The Gift of a Whisper

An early morning walk that whispered hope.

                                

*The song is called, "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musical Carousel.

Positive Pensées

 Kathy King

The Gift of a Whisper

 

"Hope is a whisper in a world that shouts.  But listen for it.  Listen for it.  Listen for it."

Liz Newman

 

Sometimes whispers are so very hard to hear. 

In a world full of clanging noises. 

The whisper almost disappears. 

Quiet your mind, slow your steps.

Take a moment of sweet rest. 

Listen for the whisper, let it speak to your mind and heart. 

Give thanks for a new morning, the dawn, the dew, the new day, and a new start.

That whisper is waiting, will you take the time and let the whisper convey. 

There is hope, there is goodness, and there is wonder in the smallest things. 

Listen to the whisper.  

It will open doors; just you wait and see.

Growing up in the South, we learned to sing by the hymnal. Harmony and melody blend together like a beautiful vocal symphony.  One particular hymn that comes to mind is a song called "Whispering Hope." I have a particularly fond memory of the church singing this song acappella. No instruments were played, only voices were raised. It was almost as if it were the speech of angels.  Some of the lyrics include: Whispering Hope, how I welcome thy voice, making my heart in sorrow rejoice."  Another line talks about how, through the dust and twilight, the whispering hope comes through like a shining star. When the night is so dark and things look so very bleak, the break of the new day is a whispering hope.  Hope is a word that is not used a often these days. We hear a lot of other words that really do not plant the seeds of hope.  Alexander Pope wrote in a work titled: An Essay on Man that "Hope springs eternal in the human breast; man never is but always to be blest. The soul, uneasy, and confin’d rests and expatiates in a life to come." Expatiate means to move about freely or at will.  It also means to speak or write at length or in detail.  If hope expatiates through the human heart and soul that means we are built to hope within us.  What are we without the whisper of hope? Hopeless, in despair, without a reason to go on. What has been proven over many, many years is the power of the human spirit. The power of hope. One of the most interesting traits of our Army boys and Army folks in general is that they call each other "brother." They are not related, yet their experience in the Army heightens their awareness of how they are family both on and off the battlefield. One of my sons is keenly interested in history. Roman history, Greek history—you name it. One day he asked me to watch Band of Brothers with him. It is a series about Easy Company, which operated during World War II. This company landed in Germany on D Day.  To think that these folks went into harm's way with so much bravery and hope baffles me. Many of the planes carrying soldiers were shot down before even making it to Germany. Young souls died to defend freedom.  Richard Winters commanded Easy Company not because he wanted to but because his commander was killed on the way to D-Day.  Soldiers parachuted from the sky in the dead of night. On D-Day, over two million men dropped down to fight. Many were lost, and the casualties were significant. More than fifty four thousand vehicles were used in this operation. Seven thousand ships were used on that day alone. All in the name of hope and endurance. After Richard Winters landed, he jumped right into the role of leadership. The small group of soldiers made their way to reconnect with their companies.  He did not give up hope. That very day, he led thirteen soldiers to take out a battery of soldiers (about one hundred to two hundred soldiers) to help the allied forces. In one battle, he was shot in the leg but kept going. In another battle, he had thirty five men on his side. The Germans had three hundred. Richard Winters led the men to battle. He was eventually promoted to major and continued to serve in the war. He wrote in his memoir that he was not the leader who kept everyone together. It was the band of brothers that kept the cohesion together. Many words can be attributed to these brave souls. One of them must certainly hope. That eternal hope that arose to keep them fighting, surviving, and moving towards a goal. The term "brother" or "sister" is hope. That is why you hear other folks use that phrase. Thank goodness we are not in a war zone. We are just navigating through life. Let the lessons of those who went before us teach us to hope To find that whisper that can keep you going when you are fighting your personal wars in your life. In the words of the unknown quote, "So far you have survived one hundred percent of your bad days. You're doing great." Find the whisper of hope.

 

Source:Nytimes.com; hymns.com

The Gift of Morning Glories

Photo credit: My husband Daniel. A morning glory in our back porch with the sun streaming through. 

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

*This is one of the first musings I wrote. Please forgive the simplicity of the prose. 

“Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Gift of Morning Glories

Each morning, before the sun begins to rise, a flower waits to unleash its beautiful prize.

To share its bloom and beautiful splendor, to give color, food, nectar, and a whiff of perfume through the air for all around to savor.  Some flowers are well known and called beautiful.  Others are called weeds and vines and are not so beautiful to the naked eye.  There is a flower that is an untapped treasure.  It’s a morning glory, a diamond in the rough that to most gives little to no pleasure.  But the beauty of morning glories, it may not always be clear to see but the morning glory knows its true majesty.  The power to take a barren place and carpet it with beauty that will take your breath away.  If I could pick a flower, I would most definitely choose to be a morning glory, because this bloom can find allurement and artistry for all around to see.

Morning Glories bloom in the most interesting places.  They can both be cultivated and spring up in the wild. In the area where I live there is a barren hill beside the highway.  It is strewn with trash and debris.  Each year a huge crop of morning glories spring up on this impoverished hill.  They are resplendent in their blue and purple colors.  The morning glories cover up the rubbish rather beautifully. It’s their way of saying, “You thought there was no chance of beauty in this forgotten spot, but let me show you what I can do.”.  The morning glory is often a flower that is an afterthought.  It has a history of being used in medicine, in religious ceremonies and in Victorian times it was used to show varying feelings of love.  If it was blue that meant affection for another.  If the flower was red it meant strong passion.  Morning glories attract beautiful butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.  How many people do we see and give little to no thought or care to their circumstances?  How many morning glories are out there?  People who have suffered through the world wide bug.  Folks who have lost so much whether it is friends, family, income or sanity.  The lock down was hefty for all of us.  How many barren hills need a simple word of kindness or a kind gesture to help them begin to bloom like a morning glory?  Our country is so divided.  Can we take that barren hill of division and make that desolate land a beauteous quilt of morning glories? Graciousness, forgiveness, benevolence.  Let us be a Ipomea tricolor.  A Morning Glory.

The Gift of Trees

The Trees were such a comfort today. Below is a little recording I sang a while back of Trees by Joyce Kilmer. The music was composed by Oscar Rasbach.

A recording earlier in the year that I sang of Trees by Joyce Kilmer

The Poem was put to music by Oscar Rasbach

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of Trees

 

"Be like a tree.  Stay grounded.  Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty.  Keep growing."

Jasmine Right

 

A tree stands tall, looking to the sky.

It’s nature’s cathedral, mighty, lofty, and high. 

Men make huge churches with massive architecture. 

Trees still out do these man-made buildings by a huge measure. 

Stand amongst the trees and feel the wind and sway.

Sometimes those trees provide cover on rainy days.  

The trees weather storms that are truly great. 

Their roots keep them grounded as the wind swirls and sways. 

Trees can teach us lessons about daily life.

Even though trees are indeed very tall, their root system is the heart of it all.

Grow strong roots of love and honesty. 

Bring in a dose of humility. 

Do good for others in every way.

Focus on helping others. 

Look outward in a new and purposeful way. 

Find your species of tree, plant and cultivate. 

Water your spirit and root system. 

So that when the wind does cause you to sway.

You will stay grounded, strong, and immovable with each passing day.

As I look back on this little writing from February, I can't help but think.. "Wow, we really have gone through even more since this musing."  As fall is in full swing I can't help but once again notice these beautiful trees. The roots keep them going... I must again ask, what kind of roots are you cultivating? 

Today my husband and I took a very beautiful walk by the lake. The wind was particularly strong during our time outside. The trees swayed, and the breeze felt wonderful as we enjoyed this particularly warm February day. In the south, our seasons are so weird. Particularly in the winter. One day it will be 75, and the next, 25. The phrase "Go home weather, you are drunk" applies tenfold to this little corner of the deep south. As we rambled on, I started to ponder the absolutely wonderful poem written by Joyce Kilmer in 1913. It is called, "Trees." The opening line states, "I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree." Truer words could not have been written. One surprising revelation concerning this poem was that it was panned as overly sentimental and a bit too simple. When I read this fact, I could only react with incredulity. If you really ponder a tree and its various attributes, it is anything but simplistic. The root systems that dig through the earth to anchor the tree to the ground are simply amazing. An interesting fact about tree roots, they extend 1.5 times longer than the height of a tree. You can find some pretty amazing pictures of trees literally taking over houses if you do a quick search for tree roots. It is completely understandable why Mr.Kilmer wrote about his love of trees. Recently, my family has had some difficult life changes that have really kind of thrown us for a loop. The old wives' tale that trouble comes at you in threes is definitely impacting our lives at the moment. The winds are blowing a bit hard, it is difficult to stand up, but our roots are resilient. What constitutes resilient roots? That is for you to decide, but when life comes at you, those roots could be prayer, meditation, and a humble spirit. A time to reflect on how the situation both challenges and changes you so that you can keep growing. Water those roots with forgiveness and grace, and your tree of life will continue to bear much fruit and weather the storms, the wind, the rain, and the snow. Your example might even provide some much needed cover to those weathering their own storms. I leave you all, dear readers, with one final quote:  "To be without trees would, in the most literal way, to be without our roots." Richard Maby  

My books are on Amazon!

The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot

The Case of the Missing Moo-Cow Bell

The Case of the Missing Bumbly Wumbly Bee

The Case of the Missing Wellies

The Case of the Missing Honk Honk

Clean it Up! Wash it Up!

Coming soon:

The Case of the Missing Ornaments

Appalachian Allegory a new novel. 

The Gift of the Picardy Third

One of our favorite places to walk in NYC. This is "The Little Chapel that Stood" after the towers fell on 9/11.  This is a testament to the concept of the Picardy Third. 

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of the Picardy Third

 

What is a Picardy Third you may ask?

It is a musical term that can impact the piece of music at the very last. 

The French call it Tierce de Picardie; what a beautiful name.

This musical term changes the piece in the most beautiful way. 

When a piece is in a minor (or sad sounding key). 

At the very end of the piece comes the trusted Picardy. 

It takes that piece that produces much sad emotion and turns around the ending with one little note motion. 

The last chord of the piece, the piece de resistance, goes from a minor to a major key and changes the emotions.  

The simple change of one or two notes makes all the difference in the world to the musical tone. 

Can you take a sad piece in your life that seems quite hopeless and add a Picardy Third and put it into motion.

A major key ending which can change your emotions from hopeless to hopeful with a little change in the notes motion.  

Find that place in your life that needs the trusty Picardy Third. 

Find the tonal beautiful ending that you most richly deserve. 

 

The Picardy Third is a musical term that takes a piece that is in a minor or modal key and changes it with just a few notes to a major key. To put it into perspective, a minor key would be a piece of music that sounds very sad. There is a funeral march that was written by Chopin that comes to mind, it is an easy internet search to find this terribly grim piece. Basically, the piece is played in a minor key until the very end, when the composer adds in the necessary notes to bring the ending into a major key.  That major key instantly lightens the mood of the piece because the tones become happy.  Does that make sense? The Picardy Third is less common in modern music, but the concept is to take something weighty from nature in its sound and, at the very end, bring that ray of musical sunlight into the piece to let you know all will be well in the end. This practice started during the Renaissance period (1400–1600). Each musical epoch has its own pioneer of change.The Classical and Impressionist periods this was the gift that was given via music during that time. Those musical innovations were then carried over to the next musical period and used in their own unique way. Do you need a Picardy Third in your life? Is there a situation that seems hopeless in nature?  The piece that is played is fraught with minor chords and notes. The beautiful aspect of chords and scales is that one simple half step can change the entire emotion that the piece conveys. Is there a small half step in your situation that you can glean?  I once read that sometimes you cannot change the circumstance, but you can change your attitude toward the circumstance.  This small half-step of change redirects your song. Life is not promised to be one happy song or piece.  How would that be if you always had a happy tune singing in your ear or going through your mind? You would probably say that this situation is untenable, and I would agree with you.  But, what if, on those days when you have a minor key situation or circumstance, you take a moment before the day ends and introduce a Picardy Third into the mix to change your point of view?  When you see others around you that are constantly in a state of the minor key where everything is a complaint, where nothing is good.  You can first rest assured that you can find that one half step to make your day a Picardy Third.  Once you start this practice, introduce it to others.  Help them to craft a beautiful life song with the use of a Picardy Third.  There was a little lady where I work with seniors, she has long since passed from this world. She would sit right at the entrance of the building and complain. I would say, "How are you today, Miss Ellie?" She would instantly reply with, "Terrible! "This place is terrible!" She would also insert some other colorful metaphors into the mix to keep it spicy.  Week after week I would ask her how she was doing, and she always replied with the same answer.  Finally, one week, I asked her if she could find something good to say. She sat in silence after I asked her this question. Her reply was, "No, but I will try!" That day, Ms. Ellie hopefully found a Picardy Third. Make your chords, your song, and your piece a beautiful Picardy Third.  

 

Source:history.com

*Note: I encourage everyone to read about St. Paul's Chapel in NYC. It was constructed in 1766. It is one of the oldest chapels in NYC. This little church is indeed a little chapel that stood.

The Gift of Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer

Our son, on the right during a military exercise before becoming an officer. 

Positive Pensées

 

Kathy King

The Gift of a Wing and a Prayer

 

"What wings are to a bird and sails to a ship, so is prayer to the soul."

Corrie Ten Boom

 

A wing and a prayer, such an interesting thought to ponder.

Wings that need lift to keep on flying.

What happens when one wing is damaged?

Do we stay level or plunge when we are indeed impaired?

Do we throw up our hands and throw in the towel?

Or do we stop, take a moment and pray to pull on our soular power.

A small prayer, a break, a big deep breath, can give us the stamina to push on and stay in the air. 

When life hands you a full plate of calamity, focus on the wing and a prayer. 

Stay in the air, continue to pray, and make it your priority to stay in focus.

Even if things go a little slower or the situation does not change as fast as you would like. 

Keep on praying and keeping your eyes gazing straight ahead, towards the light. 

 

Do you sometimes feel like you live your life on a wing and a prayer? With one engine gone and the other engine barely hanging on? The song from the 1940’s Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer was just about that situation.  During World War II there were many missions where the Allies flew over Europe in bombers.  A lot of these brave souls never returned. They gave their lives for the cause of freedom.  This particular song was about a mission that was flown in Europe.  The pilots and crew made their target, but one of their engines was damaged and not working. The pilots bravely asked the men to say a prayer that they would land in England. Hence, they came in on a wing and a prayer. If you have never heard the song, please take a moment to listen. I know that the era of the 1940s had significant issues, but the music of that time was so very uplifting and had real meaning. There are times when I wish we could glean a few life lessons from that time. Particularly the importance of prayer. In the book Anne of Green Gables, Anne thought that her best prayer would be to go out into an open field, look to the sky, and feel a prayer. Others find solace in the age old practice of getting on their knees and just talking to God. In a time when everything is so frenzied. Stopping, being quiet, and refilling your tank will make the biggest difference. Some folks say that a wing and a prayer is an almost impossible situation. Yes, it could be. But, those pilots did not give up when their plane was struggling to stay in the air. They looked to the horizon and saw their landing field straight ahead. They kept going. So much of life takes a short view of things, we focus on the here and now. What if we took a long view on some life situations? Yes, there may be a struggle with how the situation is coming to fruition, but, if we can look ahead, down the road In the true long view, can we see that we can indeed make it? Recently, one of our sons graduated from college and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army. What a proud moment for my husband and myself.  My oldest son was his first salute (he is enlisted) and one of my husband’s oldest friend’s gave the oath of Enlistment to our son.  In our celebration after the ceremony, my son looked at me and my husband and thanked me for telling him to take the long view. You see, on more than one occasion, particularly during his junior and senior years of college, he had to complete pre-camp and advanced camp. Each morning, he had to wake up and ruck for many, many miles.  He ran, did squats, and did navigation training exercises, among other activities. He was only supposed to have to do pre-camp once but we had the world wide bug come into existence. He was forced to repeat pre-camp with all the 12 mile rucks and various other army activities again.  At his lowest, we told him, "Can you see the end result on the horizon?" It was hard, but he did. His senior year, he completed advanced camp. It was about 12 weeks of Army training. I asked him how many times he had rucked 12 miles in full military gear.  He said, "Mom, I have lost count." Today, he reaps the rewards of not giving up. He came in on a wing and a prayer. I leave you all with a verse from Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer. "What a show, what a fight Boys, we really hit our target for tonight. How we sing as we limp through the air. Look below, there's our field over there. With our one motor gone. We can still carry on. Comin' in on a wing and a prayer." Let’s look to the horizon!  Let’s pray and reflect and keep up the good fight! 

 

Source: "Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer" Jimmy McHugh

 

The Gift of Stopping

Impatience is my middle name. It took stopping and waiting for the sun to hit the absolute right spot to hit The Perry Monument in Newport, Rhode Island. The wait was well worth the breeze, the energy and the beautiful shot. 

Positive Pensées

 

Kathy King

The Gift of Stopping

 

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.:

Anne Lamott

 

Stop! Halt!  Take some time.

Clear your mind.

Pause, repose, and try some tranquility.

Unplug yourself, reset yourself so you can stop and see that stopping is an effective way to restore your normality. 

Clear your mind, meditate.

Detox your mind, body, and soul.

When you take those moments to just stand still.

You may experience a rush, a revitalizing invigoration to move forward with purpose and motivation.

To share the gift of stopping with someone else, to encourage them to be their best. 

So practice stopping and pausing, even if for a moment.

Those moments will make a deposit in your soul.

You can take those moments and share them with others, and just watch what unfolds. 

People will keep passing on kindness to others, and you will see that stopping will be a very beneficial practice for humanity. 

 

The Gift of Stopping

Life is busy. particularly in our fast paced world with 24/7 news, social media, and television. It just seems like everything moves so quickly.  It is very easy to feel overwhelmed. Add to that the constant barrage of political ads, social movements, and the ever-changing nature of society, and it can rob us of our humanity. The choice of goodness, I believe, starts with us. If we have not stopped in a while, the dust and dank of daily life will eventually consume us and we will become bitter. Those small, thankful, or meaningful moments are lost when bitterness replaces sweetness. Instead of being filled with moments of joy or delight, life becomes acidic and pungent. Is all of life this way? Absolutely not. But, in order to strive to reach our full potential, it is essential to take a moment to stop and find something to be thankful for. Regardless of how small the situation may be, those minute moments make deposits in our mind, soul, and spirit. They reset the dust and darkness around us. When you unplug an electronic device, it forces the system to stop, reset, reboot, and clear any software problems that the device has encountered. The firmware in the electronics may have encountered a bug that causes memory leaks or crashes. If we apply this idea to ourselves, it makes a lot of sense. It is not necessary to stop for an extended period of time. Alternatively, stopping could mean taking a few days away from the phone. Our family has a tradition of "phonehenge" during dinner. We place our phones like stonehenge so that we can focus on each other and engage in conversation about life, the universe, and everything. Recently, I read an article that put forth the idea that it is okay to be bored from time to time. Life does not always have to be "on the phone." The article went on to say that before the age of electronics, people accepted that there would be times that were not filled with stimulation, and that was okay. I discussed this article with my husband during our daily walk, and he took issue with the concept that it is okay to be bored. He suggested that perhaps it is okay to be content. I encourage you all, dear readers, to take a moment to stop. This will not only give you a moment of respite, but this moment could possibly spill over to others who are in need of a moment’s peace by watching your example. 

Source: howtogeek.com, forbes.com

The Gift of Klar Kommen

 

A walk through Asheville, NC this gem came into my vision. 

Positive Pensées

 Kathy King

"The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest."

Unknown

 

The Gift of Klar Kommen

 

Klar Kommen, s’entendre, andare d’accordo, llevarse bien. 

These are all words that convey an idea. 

Sadly, this concept is lost in our world today. 

They simply mean getting along with others with whom we share a space.

A lot of the time, folks sit behind a screen and hurl insults at people that they have never seen. 

It’s easy because that screen is not alive, it does not have feelings or a spirit, which need kindness to thrive. 

So when you see someone or hear an idea, maybe it’s not your first choice for the world in which you live. 

Remember, we are sharing this space, and we all have those souls and spirits that bloom and thrive when it is watered with gentleness and perseverance.  

Let’s get along and show gratitude. Pepper each other with patience and even servitude. 

Let’s begin a klar kommen with renewed purpose each day. 

Let the s’entendre lead the way.  

*This was written last November during election season. This writing came to my mind when I took a moment to read the news in the last few days.  

It is election season again, namely the midterm elections.  Yesterday, when we checked our mail, we had at least 20 political mailings filling our mailbox. Each ad was an attack on the other opponent, one after another.  Not one positive mention was to be made in any mailing. Whatever happened to the concept of statesmanship?  The idea that one can reach across the aisle even when it is hard for the greater good of the community The concept of "we are all in this together" We’ve heard it said a lot that social media and even the news help people stay in their echo chambers of their belief systems with little to no interaction with those who have a different point of view. As a result, complete vitriol is spewed online between complete strangers. Sometimes, out of curiosity, I will click on the comments section of a social media post, and just about every time I have instant regret. Even on the most mundane of posts, folks will chime in with cruel remarks. I wonder if this person typing these remarks was standing in front of a flesh-and-blood human, would they dare say it to their face? With some rare exceptions, we can probably deduce that no, they would not say those awful things. It is as if the three B’s rule the day, barbarous, brutal, and barbaric. Did you know that the late Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsberg were very close friends? Some even referred to them as best friends. They often spent New Year’s Eve together, they had a shared love of opera, travel, and food. They traveled with their families together for many years. They were on completely opposite sides of the political spectrum; they often disagreed heatedly on major issues, yet through all of the marked differences, they still found a way to be friends. When Justice Scalia was asked what he liked about Ginsberg, he replied, "What’s not to like, except her opinions on the law!" Even in their disagreement, he made light of the situation. Their conversations were noted to be spirited but fair. What if we started a movement of spirited but fair debate? There is often an idea that is put forth about travel.  It is said to broaden the mind. This concept bleeds over into seeking out others with a completely different mindset than yours. This broadens both your mind and theirs because you are intentionally seeking out concepts and ideas that are different from yours. Do you have to agree? No, you don’t. But, you can respectfully yet spiritedly talk about your point of view while conversely listening to their point of view respectfully as well. We were having our car serviced recently, and while waiting in the waiting room, we were a captive audience to a somewhat popular news and commentary show. There was a panel that was put in place to discuss the current political situation. This talk started out civil but devolved into a shouting match to see who could yell their idea the loudest and then slander each other. As I was perusing the people in the room, no one was even paying attention, but I did see one person lift their head and shake it with a look of disbelief on their face. You know why? This is not what any of us want or need in our lives.  Let us return to the world some andare d'accordio.One of the sincerest forms of respect is to listen. After all, we have two ears in which to listen and only one mouth to respond.  I will leave you all with this unknown quote I read earlier. "Be genuine. Listen without interrupting.  Support without pretending. Share without hesitation. Speak without reward." Llverse bien.  

 

Source:Usatoday.com

 

The Gift of Looking Up

A Recent morning sunrise walk with my husband.

 

Positive Pensées

The Gift of Looking Up

Kathy King 

"When you are feeling bad, do one thing a day to make your heart dance.  It could be a simple thing like looking up at the sky."

Yoko Ono

 

Look up into the sky, whether it is morning or night.

Take a moment, look at the moon and stars.

Look at the sky, whether it is blue or gray.

Look at the sunrise, take in the new day.

Look at the moon rise to finish your day.

Look at the moon, whether it is full, crescent, or half, because looking up will be good for your heart. It will be good for your mind, your soul, and your spirit. It will remind you that we are in this great big world on this spinning planet. The sun, the moon, and all the scenery They serve as a reminder of all that we could be. Look up, remember your past, and learn from it. Look up and remember your hopes and dreams. When life gets overwhelming, look up. It will calm you.  When you look up, also remember to be someone another person can look up to when they remember how you have fallen, gotten back up, and persevered when life was difficult and filled with tears. You chose to keep going, even when it was tough. You were the example, the embodiment of the importance of looking up.

 

Looking up.  There are times when it is almost impossible to find a sliver of hope in a situation. There are situations that can be referred to as "energy vampires." What a better time to take a breath and look up! When you pause, it gives you a moment to think about your situation. When life gets overwhelming and we get nervous, our reactions tend to be more quick, not as well thought out, and fraught with worry. There are so many benefits to "looking up" or pausing.  It allows your mind to have a brief respite, your breathing improves, your energy level increases; and your overall health is impacted in a positive way. My husband wakes up at early:30 every morning to take a walk. The birds are not even up yet. He did this for a while while I stayed in bed and slept a little more. My husband kept encouraging me to come with him because it would help my health, help my mind, and give me a moment of silence to start my day. I grumbled, complained, and resisted, and one morning I fell over in a rather graceful way in front of God and everyone. I did get a chuckle from the fact that it was pitch black outside and no one could see my theatrics. Our morning walks are getting a little easier. I still grumble at times, but in that silence, you can feel the connection to nature, the quietude of taking a moment to disconnect. Most recently, we were able to witness an absolutely gorgeous moon rise in our neighborhood. It looked like a gorgeous painting in the sky. The 4:40 a.m. wake-up call was worth it in the silence and stillness of that moment, where not even the birds were chirping. By no means does looking up have to be done in the morning. It is quite understandable that mornings are hard. But take the moment, even if it is 5 minutes a day, to look up. In the words of the old hymn, "Count your blessings, name them one by one." There may be two blessings or ten. But that deposit will change your mindset in very worthwhile ways. I leave you with a quote from Snoopy: "Keep looking up… that’s the secret of life.."

 

Source:va.gov

The Gift of a Life Full of Music

 

The music of life is all around us. It is just waiting for us to listen and compose a wonderful tune.

Positive Pensées

The Gift of a Life Full of Music

Kathy King

 "I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music."

Albert Einstein

Music. The notes and the beat.

The cadence, the volume, the tones that sound so sweet. 

Music heals hearts, it conquers the soul.  

Music makes the lost soul feel whole. 

Those notes, those staffs that are in the treble and bass.

They hold the key to transporting you to a different place. 

A place of peace, a place of healing, or even a place that can be quite revealing. 

May your life not just be a song, but a beautiful symphony. 

A symphony that weaves a beautiful melodic story and melody. 

A melody with times of quiet. 

A melody that can be quite grandiose. 

A symphony of tones and meters that will turn out to be, a life that is full of music and words that lift you up. 

Take that music and let it over fill your cup. Share the music, share the melody. 

Give that gift of music and in the words of the song just “Let it Be’” 

Growing up in a house that was filled with music was a great blessing. Granted, most of that music was of the religious persuasion. We were afforded the gift of classical music and all the great musicals of the golden era of Hollywood. In our house, The King and I was a favorite.We sang the songs with great gusto at the top of our lungs. When our uncle gave us a VCR as a Christmas present, we immediately went to the video store and rented so many musicals. Judy Garland sang "Howdy Neighbor" in Summer Stock while Gene Kelly danced in his most wonderful manner. Royal Wedding made its way through our house as well. It would take many years for me to figure out why it was called the Royal Wedding. It was given its name to celebrate the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Phillip Mountbatten. The theme in each movie was a life that was lived through music. How do you express your life via music? Years ago, a co-worker said to me that she never listens to anything in the car. She prefers complete silence. After a moment of thought, I decided to drive home with no music playing. Do you know what I discovered? The engine sings a tune, and the road whistles a melody. The cars next to me had distinct engine tones.If you open the window, the wind plays a symphony that is both fast and slow, depending on your speed. If you think about the early morning, the birds sing. They greet the new day with a song. At night, the owl hoots and the bugs make their noises to bring in the evening air.  Even the babbling stream sings a little tune. All the way up to the roaring waterfall, which is playing a song that rivals Wagner and his pieces that sound like war drums.Let’s face it. Our lives are full of songs. The song of typing on the keyboard for work. The splash song of washing a simple dish. The melody of the dryer and the zippers, coins, and various things that tumble as the machine works. When life gets mundane or even when you are feeling down. Look for that song. When you look for the song, the melody begins to play, softening your heart and spirit for a better outlook on life. Last week, my husband and I attended an organ concert at a theater with one of the oldest organs in our state. When the emcee came to the stage, he asked that everyone keep their phones unlit or off during the concert so that the patrons could enjoy the music. As the organ came from under the stage, we were transported to a different time, to the time when the movies were black and white and the organ played. It was an hour and a half of pure musical joy. This planted a seed in my mind. What if we put down those little electronic devices and just let our minds play us a song? What would that song be? Let’s make our lives a beautiful, multifaceted, full, and robust melody, or even better, a timeless symphony that will be remembered long after we are gone. 

My books are on Amazon!

The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot

The Case of the Missing Moo-Cow Bell

The Case of the Missing Bumbly Wumbly Bee

The Case of the Missing Wellies

The Case of the Missing Honk Honk

The Case of the Missing Ornaments

Clean it Up! Wash it Up!

Coming soon!

Appalachian Allegory: A Southern Novel

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