Spread The Love - Plant Seeds & Sing A Song

   "You have to believe in happiness or happiness never comes." - Douglas Mallock

   You've probably noticed that this week's blog is shorter than most, mainly because I'm asking a cake-load of rhetorical questions. But I want you to think about them. You'll also notice by the time you get to the bottom of this week's post, the title becomes more clear. What if we all behaved as if we were coming from the depth of humanness which is our pure love essence? Imagine a world where everyone chose to be happy... chose to show empathy... and all of life's problems weren't taken so seriously. What if people had faith that a loving God or Higher Power was in charge and everything is alright - always?

   Now before you think I've really gone off the deep end, hear me out. In the country of bali, they have a saying that basically means, "It's no problem." and/or "It's no big deal." What if people didn't get offended at another person's behavior? Even if we didn't agree or even approve of that behavior? What if everyone decided not to rush around on a daily basis, because they realized the world did not revolve around them? What if, while at work, (or even at home), took breathing and centering breaks every hour or two?

   Now - what if I did? I can honestly say my world would change. No matter what else is going on - I would have a good day. And if you and I happened to cross paths today - it would become a benefit as well as a bright spot in both our days. Wouldn't it be grand if we went around reminding each other, in one form or another - "Be human today."

   Until next time, let's all re-humanize ourselves.
   Jill

Spread The Love - No Limits On Love

   As I write this, a mellow jazz ensemble plays in the background and I'm reclining on my sofa elevating because my feet are sore. Why are my feet sore? Because it has been an absolutely spectacular day. You couldn't bribe Mother Nature for better weather in the 3rd week in July - it was wall to wall sunshine, temperatures in the low 70's, and low humidity... and an afternoon sea breeze! What did my husband and I do all day? We spent six hours outdoors with our eldest grandkids. It may have been a bit on the excessive side, considering they are now pre-teenagers, (and we're both in our 50's), but we didn't get a chance to see them last weekend due to the rainy weather.

   Our oldest daughter brought them one of our favorite swimming hangouts. Normally, we pick them at my daughters house, but today held the annual Lobster Bike Race, where the starting point of this madness is approximately three-quarters of a mile from her home. The road she lives on is the first leg of this race, and any attempt to exit her driveway is extremely difficult. Not only is it a narrow, waterfront road that has lots of winding curves, but there is no shoulder what-so-ever. There are lots of old summer cottages close to the road and one can only imagine the insane dance with regular street traffic and approximately 250-300 cyclists filling the road all jockeying for position. It is a race, you know, and it's every person for themselves. Damn the traffic and traffic laws. All entitlement - no limits... and no love.

   Once at the small park where we swim, the grandkids said their goodbye's to their Mom, quickly said hello to Dave and I, stripped off their street clothes, (their swim suits were on underneath), flung off their flip-flops, and made a b-line for the water. My grand-daughter commented on "how warm" the water was. I wasn't so sure. However, it didn't matter to her as she loves swimming. I noticed the other people at the beach; they all had canoes and kayaks. They would be enjoying the water without getting wet.

   By now, both grandkids were beckoning me to come into the water. I ran interference and sent my husband in my place. Even though he said the water wasn't cold, I still wasn't convinced. I told my family I would go in the water when I was hot enough after soaking up some rays. I find as I get older, I love being warm. I don't like the cold. When I was a child, I didn't have this love / hate relationship with temperature. However, after about an hour, my bored grandson asked me for probably the fourth time if I was coming in for a swim. I knew the water temperature hadn't climbed ten degrees in the past hour, but I love my grandchildren more than being cold.

   As I made my way into the water, it was truly bath water until I was up to my lower shin, but as I traversed deeper into the lake, it felt colder. By the time I was waist deep, I was almost shivering. The breeze blowing down the length of the lake didn't help matters. Plus I knew it was only a matter of time before my darling grand-kiddos would be splashing me anyways. Young kids are like that. They want to share their love of the water... whether I wanted the same or not. We had a pleasant swim - out to a diving dock and back, which was about a total of 400 feet in distance. When I was a young adult, swimming this distance was a cake-walk. I also found swimming very relaxing. I still do - only now, I'm realizing just how out of shape I am!

   I realized that even though the water was colder than I liked, I need to love myself more. My husband and family can only do so much. I have the final say about what and how much I eat, what I think, how little (or a lot) I beat myself up, and how much activity I can do to keep myself healthy. In other words, how much I positively engage with myself. I know I'm not 25 anymore - but that doesn't mean I have to become a vegetable that doesn't exercise and watch TV all day. Over the past two days, my husband and I spent a great deal of time outside. As a result, it has been a very busy weekend for us... and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I loved every moment of it.

   How about you? How was your weekend?
  
   Until next time, one exhausted Grammy,
   Jill

  

Spread The Love - "Moma Mia"

   The title for this week's blog cam from a Maine license plate that my husband and I saw while cruising through the small ocean town of Owls Head which is near our current home. Why did this plate stick out for me? Mainly because it was attached to a car that was in front of us being driven by a person who had absolutely no clue where they were going. The speed limit for the road we were on was 45mph, and the speed of "Moma Mia" ranged from 30 to 50. It was also possible that the driver was attempting to use some sort of GPS system while driving, because keeping the vehicle in the right hand lane was apparently not on the menu. When the vehicle made a sudden left turn, both my husband and I shouted, "Oi! Mama Mia" at the same time... and laughed.

   Another sign that caught my attention this week was on a window to the left on the entrance door to our local library; "Make The World Better". I've been pondering this concept all week. How can I make the world a better place? The answer came to me in the form of a book written by Italian author Leo Buscaglia entitled, Love.

   That's it, I thought - spread the love. To live in love is the greatest challenge in life. As a human endeavor it requires flexibility, sensitivity, understanding, acceptance, tolerance, strength, and knowledge. One has to become vulnerable, in a positive way, to offer and accept love. In seems in today's society that empathy is gone. Society seems to reserve no place for honesty, tenderness, goodness and concern. It crucified Jesus, got Gandhi shot, beheaded Thomas More, and poisoned Socrates. Any person or thing that moves them to change is fair game.

   To cope with what we find and to still live in love, we must have strength. This strength comes from inside. We must recognize only goodness even where evil exists. We must visualize love as the greater force. A loving individual has to care for her / himself. Everything that filters through me and out into the world is beautiful, wondrous, and tender. Love is always in the process of becoming. All life is growing, seeing, feeling, touching, and smelling. Every individual is unique. People need to discover who they are and develop themselves into the best person they can be, whether they are a minister, artist, chef, or business person. It is a blessing that you are different from me.

   Be spontaneous; laugh and feel good while you're laughing. Trust your own gut feelings. We need not be afraid to touch, feel, and show emotions. Love is a learned behavior. In our upbringing, some of us were never taught to be a "touchy-feely" person. We have to live now, in the moment, and relate to others the best we can. Everyone has there own beauty. The only reality is here - what is happening right now between you and me. Catch the beauty of each moment to the best of your ability. Every day is also a now. We are adjusting to a staggering number of changes constantly. As a result, you are constantly becoming; adjusting to whatever changes. Each experience is new and/or different in some way. Believe it or not, we are on a fantastic journey - if we have the right mindset.

   Dave and I walked down by Harbor Park in Rockland Maine and took in part of the 2017 North Atlantic Blues Festival. There were many people, both locals as well as tourists. We enjoyed listening to the tunes, by the ocean, in a shade-providing gazebo. We also noticed a vast sea of parked vehicles in every parking space imaginable. One vehicle, however, caught our attention. It was an old vehicle from the 1930's and it's style is called a "rat rod". My husband told me that rat rods are certain vehicles (mostly built from the late 1920's through the 40's), that imitate (and sometimes exaggerate) the early years of hot rodding from the late 40's through the 1950's. The vehicles look a little rough ans well as unfinished - at times, they look butt ugly. There was no internet and no after-market auto parts network back then. People used whatever they could and in many cases built their own parts. Another example of living in the now - because it was all they had.

   Until next time,
   Jill

Spread The Love - At Peace

   The only way to have peace, is to be peaceful. Sounds easy, right? I can see your heads nodding thinking that I'm crazy. However, if you think about it, how we behave is what we get. Believe it or not, we can make a fear-free world by being unafraid at this moment. This, right here, right now, is the only moment we live in. We have to be full of integrity, be independent, self-governing and wild right now. The new world we are creating is one where everyone is guided by their own self-loving inner voice all the time. Note I said "self-loving"; not self serving or self-centered. We can't love anyone else until we love ourselves first. And loving ourselves does not mean we are the only thing or being that matters. Our bodies are transmitters that we have to listen to and take seriously.

   You know you are on the right track when you feel light, buoyant, full of hope, energy, and love. We think things that are truly freeing or behaving free in some way. We feel free in the present moment. I "am" right now, in this present moment, the way I hoped to be in some future new world. Ever since my husband Dave and I took our excursion to the southeastern portion of the US almost four years ago, I've engaged more with life. I practice seeing and feeling (the best to my ability) the vibrant colors around me. I feel the gentle breeze on my pours. I breathe in deeply and often. I touch everything (within reason). I'm not afraid - I've forgiven myself. I can finally say that I love myself and I am joyful.

   When enough of us hold a space in the cosmos where there is no opposition of each other, freedom will become a reality for all peoples in the world. Resistance doesn't work. It's the higher road not taken that surpasses brutality and will make it crumble in the end. It's the principle of non-resistance.

   The more we live in our new mindset, moment by moment, then it will become the general mindset of the planet, even though we are different in many other ways. It's not a black and white, one size fits all, type of conformity. We are all unique individuals, but we all live in the moment, not bound by the negative bullshit that divides us. Living today as if the new world were already here - heaven on Earth, then it will be.

   The feelings of fearlessness, joy, and peace will ignite behaviors consonant with them. Once people feel their self worth, they will behave in a worthy manner. We'll no longer behave like "slaves". Once we respect ourselves, we can respect others. Do we see a pattern here yet? To live one's life in every way you dreamed of becoming, as if the world were as you wished it were, I hope for transcendence.

   Integrity is the source of all power. It stems from loyalty to one's higher self. I want compassion and integrity for myself. When I can understand and love myself, I will be merciful and kind to others. This brings out the best behavior in everyone.
 - "The meaning of life is to be alive."   Sonia Johnson.

   Enthusiasm is my daily exercise. The human condition, ie; what we've been taught, is perpetuated by every aspect of our culture and society. "Conditioning defines human nature, our relationships to one another, ourselves, the universe, and the divine." There has always been another reality in our mindset. It is one of beauty, peace, happiness, positive power, kindness, abundance, and creative joy.

    Transformative acts I can do today include the gamut of life; everything from recycling, conserving water as well as other resources, walking, biking, eating correctly, claiming my full spiritual self, respecting others, laughing often, breaking addictions, and live life to the best of my ability.

Until next time,
Jill

Spread The Love - Making Connections Part 2

   Last week we we're touching on various subjects, such as what makes you happy? How do you spread the love? Becoming aware, living life consciously and discovering how we want to live. This week, we'll continue in that vein and see where it takes us.

   Last week  I also mentioned that my husband Dave and I have been learning to live by our inner light - a process that has taken a number of years. The good thing is, we have been given the gift of time (even with our busy schedules) to explore our inner potential. I've had several people tell me they are busy enough as it is; they do not have any more free time to "explore their inner selves". Bullshit. If you have the time to check your email 15 times a day, text God knows how many people 50 times a day, and be on Facebook or watch TV for more than an hour each day, you have the time. By exploring our inner potential, we have learned to consult our own inner wisdom and have practiced listening to that "small, still voice" within. This gives our lives meaning; a sense that what we do makes a difference, regardless of how small.

   Dave and I have lived by our values, sought our own truths, and were thought of as crazy by all those who know us. At times, our friends and family do not know what to make of us. We are the opposite of what this world would have us believe - that purchasing goods will make you feel better or make you a better person. Love is the cure for this mental, material sickness. Only when you truly discover who you really are and learn to love yourself, will you be able to love others.

   I love beauty and try to focus how I can bring more of it into our lives. One of the reasons Dave and I moved from Massachusetts to Maine 20 years ago was because of the beauty at the ocean's edge. Besides painting the local scenery, I also envisioned creating a homestead on five acres with our own livestock. Dave was all for the move, however he never truly saw himself as a "farmer" with live animals. Unfortunately, we never really discussed this aspect BEFORE we made the geographical move. When we arrived in Maine, we rented a large Victorian house on 2 acres and the only "livestock" we were allowed were our dog and cat. Granted, I always wanted to live in a Victorian house, but now my scheduling of life (read: expectations) was a little off.

   However, living in a rural community in Mid-Coast Maine gave us the opportunity to investigate living in that town without making the huge financial leap of purchasing a house. It also gave us ample time to explore the entire area and county. After about two years, we realized that the town was a little too small and rural. So we moved to the next town east, rented there for approximately four years, and then purchased an old farmhouse on about an acre of land that needed work. Once there, I came to the realization that I am a flower gardener - not a vegetable gardener. No matter what I did, or how I tried, I just couldn't get any vegetables to grow outdoors. So much for homesteading.

   Changes come about by a moment by moment awareness. Life itself has opened and closed doors on us. We've had to learn, sometimes the hard way, as well as to grow and adapt. Being grateful for what we have in our lives; our health, our family, and our friends. We had to stop drifting along the river of life and ask ourselves some probing questions; How shall we live? What makes us happy? What is the "good" life?

   Inside emptiness comes from not meeting our real needs for self-worth and community. This is why consumerism will never totally satisfy you or any of us. We must discover our passions, be with friends, live in harmony with nature, and get close to a power greater than ourselves and/or God.

   "Each man's life represents a road towards himself." - Herman Hesse

   Living one's passion is the ultimate experience of feeling alive and connected. Confluence: a flowing together - completeness. Not feeling estranged. Be authentic and say, "This is who I am!" Find your passion. When we are all use our creative power, we become generous, joyful, lively, bold compassionate people.

   You'll notice I've once again included my oil painting of the two cows once again this week. Here's part two of the reason why I'm posting this painting. I'm starting a new project - "Adopt A Painting" - these "project" paintings do not have to fed, watered, walked, or be cleaned up after themselves. The don't need medical attention from a doctor or veterinarian. It is the ultimate house guest - they don't make any noise, don't hog the bathroom and/or shower, and after three days, they don't get annoying. All they do is radiate love from your wall. I have numerous paintings I am selling at extremely competitive prices in an effort to drastically reduce inventory before my next studio is built. I am downsizing once again, and these works of art need good homes. Fee free to email me through this blog, or message me via Facebook - just don't spend an hour doing it...

Until next time,
Jill

Spread The Love - Making Connections

   I was going to start out this blog with the sentence, "How many ways can you make someone happy?" But then I realized that you can't make anyone happy - only they can make themselves happy. So, let's rephrase this; "How many ways can you make yourself happy?" In other words, how do you spread the love? In the book, Peace In Every Step, written by Thich Nhat Hanh, the author states it can as simple as a smile or a friendly greeting in passing. Another personal way I try to spread the love is by writing my husband a short love letter (which he does with me as well). On a daily basis, I try to be aware and notice others as well as my surroundings. My husband is amazing when it comes to noticing details and almost always he finds something memorable and/or humorous about what we saw. I also attempt to make an effort to spend time chatting with someone, even if it's just for a few minutes. In that time, I try to find the balance of what's going on with them as well as myself. And I always tell them, "... it's good to see you."

   Everything is connected to everything else. A change in one part changes everything else. Live life consciously, in harmony with life, showing reverence for it to sustain life. Creativity, celebration, and being in touch with nature as well as with your Higher Power (whom I call God). This is a life with soul; the soul can then be awaken.

   To begin, we need to clear space in order to get rid of the chaos and clutter, sometimes physical and definitely mental / spiritual. We need a new vision; to see clearly. What usually gets in the way of living fully is all the "stuff" we think we have to plan for, actually do, and keep score of how well we've done. It also entails the physical accumulated inanimate objects - all the junk we end up buying. One thing I learned from our camping excursion several years ago, was that my most pleasurable experience was when I was outside - in nature, with people I loved, and actually doing things.

   My husband Dave and I ditched the cable TV decades ago and haven't owned a television for approximately seven years when we also gave away our DVD player. We're both early risers, (Dave more than I am), and we meditate as well as connect with our Higher Power before we tackle our day-to-day activities. I also take a few hours for myself in the afternoon to engage in something I enjoy. I don't wish to, nor cannot get caught up in other people's drama and negative frenzy. Living deliberately is thinking through my actions to see how they affect the well being of others and the Earth. Living consciously means assessing my choice; Do I really enjoy my job? Did I marry for love or for money and status? Is my house solely a status symbol?

   In other words, I have to know who I am as a person and discover how I want to live. We learn from life experiences. When I went on our camping excursion down to the Southeastern US, that was a real life changing time for us. I've probed what we've learned from that experience - it wasn't because either of us failed, it was a soul journey. In our society-measured "poverty", we rediscovered just how rich we really are! People came to love us quickly and helped us along the way, because we were being genuine; we were being ourselves. We became fully alive then and we are continuing that discovery today as we plot out ways to continue to live fully alive. We're learning to live by our inner light.

   You may be wondering why I've included a painting I did a number of years ago of two cows. I've always liked this work, although I rarely painted animals or wildlife. They remind me that they are doing what they were born to do and they do it with no drama. A very good life lesson...

   Next week, I'll continue on this subject.
   Until next time, stay focused!
   Jill

Spread The Love - Changing Focus

   So - what happened to the "Painting Spectrum"? We've all heard before that life is all about changes. Over the past two months, for one reason or another, my painting just wasn't doing it for me at this juncture. Maybe it was the eye surgery and lengthy recovery. Perhaps the fact that I'm starting to run out of storage space in my studio. On the other hand, maybe it's because I've thrown myself into the book I'm writing. My works were backing up and sales were very slow. Painting only for paintings sake leaves me feeling empty. It is a time of changing my focus.

   * Good Homes Wanted - Orphan paintings desperate to hang around. Email me for details! *

   One of the most noticeable changes we have in Maine are the seasons: Spring, Summer, Road Construction, Autumn, Winter, and Mud season. Now that the wet Spring is finally giving way to Summer, signs from various businesses seem to getting a little punchy; "Don't just stand there - plant today!" or "We're so excited Summer is here, we wet our plants!" See what I mean?

    I've taking walks much more frequently, and several times this week I've taken notice at what is blooming. I got the gardening bug and was itching to dig in the dirt. I started slowly, and one day I divided a large Variegated Hosta and planted the two new plants beside my patio near a birdbath. I felt alive; as if I were waking from a long winter slumber. I hadn't felt this rejuvenated in quite a while. As much as I love art and love to paint, I guess deep-down I needed a break from it.

    The picture I've included in today's post was painted by my youngest daughter Catherine. Currently, I am "painting sitting" until her move from one residence to another is complete. My daughter painted this work in the Summer of 2013. She wanted to see if she liked to oil paint and asked if I could teach her. Of course, I obliged.

   Little did I realize how much we differ in painting styles! Where I'm quick with my brush, Catherine is meticulous, dainty, and goes at a much slower pace. Where I express my emotions, she elected to go with almost a photo-like realism to her work. The canvas was quite large and the barn she was painting a lots of detail. The summer was coming to a close and she was still in the process of putting very small details in the painting. "I'd put in every shingle if I had more time!"

   In addition to different painting styles, we also differ in our patience levels. It took every ounce of patience I had not to try and "fix" her painting. Allowing her to be herself has been a learning experience for me as well. I accept her for who she is, and as you can see - the end results are beautiful!

   I also have to accept myself as well as my process. I'm still growing and changing. My focus and creative process is currently being channeled into the book I'm co-writing with my husband. The book is a memoir of our trip from Maine down to southern Georgia during the winter of 2013-14. While we blogged about our experiences and journey, the book will tell the true story behind the story. It will contain facts and details that never could've been written about in our blog. In hindsight, however, our trip south was a diving board to our new life. At that time, we were down-sizing from a large 2-bedroom apartment to a 25 foot RV. My husband was forcibly downsized from a 40-hour work week to zero. I'll let you know when the book gets published.

   Our new life is one of simplicity. Since returning from the southeast, we rent a small one bedroom residence where I have a small studio. My husband Dave is working a different 40+ hour a week job that he enjoys mostly, as well as freelance writing and photographing in his free time. Our next goal is to build our own 800-900 square foot home in the neighboring ocean-side town of Owls Head.

   Dave and I are changing focus. Bigger is not always better. Many times it's not a question of what you want, but what you need. And the fact that you do indeed have enough. At the moment, I'm reading a book entitled, The Circle Of Simplicity - Return To The Good Life by Cecile Andrews. Contained in this book are all sorts of ideas we will be incorporating into our daily rounds. I will be sharing some of these ideas in future blogs.

   "The art of life is to live in the present moment, and to make that moment as perfect as we can by the realization that we are the expression of God himself. The best way to prepare for tomorrow is to make today all that it should be." - Emmett Fox.

   Do you want to live a better life? For starters, let's make this an interactive blog - talk to me. Did you like this blog? What parts did you like? What didn't you like about it? What you like to see written here (within reason)?

   Until next time,
   The Focused Writer,
   Jill