"Takin' Time Out"

 

Definition:   bring or come to an abrupt stop.  A suspension of movement or activity, typically a temporary one.

 

The word HALT makes me think of a big German soldier as he puts his hand up stating “HALT Who Goes There?” it must have been in some movie or as kids are running down the hallway in the house and you have to stop them by stating firmly, “HALT what’s all the rush?” As your intuition is telling you they are probably up to something.

 

Have you ever come to a complete HALT?  Perhaps it was while traveling down the freeway or highway and traffic seems to be flowing very nicely and you turn the corner or come up over the hill and all of a sudden every lane of traffic is stopped?  Or perhaps you are in an elevator and you are coming down several floors and it suddenly stops abruptly without warning the doors may or may not open.  This can all cause a bit of irritation and stress.

 

What about your life in general?  Have things been going along rather smoothly and suddenly you receive a phone call or an incident brings a sudden change and your life is instantly at a HALT?  Me too…

 

Well this brings up a very good point maybe the HALT we really need to discuss stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.  The last blog post was about Blah…I really disliked how I was feeling so I decided to put the brakes on and come to a complete HALT to figure out the root cause of those feelings.  Bottom line I self-diagnosed myself in having H.A.L.T.

H – I was Hungry not necessarily for food but for clarity and purpose. I no longer wanted to be the hamster in the wheel going round and round and not getting as far along as I liked. Reacting instead of Responding.  Basically burned out.

A – I was Angry deep inside for changes that were completely out of my control and it was weighing heavy on my soul.

L – I felt Lonely because so much of this I felt I was doing on my own.  It is unchartered territory.

T – I was Tired, physically, mentality and emotionally.

 

This truly has some merit.  Being Hunger, Angry, Lonely or Tired are conditions that leave us more vulnerable to temptations that lead us away from the person we are truly met to be.  How many of you when stressed do not eat properly?  Did you know sometimes the onset of anxiety or sudden drop in mood can be traced to our having forgotten to eat so our blood sugar levels are off kilter?  Sometimes we may be carrying resentment, or feeling lonely or we are just too tired.  “Takin Time Out” from our busy schedule is so important to ask ourselves if we are feeling too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired, and this will allow us to look deep inside to our feelings.  When we know what we are truly feeling we can make better choices and take the appropriate action to eat proper foods and drink plenty of water, breathe in deeply to release the anger, find and connect to better relationships, REST and hit the reset button.

 

The first of the year I joined a Mastermind group, these amazing women are teaching me so much.  This past week we discussed how important it is to carve out appropriate time for Self-Care, especially when life is hectic and out of control.  If you don’t take care of yourself; you won’t be able to take care of those you love the most.  Self-Care doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend lots of money…it means to take time to do something to fill your tank.  Perhaps it is going to the library and read, taKing a long walk or run, just sitting in silence, having coffee or tea with a good friend.  Others may want to get a massage, facial, play golf, tennis, cycle, rock climb.  Go out to eat and for those who have a spouse or partner plan a date night once a month.  I know it can be hard to find a sitter with little ones but one of the ladies has a very close friend and they trade out watching the children.  The girlfriend actually goes to her friend’s house later in the evening and puts the kids to bed for the night and then she has 2 to 3 hours alone time (self-care) while her friend and husband go out to eat or to a movie and the next week they switch.  I thought that was a very brilliant idea.

 

You know scripture talks about how important self-care really is.  Exodus 31:17 “…in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.”  When is the last time you did something for just yourself?  If it has been a while maybe it is time to plan and make that date with yourself.  For those of us with busy schedules maybe we need to set an appointment with ourselves, block that time out just as you would if it was a business meeting.  Most importantly DO NOT FEEL GUILTY!

 

As you are “Takin Time Out” and come to a HALT this week make plans for your date with self-care and then as Nike states “Just Do It” … I promise you will be soooo glad you did.  Until next time breathe deeply, eat properly and relax…tomorrow is a new day to begin again refreshed!  It’s time for me to refill my mug with some savoring green tea and draw my warm bubble bath with candles and soft music…yes that is a little self-care…

 

I would love to hear what you do for self-care…leave your remarks below!

 

 

 

 

 

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Definition:  used to refer to something that is boring or without meaningful content.  Used to substitute for actual words in contexts where they are felt to be too tedious or lengthy to give in full.  “the typical kid, going out every night, blah, blah, blah”

 

This week I have really struggled to find the word I wanted to Blog about.  I have an ongoing list but nothing really resonating with me.  As I sit here sipping on my warm cup of orange spiced tea on this extremely cold February night… I am gazing into the computer screen.  Hmm, I decided to be completely honest and open with you.  Let’s face it I have had a bad case of the “Blahs!”  I usually try to be uplifting, inspirational and more of a positive influence…it just disappeared this week.  I am being real, I don’t really like how I feel yet I feel it!  I wouldn’t say I was depressed, I am not feeling hopeless but I just am not myself.  It is hard to put my finger on it; I have tried to figure out why these feelings suddenly appeared.  I know it is temporary and hope it leaves me soon but for now I have officially confessed I have the bad case of “Blahs!”

 

How many of you have felt this same way?  In life we have to take the good with the bad and some days or weeks just aren’t as nice as others.  For some it might be work, or home or you didn’t sleep well maybe you haven’t gotten enough exercise.  Whatever the reason, having a blah day is really part of being human and learning to accept and push through the blahs as it is imperative if you don’t want to let your moods rule your life.  No we can’t stay in bed with the covers over our head or blame someone else for our bad behavior.  The trick is to recognize that you aren’t feeling as good as you’d like and then rise to the challenge and make yourself feel better in some way, shape or form.  Maybe it is an extra cup of coffee (for me tea), chocolate or a cold shower something to energize our soul, some may want to go shopping?  Yet this is only a short term fix and a matter of time before we crash again!

This week I have stopped and “Takin Time Out” to determine that the past few months have really been so intense with back to back deadlines, unexpected changes, holidays, family obligations that my tank is literally empty.  I have listed new possibilities, goals and dreams yet I don’t have the energy to even pursue getting started this week.  I also may have a little seasonal disorder as I require the sun to be shining for me to be 100% and we have had fewer of those days lately…I know for my Northern friends I have no right to complain so I am not, it is simply a statement.  I have recently changed my diet so some of that may be part of it as well, cleansing out the toxins that are unhealthy and in a few days I am hoping to find the clarity and motivation I desire to live life to the fullest again.  Why we fall into those bad habits so quickly is beyond me but I am guilty and stress sometimes causes those bad decisions.

I would like to share some random ideas to help you overcome the blahs and enter into a world of magnificent…

1)    Meditate and pray your way through

2)   Imagine yourself doing something pleasant

3)   Put on some music that inspires you

4)  Breathe Deeply – Focus on positive energy

5)   Drink plenty of water

6)   Write in your gratitude journal

7)  Slap yourself silly-find a movie or Comedy club and laugh find those belly laughs

8)   Do something for someone less fortunate

9)   Workout (Yoga, Jog, Walk, Weights)

 

Are you guilty of doing the same thing over and over again, getting weary and feeling empty?  I know scripture is a good resource to help overcome some of those bouts of the blahs here are a few that may help refocus:

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

When I say the word Blah…I also think about listening to certain conversations and the other person is beginning to sound like my favorite Charlie Brown cartoon and you have that person sounding like …”Blah Blah Blah!”  They can be so boring or redundant yet I know I need to stay engaged and offer advice or comment from time to time.  Maybe it is your spouse?  I know mine sometimes thinks my comments are Blah Blah Blah…LOL!  Yep in one ear and right out the other or we like to call it selective hearing, gotta love him though!

Whatever the case whether it is a seasonal Blah or conversational Blah let’s push through and overcome these feelings!  If you don’t overcome in a few days I encourage you to seek wise counsel to determine there isn’t something more serious.  Enjoy your “Takin Time Out” until next time I hope each of you are feeling well and good-to-go my friends…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Definition:   in a state of peaceful happiness.

As I have stared into this computer screen for two days now, struggling to find the right word with so much anticipation built up on the inside, I can’t wait to see how this week’s post turns out.  I have settled in my nesting chair, sipping on a savoring cup of china tip green tea knowing tonight is the night to “gitrdone”.

 

Let’s start off by answering the question, “Are you CONTENT?”  “Are you Happy?”  You may have to think about this for a little while at least I did.  Are you always striving for the next latest and greatest gadget, hair or clothing style or do you focus on the woulda, shoulda, coulda mentality?  Looking back in my life, I will say for most part I was a happy person but not always CONTENT!  In my childhood I was very happy and even though I didn’t know what the word was at that age, I can say now I was CONTENT.  I never really wanted for much; I wasn’t an uneasy or restless kid.  I definitely could play by myself since I lived in the country with only one sibling seven years older or with a group of friends when I went to town.  I pretty much went with the flow and loved my life.  As I entered into my late teens and early twenties life took a little twist and I was happy for the most part but not CONTENT.  I always felt there was something more life had to offer.  Looking back I am a bit amazed at some of the things I did.  I was a bit of a pioneer or nomad…entering into unchartered territory with the thought if it didn’t work out I can always go home.  Over 30 years later I recently figured out I am home and truly CONTENT.  Now I am still open for adventure and love trying things new but I am happy in my own skin, at my midlife age, feeling happy and blessed, while looking for opportunities in “TAKIN TIME OUT”.

 

One of my favorite authors in the New Testament is Paul, many of his writings were written while he was in prison.  One verse in particular is found in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever state I am to be CONTENT”.  Just think about it Paul found CONTENTMENT in prison.  My question why are there so many people today who can’t find CONTENTMENT in their circumstance today?  The amplified Bible describes being CONTENT as “satisfied to the point where you are not disturbed or disquieted.”  It doesn’t say satisfied to the point where you don’t want to change, but satisfied for now until God brings the change.  This is huge.  I also think it doesn’t mean to stop growing and learning.  There will be challenges, trials and tribulations but through faith, hope and believing CONTENTMENT can prevail.  CONTENTMENT is not a destination it’s a manner of traveling.  You can desire more but be thankful for what you have and patient for what’s to come.  Many times when CONTENTMENT starts to flurry I have the confidence to state out loud “God’s current provision for my life is enough.”  It’s simply and amazing journey with him!

 

Last week our family was very saddened yet rejoicing on a life well lived.  Granny Burns spent 105 amazing years and we had to say our goodbyes to her earthly body.  The best part was she was keenly aware and could carry on a conversation with you up until the day before she passed away and I was able to be a part of at least 30 of those miraculous years.

 

Can you imagine what she was able to experience and see over 105 years?  The history, technology, trends, styles from horse and buggy to automobiles.  Amazing simply amazing to me.

 

Most everyone traveled from out of town to pay their tribute at the graveside service.  We did gather together as a family and close friends for a lunch and as we held hands and blessed the food and safe travels home, I looked around and quickly realized the dynamics of this family were about to change.  It is unfortunate but true Granny was the primary reason many of us kept in touch or even spent time together at her birthday celebration or through the holidays.  All of us had not been together in that type of setting for several years.  You might say she was the glue that bound the family together, children have children then grandchildren have children, new generations are born…in-laws come and go loved ones have passed on before her.  This is what we call the circle of life.  Uncle Gene & Eileen brought several boxes of photos of which we all enjoyed sifting through the past life of the Burns clan…we laughed at hairstyles, platform shoes and the classic cars.  Granny kept every newspaper clipping and important announcements of each of her 6 children, 11 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren.  Memories precious memories!

 

I asked my husband what one word he would use to describe his Granny, he stated happy or better yet CONTENT.  He said my Granny and Granddad were never rich in wealth of money but they were rich in how they lived and made him feel as their grandson.   He said he loved to go to their house as a kid.  He remembered getting to their house late at night and she was always up waiting on them.  She would go to the kitchen a fix them fried bologna and fried potatoes before they went to bed.  Granny loved each one of them unconditionally; she never said a curse word, smoked a cigarette or drank liquor.   Granny loved working on the farm including driving the tractor, hoeing, picking cotton and growing a garden big enough to feed the neighborhood.  When she and Granddad retired from farming she went to work for Campbell Soup Company where she retired at age 65.

 

Retirement did not slow Granny down.  She sat with shut-ins which she called old people, many which were younger than her.  She lived independently until after her 100th birthday when she finally decided it was time to go into a nursing home, there were major adjustments from having other people help in bathing, dressing and serving you food you didn’t get to order.  You also were always on someone else’s schedule.  We as her family were relieved for the additional help but I often would put myself in her shoes and think this just isn’t fair when it came to rooming with someone you didn’t even know especially when you were of sound mind.  Yet we are so thankful for the dedicated individuals who work so hard and take of so many of our aging population.  She had the best possible care we could have ever asked for.  I am also grateful for my mother-in-law who ended up overseeing and being her primary caregiver through the latter years.  She had help from other siblings but Granny depended on her most.  One other verse comes to mind for my mother-in-law found in Matthew 25:23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!”

We will miss Granny yet we can say she truly was an example of living a life well lived and CONTENT!

 

Are you seeking to be more CONTENT?  As you are “TAKIN TIME OUT” this week, look back on your life, count your blessings, reflecting how far you have come.  Let’s breathe deeply.  Better yet take another deep belly breathe…hold it and count to ten, slowly let it out do it again, please!  Just takin a pause in this busy life we live will help in finding and becoming more centered while being CONTENT.  Until next time my friends CONTENTMENT and happiness is of your own choosing…Choose wisely!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Definition:   to imagine something to be as bad as it can possibly be:  one way to make yourself miserable.  Imposing impossible standards upon yourself and others.

 

Just this week I had a wonderful conversation with a dear friend and she brought up she knew she was AWFULIZING the situation but she couldn’t help it.  I started to laugh as I had not really heard that terminology before but began to really relate to the situation.  As I pondered all that we talked about and began listening to other friends and co-workers this week, I quickly realized this was the sad state of mind for many people including myself.  I am not sure why all of a sudden it is the hot topic of conversation, perhaps it is the January blues we encounter after the holiday hustle and bustle or lack of sunshine as we have had more cloudy days than sunshine.  The pouring rain and bitter cold or snow in some parts of Texas.  We all need a little more Vitamin D.  We also need to be more like Teflon and let some stuff just roll right off of us.  Don’t let it stick and begin to melt into our being or belief system.

 

Our whole society is faced with added stress and worry.  We burn up a lot of time and energy agonizing about what is going to happen next.  The fears almost always turn out to be more of a wild projection than the truth or reality.  You are going to get fired because you didn’t sell enough this month or year, you will never make the deadline as they put unrealistic expectations on you, the paper you wrote for finals won’t be right and you will fail, they aren’t going to accept me as I am too fat, too old, too short, too tall, blah blah blah…the list can go on and on.  To others it is the irrational practice of thinking everything is going to hell-in-a-hand basket, even though it is not.  That is what we call AWFULIZING…you would think we would know the routine by now, but NO, our brains love to stew, since they are tuned to a survival instinct that sees things through a disaster whenever possible.  WHY is that?  Are you guilty in AWFULIZING?

 

As I am sipping on a delicious cup of ginger pear tea, the news is blaring in the background I quickly realize many of the things that are fed into our subconscious mind can inflict the negativity and things that cause our minds to AWFULIZE.  There is terrorist attacks, natural disasters, accidents, murders, rape, debt, and illness, disease on and on and on.   For my sport lovin friends your team didn’t make the playoff or chosen to the big bowl game. Every second of every day our brain is bombarded by way too much data.  Most of how we process things is by a natural reaction of danger detectors.  The early warning signs that we seem to pay attention to more negative than positive things.  Other forms might be people we are associated with, perhaps friends or people we work with.  They have the daily mantra of Chicken Little “The sky is falling”! Retailers, merchants and advertising spend thousands of dollars in manipulating and controlling to gain power or sell their product through AWFULIZING.  I like to refer to it as Satan at work.  He loves nothing more than to mess with our minds and dwell on negativity!

Added stress at work or home can also deplete our energy making us more vulnerable to the AWFULIZING state of mind.  Things are blown way out of proportion.  The unreturned phone call, the meeting you missed or better yet you weren’t even invited to, the disapproving tone of someone’s voice are all signals impending doom.  Let’s face it AWFULIZING is awful…it is the byproduct of irrational self-talk.  It turns everything into worse case scenario.

 

Just because we have a bad day doesn’t mean you should give in and make it a bad week.  Don’t let another second of the negativity define who you are.  This is where faith steps in…now don’t get me wrong I am just as guilty in AWFULIZING as the next guy but I am trying to be more keenly aware when I am doing this and make the shift we talked about a few weeks back and dwell upon the positive, continue to feed my mind and soul with those things that truly matter.  I know bad things are going to happen and just as our pastor spoke about in church this week, at some point and time we will all experience some form of suffering.  It may be a diagnosis, divorce, death of a loved one or job and financial loss.   For those of you who have encountered more than your far share then maybe you have more of a right to AWFULIZE.   But scripture specifically tells us in 1 Peter 4:12 “Dear friend, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”  It is so important to be in his word each and every day.

 

How do you overcome or change your state of mind when AWFULIZING finds its way creeping in your thoughts, your words and maybe even your actions?  Personally, I think being more conscience and aware of signs that might trigger AWFULIZING, is it certain people, places or times of year? Maybe when you have too much time on your hands?  I find it especially easy when I am trying to make positive changes or improvements in my life.  AWFULIZING always raises its ugly head and usually is the one thing holding me back.  I strongly encourage each of us to find help through wise council, whether it is a counselor, a coach, a good friend, family member or one who is an expert in the field of the change you desire. Accountability will really help especially in the beginning stages or when you become stuck from moving forward.   Make a list of all the reasons why you should and what is holding you back.  Accepting all that has been, yes you may have failed preciously but what if the next time the situation improves or you overcome.  Just think how good you will feel.  Quit AWFULIZING, procrastinating and let’s wake up saying this is a new day to begin again, you will no longer allow that stronghold or AWFULIZING to hold you back!  I promise you nine times out of ten the situation is never as bad as you AWFULIZE it to be.

 

While “Takin Time Out” this next week, consider really listening to what you say to yourself.  Our self-talk plays another key role whether you are AWFULIZING or not.  Do you hear words like, “That’s horrible”, “I will never be able to recover”, “I will never find someone to love me” I have a chest pain probably have a heart condition” or “My life is over”.  Do you have a tendency to exaggerate long after the initial reaction?   How do you characterize your typical response to undesired outcomes.  Readjust your mindset from AWFULIZING to awesomeness!  Break it down and as you start to with awe pause shift your mind and continue to someness….yes this is awesomness!  Until next time my friend no more AWFULIZING and let’s make it an awesome week…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Definition:   an opening in the wall or roof of a building or vehicle that is fitted with glass or other transparent material in a frame to admit light or air and allow people to see out.

 

It’s January and the bitter cold outside makes me happy to be indoors with a warm fire in the fireplace.  Sitting here sipping on a delicious cup of Earl Grey tea pondering what to write about this week, hmmm I look up and the beautiful sunrise is entering through my kitchen WINDOW.  The start of a brand new day!  That’s it a WINDOW…

 

As I glance around into my family room, I see the most beautiful reflection of color coming to life through my stained glass WINDOW it hangs within a WINDOW by my nesting chair.  This stained glass is not just any ordinary stained glass WINDOW.    You see it was one of the most precious gifts my sister has given to me.  It is the top half of a WINDOW that used to be in the little Baptist Church I grew up in.  The building was torn down and she was able to buy the whole WINDOW in an auction, I have the top half and she has the bottom half.   I have such precious memories of my childhood. It truly helped in laying the foundation of who I have become today. You see my mother was the organist for many years and our spot as a family was to always sit in the second pew from the front on the left hand side of the church.  So you can’t say I am a back row Baptist (LOL)!   I remember counting each sections of the pane while lying in my grandmother’s lap and watching the colors glisten, partially listening to what the pastor was saying.   Currently the WINDOW is just as it was, I haven’t touched it so the paint is peeling off, the wood frame is weathered but it is a gentle reminder of how our lives can reflect our true beauty.  I love this analogy:

 

 

Beauty truly comes from the inside just as the stained glass, not the frame not the paint color but the inside section of the WINDOW.  I know women who spend hours and tons of money finding the latest and greatest product putting on makeup and making sure every little detail is covered.  But they never spend time working on the inside.  Now don’t get me wrong I want to maintain this aging body too but it is more important to age gracefully.  I am a big believer it is more important to work on your thoughts, your words, your heart…soul…and mind where inner peace will radiate to the outside.  The wisdom, knowledge, passion and our internal relationship with God, believing in ourselves makes us who we are.  Not the year we were born.  Our internal compass and light will also show in how we handle the tough times…

 

So this brings up another point, I love Shakespeare’s famous quote: “The eyes are the WINDOW to your soul”.  They truly are…there is no escaping it.  If you need to know the truth behind someone’s words and actions you must look directly in the eye to see it.  Your eyes can reveal your health, your thoughts and your emotions.  Some people have a way of looking right through you.  If I am doing business with someone and they can’t look me in the eye…it is a good sign I need to walk away. I don’t trust them! Simply Amazing what the eyes portray!

 

I had the privilege this weekend to spend some extended one on one time with my 1 year old granddaughter.  I love to watch her expressions as she is busy exploring.  She will take a few steps but if she wants to get anywhere very fast she crawls.  At her house she has stairs she loves to climb there are three steps and then a landing turning to go up several flights to her room.  The landing has a WINDOW from floor to ceiling and she loves to pause and look outside to the street.  She puts her sweet little hands on the WINDOW, she starts to pat or bang saying something in her baby talk gibber.  She gets so excited and will spend an extended amount of time right there in the WINDOW, she lines her little toys up in the WINDOW seal before scooting down or moving on.  At our house I will leave the front door open which exposes the full glass screen door so she can see out.  We watch our dog Sage scoping out the neightborhood or wait for someone special to come up the walk!

 

Not sure but have you ever thought about if you enjoy being in a room with or without WINDOWS?  Maybe it depends on what you use the room for.  If you are a photographer developing your own photos then you need to have a dark room with no WINDOWS.  I quickly realized after living in Texas it is important to think about these things when purchasing or building a house.  Our first home was built with the front facing the east and the back facing the west which was a BIG mistake as the sun heated up the living room by several degrees in the summertime.  When we built our second home we made sure the house faced south and the back faced north.  We also had the house flipped from the original plans the kitchen and breakfast room is on the east and the bedrooms on the west for anyone who might like to sleep late the sunrise wouldn’t disturb them and cooking in the late afternoon we didn’t have the west sun to contend warming up the kitchen even more. I love WINDOWS but in our bedroom they had a whole wall of WINDOWS and I decided to take two of them out in order to give us more wall space.  Something else you have to think about when building a home, placement of furniture and sometimes the WINDOWS do not always cooperate.

 

WINDOWS are essential to me.  I love letting light in, however, living in the city I have to laugh we spend good amount of money to cover them up.  Many of our WINDOWS have WINDOW shades or blinds, drapes with sheers.  When I lived in the country all we had were curtains that usually tied back and you could look directly out all hours of the day or night.

 

I have read a couple different versions of the Man in the Next Bed and it has such great meaning and teaching I had to share:

 

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room’s only WINDOW.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the WINDOW could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the WINDOW.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The WINDOW overlooked a park with a lovely lake.  Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the WINDOW described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the WINDOW described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the WINDOW portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the WINDOW, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the WINDOW.
The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the WINDOW besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this WINDOW.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’

Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.
‘Today is a gift that is why it is called The Present.’

The origin of this letter is unknown

 

As we travel along this journey and “Takin Time Out”, I encourage each of you to learn from your experiences and realize just how far you have come by peering through the rear view mirror.  Please don’t dwell too long and miss what is in front of you through the big wide WINDOW called the windshield.  I also realize many of you are facing unknown circumstances and you feel a door has been shut or tightly closed.  A scripture from Malachi 3:10 will remind us “When God closes a door he opens a WINDOW”.  Spend some time talking with him and listening carefully.   Until next time my dear friend when you peer through a WINDOW I hope you have a new perspective towards this wonderful and a crazy life we live…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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