Pass It On

Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?

Intuitive or Oblivious?
Calm or Excitable?

Self-understanding:

accepting strengths and weaknesses -
 motivations and quirks -

allows the security and the confidence
to navigate through Life.

My Mother was an extrovert - a Party Girl.
I am her opposite.
She liked to gab, to mingle, to shine.
I need quiet, solitude, anonymity.

She was a Doer.
I am a Seeker.

  I don't know how she made it seem OK
that I was so different from her.

But she did.

My memories of her

are a special Blessing.

If only one person
believes in you,
makes you feel loved,
knows you are unique -

Life becomes much easier.

Perhaps I can be that person
for someone else.
Maybe you can be that person, too.

A smile,
A hug,
A listening ear,
A compliment,
Some words of encouragement -

These are priceless gifts to others.

 They cost nothing but mean everything.

Spend them freely.


Find One Good Thing -
pass it on.

Tropical Interlude

Traveling from snow to sand

and clouds to sunshine,

  

we had a midwinter interlude.

 We enjoyed

 

deserted beaches,

 

sweeping vistas,

strolling sea gulls,

 

and swirled treasures.

At twilight, we paused

  

at ocean's edge

 

to witness

the joining of two lives.

.

 

May blessings drift upon them

softly as rose petals.

 

We said our goodbyes

to Family and Friends.

We're back in Colorado.

Lucinda and Justy

welcomed us home

to the reality
of more snow and cold.

Lucinda Is BACK!

Hello to
Friends
old and new

as well as
Fans

near and far!

 

I know many of you are wondering,

"Where is Lucinda B. Rabbit?"

"Why hasn't she posted

in such a long while?"

To tell the truth,

I've wondered the same thing...

After all, how many more posts

can Barb write about her Heart Attack?

Oh, I admit - even Lucinda B. Rabbit

had a minute or two of panic.

( I'd never ridden in an ambulance!)

And let me tell you -

hospital food leaves even

a normally eat-anything Rabbit

begging for some fresh veggies.

With the lack of attention I was getting,

I even considered running away from home.

Of course, I've read all your Blogs -

I can tell many -  if not all - of  you

would welcome a multi-talented,

sophisticated, well-read Rabbit.
Most would work tirelessly
to provide Lucinda B. Rabbit with
the attention and amenities required.

I've researched locales from

sea to shining sea
plus several foreign countries.

But, I still have my work
cut out for me here with Barb.
There are lessons she needs to learn,
and I'm the perfect Rabbit to teach her!


There is one other reason I'm staying:

A Bear.

The Bear's name is Justy T. Puddledunk.
He was sent to Barb by her Grandson, J-P,
who lives in Indiana.

He's a silly Bear -
after all, he's curly and
he holds onto
a ridiculous stuffed strawberry.
(What good is an inedible piece of fruit?)

For awhile, Justy sat morosely gripping
a Get Well balloon.
The balloon stayed aloft
longer than I thought necessary.
Finally, I had to puncture it with a scissors.

I figured Justy needed to get on with his Life!

Imagine my dismay when I realized
that the balloon was what held
Justy in a sitting position!




Was I was going to have to administer CPR?

Then, I realized the awful truth:

Justy T. Puddledunk
is spineless!

A Bear with no backbone...

 

Lucinda B. Rabbit must constantly

guide, cajole, and prop

so Justy can function
as a semi-respectable Ursine.

Truth be told,

Justy needs full-time bossing,

which as you know

is my specialty.

Yes, Puddledunk is a pathetic Bear.
Between him and Barb,
Lucinda B. Rabbit has her paws full.

Lucinda must remain in Colorado!

Now - best not breathe a word of this to Barb.
She doesn't know about Justy's shortcomings.

Her Heart might still be somewhat fragile...

Let's just keep these little secrets

between you and Lucinda.

Until the next time -

remember to be
loud,
naughty,
and immodest

so Lucinda B. Rabbit can be proud of you!

PS. Almost forgot to mention that
early Wednesday morning,
Barb is boarding a flight to Florida.
She wants me to tell you
how much she appreciates
your support and positive comments.

(Lucinda B Rabbit especially likes
the comments that kick
Barb in the butt and get her going!)

Here's an inspiring
poem she'd like to share:

Living Wide Open: 
Landscapes of the Mind

— Dawna Markova

I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible;
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance,
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom,
and that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.

Butterflies and Poetry

Butterflies show me

metamorphosis happens

if I allow growth.

 

  

Intricate patterns

invite me to pause and think

Who and Why and How?

  

At rest or in flight

enigmatic messengers

tell of fragile strength.

 

A fleeting beauty

existing an interlude

is no less valued.

 

My posting today
reminds me of new chapters
each day a fresh start
if only I am open
to the possibilities.

My thanks to Blogging friends

Delwyn 
Tammie
Sandy
Christine

who inspire me with their Haiku and Tanka Poetry.

Photos taken at the
Butterfly Pavilion
 Westminster, CO
February, 2010. 

I'm Fine - Really...

I've talked to my Husband.

Discussed with my Family.

Confessed to my Cardiologist.

Shared with my Friends.

Now it's Your turn

to hear my dilemma.

A happy time of celebration - 

the wedding of our Niece -

gathers my Husband's family

in a beautiful place.

The trip is planned.

We've had our plane tickets

and hotel reservations

for several months.

Since then,

I've had a Heart Attack.

Now, each twinge that normally

 passes unnoticed,

is on my radar screen.

I feel the stent -

though my wonderful Cardiologist

assures me that I don't...

I've put my imaginary Chrysalis Stent inside
a metaphorical cooked pasta shell
(as per a fellow Blogger Friend's suggestion)
to make it "softer"...
Still, I feel its sharp proximity to my Heart.

Sometimes, because of low blood pressure,

I become light-headed.

But, monitored in Cardiac Rehab,

my oxygen levels are high -

my heart beat is strong and regular.

No reason for concern -

except this -
my own Fear.

To board the plane,
fly in a cylinder above the Earth -
away from immediate access
to Emergency Rooms -
feels threatening and dangerous!

There is another week to decide.
Will I go or will I stay?

Several Rehab Buddies
share their own concerns
about their first-time flights
after their heart problems.

They were scared, too.
They went anyway.
Aside from some random chest pains,
they survived.
They conquered the paralyzing and imprisoning
need for constant monitoring.

I want to be braver.
Philosophically, I feel acceptance.

I say I'm fine.
I have Faith -
I AM fine.

But, my sneaky subconscious still
holds me captive.

To live fully or to allow fear to dictate?

To go or not to go...
that is the question.
 

 Tomorrow, it's one month since my Heart Attack.

Photos taken in Cherry Creek

and the Botanic Garden,

Denver, CO,

February, 2010.

Enjoy Life!

I'm  feeling really happy today!

After my Cardiac Rehab Class in Denver,

we drove to our home in Breckenridge.

I haven't been to town

since I left by ambulance

on January 8.

 I'm feeling A-OK!

 Fit as a fiddle!

 

 I've started to exercise again.

I'm walking briskly

at least 4 miles a day.

Later this week,

after returning to Denver,

I'll  run on the treadmill

while the physiologist

monitors my heart.

During Rehab,

I exercise aerobically 30 minutes,

I lift free-weights 10 minutes,

I stretch 10 minutes,

I practice stress relief 10 minutes.

(How can a retiree be stressed?)

 

Like the frozen Blue River,

I'm the same but different -

maybe flowing a little less freely right now
but still bubbling with life just under the surface.

 A wiser and more thankful Barb -

  

I'm realizing anew that

Life is both

a Gift and a  Journey.

I'm trying to unwrap it slowly

and enjoy the trip.

Photos of

Ice Sculptures

Breckenridge, CO,

February 1, 2010.