Rambling Friday: A Time to Be Quiet

We live in troublesome times. Few people would deny that. Work, diseases, living issues, family, friends, expectations and more increase the pressure on our lives. I'd love to offer some tips that may help:

1.  Exercise. It doesn't matter how old you are or young, exercise (if you're physically able with
doctor's permission) you can do some type of exercise. Stretch, move, walk, raise your arms, march in step. Take a walk, jog, ramble through a park or on a beach or in the woods. Whatever you choose will get your blood pumping and your mind more alert. Just remember to get your doctor's permission.

2.  Take your vitamins regularly. They add the essential nourishment that your body may lack. Think about it, and again, Check with your doctor if you have questions.

Eat right. Enjoy your vegetable, watch what you eat and how often.

Doing good for your body will be doing good for your overall health and mental state.









3. Take time to do things you love.  Have a hobby? Make sure you spend time on those. Puzzles? Needlepoint? Ancestry research? Traveling? Sports? Whatever you love doing, do it. It will be well worth your brain time!

4.  Spend time with family and/or friends. Read a book together. Play games. Go exploring. Listen. Laugh. Relax. Don't argue. Don't bring up touchy subjects. Realize you only have one life, and that is meant to do and be the best you can be. Use it wisely.






5.  And last, try some of these ideas:  light a candle, soak in a tub of warm water, swim, listen to music, take a boat ride, have lunch with a new or old friend or a relative you haven't seen in a long time. Try journaling, scrapbooking, carving, painting, praying, reading your Bible, talking with a minister. Get a pet, volunteer at a nursing home or hospital or lunch center for the homeless. There are plenty more things anyone can do to help ease the pressure of everyday life.

Stay determined. Stay focused. Resist negativism. Stay positive. Take action. YOU are the one responsible for yourself. Do it!

Prayers for a happy, healthy and productive rest-of-your-life!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

Thankful today for:

• Safety over the weekend. The roads were a madhouse!
• Delicious food and wonderful fellowship!
• Friends like JC and Arlene--priceless and precious people
• Invitations
• Virginians who know how to cook!
• The freedom we do have in the good ole U.S.
• Our beautiful flag
• Fun times with family and friends
• Don't want to forget: Writing the end. Publication date close for book! Yeah.

Thank you, God, for everything. You are awesome!

Blessings

Welcome, Jill Richardson!
     My Guest Blogger for this week . . .


Jill and the Three Ladies


I have never depended on the kindness of strangers. Not that I doubt their kindness. It's the 'stranger' part with which I have issues. Given that the last time I took the Myers-Briggs test my introversion rate was off the scale, the whole "approaching people I don't know to strike up friendly conversation" thing is about as appealing to me as approaching a pit bull to negotiate entry to a cult compound in Texas. This can be a distinct disadvantage to a writer, especially one trying to expand into travel writing.

So our recent six-week odyssey to Europe saw me bidding ciao to my husband half way through, leaving our three daughters and me to forge ahead in the three remaining countries in which I could not speak any of the language (unlike the two we had just left) and me stopping to ponder just why I had thought this was such a good idea when I had planned this whole thing. Not only would I miss the man I'd never been parted from for so long in 24 years, but what on earth would I do without him for interface on all the little details and other people we'd have to deal with? It was just "Jill and the three ladies" as our host in Fussen, Germany had referred to us by email, and we were on our own, taking on the rest of the continent.

Four days later. Unexpected Italian transit strike. Lugging our suitcases two miles up and down endless staircases over Venetian canals, I did not feel like we were four intelligent, capable, modern women conquering the world. I would gladly have played faint damsel in distress if any Superman had come along but alas, the only Superman who motored by wanted about 70 bucks to take us to the train station, and even in our exhausted, sweaty state, we knew that was no kind stranger.

The details of how we finally got to our destination that day are not a horror story you want to hear, but it was definitely the worst day of our six weeks. Yet, it was something else as well. It was the day that, with all the comfortable, known plans tossed to the wind, I had to piece together a plan to get us from Point A to Point B, involving talking to a dozen strangers with varying degrees of English, Italian, and vigorous nodding and shaking. Involving hopping on the only trains running that day (very few) and negotiating staying on them until we got to where we needed to be (wherever that now was). Involving the perfect finesses of management skills and whimsical spontaneity that I'm sure would get me hired for top a paying position at National Geographic Travel immediately.

At any rate, the day I got the message--I can do this. If I can do this I can do what it takes for the rest of this trip. And I can get the personal stories it takes to write travel, even if I'd naturally rather walk from Venice to Interlaken than talk to a stranger. Stories naturally happen around people who keep their eyes, ears, and options open. And who, in our case that day, really have no other choice.

Bio: Jill is the mother of three, wife of one, a former teacher, writer, sometimes pastor, speaker, and whatever else she feels like doing when she grows up. She enjoys working with her community theater, her garden, the junior high battle of the books team, and life. She has written two books and a whole truckload of magazine articles. You can read her blog at: http://jill-theimperfectjourney.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Jill, for visiting!

A Welcome For Us

Sharing with you . . .

Our hostess had picked these roses and placed them in our room. Right away I noticed that they matched the flowers in a local artist's still life that hung on a wall. Lovely, aren't they?


Blessings!