A Challenge for You

 Several years ago I was having a discussion with one of the monks at our temple about concentration/staying in the moment.

He said he challenged himself to watch his hands while completing a task for 5 days!

Huh?  Watch your hands?  Sounded weird but I tried it.  I didn't make it 5 days though.  More like 5 minutes.  I kept at it, when I remembered, and it helps/works.

I have "danger zones."  The kitchen, the bathroom and my bead making areas.  I knock stuff over.  I have cracked a knuckle against a cabinet door more times than I can count, I have scraped the skin off the back of my forearm retrieving something in the back of the fridge.

I seem to go into those places ok - it's coming back out that's the problem. I pay attention while I'm in the "reach mode" and then abandon ship after the grab.

Why?  I stopped looking at my hands.  I was already on to the next thought while I was extracting the mustard or the platter in the dishwasher, or the sock in the washing machine, etc.

When I make beads and later fashion them into bracelets, I'm working in a confined area.   Toothpicks are involved - don't ask - and I'm embarrassed to tell you how many times I've toppled them over.  Some swearing ensued. 

So. Wanna give it a try?  If so, get back to me and let me know how it went.  

  

My Dad's Journey

My dad, Pete Brachman, graduated early from high school back in January of 1937.  My grandparents were hesitant to send him off to college at such a tender age so they put him on a freighter/ship to the far east!  My grandfather was a big wig in the foreign department of Ford at the time so they had business support people on the ship and at many of the ports so off he went - to Japan, China and the Phillipines. 

Several years ago Mom had his experience printed up and we each got a copy.

He also brought back many mementoes and those have been dispersed throughout the family.

I would like to donate the "hat" (Japan or China?) to an organization/school, etc. but I'm at a loss on where to start.

The journel alone is fascinating to read so a copy of that could go along with the hat. 

Your ideas are welcome.

 

An Especially Nice Day

 Yesterday was outstanding.  Mother Nature has been on her best behavior lately and I, for one, really appreciate it.

This post isn't about the weather though.  I experienced two really nice gestures yesterday and wanted to relay the feeling I got from both.

Since moving to Holland I have become a regular at the nearby Meijer.  I know the first names of a handful of staff there and enjoy interacting with these people frequently.

Yesterday I was looking for some oven spray and couldn't find it.  I know the joint by heart so I knew which aisle to head for but didn't see it anywhere.  I finally gave up but on my way toward checking out I saw a young man by the name of Ron.  I called to him and asked if he knew where the oven spray might be.  He lead me right to it - only 4 rows away.  I'd been there twice and didn't see it so I was pretty sure Ron was going to be as unsuccessful as I was but, no.  There it was!  I thanked him profusely and started my departure.  

I realized we were walking side by side and then I noticed he had two bags of chips in his hand and he turned into the self-check area. 

HE WASN'T EVEN WORKING!  IT WAS HIS DAY OFF!

He could have just told me the aisle number and left it at that but he WALKED ME THERE!

Warm and fuzzy feeling #2:

A neighbor down the street has recently moved to a memory care unit so I wanted to chat with his wife and see how she was doing with this recent change. As we were winding down the visit she said she had something for me.  She knew we were Buddhist practitioners and wanted us to have a statue of Buddha that she had on one of her shelves.  She also had a mala and a metal pendant with my favorite chant on it.
I visited a neighbor/friend to offer moral support and left with gifts.

I didn't realize how much I  needed to be reminded that most people are good.  

There are thoughtful, giving hearts out there.

Where Have I Been???

 So my last blog was in 2024.  I haven't posted since then because, I guess, I've put most of my thoughts into Facebook.

But today I heard something on NPR's  The Moth that got me thinking.  Too much thinking for a FB entry.

I heard the last 2 minutes of a man talking about being left out as a kid.  The story must have been pretty gut wrenching because I had tears in my eyes and I hadn't even heard the whole thing.

What got me thinking/reflecting was that I could not relate. I simply couldn't bring up one memory in my young or old life of being left out.  

I felt full of gratitude while listening with a side of guilt.  

When I was a kid I was never aware of what the other kids had and what they didn't have.  Does that make me entitled?

I had 2 parents.  We had 2 cars and a cleaning lady.  We went on vacations (nothing fancy but vacations) together.  

I got a new winter coat every other year.  That's how I remembered it, anyway.

We had dinner together every night.  We had plenty o'food in the house.  Didn't everyone?

I never heard my parents fight.  They probably did but I didn't hear it. 

No one took a belt to my backside.  I honestly don't remember ever being punished for anything.  I sure wasn't an angle either.

I know, I know.  It was a different time back in the 50s and 60s.  But, was it?  

I didn't know to reach out.  I didn't know about the whole compassion/generosity thing.  I just skipped through life enjoying the hell out of every day.

Even today as an almost 77 year old thinking back on my life I feel sad that I was so unaware.

Today at temple I talked about being on the "polar opposite roller coaster" this week.  One minute I felt joy and love as I watched the Buddhist Monks walk for peace.  I felt hopeful when I saw all the people lining the streets.  

And then . . . Minneapolis happened.  I felt outrage and dark despair.

Was I better off as a innocent unaware kid back in the day?

I Had an "I Love Lucy" Moment

 I'll set the scene: me in the kitchen.  Already the setting is ominous. 

I was trying to decide which pasta to make for Petey's dinner.

I had two half boxes of "long" - linguine and  fettuccine -  along with a couple others to contemplate.  Halfway through the decision making process I switched to ravioli so I "carefully" gathered up the two "long" boxes and moved toward the pantry.

Do you see it coming?  Did I set up the foreshadowing good enough for you?

The long boxes were the first to make the pantry journey and I neglected to pay attention to the open ends.

You guessed it! The pasta went flying.  I wasn't even moving fast but those suckers launched themselves into the air and then hit the floor runnin'.

Fortunately, I'd just mopped the floor so I scooped them up in a flash, comingled them into a pot of boiling water and dinner was served!

Just kidding.  Give me some credit.  I wasn't raised by wolves.

The ravioli was delicious, btw.

Three Beautiful Days

Wow, it's been a minute, hasn't it?  Haven't posted here since February.  I think Instagram/Facebook have kinda taken over but not today.

This morning at temple our teacher was talking about loving kindness and she led us through a meditation with it in mind.

She told us to visualize a moment/person/event/place that made a huge impact on our lives.  Something or someone that made our heart almost burst, it was so full of love.

Nothing happened for me at first.  I ruled out the day I got married, the day my son was born - those kind of things - not because they weren't pivotal in my life but something else pushed into my consciousness instead. 

Something that happened recently.

Something(s) that happened over the last three days.

We traveled to Fenn Valley Vineyard on Thursday to hear our friends Kevin and Jerry play.  We'd never been there before and I was blown away by the beauty of the place.  Not only the vineyard itself but the drive there and back.  Country roads.  Some of them we'd been on before and they brought back great memories.  Others were new and so peaceful. Almost like the feel of a rocking chair on an old front porch. 

Friday we drove up to Grand Haven.  We've taken that drive up Lakeshore many, many times and it's always a feast for the eyes.  No matter the time of year.

But Friday was different, I'm not sure why.  The winding road bordered by huge trees with a background of a blue, blue sky made me breath deeply with appreciation.  I said to Peter, "we have our own Tunnel of Trees" right here in our backyard.  I tilted by head back and watched the branches overhead fly by through the sun roof.  

Saturday was a birthday celebration (her 75th) of one of my closest friends.  A lifelong friend.  A friend I have shared many, many laughs and a few tears with over the past several decades.

The drive to her house was different this time because we came at it from a another direction now that we live in Holland and not Allegan anymore.

The vast farmlands spread out in all their splendor.  Corn was everywhere.  Dark, dark green.  Various other colors on the rolling hills were like a picture waiting to be painted.  Maybe by my friend who is a wonderful artist.

Sitting in her yard among many other friends, looking at the pond in this peaceful hidey hole almost made me weep. 

So I guess I am now sharing my loving kindness with you.  A loving kindness for our beautiful surroundings.  

Age of Reflextion

 Two days ago I attended a Celebration of Life for a very good friend. The next day (yesterday) marked one year since one of my very, very best friends died.

I started thinking of all the women that I have shared space with; it's a long list.

I think, well, I know, I appreciated their friendship at the time.  Most of them but not all, I didn't realize until many years later how very grateful I was to have known them. 

I'm leaving family members off this list because - I loved them all and miss them a ton so . . . enough said.

I'm also sure I'll miss a few but in my way of keeping my blogs short-ish, here goes.

My kindergarten teacher, Miss Adams, was so kind and encouraging.  I remember her soft voice and presence.

Mary Hearn and Elnora Simpson.  Hard working women and possessed patience from the gods.

Pat Ankney.  She expected your best and got it - if it killed us.

Sue Johnson Lange who still rides along with me most every day.

Pat Higgs Miller who showed me how to tell the funniest damn stories -  about myself. She deserved an Oscar for her tales.

Kathi Proper - who filled my life with joy every nano-second we spent together.

Gwen DeBruyn who encouraged me constantly with my jewelry.

There are more but I promised to keep it short-ish.

Take a moment and reflect on the gifts left behind by people you loved and admired.