If you live in and around the state of West Virginia, you have surely heard about the terrible floods that have devastated over 40 counties in the state. The people in many areas have lost everything and insurance, if they have it, cannot even begin to cover what they have lost. Add to that the toll this has taken on people mentally and emotionally, and you have a crisis.
I live in Martinsburg, which is in the eastern panhandle of the state, about an hour and a half north west of Washington D.C. The past two weeks I have witnessed something amazing. Local businesses and churches have become staging areas for a relief effort and ordinary folks have responded to the call for help in droves. I work for and am a member of St. Leo's Catholic Church in Inwood, WV. Carla Hopkins, one of our parishioners, is an angel here on earth. She has worked tirelessly to get the word out for what is needed, has coordinated with other volunteers in the area, and has driven all over Berkeley County helping to deliver donations. Today (Saturday) she and her husband Charlie were at St. Leo organizing, with the help of volunteers, all of the donations that people had been bringing to the church all week. This situation has touched her heart so powerfully that anything she can do to help she has done.
Other angel is Marti Hersom. She is a member of Mt. Zion Episcopal Church and very active in the community. She has also put the call out for what is most needed in the affected areas, used her church as a staging area, and she and her children have gone down to some of the affected areas to help out in whatever way they can. She shares her stories and photos on Facebook when she can.
Both of these women, and countless others all over West Virginia are true life heroes in my book, motivated only by their love and concern for their fellow human beings. These are not government agencies or large charitable organizations. These are simple folks all over the state that want to help in whatever way they can. Whether it is donating money to buy ice, bringing cleaning supplies, baby items, or whatever else is need to a staging area, or driving down to the affected areas to distribute items or help clean up, so many people have been moved by this disaster to help in any way they are able. It is truly humbling to see this response from so many people.
If anyone would like to donate towards the relief effort, please visit: http://catholiccharitieswv.org/ The front page describes the devastation and has a simple Donate button so that you can help.
To read about and view some photos about the relief effort, you can like this page: https://www.facebook.com/blessclaycounty/?pnref=story.unseen-section or you can go can like the page I manage for our church: https://www.facebook.com/stleoinwoodwv/. I try to share stories when I can.
Thank you for reading this. And thank you to everyone who has helped in any way.
-light streaming through a stained glass window
-the smell of fresh basil
-music, always music
-cool, fresh morning air
-a pet curled up beside you
-a clear sky full of stars
-deep red cardinals, bright blue jays, and glimpses of hummingbirds
-a rainy afternoon, and a good book (or 3)
-a long talk with an old friend
-a long stretch of highway and some good tunes
-naps
-the scent of hyacinth
-a freshly mowed lawn
-remembering all your passwords on the first try
-a quiet day at the beach
-hugs
-road trips
-peace and quiet and a fresh cup of coffee
-a perfectly poached egg
-flowers in full bloom
-finding a forgotten $10 in a pocket
-people that know how to merge
-fireflies
-climbing into cool crisp sheets at night
What are some of your simple pleasures?
Yesterday evening, I was sitting on my back porch when I heard chirping very close by. Our yard is home to a variety of birds and they are always coming and going. This chirping, however, was so close that I knew the bird had to be somewhere on the porch, but I couldn't see it. Finally, I spied the noisemaker-a young robin that had somehow flown onto the bottom part of a table. He seemed a bit confused as to where he was. I walked over and got just close enough to take a picture. He just kind of stared at me; I was reminded of the book, "Are You My Mother?" by P.D. Eastman :)
It was after I took the photo that I spied Momma Robin. She was perched on the fence, dinner hanging from her mouth, looking intently at the situation going on. She couldn't chirp to her youngster because if she did, she would lose the big fat worm she had in her beak.
So I encouraged the little guy to fly back to his mom. He hopped around a few times and finally made it to the latticework that wraps around the porch. But he was still unsure. I edged ever closer, telling him to go fly back to his mom, and finally he took flight and landed in the yard. Instantly Momma Robin was at his side and off they went from there.
It made me think: We all need encouragement from time to time, especially if those closest to us are not able, for whatever reason, to give us that encouragement. There is no need for judgment. A positive word here or there can make the difference between falling flat or taking flight.
Oh my poor neglected blog. What did you ever do to deserve this? It's not that I'm ignoring you; in fact I think of you quite often. I think of all the silly thoughts in my head, all the topics that could grace your pages, all the words that could fill the screen.
However, I don't want to ramble on with complaints, or abstract thoughts, or inane ideas. I want words that form substance, opinions that matter, posts that engage whomever happens to read them.
And therein lies my problem.
I think too much about who might read you, when I should just post something, whether it be a long inspiring essay, a poem, or just a picture with some brief explanation. I should not care if anyone reads you. I created you, I breathe life into you. Even if no one visits you or reads you, you still exist.
You are a reflection of me; your content is as varied as my life. There are times when you are overflowing with enthusiastic ideas. Other times, you are more reflective and pensive. And of course, there are times when you are silent and still.
I will be more willing, less stringent. I hope to fill you and share you, make you come alive.
I promise.
If you have an account on any social media platform, you have seen the meme proclaiming that 2015 was the year that everyone was offended by everything. Whether it was politics, race relations, religion, celebrities, daily life, the weather, everyone seemed to have a bone to pick with someone or something.
Why is focusing on the negative so easy for human beings? We latch on to what we don't like and give that all of our attention and energy. We get consumed by lamenting what is wrong with that person, that group, that thing, that idea and we use our talents and time to fight against something....or at least spend a lot of time complaining or being sarcastic.
What if, instead of railing against that which we detest, we instead used our time and talent to focus on what we believe in and love? You don't like a particular politician? Then promote the one you do like.
Don't like a certain situation you see in the news or at work? Then put your focus and energy towards a solution. Better yet-just don't complain. That is a Herculean feat in itself, trust me!
Don't like a certain celebrity or roll your eyes at a particular lifestyle? Then don't give them free publicity by talking about them at all, even if it's to point out what you think is wrong or annoying, etc. It would be far better (and more positive) to give time to the things you do enjoy and like.
Sarcasm has become an art form in this society, especially since most people can remain fairly anonymous, hiding behind computer screens and online identities. But I have to admit, the constant snarkiness gets wearying. Does everyone need to make snide comments about the Kardashians, President Obama, Donald Trump, etc? Does everyone need to hear your lamentations about the weather, Mondays, or that person on Facebook that drives you crazy with their posts?
Just because something dominates the news, popular culture, or your timeline or Twitter feed doesn't mean it deserves your attention. Those things are popular because we choose to give them attention. Imagine what would happen if we didn't. They would fade away, at least from our consciousness. You wouldn't feel the need to put in your two cents or make a witty comment.
One of my favorite moments from the Simpsons is in an episode where giant logos and mascots have come to life and are destroying the town. Lisa Simpson discovers that if you stop giving the monsters attention, they lose their power and die:
https://youtu.be/SlKao_Pox5A
What if we all did that-just not give our attention to the things and people that annoy us, bother us, and instead focus on what gives us joy?
What an interesting prospect.....
A few things I've learned...and continue to learn....along the way....
Let go. You don't need to be in charge of everything.
Practice lovingkindness. Start with yourself.
Slow down! What's the rush?
Mistakes are ok. They are how we learn and grow.
Pay attention. Whether you are washing your face, balancing your checkbook, eating a pear, driving your car-put all your attention into each and every action. Multitasking is overrated.
Give, often, until you have nothing left. If you have the right mindset, you will never reach that point. And everyone has something to give.
Before you communicate (speak, write, etc), consider-is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Quiet time is essential for everyone. Empty your mind once in a while. It gets cluttered in there.
You can live in this world and not be of it. You do not have to follow the crowd or conform to society. Everyone does not have to agree with you, get you, understand you, like you. As long as you do no harm, follow your own path. Be who you are.
Try a little tenderness. Some patience too. Everyone is fighting their own battles.
Always read through something twice before hitting "Send" or "Post". Trust me.
Everyone knows how to talk. Few know when to stay silent.
Giving advice is easy. Practicing what you preach, not so much.
Only the truly powerful need never show their might.
Add as much positive energy to the world as possible. Promoting what you love is just as, if not more, important as opposing what you don't.
You are beautiful. Every bit of you, inside and out. And the world is a better place because you are in it.
I have been looking at the Japanese maple in my front yard the past couple of days. I finally snapped this photo this afternoon after I got home from work. I'm sure the photo does not do the leaves justice. The leaves are a vibrant red, redder than they have been all fall. If I zoomed out from this particular shot, you would see that the state of the tree, which is almost completely empty of leaves, makes the ones that are still clinging to the branches stand out even more.
In the last hour or so, I have been thinking how this picture, these few branches of leaves, are a metaphor for a few things:
Life doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. When this tree was full, I passed by it every day, never giving it a second look. Now that we are at the end of November, most of the tree is bare, surrounded by most of its finery on the ground, And yet this remnant, this far spot of the tree, captured my attention more than the entire tree itself. I didn't need all the leaves to appreciate the beauty this tree produced.
Life is often like that. I am very guilty of not appreciating things because, in my mind, they aren't perfect, whether that's a person, a thing, a situation. We get so bogged down by the enormity of our situations that we fail to see the fine details that bring that pop of color, that note of happiness, that slow smile that spreads across our face. The beauty, the wonder, is there if we just give it a chance, if we just give ourselves a chance.
Live in the moment. We are surrounded by beauty every day, no matter where you live. We are all guilty of rushing around, getting to what we think is important and sometimes what we need to do is just stop for a moment and gaze at something right in front of us. That's what I did when I saw these leaves. They are so red they just stopped me, just like the color red is supposed to do! I couldn't remember when they had turned from a dull maroon to a vibrant firecracker red. It probably happened in the past couple of days for all I know. And in a couple of days, they could be all gone (and they probably will, with the cold snap that's supposed to move into our area this weekend).
And that's the point. Life can change in an instant, for better or for worse. Or...just change, period. If you don't stop occasionally to appreciate what's around you, you might miss it. How many moments have we let slip by because we had to rush to an appointment, or clean the house, or look at our phone? Just stop once in a while and look around and see what you are missing.
Sometimes simple pleasures suffice. Often in life, it's the simple pleasures that bring us the most joy. A single flower. A beautiful sunrise. A gentle touch. Happiness, joy, wonder, need not come in an elaborate package. It's these simple moments that I really appreciate-they take me out of the hustle and bustle of my life and give me that moment of zen, that touch of grace. And then I go back to the grind, but mindful, grateful for that brief respite of beauty. If I stopped more often, I would probably find these little treasures more often.
Pema Chodron, an esteemed author and Buddhist nun, suggests that people bring "gaps" into their daily routine. Gaps are pauses, three small breaths, where you stop wherever you are, whatever you are doing, and just be, putting your full attention into the immediacy of your experience, of your existence. Imagine what little miracles we would experience, what beauty we could encounter, if we all could just incorporate a few gaps in our busy lives.
