Trick or Treat! Be yourself!

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
— William James

Don't half-ass do it!

Don't just go through the motions!

Don't count down the next fifteen minutes!

Stop!

what is important to you

what makes your heart race,

your thoughts pop,

what gives you a rush.

Much of world plays a game of Halloween every day

a constant game of "trick or treat".

We just get through the day

thinking our work doesn't matter

cause

someone above us or below us

acts like it doesn't...

before too long,

we have gone and bought the same damn costume that they are wearing...become them, pretend we don't give a shit either....after a while we don't..

we

cover up our bright center,

place the mask over our face

and

pretend........and then believe......

that our work,

our contribution,

our smile,

our eight hour day,

our morning,

our roles are less important than theirs.....

before long

everywhere you look...

same damn complacent costume of

trick or treaters

showing up

day after day

holding their proverbial pumpkins out

to collect the treat of a pay check.

I will be honest...

sometimes

after trying for a  very long time

to be a creative spark,

to be a change catalyst,

most days,

that suit feels pretty fucking safe....

but

I don't like how it feels..

it pinches and holds me back,

it cramps my style,

hides my smile,

binds my center.....causes my petals to wilt.

So as everyone else

goes to the place,

holds their pumpkin out.....collects their share of the treats...

today...just for today...

today I'm gonna go as myself,

I may not change the system,

but

if I trust that I am enough,

that my work matters,

that I can and will make a difference in the world,

one touch, one smile, on moment at a time...

then

and

only then

will my work,

my love,

my life,

be meaningful.

I can already feel my petals reaching out stretching...feels good!

So on this chilly Monday morning,

go on...

why not join me this morning....

Trick or Treat?

I think I'll leave the costumes in the closet,

open up my bright center

and

let the world see me.

Happy Halloween...

don't eat too many sweets---

you'll get cavities and

if your not careful...

you'll lose a smilin' tooth.

hugs and blessings for a wonderful day!

She doesn't see dead people but does their hair.....

Cole Sear: I see dead people. 
Malcolm Crowe: In your dreams? 
[Cole shakes his head no] 
Malcolm Crowe: While you're awake? 
[Cole nods] 
Malcolm Crowe: Dead people like, in graves? In coffins? 
Cole Sear: Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're dead. 
Malcolm Crowe: How often do you see them? 
Cole Sear: All the time. They're everywhere. 

quote from movie....Sixth Sense

Yesterday was my scheduled meeting with my beautification specialist.  It was time for my usual try and color the gray streaks by adding a bit more blond treatment .  I must say, as always she did a fabulous job--i have the best beautification specialist in the whole wide world.  She's funny, kind and even off-color after one gets to know her.

Spending a Saturday morning with her after twenty some odd years is like spending it with an old friend---because it is.

The girls--off color daughter and hannatard--say my "do" is cute but if they saw me out...the would think that i was a lesbian based on the way I look---a muscle wanna be and short hair---whatever--lesbians are sexy hot too.  Big Daddy thinks it is cute--and that is all that matters....at least he said it was cute and that he likes it--course as long as I love it--that is all that matters!!!!!

Yesterday while we were talking, she said that she had just attended one of her old clients memorial service.  As she was telling me a bit about her memories of this client, I stopped her.

"Do you do dead people hair?"

She smiled...."yes I have been asked to do that and I have on occasion done a few dead clients hair."

of course this started me on one of my Oprah Winfrey question asking sessions....

I wanted to know what it was like....

doing dead people hair that is...

"Do you wash it?"

"no--that has already been done--it's really pretty easy--cause all you have to do is the front and sides."

"Are they clothed?'

"Sometimes---sometimes they are covered with a sheet? It is really kind of hard--cause I can make their hair look fabulous, but that is not what I want--I want them to look like the way everyone remembers seeing them during the day--so I spray their hair, fix it, mess it up, fix it some more, smoosh it and work until it looks like I know they'd want to be remembered."

"What do you do while your doing it,

is it a sacred experience---doing hair for the dead?"

She thought for a minute and said....

"yes it is......while I fix their hair it is like they are there with me one last time.....watching me, making sure I'm doing it right.  I usually talk to them--laugh some as I remember stories and the life we've shared.....yes it is a sacred spiritual experience."

I smiled---she's a deep beautification specialist!

I say...

well...if I wasn't going to be cremated...I'd definitely want you fixing my hair when I start the next leg of my adventure..."

and then as quickly as we touched the subject...

we moved on to the next one...

kids, sex, religion....life..

every four weeks..

I sit in a chair,

get my sexy hot look

and

share life and laughter with an old friend

and

it is good--

and

it leaves me

my sexy hot self.

So on this Sunday morning..

I am thankful...

for a beautification specialist

who

will

do

dead people's hair.

Have a happy Sunday!

Blessings and Hugs!

It is a Wonderful Life.............

"Can you see the holiness in those things you take for granted–a paved road or a washing machine? If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.”— Rabbi Harold Kushner

I caught just a glimmer of the evening news tonight after I got home from work and the gym.  The one section I heard and saw was about a father who had recently lost his business due to the hard economy.  Because of his loss, his credit rating had fallen and thus when he applied for a position, as a common practice among some hiring institution a credit check was preformed, which hence disqualified him for the position.  "Catch 22---you lose your business--try for a new job--can't get a job because you lost your business."

I was touched by what he said, "I feel like giving up, like I'm not gonna make it.  But then I look into the eyes of my two young daughters and then I realize---I can't give up---even if I wanted to give up--I can't."

I looked at Big Daddy and said, "guess we need to try to live with more gratitude--we really do have much to be thankful for, don't we?"  Big Daddy agreed.

I've thought alot about this tonight....

about

how to raise my awareness of my blessings instead of

my woes....

Friday night...I'm always tired.

I am already in my pj's early, eat supper and usually am in bed fairly early---that is what older people do on Friday night anyway.  I'm sitting here thinking.....Big Daddy is screaming from our bedroom, needing a cuddle buddy--which really means he needs me to rub his back and put him to sleep.

I'm getting ready to eat dinner.

Life goes by quickly--

small moments,

glimmers of holiness come to us.

If we are lucky enough to slow down

we see them

experience them

relish and cherish them---

other times...

well a missed opportunity for

warm fuzzies,

awe,

burning bushes.

I wonder what might happen

if

in our daily situations

all of us began to focus upon

the

wonder,

the small things we have instead of the things we don't have

or the things we want next....

perhaps

our perspective of what is important might shift too....

Tonight

I find myself thankful

for

Big daddy screaming for me---it is nice to be loved---even if I'm not quite ready to get in bed....see once I lie down--the evening is over

and

I have to pick up off color daughter and her friends hannatard and norman from their Halloween party---

I'm thankful for their laughter

as they dressed in their

"jersey shores costumes"

off color daughter was "snookie", hannatard was Dina and norman was Paulie,

for off color son

who always sends me an I love you text....

for a warm house,

for the cool autumn air,

for food,

water,

clothes,

the washing machine which is working overtime downstairs

trying its best to catch up my weeks worth of

off color family laundry....

so

as the evening ends...

I find my heart full...

full of love...

full of gratitude..

full of thankfulness...

for a wonderful,

amazing life....

It is a wonderful life........

you know...

we just have to realize it.

Blessings...

What are you thankful for on this autumn evening?

hugs and peace to all of you.

Knit one.....change the world!

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mohandas Gandhi


This morning as I let the dogs out at 4 am, I looked up at the stars.  The wonder of it took my breath and I stood there in awe of my own smallness in the world.  The dark sky coupled with the light of the tiny stars took my breath for a moment and I wondered how in such a huge world, universe,

galaxy----I might stand on my own back porch--looking sexy hot in my t-shirt and wild hair

and gaze out.   As I stood, I said a silent prayer of thanksgiving for my many blessings---my family that slept inside, Big Daddy and a world of surprises, my off color children who were keep me laughing and on my toes--snuggled all in their bed, food for my stomach, gym waiting for me down the street and hot coffee brewing and inviting me to wake up....

and

I stood

just me

the sky

and

the Universal Love

together

meeting for just a brief moment---and it was a great way to start the morning.

As I did my morning routine before heading to the gym, I checked my e-mail and facebook accounts.

As I perused the updates, I noticed an old minister friend from long ago mentioning something about Rumpelstiltskein and scarfs and Congolese women....it caught my eye....

I read some more and

found my way to her web page and etsy store at  Rumplestiltskein (http://rumpelstiltskein.com/).

To make her story short, in support of our sisters in another place,

she is using remnants of yarn to change the world one stitch at a time.

Please take a moment to go over and visit her site and perhaps buy something to feed our brothers and sisters in the Congo. 

so there was my message from the Universe for the day....

standing under the sky

becoming one with the universe

is not an alone kind of thing

connections

heart strings thrown out to the four corners of the world--

small things

yarn and needles and a spark of an idea...

trusting that a difference can be made...

having the faith---to stick out a toe, a finger, a scarf--

and

then allowing God's grace to take over and hope to float up---

that's how a difference can be made.

Please check out the site,

say a prayer for my old friend's cause,

buy a scarf,

feed the world.

It all starts with us.....

with me...

by

being the change I want to see.

LeAnn---thanks for the morning inspiration---

may we all

move out and change the world

by using our gifts

and

having a bit of faith and courage.

Blessings to all of you...

hugs...

now go on over and buy a scarf!!!!!