I’m not quite sure about this question. Forced to wear one outfit over and over again? The thing is nobody forces me to do anything anymore! I march to my own drumbeat these days.
Anyway, if I had to wear one outfit over and over again, it would be something sloppy. I can stay in PJs all day long but since that doesn’t really work in the real world, I’d opt for my Zara sweatpants and a short-sleeved t-shirt. The sweatpants have seen better days but you can’t beat the comfort factor. It is grey, roomy and looks a little big on me but who cares! I had it on during winter with sweatshirts and sweaters and now that it is warm, I reach for it just for lazing around the house. Only in summer, I pair it with t-shirts and it works just fine. Add a pair of flip-flops to it and you’ve got no-nonsense dressing to the hilt.
Of course, when I have company I have to force myself to change into something more presentable BUT the moment they leave, I’m back in sloppy wear and there’s nothing like it. It is stress-free dressing and it suits me just fine!
Daily writing prompt
If you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?
It is important but it is not a 24/7 thing like it used to be as a child growing up in a very religious and regimented Christian family. Now, I have the right to choose and that matters.
I believe there is a higher power and I don’t have to go to church every Sunday to have conversations with him either. I can do it anywhere. Spirituality is subjective and personal and nature is where I come face to face with spirituality in all its magnificent forms. I see it in the wide open spaces and in the plant and animal life that tells me everything happens for a reason. The seasons change when they have to like clockwork and each season has something to offer. An unseen force is at work and I know that magic is being worked in my life too. I just have to trust and believe that things will work out for the best.
I don’t say my prayers like I used to as a child kneeling by the bedside because mom and dad wanted me to. I am my own person now and instead of letting go of spiritual norms as I thought I would if I had the chance, I am finding that it is a necessary part of my life and one that is very important for my well-being as well. I know that I am part of a bigger picture and that in itself is enough to blow the mind!
“Spirituality is the journey of becoming one with the universe.” Unknown
Jalal al-Din Rumi was a 13th century poet. He was born in Afghanistan and he was a Sufi mystic whose poetry embraces themes of “overcoming fear and persevering through challenges.” He speaks of finding strength in vulnerability and to be grateful for whatever comes. I find courage and beauty in his words and it touches my soul AND his words are one of great wisdom.
“Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.”
I do act small when first faced with adversity but it is only a matter of time before I rise again knowing that I can deal with this too.
“I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think.”
This one speaks to who I am, I am one with nature and I find freedom with the animals and the bird life and often I want to sing like I used to as a young child not caring who listens or who is watching. I do that with my writing too.
“If everything around you seems dark, look again, you may be the LIGHT.”
Simply beautiful and when darkness surrounds seeing the light in you doesn’t seem like a bad thing to me.
“The wound is the place where the light enters you.”
This one tugged at my heart when I first saw it. My first thought, I don’t feel the light but he is speaking of another kind of light, the kind that teaches and heals.
“The moment you accept what troubles you’ve been given, the door will open.”
Moving on requires acceptance and that is precisely the point here. Done that many times over.
“When you go through a hard period, when everything seems to oppose you, when you feel you cannot even bear one more minute, NEVER GIVE UP! Because it is the time and place that the course will divert!”
I guess you have to hit ground zero before life turns around. Can we make it a little easier please?
“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”
This one makes grieving a little less painful, at least it did for me.
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today, I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
This last one is so poetic. Yes I wanted to change the world, I still do but nowadays it is more about changing “me” first.
It is at the top of my list as far as well-being goes. I do take care of myself and I have certain rituals that I do daily and sometimes weekly to get me back on track. It is not being vain as some may think, it is necessary to take care of yourself because no one else is going to.
I had an ex who referenced my self-care practices as nonsense. I didn’t need to put in that much effort into putting my best foot forward was what he said. I’m glad I didn’t listen to him! He is nowhere in the picture and I’m glad that my self-care practices still exist and are doing just fine.
My daily self-care practice is to pay careful attention to stress. It is a killer and I learned it the hard way when I accompanied a friend through the last stages of his life. I was always healthy but during that period, I started experiencing pain, health issues and other symptoms that I couldn’t explain. A consultation with a doctor revealed that I was under extreme stress. Her advice was to step back and take care of myself first. I couldn’t at the time but when it was all over, stress reduction became a priority. I do walks, deep breathing techniques, meditation, workouts and of course eating right. Just a few of the things in my self-care routine. However, on weekends I pay careful attention to my hair. I have long hair and it needs work to keep it healthy and shiny. Masks are a must, oil treatments sometimes and just some tender loving care. My skin gets the same on Sundays. Facials, scrubs and masks are a must to keep it glowing. It takes time but it is worth it.
Self-care and taking time out for yourself is needed to keep your health at its optimum best. Some may say it is all about vanity but I disagree. I’ve been doing these rituals since I was 18 and I’m not about to stop now.
I matter, my health matters and now, I take care of myself first before I put myself out there and let whatever it is to take a toll on me. It boils down to self-preservation and it is important in my book.
Unfortunately, it’s more than a dust up. The headlines read: “US Bombs Iran.”
What?!!
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had this to say:
“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers.
He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders was just as quick to blast Trump’s decision to bomb Iran. He had this to say when the crowd at a rally in Oklahoma started chanting, “no more war.”
“I agree,” he said. “Not only is this news that I’ve just heard alarming…..but is so grossly unconstitutional. All of you know, that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right.”
The U.N. Chief Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran as “dangerous escalation” on Saturday.
“I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.
There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”
Furthermore, he added:
There is no military solution.
The only path forward is diplomacy.
The only hope is peace.
World leaders have spoken out and strongly condemned the U.S. bombing. One particularly chilling message from Chilean President, Gabriel Boric stands out for its content.
He said, “Chile condemns this US attack. Having power does not authorise you to use it in violation of the rules that we as humanity have given ourselves. Even if you are the United States.”
What is Trump Jong Un saying? He is calling for the Iran regime to come to the negotiating table after obliterating the Iranian facilities in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz and after threatening more strikes. He has called the US strikes a ‘spetacular military success.’
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu had this to say:
“President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength! First comes strength, then comes peace.’ And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
Right…….
Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi had this to say: “The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior.” He further added, “the US has committed a grave violation” as a member of the UN Security Council.
In the US, the bombing was met with mixed reaction along party lines. Republicans commended Trump while Democrats warned that America is being dragged into an “open-ended war.”
The schoolyard bully who is used to throwing temper tantrums has stepped into the big leagues. There will be consequences and it will come in one form or another, it is just a matter of time.
Iran State TV: Every American citizen or military in the region is now a target.
Chilling? It is.
The man who claimed that America had fought “no wars” during his first presidency is right smack dap in the middle of one.
“Never settle for less than you desire or deserve because when you accept crumbs people will assume that you will be happy with scraps.” @StacyBranche
Women do this more than men do. Perhaps it’s because we want to feel wanted at any cost and even if that person isn’t who we want, we see it, we feel it deep within and we know that he isn’t the right one, but when “settling” walks in we accept what we normally wouldn’t only to find ourselves in an unhappy relationship.
“If you put someone at the top of your priority list and they put you at the bottom of theirs, maybe it’s time to get out the eraser.” Susan Gale
I love this quote from Susan Gale. That eraser doesn’t see the light of day because we’re so busy making sure that the person who takes us for granted and always puts us at the bottom of their list gets treated like royalty.
Settling for less is defined as, “accepting something or someone that is below your desired or expected standard.” It also equates to staying with a partner who doesn’t fully meet your needs or with whom you’re not truly happy.” Knowing that, why are we so quick at wanting to settle for less?
Some reasons, according to experts, is that we are afraid of being alone, low self-esteem and consistently making concessions, where one partner concedes and accepts while the other doesn’t reciprocate or meet their needs.
When you settle for less you’ll find yourself in a backburner relationship which means, “they’ll keep you around their orbits because they want to be with you – but at their convenience.” They’ll come up with excuses such as, “I’m not ready for commitment yet,” or “they’re working on themselves,” and the classic which goes like this. “Just not now.” That’s where this next quote fits in perfectly.
“Don’t settle. Either they will wake up to the fact that you are worth more…… or you will.” Charles J. Orlando
Know that you’re worth so much more than what you’re willing to settle for. If he’s a loser, let him go. If he’s a procrastinator, definitely let him go and if he’s an a**, run and don’t look back! You deserve better and definitely don’t make yourself into a mouse because the cat will eat you!
“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” Nelson Mandela
Aim high and reach for the stars because YOU deserve only the best. You belong in the winner’s circle so act like you’re already there and show the losers the door with no hesitation whatsoever. Something better is on the way.
“Sometimes the hardest part of being a great catch is accepting not everyone’s hands are strong enough to hold you.” Unknown
I suppose I do waste a lot of time every day. It has nothing to do with meditation, working out, walking or the like. It’s more like sitting outside and watching the clouds go by and for hours on end!
As a young girl, I had this love affair with clouds. I would rope the neighborhood kids into what I called my kind of “fun.” It was wonderful just lying in a meadow somewhere and figuring out what each cloud looked like. Fantasy came into play and we had a lot of fun doing that. It never got old and we came up with some doozies! It didn’t seem like wasting time back then and it doesn’t seem like that now.
Some days I can spend hours just daydreaming and sometimes even giving names to some of the clouds! This could be a form of moving meditation but whatever it is, when I return back to earth, I am centered and very relaxed. Wasting time perhaps but it does me a world of good and that is all that matters.
This one never fails. It is an instant teleportation to another time and place. My mom picked this recipe up from a Chinese neighbor woman. I used to spend a lot of time at the woman’s place because her daughter was my friend at the time. Having lunch at their place was wonderful because you never knew what was on the menu for that day. It was usually something I had never heard of but I was more than willing to be a guinea pig. One time we had pig’s ears! Strange? Yes, it was but I liked it.
Coming back to congee. It is a savoury rice porridge made by boiling rice in a large amount of water until the rice is very soft, a sort of gruel. Mom used to cook this when I had a cold or wasn’t feeling well. She said it was a miracle cure! I don’t know about that but after a bowl of chicken congee, I did feel much better. Voodoo? Well, not quite. The soft silky mixture is easy on the tummy and hydrates the body. There are many different versions but I like the chicken or the fish congee. It is delicious but more than that, it takes me back to a place when life was simpler and filled with mystery.
Living in Asia was a wonderful experience. I learned many things both good and bad. The food was fantastic and though strange at times, I learned that everything is worth a try. You can always say no later. I’ve kept to that throughout my life but I hit the brakes on live monkey brains! That is a whole different story altogether for another time and place.
Daily writing prompt
Which food, when you eat it, instantly transports you to childhood?
A man takes the day off work and decides to go out golfing. He is on the second hole when he notices a frog sitting next to the green. He thinks nothing of it and is about to shoot when he hears, “Ribbit 9 iron.” The man looks around and doesn’t see anyone. Again, he hears, “Ribbit 9 iron.” He looks at the frog and decided to prove the frog wrong, puts the club away, and grabs a nine iron. BOOM! He hits it 10 inches from the cup. He is shocked. He says to the frog, “Wow that’s amazing.” You must be a lucky frog, eh?” The frog replies, “Ribbit lucky frog.”
The man decides to take the frog with him to the next hole. “What do you think frog,” the man asks. “Ribbit three wood.” The guy takes out the three wood and BOOM! Hole in one. The man is befuddled and doesn’t know what to say. By the end of the day, the man shot the best game of his life and asks the frog, “OK, where to next?” The frog replies, “Ribbit Las Vegas.” They go to Las Vegas and the guy says, “OK frog, now what?” The frog says, “Ribbit Roulette.” Upon approaching the roulette table, the man asks, “What do you think I should bet?” The frog replies, “Ribbit $3000, black 6.” Now, this is a million to one shot to win, but after the golf game, the man figures what the heck. BOOM! Tons of cash come sliding back across the table. The man takes his winnings and buys the best room in the hotel. He sets the frog down and says, “Frog, I don’t know how to repay you. You’ve won me all this money and I am forever grateful.” The frog replies, “Ribbit kiss me.” The guy figures why not. After all the frog did for him, he deserves it. With a kiss, the frog turns into a gorgeous 15-year-old girl.”
“And that, your honor, is how the girl ended up in my room.”
What do you think? “Ribbit, Ribbit, did he get away with it?”
The couple have not been getting along for years, so the husband thinks, “I’ll buy my wife a cemetery plot for her birthday.”
Well, you can imagine her disappointment. The next year, her birthday rolls around again and he doesn’t give her anything. She says, “Why didn’t you get me a birthday present?”
He says, “You didn’t use what I got you last year!”
It was this memorable line from his, “I Have A Dream,” speech that caught my attention and pushed me towards a life of going up against injustice of any kind.
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
It was delivered during the March on Washington in 1963 but that speech which called for an end to segregation and discrimination will reach a young girl many years later and it would stop me in my treks as I listened to that voice, a forceful and rhythmic one which came droning out of an open window. I didn’t know what it meant at the time but I knew that it was important whatever it was.
I was far removed from a world of injustice. My world revolved around the fantasy world I had created in my safe childhood space but I would learn as I delved into books that the world was a cruel place and that even children were not “free” from the violence and injustices that segregation and discrimination brought about.
Martin Luther King was a civil rights activist but more than that he was a man of courage. It took courage to stand up against injustice and it still is. People have come a long ways from “Whites Only” places BUT there is still much to be done as we are seeing with the current administration.
“Let freedom ring,” was repeated throughout the speech and the last lines, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” concluded the speech. However, no matter how hopeful it was, discrimination as we all know is not a thing of the past. It is alive and doing well.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” MLK
He wasn’t a tall man but he came out as a giant using just his voice as a powerful tool and his stance of non-violence to get his message across. A one of a kind as far as historical figures go and therefore, my favorite historical figure.
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