Life's Journey

No one ever starts out on the road they are meant to travel upon last. Our journey takes many wrong turns along the way and we often find ourselves in a dead end. Sometimes the solid pavement turns to gravel or sand, and we lose our traction – we become stuck, unable to move forward. Other times, the road disappears completely from beneath our feet and we are forced to find another or to forge a new one. Obstacles often plant themselves directly in our path, and we must decide whether to climb over them, go around them, or simply turn around and go back.

Taking a Stand, Making a Difference

There’s an ideal world and there’s a real world. What happens in the real world can be discouraging and disappointing to say the least. That’s why I make statements about things I believe in and try to take a stand  whenever possible through my actions to help foster an ideal world. There are things that I believe need to change for the betterment of all humankind, as well as for the planet and all the animals on it.

How things should be and how things are, what should happen and what actually happens, often times are a universe apart. This is primarily because there are several billion people on this planet, each with their own idea of how the world should be. Obviously, not everyone can be right.

One Step Forward, Three Steps Back

Before moving to Durango, I had made a conscious choice to live a simpler life, to give up many of the materialistic obsessions of society, like my car. Through reflection over the years, I had been growing into a life of awareness, in both the world around me and the world within me. I learned as much as I could about off-grid living and sustainability, herbs and holistic healing, meditation and other healthy lifestyle choices. I became a Reiki practitioner and even an ordained minister. I felt a deep connection to the divine and looked forward to progressing further in my quest for walking a more enlightened path. Ironically, my move has done little to advance this feeling of inner peace. In fact, it has done the exact opposite.

Slum Lords

This article was originally going to be posted in early March, right after I received an eviction notice from my landlords because I had the audacity to put my requests for repairs in writing. However, I decided it might not be to my advantage to post it while I was looking for a new home. I have since moved into a fairly new condo and have zero issues with the landlords who own it. Despite living in a relatively worry-free building, I still stand by what I had written on this subject and decided to post it after all. Call it venting if you like, but I consider it a form of releasing all the negative energy I’ve been holding onto regarding my most recent move.

The New Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I remember reciting that pledge every morning in school at the beginning of class; however, it was with the under God addition that had been inserted in 1954 during the communist threat insanity. Even as a young child, I was quite proud when I spoke those words. “I am an American,” I thought. “This is what it means to be an American.” I believed that we were better and smarter than all the people who were unfortunate enough to live in the other not-so-privileged countries of the world. The propaganda had worked.

To Dream The Possible

I’m a dreamer, a big picture kind of person. I’m able to see beyond the mundane details to witness life on a much grander scale. It’s taken me a long time to finally figure this out, but that frightens most people. When I start “thinking aloud” about all the wonderful possibilities and which ones excite me the most, those people will automatically assume that I want to enlist their help to make it happen, that they will be asked to commit their time, effort, and/or money to make it become a reality for me while I sit back and reap the benefits and do nothing. They can’t or won’t see past their own fear or selfishness to just enjoy all the possibilities with me. In the face of adversity, sometimes all we have are our dreams – it’s what keeps us going, what keeps us striving for a better life. Not all possibilities will be become a reality, but that’s the beauty of dreaming – anything is possible!

Saying Goodbye Is Never Easy

What was I thinking, taking in another cat? I already had two cats in the house:  Sonnie, a beautiful tortoise shell kitten my son begged to adopt from his grandparents, and Baby, a gray tabby we adopted after a neighbor abandoned her when they moved. We used to have a Yorkshire Terrier as well, Ted E. Bear, but he had passed away a few years earlier. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have another animal. Maybe it would work out just fine. There was certainly plenty of love to go around. Besides this cat was only going to be staying with us for a short time – or so I thought.

Falling Through the Looking Glass

2013 slithered in on its belly, sneaking past December 31st without much notice, and it curled up in the corner of the room hoping to escape my attention. With the freshly devoured 2012 still bulging in its midsection, this viper makes no promise of an easier year. It taunts me with its fangy grin, quite content in the knowledge that it can peacefully lay in wait for the next twelve months. During the long nap it has settled in to take, it will undoubtedly dream about snatching up yet another wasted year before it moves on to one more empty corner upon awakening.