Personal Story

I love floors that creak. There’s a power, a personality to it, as if the floor acknowledges me there, greets me, in a way. The house feels homey and lived in, in some sense imprinted.

Old houses have creaky floors and stairs, for sure. It’s not clear if it’s the personality of the people who lived there coming through or the personality of the home itself. But, to me, it always seems inviting and cozy.

It makes me mindful of the moment, more fully present with more of my senses focused here and now.

I also love doors that creak and drawers that squeak.

New Earth is not a place, but a way of living.

A way of experiencing earth a different way – joyful, playful, conscious, and aware.

I live on New Earth, or rather, “in” New Earth.

I am very aware of what I am thinking and saying. Always, as best I can, choosing positive over negative. So, I am constantly editing and guiding my thoughts, rather than letting them run rampant.

Every year we like to visit the rose gardens at Boothe Park in Stratford, Connecticut. Even from several feet away, one can smell the beautiful and pungent scent of the various types of roses. Once inside the garden, one can see all the different sizes, shapes, and types of roses - more than seem possible.

It is like a Wonderland of Flowers. Some are red, some are pink, some are yellow, some white, some purple, some orange, and some are even multicolored. Inevitably, some are buds, while others are partly bloomed, and still others are in full bloom.

Whenever I hear that someone is not well, I immediately, within 10 seconds, say “Thank you for allowing assistance for that person.”

I am talking to God, to the Presence, if you will. Notice that I am not asking but trusting.

If someone is complaining, say about their job or another person or whatever, I listen, but keep repeating silently to myself, “Thank you for showing me the truth. Thank you for showing me what they are “really” saying.”

In our home, whenever someone sits down to eat anything, someone else in the home sits down too, just to keep them company.

Not necessarily to make conversation, or eat something too, but just to be with them.

A long time ago, I worked with someone who came from Taiwan. We were talking about lunch, and he said, “People should not eat alone” – this was a deep and fervent part of his up-bringing.

I thrive being around people with imagination.

People who can see things that aren’t there yet and talk about them as if they are real right now. Like cars that fly, a practical end to hunger and healing sounds that work infinitely better than chemical drugs.

People who can create – pictures, music, dance, inventions.

People who can see the world in a better way.

Without these people, I feel lonely. Yes, my wife and children fill a kind of loneliness, for which I am very thankful.

I have found that I can be in a room full of people, and feel absolutely isolated and lonely. Perhaps this happens to you, too.

So, there is something more going on with loneliness than just needing to be around other humans.

Perhaps we are lonely for this, that, and the other.

When I take care of a garden, I feel that the flowers, vegetables, herbs, and all that grows out of the soil are my friends. So, I like visiting the Hartford Flower Show, the Bronx Gardens, and the Durham County Fair.

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from
Ah the Beatles not to date myself
I remember their debut singing on the Ed Sullivan show
They kind of shocked me with their performance
Funny I can still remember that
I can have so many memories both good and bad
My memories can have a direct effect on my emotions and actions.
If I am feeling lonely do I consider
being with myself can be an amazing thing if
I can find peace and joy in the stillness of being alone.
Even if it isn’t quiet can I be in the quiet

Retired people need to do a number of things to stay healthy. We need to exercise, eat right, get enough sleep, and stay involved. The last one of these is my topic today. We need to have one or more projects to be passionate about. Mine include serving on a committee for my condo association, volunteering for a local arts organization, and working on Heart Speak. Between these three activities and a few others that I do, I am as busy now as when I was working full-time to make a living.

I am so happy
When I watch a video or read
a story
Of animals being rescued
My heart is stretched
As my eyes fill with tears
But I am in awe of how
Others step in to help
As they figure out a way
To lend a hand with these wonderful animals
That are here a part of creation
I thank the volunteers
Who take their time
Those who give funding
The generosity of others
Who don’t turn away but
Move towards being part of the solution
If only all will find it in our hearts