Wonder

The Seven Wonders of the World are not really what you think. They are:

1. To see

2. To hear

3. To touch

4. To taste

5. To feel

6. To laugh

7. To love

-source unknown

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People travel to wonder
at the height of mountains,
at the huge waves of the sea,
at the long courses of rivers,
at the vast compass of the ocean,
at the circular motion of the stars;
and they pass by themselves without wondering.

-St. Augustine

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I wonder what would happen if you spent five precious minutes today wondering. Wondering about yourself, wondering about the present moment, wondering about the possibilities that exist for you today.

I wonder.....will you?

Peace,
Paul - The Ripples Project

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Have a "wonder-ful" Sunday my friends!

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Words To Live By

I've recently been reminded of some famous quotes reminding us about our behavior. It's always hard to realize that we cannot control other people, and I have learned that those who consider themselves "Dominant" find it inconceivable that they ultimately have no control over someone else. In fact, only each individual may control themselves. The fact that I yield myself to Master is my choice, and mine alone.

I used to think that with age and experience people come to learn that the world is not "black and white" but instead is "shades of gray". Alas, age and experience have turned out to be un-related to wisdom. I am, however, amazed that there are still people who believe they have the right to verbally abuse another person. Having survived an abusive upbringing and marriage, I find myself unwilling to submit to such behavior on the part of another person. Master doesn't abuse me, what would make someone else think they could succeed at such behavior?

I also must say, that those who set themselves up to be so-called experts in a field, be it as a painter, cook, or something Lifestyle related such as a Master, are under a much stricter standard of behavior. If they expect members of a group or community to respect them, their thoughts, or the words they utter, the 'experts' do not have the luxury of verbally abusing the members. Nor do they have control of the behavior of any of those members. You may only control your own behavior. My experience with those who are truly Dominant people is that they have greater control over themselves. This includes their actions, their emotions, and their words.

In any event, some of the quotes that came to my mind are:

The trouble with talking too fast is you may say something you haven't thought of yet. ~Ann Landers

It is better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and resolve all doubt. ~Abraham Lincoln

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret. ~Ambrose Bierce

Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled. ~Horace

Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them. ~Adlai Stevenson

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Keep your words soft and tender because tomorrow you may have to eat them. ~Author Unknown

By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach. ~Winston Churchill

Basically - you can't take words back, and you may have to eat your words. So be nice, or leave.

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Life Goes On

Days come, days go. Events occur in our lives and the lives of our friends. Many are big events, some positive some negative, and then there are smaller events.

Really, it is a small thing to have become the owner of my first handgun. And yet, it's still significant to me. I had mixed feelings about owning a gun, but since I don't make the rules, and the one who does wanted me to have my own gun, the decision was made. We carefully shopped to find the right one for me, and after much time passed, the XD9 became mine.

It has a nice, smooth feel when I shoot it - not nearly as big, and sharp, and, well, "BIG", as Master's 45. While the 45 is certainly more powerful, the 9mm will do just fine if ever needed in an emergency. For now we enjoy target shooting, and work to improve speed and accuracy with each visit to the range.

Unexpectedly, owning the weapon has given me a sense of power. Rather than fear of holding a deadly weapon, I've found safety and security in knowing that I know how to operate such a weapon, and that I am a good shot. I usually hit what I'm aiming at or near by, and while I don't need to kill an intruder in our home, I will certainly aim to stop them from perpetrating harm to me or mine. (I'm thinking the groin area will work just fine!)

So, all in all, not a particularly important event, especially in light of my employee whose daughter was abducted last Wednesday afternoon and still has not been found; and the employee whose daughter fell into a coma 3 weeks ago and is not progressing well; and good friends who are hospitalized and/or caring for those who are ill. There's so much going on in our lives, but this one, happy event is still special to me.

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Thanks Wen!

I want to thank Wen for sharing this quote:

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

I had an immediate and acute reaction when I read this. I do this, I know I do. I don't want to do this. It is so much easier to be upset and fret about a situation than it is to let it go and move on. Letting go seems to indicate that it wasn't a genuinely painful situation, that it's not significant, or else I wouldn't have gotten over it as easily. Maybe it's that I'm not worthy to be happy. I'm not entitled to leave suffering behind, and to embrace happiness and joy.

There's a lot to think about here. Maybe the most important lesson right now is that it's OK to be happy. I'm worthy to feel joy. It's OK to let go of struggles and trials, put them to rest, and be content. And that my idea of happiness, joy, and contentment doesn't have to match anyone else's ideas. I am of value, I am unique, and I am entitled to choose happiness.

Each of us is entitled to choose happiness, to be joyful and content. It doesn't make us bad people, there is no right and wrong. And while it isn't always easy to give ourselves permission to do, it's certainly worth striving for.

And as I re-read what I've written so far, it strikes me that maybe some of this is about me, and my own internal processes. But I felt that it had a lot to do with how others would perceive me. If they are to believe just how serious and significant the situation and my pain and suffering are, then I can't just let it go and move on and choose happiness, or others will never realize how deeply I suffered. Which begs the question of why in the world I care what others think of me? If I keep my familiar suffering, I know what type of reaction others will give me. I will garner their sympathy and support, encouragement, and many other things which are more complex. Things like having their admiration for being so long-suffering, and stoic. And I won't have to worry about their disapproval for not fitting into their idea of what I should feel and how I should behave.

And I think the answer is the same for whatever reason I hold onto suffering. No matter what other people think, I'm worthy to be happy, to feel joy, and to find contentment. So whether I hold onto suffering because I'm scared to let it go and embrace the unknown; or if I hold onto suffering because I'm afraid others will think poorly of me if I let it go, the answer is the same. It's OK. I'm OK. I'm of value, I'm unique, I'm worthy. And that may just be my new mantra, my affirmation. I may need to repeat that to myself and remind myself constantly, until I believe it, until it becomes ingrained in me, and comfortable.

It's OK. I'm OK. I'm of value, I'm unique, I'm worthy.
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Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Master
Happy Birthday to you!

(I'd be happy to take your birthday spanking for you.)

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Love You Forever

On this day, 15 years ago, 8 months into my pregnancy, my water broke. It was 8:30 on a Sunday morning, and I was scared to death. I'd already lost a baby some years earlier, and had difficulty conceiving this one. So, to the hospital, where I'm admitted, and the process begins. Since I was unable to go into labor naturally they "induced" labor. Gee that's fun (NOT)! The hours ticked by, the ice chips were constantly placed in my mouth, the music I brought with me played and helped me go somewhere far away, a safe place where I was able to get through the pain. And finally, 35 hours after it started, my son was born. Tomorrow he will be 15, he's taller and stronger than me now, amazing to think that little 7 pound baby grew into the shape of a man.

When he was quite young, I gave him a book written by Robert Munsch, called "Love You Forever".

"Love You Forever"

A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him she sang:

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was 2 years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, "This kid is driving me CRAZY!"

But at night time, when the 2 year old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

The little boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was 9 years old. And he never wanted to come in for dinner, and he never wanted to take a bath, and when grandma visited he always said bad words. Sometimes his mother wanted to sell him to the ZOO!

But at night time, when he was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that 9 year old boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

The boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a teenager. He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music. Sometimes the mother felt like she was in a ZOO!

But at night time, when that teenager was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that great big boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man. He left home and got a house across town.

But sometimes on dark nights the mother got into her car and drove across town.

If all the lights in her son's house were out, she opened his bedroom window, crawled across the floor, and looked up over the side of his bed. If that great big man was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song. She sang:

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always...

But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick.

The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my mommy you'll be.

When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs.

The he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang:

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

Happy 15th Birthday Son. I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, and whether you like it or not, my baby you are.

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Pampered Princess

Wow! So last Thursday I go for a spa day. This was my birthday present from my mom, and it was incredible. As I lay there being massaged I thought to myself that every woman should experience a day like this, at least once in their lives!

When I entered the Spa, there were some papers to fill out in a relaxing and soothing environment where I was offered refreshment. When I completed the health history I was shown into the Tuscany room, and provided with a robe and slippers, as well as a place to store my belongings. There was plenty of water available to drink, a bowl of fresh fruit, health and beauty supplies to use. The room included changing cubicles, a restroom, a swiss shower, a swimming/jacuzzi type pool with a waterfall, a sauna, and a steam room.

My first technician met me in the Tuscany room, and explained what she would be doing that day. She explained that she'd like me to start out in the steam room for 5-10 minutes. It was eucalyptus scented, and after I got used to breathing warm moist air it was wonderfully relaxing!

She then led me to my private room, where the massages began. The first was called the ultimate foot massage, and wow, was it ever relaxing! From knee to toes, my muscles were massaged, special lotions applied, hot stones placed between my toes, and hot moist towels wrapped around my feet. At this point I was almost asleep, and she was ready to begin the body massage. An incredibly relaxing experience that left me so limp it was hard to walk!

By now 2 hours have passed, time spent relaxing, breathing, listening to very soothing and low-key music, dim and soothing lighting, and relaxing scents permeating the air. If this was the complete day, I would have been content, but there was more. Next, my technician took me to the ayurvedic spa room, where she applied a seaweed body exfoliator to my entire body, and then placed me in a spa machine which looks similar to a tanning bed. The steam began to open the pores on my skin, and activate the exfoliator. Next the hot water jets began to pulsate over my body from head to toe. Wow, did that ever feel good! My technician sat behind me, massaging my head, neck, and scalp all the while the machine is working on my body. And still the softly soothing music is playing, the lights on the spa machine are changing color every few minutes, and asleep again I go!

When this part of the treatment is complete, the seaweed scrub is rinsed from my skin, I dry off, and back to my private room we go, back up on the massage table, and special moisturizers are applied.

By this time I'm ready to sleep for days, but alas it's time for lunch. There were quite a few menu selections, and my tuna steak, grilled vegetables, pasta and shrimp salad, and crab soup were all wonderful. As I sat and relaxed in the dining room I truly felt like a princess for the day!

But wait! There's more! Now it's time for waxing and facial! And this time I fell asleep right away, so I'm not very clear on the details of the facial, lol. But when I woke up I was done, and headed for the pedicure chair! This included all the usual pedicure stuff, with the addition of a hot wax treatment for my feet. The vibrating and heated chair was delightful as always, and the knee to toe massage was great, even though it was the 2nd time that day! lol Last was the manicure, which once again included all the regular manicure stuff, along with a hot wax treatment for my hands.

All in all it was a delightful day of pampering and being spoiled, that everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing. If I win the lottery I'll do it more often myself!

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