Thursday, January 27, 2011
PLEASURES
What is more beautiful than to see someone at any age smiling with happiness? The little girl is not only adorable to look at, but her pleasure in holding the doll and wearing grandma's shower cap shows on her face.
The graduating girl is so glad she is rid of High School she beams with delight that this part of her education is finally over.
The mature woman is celebrating her 80-something birthday. She has survived most of her siblings, her husband, and many of her aged friends. She is with family and enjoying the party they are giving her. Look at her face. She is happy.
Happiness and pleasures come in many formats. I keep looking for them and enjoying them more now. The reason is that life, at best, is brief. We come here for the smallest amount of time to do whatever it is we are supposed to do, and then we return to the fold. Why not make it as pleasurable as we possibly can, even if life throws us curves? It is too easy to fall into the victim category. I have done it and it is unhealthy. You have done it and it is still unhealthy. Choice to view life negatively is ours. Choice to view life positively is also ours. Which one do you prefer? Which one is your most frequent companion?
I have seen so many of my family, friends, co-workers, and pets depart this earthly existence. Most weren't ready to go. Most would have stayed on here if only they could have. Did they all make the best of their lots? Did they enjoy their brief stay?
I grew up with many who miraculously survived the Nazi Death Camps. These people visited my father constantly and I had to hear all of their stories as a child. It was awful. I would have nightmares remembering what they suffered and how they lost their families. Yet, those who survived, made amazing lives for themselves, in spite of what they endured. They must have known the true value of life and realized that unless they made each second count and be important, that life simply did not have value.
I applaud the courage to face each day and make it the best day you can.
Think about this and let me hear what gives you the most pleasure in your lives? Smiles from and to RubyNorma *o*
Comments: =
The most pleasure in my life? .... easy! My Saviour and my cats! ~ Fiona
I really appreciated these photos and your thoughts and perspective!!! ~ Debbie
Well said.....life doesn't cause us suffering, it's what we think of life that does. ~ Sharon
I just loved this my dear girl, you are so special..
Hugzzzzzzzzz to ya. ~ Sherry
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Para-NORMA-lly Yours ~ Smokey
Many decades ago when I was probably nine-ish, Gorgeous Tuxedo Smokey entered my life. These are my only surviving photos that include him, his mother Biggie, and a sibling named Fluffy. For the precious few months we had together before he disappeared permanently, Smokey became my soul-kittie. He learned everything on one try. He kissed me all the time with affection. He knew what I was thinking telepathically. In the days of Smokey and me, back in The Stone Age...... most cats lived outdoors, only came in during bad weather, and did not get altered or use litterboxes.
Smokey did not return for food one day, and it caused me a trauma so severe, that I literally chose to forget it until my dear friend's dog was put to sleep a few years ago. This particular night I simply couldn't sleep and felt very anxious, but did not consciously know yet that they had to put their failing dog to sleep. I fitfully slept and then saw Smokey as vividly as my keyboard which is right in front of my eyes as I type these words for you to read.
Smokey showed me what had transpired with my friend's dog, and then led/pranced her across The Rainbow Bridge with me following gingerly behind them. I saw so many of my deceased loved ones waving to me on the "OTHER SIDE!" As I followed Smokey and my friend's dog to Rainbow, I tried to cross over with them. But alas, I was told, "It wasn't my time yet." Then I awoke to see it was only five a.m. and the phone was ringing. My girlfriend was sobbing on the other end and told me they had just put her dog to sleep. Everything I saw in the dream and Smokey showed me was precisely what my bereaved friend said on the phone at that ungodly hour.
I pray with every fiber of my being that God Almighty allows me to sweetly enjoy all those who I so cherish when it is my turn to leave here for Rainbow. In the meantime, please direct your "Para-Norma-lly Yours" comments to the blog and it will surely be printed for all the readers to ponder and enjoy! ~ Blest Be. RubyNorma *o*
Comments: =
1-RubyNorma,
We once lived on your block. What a surprise to see your long ago kitties.
Your Brooklyn, NY Neighbors from many eons ago. Marilyn
2-Over the years we have had many unusual encounters with our deceased loved ones. I used to think it was odd. Now I think it is normal. Roger in Tucson
3-Do you actually want me to believe this? I find it hard to accept. anon
4-We come from India, where the belief in paranormal events is daily life.
What a stunning visit you had with your precious Smokey. Of course he
was guiding your friend's dog to the other side. Thanks for sharing this.
Dahinha
5-I lost my sight many years ago and have had to overcome this by enhancing the other senses.
Amazingly, my ESP kicked in bigtime to help out. Thank you for telling us this story that
obviously means so much to you. When my seeing eye dog crossed over to Rainbow, after
I grieved beyond words, he came back to visit regularly. True love does not recognize different
dimensions of consciousness. Ama Rose in Wyoming.
We once lived on your block. What a surprise to see your long ago kitties.
Your Brooklyn, NY Neighbors from many eons ago. Marilyn
2-Over the years we have had many unusual encounters with our deceased loved ones. I used to think it was odd. Now I think it is normal. Roger in Tucson
3-Do you actually want me to believe this? I find it hard to accept. anon
4-We come from India, where the belief in paranormal events is daily life.
What a stunning visit you had with your precious Smokey. Of course he
was guiding your friend's dog to the other side. Thanks for sharing this.
Dahinha
5-I lost my sight many years ago and have had to overcome this by enhancing the other senses.
Amazingly, my ESP kicked in bigtime to help out. Thank you for telling us this story that
obviously means so much to you. When my seeing eye dog crossed over to Rainbow, after
I grieved beyond words, he came back to visit regularly. True love does not recognize different
dimensions of consciousness. Ama Rose in Wyoming.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Aunt Kay Simmons Blumberg
This is the first of more blogs to come on....
MY AUNT KAY SIMMONS BLUMBERG. The photo is one of her now famous pictures to grace the NYC art galleries. I can say, in all honesty, that Aunt Kay taught me more about many things than did my own family. She came into my life via marriage. Our beginnings were tumultuous at best. After a number of years and Aunt Kay becoming almost deaf, we began a very long and remarkably deep letter-writing relationship that brought us both to the point of truly loving and respecting each other. I miss you terribly, even now Aunt Kay. RIP... Thank God we became such close friends.
To be continued - - - - - -
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Keith Olbermann gives abrupt goodbye to MSNBC show
I consider this article important enough to print on Norma's Ark. www.normasark.blogspot.com/
Please comment? Thank you in advance. Ruby *o*
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer David Bauder, Ap Television Writer – Sat Jan 22, 3:49 am ET
NEW YORK – Keith Olbermann was MSNBC's most popular personality and single-handedly led its transformation to an outspoken, left-leaning cable news network in prime time. Despite that, he often seemed to be walking on a tightrope with his job. Friday night, it snapped.
Olbermann returned from one last commercial break on "Countdown" to tell viewers it was his last broadcast, and read a James Thurber short story in a three-minute exit statement. Simultaneously, MSNBC e-mailed a statement that "MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract." The network thanked him and said, "we wish him well in his future endeavors."
Neither MSNBC President Phil Griffin, Olbermann nor his manager responded to requests to explain an exit so abrupt that Olbermann's face was still being featured on an MSNBC promotional ad 30 minutes after he had said goodbye.
Olbermann was nearly fired in November, but instead was suspended two days without pay for violating an NBC News policy by donating to three political campaigns, including the congressional campaign of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. He returned and apologized to his fans, but not the network.
MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines insisted Olbermann's exit had nothing to do with the acquisition of parent company NBC Universal by Comcast, which received regulatory approval last week. That deal marked the exit of NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker, who saw Olbermann's value in turning around a once-unprofitable network, despite headaches the mercurial personality could sometimes cause his bosses.
"There were many occasions, particularly in the last 2 1/2 years, where all that surrounded the show — but never the show itself — was just too much for me," Olbermann said in his exit statement. "But your support and loyalty and, if I may use the word, insistence, ultimately required that I keep going. My gratitude to you is boundless."
Olbermann's father, Theodore, who was often cited when his son discussed problems in the health care system, died last March. His mother died the year before.
"A lot of people are trying to figure out if this was truly voluntary or not," said Adam Green, co-founder of BoldProgressives.org, which collected thousands of petition signatures urging Olbermann's reinstatement following last fall's suspension.
More in Entertainment
After Giffords was shot in the head on Jan. 8, Olbermann took to the air with an emotional editorial that night saying politicians and talk show personalities — including himself — need to swear off any kind of violent imagery so as not to incite anybody into acts like the Giffords shooting.
Olbermann's peripatetic career landed him at MSNBC eight years ago — his second prime-time stint on the network — with a humorous show counting down the day's top stories. That changed on Aug. 30, 2006, when Olbermann aired the first of a series of densely-worded and blistering "special comments," this time expressing anger at then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's criticism of opponents to the war in Iraq.
More anti-Bush administration commentary followed. Olbermann dropped any pretense of journalistic objectivity, and he became a hero to liberals battered by the popularity of Fox News Channel and its conservative commentators. Olbermann openly feuded with Fox, often naming personalities like Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck one of his "worst persons in the world" for some of their statements.
"Countdown" became MSNBC's most popular show. Instantly, a network that had often floundered in seeking a direction molded itself after Olbermann. Opinion was in, and MSNBC's prime-time lineup was filled out with Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell, who both had been subs for Olbermann when he was away.
Olbermann, before leaving the show with a final signature toss of his script toward the camera on Friday, thanked his audience for sticking with him. As was often his habit on Friday nights, he read a Thurber short story, this one titled "Scottie Who Knew Too Much" and published in 1940.
The story's final line: "It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all of the answers."
He thanked several people, including the late Tim Russert, but pointedly not Griffin or NBC News President Steve Capus.
He said he was grateful to the network that he was given time to sign off, noting that when he left ESPN in the 1990s, he was given 30 seconds — cut in half at the last minute to get in tennis results.
David Brock, founder and CEO of the liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America, said Olbermann "led the charge" against "conservative misinformation in prime time."
"Keith is an innovator and extremely talented broadcaster who showed there was a market for progressive views on cable news," Brock said. "I'm sure we'll be hearing more of him soon, and I eagerly await hearing of his next move."
The mood was different at Newsbusters, a website operated by the conservative Media Research Center: "You guys at Newsbusters should really break out the champagne and party," wrote one reader about Olbermann.
The Cornell graduate first became known for his work on ESPN's "Sportscenter," where he also cultivated a reputation for being talented but difficult to work with. His first MSNBC stint ended in the late 1990s when he quit, complaining his bosses were telling him to talk too much about President Bill Clinton's impeachment scandal.
MSNBC announced that O'Donnell, who had frequently filled in for Olbermann before starting his own 10 p.m. show, will take over Olbermann's time slot starting Monday. "The Ed Show," with Ed Schultz, will move to 10 p.m. Cenk Uygur of the Web show "The Young Turks" will fill Schultz's vacated 6 p.m. time slot.
Olbermann's plans are unclear. He signed a four-year contract with MSNBC two years ago; contract buyouts typically include noncompete clauses that keep a personality off TV for a period of time.
CNN has continued to struggle in prime time, most recently with a program in Olbermann's time slot hosted by Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker. Bringing Olbermann on, however, would mean a dramatic shift in the network's determined nonpartisan stance, and there was no indication such a change was imminent.
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer David Bauder, Ap Television Writer – Sat Jan 22, 3:49 am ET
NEW YORK – Keith Olbermann was MSNBC's most popular personality and single-handedly led its transformation to an outspoken, left-leaning cable news network in prime time. Despite that, he often seemed to be walking on a tightrope with his job. Friday night, it snapped.
Olbermann returned from one last commercial break on "Countdown" to tell viewers it was his last broadcast, and read a James Thurber short story in a three-minute exit statement. Simultaneously, MSNBC e-mailed a statement that "MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract." The network thanked him and said, "we wish him well in his future endeavors."
Neither MSNBC President Phil Griffin, Olbermann nor his manager responded to requests to explain an exit so abrupt that Olbermann's face was still being featured on an MSNBC promotional ad 30 minutes after he had said goodbye.
Olbermann was nearly fired in November, but instead was suspended two days without pay for violating an NBC News policy by donating to three political campaigns, including the congressional campaign of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. He returned and apologized to his fans, but not the network.
MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines insisted Olbermann's exit had nothing to do with the acquisition of parent company NBC Universal by Comcast, which received regulatory approval last week. That deal marked the exit of NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker, who saw Olbermann's value in turning around a once-unprofitable network, despite headaches the mercurial personality could sometimes cause his bosses.
"There were many occasions, particularly in the last 2 1/2 years, where all that surrounded the show — but never the show itself — was just too much for me," Olbermann said in his exit statement. "But your support and loyalty and, if I may use the word, insistence, ultimately required that I keep going. My gratitude to you is boundless."
Olbermann's father, Theodore, who was often cited when his son discussed problems in the health care system, died last March. His mother died the year before.
"A lot of people are trying to figure out if this was truly voluntary or not," said Adam Green, co-founder of BoldProgressives.org, which collected thousands of petition signatures urging Olbermann's reinstatement following last fall's suspension.
More in Entertainment
After Giffords was shot in the head on Jan. 8, Olbermann took to the air with an emotional editorial that night saying politicians and talk show personalities — including himself — need to swear off any kind of violent imagery so as not to incite anybody into acts like the Giffords shooting.
Olbermann's peripatetic career landed him at MSNBC eight years ago — his second prime-time stint on the network — with a humorous show counting down the day's top stories. That changed on Aug. 30, 2006, when Olbermann aired the first of a series of densely-worded and blistering "special comments," this time expressing anger at then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's criticism of opponents to the war in Iraq.
More anti-Bush administration commentary followed. Olbermann dropped any pretense of journalistic objectivity, and he became a hero to liberals battered by the popularity of Fox News Channel and its conservative commentators. Olbermann openly feuded with Fox, often naming personalities like Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck one of his "worst persons in the world" for some of their statements.
"Countdown" became MSNBC's most popular show. Instantly, a network that had often floundered in seeking a direction molded itself after Olbermann. Opinion was in, and MSNBC's prime-time lineup was filled out with Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell, who both had been subs for Olbermann when he was away.
Olbermann, before leaving the show with a final signature toss of his script toward the camera on Friday, thanked his audience for sticking with him. As was often his habit on Friday nights, he read a Thurber short story, this one titled "Scottie Who Knew Too Much" and published in 1940.
The story's final line: "It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all of the answers."
He thanked several people, including the late Tim Russert, but pointedly not Griffin or NBC News President Steve Capus.
He said he was grateful to the network that he was given time to sign off, noting that when he left ESPN in the 1990s, he was given 30 seconds — cut in half at the last minute to get in tennis results.
David Brock, founder and CEO of the liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America, said Olbermann "led the charge" against "conservative misinformation in prime time."
"Keith is an innovator and extremely talented broadcaster who showed there was a market for progressive views on cable news," Brock said. "I'm sure we'll be hearing more of him soon, and I eagerly await hearing of his next move."
The mood was different at Newsbusters, a website operated by the conservative Media Research Center: "You guys at Newsbusters should really break out the champagne and party," wrote one reader about Olbermann.
The Cornell graduate first became known for his work on ESPN's "Sportscenter," where he also cultivated a reputation for being talented but difficult to work with. His first MSNBC stint ended in the late 1990s when he quit, complaining his bosses were telling him to talk too much about President Bill Clinton's impeachment scandal.
MSNBC announced that O'Donnell, who had frequently filled in for Olbermann before starting his own 10 p.m. show, will take over Olbermann's time slot starting Monday. "The Ed Show," with Ed Schultz, will move to 10 p.m. Cenk Uygur of the Web show "The Young Turks" will fill Schultz's vacated 6 p.m. time slot.
Olbermann's plans are unclear. He signed a four-year contract with MSNBC two years ago; contract buyouts typically include noncompete clauses that keep a personality off TV for a period of time.
CNN has continued to struggle in prime time, most recently with a program in Olbermann's time slot hosted by Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker. Bringing Olbermann on, however, would mean a dramatic shift in the network's determined nonpartisan stance, and there was no indication such a change was imminent.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Suicide bombing in Iraq kills 52 police recruits
May I ask my readers what they feel the USA has accomplished by invading Iraq and Afghanistan? Are we Americans better off for having done this?
I know people from around the world are reading Norma's Ark and would like to make their feelings heard globally.
Thank you for your input. ~ Dr. RubyNorma Yanez
Slideshow:Iraq
Play Video Iraq Video:Blast in Iraq kills police recruits Reuters
Play Video Iraq Video:Iraq suffers deadliest attack in months AP
By LARA JAKES and SAAD ABDUL-KADIR, Associated Press Lara Jakes And Saad Abdul-kadir, Associated Press – 53 mins ago
BAGHDAD – A suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd of police recruits on Tuesday, killing at least 52 people and undercutting Iraqi security efforts as the nation struggles to show it can protect itself without foreign help.
The death toll was still rising hours after police said the bomber joined hundreds of waiting recruits and detonated his explosives-packed vest outside the police station in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, some 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Baghdad.
The attack starkly displayed the Iraqi forces' failure to plug even the most obvious holes in their security as the U.S. military prepares to withdraw from Iraq at the year's end. One recruit who survived the blast said the jobseekers were frisked before they entered the station's yard.
"We were waiting in the line to enter the police station yard after being searched when a powerful explosion threw me to the ground," said recruit Quteiba Muhsin, whose legs were fractured in the blast. "I saw the dead bodies of two friends who were in the line. I am still in shock because of the explosion and the scene of my two dead friends."
Loudspeakers from the city's mosques were calling on people to donate blood for the wounded. An Iraqi television station broadcast footage from the scene that showed pools of blood, bits of clothing and shoes of the victims scattered near a concrete blast wall.
Tikrit police put the death toll at 52, with at least 150 wounded. Dr. Anas Abdul-Khaliq of Tikrit hospital confirmed the casualty figures.
Tikrit is the capital of Sunni-dominated Salahuddin province, and the city sheltered some of al-Qaida's most fervent support after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam.
Salahuddin provincial councilman Abdullah Jabara accused al-Qaida of being behind the attack.
"The aim of this terrorist attack carried out by al-Qaida operatives is to shake the security in the province and to bring back instability to Tikrit," Jabara said. "The security forces shoulder responsibility for this tragic incident."
Jabara said insurgents successfully exploited what he called "inefficiencies" and "breaches" in security measures, calling it "an indication that the terrorists are still on the job and all security forces should be on high alert all the time."
One Tikrit policeman said at least two of the dead were police officers. A second police official said a grenade that had not exploded was found near the scene.
The group of recruits was the first to vie for 2,000 new police jobs that Iraq's Interior Ministry recently approved for Salahuddin. They were waiting for interviews and medical checks as part of the application process, police said.
Both policemen spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
Insurgents have long found recruitment centers a favorite target, taking advantage of lax security measures just outside protective barriers at police stations and the confusion caused by desperate jobseekers scrambling for work in a country with an unemployment rate as high as 30 percent.
A similar strike on an Iraqi recruitment center and army headquarters in central Baghdad last August left 61 dead and 125 wounded in what was one of the deadliest attacks of the summer. Two weeks later, militants attacked the same building again, detonating a car bomb and trying to shoot their way in, killing eight and wounding 29.
Tuesday's attack was Iraq's deadliest since early November, when a series of bombings on mostly Shiite neighborhoods killed 76 across Baghdad, and followed a weekslong lull that saw mostly small-scale bombings and shootings instead of spectacular violence. It served as a reminder of how unpredictable Iraq's security remains, and that progress can be measured only in small steps.
Taxi driver Abdul-Hamid Mikhlaf described the scene in Tikrit as "horrific."
"I saw wounded people running in my direction calling for help and asking me to take them to the hospital immediately," he said. "I saw several bodies on the ground as the policemen started to shoot in the air."
___
Associated Press writer Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report from Amman, Jordan.
Slideshow:Iraq
Play Video Iraq Video:Blast in Iraq kills police recruits Reuters
Play Video Iraq Video:Iraq suffers deadliest attack in months AP
By LARA JAKES and SAAD ABDUL-KADIR, Associated Press Lara Jakes And Saad Abdul-kadir, Associated Press – 53 mins ago
BAGHDAD – A suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd of police recruits on Tuesday, killing at least 52 people and undercutting Iraqi security efforts as the nation struggles to show it can protect itself without foreign help.
The death toll was still rising hours after police said the bomber joined hundreds of waiting recruits and detonated his explosives-packed vest outside the police station in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, some 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Baghdad.
The attack starkly displayed the Iraqi forces' failure to plug even the most obvious holes in their security as the U.S. military prepares to withdraw from Iraq at the year's end. One recruit who survived the blast said the jobseekers were frisked before they entered the station's yard.
"We were waiting in the line to enter the police station yard after being searched when a powerful explosion threw me to the ground," said recruit Quteiba Muhsin, whose legs were fractured in the blast. "I saw the dead bodies of two friends who were in the line. I am still in shock because of the explosion and the scene of my two dead friends."
Loudspeakers from the city's mosques were calling on people to donate blood for the wounded. An Iraqi television station broadcast footage from the scene that showed pools of blood, bits of clothing and shoes of the victims scattered near a concrete blast wall.
Tikrit police put the death toll at 52, with at least 150 wounded. Dr. Anas Abdul-Khaliq of Tikrit hospital confirmed the casualty figures.
Tikrit is the capital of Sunni-dominated Salahuddin province, and the city sheltered some of al-Qaida's most fervent support after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam.
Salahuddin provincial councilman Abdullah Jabara accused al-Qaida of being behind the attack.
"The aim of this terrorist attack carried out by al-Qaida operatives is to shake the security in the province and to bring back instability to Tikrit," Jabara said. "The security forces shoulder responsibility for this tragic incident."
Jabara said insurgents successfully exploited what he called "inefficiencies" and "breaches" in security measures, calling it "an indication that the terrorists are still on the job and all security forces should be on high alert all the time."
One Tikrit policeman said at least two of the dead were police officers. A second police official said a grenade that had not exploded was found near the scene.
The group of recruits was the first to vie for 2,000 new police jobs that Iraq's Interior Ministry recently approved for Salahuddin. They were waiting for interviews and medical checks as part of the application process, police said.
Both policemen spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
Insurgents have long found recruitment centers a favorite target, taking advantage of lax security measures just outside protective barriers at police stations and the confusion caused by desperate jobseekers scrambling for work in a country with an unemployment rate as high as 30 percent.
A similar strike on an Iraqi recruitment center and army headquarters in central Baghdad last August left 61 dead and 125 wounded in what was one of the deadliest attacks of the summer. Two weeks later, militants attacked the same building again, detonating a car bomb and trying to shoot their way in, killing eight and wounding 29.
Tuesday's attack was Iraq's deadliest since early November, when a series of bombings on mostly Shiite neighborhoods killed 76 across Baghdad, and followed a weekslong lull that saw mostly small-scale bombings and shootings instead of spectacular violence. It served as a reminder of how unpredictable Iraq's security remains, and that progress can be measured only in small steps.
Taxi driver Abdul-Hamid Mikhlaf described the scene in Tikrit as "horrific."
"I saw wounded people running in my direction calling for help and asking me to take them to the hospital immediately," he said. "I saw several bodies on the ground as the policemen started to shoot in the air."
___
Associated Press writer Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report from Amman, Jordan.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
IN THE NAME OF FEMININE SPIRITUALITY ~ (In The Name of My Personal Goddesses)
There's a part of spirituality that is remarkably feminine. It is nurturing, healing, compassionate, loving, generous, and above all, GODLY! It was my BELOVED MOM who showed me this initially. Irene Shirley had a life of tremendous challenges. Instead of taking her full scholarship to Pratt Institute, she was forced to work seven days a week in the family candy store during the Great Depression. This role came into her life because she was the eldest female. All her other siblings went on to higher educations. BTW, it was the same for my father. No one ever said life was fair. And in her/their case, it really wasn't.
Yet, she and I prayed together and it was just beautiful to feel. I am grateful for this spiritual training. No, it was not religious training. We lit Friday night candles, and prayed for healings. I now understand what a tremendous gift I was given by her. Even today, at an age I proudly disclose, I find that my prayer-life entails many of the lovely ideas my MOM taught me with her gentleness towards me. The feminine side of spirituality gives me ongoing courage, laughter, wisdoms, and the will to continue making choices that are not always simple. I applaud compassion and kindness. I applaud my beloved Mother. RIP..... Kisses to you, MOM. Kisses to all the spiritual mothers who have graced my life. amen ~ RubyNorma ~ *o*
Thursday, January 13, 2011
PRAYER CHAIR
I don't know about you, but when the world weighs heavily on my shoulders, I PRAY. In fact, I pray very often. It gives me solace.
There's a special place in my living room, under a stained glass light fixture which I slightly dim, that is especially easy for me to pray in. The rocking chair seems to make things easier to whisper to my MAKER. With all the public displays of raging violence, massacres, wars, climatic catastrophes, and economic woes, praying is one wonderful way to dilute the harsh, 3-D realities. In these times, I periodically must stop hearing the news. Sometimes while in the prayer chair and rocking, I have sweet, exotic mood music playing. For me, the prayer chair allows a respite from a wearying world of knifing events. Where in your home do you have a place for yourself to rest, meditate, pray, other than your bedroom?
I would love to hear from you?
May we all find healing peace and serenity from the many cares we face daily in order to complete our journeys down here.
~ amen ~ Ruby *o*
There's a special place in my living room, under a stained glass light fixture which I slightly dim, that is especially easy for me to pray in. The rocking chair seems to make things easier to whisper to my MAKER. With all the public displays of raging violence, massacres, wars, climatic catastrophes, and economic woes, praying is one wonderful way to dilute the harsh, 3-D realities. In these times, I periodically must stop hearing the news. Sometimes while in the prayer chair and rocking, I have sweet, exotic mood music playing. For me, the prayer chair allows a respite from a wearying world of knifing events. Where in your home do you have a place for yourself to rest, meditate, pray, other than your bedroom?
I would love to hear from you?
May we all find healing peace and serenity from the many cares we face daily in order to complete our journeys down here.
~ amen ~ Ruby *o*
So many comments came in on this blog that I decided to simply consolidate. Thank you all for your input. ;-) Ruby *o*
Comments: =
Stunning and timely!
What a relief to read this. Thank you.
You made my day.
All my friends and family will be reading this from you, Dr. Yanez. Thank you.
