Freedom and choices

Freedom is a lot like air. When it is around, you hardly notice it. Once taken from you, you notice it instantly. Not long afterwards you choke and later you die.


The right to "boldly go where no one has gone before" is the main reason that I am proud to live in the United States of America, "the land of the free and the home of the brave." Not surprisingly, the best quotes come from women who know all too well about the lack of freedom.

The other day a friend of mine was at my home.  She is a smoker. My soon to be 5 year old daughter picked up the pack of cigarettes and asked "Mom and Miss A, what are these and why does Miss A like them?"  My friend immediately stated "you don't want them they are bad." 

I told my friend, "wait I talk to my kids about these things."  I proceeded to tell my kids that those are cigarettes.  I said these are for adults and when you get older you will be given the choice to either chose to smoke or not.  I said that your Nana used to smoke and she had emphysema (which I explained to them on their level).  I also told them that mommy used to smoke not all the time but then I made the choice to not smoke.  I let them know that Miss A has the opportunity to make the choice and she chooses to smoke.

My youngest pondered what I was saying and she said to me "Mom, if I choose to smoke when I'm an adult will you still love me."  Wow, what a profound statement.  I told her that no matter if she smokes or not when she is an adult, I will always love her.  I said I loved my mom  very much and she smoked and smoking is part of the complication she experienced and why she died.  My daughter then said "Is Miss A going to die soon."  I told her we never know when we are going to die, that is not our responsibility to worry about, but we can do things in life to help ensure we live the healthiest life we can such as eating our vegetables, exercise and doing things in moderation.

She was very content with the answer and she said "Mom, I don't think I want to smoke" and I said well you have a lot of time to choose, but right now that is a great choice.

Humor in the eyes of the beholder

Have you ever just found something so funny that you laughed out loud and then realized you were the only one laughing?  That happens to me all the time.  Looking around I see so many people with frowns and scowls and very few people have laughter anymore.

Why? Has life become so barren and woeful that individuals have forgotten how to be happy?  Do they rely upon others too much to make the connection for them?  Has humor become so socialistic that we are told when to laugh, cry, be angry etc?

I think not.  I believe people have forgotten who they are and have allowed others to become their puppet masters.  Remember I talked about being Pinocchio in an early blog.  Go back to being a kid, dig deep into your mind and heart and rekindle some of the youth.  If you have kids or grandkids, even nieces and nephews.  Put down the electronic device, go outside and watch them play, then join them.  Hear their laughter and try to emmulate that laughter.  For a brief moment  you will rekindle a freedom and sense of happiness that you thought you forgot.

Once you have done that ignite the fire and don't forget to laugh.

Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.  If you laughed at that then you are on the road to enlightenment.

Skeletons in the Closet - Clean them out.

I have begun another new exploration in my life. My political and closet cleaning side. Clearing out the skeletons that once haunted me are no more. Dealing with things that you really do not want to because for some reason we believe they will hurt us.  Interesting, as I move forward I've realized "I'm not the person I was when I put the skeleton in the closet."

So if I'm not the same person I was then why do we not clean out the proverbial skeletal closet? Are we afraid of what lies in the past?  Will it resurface things that maybe aren't quite resolved and if it does then maybe it's time to resolve them once and for all.

That is why going on the path that leads somewhere is safe, but go where there is no path and leave a trail, be daring and different.  Take risks you never know what lies behind the closet once it has been cleaned out.  Maybe your own wonderland.  I know I am learning more and more about me and my wonderful-land now that my closet is empty.

The FALL is upon us

Sitting watching the falling leaves and realize autumn is upon us.  I think back to earlier in the year with the changes that have occurred polticially, economically and personally.  As the leaves continue to fall, I realize that autumn is not a dismal season, it is a rebirthing season.

What I mean about that is things take on a new form.  Trees become more bare as the leaves descend upon the ground.  Animals change their coats and burrow in for the winter.  People begin to add more clothes on and attend sporting events and focus on friends and family as the season brings many holidays.

So why are there so many holidays that reside in the fall?  What is it about these three months that create a change.  One-third of the year is it the opportunity to deal with all the remaining issues of life that you are or were struggling with and growing to make a new change?   Why is it that we as humans wait until the end to make changes as if we have this immortal power to know that we have another day to procrastinate?

I believe that it is that as long as we avoid the change and procrastinate then we can be immortal.  But in essence our time is limited so we should be embracing each day as a new change a rebirthing so to speak.  Everyday we wake we should look it as a rebirth to change, because whatever happened in the past is just that past.  We cannot change it but we can change today.