Thinking Out Loud

A new dawn, a new beginning… for the Netherlands and also for me and you!

The Netherlands and my Aruba heritage.  I was born and raised in Aruba. On April 30, 2013, the Netherlands will have its first king in many years. I am going to borrow the words of a former Lagoite, Susanne Gravendijk Wirth, in regard to the royal history:

“Wilhelmina was queen. She had been queen most of my grandparents’ lives, as well. She abdicated for her daughter in 1948. Juliana abdicated for her daughter in 1980. And, now, Beatrix will abdicate, tomorrow, for her son, the first king since 1890. It will seem so very strange, to me…koning, instead of koningin.”

There are only princesses on board for the next generation.. we shall see. I remember seeing Queen Juliana when I was a Brownie Scout standing in formation when her plane landed… I remember when Beatrix married and how I wrote a poem in her honor, but never sent it. Growing up in Aruba was a special privilege. The Aruban people and the Dutch,  are a friendly people. Very down to earth. I remember reading that as Queen, Juliana did not hesitate to ride her bicycle into town.  Here is the Facebook page of the Netherlands. Explore and enjoy!

This was the beginning of the new year. Dark clouds at first, but you can see the sun rising behind.

Acceptance of Life There are a number of people who exist in my arena of life, who have to deal with great difficulties and they do it so very well! We have one student, Shern, who is in a wheelchair, and has many difficulties because of a history of seizures. I asked her today if she has pain. She said she is always has pain!  I was astounded as she is the most up-beat individual I know. I asked how she manages it and her answer was, “you have to adjust to it.” Well, I have been having pain and evidently I have not been able to adjust to it very well at all!  I better get my thoughts in order as of right now, as I have too much I want to accomplish, so many things to do! The main thing I must learn to do is do deep breathing. That makes things bearable.

Then there is a photographer I know only through the web. Her name is Cindy. She spoke today on Facebook how her hubby has to help her up once she gets down on the ground to capture some of her beautiful photographs. She stated she was not above crawling if needed. She has a beautiful dog, Phoebe, and the two of them need surgery now, but they both have to get better in order for it to take place.  Thinking of you both.  Your efforts keep me going!

The Calming Motion of Waves….

I know what I must do and that is to go with the flow. I need to pace myself. This stiff body is not up to sitting hours behind the computer!  I love my writing for BlogMutt, but must realize that to do my best, my body and mind must be in sync. The mind wants to race ahead, but the body starts to stumble as it tries so hard to keep up. Going to use my Chime timer to remind me to stop and do a few yoga moves in the middle of it all. The waves keep going, but they are recharging all the time. Their motion seems endless, there is much back and forth motion… this individual must follow their example. I have to stop and recharge. It is the sound and the motion of the waves that help me recharge. I have an mp3 that I love to listen to when sleep does not want to come. I also have one of gentle rain….

Patiently seeking its prey as I must seek knowledge and patience!!

I will seek knowledge for my posts, looking here and searching there. Then I will find it and take it back to the word processor to be put into the latest and greatest of my posts.  I love research and can often get lost doing it. Must learn to cut it short!  Gather what I need, make notes as to where I can go to find more and just move on.  [edited.. several times!] I also promise myself never to write a blog post again… when I have gotten up out of bed because I cannot sleep! I keep finding typos!!  That is a no-no!

Me with my kayak

This will  be my other form of survival. My muscles have turned into a marshmallow consistency that does not do well when one tries to be active. I have been holding back because of pain and slow mindset that I have in this area. I have been resisting exercise as I have to enjoy what I do and plain old exercises just don’t cut it. Kayaking is fun and when done right, can give you a full body workout.  There is also the asanas of yoga. They are going to become my computer break time activity. I will set my mat up in the living room and get on it every 30 minutes. Whenever I go though a door-frame, I will try to take a moment to do a shoulder stretch for both sides. Have to stay balanced, you know!!

Elliot is making a skeg to put on my kayak. He made a super one for his. It looks like it came from an Erector set, but it sure does what it needs to do!  Elliot and I are partners. We are ready to help each other though this difficult age of being  senior citizens. The strange thing is… it is only our bodies that are senior-aged. Our minds are young and full of laughter and love. We will continue our journey as we have done since 2001…. Side by Side

Side by Side We Can Face the World

I am ready Elliot… is my skeg done yet!!! It is supposed to rain this afternoon so we better get our butts in those kayaks now!!

Merry Christmas with Peace and Joy to All

Christmas Wishes

It does not matter what your faith is as my wish is for everyone.

We all can use some Peace and Joy in our lives. 

Pelicans on their daily search… against the morning sun

As we search for meaning in our lives, understanding of the tragedies we see or read about in the world of today: we all can dream or believe that there is a better world out there. I know that I do. I start with my love and joy in regard to life and try to share it with those around me.

A mind that is somber does not always see the possibilities that are available. Did you know, that if you just start with a hint of a smile… it will lighten your mood. If just a hint can do so much… let the whole smile come through. When your mind or your mood is lighter it is easier to deal with what is happening in your life. It is important to be mindful of your thoughts and find a way to change them when they start to veer into negativity instead of a positive direction. I am not saying it is easy… sometimes it is very difficult.

Bring some deep breathing into play. I am including a link to breathing exercises that can be found on Dr. Andrew Weil’s site Breathing: Three Exercises. It can be done anywhere at anytime. Then there are the real effects of Positive Thinking. Just like looking at a glass as being half empty rather than half full, how you think makes such a difference in how you respond to life.

How did I end up here after wishing every one Peace and Joy?  Well, we may not be able to see the peace or feel the joy, if our mind is stuck on the wrong channel or stuck in a negative mode thinking level. Go for it and see if what I posted above can even in a small way make a difference in how you feel or see your life at this moment. I know that there are many living in circumstances way out of their own control. Those who survive such circumstances are the ones who can see beyond and remain controlled within themselves. To them, I reach out with all the hope and positive thinking I have. Peace is my dream… Peace for the whole planet. I may be the forever cockeyed optimist as sung by Mitzi Gaynor in the movie South Pacific.

When the skies are brighter canary yellow
I forget ev’ry cloud I’ve ever seen,
So they called me a cockeyed optimist
Immature and incurably green.I have heard people rant and rave and bellow
That we’re done and we might as well be dead,
But I’m only a cockeyed optimist
And I can’t get it into my head.I hear the human race
Is fallin’ on it’s face
And hasn’t very far to go,
But ev’ry whippoorwill
Is sellin’ me a bill,
And tellin’ me it just ain’t so.

I could say life is just a bowl of Jello
And appear more intelligent and smart,
But I’m stuck like a dope
With a thing called hope,
And I can’t get it out of my heart!
Not this heart

Side by Side We Can Change the World

Let Us All Try Something New… Peace

Let Us All Give Peace a Chance

For how many centuries has the world tried war, hatred, dominance and more to gain or prove superiority.

Now it is becoming acceptable to show the extent of our inner demons.

When it comes to the first,  just is not working! Those who end up on the bottom layer of oppression will always seek their freedom from those holding them down. This has been going on for centuries, between religions, cultures and races. In my own country there are those who are still fighting the Civil War. We were once called a melting pot… no more.

Now, if you are upset, angry at another, or feel threatened it seems to be acceptable to grab a gun and ‘take out’ the source of your problem. Why are assault weapons needed by individuals within the regular population? I am not against guns… but the type of guns that are available.

There is also the need for help to be given to those who need mental counseling. In a country as wealthy as ours, programs that give this help are being shut down. There is also a stigma involved. It is no different then when the mentally ill were locked away… now we do it to ourselves rather then admit that we, ourselves, or our child needs help.

First we have to believe that Peace is a real option! It does not have to be perfect as nothing in life is perfect. It will take real effort by all involved. Much will require each individual looking at life, events, feelings with a new perception or outlook. Sometimes when we look at a feeling or event from the opposite viewpoint or a different angle, our own perception changes. Most importantly we need to learn to listen and get to know each other… as individuals not as generalizations.

Next, we need to be persistence in this quest for Peace. It will not come overnight.

I will hand my belief and love of Peace to you… now it is your turn to believe and hand your belief to another. This needs to be done over and over, until it reaches all areas of the world. It does not have to start with just me!  You can start handing off your love of Peace wherever you are and maybe we will accomplish our goal quicker.    As my signature says, “Peace begins with each of us, as individuals”  Pass it on!

New Technology in My Life

Here it is… with many new skills to learn

This is the new tool I have in my life. It is a joint birthday/Christmas present from both myself and my partner, Elliot. I had been interested in the iPad mini, till the price ended up higher than first anticipated  When the new iPad mini was introduced, I learned that there were some bargains to be found within the ranks of the older models. I found on CNet, a good review about the iPad, 3rd generation (refurbished). The price was right and I was ready. Since I have not experienced the technology of the iPhone, iPod or any other iPad, I am most happy with what I have ended up with.

I am learning about Instagram. Lost one and discovered it ended up on Facebook!  I was trying to enhance it and sent it instead. Tried a few apps in different categories, mainly art and photography. The ones I liked, I have kept. A few I got rid of. Luckily an app is not the price of computer software.  So many are free!  I downloaded Art Studio for iPad. It is a keeper. It reminds me of Corel Painter which I have always enjoyed working in. I also downloaded Camera+. It lets me do some enhancing before sending and or saving for later use.

While I was not going to use it for reading, I found that it works very well for that, especially when it comes to more serious reading. I can highlight multiple ways and most importantly… create a comment. While I often highlight hardback books I have never written comments in the margins. The reader program for Sony, now has an app for the iPad. I can re-read all the books I have purchased (no-thinking books) for my Sony reader on the iPad. When I read a no-thinking book, I do not read them word for word and therefore do not remember the whole plot etc. Going back and reading them again several months later is fine with me!  I keep hardback favorites for the same reasons.

What this marvel of technology is supposed to be for me, is a roving digital sketch pad. I cannot say that it was reached that level of use, but it will. I can draw from nature directly or take a photo and open it within Art Studio and work on it from there.

The effect of technology on our lives is being observed and studied in detail. Many negative and some positive aspects are being pointed out. A very humorous yet sad outlook can be found on Our Lighter Side. One of the serious books I am reading on my iPad is Spontaneous Happiness by Andrew Weil. He writes about the nature deficit disorder: the loss of nature in our daily lives and its affect on us, especially in the lives of children. Dr. Weil states:

 We simply are not meant to live as many of us do today: sedentary, alone, staring at glowing screens that keep us on perpetual information overload, eating processed food, and sleep-deprived as artificial light extends the natural day well into the night. Living this way undermines physical and mental health in profound ways.

He does not believe we have to withdraw from the modern world, but we do have to be aware of what is happening and take the means needed to counteract the negative aspects of this overwhelming use of modern technology. One of the strongest medical problems that has developed is depression. People are no longer interactive individuals, but are becoming isolated within their world of technology.

No. For most of us, that’s unrealistic. Instead, we need to realize that we must consciously follow behaviors in the modern world that reflect what our bodies and minds are meant to be doing. We need to move our bodies more; be truly (as opposed to electronically) social; eat whole, unprocessed food; and align our sleep more closely with the sun’s cycles. I also think that ancient spiritual traditions – particularly those that advocate various forms of meditation – can offer valuable opportunities for achieving emotional well-being. So can newer schools of psychotherapy such as “positive psychology,” which provides a wealth of specific techniques to boost emotional health.

As I have become absorbed in the use of my iPad, I can see how this might happen and I only have this one form of modern technology. It is enough for me. My cell phone is for basic communication and emergencies. It is not my main source for communicating. I have never been a big phone talker, ask my children. I prefer to talk face to face. Now that they are not close, I have had to learn to talk longer via the phone, any form of phone.

I have a long way to go before I really know all the iPad can do and will continue do pursue it. I am going to learn chess and play tennis with Roger Federer’s tennis app! No other games. I do play Mahjong on my laptop. That is enough!

Seeking Motivation

These waves illustrate the power of the thoughts and physical reactions  I experienced within during my past week, strong and almost overwhelming.

Been one of those weeks when all seems to be on an uphill slant. Need some motivation to keep myself on track. This is when I head to the Readings from the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School.

~~~~~~~~~~

Whether adversity be a stumbling block, or discipline, or blessing depends on the use made of it.
Anonymous

The trick is what one emphasizes.
We either make ourselves miserable
or we make ourselves strong.
The amount of work is the same…
Carlos Castaneda

I love this quote… Makes me think of the words not spoken…

Remember this advice: It is easy to keep your head above water. Empty things float.
Tillie Olsen

I bought two books from Amazon for further reading. I am learning that there are several different approaches to freelance writing and blogging. My job will be to put together the combination that works best for me.

I am enjoying my journey with the A-List Blogging bootcamp. It shows only too well how much there is to learn. While I missed the workshop (still trying to figure that out) I am going full speed ahead with the rest of the program.The amount of experience as well as the joy of learning expressed by all in the program is catching.  Ah.. that is what I need right now, a visit to the site and to let all that enthusiasm flow over me!  Off I go!!

A good day to you all!

What will happen next, I ask?

It would be so nice if we could set out our path, our plans for the journey forward in life, and find that it all moves along as planned. I have learned over my life that reality is usually quite different. To get to one rung on our ladder upward we may have the option of taking several routes or going up two rungs, back one then up three and so on. We might even have to choose a different ladder all together! This post… I tried to get the images with either a left or right alignment, but they refused to stay where I wanted them… so all are lined up right down the middle!!

OK, which way was I headed? How did I get here?

 

 

 

This has been my life as I have started to change things around to find alternatives in my life. I started one place, got bounced off that route and found myself undergoing obstacles that where not planned on. Yet… the latest, may have an end result that will be most beneficial.

As you know, if you have been reading my posts, I am a senior seeking a new direction.  By the time we get to our more mature years, various happenings are taking place in our bodies. Some are good and others are just a real ‘pain.’  The latter is visiting me right now. Like the image of the mangroves (life’s jungle) there is a spot of light (the cardinal)

 

 

 

I see you. You are most unexpected in these circumstances. Welcome!

 

I love using nature to demonstrate what I am talking about, if you haven’t noticed. I know blogs are usually informative, with great lessons and wisdom. I seem to just chatter along… inserting images to illustrate what I am trying to get across. What I enjoy learning is that there are others out there who know exactly what I am experiencing!  I am not alone on my journey. They are not all senior citizens. Some are just regular folks like you.

Well, this is am image of my main place of work… bad isn’t it?  I have worked at bring some sense of order, but obstacles keep getting in my way!

 

 

 

 

There is a computer there… look carefully and you will see it.

 

 

All those CDs and Zip drives are labeled. The books may not be filed with the Dewey decimal system, but they are in categories and I can access them easily. They are apart of my future… along with the many files on the internal and external hard drives. I learned the hard way that backing up is necessary.

 

 

 

It fit when I started… Hummm, how will it fit now? Do I need to make changes before going on? Yep!

 

 

Just as this dress  is in a state of being unfinished, we as people are never finished when it comes to our lives. We are a project in perpetual change. We have dreams, ideas of where we want to go, what we want to accomplish in our lives. This is not just a part of our youth, but is with us throughout our lives. So many have had their lives turned upside down over the past years and have had to look at new directions, make major changes in their lives.

 

 

Well, I for one am looking forward. I am excited about the possibilities that I see before me. Who knows, I may actually figure out what I really want to do with this blog!!  I am delving back into Jon Kabat-Zinn, as alternative treatments work best with me. My body does not like the modern-day chemicals called prescriptions. I am also resurrecting my Qigong… I know I said that before, but this time I have to be serious about it. Here are my Jahnke’s exercises for the PDF files of the exercises. The source is documented on the file.

Time for an image of Dawn… I am choosing an early morning sky image with a flock of pelicans flying. They know what they need, they keep at it until they get it. It may mean flying up and down the same coast line, but they persist. That is me. I live where I live. I have the tools that I have, but I can gain more if needed.

Pelicans on their daily search… against the morning sun

What I need is more self-discipline… I am not a quitter, but I get distracted very easily. Getting to know your strengths and weaknesses comes in your later years, earlier if you are lucky, but you have to acknowledge them in order to make use of them. Many do not like what they see. OK everyone… send all the positive support, thoughts you can my way. I will need it all.

Moving Forward

The sun is above the horizon, behind the clouds

It is amazing, the direction our lives may take. It does not matter what stage of life you are in. The way I see my life right now… I am facing a new dawn each day. Yes, I still carry all sorts of ‘stuff’ from the past, but it is what I do with it that makes a difference. I am like the dawn in the photo above… the sun is there, peeking through the dark clouds. Those dark clouds are the ‘stuff’ in my life. I know the sun will rise above those clouds… so will I.

For many individuals that ‘stuff’ is like an anchor… it pulls them back to all they have gone through in the past, preventing them from moving forward. I am not saying that we must forget or leave the past as if it never took place, but do not let it stop us from moving forward.

If I were the same person I was in my teens, I would find dealing with my life as it is now to be quite difficult. I was shy, timid and ‘afraid of my own shadow!’  Now, because of the life experiences I have had, the challenges I have faced and still face, I am stronger… not physically, but within.

Somehow, I am going to regain some of that physical stamina too.   They say, it takes hitting rock bottom, that makes an individual start to fight back. OK… the gong has sounded and I am ready. I am going to be drawing on all that I have gathered in my ‘tool box’ for survival. My Qigong, with my mindfulness breathing, self awareness, adapting. You name it… I am going to use it. If I can manage to get myself down on the floor… I will do some yoga following Iyengar’s method.  I need to make sure I have a way to get up too!!!

I am like the little engine that said:  I think I can… I think I can… I know I can!

The sun in its full glory, starts a new day

Here comes the sun!  I am on my way… join me!

Gotta Get Going!!

Life can leave us tattered at times, it is how we respond to this that matters

Summers always get me down. Florida is hot and HUMID. It is the latter that intensifies the heat. This summer we have been lucky compared to our northern neighbors, but that did not make it any easier for me when it came to dealing with our Florida summer.

The seagulls had no problem adjusting to the semi-destruction of their favorite resting spot. This is what I need to learn. What I have figured out is that it is my frame of mind that makes the difference. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, the thoughts we have about pain have a strong effect on how we react to the physical sensation that we label as ‘pain.’ It is so easy to moan and groan “This pain is killing me!”   I am not saying the ‘pain’ is not real… it is. The dwelling on the pain just does not make it easier to deal with. The ‘removal’ of the dwelling that is the trick, or I should say skill that is the key.  I am trying to adapt, make this a regular part of my life. So far it has been a more ‘off and on’ action than a steady action in my life.

It is not easy!  I still find myself saying… “OMG, why won’t it leave me alone!”  My pain does not begin to touch the level of pain I know others have to deal with, but any dwelling on it can make it appear to be just unbearable, to me!  Mind over matter, or in this case, physical sensations. Finding acceptance and peace with changes of any kind, whether they are within you or surrounding you, is the goal. Constant fighting against something magnifies it, makes it seem worse than it really is.

In his Mindfulness Meditation for Pain you explore the use of your breath to overcome the locked in thoughts regarding your pain. Your breath surrounds the pain and releases it. OK… it is not a 100% cure, but it is a thought process that can break your frame of mind at that moment. You can do it at any time and any place. What is great is that breathing in a mindful manner, works in so many circumstances; taking a test, getting ready for that job interview, your first date with someone special.

I also have his book Full Catastrophe Living and I need to get back on it. Any practice, whether it is to lose weight, finding release from stress, starting an exercise routine, or stopping smoking, has to be forever in motion. Stopping it, even though it is for a short time, does not mean the good that was happening will automatically continue. The positive action will be lost quickly. Little breaks in practice, unfortunately, often lead to longer ones and often to the complete cessation of the practice… no matter what you tell yourself.

Quotes from the book:

Cultivating mindfulness means learning to tap and focus our own wasted energies. In doing so, we learn to calm down enough to enter and dwell in states of deep relaxation. This nourishes and restores body and mind….
This energy comes from inside us and is therefore always within our reach and potential control.

He states that his first impression of meditation was incorrect. He thought change just happened without planning.

But time has taught me that some kind of personal vision is also necessary…
This image or ideal will help carry you through the inevitable periods of low motivation and give continuity to your practice.

This is what I have neglected to do. I was practicing without a goal or vision of what I wanted to accomplish.  This has got to be changed. One goal coming up… in vivid color!

The act of breathing…

Our very bodies are joined with the planet in a continual rhythmic exchange as matter and energy flow back and forth between our bodies and what we call “the environment.”

The breath has a very important partner in its work, namely the heart. Think of it: This amazing muscle never tops pumping during our entire lifetime.

Breathing is an incredible powerful ally and teacher in the work of meditation, although people who have no training in meditation think nothing of it and find it uninteresting.

As long as we are alive, it is always with us. We can’t leave home without it…. Tuning in to it brings us right into the here and now.

I  have CDs for both Qigong and Tai Chi that are being neglected at this moment. What is it in me, that lets me stop or ignore those things that I know can help me. I have used these practices in the past and have benefited greatly. It was that ‘little’ break I took… that “I’ll do it tomorrow instead” that messed me up. What this comes down to is self-discipline. Guess what I am lacking!!  When I have things that I have to do for others, I get it done without fail, but when it comes to myself… I fall flat on my face. I know I am not alone in this.

OK, Barb, what will it be like this time? Can you stick to it? Are you able to really make these practices a real part of your life? You know the benefits you achieve from them, so what the ‘heck’ is the problem? Don’t stay ‘broken down’ like the dock in the photo. The county did get around to fixing it up, eventually. Now it is your turn to ‘get around’ to doing what you know you have to do.

Taking a Detour in Life

New Growth Amid the Old

Life does not stop when obstacles get thrown in our path. Somehow we have to find a way to keep on moving forward. As I look at the old growth of this mangrove above. I see two images. One is the tangled web of my life that has developed over time. Now I am trying to start a new journey and that is the green sprout… the new skills, the new dreams and growth that is happening in my life at this time. I find it absolutely amazing. The second image (I love anatomy) is that of the neurons in my brain… with that spark of new development.

Our brains do not stop in their growth at a certain age. They do slow down and under certain circumstances some growth is lost or damaged by trauma, illness and substance abuse. There are new studies out there, that say to keep a brain young… exercise it! Exercising the brain can help hold off the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. Brains that have been damaged because of stroke or trauma can relearn skills that were lost.

Well, I have not suffered trauma, stroke or any other such condition. I have just had obstacles tossed in my path. I am having to learn new skills and make decisions. Just where do I want to go with this blog. It has been wandering around in blogsville now for quite a while. Because my mind loves to be distracted, I am making a renewed effort to practice mindful meditation via Jon Kabat-Zinn as well as through the book written by “the Jolly Fellow” from Google, Chade-Meng Tan.

Now if you want to get a totally different take on meditation, then this is the book for you. ‘Meng’ is an engineer that started with Google in its early years. He was not too happy with the changes in his life and sought means to change it. He discovered Jon Kabat-Zinn, Daniel Goleman, among others, whom he invited to lecture at Google. His approach to meditation is not a ‘high in the clouds’ approach, but backed by science.

The Calming Motion of Waves….

I sleep with the sounds of waves to bring a sense of calmness. It also disguises the ringing that is present (tinnitus) I love to go to the beach to watch the waves. I decided long ago, I would have a problem if I did not have access to the ocean. I remember climbing to the tree top in Aruba so I could see the ocean in the distance. There is a gentle rhythm to the waves… most of the time.

These waves are gentle compared to those produced by a hurricane or any other strong storm… but then, those are the times I stay away from the beach!

Those of you who just happen to stop by… explore and leave a comment or two. Some of you know what is going on in my life. I am not daunted, but just finding my way. Life is good, it is definitely a challenge. It would be most boring if it were any other way. I want to share with you the website of a nature photographer who has had to overcome obstacles that would probably have made me stop in my tracks long ago. Her work is amazing. She is also an authority on moths. I never knew they were such beautiful creatures. Here are her sites. Woodsongphoto.com and within this one you will find Moth Magic. Thank you, Cindy… in more ways than one!

That was a learning experience….

Finding breakfast is not always a one dive shot. It often takes several dives to get the catch you want. I am like this osprey, stopping to think of new actions to reach my goal.

I learned after much effort that I am not able to put a PowerPoint on my blog. Getting a video is an option, but not for me at this time. So I decided to take advantage of my experience with a few fitting quotes from my book:  Readings from the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School. I am amazed at the number of clicks I get whenever I post from this book of quotes.

From the wisdom of Aldous Huxley:

The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.

Robert Frost said:

Something we were withholding made us weak until we found out that it was ourselves we were withholding from our land of living and forthwith found salvation in surrender.

A longer quote by Chapin Wright:

Mother nature has let us flounder all night in the fog. We fight our way: she is telling us with her fog that life is not always a direct sighting; you don’t always know where you are or where you are going; you can only keep fighting with a smile until it breaks and the new light is seen, then you are on your way again.  It may be a new direction, but it is a life. Thanks for the fog.

I cannot leave out the words of Walt Whitman:

Now understand me well–it is provided in the essence of things that from any fruition of success, no matter what, shall come forth something to make a greater struggle necessary.

Finally, Henry David Thoreau:

…If one advanced confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours…if you have built castles in he air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.