LeAnn Rimes: What I Cannot Change

Love this song! It's worth typing it out or doing a copy/paste. The lyrics are great. I don't usually like country music but this is an exception. Beautiful cello sound in accompaniment! That makes it even better as far as I'm concerned! Thanks one more time, Kimberlee!

http://www.youtube/watch?v=umjRT6m4eec

Sunrise

Today the sky is very grey. The morning almost looks gloomy. But I can see by the picture that there are other days (that particular sunrise was in February) when the clouds serve an extraordinary purpose: they enhance the beauty of light and sky. This sunrise faded out rather quickly. I took three photos from the office, each one successively more pale. But I am glad on this Thursday morning I can remember the sunrise in February. Looking north, through the other window in this room, I am even getting a glimpse of blue.

R.A.W.

The title has nothing to do with uncooked food. Nor about swimming without a suit! The initials were part of a column I read the other day in the newspaper. The answer to a question caught my attention. The question? How to let someone know you are interested in friendship without getting rejected. The person asking wanted to share feelings but didn't want to feel humiliated. I'll quote parts of the answer because I thought it applied to many things in life, even other than relationships.
"The previous question isn't from just one reader--it's from millions. To answer it I'd like to welcome you to Rejection Awareness Week, 2008. RAW is NOT about overcoming the greatest obstacle on the path to finding happiness in love (and life). The following five steps [may possibly] change forever the way you look at taking risks.

1. Celebrate the truth--embrace the Universal Rejection Truth of Dating and Relationships. The URT says that not everyone we like will like us. Rejection is as normal, natural and unavoidable as breathing.
   
2. Come Out of Denial--This would be giving the world permission to not always appreciate, include and desire us, while still knowing that we are worth appreciating, desiring and including.


3. Train for the Sport of Taking Risks in order to be able to take risk after risk and face the URT again and again. Training means looking in the mirror and embracing what you can't change while working to change what you can.


4. Take THE RISK--Success is NOT measured by the outcome. Success is measured simply by taking THE RISK.
   
5. React, Recoup, Repeat--If the outcome is what we expect, GREAT. If not, don't run or attack. Ask what you can do to change the outcome. Take time to recoup and refresh. Then repeat. Continue the process for a year. What you'll discover is that over time, the focus will shift from avoiding rejection to exploring opportunities to find passion in love and in life."
   

It seems to me that steps 4 and 5 might apply to many aspects of my life in the present time. Worth a try? I hope so.

Sharing Books

One of my daughter’s friends had a link on her blog which interested me. The name: PaperBackSwap.com/. Joining this group has been a real break-through for me. You see, I have so many books that the shelves are overflowing into precious living space. But could I let them go? No. Not without a strange panic that was truly overwhelming. But something had to be done. This site has made a difference. I post the books I decide to share, even if only a few. Sometimes it is just the book someone else has been waiting to have. That feels great! I put the posted books on a particular shelf. I mail off the ones selected by others. The others rest on the shelf until a month or so has passed. By then I have mentally let them go, so it is easy to send them off to the thrift store. And the process starts over. I now have 9 credits so I could (if I wanted to) ask for books from others in the group. I do have 3 books on my wish list, but so far they haven’t been posted by anyone else. I’m making an offer: if you want to use one of my credits for a book, I will send away for it. Or better yet, start your own account. They give you two free credits to begin, then you go from there. This has been more than a fun experience. It has been enlightening. In more ways than one.

"We Thank Thee..."

Tracy called from his rehearsal with Sandy City Orchestra to ask if the text message from his friend's daughter was true. Gordon B. Hinckley had died. I flipped stations on TV and could find nothing. All the while Tracy was waiting on the line. Finally, just before his rehearsal break was over, I turned on KSL radio. Yes, it was true. I think I have been somewhat numb since then. I did call our family and one of my friends. Everyone was surprised, as we had not heard anything to indicate that his death was imminent. Wasn't he supposed to reach his hundredth birthday at least? It has been big news here, with TV and newspaper stories highlighting his life. Almost always, there is mention of his humor. Now the numbness and denial is beginning to wear off. When I see his face or read the articles, I get teary-eyed, not for him or even his family but for me. It is an understatement to say that I will miss him. And sometimes, I find myself feeling a bit angry, as if my bearings have been disrupted without my permission. (I guess it is obvious that I often dislike change.) During my lifetime there have been Prophets all the way from Heber J. Grant to the present time. I can see, in hindsight, the wisdom of each man's call and of his contribution not only to the church but to my life personally. And I do thank God for each one of them. I have a powerful belief in life after death. So, why is it hard to let go?

Little Things

My bear with the Wales flag on his chest is sitting next to my computer. Why do I tell you this? Because little things matter. Today, after I came home from water aerobics and exchanging the wrong crochet thread at the craft store, my energy was really depleted. I was extremely happy to be home. Then I realized that I had left two things at the gym. I asked Art to drive me back because I couldn’t even face driving at that moment. He was busy and besides wanted to make a call to the gym first. I almost burst into tears. I felt so sad and exhausted and didn’t even know why.

Later, after lying down for a few minutes, I remembered that I did know what could refuel me. I had not read my scriptures, not even one verse, and I had not put my burdens in the hands of the Lord. After doing so (and it took less than five minutes) I was revived. It was amazing.

Now I even know some of the reasons I was feeling sad. I have been putting a crocheted edging on a blanket for my friend who has been diagnosed with cancer. I missed a funeral at noon today because the thought didn’t rise to my consciousness until it was over (although it must have been weighing on me below the surface). At water aerobics I began to quiz my friend about her husband’s knee surgery. I noticed myself edging ever closer to making that decision but not without great reluctance. Art and I are both seeing our doctors tomorrow. As usual I am afraid of what they will tell us. The days pass too fast with seemingly not enough done. And I still have the same old weaknesses. What a load to carry on my own!

So my little bear with his cute little grin and black beady eyes reminds me that yes, life isn’t easy, but there are good times, like the day I found him in a store in Wrexham, and now I remember that humor is never far away.