It came out of nowhere and kept us captive for a long long time. Things changed and life was all about that mask and those tests. I hated it but it was needed at the time.
I don’t remember much except that people were distrustful of each other and staying home was warranted. Life was a blur because I was going through something else. Something very emotional. A close friend was in the last stages of life and I remember how difficult it was to see him in the hospital. Hospital visits were not allowed. He was in ICU and I wasn’t allowed to visit. When he came out of it, visitations could only be made after a Covid test was done and you were pronounced Covid-free. I remember how frustrated I used to get about all the extra time needed to just make a hospital visit. This went on for several weeks and it drained me of energy.
Adapting to something that came out of nowhere and made the world pay attention required a certain mindset. It needed strength, resilience and a narrow-minded focus but I think more than that it required working together to beat this disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Mistrust was rife and a cough in the supermarket sent many running for cover, well, perhaps not running but they certainly kept their distance! Learning to cope within four walls was difficult for some but I mastered it like a champ. These days I am grateful when I walk into crowded spaces and don’t have to reach for my mask!
Daily writing prompt
How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?
Let It Be. How many times have we heard this phrase? I don’t know about you but I’ve heard it often enough mostly from well-meaning friends, people who care and those who want better for me.
Did it sink in? NOT when I was in the midst of what I call my “end of the world” meltdowns. During these times, “let it be” was the last thing on my mind. However, when you look at these three words, it does hold power behind its seemingly gentle facade. The strength lies in its ability to slow things down, to step back and to take a good hard look at the situation and to say, there is nothing left for me to do so breathe and LET IT BE. Three unassuming words but a powerhouse when it comes to comfort, acceptance and a message of hope.
I want revenge! I want my old friend “karma” to step in and do what I can’t do! I want payback! Unfortunately, revenge is a dangerous option and karma, well it takes its time and that is the problem. Payback? It doesn’t happen automatically. So what do you do while you wait for whatever it is that you’re waiting for to take place? Breathe quietly and LET IT BE.
There is comfort in knowing that you don’t have to do anything. Wipe away the tears, tone down the rhetoric and just LET IT BE.
Acceptance, well this is much more difficult. Accepting means you are ready to let go of an event or situation that has caused so much turmoil. How do you calm this beast down? Breathe deeply and LET IT BE.
Hope is a four letter word that holds power within its unassuming persona. When you zoom into this optimistic state of mind, all things are possible is the message. Armed with comfort, acceptance and hope, I’m going to breathe and LET IT BE, if only for today. Tomorrow is another story!
It used to be getting out of bed after stretching and cuddling with Chachi, the cat. Not in that order, but quite often it was a relaxing affair. Waking up, listening to the birds outside, snoozing, and kissing my little guy. That was back then!
Now, it is jumping out of bed because I have two cats waiting outside the door scratching and demanding attention! I have Chachi, my little guy, telling me that he is not too pleased with life at the moment, and stretching and listening to the birds have been relegated to never never land!
Life is stressful these days. There is a saying that goes something like this. You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, and that is how I am feeling right now. I would love to go back to those days when my morning ritual was one of utter relaxation and there was time to dream before getting the day started.
Maybe at some point in the future, I will return to those lazy days of stretching like a cat, having breakfast in bed, and making a plan for the day. Until then, I will have to make do with three rascals who think they run my world! Right now, they do.
Daily writing prompt
What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Epictetus
This basically means that while, “life brings uncontrollable events, your response is a choice.” How often do we react without thinking when something of the unsavory nature happens to us? The reaction that often follows is anger, sadness, depression, unworthiness and a whole host of other emotions. More than that, we carry those feelings on our backs or in our hearts and each one adds to the heavy burden until that load becomes too heavy to carry and to bear.
“The first reaction is surely the most natural one, but not always the most correct one.” Criss Jami
Depending on what was dished out by someone else, your reaction follows a natural path. Was it an insult? Did it bring you down? Was it something that cut you down to size? How about someone’s envy and jealousy? Yes, sometimes those two go together and they can be a powerful deterrent to your mindset and have the ability to make you question yourself. Your reaction to all or some of the above may seem like a normal response but there is a heavy price to pay for those reactions. Just react like “water off a duck’s back,” you say. Not everyone can do that. There are those who take some of those nasty and often hurtful things to heart and it stays and cuts them down to size.
“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” Wayne Dyer
This particular quote opened up a door that I had kept closed. I, like many of you, chose to react a certain way when I was faced with events of an unsavoury nature. I would spend a lot of time mulling over the event, wondering why it happened, did I contribute to it, and it just went from bad to worse from there until I was so deep in the rabbit hole that there was no coming up for air!
“NOT EVERY ACTION DESERVES A REACTION.”
That right there is what I had to learn to make things easier, to let go of things that don’t matter and to carry on with a lighter load. The next time someone says something mean or tries to cut you down to size, DO NOT REACT. Easier said than done, I know. Try not to pick up whatever they are throwing your way for whatever reason, that reason is not yours to bear. Go forth knowing that your reaction matters, and your mindset matters too. The less you choose to take on and allow to accompany you on this journey of life, the better.
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” Charles R. Swindoll
AND
“Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.” Mia Hamm
The next time you want to jump on that bandwagon of reacting because it is the normal thing to do, take a deep breath, step back, think carefully, drop that stone to the ground and move on leaving it where it belongs. It doesn’t belong with you, let whoever sent it your way have it back. Watch as the power is taken away from them and you walk away the winner.
I could go with more but I’m going to stick to what I think makes a person unique.
Honesty
I place a lot of importance on honesty. It is hard to find because people tend to lie like there is no tomorrow! However, without honesty it is hard to trust someone and honesty is an essential component of a relationship where respect for the person comes into play in the form of honesty. You are unique if honesty is your stronghold.
Integrity
Without integrity there are no moral principles. Someone who does whatever he/she wants without moral principles is someone I try to avoid at all costs. A person with integrity has a strong moral code and tries to do the right thing and it is indeed a unique quality to have and to treasure.
Humility
I find this quality extremely attractive more than looks or stature in life. These people are usually very modest and do not think they are better than others. There is a certain kindness that shines through and they don’t mind getting their hands dirty. This is definitely a unique quality and one that is extremely attractive and makes the person stand out even more.
The little guy didn’t know what hit him but life as he knew it is gone and he has to put up with two intruders! He hadn’t see them in a long time so they are strangers again. Mommy is acting strange and is trying to butter them up and THAT is not settling too well with the Little Macho. It was talk time. Lord, have mercy!
Chachi: “Mom, why are they here? I don’t like them touching my stuff and using my toilet!”
Me: “You have to be nicer to them. They are missing their daddy.”
Daddy is my son who has moved away because of a new job and he has an apartment that doesn’t allow cats. It will take some time to rectify that situation so in the mean time, I am stuck with them. Chachi, the brat, just has to cool it and learn to share. There are three litter boxes in the house but for some reason, the two love using his!
Chachi: “I don’t think they were brought up too well. The big guy, Galli, hasn’t learned how to use the toilet yet and that little white one, Shiro, thinks toilets are beauty salons! She loves sticking her nose in them!”
Me: “I think she likes clean toilets. I noticed she was in the bathroom after my shower and was sniffing the air like it was something wonderful. Just part of being a girl. You should try to be friends with her.”
Chachi: “Grr! No way that is going to happen. I DON’T LIKE HER! I can tolerate Galli but I want you to stop kissing his forehead!”
Me: “Can you help me just a little? What’s with the hissing? You sure do act big for your size.”
Chachi: “Mom! I can take them both with one go!
Me: “Okay, no fighting. No hissing. No growling, and no “I’m the big man crap!” If you are nicer to them, you get extra kisses tonight and you get to cuddle with Mommy.”
Chachi: “Well, I get that anyway. Okay, I will try but you have to stop kissing them!”
ME: “Deal!”
I’ll sneak in those kisses when he’s not looking! They need loving too.
This morning there was a definite turnaround. The Little Brat has been out there for about an hour now. When I walked up the stairs to check on him, he was on the floor with Galli and they were trying to figure out how to make the ball move in the cat toy. Shiro walked past with a flippant glance at him and he didn’t hiss!
I’m hoping that the “white flag” will survive the day and they become friends.
You’ve heard me talk about it, rave over it, and speak about the comfort and joy I get from it. I call it, “The Fields.” It is a stone’s throw away from the house and once there, I find peace and a sense of calm that invades my whole being. I don’t know why. It could be that I love open spaces and even though there is the mountain to one side and the forest on the other, however, in the middle and for as far as the eye can see, it is just open fields. I have a slight case of claustrophobia, it could just be in my mind, but when I am out there I can let my soul fly and calmness descends and surrounds me.
It is beautiful in any season. Each season brings something new to discover and each one brings forth its own unique kind of beauty. Winter is dark and grey but even then there is a certain charm that beckons and envelops me in its midst like I belong there. Spring is a glorious affair. The apple trees come into bloom and the air is scented with something sweet that goes wafting by as I walk past. The red, pink and white blossoms are gorgeous. Summer is when I stay away from the open fields and stick to the forest line. There is shade there but I can still look across at the open fields and see the bright blue skies and the fields wearing their summer green. Absolutely mesmerizing. Fall is when everything takes a step back and the fields prepare for their long-awaited rest. They’ve done their job and it is time to snooze.
I spend a lot of time there. Most days, I am out there enjoying the company of nature listening to the birds in the trees, watching the crows as they gather in the fields, and paying attention to the deer and the rabbits as they come out to play. Once I jokingly said to a friend, “When I die, I want my ashes to be strewn out there.” I can’t see myself being buried in a graveyard somewhere, I want to be free even in death!
He laughed and said, “Unfortunately, they don’t allow that kind of thing here.” There is a strict protocol as to how ashes can be dispersed and they stick to it! Oh well, a nice thought but an impossible one to achieve.
The next best thing is to have the fields named after me. “Tia’s Fields” It does have a nice ring to it. I think so anyway. Let’s see if that works out!
Daily writing prompt
If you could have something named after you, what would it be?
A senior citizen drove his brand new Corvette convertible out of the dealership. Taking off down the road, he floored it to 80 mph, enjoying the wind blowing through what little gray hair he had left. Amazing, he thought as he flew down I-94, pushing the pedal even more.
Looking in his rear view mirror, he saw a state trooper behind him, lights flashing and siren blaring. He floored it to 100 mph, then 110, then 120. Suddenly he thought, What am I doing? I’m too old for this, and pulled over to await the trooper’s arrival.
Pulling in behind him, the trooper walked up to the Corvette, looked at his watch, and said, “Sir, my shift ends in 30 minutes. Today is Friday. If you can give me a reason for speeding that I’ve never heard before, I’ll let you go.”
The old gentleman paused. Then he said, “Years ago, my wife ran off with a state trooper. I thought you were bringing her back.”
I would say a lot of things. I look for laughter everyday and it is an effort that I take seriously. It has been said, “laughter is the best medicine,” and I totally agree. A day without laughter in my world is like a day without sunshine. It is tinged with grey and something seems to be sorely lacking.
Seeking laughter is in my daily to-do list. Stand-up comedy is a good source. I love Max Amini and his brand of comedy. He always has me laughing and if that gets boring, I watch comedies which definitely does the trick and puts a sunshiny spin on my mood. Then there is the abundant supply of jokes out there that tickles my funny bone and I have posted some of them here. Not always funny to some but it is to me and that matters.
My most important laughter maker and stress buster is Chachi, the cat, aka Little Einstein. Not a day goes by without laughter from that angle. He doesn’t even have to do anything, just standing there with his front paws crossed has me breaking out in laughter. There is just something about the little guy that brings smiles and laughter in my direction. Perhaps it is called love, the unconditional kind. Whatever it is, I have found my perpetual source of laughter and it is of the happiness kind. He instigates it sometimes unknowingly but it does the trick and most days I wear a smile on my face having indulged in rip-roaring laughter. Laughter is there to be harvested if you just pay attention and decide to give it a chance. Try it, it is a beautiful thing and it gives stress a boot out the door!
It is going around here and there is no stopping it no matter how hard I try. Some of you may know that I have three cats now. One is my own called Chachi, or rather Little Macho and sometimes Little Einstein. He is one smart cookie but he’s not too happy these days and that is putting it mildly. The other two belong to my son who has moved away to pursue the rigors of having a new job and cats don’t fit into that equation, not at the moment anyway. Hopefully, in six months. Yes, you heard right. I will be playing babysitter for that amount of time or maybe even longer. The two in question are, Shiro, the white Persian who looks sweet, pretty, and spoiled as they come! She is quiet until something rubs her up the wrong way and then her claws come out. Right now, Chachi seems to be bringing out the “not so nice her” for some reason. The other partner in crime is Gallahad, a dark grey British long-hair with orange eyes. He looks menacing at first glance but is a sweetheart at his core.
The two moved in here about three weeks ago and life hasn’t been the same since then. When once I was surrounded by calm, chaos reigns supreme now! Keeping the place clean from the minute I get up, feeding all three, and keeping them happy seems to be my daily routine. It is wearing me out but I love challenges so I am trying my best and sometimes my best is not enough as I am finding out.
This morning I woke up to my little guy running around the bedroom. He decided that I was sleeping too long and it was time for mommy to wake up and get going. He wanted to see what the other two were doing. They are not friends yet, however, the “thaw” is taking place slowly but surely. I wasn’t too pleased with his method of waking me up so I told him to cool it. He did, but decided he’d try a different strategy. He threw up on the floor! I jumped out of bed and wasn’t too pleased. First, I had to clean up the mess. Then, I heard them. The two outside the door striking up their chorus of, “Where are you? We are hungry!” I walked out of the room and asked, “What do you two want?”
The answer, “What do you think?”
Then I noticed that the litter box was full! It couldn’t get any worse? It did. One had missed his or her mark and it was there right on the floor! I cleaned up all the litter boxes, disinfected them all before breakfast and I was not in a good mood. Then it was feeding time. They got their food, ate like they hadn’t been fed for weeks! Little Snort, that’s my guy, was behind the bedroom door demanding that he be let out. Lord, have mercy!
It was time for my cup of coffee and breakfast. I made it and walked back into the bedroom to listen to news and to see what was going on in the world, more specifically what Taco Trump was up to. Nothing new, he’s doing his normal, talking out of both sides of his mouth. They (Iranians) are good and smart people and the next, they are evil and we are going to blow them to kingdom come! Time for him to go? What do you think?
Anyway, by now all three were in symphony demanding to be let out or let in depending on their standpoint. It was time to get the day started. I walked out looking like Aunt Jemima on one of her worst days to tackle the cleaning. First, it was vacuuming from top to bottom, then mopping the floors, taking out the trash, and making sure the “cats” were all clean. What a day and it is just starting.
Chachi wanted to play with his best buddy, Galli. They have a love hate relationship and that means keeping a vigilant eye on them. Shiro, like a good little girl ate her food, and is now sleeping by the window. Guess what? Snow has moved in, it wasn’t in the forecast, and is coming down.
Weekdays and weekends are all rolled into one as far as I am concerned. I HOPE they learn to love each other and my days and nights get better. I can hope but the three marauders are not complying and that right there is the problem.
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