Category Archives: Communication

A conversation

Posted on by learning to live like water

Sitting in silence, in my small, old, adorable bungalow, thoughts run through my mind of what was, and is no more, and what is, and what will be. Observing the journey is all.

I think about the conversation I had with my close male friend last night on what’s happening in the world, and why it so triggered an emotional response from me. His calm, loving, focused care of me as I explained to him how much I have been reminded of my ex, and how last weekend I so felt that darkness over me again. When I told him, in a very abbreviated way, about my marriage, he asked, “What did you do when that happened?” (My ex just going off on me or my son for any random thing, just to cause chaos.) I said, “Usually I just got quiet, because to say anything just made it worse.” He nodded. Then I said, “But eventually, what I did was leave him…..” And he smiled. Because he saw that I realized that I actually didn’t let my ex kill me. That I took my own power back.

Now, I think how if I ever complained to my ex about anything, like I was sick and felt awful, even when I was in labor (!) he would have to make sure he told me how much worse he had had it than me. That I still didn’t know what pain really was. (I was trying to give birth to a 10lb. 15 oz. Child, 22 1/2” long, who was posterior. No, not much pain there…..idiot.) Always he had more, he was worse off, my pain or whatever I felt or experienced was negated.

You learn not to say anything, because you will feel worse.

With S, he always would say, “Whine whine whine….” as if I was just making up something to bitch about. Never wanted to listen to my troubles. Could never extend an ounce of empathy toward me. Because it was all about himself, always and forever. I guess I thought that was an improvement from the treatment I got from my ex. S was just telling me to forget about it, I guess, it wasn’t important. Even though it apparently was, or I wouldn’t have said anything. I was looking for support, he couldn’t give it so told me to forget it. Stop whining, as if I were a petulant child. Now I see who the petulant child was though.

I can already tell that L would be there if I needed him to be. He would not negate my feelings or emotions, by telling me his problems were worse, or that mine didn’t matter, minimizing my feelings, so I should move on. He’s much more like my friend that I talked with last night. We may not be on the exact same page politically, but I feel, at least right now, and it’s very early to even go here, that he would not negate my feelings, and try to make his dominant.

Once I let my friend last night know how I dealt with the triggering (by taking a couple of days off, walking, meditating, reading) and got myself centered again, and grounded in unconditional love, looked at me and said, “It’s insanity. What’s going on is just insanity.” His first action was to make sure I was ok, then he expressed his feelings on it. I knew we were on the same page about it anyway, we have had a lot of close conversation about our beliefs and feelings.

He’s a gift to me, really. He is quite a bit older than me, and married to a woman who is in a convalescent home with the final stages of Alzheimer’s. He is loyal and faithful to her, a trait which I totally admire in him. I think we serve each other well. He reminds me what I really want in a partner, and shows me how amazing it could be. I imagine being physically intimate with a man who can communicate, and feel empathy the way he does, and know I will not settle for less. I think I also offer him the companionship of a woman, and the sweet, intimate conversations he misses with his wife.

So many blessings, and so many lessons I’ve learned. So many gifts I’ve been given. I have to remember that in the end, I believe tRump will be his own worst enemy. I know he’s going to cause a great deal of pain and hardship in this country, maybe the world, before he is driven from power. I’ve never experienced growth on any scale, without pain. But in the end, he’ll be gone, impeached, or imprisoned, or at least not re-elected, or maybe even worse. The world will right itself again. I believe what you think about expands. My ex thought only about making me penniless, and ruining my relationship with my son. I thought only about having a beautiful home with my son. My ex ended up penniless, and has no relationship with my son. He attracted to himself what he wished for me. The universe only hears the wish….not where it’s directed. I ended up with a beautiful home, and a close relationship with my son. I don’t wish ill on anyone, not even tRump. Meaning I wish he would see the light, and become someone who could stand up for it, but I don’t wish him dead or any other ill. I wish love and freedom for us all. That’s what I want to manifest, so that’s what I’ll focus my thoughts on.

Enough philosophy, lol. Time to get another cup of coffee. Love and light, all.

Yep, Mercury is Still in Retrograde and the Crazies Are Out

Posted on by learning to live like water

Boy, it must be my day. Is Mercury still in regrograde? Let me go look. Yes, for 2 more days.

I got a message from a guy in whom I would never have any interest. Short, chubby, no hair, lol. Not that I’m really that shallow, but also his profile says conservative. Here’s his message:

“Sorry, but I don’t date liberals, even pretty ones like you.” ????? My response, “That’s fine with me, I don’t date conservatives of any type. I didn’t realize I’d given you the impression I was interested.” Because I had never talked to him or seen him before I got that arrogant message. When he got it he blocked me. WTF?  I mean, good, really.  Because then he can’t see my profile again.

Then, I get a flirt, which is just an automated thing saying I’m interested in you, from this extremely handsome, well built ex-military guy, who has two pics up and one is in full camo, with his automatic weapon at the ready. Again…not my type. But since he was not obnoxious I was not either. My response was: “Thanks for the flirt! Always a pleasure to receive from such a good-lookin’ man. But….I’m very liberal. And I think that would make a relationship hard. Then again, if you completed your profile, and I had a sense of who you were, who knows. Have a nice day!” Because the conservative part only showed up in his stats, there was no essay about himself. But I thought it was a thoughtful, kind, and real response.

I just got a message back from him. “I would NEVER get along with a very liberal person, would not be able to understand your thinking process….most liberals are hypocrites….not saying you are, but 95% are.” Ok, that was totally inappropriate as a response to my measured and real, but not unpleasant answer to him. In fact, he pissed me off, as most conservatives do. So here’s what I answered back: “Well, I think most conservatives are self serving power hungry egomaniacs out for themselves and don’t give a damn about the people who are really in need. Not saying you are, but most of the ones I’ve met are. Have a good life.” Maybe he’ll block me too. LOL.

So what is up with this? My profile says I’m liberal, so leave it the fuck alone of you hate liberals so much. Pretty simple, I just skip over them if they say conservative. These days it’s a big deal. Why would some dude just send me that first message, especially when it was the first contact ever? And why did the 2nd guy get so angry when I simply pointed out a difference between us that most likely could not be overcome?

This is what scares me. Really. That this country is so polarized that people take offense and feel the need to tell off anyone of a different mind than them. So much hate and anger, and it’s mostly from the people who won the election. Maybe it’s because the Cheeto man is proving every day how he manipulated their vote, how he’s not keeping a single campaign promise, how he’s out for their pockets…. Like the FB meme says, “Oh this is the face you make when you realize that Obama wasn’t coming for your guns, but Trump is coming after your Social Security and Medicare.”

I keep saying Trump is a sociopath, and I think a lot of his electorate is as well. They cannot stand to be wrong. They will lie, and then tell another to cover it up. Lying is pathological with them. I was married to one, I totally understand the personality type. I did nothing for 5 years but try to understand how I got myself into such a fix with him. And trust me, I get it now. But man,

I’m inclined to use Juan’s closing line, This too will pass, but I’m totally afraid it won’t. So I’ll stick to wishing everyone love and light.

Love and light, everyone….

Mercury Retrograde, Again

Posted on by learning to live like water

Mercury is retrograde starting December 19. The last time Mercury went retrograde, I was worried because my son and I were both moving starting new lives, and it is generally not a good time to start new things, especially big new things. Well as it turned out, it was all ok. Both moves went off without a hitch, both cars ran well. Although, my car was totaled 2 weeks after retrograde ended, lol. I did a little backsliding emotionally just before the move, at the middle of the retrograde, but that was to be expected I guess. Big changes.

This time it’s the day of the electoral college vote.

I’m looking at my last two posts, I think I’ve already started backsliding because of the retrograde effects. They can start a couple weeks before. I’m backsliding like crazy tonight, to a place I know is not good for me. It gives me strength to recognize it. I found an article from the Farmer’s Almanac that describes how it affects different signs. I’m an Aries, it says “Expect to be frustrated and frazzled. Assertive,
 impulsive Aries wants to move
 ahead, and all of the energy is going backward. Watch what you say and how you say it. Pay attention to what people say to you; you might be pleasantly surprised. If you want to look up your own sign, here’s the link: http://www.almanac.com/content/mercury-retrograde-and-zodiac-signs

I used to have a friend who worked for an airline, in their call center, making reservations for people. She worked there fore 30 years. Whenever Mercury went retrograde, or there was a full moon, they sent a notice out to the people at the call center warning them. Because communication gets all screwed up in Mercury retrograde. And people get crazy under the full moon.

But the point I wanted to make is, maybe Mercury retrograde will influence the electoral college to do something it’s never done. To save us from ourselves. Maybe they will slide in a way different than all the other electoral colleges. Considering the enormous amount of energy directed at them begging them to do so.

A Course in Miracles defines a miracle as a change in perception from fear to love. If enough electors do this, it will be a miracle, as defined this way.

If I can backslide the way I am, into feelings and emotions I have let go of under most circumstances, then maybe the electors cognizance of what is about to happen to this country will be altered. Maybe their perception of fear of not voting the way they were originally promising can be change to a perception of doing something loving for this country.

It’s a long shot, isn’t it. But it’s a hope. Not one I put much store in, but it would be a miracle.

Or this could all be a crazy dream I am having. You know, Pollyanna syndrome. I want everything to end up happy ever after, and with a clean ending.

I’m usually disappointed. But not always.

Love and light.

Mercury Retrograde?? NOW? Come on….

Posted on by learning to live like water

I just saw on FB that Mercury went retrograde yesterday. I checked, www.ismercuryinretrograde.com, and yes, it will be that way until Sept. 22. When Mercury is in retrograde the site says, “Yes, that may account for the weirdness….”

If you are unaware of what it means, astrologically Mercury governs communication and intellect. When it’s in retrograde, communication of all types can become difficult.  Decisions can be harder to make.

This concerns me, because Mercury retrograde is not a good time to start anything new. And…I and my son are starting EVERYTHING new during this time. New lives, new places to live, he a new job, me retirement.

Yikes.

This time-table is not of our choosing. So we will have to work through it. It seems we have done all the prep in times when Mercury was not retrograde.

I have to believe the time-table has been set by the universe and meant to be.

It’s also a new moon, tomorrow. Which I hope takes precedence over Mercury’s antics. The new moon is the best time to set intentions for what you want, to plant the seeds that will blossom into your life. Both my son and I have been doing this for some time.

While I believe these things, Mercury Retrograde, and the New Moon, can energetically affect us all, I don’t believe that they are over-riding and can undo months of planning, and strength of desires, and beliefs. What having this knowledge does for me, is make me more aware of my world, of the energies that wrap around us moment by moment. For example, retrograde may have contributed to me waking up at 4:30 this morning, but not as much as the fact that my son and I are leaving for Denver day after tomorrow, and I keep replaying the lists of things that need to be accomplished before we leave, and after I get back.

So, off I go today on my list of chores, knowing that I may have to work through a little more resistance than I would have expected. Maybe I’ll have a little New Moon ceremony tomorrow, light a candle and set intentions for our trip that it all go smoothly and easily. Couldn’t hurt. I tend to believe more in positive energy (setting intentions) than negative energy (Mercury retrograde). I think the positive energy is far more powerful.

Love and light, all.

Like Flypaper, You’re Stuck to Me

Posted on by learning to live like water

This poem was written as a writing prompt for SoCS (Stream of Consciousness Saturday).  The prompt this week w as  your/you’re/yore.   Here is the link to Linda G. Hill’s site, who hosts SoCS, if you should want to join, or read other posts.  https://lindaghill.com/2016/08/26/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-august-2716/

socs-badge-2015

I know it’s Sunday, lol, but I just didn’t have time until this morning.  So here it is….

Like Flypaper, You’re Stuck to Me

You stick in my mind
Like flypaper
Covered with bits of
Memories we shared

Have you forgotten?
Your silence is fierce
More than your presence was.
It doesn’t quite let go,

No, I know you haven’t
Forgotten me.
Avoidance is your thing.
You’re fearful
Of losing what
You don’t really have.
You’re pretending
That our sweet time together
didn’t matter,
To make someone else
feel more important.

It doesn’t matter now,
But what was, was.
It mattered then,
It was sweet
It was good.
Your silence doesn’t change that.

Taking from me
Doesn’t give to her.
Your reasoning is flawed.
The days of yore
ARE,
They just are.

Love always, all ways.

 

By Deborah E Dayen

Except Here, A Poem.

Posted on by learning to live like water

There is no way to say
I love you
Except to say it
Here
Where you might see it.

There is no way to tell you
That the pain is gone
Only the good remains
Except to tell you
Here
Where you might see it.

I want to wish you well
And have no venue
For the words to connect
Except to put them
Here
Where you might see them.

There is no way
To make you understand
That I have no wish to disrupt you.
So I tell you
Here
So you might know.

There is no way to say
I miss you
But I do, every day.
So I’ll tell you
Here
So you might know.

And remember,
On days where no light is cast
Love always and all ways.

Haiku No. 141: Out for a Walk (4 parts)

Posted on by learning to live like water

man walking alone

I saw him walking
I recognized his swagger
The obtuse posture.

Never understood
What I was trying to say
Nor did he want to.

Seeing him loping
From a slight distance, I knew
It was him, and smiled.

Wondered what story
He listens to now, or tells.
Mine is still the same.

Love always and all ways.

By Deborah E. Dayen

Picture from Google Images

A Few Words on Words

Posted on by learning to live like water

words

Words….

I have been accused of being too wordy, by some. Funny, my ex-husband, in his pre-alcholic days, disliked my reticence. I learned to keep my mouth shut around him, so he’d have nothing to get fired up about, nothing to twist into some crazy attack on him, nothing to make me defend myself against.

I once told his mother, who was calling him at 8 AM, that he’d call her back when he got out of the shower. OMG, the tongue lashing I got for telling her he was in the shower at 8 AM. Geezus. When you live with someone like that for almost 40 years, you learn that the less you say, the less he knows, the better off you are. (Why I stayed is another story, in fact a book, but abusers are good at making us shoulder the blame for their anger.)

When I left him, I gradually found my voice, and my words, and I vowed no one would ever silence me again. Much to the chagrin of at least one other man.

But what else do we have, to express ourselves? Rolling of our eyes? Hand signals? Hanging up the phone? Withholding in bed?  I’m sure I use the first 3 of those, in combination with the words.  The last?  Not really my style….

All that stuff….may communicate pleasure or displeasure, but it doesn’t let someone in. Some people don’t want anyone in. Fear. Afraid if someone gets in they might get hurt. We all probably have that fear at times.

My greater fear is that no one will ever get in. That forever, I’d be alone with my thoughts that I didn’t have the courage to be vulnerable enough to say out loud.

I can say “I love you” if that’s how I feel. There could be a million reasons why it’s not said back. But there also might be a reason to say it. Like, it’s just how a person feels. Maybe me saying it first takes away the fear of saying it back. Maybe not. But maybe. And it may be worth the risk to me.  The bigger gamble for me would be to spend my days wondering “What if I’d said it?  Would he still be here if he knew?”

I like the truth out on the table. I like things to happen based on the truth. Not on games that people want to play. Not on being manipulated into a position. I know who I am. There is kindness underlying my truth, most of the time. Unless I sense injustice. I hate injustice.

But words, written words in particular…have taken me from the dark days of an abusive marriage, they enabled me to help my son to climb out of that same dark cave. The words brought me through an intense affair that ended in terrible betrayal, to the joy I feel in this moment, because the words have allowed me to be true to myself. They have allowed me to tell my story, to form relationships with like-minded people, all over the world. They let me see what is in my head, and decide if what I was thinking, and what I’m saying is actually true.  I have discovered, along the way, that the truth rings.  If it’s not ringing in my head, it’s most likely not true.  At least for me.

Just some thoughts on words.

A Sunflower Kind of Morning

Posted on by learning to live like water

sunflowers

I chose this picture because the sunflower is my favorite flower.  I cannot look at it and not feel happy, like a giant real smiley face or something, lol. It promises to be a beautiful warm spring day here today. Finally, I will be able to open the windows and let fresh air into the house. The “pizza triggers” have abated this morning, thankfully. I woke up very early this morning and all the work yesterday had inflamed my arthritic joints, enough that I got up and took 3 ibuprofen, and then tried to get back to sleep for another hour or so. I only dozed, so it may be a long day. I still have so much to do, and have to get to the grocery store too, and the realtor is coming over too, at some point.

I messaged with a seemingly nice man last night, he is at last real, and not a scammer. John….he’s 5 years younger than me. He’s attractive, it seems, not flighty, so far, not boring. Lol. But who knows, it is fun just to talk to a man. It gives me a lift. We agreed to continue talking today. He lives about an hour away, which is about my limit. Scott was about an hour away. But you know how these things are….I may never hear from him again, lol. Whatever happens is fine, I have so much going on anyway.

I got a message from Alec, the guy I met for coffee about a week ago. He said he was so disappointed not to have heard from me. He asked if I would tell him what I didn’t like about him. He had sent me one message the day after our coffee date, which I didn’t respond to. Actually, I forgot about it with all the stuff I had going on, which is kind of unlike me to just ignore someone’s decent message. This morning I responded that there is nothing wrong with him at all. (Even though I though it was a little insensitive that he knew I was on my lunch hour and didn’t offer to meet for lunch.  He’s a retired CPA and surely could have sprung for a sandwich.)  It’s just that I felt no connection when we met. I assumed he felt the same. So maybe not, whatever. I can’t pretend, nor will I waste time if there isn’t one. He is very inside the box. He may push the sides of it a bit at times, but I am, at least compared to him, so outside it. Not to mention, that he is a strict Shabbat observer, and so is not available at all, even by phone, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Which kind of eliminates all my free time. I felt a little bad that his message was sent at 1:18 in the morning. Hoping it wasn’t keeping him up that I obviously didn’t want to pursue a relationship.

When I woke up early this morning I began to think about the scenario of selling my house soon, and closing on it in June sometime. My son is going to a music festival in Las Vegas in June, and what if the dates conflict with when we need to be out of this house? I decided more or less, that if that happens, I will have to get a POD for his stuff, and we would load it and send it off before he goes, with his bed, and the couches in his space. Or else decide to sell them. The POD will probably cost about $2000. His mattress and box spring are not old, and he wants to take them. The couch and love seat I bought when I lived in my “transitional” space, the condo I rented while going through my divorce, and are apartment sized, and nice.

Crazy stuff to be thinking about at 4:30 am though. Geez.

I guess I better be off and running, if I can run after being up so early, lol. Maybe up and walking fast. If I get to the grocery store early, I might get out of there quickly and not run into anyone that I know, which generally will keep me standing in the pasta aisle talking for a half hour, lol. It looks to be a sunflower, happy and good, kind of day.

Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday. Love and light.

Wednesday Morning Musings

Posted on by learning to live like water

I’m an early riser. I usually wake up sometime around 5:30, give or take 15 or 20 minutes. The last two mornings it’s been slightly before. When they went to daylight savings time, I hated it because it meant dark mornings again for awhile. But the last two mornings, I have been able to see the first rays of daylight at 5:30. I know that means that soon, I’ll be able to sit out on the deck in the morning doing this, watching the sun rise. Can’t wait for that. It’s my favorite time of day.

I got a message from the new guy.  He said he forgot, when he told me he’d call me, that it would be Tuesday and he sings in a chorus, and had practice.  So will call me tonight. I answered him, “Ok, I’ll give you a pass. Chorus, you sing? I sang in high school, in the choir, and always at church. But haven’t in years. I still sing in the shower though! Talk to you later…”  He replied “Good morning Deb. Yes, I’ve been singing in the same group for over 30 years. I’d love to hear you sing in the shower, lol.”

So I think the conversation with him will be fun, I’m looking forward to it.

I made the date with the realtor for pictures tentatively for Monday. She’s going to stop over on Sunday sometime and sign the paperwork. So I will be live on Zillow sometime next week! Just pray for me, that it sells quickly and easily. I want to get to Florida.

The house looks good, my son promises his space will be done by Sunday night. He’s off Sunday so hopefully it’s true. I am sure I’ll have to assist, lol.

I talked to my brother-in-law about the insurance on my house, and I swear, insurance is so fear-based!!!! It is terrifying when you start to think about all the things that could happen!! Especially in Florida, where they have terrible hurricanes and tornadoes, and floods. My house is 20′ above sea level, so I’m above the flood plain. And my roof is new, but the house is old. I probably have some worry if there’s a hurricane, but tornadoes are rare that close to the ocean. Of course, there have been huge water spouts seen in Tampa  Bay, which is where the town I will live sits

water-spoutThis is an actual water spout in Tampa Bay in 1995

Well there’s always some worry, no matter where you live. We get hurricanes in Connecticut too, and blizzards, and a tornado once in a great while. There was what they called a microburst about 20 years ago right in my small town. It took down a tree in my yard and totaled a car. My ex saw a waterspout on the lake right in front of our house once on a windy day.

So let it be what will be. I still can’t wait to live where there is never winter. Never to shovel snow again. Or have the buggars freeze in my nose, lol.

Life it good. Love and light, everyone.