The events of the past weekend, both personal and observed, have convinced me that it is time for each of us to take a deep breath, slow the heck down and start fresh. From earthquakes, mine disasters, an unexpected loss of a loved one to the loss of a job that we identified too strongly with, it is time to slow down and take stock in who we are, where we were and what we are going to do in the minutes, days, months and years ahead.

Nothing is guaranteed to us except for choice. We are guaranteed our right to choose. Be it a course of action, a way of being, to be happy or not, everyday we have an opportunity to "choose" what our future will hold. My request and my pledge is to choose friends, family and balance over trappings, stress and the emptiness of strangers. I choose to do all I can to create a life that I will be proud of, secure in and will benefit those around me. I choose to move away from those who wallow, complain and conspire. I choose to make the world around me, both near and far, a better place and I choose to embrace my children and appreciate each one for who they are. I choose forgiveness over a grudge. I choose to forgive myself from my past, accept my present and embrace my role in creating my future.

This is my choice. What's yours?

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In the words of singer Carole King, "My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue…" 

I like this metaphor for what it means symbolically, as well as literally.  Since childhood I have been manually inclined:  knitting, stitching and sewing.  Furniture upholstery, Halloween costumes, ice skating outfits, cross-stitched samplers and wedding dresses are among my specialties.  In 1986 I watched Miss Vermont parade on television in the Miss America pageant wearing the purple sequined gown she had hired me to make.

I love sharing this affinity with my sister, my daughter and nieces.  Oh, and apparently a growing number of truckers, as reported recently in the Wall Street Journal!

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I took this seaside photo a couple of days ago in a French town called Royan.  After a long, cold, snowy winter spent on both sides of the Atlantic, it felt good to gaze out on that same ocean, feel the warm sun, take in the broad expanse of the horizon, and observe the walkers advancing across the sand.

I've been thinking about walking.

Several years back my father carved two walking sticks.  They still lean in a corner by our front door, waiting for someone to take them out.

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Having spent so much time in nursing homes and Hospicecare centers over the past couple of years I'm thinking of starting a new profession: death coach. 

A visit to the palliative wing of a geriatric hospital yesterday reminded me how familiar that setting still feels.  I almost miss being in a place where what you say doesn't matter so much, as a look, a smile or a simple gesture. 

I accepted my mother's Alzheimer's disease, and applied myself to learning new ways to express love, as the old intellectual and verbal avenues shut down.

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Today I am trying to focus on the future and find the key to surviving an economic crisis in Michigan. Something that will make a difference in peoples lives. Something to earn a healthy living and using "it" to motivate, teach and assist others in the way I am being helped.

I am excited to use this forum to share thoughts and ideas and to sort through my thoughts and filter what will be helpful and what to just drop all together.

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The holidays always seem to intensify feelings. If things are going well, the decorations, music, and anticipation of spending time with family and friends becomes even more magical. But if worry, alienation and brokenness are what we're feeling, the pressure to appear happy and excited can make things even worse.

I know people who are falling in love, discovering new skills, reuniting after separation, and celebrating new-found employment. Their joy is contagious and uplifting. And I also know folks who are dealing with serious illness, worried about paying bills, and mourning recent losses. I am mindful that their generous holiday cheer might require extra courage.

During this season of celebration, may your joy abound, and may your courage be strong.

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I am reading "Ecology and the Jewish Spirit". The author in my opinion has done excellent work on pinpointing the root cause of our environmental crises and living separately from nature.

In her research the seed of much of our actions has been embedded into societies for thousands of years, and it’s tied to the concept of dominion over all things. According to the ancient texts we were shown ways to co-exist, respect and stewardship with nature. But over time it seems our way of thinking embraced dominion over nature meaning our needs come first no matter what the cost. Our entire thought process has taken priority over what should have been common sense. Meaning if we embraced nature as an equal partner in life, and know we cannot exist without the natural world, then why would ever even think of creating any actions that would bring harm to the elements of nature’s ecological systems?

Let us take for example the use of fossil fuels. It was known that the exhaust would kill someone if breathed so the natural assumption would have been if it is harmful to us then the same holds true for nature. So instead with a thinking process that includes nature the outcome would have been much different.

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During my life so far i have come to some realizations:

1.  i am clueless as to how life began and what gives life life.
2. why my mind's thoughts can differ from the feelings of what i call from my soul
3. how i know i cannot exist without nature yet not knowing the true elements of nature and how to best be with them to better understand life.
4. when thinking of Green or sustainability i realize that nothing in nature is sustainable but exists based upon the core principles of being restorative. As an example the production of air is based upon a restorative system.
5. our minds have limited capacity to understand truth as it requires an experience for formulation. So i may think something is possible but till i can see it, it may not be probable or logical.
6. It is impossible to be in the same place twice as the world is always moving.
7. My logic tells me that since the world is round or actually egg shaped, someone somewhere is upside down and does not know it and it could be me.
8. For me to think i can change another is an illusion. Only teach them new tricks.
9. ultimately i am responsible for the environmental crises and can only expect it to change when i change my habits that are contributive.
10. ok where is spell checker?

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Bouncing back is a nice concept. It's one that I'm having difficulty with. Two years ago the the bottom dropped out for me. I was an on-line seller Amazon & eBay. I did ok for a few years, but there were changes that I did not adapt well to, causing me to go broke. I was ok with that nothing lasts forever. When I started looking for a job I was 60 years old with enough savings to make it about 6 months. No problem I can find a job. Well it was a problem. One year later I took a commissioned sales position in absolute desperation, knowing in advance that my history in commission sales was not good. I simply don't have the disposition for the business.  My first year has not been good. I guess I could blame the condition of the auto industry for my plight, but I won't. I accept full responsibility for my condition. It's been two years now and my condition continues to deteriorate.  I'm not bouncing back successfully.

So my objective in joining the community is to work on my optimism level. I find it difficult to be upbeat and positive.  I'm currently consider myself working homeless, because my home has been foreclosed on but I have not been evicted yet. I am currently not living in my home because it is in poor condition and not liveable. 

I've given up on the job search for now and decided to put my attention into solving my many legal issues and in rebuilding my Amazon business. For now I have shelved my posting to eBay.

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Let's Bounce Back set sail on the internet less than a week ago, but I'm so excited about the response that I have to blog about it right now, singing, "Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum"!!

Ahoy Mateys!!:  We've had a steady flow of new members, and forum activity is growing.  People are discussing career matters, relationships and health issues.  One of the most popular categories has been discussing the career and personality test results, which is a testimony to its quality.  I encourage everyone to spend 10 minutes taking the test, to learn a few things about yourself you maybe hadn't identified in the same way before.

New members are blogging, and we encourage everyone to join in! The LBB blog page promises to be an endless source of inspiration and compassion, as members bounce back from those times when life makes you feel like you're walking the plank.

Technically speaking, the launch has been smooth, with good reports of usability and website function.  We welcome your feedback in the Suggestion Box in the Forum, so that we can keep making it better.

Thar she blows!! Coming up: our first newsletter issue! Please subscribe -- it will be fun to read and full of news and updates about all the ideas we have for this site.

So get on board, Landlubbers!! And I promise to stop talking like a pirate...

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