Renewal

Spring, the season of renewal. It's too bad we can't renew ourselves every year like the trees and the flowers but I guess that only happens when we reach the other side. I love to see the Earth awakening after a harsh winter--you can almost hear the leaves opening and the grass growing. All seasons are wonderful in their own way but in my estimation, Spring rocks!

Be Still

No matter how bleak a situation appears to be, we must never give up hope. Every problem has a solution. Just be still and listen to that small, still voice from the center of your consciousness---that spark of God that resides in each of us. It's fine to accept the will of God, but who says He isn't willing to listen to your side of the story? Life on Earth is a learning opportunity---sometimes we pass with flying colors and other times we fail miserably. Are you learning your lessons?

The Dance

If you can walk, you can also dance. All cultures have a type of dance, mostly as an expression of joy. It makes one wonder about the first human being to dance---perhaps a cave man (or woman) expressing love of life? Dancing is not only beneficial to the body but brings happiness to the soul, age making no difference whatsoever. Many a romance has begun while gliding across a dance floor---have you tripped the light fantastic lately?

Time Flies

With each year time seems to pass just a little faster. Spring, summer, fall and winter speed by in a blur and before we know it, another year has passed. When I was a child I was always anticipating a future event and my dear mother would tell me not to wish my life away. Now I understand what she meant. My 6 year old granddaughter wants to be 7, the high school junior wants to skip a year so she can go to college, a grandson couldn't wait to finish school so he could join the Army, and now finds himself in Iraq. Don't wish your lives away, kids, you'll be senior citizens before you know it!

Home is Beckoning

The kids tell us that Spring has arrived in South Dakota and it's safe to come home. Well, it's about time. We've had another wonderful winter in the Southwest but we still have pretty deep roots in Dakota. Many of our winter "family" have already left and more are leaving every day. Life is about change and it's time to switch to our summer family and friends. Besides, a real house with washer, drier and dishwasher is beginning to look awfully good!

The Door to Nowhere

We've all been in situations where we've felt lost. Which road shall I take? Where am I supposed to be? Will I make the best decision? In many ways life is a duckshoot but fortunately, most of the time we make the right choices. I still believe that God guides us and that where we are at this moment is where we're supposed to be. Maybe there's a lesson to learn from a tragedy or if everything is going well, we're being rewarded. Don't enter the door to nowhere---listen to your heart and find your destiny.

Don't Forget the Old Girls

I love the saying, "Grandmas are just antique little girls". It's true! Even though we're getting a little long in the tooth, we can still have fun. In fact, we have more fun because we're no longer stressed from raising children and husbands, balancing the budget and working inside and outside the home. If your golden years aren't tarnished by ill health, they can be considered your award for a life well lived.

An Older Miss Muffet

Most older folks have a cuddly little dog or a playful cat or a talkative bird as a pet. They offer companionship and encourage mobility. Unconditional love is a fact of life. Well, a woman in our park has a spider who has covered her kitchen window with its web and she considers it a pet, even feeds it flies! I suppose there are some advantages to befriending a desert spider---no expensive food, no vet visits, no midnight walks. Personally, the only pet I need is my husband!

Love

Every day should be Valentine's Day. The world certainly could use more love! Too much energy is expended on waging wars, seizing power and accumulating fortunes at the expense of others. Just imagine the consequences if that energy were used in the pursuit of love---no murder, no poverty, no starving children. Respect and trust would reign supreme. You can't buy love but you can give it away. God expects us to love each other--evidently too tall an order for mere humans! Spread some love today....

Rain or Snow?

When we were young, we were told to save for a rainy day. Well, we did and came to the desert southwest because of the dry sunny days. Unfortunately, it seems that this has become the winter of moisture. At 2 AM this morning we were awakened by a rare thunderstorm dumping buckets of rain. Who can sleep with a cacophony of strange sounds on the roof of an RV? We are thankful, however, that we're not in the midwest or on the east coast. Personally, I think that God has buried Washington, D.C. in snow to remind the politicians to chill out!

Keep on Howling

The DH reached the ripe old age of 78 a couple of weeks ago but you'd never know it. He's still very active playing bean bags, horseshoes and pool several times a week. Age shouldn't be counted in years, but in the way you feel. I've known 30 year olds that were old and 90 year olds that were young. We've both been blessed with good health, the best gift anyone could receive. My dear husband can still howl at the moon, even when it's blue. Keep howling, Honey!

Lettuce Leaves

Living in agricultural country for 6 months of the year has become a way of life. We're no longer surprised by remains of romaine on a city street or by witnessing a case of leaf lettuce launch itself from a flat bed. Lemons bounce around like little yellow tennis balls as they leave the truck and spill out onto a country road. Fields and groves are periodically flooded, giving the illusion of flowing water in an arid land. A miracle happens before our eyes as the desert produces an abundance of vegetables, a plethora of vitamins ready to nourish the masses.

Are You Psychic?

I've always been a fan of Sylvia Browne and have read most of her books, so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that she was appearing just a few miles away in California. Of course, there was no chance that the DH would go with me and I didn't want to go alone. Then on the morning of the show, synchronicity took over, a friend got us tickets and we rode over with another couple. Since we bought our tickets so late, we were seated in the very last row of a vast auditorium and Sylvia looked like a miniature on the stage. Thank heaven large TV screens were scattered above the audience so we could see and hear her quite well. After her lecture, Sylvia began to draw ticket stubs and guess what---she drew mine! I was allowed to approach the stage, greet her and ask her a question. (About half-way through the line, I realized that my image would be on that TV screen, seen by over a thousand people!) I told her I loved her work and was thrilled to be there, then asked if there were spirits around me. She described my maternal grandfather to a "T". I can't help but feel that I was supposed to be there, since I was able to go at the last minute and was given the privilege of meeting her face to face....life is a series of pleasant surprises!

Sandwiched

My daughter often voices concerns about her teenage child driving around town and her retired parents motoring around the country. I explained that she's now a member of the sandwich generation, being smack dab in between youth and the golden years. Actually, the two aren't all that different---both groups are intent on having fun and avoiding responsibilities. Selfishness is a way of life for the very young and the very old. It's the middle of the sandwich that is required to worry and work. Oh, well, before they know it, they'll be the older generation and then the fun will begin!

Paradise Lost

Most snowbirds consider southern Arizona to be pretty darned close to Paradise. Unfortunately, we are now reconsidering this title, as a huge storm is in progress. The wind is whipping, rain is pouring, ditches are overflowing and the casinos are packed with bored seniors. According to the local TV station, the end is not yet in sight, as a tornado warning has just been issued! There are two positives related to this negative weather, however---rain doesn't need to be shovelled and the desert will bloom like crazy in a couple of months!

Taking Chances

There are times when you just need to put on your big girl panties and take a chance. After a messy divorce, contact with our grandson was nearly non-existent. Now that he's grown and on his second tour in Iraq, I've been worried sick about his safety. So I wrote my e-mail address on a Christmas card to his mother and asked her to keep me informed of his whereabouts. The least she could do is ignore me. Much to my surprise, she made contact through Facebook and now the whole family is communicating, including my grandson all the way from Iraq. There comes a time to let by-gones be by-gones!

Ashes to Ashes...

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust---well, a lot of souls are either coming or going because we're having one heck of a dust storm today. Sands are shifting, awnings are flapping and palm trees are bowing to the Almighty. Instead of a clear blue sky, we are confronted with dusty brown, but there is an upside to this dirty air---the sunset should be fabulous!

Influx

Christmas is over and now the fun has begun. Snowbirds are flocking to the southwest, avoiding the snow storms and freezing temps of home. The population of Yuma doubles during this time, so we are required to stand in line every place we go now. Needless to say, the DH isn't thrilled about it. Mexico seems to be the first stop on everybody's itinerary---cheap meds, cigarettes and alcohol being a powerful incentive. If you don't arrive early, the wait to go through customs can be hours. Patience is a virtue and some people need to be reminded of that!

Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year. You've just spent 525,948.766 minutes of your life. How many minutes did you waste in anger, frustration, envy? Probably more than you'd like to admit. How many minutes were spent appreciating your blessings? Probably less than you'd like to admit. Resolutions are made every year on this day---mostly to lose weight, get more exercise, quit smoking. How about a resolution to have more compassion for the unfortunate people of the world or to be happy with what you have, rather than lusting after more? Life is a gift---enjoy it!