Keep the Faith

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Susan Ekins

“If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.”         – Kathrine Switzer

The longest race that I have ever run was 10 miles and took place several years ago. I was in better shape back then. The route went through both woods and a suburb. Crowds of people cheered me on—people that I didn’t know. Periodically I’d come upon a small band playing music or a couple of middle-aged women doing cheers with pom poms. What a celebration!

It took a lot of training to be able to run that distance, and much of my training took place with a running group. I was one of the slower runners in the running group and I ran a shorter loop than our runners training for a marathon. They ran eight or ten miles as if it was nothing, and many of them did this before heading off to work. On the weekends, they did their long runs. I’d see them after they had run 15 or 20 miles. Sometimes they had run that distance with blisters. They came back tired and they’d stretch their sore legs, propping them way up the side of a gazebo. They would go home and take ice baths to ease the pain. They would see chiropractors and sports doctors to help them get over injuries. And they’d be running again in a day or two.

I have always had a deep respect for anyone who runs and completes a marathon. My sister and I would watch our friends run the Chicago marathon. We went early enough to see the elite runners come through around the halfway point. Then we’d cheer for all the runners while waiting for our friends to pass. We rang bells and we carried signs and balloons hoping our friends would spot us. Tens of thousands of people run the Chicago Marathon and it is hard to spot an individual runner.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradhoc/8069637063/in/photostream - Chicago Marathon runners and spectators hugging

Chicago Marathon runners and spectators hugging – http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradhoc/8069637063/in/photostream

After we’d seen our friends (or realized we’d missed some of them), we took the cross streets to get to the finish line so we could see as many friends as possible cross the line. We were giddy with delight when a friend or relative crossed the finish line. By this time, we were hoarse from cheering but we and the other spectators kept yelling and ringing bells.

I’d heard about the Boston Marathon from members of the running group. You can only run Boston if you meet a qualifying time for your age group in another marathon. Some of my friends would train especially hard for the Chicago Marathon, making every effort to qualify for Boston. Those who ran the Boston Marathon told of the many spectators cheering them on. When passing Wellesley College, the students would be cheering with extra enthusiasm. Then there was Heartbreak Hill – a very steep hill near mile 20. That is about the time many runners “hit a wall” in marathons–even in races without hills.

If you qualified for Boston, made it up that hill, and got to the final stretch, you had to be thrilled. Spectators would be clapping, yelling, and ringing bells. What a feeling of celebration for all.

On the morning of this year’s Boston marathon, I posted the following quote on the Women Making Strides Facebook page: “If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon”.  Watching a marathon is motivating and uplifting. It is a celebration of the human spirit, people going beyond their past limits. Marathon runners are wonderful role models with their “can do” attitudes, dedication to running, and discipline to achieve their goals. The spectators are also inspiring with their enthusiastic support for the runners.

This year, many runners at the Boston Marathon were unable to complete the race. The joyous celebration came to an abrupt end. Runners and spectators faced death and destruction caused by two exploding bombs. In a setting that celebrates strong bodies with strong legs, several people lost their legs. An 8-year-old boy and two adults were killed, and many others were injured.

One or more demented individuals caused mass destruction. We weep for the victims. For a moment, we pause and wonder if we should lose our faith in human nature.

But let’s note that scores of medical personnel and volunteers came to the aid of the victims. Boston law enforcement officials stepped into action immediately. Runners and spectators stopped to help others even though they were afraid another bomb would go off. Throughout the world, people have prayed and posted supportive comments on social media. Today, runners wore race shirts and ran 4.09 miles because the first bomb went off at 4 hours, 9 minutes after the start of the marathon. Local running stores are organizing charity races in support of Boston.

Marathon runners have said the horrific destruction that occurred will not stop them from running marathons again. Cities have said they will continue to hold marathon races.

Let us honor the spirit of the Boston Marathon by working to improve our own “can do” attitude, our dedication to fitness, our discipline to achieve our goals, and our enthusiastic support of others. Then the spirit of the Boston Marathon will triumph and we will be able to look at what took place this year and still have reason for faith in human nature.

What are your thoughts?

Posted in faith, Inspiration, positive-thinking, Running, Support | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Too Comfortable?

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Susan Ekins

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” ― Edith Sitwell

We all have our comforts – food, a warm drink, a good book, television, surfing the Internet. In moderation, such comforts are good and can relax us and give us pleasure. Where we run into trouble is when we comfort ourselves to excess.

Too much comfort can make us overweight and sedentary. A friend told me she doesn’t walk in winter because it is too cold. She is more comfortable staying inside and watching TV. It may be more comfortable to sit at home and watch TV, but in the long run, a sedentary lifestyle will make us uncomfortable. We become out of shape and we gain weight. Walking and running may take more effort.

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to diabetes, a heart attack, or a stroke. What happens to our comfort if these occur?

Winter, the time of comfort, is officially over. Spring is here and it’s time to get moving.

2007-03-17 Daffodil Fields.np

Let’s enjoy the beauty of nature and see some sights as we get outside. I will see you on the trails!

What are you doing to take care of your health this spring? Please comment below.

Posted in exercise, Leading Ourselves, Motivation, Proactive, Sedentary, self-care, Weight, wellness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Using Our Talents

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Susan Ekins

“As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we’ve been given.” – Mary Lou Retton

I think of a talented person as an artist, a musician, an actress, or an athlete. None of those apply to me. But the definition of talent is “natural aptitude or skill” and we all have these.

Setting modesty aside, I can cook, I have great analytical skills, and I’m a good listener. But I’m not a gourmet chef, and the benefits of being analytical or a good listener are hard to quantify.

I can write, but I’m not a literary giant. If I’m not the “best”, does that mean I shouldn’t write? Logically, the answer to this is “Of course I should write if I want to.” But too often I resist.

What stops me and others from using our talents?

Some of us don’t use our talents because we have been the victim of derisive comments. Have you heard of the poet and novelist Edith Wharton? She wrote, “My first attempt (at age of eleven) was a novel, which began, ‘Oh, how do you do, Mrs. Brown?’ said Mrs. Tomkins.’ If only I had known you were going to call, I should have tidied up the living room’.  Timorously I submitted this to my mother, and never shall I forget the sudden drop of my creative frenzy when she returned it with the icy comment, ‘Drawing-rooms are always tidy.’ This was so crushing to a would-be novelist of manners that it shook me rudely out of my dream of writing fiction, and I turned to poetry instead.”

edith_wharton_03.jpg

edith_wharton_03.jpg

Luckily for us, Edith eventually did write novels. What if she had allowed that thoughtless comment to prevent her from writing? We might think Edith was overly sensitive, but aren’t we the same? One person makes a negative remark about our creations and we lose our confidence.

I recently planned a retreat with seven women for a local church, and we talked about using our talents for the retreat. One woman, Gloria, said she had no talents. However, as part of our formation as a team, we each told our life story and brought pictures. Gloria brought a photo album full of costumes she has created for Halloween and other events.

The rest of us said, “What do you mean you have no talents?” Gloria is the most talented seamstress and craftsperson that I know. She creates doll clothes and costumes for plays. But it took time before she recognized herself as talented.

Perhaps our talent is so much a part of us that we miss the obvious. If we cook every day, we might take it for granted and not recognize it as a talent.

One reason we minimize our talents is that the world might not recognize it. Someone who uses her talents in a visible career is likely to be noticed. An example is the very few costume designers who win Oscars for the costumes they created for a movie. But if you don’t have a great career or you are not the best, you still have talent. Some people are great volunteers. When something needs to be done, you can count on them. That is a talent.

We are all different and sometimes our job is simply a place we go to make money. We are there to make a buck and support ourselves and our family. That is fine! But we can still use our talents to better the world. Is there some place in our life where we can use our talents–perhaps at church, in our neighborhood, in the arts, or in a hobby?

Maybe you like to sing and you have a good voice–but you’re not Adele. Well folks, there’s only one Adele. Other singers can use their talent in their own way. What about singing in a church choir or performing in a local play or singing to your kids? Whether it’s dancing or crossword puzzles, you can find a use for your talents.

Advent Tea place setting

The picture above is the beautiful place setting that Gloria made for each of us retreat planners for an Advent tea. She sewed the place mats and created the floral accents and a centerpiece (not pictured) for our enjoyment. This made the rest of us feel special.

Gloria also used her talents at the retreat we were planning by creating bracelets and a beautiful Bible cover for each of the women. My sister Mary, who attended the retreat, said, “I can’t believe how talented Gloria is.” May those of us as modest as Gloria let that sink in.

The world is in sore need of our talents whether they are recognized by others or not. If you are not using your talents, it’s time to begin.

What are your talents? Are you using them to improve the world? If not, why not?

  • If you need help overcoming resistance so you can use your talents, I recommend the book The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I will revisit it myself!

Posted in Empowerment, Inspiration, Leading Ourselves, Motivation, Proactive, Talent | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Life is an Adventure: Ann

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Susan Ekins

“Let go of your baggage so you can see how far you can fly.” – Ann

Ann, Brian, Ellen, and Mark at Ellen's wedding rehearsal, May 2010

Ann, Brian, Ellen, and Mark at Ellen’s wedding rehearsal, May 2010

Ann is one of my role models. She exercises, eats healthy food, takes steps to improve herself, and enjoys hiking in mountains. But she wasn’t always this way. At one time, Ann was thirty five pounds heavier and struggled with bulimia.

Ann was the oldest child in a family of 10 children. After she married Mark, the couple faced several challenges within a few years including struggles with infertility and two miscarriages. “It was a different era. If you had a miscarriage, no one sent a card or called you.”

Besides this, Mark’s parents both died from cancer, and her mother had a diagnosis of terminal cancer. These traumas all contributed to Ann’s overeating and weight gain.

When her daughter, Ellen, was three months old, Ann took a fitness class at Hinsdale Hospital. “I was overweight. I couldn’t walk around the parking lot—a quarter mile distance. It was cold. I was depressed.” This made Ann want to get in better shape and she played tennis and took up jogging. “My husband helped me get back into it. Side by side, encouraging me.”

Brian was born three years after Ellen, and when he was almost three years old, Ann had to return to work full-time because her husband was starting his own business.  “I was very grateful to have my children—and I still feel that way. Working full-time wasn’t my intention and it was hard.”

Ann was almost 40 when her mother passed away. “I felt the loss very keenly. Most of my friends hadn’t lost their parents so they didn’t understand. My siblings were younger than me so I felt I had to support them. My youngest sibling was 16 years old. We all grieved together.”

Ann struggled with bulimia and tried to lose weight for many years. “The real key came when I was at a very low point. I was let go from a job that I loved. I had dabbled in many diets and Overeaters Anonymous, but what helped the most was pulling out a ‘12-step’ book.  I read and followed the program on my own. It was a spiritual and emotional approach to weight loss.” Affirmations helped, too. Ann repeated, “I am strong,” “I can do this,” “God loves me,” and “Don’t be scared.”

Ann and Mark in 2006

Ann and Mark in 2006

Ann had to learn how to comfort herself. “I had to find a way to handle anxiety without eating.  How can you comfort yourself besides with food? I’ve always exercised but I had to eat differently. I had to eat less.” Ann learned to drink a cup of tea for comfort and to fill up with vegetables and fruits. “Then if I did have anxiety, I wasn’t hungry.” Ann considers herself lucky because Mark does the shopping and washes the vegetables. “I put them in a container and bring them to work. It becomes a habit. 80% of the time I reach for vegetables rather than chocolate.”

She also started keeping a Gratitude Journal. “This turned my life around. Think of all you are grateful for and all that you do have when you’re feeling empty from losing a job or whatever.” Other ways that Ann self-comforts are to read, exercise, and to keep up on current thinking about the body and spirit. She recommends these books:

  • A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever, by Marianne Williamson
  • Self-Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff
  • The Courage Quotient: How Science Can Make You Braver by Robert Biswas-Diener
  • The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly? by Seth Godin

Ann also watched how people she admired take care of themselves. “I watched how they do portion control. They allow themselves a treat. It was OK to have one cookie.”

Other challenges were when Ann’s brother died at age 53 of colon cancer, and a cousin died at age 50 of complications from diabetes. “Being with them on their journeys was hard, but I did it. I felt sick to my stomach driving to Grand Rapids to be with my brother. I drank tea and listened to music. After they died, it inched me forward to take more risks. I realized my life will be over too. Their gift to me was the reminder—if we’re willing to listen, that life is a gift.”

Ann has always worked in the nonprofit world including serving as the Executive Director for nonprofits. Currently she works for an organization that serves the elderly. “We had a Valentine’s Day party. To see an elder who has not been able to get out of her home—and she’s bald due to chemo—to see her dance is a beautiful sight.”

When asked if she sees herself as a leader, Ann answers “I don’t see myself as a leader in a grandiose way. I lead in small ways.” Besides her leadership at work, Ann leads a small group of women who discuss spiritual books at her church.

“I try to have reachable goals. If you have goals you can’t reach, you constantly feel ‘less than’.  There is pain in letting go of grandiose ideas but I feel good about what I can do.”

Ann is now 63 and didn’t expect to reach this age. “I’m older than my Mom was when she died, and much older than my Dad. It’s strange. I feel grateful, especially because I’m healthy. My Mom reached age 62, but she wasn’t healthy.”

“A big part of my life is relationships—supporting my brothers and sisters, friends, nieces, and nephews. By support, I mean that I talk to them once a week. I’m close to all my brothers and sisters.”

Ann speed walks three days a week, does the Daily Method three times a week, and does yoga two times a week. “I do better if I have to show up on time for a class. Being with a group helps with long walks, too.” She recently did two 10-mile walks and has a 13 mile walk coming up.

When asked if she considers herself fit, Ann says, “Not really. I think of fitness as where I want to go. It’s a process. I set small goals—for example, to do more men’s pushups.” However, Ann has exercised for about 20 years. She finds role models in fit women who are older than herself. “I walk with a woman every Saturday who is ten years older than me and she leaves me in the dust! She has been a gift to me. She has a spunky, ‘can do’ attitude.”

Last summer, Ann and Mark went hiking in the mountains in Utah. The most strenuous day was 5 hours of hiking with a 2100 foot elevation in Zion National Park. She and Mark hope to go mountain hiking in Colorado this summer.

“I want to see where I can go physically, given my age. How much can I walk? Can I climb mountains?  If I still had that weight, it would be giving up. I freed myself by getting rid of that excess baggage. In some of my exercises, my hands are back, and it’s almost like flying. Let go of your baggage and see how far you can fly. And celebrate when you take a risk.”

Ann is careful with the risks she takes. “I have my comfort zone, and I think ‘What is a way I can try something new?’ The first time she walked with a hiking group in a forest preserve, Ann made sure it was a forest preserve she was familiar with, she brought a cell phone, and she asked Mark to be on call.

“Life is a personal journey. It’s a personal adventure. You don’t know the end goal but you’re on that journey.”

When asked how it is that she is always striving to grow, Ann responds, “I have no idea, but I watch no TV except for Downton Abbey and maybe a movie once a week. I’m a doer and a reader.”

When asked if she has advice for others, Ann quotes Winston Churchill, “Never, never, never give up.”

After all that she has accomplished, Ann is most proud of working hard on a good marriage and raising her children in the best way that she could.

* * * *

Ann’s Favorite Quotes

  • “Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will.” – Jawaharlal Nehru
  • “Only a heart familiar with death will appreciate the gift of life with so deep a feeling of joy.” – David Steindl-Rast
  • “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in. – by Leonard Cohen
  • “At any given moment, you have the power to say: This is not how the story is going to end.” – Christine Mason Miller
  • “He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves.” – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  • If your Nerve, deny you—Go above your Nerve” – Emily Dickinson

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What baggage can you let go of? What is your next adventure? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Posted in Body, mind, spirit, Challenges, Empowerment, Encouragement, Gratitude, Healthy living, Inspiration, Job loss, Leading Ourselves, Motivation, positive-thinking, Proactive, self-care, Self-compassion, Stress, Weight, wellness, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Valentine’s Day Love to You

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Susan Ekins

christinarossetti147534 from brainyquote Today, know that you are loved, and love yourself. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Posted in Holidays | Tagged | 3 Comments

Good Times, Bad Times

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Susan Ekins

“I’ve always felt that life is a novel, and part of it is written for you, and part of it is written by you. It’s up to you to write the ending, ultimately. I’ve had some tremendous adventures, good and bad. It’s part of the novel, and a novel isn’t interesting if it doesn’t have some good and bad. And you don’t know what good is if bad hasn’t been a part of your life.”                                       ― Lynn Johnston, cartoonist, For Better or For Worse

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2584342©Copyright Bill Nicholls and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons License.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2584342©
Copyright Bill Nicholls and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons License.

I had a bad day recently for no particular reason. The previous days had been fine. I had been encouraged at a writers’ critique group. My son had just received a job offer. I’d had fun at a party. But I woke up that day with chills and aching. I checked my temperature—no fever. I was slightly congested, but not enough to make me feel bad. The outside temperature was very cold—maybe as I get older, cold just gets to me? It was a bad day, and I was frustrated. I accomplished little and couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I thought, “This is not so swift for a woman making strides, is it?”

I prepared a dinner that I later realized was food my Mom would have made—her chop suey recipe, rice, her Hawaiian fruit salad, and Pillsbury-type biscuits. Maybe melancholy was part of the reason for my moodiness (many of you know my Mom passed away last March.) After dinner I went to a church meeting early knowing that good friends would be there. I needed support on my bad day, and I told them I was cranky. Everyone accepted me as I was, and by the end of the meeting, I felt a little better.

Back home, I journaled about my day and realized it was okay. We have somehow gotten the idea that we are supposed to be positive all the time, and that if we have a bad day, it is because we attracted that by our thoughts. I feel strongly that being positive is good and being grateful is far better than complaining. Why would God want to hear us complain often? Why would He give us more if we don’t appreciate what we have? But we don’t have to be on top of our game all the time. We don’t always feel 100% fine. We don’t have to be 100% positive every minute.

If we have bad days like this frequently, we’d be smart to get professional help. But we do ourselves a disservice if we think we are supposed to be positive all the time. That is not being honest with ourselves. We do have bad feelings and bad days.

No one wants to listen to us complain unduly, but we can tell a good friend about our troubles now and then. And why not vent feelings by writing in a journal? Whatever you do to express your feelings, limit the time you complain. Reflect on your friend’s response and on what you wrote or said. See if you can do something about your troubles.

That night I asked myself, “What do I need right now?” I decided I was dehydrated so I drank a tall glass of water. I was tired, so I took a hot bath and went to bed early and read for a short time. I went to sleep early, knowing I would wake up on the “other side of the bed” in the morning. It was okay.

I slept for ten hours that night—which is rare for me, so I was either just plain tired or I was fighting an illness. The next day I drank more water so I wouldn’t be dehydrated again.

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 says “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: . . . a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

So let’s accept a bad day when it happens. Let’s consider what we can do to make it better. And then let’s rest well knowing that tomorrow is another day.

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Are you having good times or bad times right now? How do you feel about that? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Posted in Bad days, Encouragement, God, journaling, positive-thinking, self-care, Self-compassion | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Better Than a New Year

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Susan Ekins

“How noble and good everyone could be if, every evening before falling asleep, they were to recall to their minds the events of the whole day and consider exactly what has been good and bad. Then without realizing it, you try to improve yourself at the start of each new day.” ― Anne Frank

Assessing my life at the end of 2011 was bad enough. I basically changed the title on my “2011 Resolutions” to “2012 Resolutions” and kept the same goals for the upcoming year. Now at the end of 2012, I can just about do the same thing. There is not a single resolution that I can cross off and say “Done!”

Granted, many of my resolutions are ongoing and I’ve made progress on some of them—the ones related to health, writing, journaling, spirituality, and using my talents to better the world. In a couple of them—notably those related to career and finances—I’ve gone backwards given that I lost my job in March. Similarly, my attempts to declutter were pretty pitiful and what actually happened is that my husband and I gained much miscellaneous in our house. My oldest daughter is teaching in South Korea, so we have her worldly goods. My son just graduated college, so he and his college stuff are back at home. My youngest daughter is getting ready to go to Spain for a semester, so guess where her most of her belongings will stay? And my Mom passed away in March, so there are still boxes from her condo, which we sold this year, in my basement for me to go through “someday.”

My initial thought was that this is pretty pathetic for a woman who writes about being a leader in your own life. But part of being a leader in your own life is being able to go with the flow and adjust priorities as needed. Was it really more important that my house be pristine and decluttered, or was it more important that I support my three young-adult children in their life choices?

Was pulling in work income all that important? Or was it more important that I supported my Mom during the last two weeks of her life? This year, I started pursuing work that I am passionate about. Granted, my work is unpaid, but I have not given up on writing for payment down the road and perhaps have laid some groundwork for that.

So my 2013 resolutions are going to look very similar to my 2012 resolutions. And that is OK. One good thing about me is that I keep trying. I wanted to walk more and run more in 2012 and I did. I have not been successful with that particular goal in December, but I accept my failure as a learning experience. I realize that I procrastinated on Christmas preparations too much and then let it take up my “spare time” in December instead of using that time to walk or run. I also learned that as a writer and blogger, social media takes up much of my time, and I need to manage that better in 2013.

I think I will take the advice of a young girl, Anne Frank, whose life was cut short. She suggested that each night is our opportunity to reflect on the day. What happened? How did I handle today’s events? If I failed at something, what can I learn from it?

And each morning is our opportunity to reassess our priorities. Each new day is a chance to try again.

So even better than a whole new year is that tomorrow is a whole new day. Happy New Day to you and yours!

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How did you succeed with last year’s resolutions? What are your plans for the year ahead? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Posted in Holidays, Inspiration, Self-compassion | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Blog of the Year 2012

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Susan Ekins

“So never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself.” ― Florence Nightingale

Blog of the Year Award 2 star jpeg

When I first started writing Women Making Strides, I wondered how readers would react. I was encouraged and excited when I received a nomination from Sharla Shults for the One Lovely Blog Award. Sharla makes a special effort to recognize other bloggers. Now she has nominated Women Making Strides for the Blog of the Year 2012 Award. Women Making Strides has won two stars, one from the blog Catnip Of Life and the other from the blog Awakenings. Thank you, Sharla! I’m honored and excited that Women Making Strides is a recipient of the award and has earned Two Stars. Encouragement from strong writers like Sharla mean a lot to newer bloggers like me. Sharla has earned the maximum of six stars on both of her blogs.

I want to encourage other bloggers the same way that Sharla has encouraged me. The bloggers that I’m nominating can find the rules here. My nominations are:

L.A. Freeland

Kick Back Moments

A Writer’s Journey

Wrestling Pollyanna

Moleko’s Art

Living on the Edge of the Wild

Inspire 1 Life Everyday

Jen’s Thoughts

akrummenacker

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For my readers: Has someone made a special effort to recognize or encourage you? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Posted in Awards, Encouragement, Gratitude | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

A Christmas Wish

Posted on December 25, 2012 by Susan Ekins

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. . . . We need silence to be able to touch souls.” –  Mother Teresa

My wish for you is that you will feel gratitude and peace on this Christmas Day. I pray that you will feel God’s love, that you will be filled with joy, and that you will be empowered to spread light in our world.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.

Posted in Christian, Empowerment, Gratitude, Holidays | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

Emerge Into the Light

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Susan Ekins

“Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.” – Helen Keller

 We in the United States are still reeling in the wake of the senseless shooting spree by a Connecticut gunman who killed his mother, then killed 20 children and six adults at a school before killing himself last Friday. The tragedy was so horrible that many of us still cannot fully comprehend it. We think about the innocent children ages 6 and 7 who were killed along with the adults and we ask “Why?!”

My initial thought was to wait a few days and write a blog post about something else rather than deal with this horrific incident. But if I want to be a Woman Making Strides, I must be proactive and address matters that I feel strongly about. The lives that were lost mattered.

The tragedy makes me see that the mission of Women Making Strides is all the more important.

  • We need to appreciate the lives we have been given.
  • We each need to take care of our body, mind, and spirit.
  • We need to accept challenges.
  • We need to have faith and use our talents to better the world.

Imagine if the perpetrator of the crime had taken care of his mind and spirit by praying every day and saying positive affirmations. Imagine if he had appreciated his life and respected the lives of others. Imagine if whatever made him do this was something that he decided he could deal with instead of thinking, “My life is so bad. I’m going to lash out and kill!” Imagine if he had thought, “I am going to use my talents to better the world.” Imagine if he had chosen to spread light rather than darkness.

This is of course a simplistic way of looking at the tragedy. It may appear that I am looking at the crime in hindsight and saying, “I have the solution to prevent such tragedies.” No, I don’t have the solution. I cannot tell you what was in the shooter’s mind when he killed his mother, when he killed the children and adults at the school, or when he killed himself. Maybe he was so mentally ill that he could not make better decisions. But I think a person who truly lives like a Woman Making Strides is not likely to commit such a destructive act.

We cannot change anyone but ourselves, and we cannot undo what happened in Connecticut. However, we can choose how we live our lives. We can choose to spread light or we can choose to spread darkness.

We are not shooting anybody, but we do spread darkness sometimes. Maybe we get irritable and snap at people. Maybe we have road rage. Maybe we feel sorry for ourselves. We are human and we make mistakes.

We are the leaders in our own lives, so let’s try to shine light and dispel the darkness in the world. We are not perfect but we can apologize to people we have offended. We can smile at the next person we see. We can think about what we are grateful for today. We can pray and ask God to help us. We can create, rather than destroy.

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We can be grateful for our lives and respectful of the lives of others. We can take care of our body, mind, and spirit so our bad feelings don’t spiral out of control. We can believe we have something to offer the world and we can use our talents. We can decide to be proactive and we can have faith.

If we do all these things, we will be role models for others and we will be spreading light instead of darkness. Let us honor the children and the adults who lost their lives in the Connecticut massacre by living our lives as best we can.

Romans 13:12b says, “Let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” What is one thing you can do today to spread light instead of darkness?

* Note: I have been told that WordPress is putting an inappropriate ad on this post. I will try to have it removed. Meanwhile, please ignore it for now. Thank you.

Posted in Bad days, Body, mind, spirit, Empowerment, faith, God, Proactive | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments