What does the number 44 mean to You? Anything? On March 25th, i turned 44. Or as my kids remind me: 6 years from the big 5-0. Oh No?!…NO! save the Happy Birthdays, PLEASE!:)…i don’t celebrate the day of my birth. You’re thinking?…What’s up with that?? Yeah, this chick…ummm excuse me, “mature” woman is strange. (Please check out at the bottom of this post for more on birthdays.)

Here’s what’s up: i’m THRILLED to be alive. Life is a sacred gift. THANKFUL to my parents. Each breath, each day, each “bd” is an undeserved kindness. However, it won’t be until after i take my last breath will anyone truly/accurately know what the label/description my parents gave me: Joan Winifred…means: My name, my personality, my life’s course, my life’s work. Will my pattern of living/life demonstrate love, compassion, wisdom, justice?? The label “Winifred” means “peaceful friend”…is that what i will prove to be?? Depending on my choices and depending on what my friends think (IF i have any by then). The label “Joan” which is a Hebrew name means (according to stuff i’ve read) God is gracious or Yahweh is merciful or gift from God. Joan is sometimes considered the female version of the name John. What is your name? What does it mean? Do you like your name?

Growing up had nicknames: “ugly” and “joanie boney–skinny like a stick of macaroni”-lol aka “boney” for short..laughing out loud as i write this:)…not upset by this at all…NOT condoning name-calling, etc…it was in fun among those who i knew loved me that would tease me i.e. relatives, etc…i think it’s kinda healthy to be able to laugh at yourself! These nicknames were NOT used maliciously…well, not by everyone, who used them…and figured (as a kid) IF i was truly that hideous/repulsive looking people probably would feel bad for me & nobody …

Caregiving requires a tireless effort filled with scrapes and bruises (physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually). Don’t forget: scrapes and bruises are temporary and heal.

Lives depend on the tireless efforts of the healthy and wounded Caregiver. (The singular term “Caregiver” is here being used in a composite sense to encompass all who regularly care and/or support sick or disabled persons.)

Many Caregivers are women and some are children…(For further context on Child Caregivers: Please, check out: World Mental Health Day: When the Caregiver is a Child.) …Seemingly soft and vulnerable ones in the hard, chaotic trenches of time consuming pain, agony, work. Caregivers require a special brand of resiliency to press onward!

In a sense, Caregiving is a privilege of compassion. As with all privileges, there comes a measure of added responsiblity and added work which takes added effort. Take COURAGE DEAR CAREGIVER & NEVER GIVE UP!:)

Here’s a THANK YOU! for all the times YOU deserved to hear one, but didn’t get one!:) YOU are making a positive difference! Don’t Stop being a Compassionate Caregiver!

65.7 million caregivers make up 29% of the U.S. adult population providing care to someone who is ill, disabled or aged. [The National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP (2009), Caregiving in the U.S. National Alliance for Caregiving. Washington, DC.] – Updated: November 2012

More women than men are caregivers: an estimated 66% of caregivers are female. One-third (34%) take care of two or more people, and the average age of a female caregiver is 48.0. [The National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP (2009), Caregiving in the U.S. National Alliance for Caregiving. Washington, DC.] – Updated: November 2012

The Home Alone study―a study of family caregivers who provide complex chronic care―found that nearly half of the caregivers surveyed (46% or 777) performed medical & nursing tasks. More than 96% (747) also provided activities of daily living (ADL’s) supports (e.g., personal hygiene, dressing/undressing, or getting in and out of bed) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL’s) (e.g., taking prescribed medications, shopping …

Continue reading… »

How resilient is your brain? Are You a squirrel brain? Ever experience brain freeze?! (May be, you need a hat??)

Recently read a fun article on two topics of interests: animals and brains.

Please check in & check it out:

A dozen arctic ground squirrels appear to have set a record —when their body temperature dropped to 26.8 degrees Fahrenheit (-2.9°C)! At that temperature, we would expect their brains to freeze.

Every two or three weeks during hibernation, the arctic ground squirrel shivers itself back to its normal body temperature of 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit (36.4°C) and does not get cold again for some 12 to 15 hours. Researchers say that this warming period, although brief, plays a role in the brain’s survival. Moreover, during hibernation the arctic ground squirrel’s head seems to remain slightly warmer than the rest of its body.

When the squirrel emerges from hibernation, its brain returns to normal activity within about two hours. In fact, one study suggests that the squirrel’s brain works even better after hibernation.

They compare it to new growth emerging from scorched earth within days of a forest fire. Researchers hope that their study of the arctic ground squirrel will help them understand the human brain’s potential more fully. (Excerpt from article: The Resilient Brain of the Arctic Ground Squirrel.)

What do You think: Was the Arctic Squirrel’s resilient brain designed?? and by whom?!

Researchers hope to learn ways to prevent or reverse cellular damage occurring in brain diseases. There is so much to learn from nature and the Beautiful-Breathing-Fragile-Life inhabiting our beautiful planet, Earth. PLEASE, help protect the Multi-Major-Ecosystems of  Breathing-Fragile-Life!:)

What will you learn today? What compassionate choices will YOU make that contribute to Your brain health and the health of all Multi-Major-Ecosystems of Breathing-Fragile-Life upon this Beautiful Planet Earth?? Have you been hibernating? Asleep or …

May Flowers?:)…i absolutely LOVE flowers!

Wish my home was a flower garden. Imagine life as a butterfly floating and fluttering wherever the air brings You

in your

peaceful paradise.

My garden would be

called: f~~~r~~~e~~~e~~~d~~~o~~~m!

Lilacs are among my favorites. (Isn’t it hard to pick 1 type of flower? What is your favorite?) i could go for some intoxicating Lilac Liquor (aromatherapy) right now. i LOVE the scent of Lilac. What scents do You like?(…actually, i prefer “common”…sense!:)

P.s. this post is NOT promoting aromatherapy (and/or drinking)…just discussing it (aromatherapy).

Two basic mechanisms are offered to explain the purported effects. One is the influence of aroma on the brain, especially the limbic system through the olfactory system.[13] The other is the direct pharmacological effects of the essential oils.[14] While precise knowledge of the synergy between the body and aromatic oils is often claimed by aromatherapists,  the efficacy of aromatherapy remains unproven. However, some  preliminary clinical studies of aromatherapy in combination with other  techniques show positive effects. Aromatherapy does not cure conditions, but helps the body to find a natural way to cure itself and improve immune response.[15][16] ~Wikipedia

Wouldn’t it be cool technology IF we could some how attach fragrances (i.e. Lilacs) to our posts?? Kinda like a scratch and sniff thing…is there an app for that…yet? It would be a fun feature except if you had allergies. Some parfum et eau de toilette too overpowering and distressing to those who suffer with allergies and asthma. Please, be mindful of other Breathing-Fragile-Life IF You choose to wear or bathe in the stuff.

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are concentrated extracts taken from the roots, leaves, seeds, or blossoms of plants. Each contains its own mix of active ingredients, and this mix determines what the oil is used for. Some oils are used to promote physical healing — for example, to treat swelling or …

Continue reading… »

It is an OUTRAGE! Safety measures, injury prevention and using some smarts could save so many young/innocent lives…what am i talking about: Dummy parents who refuse to respect water and life! Here in Florida…i’ve heard so many super-sad-stories of beautiful-fragile-life drowning because of a lapse in supervision, etc…Just overheard another incident/tragedy and i’m ANGRY.

Okay, not out-of-control angry…just VERY upset by stupidity and senselessness. (Thus–the inspiration for this post.) Yeah, we make mistakes as parents, (and my heart breaks for any parent who has lost their child in death:(

But, can’t we be more vigilant when it comes to our kids’ safety?! Parents must protect their kids. Parents must respect life. Parents must respect water. Parents must respect time. Parents must WAKE-UP/PAY ATTENTION before kids drown…Until our kid(s) are grown, our job as a parent is: LIFE GUARD! (not just talking water)

Scope of the Problem       

Florida loses more children ages 1–4 to drowning than any other state. Annually in Florida, enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms drown and do not live to see their fifth birthday.

Florida overwhelmingly has the highest unintentional drowning rate in the nation for the 1–4 year old age group with a rate of 6.98 per 100,000 population (Oklahoma was second for this age group with a rate of 5.04) for 2007–2009.

Alaska, Hawaii, and Florida have the highest overall unintentional drowning rates in the nation between 2007–2009, with rates of 3.53, 2.90, and 2.09 per 100,000 population, respectively. The soaring rate for the 1–4 year old age group drives up Florida’s overall rate, so if we can impact the 1–4 year old rate, we can also make an impact on Florida’s overall rate. ~Floridashealth.com

Sun, surf and sand…sand, sun and surf…baby powder sand of Siesta Key Beach is 1 of my all time favorite beaches…had the privilege/experience of living close by (Gulf Gate)…Hubby and i would pop over in the evenings (when the sun wasn’t so strong) with the babies/toddlers…and i remember one of our first times at the beach (after relocating from Massachusetts to Sarasota)…word was spreading around the …

M is for ?…mmmMonday. M is for March. M is for Mars.

M is for Marshmallows!:)

Do you like marshmallows? Just “realizing” while writing this post:

I pronounce and spell marshmallow as marsh-mellow!

Though, others have remarked on my spelling skills, i feel, my accent messes up my spelling abilities…not going to worry about it–just going to “mellow” out. -lol:)

I have an odd/thick accent…especially when tired and/or upset. What i term “New England” accent because of growing up there. Specifically, a “Somerville”–east Somerville accent…i get teased in good fun all the time about it!:) My kids get in on it too…correcting me when i speak. That’s okay!…found a great way of getting kids–my kids to listen/obey/cooperate…threaten* (*using this term jokingly) a public display of affection like a kiss on the cheek and/or hug or start calling them by a cute nickname ala my accent: works every time!-lol:)

It’s pretty ironic, Somerville has come a long way from “slummerville”…it use to really bother/embarrass me as a kid when people would refer to my hometown that way! (waaaaay over it!) Looking back now, really thankful for my upbringing there…a lot of good people/things have come from Somerville, Massachusetts…not just famous ones.

I’m getting choked up writing this now…thinking about my family/friends/experiences…”Somerville” and what that word/place means to me. Somerville did indeed play a part in shaping/molding me–my impressionable formative years!

Questions for Consideration:

• What place has helped shape You into the personality You are today?!
• Does this place express Compassion Culture?!
• Where are You now?!
• A place of Compassion?!

Still living in Summer…ville here in sunny Florida. My accent pronounces “Somer” like the season Summ…drop the er and insert a..Summaville…er is always short a sound..R gets dropped too: car is ca…yard is yad. Then insert the r sound where it doesn’t belong like idear. Forty…for becomes fau-ty becomes d (sounds perfectly right to me): fau-d. Heart sounds like haat. Start sounds like staat.

Confusing?? There’s way more to this accent than that…No wonder i get blank stares when talking very fast!:) That’s probably why i feel more easily understood in written …

What is your native tongue? How well do you speak compassion–The language and living of love (agape)??

Couldn’t help, but think a little about my heritage/language. VERY Thankful: i was raised with no prejudice or partiality toward any ethnic group…in other words…i was raised to Appreciate & Love All Variety of Breathing-Fragile-Life:)…in other words…my family did not elevate one particular group of Breathing-Fragile-Life over another particular group of Breathing-Fragile-Life…in other words…my particular ethnicity is quite a mix! For example, if you were going to adopt/rescue a doggie: i would be labeled a mutt for sure -lol:)…i’m a “little” of a lot of different Breathing-Fragile-Life. My DNA is an acculturation.

Right now, i’m meditating/pondering deeply about whether or not to reveal to You my “specific” partial-nationality/heritage list or not…(For clarification: whatever “i may” choose to reveal about myself via this blog or past blogs–serves a “teaching” /trust purpose for the topic under consideration/discussion. i strive to speak truth.)

Let me preface my following statement as NOT a presumption: any “possible” Mental Health Drs. out there (or Others) who “possibly” follow my writing & may “possibly” think they may “possibly” have me/my life/my personality/my profile totally figured out: think again! -lol:)…i’m an undefined work in progress…someday, i hope to get achieve–name (not talking fame).

Whatever hazy reflection you see of me/my inner person/my personality, etc. revealed in my writing…would change IF you, my Reader,  ever met me in person. Truth: Outer appearance is a distraction from the “true” inner person.

• Do you have the ability to see past faces into hearts?! (i try to see hearts.)
• Do you have the ability to see past gender?!
• Do you have the ability to see past age?!
• Do you have the ability to see past nationality?!
• Do you have the ability to see past obese?!
• Do you have the ability to see past skinny?!
• Do you have the ability to see past superficiality?!
• Do you have the ability to see past sick?!
• Do you have the ability to see past healthy?!
• Do you have the ability to see past social classes?!

Compassion does have …

Hi!:) How are You, my Reader?? Ca Va? How was Your February? How is Your personal journey/race of compassion going? THANKS for living compassion!:)

My February ended on a Super-Nice note! i hope Yours did as well!:) (Not sure IF you’ve read my previous post referring to my Brother?) i’m loving skype right now -lol:) You guessed it…got to skype with Him and his Wife! It’s been way tooo long since an opportunity for us to communicate came along…circumstances.  (i’m tough to reach…so is he.) i have this really goofy smile stuck on my face and hopefully: it won’t go away!-lol:) A comforting word at just the right time is oh how good!!…good for the weary warriors of compassion. Don’t tire out in your personal race/battle….for compassionate living!:) Hoping You hear some comforting words!:)

It’s always a great wake-up to reality to hear of his compassion adventures in Haiti. The life there and life here…what contrasts. We have so much materially/opportunities here in the States…many in our International Family of Beautiful-Breathing-Fragile-Life will never experience what some view as entitlements of luxuries. Some of our Local & International Family of Beautiful-Breathing-Fragile-Life will struggle their whole existence just to subsist on little food, little comfort, little help, little love. Little is better than nothing, eh?

What can i give You today? What can i share…a little food, a little comfort, a little help, a little love?:) What comfort can You bring to those in Your care?! What comfort can You share/bring to anyone/anything crossing Your path today? You have a gift, Please share it!:)

“In Reading there is sort of a half and half mixture. The book must be good, but the reader must also be active.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A new month, new work, new goals, new learning…new friends? Here’s some “new” ? thoughts for You to think:

3 Proverbs & Act on?

(Proverbs 29:11) “All his spirit is what a stupid one lets out, but he that is wise keeps it calm to the last.”

Are You calm? Do You exercise self-restraint? Are You easily provoked? Learning to exercise self-control can lead to more compassionate choices …

What is holding your mind? What is holding your heart? Love? Fear? Accurate Knowledge? Superstition? Impartiality? Partiality? Nationalism? Universal Hospitality?

Sadly, we live in a divided world, country(s), region(s), neighborhood(s). A world/globe divided by mind-made/man-made/fear-made/prejudice-made borders, boundaries, divisions, differences, discriminations and fears.

Are you personally able to promote peace by embracing the concept of an International Brotherhood of Breathing-Fragile-Life encompassing our globe? Of course, how can one embrace an International Brotherhood if one cannot embrace their local neighbor? How can one embrace their local Neighbor if one cannot embrace their Mother, Father, Sister, Brother under the same roof?

Human Race = Fragile Family! Family = Gift! Do You Cherish Your Family?  Do You Appreciate Your Gift? i do!:) (Who doesn’t like getting a gift?:)

The human condition is flawed…on varying levels so, at times, family doesn’t get along like it should!:( How can we all: “better” get along?

We all need to get better, get well: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually…one way is by cultivating love and compassion and empathy and forgiveness!:) It takes education and patience. It takes work and effort. It takes practice and application…in the home, in the neighborhood, at school, at work, etc.

i like/prefer simple, practical solutions to challenges: tweaking. So, i like “practical,” ancient wisdom:

“Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely, if anyone has a cause for complaint against another…Clothe yourselves with love, for it is the perfect bond of union.” (Colossians 3:13, 14)

All of us have a cause for complaint!…i’m sure some of my Readers have a cause of complaint toward me that i may not be aware of…SORRY!:(…THANKS for putting up with me! SORRY to offend & THANKS for Reading/Supporting my blog!:)…when i’m trying to put up with someone who’s irritating me or worse…i try to think of the situation like this:  As a Mom…babies are so cute, adorable and loveable…yet, they do seemingly offensive/gross stuff..i.e. spit up on you, poop on you, etc. You LOVE the baby sooo much…you don’t hold it against …

All work and no-play makes any partner, care-giver, friend, family…
dull!:( Wellness must include some play-time, too. Recreation in just the right amount is just what the doctor ordered.

Ahh, peace at the beach!:) Spontaneity is refreshing…sometimes. Do you enjoy nature? Do you spend enough time outdoors?! It will do you some good!

i’m an “awake accepter”…of the importance of daily exercise! Just like variety is good for a healthy, nutritious diet. Same with exercise…mixing it up keeps it fun, fresh and good for you, too. Of course, check with your doctor first before you start any new regimen. Just like i eat more than once a day…staying active, exercising in measured amounts throughout the day works well for me (usually). Having 4 hyper kids to keep up with and major housework helps. (For context of term “awake accepter” see my last post: Go to the…Source!  Hubby decided to do some kayaking Saturday…too cold and windy for me to swim…there’s always reading, chasing the kids, birds, taking photos and writings in the sand…

Think, Read Books-66…how many books make your favorites list?…i would start w/66.

Windy/Cool day… 

 Son on pier…Hubby under pier.

The birds were so beautiful and the beach too…too bad my photos uploaded too dark…gotta get Hubby to adjust them.

 …i tend to…work, work, work, work, work…and work some more. Do i escape through work?? or do i just try hard to live up to my responsibilities/word as care-giver, wife, mother, friend, fragile-life-member of global-family? Escapism…comes in many forms…it could be a religion.

Seriously, writing this post forces me to sit and relax my body while …