Saturday, October 17, 2009

Ten Happy Memories from Childhood

By request. In no particular order.

1) Backyard barbeques with my family.
2) Long, lazy summer afternoons playing and picnicking at the Duck Pond in Milford.
3) Buying Devil Dogs and Coke (in a bottle) and Bazooka gum at Frazier's Market.
4) Going to the Saturday matinee at the Capitol Theatre.
5) Falling asleep to the sound of the buoys in the harbor, with an occasional boat chugging in to its slip late at night.
6) Playing in the swamp across the street from our house.
7) Getting to have the cherry from Dad's evening cocktail.
8) Grandma's closet full of Christmas cookies.
9) Going around to all the windows in the house, to see the little numbered plaques on them.
10) The time Mr. Frost gave Laurie and me a whole carton of vanilla ice cream!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

An Ideal Day, through the Decades

When I was a child, an ideal day would be:
-wake up to a sunny, warm, pleasant day
-have a breakfast of Maypo
-play outside in the yard all day: make forts, have a picnic lunch, play, play, play
-barbeque dinner, with roasted marshmallows AND ice cream for dessert
-hide and seek after dark with all the neighborhood kids
-fall asleep with the windows open, listening to the buoys out in the harbor

In my teens, a ideal day would be:
- wake up to a warm, sunny, pleasant day
-have a breakfast picnic at Camp Columbia, then go for a hike in the woods
-visit the Heseltines or Polly (time spent with family friends)
-watch burning plastic drop from the ceiling into a bucket of water (who thought of this??)

In my 20's an ideal day would be:
- wake up to a warm, sunny, pleasant day
- spend the entire day at the beach, preferably on Cape Cod
-out to dinner and a movie with friends

In my 30's an ideal day would be:
- wake up to a warm, sunny, pleasant day
- spend the day in New York City, exploring, eating, whatever
-take in a play or concert

In my 40's an ideal day would be:
- wake up to a warm, sunny, pleasant day
-spend the morning with my kids, and have them be happy and well-behaved
-massage, facial and pedicure in the afternoon
-barbeque or dinner with friends and family
-lots of laughter

Now, as I begin my 50's, an ideal day is:
-wake up.

(Ha ha just kidding.)

Friday, October 2, 2009

Judge not, lest ye be judged

"Judge not...." When I become aware that I am judging another, I almost always stop and examine my motives. I ask myself why I am judging this person. For example: Am I envious of their possessions? Am I fearful of their negativity? Am I gaining a feeling of superiority from this?
Always, my goal is to "judge not." Of course, the quote above is speaking of the negative connotation of "judge." There certainly is room in life for discernment. And I don't want people walking all over me or using me either. And yet, the world around me is rife with opportunities to pass judgment on others.
I use these moments of awareness to teach myself lessons about humility, acceptance, tolerance, gratitude and serenity. I am grateful for the abundance of opportunities that the world presents me for this purpose.
"...lest ye be judged" When we attack another (and judgment can be viewed as a mental attack), we are also attacking ourselves. This speaks to the concept that we are all One. We are all connected on some level, and the ways that we interact on the subtle level have meaning and significance, even when we are not aware of it. So, the judgment that goes out from us bounces right back. This can be seen clearly when it is the case that what we are judging in another is also a trait that we ourselves possess. But it can also exist purely in the act of judging itself.
Judging another widens the gaps between us. It emphasizes the illusion of separation. It alienates us from God-consciousness.