Resolutions?

Resolutions? Do you set resolutions? Mine take various forms I've had virtually the same one since 2000-something. It always sounds something like this: "Lighten my load," "Littler and lesser," "Do less." The sentiment is the same. This "less-ness" may well keep me busy for the rest of my days, which says something now doesn't it. I can keep myself quite occupied in my pursuit of LESS. 
In my pursuit of less, I've uncovered some truths, about myself at least. Our resolutions are often contrary to our life-stage. We strive to do more, be more, have more but the challenge of advancing years is to cull down to our essence, to transcend materialism, to discover and become our essential selves, to BEcome more of ourselves. 
Too often, from an early age, when asked what we want to BE as we get older we are really considering what we want to DO. Rarely, when posed the question "what do you want to BE?" do we respond, "I want to be kind." "I want to be creative." Rather, we respond with a job title or career label: "I want to be a dentist." "I want to be a ballerina." "I want to be a court psychologist for juvenile offenders."  It occurs to me that this is a very narrow perspective on the whole BEing thing. So narrowly defining our BEing can't be good. 
This is one of my favorite things about BEing a Gerontologist. To say, "I want to BE a Gerontologist" leaves you wide open to DO most anything!

A season of gratitude and giving

“Let us be thankful for the comforts in life: plumbing, heat, and plenty to eat.” Ruby Richey, age 97

During this season of gratitude and giving I feel a call to count my blessings. For me the list is long… An enchanted love, my “short list”, my good health and the good health of my loved ones, purposeful work, a warm and cozy roof over my head, a continuous swirl of ideas to fill my head, lessons learned, situations that call forth coping and allow me to see beyond the circumference of circumstance.

I read recently that the days of declining autumn create an inner season in which we could live “in spiritual altitudes more nearly approaching ecstasy” than any other time of the year. Let us rejoice in the season’s exultant accord. Let us go where love takes us every day. Let us have grateful hearts. Let us learn and unlearn together.

Come, grateful sisters and brothers. Offer thanks with me for the bounty of goodness. Raise a song of harvest and home, a glass of good cheer for our kindred with hearts over flowing with joy. We have much for which to be thankful, much for which to smile, much to share. So much, in fact, that as we journey on we can embrace the season of relinquishment, of simplicity, of stillness. All we have is all we need.

Rise to the occasion with style, with a knowing smile. Make it look effortless and it will become so.

Take care of your precious self, cradle the warm animal of your soul gently with kindness and compassion, if for no other reason than because you are precious to me.

Blessings for a grateful season.