Biggest Loser (and LIFE) Lessons From a Puppy

On my walk today, I saw a puppy playing in the wet grass. He was on a long leash, and the owner was watching him closely. He ran and rolled and jumped and got himself tangled. His owner patiently untangled him, just to watch him do it again. He yipped as I walked by. By the time I got around the block, the pup had exhausted himself and was lying in the sun on the sidewalk. A treat lay beside him, but he was too tired to eat, and too tired to bark at me again. I smiled at his cute puppy behavior.


But it isn't so cute when I do that. You probably do it, too.

Biggest Loser 2012 is into its fourth week for me and 60 of my closest friends. If you have been tracking with me for any amount of time, you know this is not the first BL contest for me. And the question "Why" is fair, and one I have asked myself so many times in the past year. I was a size 10 for my entire adult life, until 2004.

Seven years of wondering how I let this happen and why I can't reverse it.

I know this for sure: Carrying extra ponds is rarely about FOOD. Maybe it is about a large amount unsecured debt, or a painful relationship, or an energy-sucking job. Maybe it is simply not following your calling. Food issues (whether you are eating too much or too little) are generally about something else in your world.

I am not judging, or saying we should all be a size 10. But that is who I am, and who I will be by summer. And I am not encouraging anyone to ask the question "why" in a way that brings self-scorn or guilt.

Still, it is a question which must be asked if the situation is going to permanently change. Whether I am desiring a change in weight, or financial health, or relationship satisfaction, the first step is to determine the path that brought me here.

Which brings me back to the puppy. He was rolling and jumping and, occasionally being frustrated by the rope leash which either wraps him in a ball or jerks him back when he tries to go too far. Remember, the owner was standing guard, making sure the pup was not harmed. She untangled the rope when the pup was bound, comforted him when he ran too hard and jerked his neck. Then he was back at it again, dragging the leash behind him, never associating the cause and effect.

Do you ever do that? I know I do.

There are benevolent boundaries, a leash if you will, established by my God who made and saved me. Whether you believe in my God or not, you can't escape the fact that life has boundaries. And while I am fully aware of those limits, I cross them frequently, knowingly, and yet, maybe not understanding why.

Currently, I find myself in a position of needing to lose 50 pounds. It happened right under my nose. Literally! I can tell you why I am overweight - I took in more calories, over an extended period of time, that I burned. Not hard, is it? Probably the same reason you have extra pounds.

But overeating is just the symptom. Just like overspending is. Show of hands - who set out to be overweight and under a mountain of debt. Anybody? Uh huh...no hands.

So how did I get to be like this puppy - tangled in a leash of extra pounds, extra stress, too much fear... tired from the struggle?

The puppy is young and silly and doesn't really understand. Me? I am young at heart, sometimes silly, but able to understand...and yet, I lose focus.

Does that happen to you? Are you like me? Do you lose focus, in big and little ways?

Are you like me? Do you forget who you are, who you belong to, why you are here?

Are you like me? Do you subvert your best self in any of the ways I do?

I put food in my mouth mindlessly, out of boredom, out of habit, and forget what havoc the extra pounds wreak.

I put off exercise because my list has so many "important" items, and forget that none of those things will matter if I sacrifice my health.

On a larger scale, I get dirty in mud that others fling into my life, and forget their mud isn't about me.

I allow the wind to scare me and bring tears to my eyes, and forget I know the One who can stop the wind with one command.

I become overwhelmed with fear. Fear that I will never lose the weight. Fear that I will never get out of debt. Fear that I will never accomplish my dreams.

And I forget the One who holds my leash...the One who created me...the One who died for me...the One who has a good plan to prosper me...the One who lovingly untangles me when I stop long enough to allow it.

How about you? Are you unfocused and tangled in any area? Think about it.

I am going to sleep in the sunshine right now. We will talk again soon.

BP :)

Sweaty Fingerprints, Stars, and Bad Pictures

The sauna temperature was 139 degrees this morning when I ran my hand through my hair, then leaned on the wall. The image it left struck me.


I have certainly seen my handprint before. But have I looked at it recently?

From Wikipedia: Fingerprint identification is the process of comparing two instances of friction ridge skin impressions, from human fingers, the palm of the hand or even toes, to determine whether these impressions could have come from the same individual. The flexibility of friction ridge skin means that no two finger or palm prints are ever exactly alike in every detail.

But have I thought recently about what that means?

Doubtful. Who has time to think about fingerprints? Who has time to think at all?

When I was 10, two of my friends came up behind me as I was doing yard chores. They heard me talking, but I was alone. Susie asked what I was doing. I told her I was practicing being interviewed, because one day I was going to be very famous. They looked at each other, then at me, with puzzled faces. After a moment, Susie said, "You're weird!" And off they went.

That notion of special-ness had been with me for as long as I could remember. I always thought I would be different than the average bear, that I was not destined for a "normal" life. Had no idea what that meant, only that I felt that way.

And I remember that day in my front yard as the first time I doubted myself...because my friends doubted.

That's generally how life is. Kids start out thinking nothing is beyond reach...football superstar, homerun king, Broadway actor, being the best teacher or dentist ever. Then the world sneaks in. Friends make fun. Family says, "People like us don't do those things."

We don't disagree. We wonder if they are right. We see "normal/mediocrity" all around us, and, eventually, we believe that is our destiny.

The handprint reminded me of a prodigal spirit of uniqueness.

So did the postcard I received in the mail yesterday. My cousin Kim sent it. Her brother Kerry was sitting beside someone at a summer picnic. It took me a few seconds to realize the person with Kerry is ME.

In a flash, the postcard and sweaty handprint snapped together like puzzle pieces.

I didn't recognize myself.

I didn't recognize myself.

Sheesh...what has happened???

Quite a bit, actually. In the last two years, I have changed careers, walked through cancer with one of my dearest friends, walked through triple bypass with my mom, and had a drawn-out situation that has tested everything I know about faith, trust, strength and patience.

I have been struggling lately. Lost my swag. Misplaced my MoJo.

Has that ever happened to you?

Please understand...you are no less unique than I am. Maybe you never entertained thoughts of being well-known. But there is something you dream about doing or accomplishing. There is a star you long to reach, even if no one else will ever know you reached it.

My star is labeled "Best-selling author/highly sought-after motivational speaker/philanthropist/Blessed to be a blessing."

I have known it, literally, forever. Dreamed it. Practiced it.

And yesterday, I didn't recognize myself. My overweight, MoJo-lacking, momentarily Swag-less self.

I have allowed circumstances to cloud my vision. Circumstances. How ridiculous is that?

You can answer. You've done it too, haven't you?

You have neglected to embrace the uniqueness of the loops and swirls that belong to only you, that are never duplicated. Do you even recognize yourself anymore? Do you still see the star?

Yesterday, I didn't. Today the Light broke through. My circumstances haven't changed. My weight hasn't dropped dramatically.

But in the sweaty handprint, I could see the ten year old practicing for interviews, the kid who always knew she was destined for a BRIGHT star.

All thanks to a really bad picture of me, and a really hot sauna, and the faithful God who made, and never loses sight of, the unique unrepeatable miracle He made in me.

And in you. Look at your hand. It's all there, waiting for you to reach again for the star.

See you soon...BP :)

To Non-Staters: Careful about that pointing finger...

Consider this information from childmolestationprevention.org:


"An estimated one in 20 teenage boys and adult men sexually abuse children, and an estimated one teenage girl or adult woman in every 3,300 females molests children. Although that's well over five million people, most families mistakenly believe that as far as molesters go, there has never been one in their family, and what's more, there never will be.


If we use the conservative estimate that two in every ten little girls and one in every ten little boys are victims (based on the population reported in the 1999 U.S. Census statistical abstract) well over three million children are victims.


Take a moment to think about that. Three million children is a staggering number of children. That's 46 National Football League stadiums packed with children who are, today, being sexually abused, and who believe they have no adult to go to for help."


These are horrifying numbers. The Penn State family is deeply disturbed to have one of our own be among those numbers.

But those outside our family should not be pompously mislead. 1 in 20 men, an estimated 5 million people who are molesters? You are foolish if you think there are no molesters at your university, your church, your country club, your neighborhood.

So, will you join us in this fight or just continue to hate?

Many have expressed outrage over the support we have shown each other. You have mocked us for saying you don't understand. Our Penn State family has 557,000 alumni and 94,000 current students. When a crisis comes, a true family circles the wagons and supports each other. If you don't understand that...well, you don't understand Penn State. We aren't naive, or blind, or ignoring what has happened.

But we are a family and we are so much more than football.

We are the 43rd best university worldwide, according to the 2010 Academic Ranking of World Universities.

We are the top-ranked university according to a 2010 Wall Street Journal survey of 479 corporate recruiters who were asked to identify "whose bachelor degree graduates were the best-trained and educated, and best able to succeed once hired."

We are THON, a student-run philanthropy which has raised more than $78 million for The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital (http://www.thon.org/)

We are #ProudPSUforRAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) and we have raised over $255,000 in less than 3 days in support of victims.

We will continue to support the young men who have worked so hard to wear the Blue and White at Beaver Stadium. They have no culpability.

99.999% of us had nothing to do with this horrific crime. None of us are victims.

We are standing together to clean house, to support the victims, to stop abuse.

What are you doing...besides hating?

To All Non-Penn Staters

We know you don't understand. Generally, we don't try to explain. Unless you are a Buckeye or Fighting Irish, you probably don't get how an institution embeds itself in a student's life. And that is fine.

But right now, we want you to know this:

We are distraught and truly sickened by this horror perpetrated on young victims by a man who represented the Blue and White, and perpetuated by others at the University. We aren't blind followers who drink Blue Kool-Aid. We grieve for and with the victims and their families. We pray for them to find healing and peace and a way to live a good life.

We know that while many people had responsibility, the most visible one almost always goes down first. We are not disputing the need for this to happen.
We are not "defending" anything. We are simply crushed and heartbroken. This is not the Penn State we love, the Penn State that is part of our being.

What you know of Joe Paterno probably comes from television or magazine articles.

We know the man who has lived in the same McKee St house for decades. We have chatted with him as he walked to practice. We have eaten ice cream with him at the Creamery. We have studied in the new library wing his money helped build. We have visited the sports museum and spiritual center he also helped build. We have seen him cheering on other Penn State athletes. We know he loves Penn State as much as we do.

Some of our friends, brothers, husbands, sons have been privileged to put on the Blue and White uniform and listen to 100,000 fans in Beaver Stadium. We know how hard they have worked, how much time they have devoted, how many of them have been part of an excellent scholar/athlete legacy...and how much they love this man and this program.

We aren't stupid or naive. We know Joe Paterno has culpability. We know he could have made different choices - he admitted that. We don't think he is God or always perfect or saintly. But he is the greatest college football coach ever, and he is PSU family, and we don't want his exit to be like this.

WE ARE...not closing our eyes, ignoring reports, pretending this isn't a wretched occurrence.
WE ARE...angry that innocents would be violated under our care.
WE ARE...in support of appropriate punishment for every person involved.
WE ARE...demanding change to a system that would allow this.
WE ARE...not concerned if you do not understand our love and devotion.

WE ARE...PENN STATE proud and we will rise again.



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Chizzie's Tale

(Note to readers: I wrote this piece several years ago, but decided to post it today in memory of my sweet Chizzie who passed yesterday at the age of 12.)

Chizzy's Tale

Jeremiah 29:11

This has always been one of my favorite Bible verses - a "life" verse. But just because I have a verse memorized and say it’s a “favorite” doesn’t mean I have fully embodied it. A wise person once told me that God’s plan has two parts, His and mine. I can’t do God’s part – and He won’t do my part. This verse is filled with promise - but do I listen? Do I obey? Do I believe?

One morning, while meditating on this passage, I received inspiration from the cat curled on my lap. Yes, God truly speaks in many ways.

Chizzie is unlike any other cat I’ve had. He is absolutely devoted to me. My friends say he is madly in love with me. And, I guess he is, as much as a cat can be.

When I pull in front of the house, he is waiting in the window, even if I am later than usual. Then he bolts to the front door and does a little dance when I come in. If I park in the garage, he’s waiting at the back door.

He follows me everywhere, and when I sit down, he is immediately on my lap, bumping his head against my arm until I pet him. If he has fallen asleep and I need to move, he doesn’t get irritated, just follows me again.

Every time I speak his name, he looks at me.

He sleeps at my side and his day starts when mine does, even when that’s 5:30am.

When he’s hungry, he waits until I go to the kitchen, then he sits at the top of the stairway leading to the lower level and stares at me. When I start to move toward him, he runs down the stairs… and when I reach the bottom he is sitting in front of the empty bowl waiting.

And I think…I need to be more like this cat!

You see, God has a plan for my life and for yours. It’s a GOOD plan.

But when God is an hour later than I expected him to be, do I still dance for joy? When I am waiting at the front door, and He comes in the back, do I run to Him – or do I let it be known that MY plan was different?

Do I follow Him through every room of my life? Are there rooms I won’t go in? Rooms which are dark and unfamiliar, and because I can’t see the plan at that moment I refuse to go in?

Yes, I do rest in His presence. But if I am comfortable, do I grumble when He says “Get up”?

Do I allow Him to be the “alarm clock” in my day or is it inconvenient to have to change my schedule to cooperate with His masterful plan?

Am I in tune with Him to the degree that I turn and look at Him each time He speaks my name?

And when I have a need, do I keep my eyes on Him? Do I wait with calm assurance knowing my bowl will be filled?

Do you?

God has a plan. It’s a GOOD plan. A plan to prosper me, a plan to give me a good future and hope for my final outcome!

And God keeps His promises. He is going to do His part.

My part is to listen for His voice, trust in His provision, follow where He leads, rest in His presence, and dance for joy.

Chizzie has it right...I should pay attention and do likewise.

Fleas and other woes I brought on myself

My dog missed getting her flea repellant last month. No big deal, right? One month. How can that hurt?


Let me tell you how...on Monday I shaved and bathed 2 twenty pound cats, stripped my bed to the mattress, then used a flea fogger. Tuesday brought another fogger application, this time in a very large closet where the cats like to sleep. On Wednesday, I bought flea spray which is now being used in addition to flea collars. The dog and I have been sleeping on the couch all week.

So yes, missing one month was a big deal after all. And it was simply negligence on my part. I do remember thinking she needed to be treated, but I wasn't home at the time. And It clearly was not made a priority in my mind.

It happens in your life, doesn't it?

We know something should be done, but it isn't convenient - or even possible - at that moment. "Forgot" is a readily used excuse, but not really valid. I remember most everything I truly want to remember. It's when I don't commit something to memory or take the time to create a reminder that I "forget."

Other times we know but simply ignore. We think other choices are more important...or that no one will know. Maybe we are busy, or it doesn't fit our mood or our needs at the moment. Sometimes we know for certain it is wrong, and we do it anyhow. Because really...what will it hurt?

Sometimes it is maintenance issues on our home, car, body, spirit. Other times it is an ethical or spiritual issue. Always, we ignore the immutable fact that sow = reap. Every time.

There is no reason for me to be irritated by the time-consuming nuisance the fleas have been..it is my own fault. Not the dog's, certainly not the cats'. All mine.

The craziness of my life could be an excuse. Unexpected work issues, unexpected health issues for family members...blah blah blah. Excuses. I knew it needed to be done and I didn't do it.

Conversely, I knew eating whatever I wanted for the past few years was unwise. But in a thousand separate moments, I justified it.

In each of these cases, I choose to do what I FELT LIKE doing. And the result is that now I must do some less than enjoyable tasks to right the situations.

Sow always always always = reap. Don't change the oil, the engine blows. Don't stain the deck, the boards rot. Don't eat well and exercise, the weight comes on. Don't nurture your kids, the relationship is gone. Don't choose love and respect first, the relationship dies.

Certainly, there are situations outside of the norm. But most aren't. We find excuses. We don't feel like trying, don't feel like exerting, don't feel like sacrificing or denying our desires.

One lie, one betrayal, one (more) spouting of hurtful words...we justify it because we have been hurt too, ya know. So that makes it right!

One more day we put off checking the tire pressure, one month we neglect flea repellant...we justify it because we are busy or we don't like to do it.

When we follow our feelings and emotions, when we live the way we want in spite of knowing better, the worm always turns. And we have no one to blame but ourselves. As individuals. As a family. As a society.

Live now by what we want and feel and must have, pay later. Live now by what we know to be right, have more freedom later.

Simple. Not easy.

Gotta run...it's time for another application of flea spray.

See you again soon.

BP :)

Autumn, fallball, and opportunities galore!

If you know me, you know this is NOT my favorite day of the year. Summer is gone. Yes, as a matter of fact, I do love 90 degrees and sunny. And landscaping chores. And 15 hours of sunlight.


But autumn is not without its charms. Each year the "back to school" spirit inspires and motivates me. It can be a time of new dreams and possibilities, no matter your age. A time of getting back to business after summer fun.

This year, I am standing on the edge of some opportunities that have been a long time coming. How about you? Any exciting possibilities in sight?

Did I hear you say there is nothing exciting on the horizon?

I used to say that, too. It was almost a mantra for me. Then came this realization: The problem was not the horizon. It was my sight. Ouch. And Hallelujah!

Now I have a passion for helping folks see the immense potential that is waiting, right there within arms' reach. Funny how lost time/opportunity makes the present and future seem more urgent. Looking back with regret is futile, and a waste of time and energy. But there are lessons to be learned.

It was my spring of my senior year in high school. I had been accepted to Penn State. Because my high school is large, a PSU representative came to hold try-outs for the Blue Band. I had played clarinet and saxophone for 8 years - had never been told my playing was unsatisfactory. But I was too afraid to try out.

5 months later. Fall semester at University Park. Softball try-outs. I was the last player cut - in fact, my name was visible on the list but had been scratched out. The coach told me I couldn't hit fast-pitch well enough.

Two missed opportunities that shaped my days at Penn State. Please understand - I am not mired in regret. I don't do "What if" because it is unproductive. But these are excellent examples of skewed vision.

There was no good reason to avoid trying out for the Blue Band. I used to believe I had been afraid of failing. Now I believe the fear of success was even stronger. Yea, think about that...

And while the softball incident was upsetting, it was my reaction that cemented the coach's decision and the effect it had on me. I could have worked harder, learned to hit fast-pitch, attended every game, offered to be a student manager then tried out again the following year. What I chose was to not try out for anything else during my time at Penn State. I chose to accept someone else's judgment.

In each case I did what seemed to be easier/safer at the time.

Now, I know that one coach should not have been given the power to hold me down...and easier rarely equals better. That knowledge is a gift. One I am obligated to share with great enthusiasm.

What is in your sight line? What opportunity is waiting for you to grab? Don't tell me you are too old. That's a cop-out. God doesn't open doors of opportunity based on age. Don't tell me you are too busy. If someone hands you a million dollars, you won't be too busy to spend it. But what if it is a million dollar idea? Can you adjust the routine to grab THAT?

Look around. Football players are vying for an opportunity to play more. Softball and baseball players are putting themselves in position to be starters next spring.

What is in your sight line?

Retailers are preparing for the biggest time of the year. Nature is gathering its strength for winter and the impending newness of spring - yes, spring, even now.

What is in your sight line?

Are you ready to grab opportunities? Do you sense a good vibe? Or is your spirit downcast, accepting the same old life, day after day, believing there is nothing better?

Think about it.

Open your eyes. NO - open your heart and mind. Take the first chance...then the next...then the one after.

Remember these words: If you're interested in achieving success, you'll do what's convenient. When you are committed, you'll do whatever it takes. - John Assaraf

We will talk again soon...right now, there is much to do!

BP :)

Greek wisdom, one day at a time

Someone asked my age yesterday. The number - 51 - does not bother me in the slightest. It just feels odd to hear myself say it...and I often think, "How did THAT happen?!?"


Of course, the answer is rather simple. It happened one day at a time. Trite but true.

This is it; this is it. / This is life, the one you get, / so go and have a ball!

In the Greek language, there are two words for "time." Chronos is time measured in hours and days. Chronos was also the Greek god thought to be the personification of time. Kairos means the right time, or the opportune time, or a moment when something special happens.

Big difference. We often obsess about chronos and completely miss kairos, don't we? Ironically, chronos is completely out of our control...we can't make more, can't speed it up, slow it down, get it back, move it forward. Kairos is what we can grasp.

Perhaps we have become numb to the message: we have only have one life, each day is a gift...moving through our consciousness with little impact.

This is it. Do we get that? I love my life and am generally mindful of the preciousness of each day. But not always. Some nights come with the realization that I have not truly been present the entire day. "Being" was run over by the freight train called "doing." "Being" - a smiling light, a helper, an encourager, a witness to my faith in Jesus Christ.

Final score for that day: chronos 1, kairos 0

This is it; this is it, / straight ahead, and rest assured, / you can't be sure at all.

Am I alone in having too many days that are just a long "to-do" list?

BUT, you say, there are obligations, steps to take every day. Of course there are. Laundry, groceries, bills, kid taxi, cleaning, work...necessary to life. NOT life itself. Do we get that?

Do we?

We strive to be in control of our job, money, relationships, time. We convince our kids they should follow the "good grades + good college = good job (and maybe good spouse)" plan and life will work out.

And we do them and ourselves a great disservice. Because in truth, there is very little of which we can be sure, and very little, outside our own hearts and heads, that we control.

Do you get that? Have you been there? Have you stood dumbfounded, frozen in place by sudden tragedy?

The doctor says "cancer," a family member takes his own life, a job is lost, a marriage is shattered or the foundation of life is shaken in any of the numerous ways that can happen.

In a second. In the time it takes to turn your head. In those storms, no accomplishments or possessions will keep us afloat. Only loving relationships will carry us to safe shores.

Nothing in this life is certain. Do we get that? Are we prepared?

So, while you're here, enjoy the view, keep on doing what you do. Hold on tight; we'll muddle through

Christopher was 19 when his car rounded the last bend he would see on this earth. He is the oldest child and only son of my dear cousin/sister Kelly. "Utter devastation" is grossly insufficient to describe what this does to a mother and a family. Seven years have not lessened the pain. Nothing will.

So each day Kelly chooses. Chooses to get out of bed, go to work, to laugh when she can and reach out to the people who love her most when she can't. Chooses to enjoy the flowers in the memorial garden she planted the following spring, chooses to be the same person we have always known, chooses to cling tightly to God in the moments when that person is punctured by the thorn in her heart.

Choosing is the essence of life, our great privilege and responsibility. Each day's choices are a step in some direction - forward, back, laterally - we get to choose. Choosing has brought me here...choosing to embrace this life, choosing to value time rather than simply count it, choosing move ahead even in uncertainty, choosing to be present one meal, one golf game, one family gathering, one walk with my dog...all the way to my last breath... one day at a time...

51 is nothing to worry about.

I'm so glad I get it. Do you?

See you next time.



ps. My apologies to readers who know the song - it has been stuck in my head for days. Enjoy.

Krissy Z, Stinky, and my stiff neck

I am going to see Krissy's team play tonight. Haven't seen them for a long time and I'm not sure why. I love basketball , and it would be difficult to find a coach who is more skilled or more animated.

Krissy won her 500th game in February 2010. She started coaching at Saint Vincent's College in Latrobe, PA shortly after graduating from Penn State, and never left. 27 years, 512 wins. Accolades too numerous to mention. So why wasn't I there more often?

Believe me when I tell you this particular writing has been in my head since mid November. I can't keep it in any longer.

I can't keep it in my head any longer because I won't see Krissy at the game tonight. Oh, she will be there for sure, but not for any of us to see. On Dec 25, God took Krissy home. At 52. In a twinkling, unexpectedly.

In the midst of the sadness, I am once again reminded of my stiff neck. The same reminder I got when Stinky passed in November. I didn't write about it then because it is uncomfortable, because I am not proud of my stiff neck. But it is a reminder someone else might need.

Understand that these words have nothing to do with my sleeping posture. Here are synonyms for the stiff-neck in question: bullheaded, obstinate, mulish, stubborn, intractable, willful. God used this term to describe His people during the Exodus. Clearly, it's not a positive trait.

Krissy and I met through mutual friends. She was great fun, a wonderful story-teller, always the life of the party. I knew she was a good coach, and I had attended some games over the years. But in the last nine days I have heard about a Kristen Zawacki I never knew. A coach and athletic director who was held in tremendous esteem by colleagues and administrators alike, a woman who was deeply spiritual.

I truly liked Krissy. I considered her to be a friend, and hope she did likewise. But 2 weeks ago, I would have used to two words to describe her - funny and loud. "Funny" I appreciate very much. But I just don't do "loud" - never have. My stiff neck immediately associates "loud" with obnoxious and overbearing. And it keeps people at arm's length.

It was the same with Stinky. I liked him. I think he liked me. But when he was in the room, you knew it. He was very forward about who he was and what he believed. And I just don't always find that to be necessary or attractive.

Stinky was also immensely gifted at playing character roles, and assisting in production of shows. More than that, he kindled a love of theatre in hundreds of young people...and that gift keeps his spirit alive. He was a beloved son, brother and friend. But the one thing I didn't appreciate about him kept me from embracing any of that.

So, for the most part, I missed the wonder of both Stinky and Krissy because my stiff neck doesn't like "loud." I focused on that one trait that put me off, and missed all the traits that could have connected us. I am not proud of that. It does not reflect the One I follow, the One who preaches love and gentleness with others.

But here are two cool aspects of walking with God: He, thankfully, doesn't bury me with a list of all the ways I need revision at once. AND He sticks with me until I get it, until I learn the lesson.

I thought about my stiff-neck when Stinky died. I did...apparently not hard enough, however. If it had sunk in, would there be opportunity to be more open to Krissy? Could it have changed things in a month? I'll never know.

Two lessons of which I am sure:

1. People have to put up with and overlook things about me. You are probably shocked by that, but it's true.

2. Getting over myself would be a really smart choice, not only so my actions = my beliefs, but also to prevent further recurrence of this nasty feeling.

Maybe you could learn from this lesson as well? Or is it just me?

Here's to a new year of more compassion, and better relationships!

And to Krissy and Stinky...I'm sorry. I look forward to seeing you again...and, yes, to a LOUD reunion.

Time for a new filter?

What is the rationale behind this cultural phenomenon that allows people over a certain age - 70 or so - to say whatever they want? We all know someone like that, don't we? They say any sarcastic, unkind, grumpy words that pop in their heads. We say their "filter" is gone. And we chuckle a bit, acting like they have earned that right simply by still being alive.


It's true that I can name at least one person in my life, under the age of 70, who also needs a filter replacement. You probably know one or two folks like that, don't you?

Here's an interesting story...

ONCE UPON A TIME a woman bought a new home. Before she moved in, a friend told her the neighbors to the left of her new home were very odd. So HE said.

In a sense, words are encyclopedias of ignorance because they freeze perceptions at one moment in history and then insist we continue to use these frozen perceptions when we should be doing better.” - Edward De Bono

The woman chose to embrace this perception about her neighbors. And guess what? Everything they said to her made them seem odd. Funny how that works.

One day, she and the neighbors found they had a mutual friend. Hmm... the paradigm started to shift. There was common ground. Today, having been given an open door, those "odd" folks have shown themselves to be great friends and neighbors.

Okay, so you weren't on the edge of your seat. But it is a valuable lesson.

“All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.” - Leonardo da Vinci

How about this for a confronting thought: everything I see, everyone I meet, every new experience I have, every word I hear, circulates through a filter embedded in my brain, shaped by the words I have heard since childhood. One word, one criticism, one encouraging word at a time. It is inevitable that, up to a certain age, we see things the same way the influential people in our lives see them. Whether it remains that way forever is up to us.

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is - infinite.”
William Blake

How many people do you touch every day? How many hear your voice, are receivers of your mood and attitude, are affected by whatever is going on in your head? Only everyone you see, pass, speak to.
Every. one. That's a bit overwhelming, isn't it?

And what we project is rooted in our perceptions. We aren't "bad" people...we don't intend harm. But we judge people and situations based on our own or someone else's limited perception. We don't stop to think that the way we see every person and every situation is limited to what our filter allows.

Why oh why must it be this way

Before you can read me you gotta

Learn how to see me, I said

Free your mind and the rest will follow - En Vogue

The GOOD news is that, as an adult, I can create my own filter. Or is that good news? You see, knowledge brings with it responsibility. And adjusting the filter isn't easy.

It means stopping myself every time I am about to whine, or criticize, or offer an opinion when I haven't been asked. It means holding my peace, not riding a roller coaster of emotion and dragging everyone in my path along - whether that is in my home or in the grocery store. It requires dozens of small choices each day, requires asking myself if the words I am about to speak are true, kind and necessary. I don't mean HUGE, life-changing words...I mean the little cuts, the sarcasm, the unnecessary comments. Are the words my own or someone else's? Do those words support all the positve possibilities or are they rooted in negativity?

Most of all, reshaping my filter means resting in who I am, where I came from, and who I belong to. When I am confident in those things, very little can move me, and I am free to embrace, bless and truly see people in my path.

I have a filter. It shapes how I see you. And it shapes how I respond.

My response is my "voice" in this world. I can lift or oppress. I can encourage or discourage. I can embrace or push away. I can judge and condemn or be loving.

What kind of filter will I choose? What kind of voice will I be?

How about you?

Let me know what you think...

BP

http://www.writerighteam.com

http://www.essaywatch.com

Rick Astley, DIY, and relationships...

Shout out to my friend Kevin for Rick Astley being stuck in my head for a week. It's a corny song by a one (or maybe two) hit wonder...but some of the lyrics are thought provoking. We'll get back to that.

I am building a shelving unit. From scratch, with no design sheet. I saw it in Crate and Barrel magazine and said, "PSSSHTTT. I can MAKE that."

Uh huh.

I have put together my share of build-it-yourself furniture from a box. And I helped my uncle make my entertainment center last year. Clearly, those activities qualify me to start with a sheet of birch wood and make a bookcase.

Uh huh.

The first challenge is my lack of appropriate tools. The circular saw with an 18 tooth blade wasn't effective, nor was the SawzAll. The jigsaw would have worked, except for challenge #2 - lack of appropriate workspace. It is hard to cut small pieces on a straight line while balancing the wood on the edge of a sawhorse. In the driveway. While it is sprinkling on the electric tools.

Having pushed through those obstacles, I started construction yesterday. Again, the unsuitable workspace problem arose. How does one attach shelves to a board without a large table or workbench, without clamps, with only two hands? I started in the garage, then moved to the basement where there is a chest freezer. Right now the unit is on the basement floor. All the shelves are attached but the whole thing is very crooked. It turns out not all the pieces are exactly the right length. Who knew 1/4 inch could make such a difference? ? After this break , where I vent to you, I will go back with the tape measure and level, and the revision process will start.

I could take it apart and put the pieces in the scrap wood pile. Just give up and try to find an easier solution. Maybe overextend my budget and order from Crate and Barrel. Or go a local store and find something which I may or may not like but which will be "good enough."

It's a choice we face pretty often, isn't it? We start something - a job, a bookcase, a new business, a friendship, a diet, a marriage - and we have so much enthusiasm.

Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down...

Some time goes by and the initial enthusiasm wanes. We face situations for which we don't have the proper tools. Maybe we don't even recognize that insufficiency, and wouldn't begin to know how to fix it if we did. Where would we possibly get different tools?

Or the workspace is inadequate. We need a better job, a bigger house, a faster-working diet, a spouse or friend who knows more/has more/listens better/acquiesces more readily.

I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling...Gotta make you understand...

That's the problem, isn't it? I want to tell you how I'm feeling. I want you to understand me. I don't want the expense of new tools, don't want to bother with revisions. If we have a problem, you need to fix it. If this boss doesn't treat me right, I will keep finding new jobs until I am happy. If this diet doesn't work, I will keep buying new books, subscribing to new services, acquiring new equipment until I find a diet that requires no lifestyle change and no effort.

Does this sound like anyone you know? Look in your garage, basement, closet, heart. The evidence of broken commitments is in all these places. You remember - the project/equipment/idea/person that started out as the "greatest" and became an annoyance because the details were more complicated than expected and you simply couldn't be bothered.

What we fail to recognize is the toll that kind of behavior takes on us. Sure, I could go out today and buy a bookcase. But I would know that I gave up as soon as the build-my-own project hit a snag. I would remember that for a long time.

Never gonna run around and desert you...never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye...

We fail to recognize that every time we give up on someone, every time we break a commitment to marriage or friendship, every time we block someone from our life, we leave a mark on our own heart.

It is a difficult paradox to navigate. We live in a throw-away society. And yet, we are created to be pack animals, to help each other, to love each other. So while some of us believe it is easier to throw away and start again, in all areas of life, that is a fallacy. Only hard work yields a treasure. "Good enough" never really is.

Think about it.

Back to the basement I go. There will be a follow-up report!

A full commitment's what I'm thinking of....

Tee hee...you know you will be singing it for days!

BP

http://www.writerighteam.com

http://www.essaywatch.com

Regional planning, Rick Springfield...more perspective

My dear friend Barb shared her thoughts on yesterday's blog. Here are her words:

I am more inclined to encourage dialogue that would force examination of our biased perspective out in the open where it looks foolish. I try to get my students to engage, to challenge, to exchange.

I fully agree with that. And I love her for taking the time to sharing.

Yesterday I was reacquainted with the incredible annoyance known as State Route 228 in southern Butler County. The occasion was dinner with great friends then an interesting class- well worth the irritation.

I don't know the history of PA SR 228 and Interstate 79. I do know that when the two-lane SR228 was designed, there was no plan for insane growth of two communities adjacent to the road. That is very obvious. It's not important that you know exactly where Cranberry Twp and Seven Fields are located, only that their populations have doubled in the past twenty years, and their median family incomes far exceed the state average. Which equals a lot of stores and service businesses and cars. Imagine the burden such growth puts on a two lane road and the regional planners who work with it. Along much of the corridor, there appears to be no room for the road to expand. There are businesses and homes and schools that would seem reluctant to give up property. And yet, people keep coming, businesses keep building.

So what option do the planners have? Throw up their hands and do nothing? Pretend the unexpected didn't happen?

I thought about this today while watching Rick Springfield on GMA. Yes, that's right - "Jessie's Girl" and "General Hospital". He was promoting his new book and spoke of how amazing his wife Barbara is. They have been together for 30 years, and, he says, both know they are better together than apart. Still, he admitted, she has pushed through difficulty... his depression, drug use, infidelity. Unexpected. Not part of the original plan.

Life is like that, isn't it?

We think we are the regional planners for our corner of the world. We think if we build an infrastructure, make a plan for maintenance and growth, life will be smooth.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Why do we ever believe that?

We don't get to choose what lousy stuff is going to come into our lives. We only get to choose our response. We get to choose whether we see only from our own perspective or are willing to open ourselves to others.

And you are saying, "Hey Beth...tell me something I DON'T know."

Do we really know? Do we really believe that a new road can't be built every time something unexpected happens. The current road might need to be widened or rerouted. But, it is not feasible or possible or wise to always start over.

Look at the divorce rate, not only for first marriages, but for second and third. 50%, 67%,74%.

Think about the friends or family member you know who have at least one person to whom they refuse to speak.

Do we really know? Are we really willing to open our minds to the perspective of another, even when that person has hurt us.

Are we really willing to listen to what others say about our point of view? Or do we cling to the two-lane road that is no longer sufficient? Do we throw up our hands and run every time the unexpected happens?

We give up on people so easily, don't we? Don't want to hold on through their mess, don't want to help widen the road because it's hard and we might get dirty. We refuse to see that we helped make the mess, that reconfiguring and widening the current road will take us to wonderful new places, places a new road would never find.

Valuable lessons from unusual sources like regional planners and Mrs. Rick Springfield.

I am heading to the garage to work on a 4-shelf stand I am building. It doesn't look like I had planned, but it will work! I am reconfiguring...

BP

http://www.writerighteam.com

http://www.essaywatch.com

Christopher Columbus and the Strike Zone...it's all about Perspective

I just walked to the mailbox, was puzzled by its emptiness, then remembered today is Columbus Day. We learned in elementary school that Christopher Columbus discovered America? Funny, isn't it...such a matter of perspective.

More fall softball yesterday. It was a glorious day to watch a couple games. And even though the games did not affect any standings, didn't really mean anything as far as win/loss records, fans were still very involved, and somewhat rabid.

The rulebook succinctly defines the strike zone as the area between the forward armpit and the top of the knees, over the plate. But those words don't always play out as clearly as one would think. And from outside of the fence, balls and strikes are a matter of perspective.

So Christopher Columbus believed the world was round while everyone else said it was flat. That's what we were taught in elementary school. And it's not true.

When Christoffa Corombo (in his native Genoese language) set sail for Asia, it was already widely accepted by scientists and astrologists that the world was round. The question was how large the world was? There were two prominent theories, and Columbus chose the wrong one. Which is why he thought he landed in Asia, when it was really what we know today as the Dominican Republic.

He made three voyages, but none of them ever brought him to the place now called the United States. And rather than promoting the false belief that he proved the world wasn't flat, why don't we praise him for his vast knowledge of the trade winds which made it possible for him to return to Europe by a relatively easy path? He didn't find Asia, but he made great strides for trade ships by navigating the easterly and westerly trade winds in the Atlantic Ocean.

The first European to land in the United States was actually Juan Ponce de Leon. Why don't we have a day for him?

And why do we promote the idea that either of these men "discovered" a land, when that land already had inhabits? Because Columbus was the first European (read real/cultured person)? Because we never took the time to understand native American culture? Interesting perspective.

In softball (or baseball), there are only two people who have the necessary perspective to determine balls and strikes - the catcher and the home plate umpire. Not the people in either dugout, or the bleachers. Not the pitcher's parents or the batter's parents.

This is not to say umpires are infallable. They are human, imperfect, and sometimes inconsistent. Sometimes fans sitting directly behind home plate can identify those inconsistencies. But even the clearest view from the stands still has two people between the fan and the pitch. And for the rest of us, it's still a matter of perspective.

We make decisions and tell stories based on our flawed perspective, don't we? We choose the perspective of having a national holiday to honor the first European to touch North America, pretending Native Americans weren't already here.

We argue balls and strikes when we can't even see the entire plate.

But most importantly, we judge others solely based on our own perspective. We don't try to understand, to see through their eyes. We judge their motivation based on what our motivation is, or would be in a similar situation. We make choices to build bridges or walls based on our or someone else's faulty perspective. We withhold the favor of our kindness, and folks who needed us, OR folks who would have blessed us with great friendship are pushed away.
I have even judged right after a church service, about others who attended that same service.

Maybe I am alone in that. You have probably never judged based on a faulty perspective, have you?

Please understand, I have nothing against Christopher Columbus, and certainly fans have a right to be reasonable vocal.

But those minor points aside, wouldn't the world be a better place if we considered our own biased perspective before making a judgment?

I think so. I would love to hear what you think.

Gotta run to the bank...oh wait...

Happy Columbus-lands-in theDominican-Republic Day!

BP

http://www.writerighteam.com

http://www.essaywatch.com

Photosynthesis, Fall Ball, and Marky Mark

Quick... what significant event occurred on Oct 5, 1991? Think hard...we'll come back to it in a minute.

Many folks in this area have been clamoring for the end of summer, for autumn to descend. And, oh goodness, it has. Rain. High temperatures in the low 50's. Yep. Autumn is here.

I understand what people wanted. A break from heat and high humidity. Days in the 60's, nights in the 50's. Beautiful colors on the trees. I get that. Autumn surely has its own set of attractions.

Interesting thought about photosynthesis: what we appreciate about it - brightly colored leaves - is only a brief and cosmetic part of an amazing process. While the most highly developed creatures (that would be us, folks) grumble and complain about snow, cold, and ice, the trees follow the sun's direction and begin to prepare in early September. They shut down growth, drop their food supply and prepare for the storms. What we see as beautiful color is the tree's way of preservation. And while we look at the spring buds with wonder, it was the bare tree standing firm through the winter that was the real miracle. The leaves aren't just beautiful, they are also a signal. It's more than what the eye immediately sees.

Football. High school, college, professional. Do you love it like I do? Fall is also a great time to golf...and to watch softball.

I love the intricacies of fast pitch softball. Yes, home runs and strike-outs are fun. But small ball is what wins games - solid defense, smart base running, moving the runners over - this is the foundational stuff that makes a championship team. Winning is always great, but fall ball is about building and learning. Spectators cheer when runs are scored, but the process, the skills being learned, the habits being formed are the true worth. Fall ball is more than what the eye immediately sees.

Which brings us back to Oct 5, 1991. Not really a significant day, unless you are Mark Wahlberg. That's right. Good Vibrations went to #1 on the Billboard chart that day. Marky Mark: NKOTB drop-out turned petty thief turned rapper . You remember. The song had a good beat, but the kid was a fluke, right? Then he made an exercise video. Still a fluke. Now he is an Academy Award nominated actor, a successful producer and director of film and television. Marky Mark was more than what the eyes could immediately see.

We do that so often, don't we? We judge what we see - or what we THINK we see. We don't ask questions. We don't even imagine the truth might be different than our limited perspective shows. We don't consider the process, only the immediate view. We guess at people's lives and motivations.

That situation or person I judged yesterday could be completely different than what I "saw." And I may have forfeited the chance to see the whole picture, the truth.

Maybe you have never done that. Maybe it's just me.

Photosynthesis, fall ball, Markey Mark...more than what the eye immediately sees.

It's such a good vibration...it's such a sweet sensation...

Have a great day!

BP

http://www.writerighteam.com

http://www.essaywatch.com

81 Days???

I was in a store today looking for Halloween decorations...had trouble finding them among the CHRISTMAS things!!! HELLO!!! What about Halloween and Thanksgiving?



Then the cashier reminded me that we have only 81 shopping days until Christmas.

Thanks, lady.

When I was a kid and "couldn't wait" for christmas/birthday/vacation/etc, my beloved Grandma would caution me about "wishing my life away"...and on the back side of my fiftieth year, I finally understand what she means.

Isn't it odd and confronting to think about your parents and grandparents at the age you are now? When my mom was 50, I was 29. We went to Disney and Pirates spring training camp to celebrate her 50th birthday. And now I am that age???
My grandmother was 52 when I was born. I still feel young, but I don't ever remember thinking my grandma was anything but old.
Funny how that works.

Death doesn't scare me at all, because I know what eternity holds.
Still, I have much left to do in my life...much to write, many people to touch, many ways to make a difference, many things to do for God. And the wheels spin faster each year.

It's rather counterintuitive to waste time thinking about it, so this blog will be short =)
But I believe it is something we all experience...and you know me, always wanting to share my thoughts!

Have a terrific day...make it a great one!!

Beth

http://writerighteam.com/
http://www.essaywatch.com/

Am I My Resume and other life questions

Resume. Most of us have created one, used it to secure a desired job. A well-constructed resume details education/training, experience, a list of "here's-why-you-should-hire-me" skills.

One of my favorite musical theater lyrics is from A Chorus Line: Who am I anyway/Am I my resume?/ That is a picture of a person I don't know...

Can you identify?

Recently a dear friend (a fabulous marketing entrepreneur) suggested I write a personal resume, a "who am I and what do I like" document.

We had a plan for it...but, as often happens, the plan changed and we both found the process itself was a gift.

Why a gift, you ask? Think about this: when you meet someone new, how often is your job the first descriptor you use to describe yourself? Or where you live, or where you went to college, or how many letters you have after your name?

But none of those things really tell me about YOU!

This week I also started reading The Book of Secrets, by Deepak Chopra. The subtitle is Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life.

I believe I haven't fully done that. Have you?

So here goes:
I am an excellent writer. Love to write about and hang with people who are passionate about and successful in their work (the two almost always go hand in hand).

I am F-U-U-U-nny, honest, loyal, trustworthy. People tell me I am a skilled listener and very easy to talk to. I believe really paying attention to people is one of the best ways to honor them. If you are willing to listen and pay attention, people will eventually show you who they are and what they want.

I love to cook and bake, and do it rather well. I am willing to try any kind of food but Italian and Mediterranean are my favorite. I make homemade pasta and sauce - doesn't matter what noodle type but my lasagna is really good! Tzatziki, dolmathakia, spanakopita, kourambiedes, kibbeh, tabbouleh are some of my Mediterranean favorites. I have made baklava but it is a PIA. And sometimes I am a good 'ole Western PA girl who likes kielbassi and pierogi.

I find football and hoops to be thoroughly enjoyable...but LOVE softball/baseball and golf. The intricacies, details and strategies of both sports fascinate me. Anyone who thinks baseball/softball is slow and boring doesn't have an appreciation for the beauty of the game. As for golf, I believe there are two kinds of golfers: ones who are just happy to hit the ball around (no matter their skill level) and ones who really love the game, who see it as a mental game as much as physical, who think about their shots long after they leave the course.

If the government banned the sale of potato chips, I would have to quickly find a black market dealer...otherwise the withdrawal would be ugly.

My dog is my favorite being on this earth. I think the feeling is mutual.

I have an incredible family and would not be who I am without them.

I believe excellence is a habit, and its foundation is in the details. When we do the small things with excellence, the big things will take care of themselves - in excellent fashion.

Likes:
Making someone laugh unexpectedly
Shooting stars
Sun on my face
A book that is so good it keeps me awake trying to finish it
Having my feet in a blue ocean/sea
A checkerboard in the outfield grass
The sound of the club hitting the ball...when it's good you don't even have to look, you just feel it
Eyes that smile
Tomatoes from my garden
Organization
A day on a boat
Watching my dog roll in freshly cut grass
Sitting on my porch with coffee and my Bible

Dislikes:
Deception/people who talk from both sides of their mouth
Warm beer
Decisions governed by fear (my own or others)
Gossip
When my food runs together on the plate
Drama
Posers
Closed minds

There it is - the first draft of my resume about ME. Comments are welcome.

So how about you? Who are you behind the titles and the degrees and the address and the church affiliation?

Try it...see what the answer is to this:
Who would you be, if no one told you who you were?

You might be surprised.

Stream of consciousness...or just me talking

Joni told me the Softball blog was "just okay." She is a dear friend, and trusted reader...and I appreciate her honesty. I could feel it when I was writing. Just couldn't get to the point.


We have days like that, don't we? Days when we aren't feeling it, when everything falls a bit short of the mark. But I am a writer and I needed to write. So today I am simply going to write. No goal direction. Just whatever is on my mind. Scary.

One of my friends got positive news about a biopsy today. Positive as in GREAT, as in no cancer. It is the result for which many of us have diligently prayed, as she has already beaten cancer twice. So YAY!!! Huge relief.

Is it hard for you when a pray is answered and your prayer request seems to be on hold? It's hard for me. I am truly thankful for the negative biopsy and happy for my friend. And I know and believe my request is being answered...I just can't see the answer and I WANT TO SEE IT NOW!

Maybe you aren't like that. Might be just me.

My dog hasn't felt well for a couple days. I wish she would tell me what's wrong. That language barrier is frustrating. Or maybe she is being passive/aggressive - she's not going to tell me what she needs until I don't do it...then she will BITE my head. Nah, she is too sweet and straightforward for that. Don't you wish some people were more like dogs?

Giant Eagle is giving away more pharmaceuticals. First it was antibiotics. Now it is diabetes meds. They have "formed an agreement" to provide these drugs at no cost.

Okay, firstly (!) NOTHING is free. Someone is paying. Big Pharma does not give drugs away free. Secondly, how about if we truly want to combat diabetes we give fruits and vegetables away. Or gym memberships. How about we treat the problem and not the symptoms? Crazy idea, isn't it?

Which reminds me of how annoying Walmart is. Very. I avoid it at all cost. Because if I do suffer temporary insanity and visit the Big Box, I am immediately accosted by people screaming at their crying kids. Often, it is two people...which means...ONE OF YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED HOME...with the kids. Just a suggestion.

And I am shocked/amused when people say, "They moved things around in Walmart. I had to walk all over the store. I went in for one thing and spent $75." Seriously, someone should inform Walmart - they may want to develop a marketing strategy around that.

Why do we always want the weather to be different than what it is? All over Facebook: "I wish it was autumn." Don't get me wrong. I love autumn. But it only lasts, like, 10 days in Western PA! Autumn is not a season here...it is a blink. If I am wishing for a different time than right now, it is surely NOT going to be for a future date ("Don't wish your life away" - Helen Painter). I am wishing summer before 7th grade. I want to go back. SHEESH...I don't want time to go faster.

I will stop with the stream of consciousness now BECAUSE I have something very fun to do. I am going to drive a scooter for the first time. Got my motorcycle permit last week. I have always thought a motorcycle would be fun, but not a responsible choice. Not sure what changed my mind...maybe driving one will reinforce my original thought? We'll see...

Thanks for hanging with me today. Next time I will be more focused...maybe...

Softball practice, curveballs, and other life lessons

My niece Kerrin is going to college on a softball scholarship. I know, right? SO exciting.

School doesn't start for another month, but she has already been practicing with her college coach - of course, this is not new to her. The kid has been practicing softball A LOT for 10 years . And it has paid off! Kerrin is an excellent pitcher, with five pitches that will each have you swinging at air.

Imagine: you are at the plate, 43 feet away from the pitching rubber, and here comes the rise ball at 60+ mph. It is a scientific fact that a softball hitter has less reaction time than a baseball hitter. Step it off yourself - 43 feet is not very far. How about the fastball at 59mph? Then, just when you have your bat moving quickly, the change-up comes in at 45mph...and you look like a fool.

Maybe the hardest pitch to judge is the curveball/screwball. It is the same speed as the fastball, and could be mistaken for a high fastball initially...then suddenly turns away from the batter (or into the batter if it is a screwball). So you think you are preparing for one thing then BAM, the direction changes. OOOO it makes the batter MAD to swing through the center of the plate, only to watch the ball move away.

That is a great thing to see when you are cheering for the pitcher...not great for the hitter's fans...not great in life.

You know what I mean, don't you.

We all have curveballs thrown our way. That's just life. An illness, job loss, unforeseen expenses that put our finances in disarray. Each of us gets our share of naturally occurring curveballs.

But what about the ones that aren't naturally occurring? What about the ones people intentionally throw? Those are harder, aren't they?

Someone lies to you, speaks nasty words about you, abuses your trust...HUGE curveball. You swing and miss, then life goes on. Right?

WRONG.

It's almost as if each curveball gets stuck in a pitching machine until we hit it. You think it's gone...then, in the middle of your day, there is the curveball again. And the emotions it brings are still strong.

So what do we do?

Here is advice from a softball coach on hitting a curveball: Learn to hit the fastball or you will never hit the curve; Learn to hit the opposite way - it may not be a power hit but it can still be a hit; study the pitcher - there are generally clues to when a curve is coming; practice then practice then practice.

Funny how softball imitates life.

Learn to deal with everyday life, be balanced. Then when someone throws a curve, it won't knock you down completely.

Learn to adjust your swing, so you can make something good happen, even if it is not a proverbial homerun.

Study the pitcher so you can see the signs.

Oh, I am so not good at this one.

Actually I AM good at catching the signs. Discernment is a strongpoint and gift of mine. I just don't always listen to my gut when it concerns me.

I see the signs. But I refuse to believe. I refuse because this is not softball...it's life and we aren't supposed to deliberately throw curves. My refusal does not always change the situation.

I have only had a couple folks who have thrown one curve after another while I stood in the box waiting for the next one. You've had at least one as well, haven't you? Of course you have.

But here is the great thing...practice helps solve this problem. Don't misunderstand. I don't mean subject yourself to abuse or drama. I mean practice balance everywhere else. Practice good relationships with others. Practice quietness of your soul and spirit.

I have found that diligent practice of these positive vibes give me the ability to see the curve coming and HIT IT! And when you hit it often, one of two things happens: the pitcher doesn't throw the curve anymore, or the pitcher is removed from the game.

Kerrin has a great curve that will one day land her in a Division I pitching circle. I am cheering mightily for that!

But none of us needs deliberately thrown curveballs.

Life is hard enough. How about we support each other in getting rid of the nasty pitchers...Whattaya say?

Fat Gracie, MoJo, and Fear

Fat Gracie and Zooey ran away on Independence Day. Not because they wanted independence, but because the fireworks scared them. So they started digging - as dogs do - and soon were under the fence and gone.


Zooey was back in a few hours...without Gracie. And because the 4th was a Sunday, and the government holiday was Monday, all shelters were closed until Tuesday.

So my friends, their owners, prayed and worried and wondered.

I feel like my MoJo left me about the same time. Swag, as some folks call it.

Do you ever feel that way? Like you just can't put the pieces in place for several days in a row? You pray and wonder how to get your MoJo back...and no sign of it.

Mine left for the same reason Gracie did - FEAR.

There is a situation in my life that can, although not always does, but can make me fearful. Which I hate.

Fear is of no value. We are born with only two fears: the fear of loud noises and the fear of falling. Every other fear is learned. Did you process those words? Every .Other. Fear. Is. Learned.

And don't we all have a couple people who exacerbate our fears! Just when you get the worse-case scenario out of your head, they come along with the WHAT IF. It's generally not malicious, but still throws you back into the cesspool of fear and doubt.

This is even more frustrating to me because I am afraid of almost nothing. Not heights, fire, snakes, spiders, small spaces, big crowded places (okay I don't LOVE those), tunnels, bridges...no phobias.

This current situation doesn't cause me to operate in fear all the time. But it lurks. You know what I mean?

Here is another sign that my MoJo is on the lam: I misplaced something a few weeks ago. It was not something of life-changing importance. But I don't misplace things. I generally live by the "place for everything/everything in it 's place" rule, and I know where that place is. The act was more significant than the item because it pointed out that at least one wheel is not balanced. Definitely missing the swag.

I know and believe that Jesus, who is the author of my faith, fully understands all my challenges and difficulties. Even still, I don't recall a single time in the Bible when Jesus lost his swag. THAT is why I hate fear. It does nothing but suck power from me...I ALLOW it to steal my joy and power.

FEAR of a situation they couldn't control made Zooey and Fat Gracie run. FEAR of a situation I can't control has stolen just enough power and joy to render me slightly unbalanced. And slightly is too much.

On Tuesday July 6, my friends contacted every local shelter. No Gracie. Their last hope was a Craigs list ad. They clicked on the pet section to place a Lost ad...and there was a picture of Gracie in a Found ad!! She was taken in by a woman who knew there were loving owners somewhere, and hoped the ad would help locate them.

So while my friends worried, Gracie was having a party.

And somewhere in the land of good vibes, my MoJo is rejuvenating and waiting for me to stop allowing my power to be wasted.

I'm going put out notice that it's time for my Swag to head home. Thanks for letting me vent!

Clint and Bitty took a chance, and so will I..wanna join me?

Last Saturday, I attended the wedding of Clinton, a young man I have known since he was a child. Obviously a special day for that reason.


But also interesting for the diversity of the wedding party, the simplicity of the ceremony, and the fact that the mother of the groom arranged the marriage.

Yeah, you heard me.

Okay, it wasn't an "arranged" marriage akin to those in India or China. Actually it is a cute story...here is the short version:

Susan, mom-of-groom was having a marathon shopping day, stopped at a convenience store for coffee - engaged in conversation with Brittany, the young woman behind her, as they waited in a LONG line - in the course of conversation answered "yes" to the Brittany's "do you have any kids" question- got coffee, said goodbye, left the store - felt the tug of a possible opportunity - pulled beside Brittany's car and suggested she might want to send Susan's son a message on Facebook...and Clinton and Brittany are married.

I love that story for so many reasons. Susan is my dear friend and the story so typical of her - and that makes me smile.

But more than that, I love the story because it reminds me that life is about choices and chances... I get to decide and I live with the results.

If I asked if you wanted to miss a great chance, you would undoubtedly say "no." But how many do we unwittingly miss?

Think about simple things, like standing in line. Do we see it as an opportunity or an inconvenience? I generally must remind myself that 5 minutes of waiting is probably not going to change my life significantly. But it could be a chance to give someone a good word, take a moment to pray , or plan the next step in my day.

How about you? Do you wait patiently or waste energy being irritated?

It has taken conscious effort for me to be open to folks around me, especially strangers. First, because I am inherently shy. Second, because I have at least 3 other conversations going on with myself at any given time. But being present in the moment is important... important to others... important because proximity is power and I must be aware that a great opportunity could be right beside me!

The most important lesson for me, however, is in seeing possibility where others may doubt. Susan listened to the nudging and sought out Brittany before she pulled away. Brittany took a chance and sent Clintona message.And Clinton responded.

Each of them could have refused to participate in this process. What man wants his mom setting up dates with a chick in a convenience store? And what woman wants to check out a man whose mom is soliciting dates for him while waiting for coffee? Seriously! Even if she is wearing Chanel earrings!

But they all took a chance. A chance tempered with wisdom and caution, to be sure. But still, a chance.

And I wonder if I have missed opportunities because I wouldn't take a chance? Because I ignored the nudge to extend a hand in friendship. Because I was too busy to take a class, too unsure to apply for a new job, too wrapped up in today's immediate issues to nurture my dream.

How about you?

Sometimes I am so consumed by the URGENT ( as seen by me and others in my life) that I lose track of the IMPORTANT.

How about you? Have you ever started your day with plans to spend at least a portion of time nurturing a dream, but get so wrapped in demands of the day that your dream is ignored? Spent years doing that? And now you think the opportunity is gone?

Sometimes I listen to well-meaning people who say that what I want to do, who I want to meet, where I want to go, will never happen. Too expensive, too time-consuming, too unlikely.

How about you? Have you missed opportunities because you listened to people who don't choose to nurture their dreams?

Sometimes I listen to the opinions of others, even when I feel a connection to someone. Or I am still compelled by the "don't talk to strangers" rule that really only applied until I became a young adult.

Here's the key; when I know who I am, whose I am and what I am seeking in life, I can be open to all possibilities, and yet, not be moved from my path. When I am comfortable with myself, the positive opportunities will shine and the false ones will not lure me.

Do I know myself well enough? Am I comfortable in my skin and stable enough to allow new things or people in without being moved from my path?

Do you?

I believe it deserves some thought. I saw what taking chances did for Clinton and Brittany...and I don't want to miss out on any good thing!

Thanks for reading...comments welcome!

BP =)

Greta Garmin, God, and my sense of direction

Have you noticed that folks have strong opinions about the influx of technology?


It is true that cell phones, gaming devices and iPods can be intrusive and/or exclusionary. Very true. They weren't designed to be a nuisance, but some users make them so, although not always maliciously. Hard as it is to imagine, some people simply don't think about the device being annoying.

Personally, I am more bothered by a television that drones loudly and constantly than by cell phones or iPods. I do have to shake my head in church or the theatre, not when the first cell phone rings - that could easily be an oversight - but when the SECOND one rings. Really? When the first one rang, you couldn't check to be sure your phone was off? Really?

But I digress.

My point is that technology is not inherently bad. Take the GPS. Very helpful tool when used properly - "properly" meaning the destination is entered correctly and the driver listens.

I am amused by folks who either haven't adjusted the GPS settings to their liking or simply don't believe what the guide is saying. "Fastest" and "shortest" may be different routes. "Shortest" and "avoid road construction" are, naturally, never the same route! Destination and route settings are equally important.

More than once I have had this conversation:

Passenger: "I don't think she(Greta Garmin) knows where she is going!"                                                    Me: "She knows where she is going"                                                                                              Passenger: "I don't think so. I've never been this way before"                                                                    Me: "She KNOWS where she is going!!"

If you set it right, Greta will get you there. She will. If you set it right.

I was in North Carolina recently for a family function. Six of us were in my uncle's vehicle returning from an event. Driving. Driving. Finally someone asks him what destination he entered when we left the event. He answered "Home" like it was a stupid question. He thought "Home" meant the last place you were, that "Home" would take us back to the hotel. Fortunately we were able to pull off quickly, stop driving to Pennsylvania and start back to the hotel. Incorrect destination.

I am no longer intimidated by the prospect of traveling to an unfamiliar destination because I trust Greta Garmin to get me there. And because she does so in direct fashion, I am becoming more familiar with areas that once left me confused. The dots are connecting.

So now I am shopping for a Garmin that is controlled by the Holy Spirit...you know, for my life. There could be a different model for every belief. Buddha model, Mother Earth model, etc. It would be a big seller.

Don't misunderstand. I am not saying I think I am flying alone out here. There is direction given. Accurate, complete direction.

But I would like the audible voice that says, "Drive to highlighted route" then shows me a picture. A PICTURE for goodness sake.

I want the voice that says, "In 2.3 miles turn right/turn left/exit highway."

I want to hear, "Recalculating" so I will know I have goofed up.

I know...I know. Part of the process is that I must have faith and learn to listen closely and discern. But sometimes I just don't want to. I JUST WANT A LIFE GARMIN. Darn it, anyway.

Don't you?

Wouldn't you like to enter multiple tasks for the day and be given clear, audible instructions on how to most efficiently proceed.

How about a map and an audible voice telling you what options you have when the road is torn up and impassable? Wouldn't that be helpful?

I don't want to be a robot or unthinking person. I wouldn't use it all the time. But when I am traveling down unfamiliar roads, it would be handy.

So, if some inventor could get busy on that, I would appreciate it. The marketing would be a cinch: "Audible, easy to follow directions from the Creator of the World." Who's not going to go for that?

Of course, I will have to adjust the setting and then do the hardest part...LISTEN. He does, after all, know where I am going. He knows the best way. He does. And He will get me down paths I have never traveled, when I listen.

Oh, one more thing...I really don't want the features that tell me how much of the journey I have left or when I will arrive. I would just as soon be surprised that the "Home" button was used as the destination.
Just saying...

Dream, shoes that don't fit, and other significant things

Two significant events have taken place in my life recently. I had my first motivational speaking opportunity. AND I finally put the brown loafers in the Goodwill bag.


Unrelated? One less significant than the other? Not to me. They each represent a shift in thinking, a turning of the tide, if you will.

First, the brown loafers. They were stylish, trendy, and on sale. Still not inexpensive, but discounted nonetheless. You know how sometimes shoes fit your foot but don't feel right. And you think once you wear them they'll feel better. Yeah, you've been there. And they never feel right. But you keep them and keep them and keep them.

More about the shoes later...

For years I have dreamed of being a writer and motivational speaker. So many times, the little voice in my head and the Voice that holds my heart whispered to me that I was gifted to write and speak words that could teach and inspire people.

Maybe you have a dream that has been delayed or ignored? You can see it, you feel the excitement of it... but something keeps it just out of reach.

FEAR. Fear keeps it out of reach.

Do you disagree? I did for a long time.

I said I didn't have the money, didn't have the time, didn't know where/how to start, didn't have anyone who would help me.

All lies rooted in fear.

Do you disagree? I did for a long time.

I wish I could tell you there was an earth-shattering event or word from someone that changed everything - a blazing moment like that would be a much better story.

Instead it was a series of small steps, most of which I can't even name, that lead me to a place of "OOOOHHHH, now I get it"...that lead me to recognize the fear.

Thoughts of "lack" (money/time/help) are unnecessary energy drains...everything you and I need to make our dreams come true is already available. Our doubts have simply kept it away.

Don't believe me? Do this: take 3 days and listen to your own conversation (both spoken and internal), and to the people around you. What you will undoubtedly hear is fear, lack, doubt, lots of negative energy being passed around. It is a virus that infects you UNLESS you are aware and willing to CHOOSE something different.

For me, the fear came from not fully trusting myself or God. It came from listening to the voices around me. Please understand, I did not (and you probably will not hear) people specifically saying that you are not good enough. What you will hear is a pervasive amount of "lack," an attitude that believes only special people reach their dreams while the rest of us must drag through life being satisfied with a job we hate it, being resigned to a body that is unhealthy, being burdened by dreams that have died.

Don't buy into the lie. Listen to Power that created you and the voice in your head.

That's what I did when I said YES to a speaking engagement even though I hadn't started putting thoughts on paper. I said YES even though I lacked the details - but the details came, and it was successful and exhilarating and a first step. On paper I don't have a second booking...but the voice in my head and the Voice that holds my heart tell me there are so many offers I won't be able to accept them all. I choose to believe it and put my faith and energy toward that dream!

Believing is what I did when I left corporate America to be a fulltime writer. I listened to the two voices that love me most- mine (finally!) and God's (always!).

It's also what I did when I put the brown loafers in the Goodwill bag. I stopped listening to the fashion police and my friends who had the same shoes, and I listened to my feet.

As I did, I wondered what I might have missed because I listened to others. A restaurant that sounded good, a movie with an interesting trailer, a book with an enticing excerpt...and I passed because a reviewer said "thumbs down". Or, more importantly, the potential friendship I missed, the witness I didn't share, the witness I didn't hear, when I allowed the voice of someone else in my life to discourage me.from embracing another.

Please understand: I still listen to what others have to say. BUT I weigh it against my dreams, against the voice in my head and the Voice that holds my heart...

and I don't push my dreams aside...and my feet don't hurt.

Mulch doesn't hide onions, and other life lessons

It is one of my great joys each year- planting vegetables, choosing annuals, watching everything come to life.


I have given much thought and time to the arrangement of my perennials...some people move furniture, I move perennials. I am on a mission to have color from April-October, so choosing the annuals is an important task...and lots of fun. My grandmother and mother passed on their flower gardening knowledge and tricks, and I humbly say I have a proficiency for the flower gardens.

Vegetables and I have a more contemptuous relationship. After many years of struggling with soil conditions, the garden was reduced last year to a 4x8 raised bed, surrounded, of course, by a new flower garden.

It worked well, and the new look received many compliments. The only problem was the onions.

Two years ago someone gave me a LARGE set of onions. I planted the whole set, and as in past years, the return was less than stellar.

Who knew they would thrive when covered with landscape fabric and mulch!!

So now, at least once a week, I attempt to evict the onions from my flower garden. They stubbornly remind me that I put them there, and thus am responsible for slowing digging them out. I tried more mulch, to no avail. Nothing seems to sufficiently cover them.

And then I remember how much I dislike when that happens in real life. Don't you?

Don't you hate when the unwanted onions in life won't just go away?

Sometimes you forget they are there, sometimes you simply WANT to forget. So you buy landscape fabric, and mulch and beautiful flowers, hoping no one will ever see the onions again.

When they start to poke their heads up, you immediately break them off - removing them from sight but leaving the root intact. And soon they are back.

Sometimes I have onions in my life. Do you?

Persistent little suckers that keep coming up. The person I hurt with no remorse or apology, the one I haven't forgiven. Things God wants me to do...things he wants me to stop doing.

Am I alone in feeling like that?

I can ignore. I can yank off the top. But none of that works, not for me anyway. The flower garden still looks good. Not great, with onion tails everywhere, but still good. And in truth, you have to be right beside the garden to even see the onions coming up. But they still exist. They still suck up nutrients the flowers could be getting. They still interfere.

The immutable law of nature, of God, of the universe is that sow = reap. Always.

Sometimes I like that law.

Sometimes I don't because it reminds me that I need to make adjustments, make amends, do some digging. Or accept the same result over and over. For me and the people I hurt.

So I gotta go now...have my digger in hand...the onions are doomed.

Letting my hair grow and other tedious life processes

I’m letting my hair grow. Some days it is too short for my liking, and some days it is too long…occasionally there are Baby Bear days when it is just right.

Generally, I like what it is becoming. But it is a process, and as such, is tedious and uncomfortable - and promising.

We don’t much like processes, do we?

We want the meal-in-a-minute, the one-stop shop, the drive-through break-through. We don’t want to “go through” anything.

It’s easier that way. Easier to sit on the couch, grab whatever is available to eat, ignore food labels. Easier to buy whatever we want right now, move the balance from one card to another, borrow against tomorrow’s prosperity. Easier to give up on relationships, to blame other people, refuse to resolve.

We like “easy” more than “hard”…at least, we think we do.

Then one day, we find that sow = reap. It always does, you know...an immutable law of nature, the Universe, and God.

We find that “easy” sows shallow seeds that yield lousy crops, that “easy” misses many opportunities because it has no resources at the necessary time, that “easy” turns into ”lonely” when we find no one is quite as perfect as we are.

Show of hands: who likes processes? Who likes to regularly put energy into buying and preparing healthy food? Get up at 5am to exercise? Who likes to see the CUTEST pair of shoes but resist the credit card and stick to the budget? No hands yet, are there?

Who likes to go through a tunnel of chaos in a relationship? You know, those days/weeks/months where everything is confusing and you have no idea where the road is going? When you can’t stand to see your friend/sister/duaghter/partner’s face? When you would rather quit than cry one more time? Still no waving hands - but maybe a knowing nod from a few heads.

I’m letting my hair grow.

It’s a process I am choosing to trust. Maybe you have a process you need to trust as well.

Fool's gold, new "stuff", and SPRING!!!

So now what? Easter has come and gone, my Biggest Loser contest has ended. Did either of them making a lasting difference?


How about you? Where are you on New Year's resolutions, fitness plans, financial goals?

It's so much easier to start than to finish, isn't it?

All gung-ho, committed, ready for a change, a new you...

Sometimes it is exciting, the same way buying a new car brings a thrill.

Here's some hard truth...a car is only new for a couple months. Even if you keep it clean and are diligent about maintenance, it doesn't stay "new." And , of course, there are payments. What started as something fun and exciting is now a means of transportation and monthly expense. Doesn't mean you don't like it, just that it may not always be a "thrill."

Life is so like that. We get easily caught up in "new" and "shiny" and "cool". Fool's gold.

Instead of fixing old things, we prefer to get new things.

A new spiritual peak, but no change in heart attitude.

A new piece of exercise equipment, but no change in food choices or how much we use the new machine.

A new car, new clothes/purse/shoes, new techno-gadget, new friends...all of which stop being new and stop satisfying our desires.

And, at some point, the truth in these words (from Emily Saliers) hits us hard:

All the shiny little trinkets of temptation


Something new instead of something old


All you've gotta do is scratch beneath the surface


And it's fool's gold...

Which brings me back to the original question...now what? The emotions of a High Holy Week are over, the challenge of winning a weight loss contest is done...do I have take-aways that will improve my life for good? Will I be committed to the hard work of improving ME? Or will I take the easy road, look outside of myself, divert my attention with new, shiny stuff that will ultimately lead me to a place of looking in the mirror at the same old me?

Throwing out old things and getting new ones is easy.

Thinking my life will be better with new people, a new fad diet, a new popular spiritual approach, is easy.

Hurtful and ineffective, but still easy.

I don't want fool's gold.

I want the old me with a renewed relationship with Christ. I want the old me with a new BMI and new fitness habits. I want the old me with a new appreciation for the family and friends I have loved for years - because I have changed, not because they have changed to suit me.

I want a Spring filled with renewal and growth in MY heart that is so vibrant it makes life better for everyone in my path.

How about you?

Easter, train tracks, and weight loss

What kind of week will this be for you? You get to choose, you know...maybe you don't get to choose all your circumstances, but you at least get to choose your responses, your countenance, your level of joy.


Sunday was the first day of Holy Week for Christians. It is also the last week of my Biggest Loser competition. Faced with a lot of topics for reflection!

2010 has been challenging so far. No complaints - just a statement of fact. Cancer, relationship issues, financial issues - lots of negative energy flying around, trying to bring people down.

This week can, in many ways, be an end and a beginning...a microcosm of life.

I like to imagine this journey being like a train track. One side has good stuff, positive vibes. The other side, well, not so much. It takes BOTH tracks to carry the train - there is no way to get around that. But we get to choose which track receives the most focus. We get to decide if the journey will be marred or even ruined by our focus on the squeaky, nasty track.

One of the primary tenets of our Christian faith is that we win by surrendering, we gain by giving away. Job, a man who had every right, in the eyes of human beings, to despise God instead reminded himself that God gives and He takes away, and still His name is blessed.

Gaining by losing weight has been a physical challenge, but the benefits of the Biggest Loser contest are easy to take.

Not so with everything.

In this week when we celebrate Jesus' greatest gift, I need to remember some things...

People are sometimes cruel and nasty, they bring sorrow and pain...but God will take that, if I let Him, and He will bring a new measure of love and comfort and peace.

Cancer might bring a change of schedule, a number of surgeries, nausea, a bald head...but God will take that, if I let Him, and He will bring beloved support people, laughter in unusual circumstances, joy in being alive, freedom from small things that used to be annoying but are now just inconsequential in the big scheme.

Financial issues can be stressful and scary...but God will take them, if I let Him, and He will keep his promise to sustain me, to care for me, to keep my feet from falling.

When I focus on the sweet track, not the squeaky track, there is no loss that is not offset by gain. I simply need to make the right choice.

I can focus on the challenges or on the sweetness. It can be new joy or old sorrow.

But it's my choice...and yours.

Gotta go...the train is pulling out

Putting Myself in Position and Other Fitness Tips

More wisdom from the Wii fitness instructor today..."exercising every day helps improve your posture."


It is one of the trainer's frequently repeated blurbs. Certainly a true statement.

Several things have surprised me as my exercise regimen continues into its third month. My muscle memory is apparently long-term, and some muscle groups have responded quickly to frequent work. I am thankful they "remember" being in shape, working hard, staying firm.

The habit of regular exercise has been re-established, and now I suffer physically when I don't exercise. rather than being stiff and sore when I do.

Much information exists detailing how vital the core muscles are to overall health. Digestion and balance improve dramatically with a stronger core. Obviously, posture improves as well. Notice the folks you pass today. How many have really BAD posture? Young and old alike. Every function is controlled, either voluntarily or involuntarily, by active that passes through the spinal region. Shouldn't we give our brain and nerves a clear path, a spine that is well supported and aligned?

Daily exercise helps improve your posture...and a whole lot more.

This is also sound advice for life in general. Physical daily exercise? Sure.

But putting ourselves in position, correcting our posture in other areas is also imperative. Often this is more overwhelming than a commitment to exercise.

Financially, emotionally, spiritually, professionally...all these areas require their own form of regular exercise. Personally, I have, at one time or another, neglected each of them.

How about you? Have you been lax in any of these areas?

Hard to get back on track isn't it? Just like physical exercise, the beginning stages can be rough. Focusing on this day's requirements is all I can do most days.

And maybe that is the key.

TODAY, I will acknowledge the space on which I stand. For the most part, I am here because of my own choices - choices of either action or attitude or both.

ALL I CAN DO on this day is put myself in position for good things to happen. Exercise in whatever way possible to improve myself just 1%.

1% improvement...that's it.

Is that challenge too big? In the 16-18 hours I am awake, I will be mindful of making choices that will improve my position 1%. Not back-sliding, not standing still...but not doing everything at once either.

Try it.

After a couple weeks you will notice your head is a bit higher, your countenance a bit lighter, your back a bit straighter...all from a 1% increase per day in whatever areas you need it.

Yes, Wii trainer, you are correct: exercising daily improves your posture!

See you tomorrow...Beth