SPEECHLESS FOR ONCE: TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF AWARD NOMINATION

UNBELIEVABLE!!!   http://missdemurerestraint.wordpress.com  HAS NOMINATED ME FOR THE “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF BLOG AWARD.  HERE ARE THE SEVEN THINGS ABOUT MYSELF:

1. I only allowed myself to go totally white-haired(no fakery) 18 months ago.
2. I can still walk over 8 miles without stopping, except to sip water and retrieve a munchie from my pack.
3. I have 3 dogs and 1 cat, who all sleep curled up together on “their” bed.
4. I grew up as a Methodist, became an Episcopalian as a young adult, and rejoined the United Methodist Church about 3 1/2 years ago.
5. I try to eat only unprocessed, organic foods.
6. I was the only member of my class in elementary school who threw up trying to sit through a horror movie.
7. I have been told many times that I have an “operatic” voice, but it absolutely does not blend with others when trying to sing in choirs.

EVEN IF I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO NOMINATE SOME OTHERS FOR THIS AWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE  THESE OTHER BLOGGERS:

1.  http://aboutzen.wordpress.com

2.  http://talkingleaves.wordpress.com

3.  http://raindancepoetry.wordpress.com

4.  http://zendictive.wordpress.com

5.  http://cottonbombs.wordpress.com

6. http://agapintheclouds.wordpress.com

7. http://suedreamwalker.wordpress.com

THERE ARE AT LEAST 2.5 TIMES THIS MANY BLOGS I ADMIRE TREMENDOUSLY, BUT DUE TO MY COMING OUT OF 20 YEARS+ OF SELF-EFFACEMENT AS A WRITER, FOR SOME REASONS KNOWN AND SOME UNKNOWN TO MYSELF, THE ABOVE SEVEN SITES HAVE PRICKED OPEN ALL THAT STORED UP “STUFF” THE QUICKEST AND THE MOST GENTLY.   I WILL JUST ADD THAT:

aaaaa++++ RATING IN ALL CATEGORIES, IN MY OPINION, AND PERSONALLY FROM ME, GOES TO:

http://catlas.wordpress.com

SCORES OF HUMBLEST BOWS TO ALL!!!

SATURDAY: SOLO VS. GROUP RE: INNER PEACE

Waking up on this weekend morning with only four-legged family members around, I realized how totally satisfying that was.  I actually liked the state of mind I was in, how I felt both physically and mentally.  I was well on the way to a successful morning meditation period.  Afterwards, I started planning this post, bouncing back and forth in time between a few childhood memories, many young-ish adult memories, and now.  Thankfully, for several years now, I have not edged over into minor angst when trying to understand why I have been most comfortable AND productive in my life when “alone”.  (Actually, that is when I feel least alone!)  Yet, because of my overly-developed verbal side, I have continuously been labeled a “people person”.  So, go figure.

Okay, first of all, my overly-developed intuitiveness shows me WAY TOO MUCH about other people.  For most of my life.  I became internally agitated by what I was picking up and allowed other folks’ stuff to tip me off center.  Thankfully, joining a wonderful, give-and-take, free-for-all Bible study group that is willing to process anything and everything has gradually built up quite a bit of spiritual “muscle” with which to successfully digest of that stuff from other folks.

So, it really was no accident that last week’s query about “the group home” should prompt such a rich harvest in my Truth Garden.  And yesterday’s immersion in all those folks waiting for the Homecoming Parade, whereupon I was rejoiced by portions of the natural world reflected in many of their eyes, was most encouraging.  I was able to zero right in on postive, productive “stuff” from those other folks, even though there were thousands of vibes bouncing around in my brain regarding their many quirks and much pettiness.

So, solo or in group, inner peace burrows in, making itself at home, allowing me to skip along on my journey to the Truth Mountain.  This mountain shelters Truth in such a nourshing manner that Truth is arrayed in only Blessing-Colors, with all the old hurtful fake truths scaled away by the bright lights of Inspiration, Wisdom, Peace.

SATURDAY: IN-LAWS AND WHITE HAIR

Some of you may think the two nouns in the title of today’s post are synonymous, while others may be convinced the first brings on the second!

But I am here to tell you, inlaws are one of the chief sources of my inspiration in these, my official white-haired days!

If I were sitting in the park with the NYC AGAINST WALLSTREET protesters, my mind would wander to past conflicts resolved more-than-satisfactorily with in-laws!

When I indulged in a short jog in the forest this a.m., my mind wandered to the various comments some in-laws about my outdoor activities.

As I played with my canine family members this a.m.–you guessed it–my mind wandered to comments from in-laws about my relationship with said four-legged loved ones.

So, now it should not be difficult for you to see how past encounters with in-laws (especially those resulting in my “letting go” of my kneed-jerk defense mechanism) helped me to deal so well with the stranger-encounter described in my “White Hair Walking” post earlier this week.   My white hair is an outward and visible sign of the number of years required to grow wisdom inside the ol’ head.  It reminds me of many successes and challenges, spurring me on to deal with even more “strange encounters” in such a way as to build even more wisdom.  This kind of wisdom brings understanding at a deep enough spiritual level to change a troublesome road into a victorious path to PEACE!