Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Process of Grieving

I wanted to share another article from the DailyOM. This one came to me yesterday...stuff I've been thinking about lately put into a nice perspective.

Becoming Whole Again

The Process of Grieving

When we experience any kind of devastating loss, whether it is the loss of a loved one, a dream, or a relationship, feelings may arise within us that are overwhelming or difficult to cope with. This sense of grief can also come up when we are separated from anyone or anything we have welcomed into our lives. And while it may feel like we are caught up in a never-ending spiral of sadness and emptiness, it is important to remember that the grief we are feeling is not a permanent state of being. Rather, grief is part of the process of letting go that in many ways can be a gift, allowing us to go deeper within ourselves to rediscover the light amidst the seeming darkness.

The emotions that accompany any kind of loss can be intense and varied. A sense of shock or denial is often the first reaction, to be replaced by anger. Sometimes this anger can be directed at your loved one for “abandoning” you; at other times you may feel outrage toward the universe for what you are enduring. And while there are stages of grief that people go through – moving from denial to anger to bargaining to depression to acceptance – the cycles of grief often move in spirals, sometimes circling forward and then back again. You may even experience moments of strength, faith, and laughter in between. While these emotions seem to come and go sporadically, it is important to feel them, accept them, and allow them to flow. With time, patience, and compassion, you will eventually find your center again.

As we move through our grief, we may find ourselves reluctant to release our pain, fearing we are letting go of who or what we have lost. We may even regard our movement toward healing as an act of disloyalty or giving up. Know that while the hurt may fade, the essence of what you had and who you loved will have already transformed you and forever stay with you. If anything, once you are ready for the pain of your loss to subside, their memories can then live more fully within you. Remember, that healing is a part of the spiraling cycles of grief, and that in letting yourself feel restored again, you are surrendering to a natural movement that is part of the dance of life.

Check Out....

Smiley Tissues a new blog that I'm a part of! :)

Friday, September 26, 2008

A Quick Question

Have you heard about the gas shortage that is going on in my region of the country?

That is before I told you...LOL.

Scary things are happening in America, and the lack of media coverage about this situation is just one of them.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

This Guy Had a Bad Day

The good news is he is still alive. Wow. I found the following here:

A man who was taken to hospital when he was hit by a train was knocked down by a car just six hours earlier.

Unlucky cyclist Robert Evans, 46, had a bad day when he managed to get run over by two different modes of transport.

Evans, from Boulder, Colorado, was hit by a train while walking his bicycle across a railroad bridge. This happened about six hours after he was hit by a car.

Police said it was the second trip to the hospital in the space of a day.

He was knocked down by the car in a hit-and-run incident at the intersection of Folsom Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. It happened at about 10pm on Tuesday.

Evans was taken to hospital for his injuries, but was released at about 3am on Wednesday. He was on his way back to town when he was hit by the train while going over a bridge.

He was later found in a creek at 4.45am and taken to hospital, but his injuries were not life-threatening.

The 50ft long bridge is only wide enough to fit the train and is not for use by pedestrians.

To add to his woes, Evans faces a ticket from police for trespassing.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Friday, September 19, 2008

Taking a Break

I won't be around for a few days. I'll be traveling to attend my grandmother's funeral. I'll be back when I can.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Savta

Savta-- I'm sending you love, light, and positive energy. Wishing for you a peaceful transition from this world. I love you.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

They're Growing!! :)



I transplanted them last week;they seem to like their new home!

Monday, September 15, 2008

I'm Back!

I'm back , and in good shape! I had a wonderfully peaceful weekend. I read, I wrote, I pondered, and communed with nature. Good times! :) I came back rejuvenated, and centered...which is always a good thing!

My reader is full, so I will be catching up in the next few days.

Oh yeah, and Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn is an awesome read!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Weekend Retreat

I won't be around this weekend. I'm going on a little self-retreat. Just me, and my thoughts.

I'll be staying in a little cabin, in the woods, with a bed, desk, and a composting toilet. (Whatever that is--lol)

Many things have prompted this little getaway, the prominent one being my upcoming birthday. I need a chance, free from distractions, to read, write, evaluate and make goals for myself. Exciting stuff, I know! LOL

I'll be back to it Monday...Happy Weekend! :D

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Ghost Mugs, and Meditation

Today I arrived home to find my Ghost Mugs from Gary the Potter waiting for me!

They are awesome, and what a super fast shipment.

Thanks Gary!! Go check out his work, and other fun stuff at Potter's Blog; he's the best!


In other news...

The meditation class has started up again, and I'm going to give it another go. Hopefully I can make it through more than 2 classes this time. :)

It's not that I didn't want to go back, it's just that I put crazy expectations on myself. And when they weren't met, I got discouraged...which, to me, defeated the whole purpose.

This time I'm letting myself off the hook, we'll see what happens.

My Fellow Americans:

Flag at New York Stock Exchange

Today let's disregard politics, and petty issues. Instead let's remember that despite our differences we are all Americans, and that we are not immune from tragedy, death, and devastation.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Tell Me....

Barbara asked these questions to her reader's last week.

Visit her right away, if you haven't already, you will always find something interesting, insightful, and thought provoking. And of course there is always FUN. :)

I wanted to post today, but my thoughts have escaped me, so I thought I would get to know YOU a bit better. I've added two questions of my own for good measure.

1. How was your day?

2. What are you going to eat for your next meal?

3. Have you ever built a snowman? How about a sand castle?

4. Cat or Dog?

5. Do you like telling jokes?

6. What/Who is your favorite musical artist, or band?

7. In what month were you born?

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Donavon Frankenreiter's Pass it Around

Donavon Frankenreiter is a wonderful artist-one of my favorites, because his music is uplifting, and so are his lyrics. It makes me feel like dancing while sipping a fruity drink.....on an island...in the middle of nowhere.
His new album(Pass it Around) came out recently, and somehow I missed the memo. When I found out this weekend, I rushed to buy it, and it doesn't disappoint. Below is a video for his song "Life, Love, & Laughter". If you're curious, listen to some of his music, and let me know what you think!

"Life, Love & Laughter" - Music Video





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Now playing: Donavon Frankenreiter - Life, Love, & Laughter
via FoxyTunes

Friday, September 5, 2008

A Quote, and a Message from the Universe

This I like:

"The Mind, Once Enlightened, Cannot Again Become Dark."
Thomas Paine



Also, thanks to Dawn today,I received my first note from the Universe. It read:

Whenever your perspective on something creates emotional pain, Jessica, it's always because your perspective is still so narrow that you've yet to see all the good it will make possible.

Because it will.

I can see clearly now...
The Universe


Ooh, I like this already! Happy Weekend!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

A Windowsill Garden

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try this.

Having not grown anything before,I thought Mini Sunflowers would be a good start. Vase, soil and seeds all in one box. I brought everything to work for my sunny windowsill.

First:I soaked this bag of soil over night.


Next: I carefully separated the soil in order to plant my seeds


Then I waited, and watered.

And waited some more!


Finally, on Tuesday, I came to work and saw this.

And more of the same today! A nice start, don't you think?
More updates as they become available! :)

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Ben Franklin and LibriVox


Thanks to a post by Hawg, I found LibriVox. The provide free auto books from the public domain. In their words-"Acoustical Liberation of Books in the Public Domain."

So, I spent my afternoon listening to poems by Emily Dickinson, and the first three chapters of Ben Franklin's autobiography.

Franklin's book is one that I picked up a few years ago, and was very excited about. At the time, School was absorbing every spare second, and left me no room for pleasure reading. :(

Needless to say I am excited about my afternoon discovery! You should check LibriVox out too...it's a great way to feed your brain while you're working.

Tell me, what are your thoughts about audio books? Do you use them? Like/Dislike...etc

Wordless Wednesday


Monday, September 1, 2008

Happy September!

I cannot believe it's September already. Time goes by so fast. Spring is my favorite season, but I have a special love for Fall as well. Something about the leaves changing, and the air turning crisp really appeals to me.

Also, I'm turning 30 at the end of the month....yikes!

I am actually, pretty much ok with it. Well, ask me again in a few weeks, and you may have a different answer. :)

Awards! :)

I've received some awards this weekend! Yay!



This one was given to me by Lala at Coastal Commentaries!




This one was given to me by Kimmy and Lena!


And last but not least, Lena gave me this one as well!

Thanks guys...you've all made my weekend a little brighter!
For anyone that hasn't, go visit these folks...they're great!

I'm not following any of the rules tonight. I pass on all of these awards on to my loyal readers, and commenters. You know who you are!