Category Archives: healing

By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea!

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Life sometimes presses in on us from all sides.  We get stressed, obsessed, depressed, and often we don’t  know where to go for a moment of peace or comfort.

Growing up along the Atlantic coast, I found out at an early age that there is something absolutely amazing and wonderful about the ocean.  The rhythmic waves seemed to lull me into a place of calm, and to this day, that still happens.  Give me a day by the sea, and I’ll show you how quickly the stresses of life can subside!

No, I don’t live “by the sea” any more.  I live in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania.  And, while there are times when these hills and mountains are more than majestic and provide me with tremendous beauty, I still find my most treasured moments of relection and relaxation are times spent by the sea.

Please scroll along with me and enjoy some of my most peaceful places by the sea.  Ahhh….I can almost smell the salt air being carried ashore by the gentle breezes. 

Oh, how well I remember this day!  I sat on the pier and watched the boats floating gently by!

What a life!  Walking along the shore…..just me and the constant, reassuring rhythm of the waves!

Peace, perfect peace!
Okay, so the kid in me came out.  It was mid-February and I took a dive into the ocean!  Who can resist? 
The sunrise was spectacular!  This is Myrtle Beach in February — and my hearts skips a beat every time I look at this scene!  Every morning I was out along the beach snapping pictures of the sunrises!
Anybody know of a someone who needs a caretaker for their beach house?  I can be packed in 15 minutes — swimsuit, towel, shorts, t-shirt, flip-flops, and a toothbrush!  I’m ready!!!!
Clara 

Memorial Day — How should we remember?

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Memorial Day is a day set aside for remembering those who have gone on before us and have fought in a battle or served time in the armed services in order to help preserve the freedoms that we enjoy in the United States. In this country we have many parades, special services, and speeches from Miliary Personnel who help us to remember the foundations of our freedoms.

All of this is good, and is honorable and it is wonderful to have a special day such as this set aside to prompt us to remember our core values and to be thankful for the blessings that we have. But, how do we remember the individual who has gone on? Often, we idealize our loved one to the point of perfection, and this is many times a key factor in triggering extreme guilt for not “being there”, for not “doing more”, and for not “being a better parent, sibling, child, or friend.”

It is good and even necessary to remember those who have gone on before, but I would caution us to remember our loved ones realistically. What do I mean by that? We should remember our loved ones as they were — human and prone to mistakes just as we are. When we block out the “real part” of our memories, we only remember perfection and that is often hard to deal with.

Let me get a bit personal……my grandfather served in the military for a period of four years, and I love him dearly for that! He told many “war time stories”, and he was a courageous man who helped to preserve the freedoms of this nation. He was also a worker in a sawmill, and he was the “keeper of the gate” for a draw bridge. Add to that, he was an alcoholic who went on week-end “benders” every time he got a pay check. He never learned how to write his name, and he didn’t really care. He always signed with an “X” . There are funny stories to remember, as well as some that were sad. But, ALL of those remembrances help to remember my grandfather as the man he truly was!!!

Let us remember those who have gone on before on this special day……….may we remember truthfully, realistically, and honestly. And, as we do, we will be taking one more step forward in finding that “healing place” for our souls!

Healing Can Be Found When We Look

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So many times we want to just give up, give in, or check out when life becomes too heavy for us. I know because I’ve been there …… not just once, but many times. I’ve been to the point of feeling like there was no hope left….life could only get worse, not better.

BUT, something began to click for me, and it can click for you, too. For me, the catalyst was a rainbow. I remember it so well. I was crying …no, I was sobbing, as I was driving along the old country road that leads to home. I felt helpless and hopeless. I had recently delivered a stillborn baby boy, and my life fell apart. My heart was shattered…..I no longer felt alive. I felt lonely and in pain every minute of the day and night. But, there was this rainbow that appeared in the sky following a torrential downpour and some severe thunder and lightening. There in the sky was a visual reminder written against the backdrop of the universe that I was not alone. Somebody did care, and somebody was watching over me. Somebody felt the pain that I was feeling at that moment. And, that’s all I really needed…..somebody….anybody to care.

From that very moment, my tears began to subside, and I was able to see things that I hadn’t seen in months. I saw the silver lining that appeared on the clouds. I saw the sun peeking through the darkness. I saw the trees gently swaying in the summer breeze. I saw hope.

Nature is one of life’s greatest healers. Nature is just full of miracles of all kinds….from the unfolding of a bud into a blossom to the chirping of the crickets on a warm summer night. When we seek, we will find. When we look, we will see. When we search, we will find a way.

If your heart hurts today, right at this minute, STOP. Look around you. If you are not sitting in a place that is appropriate for healing, then move. Go take a walk. Get in the car and drive to the nearest park or lake. Find some flowers and trees. Listen to the sounds of nature. Allow it to speak to you. Allow the music of nature to calm your restless soul and help fill you with peace.

Come to think of it………I think I’m going to do just that. I’m going to go light a candle, put on some soft music, and visualize myself sitting on the shore of a beautiful ocean listening to the calm water rolling back and forth against the sand. That’s my healing place……. Now, how about if you take a long, cleansing breath, and find your special place of healing.