Lovely, Peaceful Evening

Posted on by learning to live like water

I just came home from open mic night with my friends. Two of my friends sang a duet, Unforgettable, it was really nice. I helped them by finding the words and an arrangement on Youtube, they had not practiced it at all together. But it was lovely. Then my friend Beth sang another of my poems, The Dream at the Door. She did a lovely job with it. I was so honored, again, that she wants to do that. This is the link, if anyone cares to read it. https://learningtolivelikewaterblog.com/2016/08/28/the-dream-at-the-door/

It was so pleasant a night. In the high 70’s, still warm enough for summer clothes. I just love sitting out there, under the stars and the trees with their lights, sipping on tea, and tonight I split a salad with Beth. I love that people know me by name, and I know theirs. Feeling more part of the community all the time.

Tomorrow they have their First Friday Artwalk through the town, where people sell their art and crafts, and there will be live music throughout the little downtown area, that is really about 6 blocks long, both sides of the brick streets. The street ends at the casino and beach. It’s just picturesque. So, tomorrow I’m planning to be home all day, until I go to that in the evening.

Going to try to do some yardwork. I have one large tree in my back yard that gives total shade to the back yard, but here, since there is no winter, the leaves just drop off when they die, and no one has really raked them up for a very long time. Since I can’t do much indoors until I get some of the things I need, I’ll work out there.

One of my childhood girlfriends is coming for a couple days, Sunday and Monday. That will be so fun to see her. She came when I got here, but my stuff wasn’t here, so she couldn’t help me move in. She lives on the other side of the state in Daytona Beach. Looking forward to seeing her.

Weekend is shaping up nicely. Feeling pretty good tonight. I just have to be careful what I eat still, for the next few weeks.

Love and light, everyone.

Staying Away

Posted on by learning to live like water

I have been craving Chinese food. Just dying to have it. But I know I have to stay away from it for awhile. Because, last time I had this stomach bug, I gave into the same craving, and I paid dearly for it.

So….I will have to stay away for awhile. Even though there’s a Chinese take out place about a half-mile from me.

It will have to wait.

It’s hard to stay away from things we love, isn’t it? LOL. Especially, good food.

Instead I went to the fish market and got a nice piece of salmon, coho, so that I know it’s not farm raised. I’m gonna cook it with pesto, and some rice. I know that will settle well.

I’d still rather have the Chinese though, lol. I haven’t had any since before I left Connecticut. It’s a long time to be without, lol. I suppose it is good discipline, lol.

On to the salmon. Love and light, all…..

Free to Love, or Not

Posted on by learning to live like water

I’ve been doing the Deepak Chopra/ Oprah Free 21 Day Meditation “Creating Peace from the inside out, The Power of Connection.” I think I have done all of the free 21 day meditations that they have put out over the last 5 years. I always get something out of them, always.

Today’s email with the link had this quote at the bottom by Thich Nhat Hanh.

“You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free.”

Really, that says it all. That’s the ideal, to try to achieve, isn’t it?

We all crave connection.  It’s part of the human condition, we are hard-wired to want connection with other people.  How do we connect on a deep level, yet still allow that person to feel free?

Is it hard to do? Hmmmmm. Depends on if you hold onto petty jealousies, possessiveness, if you are a control freak, if you come from a place of fear, and lack. Then, yes…..it’s hard to wade through all that, and just let someone you love be free to live their life out as best they can.

If you come from a place of unconditional love, then, you want the people you love to be happy, right? Whether or not that includes you in their life. Whether their journey takes them far from you, or brings them to you.

Don’t we all want to be in a relationship with others that allows us to be our best selves? To encourage and empower our loved ones to find their own way? We throw so many complicated issues into the mix, and it’s really just simple. Love….real unconditional love, allows freedom.

In my life, my best example is that of my son. When I wanted to move to Florida, he chose to move 2000 miles away, to Colorado. Did I like that? No. Of course not. What normal mother wants her kids that far away? But did I try to lay the guilt on him, and make him feel responsible for my happiness? No. I encouraged him, and helped him to organize the move, and helped him to settle in, and have been there with him every step of the way, as he found his own way.

Do I miss him? Every damn day. Every minute. We are as close as ever, if not moreso. I’m proud of him and the way he is making his own way in the world, independent of me.

So it goes for other people I love. I want them to find their own happiness. I want them to choose to do the right thing. I don’t want someone with me out of obligation, or overwhelming guilt over something they did in the past, or fear of some kind. I want people in my life that freely chose to be there, and that I have freely chosen to have in my life.

Thich Nhat Hanh is such a wise man. I keep one of his books, maybe two, beside my bed. So that if my thinking begins to get small, and selfish, I can open to any page, and read, and regain my center.

Love. Unconditional love. It’s a goal. Not saying I achieve it all the time. But it is where I aim.

Love and light, all.

It’s The Little Things….

Posted on by learning to live like water

I am so excited. (It doesn’t take much….) I have crappy basic cable. Not much to watch ever. I also have streaming Netflix, but most of those movies are so old, I can’t watch them again. Or, they just aren’t my type. Additionally, I think my tv is set up for my son’s netflix and not mine. And I haven’t figured out how to switch it over.

I’d kind of forgotten that I can watch movies on Amazon Prime for free. I just went and there are a whole lot of recent movies of all genres that I have not watched!!!! I am so excited! I can watch some decent movies now instead of crappy tv, because I have a smart tv and my son, in his infinite wisdom and because he likes to watch movies, set my tv up for it who knows when. Anyway….

I am about to make some dinner and then sit back and watch a decent movie, hopefully, on tv, and then go to bed. I’ve had a strenuous day of listening to my friends sing at karaoke, which I don’t know if I can stand to do again, lol. They are good, but the others….ehhhh, not so much. And mostly OLD country music, Hank Williams, etc. I enjoy open mic night at the cafe a lot more. The music there is much more my genre. Though next week where I went today will be karaoke on the beach, not inside the casino, so that might be more fun. At least the scenery will be better. I think they live stream it to their fb page.

I really want to get out and get stuff done for my house, I am getting antsy with the waiting now for a dryer vent. I need to go pull a permit for a shed and see about getting a shed put in. I’ve been killing a lot of time lately, mostly because I’m not feeling that well, but I have some time in the afternoons that I can be productive. This bug really set me back, a full week of not getting much done.

My sister and I are going shopping in the thrift stores near her on Saturday. They are a little higher end clientele. I hope I can find my tv stand, and kitchen table. After that we will venture to Ikea, which is a trip in itself. She’s never been, it will be fun.

I’m trying to figure out how not to have to get a job, lol. I love not working so much. I feel like I might be able to actually sell some of my jewelry here, if I can actually set up a work space in my house and get productive with that. It would be nice to make additional income doing that, not working. And maybe doing reiki?

Starting to feel more myself again, even if just mentally, emotionally. The stomach thing still has me down a little physically, but I know it’s not forever. I can’t wait for my friends to start coming to see me, that will be so much fun.

The people who have lived here a long time are lamenting that it’s getting cold. I am laughing my ass off at them. This weekend it’s going to go down to, for heaven’s sake, 79°. Lows around 60 at night. And people are saying “I hate to see it get cold.” Seriously. They sure don’t know cold. I am still in my skorts (you know, those mini-skirts with shorts underneath) and flip-flops. T-shirts. It’s lovely.

So the moving in process shall resume. My goal is to have the house finished by the end of the year, or sooner. Then we’ll see about a job.

Well, off to my dinner and movie. Love and light, all.

Officially a Florida Resident

Posted on by learning to live like water

I am an official Florida resident now. Drivers license, car registration, voter registration card. And good Florida health insurance. Still feel like a New England girl though, lol. I still have not reconciled in my mind that it was 85 today on November 1, and I was dressed in summer clothes. My body still expects the onslaught of winter, and layers of clothes.

The massage therapist giving me a massage today said, “Oh this weather change bothers my joints….” I laughed. “What weather change, Mel? It’s still 85° every day!” LOL. She says she hates to see it get cold. I said, “Cold here is not cold. 10° is cold. Last week in Connecticut when it was in the 20’s at night and snowed, that’s cold. 50° is not cold…..”

I had a rough night last night, hard time getting to sleep. But I still stayed off the Ambien. My stomach was hurting again, somewhat. When I’m up late in the night, my mind usually roams back to past history, and that’s what precipitated the haiku “The End” late last night. I had some friends who were concerned, and wondering if I was repeating history, or in some new situation that was causing me issues.

Neither. Just rehashing stuff, and that’s what came out. I’m fine. Don’t want anyone worrying about me, I am much wiser than I was then. On to the next thing.

I found a health food store which is like a mini-Whole Foods today. I’m glad to know they are there, about 2 or 3 miles from my house. And they sell really good chocolate too, lol.

Tomorrow, providing I feel ok, I’m going to karaoke on the beach with my friends. Should be nice. I wish I could have a glass of wine, but I suppose I should be glad I can even go. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Time to go heat up some chicken soup. Boy, I’m getting pretty tired of it…..Chicken noodle, chicken rice, chicken broth, toast, crackers…..But I don’t dare risk eating anything else quite yet. Still really happy I made this move.

Love and light, everyone.

Haiku No. 210: The Bridge

Posted on by learning to live like water

sunshine-skyway-bridge-1024x768-0309

Two tall masts rising

Sails full of wind, as I drive

Across sailing bridge.

This is the Sunshine Skyway Bridge which goes over Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg to Bradenton.  I love going across this beautiful bridge over the beautiful bay.  It’s high enough that a cruise ships and tankers can comfortably go under it.

By Deborah E. Dayen

Picture from Google Images