Go to the Water

I am pretty sure, that each of you will know someone just like the person that I am about to describe. I just met this woman, and I don't know her very well, but I already know I really like her. Among many of her redeeming characteristics, she has a kind and generous personality. Because she is so kind, I feel she may be one of those people that could be taken advantage of, but she assures me she just likes to help others. One of our conversations centered around doing things for our parents and she said, "you will never regret the things you do".  The flip  side is, "you will regret the things you didn't do". In reflection, I realized that there were times I said I was going to do things with someone and never did it. For a variety of reasons, it just never happened. I broke a promise simply by not committing to a specific day or truly investing in making it a priority in my life. My lesson is to never tell someone, "someday" instead name the dat...

I was driving one day, and the radio announcer told the story about, Dr. Howard Tucker "the world's oldest practicing doctor". At 100, he has been working in medicine for 75 years. Dr. Tucker, a physician and neurologist, just recently stopped seeing patients but still teaches medical residents twice a week in Cleveland, Ohio. Those students are truly blessed, just to hear his stories of his lived experience as a doctor will impact their careers in so many ways.     Tucker was born in 1922. At that time the survival rate for men was 58 years and women 61. He has lived through the great depression, WWII and other historical crises including the pandemic.  What really caught my attention was the fact that the doctor is not a fan of retirement. He feels retirement is the enemy of longevity. He identifies his work as delightful and fun, every day he learns something new.   Here is his advice for a long life:   #1. Lead a healthy lifestyle:  Clear...

                                       As you all have probably figured out, I am rather taken with being retired. Recently, I had a conversation about retirement with my friend, she is over 65 and still works full-time. She said that she doesn't plan to retire yet, because she doesn't have a purpose outside of work. I agree that doing puzzles, knitting and baking may not be classed as a purpose, but it is three more things than she enjoys.   I understand that it is hard to develop a passion when for so much of your life you have gotten up each day to go to work. One of my struggles when I retired was to figure out what it was going to be like, not to work. For me I worked for 45 years, for some it is less and for others it is longer. Being a working woman does mean your days are full and brimming over. Developing passions is a luxury. As soon as your day job is over, you are ou...

  Recently, I heard a man describe his sense of helplessness as he watched his wife and unborn child nearly died during childbirth. As he was reliving this experience, he was overcome with emotion.  He identifies himself as a changed man from that day forward. He practices being grateful and realizes he needs to go after his dreams.   In varying degrees most of us have had an experience that resulted in an overwhelming sense of helplessness. We recall the moments exactly as they happened, and every second is permanently embedded in our mind. It is very similar to having PTSD and may have a variety of reactions because of it.    I have been thinking a lot about some old friends who recently lost their grandson in a tragic accident. I realize when I think of them, it means I am praying for them, but that isn't enough. Their sad situation is a reminder of how quickly one second can change your life. Everyone that knows this family is dealing with the same sens...

                                            I have always loved trivia and random facts. I safely store them in my brain where perhaps other valuable information should be. Not everyone cares for trivia and may refer to it as useless, but I call it fact finding and informative to others. So, here we go. 1.  Willie Nelson turned 90 recently. He was born on April 30, but his birth is registered as May 1. He has always made a point of celebrating on both days. I am sure 90 years ago, his dad was responsible for registering his birth. In the olden days it was the dad's job to register the new baby in the house and it was done the next time they were in town. I guess when you have many children and a home birth, an error may occur.   2.  There are only 6% of married couples in Canada that have passed their 50th Anniversary.  That percentage drops to 5% for th...

Today is the day that we celebrate Mothers. I am 66 years old, and I am blessed to still have my Mom to celebrate on this day. I also had two of the best Grandmas a girl could ever want. Strong pioneer women that endured more than they should have. I am pretty sure neither of them ever thought of themselves as powerful, but they were.  As with everyday of importance comes a mix of emotions. For most today is a happy day, for others it is a sad day remembering or wishing things were different.  If you have a personal struggle today,  I am sending you strength, may you push through it and dig deep, tomorrow is another day.  The men from the show, "Shark Tank" were guests on T he View. One of them stated, that those most successful in the shortest amount of time are women. Another Shark followed up by saying "if you want something done, ask a working mom, she will get it done". I know when I worked with students, I always knew that the "mom" students would ha...

  And just like that, it is May. Once May arrives it seems things come alive, and the action begins. This year has already been defined as a "late" year for the farmers. The fields are changing in a very quick fashion from dull winter to a fresh spring look. The way crops are planted has certainly changed over time. The big semis and large equipment are lined up at the edge of the field to get the seeds in the ground in an efficient manner. The expense, experience and knowledge that goes into spring seeding, and farming overall, has made farming into big business.  A stop at the Green House is finally necessary, to prepare for the planting of trees, gardens, and flowerbeds. The smells, sights and sounds of a Green House are almost addictive to some, and what a healthy addiction to have. I enjoy the grandeur of all of it, but I am okay with just picking up what I need and calling it done. I am noticing I am picking up the same thing every year and how very boring that can be....