Shine!
Now there’s a tall order. Most of the conversations I am having these days are honest ones. And to be honest, they are not a lotta fun. It’s not easy to shine when you’re sinking, taking in water all over the place.
So now what? There’s a meteor careening towards earth hitting us just before the election. Well alrighty then.
You know what that “Shine” card is? It’s the card I sent to my pen pal. Pen, as in penitentiary. I thought an uplifting message might give him a lift. It felt good to send it, and particularly sad to see it come back four weeks later, unseen by him because I guess the card has a small bit of glitter on it. No glitter allowed in the pen. That was deflating: For me, and I am sure for my pen pal, too. I wonder if the person who had to enforce that rule saw the sadness in having to send that back. I understand the need for rules, there just seem to be a lot of them right now. Feels as if we are long on them and short on living, and carrying on safely, which I think is the intention of most of them .
So many rules so little information, and worst of all; so much fear based living. I hate seeing the fear winning. I hate seeing people with creative and hopeful dispositions being knocked down by bureaucracy. I hate rules for the sake of rules, without an ear of consideration that maybe it’s time to make amends with some of them, and to them. And most of all, I hate to see so much destruction, and so many who have inspired me looking and feeling hopeless. For good reason, might I add.
So there’s today’s blog–Starting off with the word “Shine” and ending with the word hopeless. Yikes~ Not gonna let that happen.
Instead, I shall practice what I am preaching, with a practice of return. I am headed to the lake very shortly to get refreshed. I AM THANKFUL for the opportunity to practice keeping faith in the things that I BELIEVE WILL keep the world going forward; namely hope, community and love. With the greatest of these being LOVE.
Shine on brothers and sisters! “You can sing this song…” We can sing this song…
We sing that song at Y camp! ❤️
Get yerself to the Chicago Botanic Gardens to see the sunflowers in the vegetable garden.
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
Sing on, shine on. Hats off to the Shining Stars Foundation; kids & families served…and to all others delivering strength, support and hope. It takes a village! Grateful for community! Thank you, Elinor, for your commitment to 40daysofpeace.com! Sing on, shine on, write on!!! Looking forward to tomorrow’s post…
Day 36 Lake Bluff Sunrise Beach (Lake Michigan) north end
I’ve missed you all! Who is “all” anyway? I might be writing to myself, and in that case, I’ve missed me too!
There was what turned out to be a bruised knee (nothing snapped, broken, etc…yay!) and then helping a friend send off /move her youngest into his freshman college dorm. Getting my head under water moved to the bottom of the list.
Upon my return to LB I felt out of sorts for two days, it wasn’t until yesterday that I was willing to resume some of my normal activities. And today, I resumed getting my head under water.
The water was calm tonight and I swam with four leggers who amazed me with their swimming speed. Throughout my life Lake Michigan, the four other Great Lakes, and the rivers and streams throughout Michigan (I’m from Michigan) have cleansed, refreshed, invigorated, calmed, and soothed me. To me, water is meditative, and is the common element to some of my most vivid and magical childhood memories.
Every time I jump into that Lake the same feelings come right back. I’ve been blessed in so many ways, particularly to live in the fairy tale land I call Lake Bluff. I strive each day to Shine – to let others know that I know how blessed and fortunate I am! If i can leave a positive impression wherever I go / whoever I interact with, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Elinor!! You believe!!!!! Thank you!! The earth and all it contains provides place. The Word offers Spirit. The combo offers hope. Therefore we love. I have Cubby. We are idling in Montana over the weekend, en route to Dr. Akers , Sun Valley Animal Center next week, Wed. 10/28 11 am.