep sadness in her heart. She sought solace from my counsel so, of course, I availed upon the angels to send relief. This is a natural response from me, if you are in need of help (failing health, matters of the heart, struggles with finances?) I call out and dispatch my angels to remedy the situation, and they never disappoint. Well, on this particular assignment they delivered alright but with quirks that could only be labeled as “peculiar”.

These angels of mine swiftly addressed the situation and introduced a new soul to this kind hearted friend of mine. This new soul was a perfect geographical match for the aloneness. Next up, another new soul was introduced to my friend, this one delivered exactly what was needed to soothe her broken heart. And finally, a third soul came around into my friend’s inner world and with her she brought my friend out of isolation by including her in the many social activities that could be attended to safely. Honestly, I thought it quite wonderful that my angels involvement had delivered such a successful response…that was until I heard about the details.

Remember that betrayal she suffered? Well, all three NEW souls who entered my kind friend’s broken world all share the SAME name. They also share the SAME astrological sign. Wherein you might not truly get the impact of this abnormality, to me it is the most playful and vorciferous response I could imagine. I mean, there are no coincidences in this life, there just isn’t!

Two Hots and a Cot and a Summer Escape

The summer would not be complete without an accounting of Pearl Bailey’s grand escape.  When I say this dame took a powder, I mean she even left Ella behind.

The summer was preceding about as normal it could be considering the lingering pandemic.  We had our handyman at the house working on our deck boxes.  We were in and out quite a bit, and therefore so were the dogs.

Once the activity slowed and the quiet was restored, I noticed a whole lot of floor and no big blonde dog lounging about. I called to the Professor, “Where’s Pearl Bailey?” He was deep in Inning 6 with the Nats up 2 runs, “Dunno’” he answered. Shortly thereafter, I began to freak out, “She’s gone!” The Professor quickly shook himself into action and was out the door in hot pursuit. First destination, the beach. When he got up there, it was reported that she had been there, that she took a swim but it had been half hour earlier.

The Professor quickly realized she was nowhere in sight so he headed over to the Bayou, a small snippet of water flowing from the Bay waters to the Pass.  Once the Professor got up there he got the same story, she had been there, she had been seen in the water and it had been some time since she left.  The Professor returned to the house frantic and by then my calls around the neighborhood had me in the same state. 

A deep discussion over the garden gate had us deciding to split up – he would take the car, I would stick with the neighborhood, post on social media and make some calls.  I went into the house to get the Professor’s phone for him and as I walked out to the garage to hand it to him there on the 2 x 2 foot stair landing sat a widely-grinning Pearl Bailey, dripping wet and stinking of scummy Bayou water. 

Now my grandma used to have a saying, “I don’t get to town often but when I do…woo hoo!”  And that was the thought that crossed my mind at that exact minute.  By the way, just for the record… it was dinner time.  I rest my case.

Is It Just Me?

Is it just me or is there a correlation that exists between the phrase 20/20 vision and the arrival of the year 2020?

When speaking of a person having 20/20 vision it usually refers to the clarity or sharpness of their vision. Given that description, I began to ponder about what the year 2020 has brought to the world and if perhaps the Universe is delivering a clear and concise message about opening our eyes to the changes at hand.

I know it is a stretch, but think of it this way – the changes that arrived in the year 2020 were profound. It brought a whole new order of things which have become the new norm. There was a lot of scurry in the world up to when we rang in the New Year. And this hurried and harried pace was world-wide. The push and pull of the world’s leaders; the generational climb of the proverbial ladder; the explorations of the youngest of our society – had us all ‘driving under the influence’. When the page turned to January 1 2020, the rhythm began to change, and by March most of us were dumbfounded by the velocity of the changes at hand.

But are these profound changes so bad? I mean our family time has become much more focused, and our concerns and caring for those alone or less fortunate have become a first thought instead of a fleeting thought. Personally, I like the change. I do not like having to be away from my children and my siblings; I feel much like it is a forced exile. But globally speaking I believe this re-order is bringing a lot of positive vibrations by which we all can learn and grow.

I know the year 2020 has been a one-two punch. However, if we set aside our natural inclination to resist the change and climb on board fully, I believe something magical will be coming to us all. For me, I am setting aside my rose colored glasses and replacing them with my spectacles to be certain that I don’t miss a thing!

“Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while so we can see life with a clearer view again.”

Alex Tan

Seeing Double

The world mindset is changing that much is clear. And, the changes I am seeing are chocked full of promise and charity. I very much like what is before us all.

I suffer from double vision, the result of many eye surgeries. I see the world with four eyes open! So imagine what I am witnessing – a plethora of goodness cropping up all around me. These superabundant acts of kindness I am seeing have doubled in number and are NOT because of my wonky eyesight. I’d say that is a marvel, a supernatural event of the greatest magnitude. A phenomenon, and I am delighted at this new movement.

I have a friend who is a treasure of a gal. When she is not working, she is running around town doing for others. That is her norm. These days of the pandemic where most have slowed their pace, she has leaned in the opposite direction. She has amped up her efforts – she is baking and cooking and giving away her wares each and every day without missing a beat. I always thought how lovely it was that I was loved by her. I felt ‘Gee, I’m one lucky girl’. But I am sure all the other folks in town believe the same thing. That is the way it is when you spread unconditional love – it feels special both on the receiving and the giving ends.

In my limited outings, I have been seeing all kinds of gracious acts – people holding doors for others, young people giving wide berth to the elderly to make them feel safe, and grateful smiling essential workers reaching a step above what is required. Tonight, when I returned home from picking up my Friday night carry out order from my favorite Asian bistro, I found nestled in the bag two gifts – a bottle of Sake and the world’s most enormous mango with a note attached, “I am ready for eating!” How cool is that? Again, it got me thinking how fortunate I was to be the recipient of these culinary gifts from the simple kitchen of one of my favorite restaurants.

I am hoping tonight that everyone should feel so lucky.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”

Thornton Wilder

Ordered Restored In The Kingdom

If I have been radio-silent for a while, it was with good reason; this retirement thing was not as easy to adjust to as I originally thought. Hey, I am a tumbleweed…I roll and rumble about easily – “Change” is my middle name. But you see…I am married to a goat; albeit a sure-footed goat but an old billy bucker just the same. However, I have single-handedly restored order in our kingdom and now this fairy goddess can go back to doing what is important to her soul.

I have been thinking a lot during these extended days of the pandemic. There is so much political mud being slung in both directions, it is hard to stay clean and unaffected. I still do not understand why some insist the effects of a world-wide pandemic are the fault of one human being or one administration just because of their political affiliation. We are all in this together; our nation is facing something of the likes that we have never seen before. Taking it day by day and weighing each action against the result is a formula I think most any prudent person would take – Democrat or Republican. I think it would help our nation if the criticism died down a bit.

With that being said, I can’t help but thinking we, as individuals, are all just one small adjustment away from making our lives work. The measures that we must now take to remain connected to each other dominate our process, and that is a good thing. The slow draw has us all becoming more unhurried, and I think that is a phenomenal place from which to rise. In my own self-examination, I am reaching for that one small adjustment. I find I am inhaling more of the abundance I am promised and exhaling my appreciation!

You see, I want to ensure that I make it to the other side when this whole life is over. I, for one, am not taking any chances!

“Keep Loving, Giving, Doing and Serving.”

Dr. Carey Pabouet-Sigafoose

Pearl Bailey’s Delicate Condition

In the early morning hours this very morning, Pearl Bailey was awake and spunky and anxious to get out to her Shangri-La. This is a somewhat peculiar behavior for her. Typically she rises slowly and determinedly as she makes her way down the stairs; stopping to check out all the entrances, her food bowl, and the toy box before proceeding to the outside door leading to her lushly landscaped yard. Because she was demonstrating strange and abnormal behavior, I watched her from the landing.

Pearl Bailey sauntered down the steps and across the deck in a slow and creeping manner, and all at once I saw her pounce on a sizable lizard give it one chomp of her teeth and swallow it down in a gobble. Now, I have been witness to this penchant of hers before, but this morning it was a different story for no sooner than she guzzled down the first one, she took me by surprise and swooped down on another one! I swear I believe I saw the second one still wiggling as she threw back her head.

Now, fast forward to the Professor and me at breakfast, pleasantly seeped in morning conversation.  I brought up the topic of this unlikely event. That’s when the irony happened. The Professor, in his pragmatic tone, responded that our diva had eaten two lizards, as well, on their nightly before-bedtime walk. “What…”, I shrieked, “…why did you let her do that?” to which he replied, “Why did you?”. I guess he had me there.

This afternoon’s current position of Pearl Bailey finds her in a deep slumber, and when I tell you this queen is dreaming, I mean she is deep in REM. Her tail is flapping so hard it is pitching a rhythm on the wood floor. This leaves me to wonder if, in her dream, she is keeping count on some sort of Lizard scoreboard where the win is guaranteed or is she just contemplating her next between meal snack? Regardless, this dame is looking quite satisfied!

I am now sitting here wondering how many calories there are in lizards. Maybe I should be adjusting her kibble.

Realigning Your Spirit

Alignment in our lives is not just a physical motion; it is a mental and spiritual action that creates special magic within us. When we are aligned we are able to feel more authentic, free, and self-confident. 

Have you ever thought that you may be out of sync? Are there signs you haven’t paid attention to? If you notice what is a feeling of ‘heaviness’, this is a clear sign that you are not in parallel with your spirit. Take for example, you wake up with no energy, this is an illustration that you are out of alignment. And even though being abnormally tired could be a sign of many things, it is also a sign that your vibration needs to reset. A great way to accomplish this is to stimulate your being on all levels – by that I mean body, mind & spirit.

Start by stimulating your mind. Reading and learning something new is tantamount to expanding yourself in the right direction. I have found that listening to podcasts on positive topics, whiling away time in the pages of a meaty novel, or teaching myself to cook the cuisine of another culture is not only relaxing, it is filling my brain with new and enriched experiences.

Stimulation to your spirit is probably the most gratifying action you can take. Try creating some form of art – by expressing yourself you are raising your vibration to a greater height. Creating music or even listening to it is as soothing a balm as anyone could ask for; I find I get lost just playing random scales on my uke. Being in contact with any form of art frees one’s soul. Even having a deep-felt conversation with someone lovely can produce the same effect; as does a walk in nature.

Stimulating your body may come in many forms – but basically do any physical activity that gets your heart rate up. Even a deep tension-relieving massage can help realign your body through deep relaxation.

Begin today in moving yourself toward strengthening your spirit in these three areas. If your mind is playing with you and you are stuck with feeling of high-strung emotions and lack of clarity, it is time to flip the script. Stop focusing on the problem. Stop telling yourself that you are uninspired. Instead start thinking thoughts that propel you forward. Realigning your body is as simple as get moving – a change in scenery will amplify both your intentions and your energy.

Flipping the script for the spirit takes a little more effort. It is putting your mindset in a place where you can let go of what is holding you down; a place where you can listen to your heart – not your thoughts but the songs within your heart’s chamber. Declare out loud what you want to feel and put yourself in the position to reach for and achieve that desire.

When we nourish ourselves we open up our soul to make more space. And, in that space, we are enabled to do more for others. Doing more for others is the most powerful contribution we can make towards strenghtening our soul and fulfilling our purpose on this earth. It is incredible how things shift when we give ourselves time to regenerate.

“Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.”

Walt Whitman