What I have learned

After a while you learn the difference, the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.
And you learn that love doesn't mean possession, and companionship doesn't always mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts,  and presents aren't promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats, with your head up and your eyes open,
With the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child.

And you learn to build all your roads today, because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans,
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even the sun burns if you get too much,
And learn that it doesn't matter how much you care about, some people simply don't care at all.
And you accept that it doesn't matter how good a person is, they will hurt you once in a while,
And you need to forgive them for that.

You learn that talking can relieve emotional pain.

You discover that it takes several years to build a relationship based on confidence and just a few seconds to destroy it.
And that you can do something in an instant, which you will regret for the rest of your life.
You learn that true friendships continue to grow even from miles away.
And that what matters isn't what you have in your life but who you have in your life.
And that good friends are the family which we choose.
You learn that we don't have to change our friends if we understand that friends also change.
You realize that you are your own best friend, and that you can do anything, or nothing,  and have good moments together.

You discover that the people who you most care about in your life,  are taken from you so quickly,
So you must always leave the people who you care about with lovely words because it may be the last time you see them.

You learn that circumstances and environment influence us but we are responsible for our own actions.

You start to learn that you should not compare yourself with others but with the best you can be.

You discover that it takes a long time to become the person you wish to be and that the time is short.

You learn that it doesn't matter what you have reached, but where you are going to.
And if you don't know where you are going to anywhere will do.
You learn that either you control your acts or they shall control you.
And that to be flexible doesn't mean to be weak or not to have personality because it doesn't matter how delicate and fragile the situation is there are always two sides.

You learn that heroes are those who did what was necessary to be done  facing the consequences.
You learn that patience demands a lot of practice.
You discover that sometimes the person who you most expect to be kicked by when you fall is one of the few who will help you to stand up.
You learn that maturity has more to do with the kinds of experiences you had and what you have learned from them than how many birthdays you have celebrated.

You learn that you are more like your parents than you than you thought.

You learn that you should never tell a child that dreams are silly because very few things are so humiliating and it would be a tragedy if they believed it.
You learn that when you are angry you have the right to be angry but this doesn't give you the right to be cruel.

You discover that only because someone doesn't love you the way you would like them to it doesn't mean that this person doesn't love you the most that they can because there are people who love us, but just don't know how to show it.

You learn that sometimes it isn't enough to be forgiven by someone;
Sometimes you have to learn how to forgive yourself.
You learn that with the same harshness you judge some day you will be condemned.

You learn that it doesn't matter in how many pieces your heart has been broken the world doesn't stop for you to fix it.

You learn that time isn't something you can turn back so therefore you must plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure. You really are strong .And you can go so farther than you thought you could go. And that life really has value. And you have value within that life.

And that our gifts betray us and make us lose whatever good we could conquer if it wasn't for our fear of trying.

And you learn…and you learn… with every goodbye you learn.

This poem was written by Veronica A. Shoffstall in 1971 and all rights are reserved to her. Translated from Portugese.

On the road to the old mining town of Jackson

Old Mining Equipment near Jackson

Yesterday I took a leisurly country drive through the rolling hills that define the foothills.  The weather was spectacular, blue sky, the thermometer pushing 70 degrees.  And it's only February!  I was runing an errand with a dear friend who needed my truck to pick up a lovely wicker furniture set she had bought at one of the many antique stores in Jackson.  It is rare nowadays to find an antique store anymore, so many have been forced to close in these lean years.



The National Hotel, Jackson, CA

Anyway it was great fun to take a break and head out on a beautiful day, over the green hills. Creeks were flowing past herds of peacefully grazing cattle, the afternoon's outing promised to be great fun and all was well with the world.
It's only a little over an hour to Jackson, and what a lovely drive it is.


We had a great lunch at a small cafe which publicized itself as a "Farm to table" establishment called "Rosebud's Cafe".
I wasn't sure exactly what that meant...and I was thinking maybe we would be asked to go out back and pick our own veggies.  The mother daughter team that runs it is very nice, and I know we were in for a pleasant experience when I saw the cook smile at me from the kitchen.

                                                                                                          

Rosebud's Cafe, Jackson, CA

Imagine a woman

Imagine a woman who believes it is right and good she is a woman.
A woman who honors her experience and tells her stories.
Who refuses to carry the sins of others within her body and life.

Imagine a woman who trusts and respects herself.
A woman who listens to her needs and desires.
Who meets them with tenderness and grace.

Imagine a woman who acknowledges the past's influence on the present.
A woman who has walked through her past.
Who has healed into the present.

Imagine a woman who authors her own life.
A woman who exerts, initiates, and moves on her own behalf.
Who refuses to surrender except to her truest self and wisest voice.

Imagine a woman who names her own gods.
A woman who imagines the divine in her image and likeness.
Who designs a personal spirituality to inform her daily life.

Imagine a woman in love with her own body.
A woman who believes her body is enough, just as it is.
Who celebrates its rhythms and cycles as an exquisite resource.

Imagine a woman who honors the body of the Goddess in her changing body.
A woman who celebrates the accumulation of her years and her wisdom.
Who refuses to use her life-energy disguising the changes in her body and life.

Imagine a woman who values the women in her life.
A woman who sits in circles of women.
Who is reminded of the truth about herself when she forgets.

Imagine yourself as this woman.

----------------------------------------------------
© Patricia Lynn Reilly, 1995

Why I Hate Lawyers!

Pick Up Line in a Bar . . .

Having already downed a few power drinks, she turned around, faced him, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Listen here, good looking, I screw anybody, any time, anywhere, your place, my place, in the car, front door, back door, on the ground, standing up, sitting down, naked or with clothes on, dirty, clean. It doesn't matter to me. I've been doing it ever since I got out of college, and I just love it."

Eyes now wide with interest, he responded, "No kidding. I'm a lawyer too. What firm are you with?"

Advice from my dog!

Love generously
Care deeply
Speak (bark) kindly

If a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

A Horses Prayer

Feed me, give me water, and care for me, and when the day's work is done, give me shelter, a clean bed and a wide stall.
Talk to me.

Your voice often substitutes for the reins for me.
Be good to me and I will serve you cheerfully and love you.
Don't jerk the reins and don't raise the whip. Don't beat or kick me when I don't understand you, but rather give me time to understand you.
Don't consider it disobedience if I don't follow your commands.
Perhaps there is a problem with my saddle and bridle or hooves.
Check my teeth if I don't eat, maybe I have a toothache. You know how that hurts.
Don't halter me too short and don't dock my tail... it's my only weapon against flies and mosquitoes.

And at the end, dear master, when I am no longer any use to you,

Don't let me go hungry or freeze and don't sell me.
Don't give me a master who slowly tortures me to death and lets me starve, but rather be merciful and take care of me,

by letting me run and enjoy a warm pasture.