Moral Dilemma

Hmmm. Two posts in one day for me. Must have really gotten the urge. So, here's why. I was shopping at my favorite HEB this afternoon. I used the automated scanners (I just love the scanner--it reminds me of when I wanted to be the window washer at the gas station. Sure my parents would have been proud.) At any rate, got all the items checked out and back in my cart proceeding to aisle K in the parking lot. Loaded all my groceries and then picked up my purse from the top of the cart to discover my sister's birthday card. The word BLISS staring back at me. This card I had not paid for. I got in the car and sat that staring at the word BLISS pondering what to do. Did I want to walk all the way back to the store to pay $3.99 for the card. Or just consider this a gift from the universe. Like when you find a penny in the parking lot. What would you do? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Katrina

Just returning from a visit to New Orleans. A college friend turned 50--thankfully, I am still a year behind her. Although, all of my college friends look exactly the same to me. Is that viewing through rose-colored glasses? If so, bring on more of those glasses. It has been two years since I drove down the streets of the Big Easy--which were still very much showing signs of Katrina. This was the first time I had walked through my friend's house with furniture and paint. The last time the house was a mere shell--having been completely gutted. It was a reminder that while the outside world goes on, for the residents of New Orleans life is very different. Many of my friends suffer a variety of physical and mental ailments. The trauma of losing their most personal belongings, being uprooted from homes, schools and work for months takes a toll. Having grown up in a military family I am well aware what war does to one's psyche. Katrina was definitely New Orleans 9/11 and every war rolled into one. I do not write this though to elicit pity, but rather awe. The city may never be the same--there are blocks of empty buildings rotting, providing blank canvas for graffiti. But for my friends who have lived here all of their lives they soldier on. Material things have lost their importance having been replaced by what is truly most valuable in life. Family, friends and loved ones. New thought teaches and reminds us to be a light in the world. To shine brightly through our words and actions. Katrina may have changed the physical landscape of New Orleans, but it certainly did not douse the light. My friends showed me that. Happy new year and keep burning brightly.

Post Christmas

Having not written in quite some time, I find that I do not have a real theme for this post. Christmas was yesterday and today has been about recovery. Cleaning off my office desk, paying bills and taking a collective sigh that 2008 is nearly finished. It has been an interesting year. Leaving a job, starting a new company, watching a hurricane ravage our beloved coast, enduring a presidential election and watching the economy take a nose dive all have made for an eventful year. Oh--and getting engaged somewhere in between. I don't want to start making predictions for 2009 or resolutions. But, having spent some time with some folks at Schipul Marketing--the real social marketing gurus of Houston, recently--I do promise to tend to this blog. Here's why. While, I relish the thought that Oprah or some influential news source might find me pithy enough to publish, I love to write. It is a bit of a cathartic experience and sometimes I actually have things of interest to say. And, my personal brand could use a jumpstart. I tell my clients how to keep themselves top-of-mind with constituents, but rarely take my own advice. So, first resolution for 2009--listen to my own good advice. There are challenges ahead--we know that because the media reminds us daily. But, challenges do shake us up and often for the better. Like most of you, my retirement account is not looking so hot at the moment. But, as a roadside sign I saw once while traveling through Bastrop, La. said: you can not stumble over the things you put behind you. That is true. So while listening to my own advice I vow not to turn around and wonder what happened back there. Lastly, I am going to steal a mantra I read in SELF Magazine from a young woman undergoing a traumatic surgery. How hard can it be? How long can it take? I like that one a lot and hope that I can put it to good use. 2008 isn't even over and I am 3 good resolutions into 2009. It is going to be a good year.

Hurricane Ike

No doubt there will be many a post about what Hurricane Ike brought the gulf coast. As a resident of Houston, we have watched our neighbors, friends and families endure Katrina, Rita, and Gustav. The tides turned and unfortunately brought Ike right to our door step. The past few days have been a blur of boarding up and preparing; riding out the storm and watching as those to the south of us lost homes, lives and belongings. It is sad beyond any mere words can adequately express to see our seashore town of Galveston blown away. I did not grow up here. As a military child, my family moved many times across the U.S. But, we were stationed twice in El Paso and vacationed one summer in Galveston. There was a sea shell shop on the sea wall where my parents bought us sea shells. My mother still has some of those shells. As an adult who relished strolling down the sea wall and wading on the sandy shore, I recall fondly that trip to the sea shell shop. Those memories can not be washed away by a storm. Oddly enough I had hoped to spend a weekend soon in Galveston. Galveston has always provided solace for me. And, I know for many, many others. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore. Watching the sea gulls. It would be easy to curse that sea, but that would not return the material parts of Galveston. Instead, my heart and prayers turn to those who have lost their sea treasures, knowing that one day soon Galveston will be restored. And another child will be drawn to its shores in search of shells. Last night, and again this morning, mother nature presented a very different landscape. A sunset awash with colors and a brilliant full moon. Cooler temperatures and a clear blue sky. Perhaps that is easier to see for those of us who only have the inconvenience of no electricity and yard clean-up. A bit more difficult for those who have endured the brunt of Ike. Or maybe not. For those that love the sea are a hardy bunch indeed. This mere visitor to your shore is grateful for every seaside stroll. And wishes you all God-speed as you awaken today to start anew. Perhaps infused with the enthusiasm that drew you to the shore for the very first time. We mourn with you for your loss. And pray that recovery is swift. And, most importantly, hope that your venerable spirit has not been dampened by Ike.

Living like the Dalai Lama

My fiance loves to use a quote he heard when we had the chance to hear the Dalai Lamahttp://www.dalailama.com/ speak a year ago at Rice University. Someone in the packed lecture hall asked him (the Dalai Lama, not my fiance) what was the secret of happiness? His reply: be happy. Our purpose as human beings is to be happy. He gave a similar answer when prodded to spill the beans on world peace. In other words, get along.

Hmmmm. Can it be that simple?

My fiance has built a business on the basics. Me, I believe in the basics, but always make things more complicated.

But, I think both the Dalai Lama and my fiance are on to something.

In this case, happiness probably starts with just being happy. Accepting that it is my responsibility to just be happy. Now, I realize, you are probably a bit like me. Things happen to us in the course of a day that derail our good intentions. In my case, spending 30 hours of my last work week, on the phone with an Internet provider, which disconnected all of my service when performing a simple account transfer, has driven me and everyone around me nearly crazy. I have spent hour after hour spewing about this company until finally my mother reminded me how crazy I had become. It was one of those aha--I could have had a V-8 moments. What was I doing? Besides giving myself a headache and backache, absolutely nothing. My negativity certainly did nothing to help the situation. And, as frustrating as it can be to deal with a huge company that does not care whether it actually solves your problem, I needed to take a breath.

Life is short. And, I doubt it is comforting for God to see me and you discontented. I am not suggesting a pie in the sky, rose-colored glasses approach. But, I am going to do my best to get up with a smile and end the day with a word of thanks. Even if I have to fake it until I make it.

I think the Dalai Lama and my fiance would agree that is a good first start.

Howling at a non-existent moon

My urgings have been all over the place of late. Could be the fact that my hormones seem to be raging out of control. Or the fact that my unstructured days have left me feeling out of sorts. Hard to pin these emotions down. My mamaw is in the hospital and some days I have the urge to cry as I watch her drift in and out of this lifetime and days long gone. Hospitals seriously do not tend to help one shake the heebie jeebies. But, I have to say I am always amazed at the true care givers of this world. The nurses who after a 24/7 shift are still going strong. My grandmother, who is now being nurtured, has always been the nurturer. And, even though most days she is waving her hands around in the air swatting at some imaginary bug, she wants to make sure I am fed. I tell her I am good and that she needs to eat her own dinner. When I leave the hospital I remind myself life is short. The lesson never sticks. And I don't know why. The world is full of people far less fortunate than myself. And, that hospital is full of them. Poor souls left to fend an entire day alone in a hospital without anyone to make sure they get the correct pills or that they eat. My grandmother, although not coherent, has round the clock caretakers. Without that she would no doubt fall flat on the floor as she tries to escape to drive her non-existent car to a house she has not lived in for 10 years. When my caretaker shift is over I am usually speed walking to the elevator to escape, but I really do have the urge to make sure all those poor souls without family are OK. Maybe, like the grandmother whose birthday I share, I have a little nurturing in me.

A smoothie with a message

I started this blog and called it "Urgings" because of a visit I had with a friend's father that passed away the day after my visit. And, because I believe we all have urgings/callings/messages that sometimes we listen to and sometimes we don't. That little voice nagging at us to do something.

Yesterday mine was to stop taking on work or projects that were not fulfilling. Or that I just did not want to do.

Now--like most things in life that is a great thought. Just do what really resonates with me personally. The flip side is my mortgage company might not understand that I was not called to go to work and hence could not pay my bills.

So--granted there is a balance in life. Yesterday, over a smoothie at Starbuck's, I had the opportunity to visit with a woman that I have known for years. But, never really spoken with. Meaning--yesterday we just connected on a very spiritual level. And, of course, she had a really good message for me. No doubt the reason for consuming 270 calories with a chocolate, banana smoothie. The conversation was worth every delicious calorie.

She offered me a different view on taking on jobs that certainly are not paying me what I should be billing. That perhaps the project was a way of giving back to a universe which does continue to give abundance. I like that. I took on the project because I believe in the organizational mission and purpose. And, rather than begrudge it because it does not pay enough, I will gladly be thankful for it.

We have all seen, read and sometimes absorbed the idea that there is power in positive thinking. And, that the more we say thank you or recognize that in every day we have something to be grateful for how much better off we and our world would be.

So, thanks to a Starbuck's reunion--my smoothie came with a powerful reminder. When the urge strikes to begrudge, instead be grateful.