Author Archives: Tricraftual
Sixty years of Wisdom
So I turned sixty today! That even amazes me. So here is sixty years of wisdom. Don’t look back. You can’t relive the past, and quiet as its kept as they say, you can’t change it! Let it go and concentrate on today. There is so much left to do and thinking about what you didn’t do just gets in the way. I am thinking about my next knitting/crochet project and what I can make for the kids for the holidays. I’m thinking about taking a class and there is always my teaching. So look in the direction you’re moving and make sure that’s forward.
Find Something to Celebrate Today
At my age I’m happy to be able to get out of bed and get moving quickly. For many of you that doesn’t seem like much but folks my age and older get it.
Yesterday a helicopter crashed in the Hudson River in New York City and a young woman celebrating her 40th birthday died. Her father celebrating his 71st birthday survived. I felt sad when I heard it and of course her family and friends must be overcome with grief. It was my reminder that we don’t know how long we are going to be here. So don’t wait for birthday’s, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, I could go on.
Find something to celebrate today. Woke up, yeah! Didn’t kill your annoying boss, glass of wine at dinner, yeah! Baby used the potty and not the floor, yeah! You can read my silly post, yeah!
Happy Wednesday.
Stop Looking and Start Receiving
We become so anxious about the search for the next job, next home, whatever that we may miss our blessing. No matter what your belief system, if you think there is order to the universe, take a deep breath, find your faith and stop looking.
I stopped looking for a full-time job several years ago. I have an interview this week. May not lead to any thing but who knew.
Let go, you really can’t do it.
If you live long enough you may need a hand
Among other things that I did this week was check on an elderly relative who is temporarily in a nursing facility. At least she wants it to be temporary. The bottom line is that she isn’t really capable of taking care of herself any more and since I live in another State, and am responsible for my 95-year-old mother I can’t do much for her. No one wants to think about a time in the future when they may be alone. Unfortunately, for many that time comes. We are living longer and through medical advances, we are able to outlive diseases that took our lives in the past.
We hope that there will be someone there to take care of us but no one can be sure. Kid, grand kids, spouses maybe they will be there maybe not. Some of us don’t have them.
So today I am asking everyone to take a look at that senior citizen on you block, in your building, or church and see if you can do anything for them. Your concern may make a world of difference to them. Hopefully someone will do the same for you if the time comes.
‘Obituary for Common Sense”
One of my friends sent this to me. I can’t give credit to the author because I don’t know who it is. If you didn’t see it please read it here:
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
– Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
– Why the early bird gets the worm;
– Life isn’t always fair;
– And maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies – don’t spend more than you can earn and adults, not children, are in charge.
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife Discretion, his daughter Responsibility, and his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, I’m A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, do nothing.
A Second Act
This was Diane Sawyer’s theme tonight. She did a story about a former police officer who after twenty years on the force is now a stand-up comedian. So if you haven’t heard me say this before I think that the only way to survive the current economic climate is to consider doing something different from what you did in the past.
For years people were telling me that I should teach. A few years ago a life coach that I was working with said that all of her assessments told her that I should be teaching. I thought she was nuts. I was working in the field that I had been trained for and pretty much the only thing I had done as an adult. It wasn’t teaching.
So what am I doing now, teaching at several different colleges as and adjunct instructor. Guess what, I love it!
So think about what you love or are good at and see if you can find a job doing that. You don’t want to do that other thing any more anyway!!
Happy Tuesday!
“Do, or do not. There is no try” — Jedi Master Yoda
So right next to my Weight Watchers meeting is a Hallmark card store. I was kind of dragging my feet since I was pretty sure what the scale would have to say and there were lots of Star Wars items in the window. Among them was a desk sized plaque that had the above mentioned quote on it. Need I say more. Leave the excuses home this week and remember, there is no try!
Savor the Good Days
Today was one of the very good days that I want to keep in the memory bank. One of my friends came and took my Mom (who is 95) and I to one of our favorite stores Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck, New Jersey. They are known for their apple related baked goods, cider and an assortment of meats, vegetables and gourmet items. It brought back lots of memories because when my son was small my friend Madree and I used to take him and her sons to Eastmont Orchards to pick apples and then we would go to Delicious Orchards for grown up goodies. My Mom really enjoyed the store and got a few goodies to take home.
We left there and headed to Marshall’s to pick up an item or two and then home. I never take Mom’s good days for granted and I get enjoyment out of seeing her have them.
Try hard to have good days and just for that time let all the issues that may weigh you down go. Savor the moments and they will be there when you need to pull them from the memory bank.
Forgive, Okay But Do I Have To Forget?
Okay so I can hold a grudge. Most of the things that I hold on to are because I am overly sensitive about what people think of me. I generally take it personally even if it isn’t meant that way. Anyway there’s nothing so comfy as a good grudge. In the spirit of moving forward I have blogged about the concept of forgiving. To move in the right direction, we have to let go and forgive. I like the idea, talk a good game and recently I think I’ve let some stuff go finally, but I haven’t forgotten. So my question is have I truly forgiven? Does the perceived offense have to disappear from memory or can it surface occasionally? I would like to shake some of this stuff forever because I believe it takes up space that I need for other thoughts. So what do you think? All or nothing?
First Steps the Hardest 