Synchronicities...and Happiness

This morning, I received this link from Friend Bob  - and it is sooooooooo ME!!  This particular piece is all about what I call Synchronicities - The author calls it 'seeing the unseen'.  It matters not IF you BE STILL and pay attention to everything that is happening because it all has meaning.  One little event triggers the next - and so it goes throughout the day!!  The joys of the simple things!  Perfect way to enjoy life in all of its glories!!                                                              
                                                     http://www.thehiyl.com/

Yesterday I talked about the gifts I received from just being out in the rain and SEEING.  My synchronicities are often with people...and with the little sightings of the beauty of the gifts that Mother Nature offers us.  A few days ago, I had seen some painted daisies (my word for them) on a hill and went back to see them in all of their magnificence.  That I did...and more

They were just saying...STOP and SEE ME!!

Ahhhhhhhh but they were not alone!  I took time to look around and everywhere, the rain had left water droplets on everything that was growing.  This tree just said to me - Look over here and see what I have to offer you!!  And I just got pulled in that direction!!

Then - I had issued a challenge to the BE STILL group to photograph lillies of all different colors.  Maybe it is my quest - others go off in their own directions and don't take the callenge (Bob does!!)  Back in the car and off to search Pitman for the unusual big lillies - not the orange day lillies that are so all over the place!!  I found some big beauties and also discovered other treasures that brought me joy!!  Mayor Mike (Pitman's former mayor) and his wife always have such an amazing garden and I knew there were gifts there.  What I found -

                                              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alstroemeria

Without a doubt, they have always been favorites of mine BUT today I found the plants growing in pots and they were splendid!  I often buy them at florists or in the bins at the grocery store, but today they were just growing and I was excited.  Not sure anyone else could hare my joy - but sometimes the dancing feelings are within and that is cool for me.  Here they are!!

One more treat hidden among the plants - we can call them Echinacaea - we can call them coneflowers - we can know that they are totally cool - and the herb from this plant is healing too!!  Share my joy at seeing this beauty!!

I could go on and on but there will be more days...more gifts...more stories.  See - Bill and I have a list of zillions of gardens in the tri-state area - most within an hour from home!!  Today we go to Ft. Washington to see what is there.  Yesterday a firend said, "What kind of pictures can you take on a day like this?!"   I think you see the answer to that question in what I have shared - so even though it is overcast, we are heading out today - and the gifts are waiting!!

Outstanding in Her Field!!

The day was dismal - or it could have been but I strive to keep the sunshine in my heart!  As people always say, "Hey I woke up and put my feet on the ground - now isn't that a lot to be grateful for?!?  Today I had to go and select some of friend Pat's quilts - we are hanging an exhibit in her memory at Cold Spring Village quilt show last weekend in June.  She was a gentle spirit - always with the sunshine in her heart and up until her last days, we were talking about going to the new ice cream shop in Pitman when she came home!!  We shared optimism and belief that everything works out as it needs to.  I have such gratitude for having had Pat in my life for as long as I did!!

    When I left her husband, Jim, with bags of quilts and stories and photographs, the sky got darker and darker - I was anticipating the rain and actually excited about the possibililties of photographing the water coming down!!  I pulled over to the side of the road and was STILL - you know - BE STILL and SEE and that I did.  I was safer that way too because I doubted I could have seen through the torrents of rain.

   Arriving back in Pitman, I challenged myself to go and look for more Lillies - I challenged the BE STILL group to create an album of lillies with me on Facebook.  I was lucky!  I discovered a number of different colors and it was dry enough to see them all.  I also saw beautiful gardens and the echinacaea in the midst of it just reminded me to BE OUTSTANDING IN YOUR FIELD...never be concerned to stand alone and stand tall.  Never be afraid to be different - to be yourself.  Now didn't she complement the other flowers?  It's all about unity and diversity everywhere I look.  Later in another garden, there was yet another lone echinacaea and she too was proud of who she is!!WOO HOO!!  Maybe today this flower reminded me of Laughter, Song and Dance - and she is a healng herb too.  Brene Brown talks about Letting Go of  Being cool and always in control.  Ms. E has let it go - she is laughing with her friends and they are engaged in a dance of relationships that only they and their spirit devas of the garden can truly understand.

   We are quiet observers of the energies around us in the gardens and for this we truly just need to be still friends.  Or maybe the message is to Let Go of Anxiety and Be Calm and Still.  You choose - either one can work as long as we embrace who we truly are!

   Before we finish - meet Pat and Jim!!

 

Authenticity revisited!!

The other day we were early to have dinner in Philadelphia and decided to wander the Front Street neighborhood.  Little did we realize that it was Gay Pride Day.  We missed the parade, but were able to visit and photograph some of the individuals who were at the Riverfront to support the lifestyle and the day.  They often stopped me and asked to pose for a picture!  Proud of who they are!!

The afternoon gave me pause to reflect on Brene Brown's discussion of AUTHENTICITY.

          "Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are!"

She talks about 'nurturing the connection and sense of belonging that can only happen when we believe that we are enough.

Some of us learn this at an early age - maybe through life's experiences - maybe through outstanding role models - or maybe just through opening ourselves up to just BE!!

For me, the authenticity has come in stages - itty bitty steps to a Wholehearted Life.  Letting my hair grow and letting the curls be has been FUN and meaningful to me.  Wearing flowes in my hair - wonderful!!  It's simply who I have become and who I enjoy being with!!  As I say WOO HOO!!!  Being colorful - a treat and an expression of self - and finding like minded spirits to hang out with.  Like seeks like.  Now don't get me wrong - I know lots of AUTHENTIC people who are not as colorful - more the beiges and browns...yet true to who they are~~  I love them ALL! 

We are all engaged in this RAINBOW COALITION and sharing the courage, compassion and connection of BEING!!

REAL friends are Precious!~!

Ever have an intuitive sense of something being 'right' and acted on it and it turned out to meet all expectations - maybe even exceed them?  I did!!  I have two dear friends - could also call them role models, maybe wise woman mentors and just genuine compassionate caring individuals.  One of them just moved back into our area(Lillian) - the other one has been in my life for about 35 years(Harlene).  I wanted them to meet!  As I love to say...WOO HOO!!!  It was a done deal...success rules!!
   We are all three of us conscious of our eating - predominantly vegetarian.  We met at the Blue Sage restaurant in Southampton,PA.  Outstanding -great food; great service and great company. It took awhile to make our choices, but once done, we were pleased!
    Our visit gave me pause to reflect on the book I am reading by Brene Brown - The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are.    She talks about WHOLEHEARTED living - engaging in our lives from   a place of worthiness.'  It means cultivating the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning and think, "No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough!!"  WOW!!
Brene talks about the power of LOVE BELONGING and BEING ENOUGH.  She shares guideposts  - ten of them. I will share them gradually.
   The first  CULTIVATING AUTHENTICITY is first in my heart as well and in my relationship with my friends, Harlene and Lillian.  Why I love them both and knew that they would connect easily with one another is that each of them is an authentic person.  What does that mean?  They are people who consciously practice being authentic.  They show up and are REAL..They are honest and let their true selves be seen.  They no longer embrace the need to think who they are supposed to be and instead just be who they are!   I strive to be an authentic person in my life in my transitions an aging.  Usually it works - for those who are genuine and caring.   Yesterday, someone left me a voice message that was less than authentic - less than caring or compassionate and quite mean spirited.  I had to give pause to who I really am - what I bring to the world - and how I am perceived by like minded people.  Go back to the Four Agreements - this call violated the first about using your words with care.  Then I had to again pay attention to the second about not taking it personally.
   Incidents like this phone call can bring out the ghosts - but as I become older and wiser and spend time with my genuine, authentic friends, reality and being who I am - being enough, it's  lots simpler.
   For this, I thank Lillian and Harlene for being in my life. The shoes   at the beginning of this post?  Well...I wish I could have posted a picture of the three of us but alas, I knew I had to respect my friends and their wishes of not liking their photographs taken.  Being peaceful with that.  So this picture was from three friends at the Gay Pride day yesterday in Philadelphia - I choose to be the one in the middle - Lillian and Harlene.  Makes me wonder which each would choose?!?  No matter - they show our individuality - our unity and our diversity.

Don't Take It Personally

Here's a welcoming rocking chair...pull it up and set a spell and let's chat.  I am wearing my DARE to AFFIRM shirt - all about the Dance of Relationships.  That they are - a dance.  Finding our inner rhythm and then going out into the world with is - a constant challenge.  At times, the two people will hear the same music and get in step.  At other times, there can be a lot of stepping on toes!!

      Last night I stepped while out in a group setting, I sat back and watched some of the personal interchanges - and in my head, took some of them personally.  When I saw a 'friend' talking to one person - and yet another - about setting up 'playdates' , I thought "What about ME?"  She and I used to do that...and then something changed.  WHAT?!?!  WHY?!?!?   I often go into the "what did I do" mode and it is NOT reality based.  On the way home, I chatted with two other friends about this and they clearly said, "Don't take it personally!"  This immediately brought to mind Don Miguel Ruiz and The Four Agreements:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Words

2. Don't Take Anything Personally

3. Don't Make Assumptions

4. Always Do Your Best

    Funny - when I first read the book and shared the information with people, I often couldn't remember what #2 was!!  Imagine that?!?  Here is what Don Miguel says....

   "Nothing others do is because of you.  What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their owndream. When you are immune to the opions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering".

    So when someone says that she can't be my friend because she can't deal with my energy - is that my problem...or hers?

   When someone else says that she has 'evolved' and I have not so she can't be my friend - and she shares that info in a 'nastygram', is that my problem...or hers?

   Lesson learned:  It is only my problem IF I allow it to be - and IF I take it personally.

   It's all about self acceptance - wanting to belong - and needing to be loved and appreciated.  Find the love and acceptance within - and recognize all of the places where it comes from without!!

Laugh Out Loud!!

In all of my years of  taking pictures of people and their shoes, I have never had anyone say NO - don't do it - until the other day on the Cape May -Lewes Ferry  - and she wasn't nice about it either!  Wondering why because usually people either laugh at me since I am doing something silly - or love that I flatter them with attention (remember Catch Them Doing Something Right!!).  Some say ok but they really need a pedicure - as if anyone will ever know who they are by their shoes/feet - really now!!  So let's share a few of the most interesting ones I saw the other day on the Ferry ride to Delaware!!

 Here's friend Denise and her long spotted skirt and sandals to coordinate with it.  Notice the color of the toenails - cool.  (I saw her again last night and her toenails were green to match what she was wearing then!!)  Remember I talk a lot about Little Light being my playful companion?  Well - here she was on the Ferry ride with us - patterns all over the place!!

My guess is that these two were runners - check our the muscles in their legs - he guy on the right!!

He never noticed - this guy was so stretched out and relaxed!  Love the shadows!!   This other one - totally relaxed - and I love the shadows/patterns of the chairs.

Now here is the one - simple picture - purple flip flops - could be owned by anyone - and if  you look closely, she has even put on lavender nail polish to match the color of the shoes!  She could have been a cool person...guess we just didn't connect!!

Here was one of the loveliest conversations of the day - an Indian woman in a beautiful sari with matching flip flops that glittered in the sunshine like diamonds.  I asked to take her picture and she was so flattered - great conversation - so much fun, open and receptive.
           I like to take pictures of people and their shoes because I can get a snippet of who they are...why they choose what they do to wear and other interesting factoids about them.  I do understand that shoes are one of the pieces of ourselves that we show to make us unique.  The woman in the purple also reinforced how different/unique we are in our responsiveness to anything different - or maybe something invading our space?  Funny thing is, that as I walked around the Ferry, I saw her many more times!!  Lessons learned...always...just going out in the world and keeping my eys open - listening with an open heart - is a grand way to share experiences and learn lessons!!  DARE to AFFIRM!!

Taking Time to Transition!!

I feel like writing this blog with all of the colors of the rainbow that are in this picture!  This shoe represents so much - what you say?  a simple shoe?   YES...taking the time to be joyful...relaxing in the sun...playing and just having fun!  The goal...to maintain this feeling for most of the days - the reality - fleeting - comes and goes - but the gratitude is that it is present.

The words Transition and change are increasingly used in our vocabulary of late - or maybe it is because of my age and life situaton.  No matter - they are to be  faced  and dealt with...and sometimes with an intensity that, well , isn't quite as fun as it could be!  Trying to hard to 'figure out life' rather than  sitting in the sun - floating on the water and just BEING.  For so many years, we are extrinsically motivated - have a job - family obligations - schedules and routines.  Then life says, 'go ahead and retire' and you have all of the time you want!!  As my friend Jill would say - YEEKS!  The transition of this transition is that now you have to be intrinsically motivated.  No longer identified with who you are and what you "DO", now is the time to find that inner identity.  I have just picked up several books by Brene Brown- The Gifts of Imperfection and then Daring Greatly!  Hmmm...maybe these topics about being real and being vulnerable will be a focus for the blog for awhile!!   It's not about what you do - but more importantly that you take action - then you become vulnerable - could even fail in what was attempted - but hey, you have done something and that is what counts!!  So if it is about unpacking boxes after a move...or getting to work on that baby quilt...or just BEING...it is action.  The lesson to be learned is that everything has meaning and value.  Because something doesn't seem big enough and important enough...well...just look down and take a picture of your shoe and see how totally cool you are!!

Heat...Malaise...Whatever!!

That's what these past days have felt like...HEAT ...inactivity...and the feeling that a dear friend expressed moments ago - MALAISE.  What can it mean?  You don't have to be told because the word in itself just says it all...may (well it is June now but close enough) and laise...could it be like feeling lazy??  Did I make it up?  Perhaps yet my friend expressed it well.  One just feels like WHATEVER...or maybe better yet - nothing much at all.  In her case, there are boxes to be unpacked from a recent move but as we quickly concluded, they are there and aren't going anywhere?!?!?  The Italians have a word for it - I think it is 'domani' - which means tomorrow.  Better yet, they also say "dopa domani" which is the day after tomorrow.  Whenever...whatever.
   Never a day can pass without my taking some sort of photograph - though I often forget to post here - and today was no exception.  I ventured out on the back deck - geez louise - at least a hundred in the late afternoon sun and in my usual BE STILL mode, I sat on the steps and looked around.  Looks like the water has been affected with malaise too - not moving - not going anywherer - stagnant!!

I decided to be brave and go off of the steps to check on progress of Phyllis' cactus.  What to my wonderiing eyes should appear - all of these buds on one single leaf - just waiting to pop!!  See the heat doesn't bother the cactus - they thrive so pretty soon the yellow lovelies/flowers will be there for us to share.

Until then...stay cool - be in the moment - live with the feelings...and just accept them - the malaise is not to be reckoned with - just lived.  This weather just causes lots of BE STILL moments - no choice!!

Remembering Phyllis...Her Cactus and her Memory live on!!

Years ago, I was a Hospice volunteer - and I mean many years ago because I remember being at training.  We had to draw a time line and place ourselves on it - thinking about ourselves.  I drew it and placed myself right in the middle - so that means way back then, I was 50 and I believed I was halfway through my life!!  Certainly optimistic - and why not??

So what does the cactus have to do with it??  I was assigned to be a volunteer for a small frail woman named Phyllis in Franklinville.  We visited every week for awhile - we shared stories and had some really special times!!  After a few months, Phyllis' niece decided she would like her to move to Florida so they could be close to one another.   Phyllis had no children, her husband had passed, and her niece was her closest relative.  She was unsure about the move, but needed to be near family.  On our last visit before she left,  we were walking around her yard and the cactus was in bloom.  The yellow flowers were totally awesome - strong yet delicate and well protected by all of the pricklies on the leaves!!  I asked if I could dig a piece to bring home to remember her by.  Of course she said yes and we worked - very carefully - to dig it up!  I placed it in our garden by the stump of a giant mulberry tree we had to have cut down.  The first winter after I planted it, I was concerned when it looked like it was withering and gone!  I let it be and in the Spring - ell it was amazing.  The cactus leaves started to fill out, stand up straight and after awhile, there were new leaves and buds for flowers.  Needless to say, the cactus...and Phyllis' memory live on into perpetuity in our garden!!  The leaves are from this year - new growth.  The flowers - last year's as we eagerly anticipate the ones that are coming this season!! 

It's a lovely memory - a gift from Phyllis and the garden every Spring!!

Trying Tooooooo Hard...NOT a Still Way to BE

This morning I tried toooooooooo hard and it felt awful!!  I write so much about BEING STILL - just going out with the camera...or not...and today I sat at my computer and looked out in the garden.  I KNEW I had to go and take pictures of flowers!  OMG - how against my rules!!  I had a label attached to what I was doing.  I had my brain limiting possibilities to those things we call flowers.  I was intent on taking the 'perfect' picture of the blue iris.  Geez, she didn't want to share herself with me.  To my eye, that iris looked light purple.  In the camera it was a strange blue.  Couldn't get it right...couldn't get Little Light to shine as I WISHED - and couldn't get the shot!!  Clear message yet I didn't get it...yet.  I sat and began thinking about what I needed to change in the camera to get it right!?!  There are those words...again.  Was it the ISO - did I need to do something with the fstop...and I just felt myself getting more and more agitated!  Did I need to go and buy a SLR 'big guys' camera?  WHAT?? WHAT??

    Finally I went out front and sat on the wall - settling down and just looking.  Oh take a breath and have gratitude for the quiet morning - the sun - the breezes - well maybe the wind at times - and BE STILL Martie!!  Thanks for that message.  I looked to my left and there lay the little iris.  It was there watching me and waiting for me to notice it rather than it's big blue momma~~Lovely.  An aside - these iris were given to us when we were first married.  They have been transported to each house we have lived in and are just so lovely and delicate.  There used to be white ones as well, but the purple are stronger!  Just are.

Then I turned my head to the other side and here is the gift I saw.  Talk about contemplative photography - talk about simplicity - talk about just seeing what is!! 

HAVE I LEARNED MY LESSON YET??

When the distress comes, I have to STOP and WAIT and SEE.  It's about the process and NOT the product of taking the perfect picture.  Life is everchanging - and lessons come to us all the time IF we are STILL enough and aware enough to pay attention.  Finally I was!!

Today was BE STILL and SEE day group gathering at one of our local libraries.  It was - as always (well for the two meetings we have had) an adventure on Life's Journey.  We were 11 spirits - as different as night and day yet connected by a love of photography - beauty - joy and excitement for life and all it offers and the anticipation of what is to come together!   Although I talk about "NO technical talk", it can easily go in that direction because everyone is eager to 'take better pictures'.  That's admirable.  It's also a challenge to let go of that - and also the need to take pictures to sell them and make some money - and realize that taking the pictures is the PROCESS and as valuable if not more so than the final PRODUCT!!
    Contemplative Photography can be a concept that is challenging to wrap yourself up in - it's about NOT having a project or an end result, but just going out - being still - and observing the world around you.  It's a 'letting go' in a big way...don't label anything - just see!!  Don't go out to 'take pictures of flowers' - just go on a walk or go to your garden.
  Several of us talked about the camera's being a meditative tool.  It's that way for me ...it has a powerful settling effect to just walk with it and notice.
   One of the group, in order to understand  Contemplative Photography and wrap her head around it, made everyone in the group a copy of a Field Guide to Contemplative Photography.  What an amazing gesture on Emma's part - both to understand more what we are talking about and then to share with everyone the publication she found!  Gratitude for that!!
  The picture with this blog - Denise taken by Charlie - they joined us for the first time - she with her childlike curiosity (a kindred spirit for me!!) and he with his quiet sharing.  Like Bill and I, they are contrasts that fit well together.  On this day, they were off on an adventure to the ocean - the shore - the beach - whatever you might want to call it!!  Can you believe she shot more than 1000 pictures that day!?  I can because like Denise, I recognize that EVERYTHING is a moment in time to be seen - OH WOW!!

In the Still of the Night!!

Full moon's a coming and Grandmother Moon is being quite energetic and playful already!  Every night, I go to bed, my head rests on the pillow and I fall asleep.  NOT last night!!   I laid in bed for awhile - my mind thinking about all kinds of wonderful things -  everything but sleep!!  Finally, I knew I had to get up and come downstairs because what was the use of trying to BE STILL when it just wasn't happening.  I walked into the kitchen and Little Light was waiting to play.  Does she ever sleep? Is she playing me joyfully all the time?  Here is what I saw and geez - the camera was close by - BE STILL and SEE...have you guessed yet how much I love light and shadows??  The sight was welcoming and after a short time standing still and watching, I decided that the seat was welcoming.

Earlier in the evening, I had been working on a baby alphabet sampler - and I just sat down and stitched some more.  I knew that I could always settle with the handwork.  Interesting to me - known to be impatient at times (really!!) - settling down with hand work/counted cross stitch/embroidery!!  Truth be told, I have been doing this for a zillion years and keep coming back to it. 

There on the table sat all of the mish mash of the threads BUT even they were settling to me.  I was just STILL - turned on the camera and looked at the threads through the view screen.  How settling it was for me!  I zoomed right in and took all kinds of sights - this one was the most fun - almost like a tunnel of threads!!  The question I often ask...Why this?  Why now?  Once more I have been shown the way.  My camera is my friend and photography brings me peace!  Today I was with my new friend, Sharon, and we were talking about Chi and energy balls and how to find peace.  Suddenly she said to me, "That's what your camera and photography does for you isn't it?
"  I just met Sharon last week, yet there is a strong knowing and intuitive companionship between us.  She leaves on Saturday for her nomadic free spirited way in the Southwest and CA - says that is where I belong...who knows when I will see her again...but we are connected and for this understanding, friendship and time together, I am grateful!  Well can you believe that Photoschmoozer did NOT have her camera - so you can just use your imagination and envirion Sharon. 

Tonight...to sleep...perchance to dream.  Tomorrow stress test...and life goes on!!  Thanks for being a part of it!!~

Shines...or Tarnished ...To Be Polished

  Site a spell and listen to my tale.  For those of you know me, you know that I don't believe in strengths and weaknesses.  I have created my own way of looking at who people are.  I believe that we all shine- we all have strengths - yet sometimes these have become tarnished and need to be polished to shine!  We aren't all gifted at everything we do, but with encouragement, time and patience, and BELIEF IN SELF, we can shine a lot more!!  There is DARE to AFFIRM: Catch them doing something right.  It is all about the Dance of Relationships.
   When I was in a small group the other day, I was at the other end of this way of being and it did NOT feel good.  , For some moments, I felt less than OK.  The group was discussing  soliciting people's stories to create a book about how we all have impacted the lives of children.  There was my first clue of what was to come - "IMPACT is NOT a verb.  You can't impact someone's life!"  What a cutting remark - hurtful too that she was so strong and knew that only she wa right!!  That's my belief and my way of looking at the use of the word.   IMPACT is what we do in one another's lives!!  Please don't blatantly ignore who I am and what I say because you don't think it is the truth.  Oooooooh   - I would have to call it devaluing my words and disrespecting me as a valuable person!!
   Then the opinion about the stories - " Well we will get a hundred and scrap maybe half of them.  Not everyone is a writer!"  Ooooooooh - IF someone takes their valuable time and writes a story - we can look for the message in what they shared and edit their work to MAKE IT SHINE!!
   Then there are the words - "write from your heart".  Again, "Not everyone writes from the heart!"  Oooooooooooh.  I do believe that EVERYONE writes from the heart - just that some of us have more warm and open hearts...others have hearts that are closed or sheltered!"  Our heart beat gives us life and makes us who we are.
     My other philosophy is DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WANT OTHERS TO DO UNTO OTHERS.  Thanks to Jere Pawl for what she calls the Platinum rule.  IF the group wants stories that share about making a difference, and can't even be gentle and kind and accepting with one another, well...you finish the sentence.
   So will I continue with this group/project?  You can reach inside my mind and heart and know what I am thinking and considering.  Time will tell and the decision for me will be clear.
   For me...I am aging gracefully and intend to live my life surrounded by people who care - who are open and accepting - and who are kind and believe in the worth and value of all humanity!!    Thanks for listening!!

From the Heart!!

Everyone has stories to share.  Many people don't believe that they are storytellers or have anything interesting to say.  Sometimes, it is important to guide a person to Listen to her intuition and use her voice.  This is a lesson to be learned and one Ihave been striving to put into practice - with kindness and compassion.  Sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't.  I had a conversation with some other women yesterday about just this.  Our group was divided between the 'from the heart' soft individuals and those who believed practicality rules!!  It was a challenging discussion to say the least - and I recognized that conflict and I aren't the best of friends.  I often get emotional or silent.  It's challenging to use one's voice AND BE HEARD in a kind and accepting way.  Funny some of my comments werer ignored. When I said something about that - the comment was ' Of we heard it but didn't want to be negative, so we didn't say anything".  One of my greatest wishes in life is for people to be kind and RESPECTFUL.  We were talking about making a difference in children's lives...and they made a difference in my life yesterday!!   Like Oprah says - This I know for sure... IF an activity doesn't bring JOY to my heart, then why do I need to be engaged in it??
    To end the evening - dinner with a dear friend - and a total contrast from the previous hours.  We sat at a Lebanese cafe in West Philadelphia and ate and talked and totally relaxed.  The time was a different kind of getting to know one another - a time we have never had in the six years we have known one another.  For this time well spent, filled with love, listening and acceptance, I am totally grateful.  This will happen again...it followed my operative word FUN!!  Thank you my friend Lillian for your love and caring!!