Despair

“Most people live in fear of some terrible event changing their lives, the death of a loved one or a serious illness. For the chronically ill, this terrible event has already happened, and we have been let in on an amazing secret: You survive. You adapt, and your life changes, but in the end you go on, with whatever compromises you have been forced to make, whatever losses you have been forced to endure. You learn to balance your fears with the simple truth that you must go on living.” - Jamie Weisman 

I must remember to read this quote often. Between the nickel size bruise marks on my body and the blood in my urine (which developed this past weekrnd), I must not lose sight of the fact that this is my 'new normal' ... My oncologist told me this in my body adjusting to the Arimidex, some of side effects.

Sticks and stones will break my bones
But tears don't leave any scars
So I'm all alright, I'm all alright
I've felt this way before ...

Troubled ...

“Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone;
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go;
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all,
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life’s gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a large and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain. ” 

― 

 

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Busting a gut with Buddy

Buddy ... busting a gut! He sits like this more often than not. I called this his 'drunk' pose.

Holding Buddy ...

There are many intelligent species in the universe. They all own cats.

Laughter

I love this picture (my mom, my Aunt Ismini & my uncle Caesar).

I took after my mom - when we laugh sometimes we bust a gut!

A close-up ...

The most wasted of all days is that in which we have not laughed. ~ Sébastien-Roch Nicolas (Chamfort), translated from French

Mary Elizabeth Frye

Julia's paternal grandmother died. She was crossing the street in Russia and got hit by a truck.

Do Not Stand By My Grave & Weep

This original poem was written in 1932 by Mary Elizabeth Frye (1905-2004) from Baltimore, MD. There are in existence many slightly different versions of the poem. This famous poem has been read at countless funerals and public occasions. The author composed this poem in a moment of inspiration, and scribbled it on a paper bag. She wrote it to comfort a family friend who had just lost her mother and was unable to even visit her grave. This is the only surviving poem of Mary Elizabeth Frye.

Do Not Stand By My Grave & Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

A special kind of people

There are some people in the world,

Who are just a little different from the rest.

These people have been through Hell,

But have come out better than the best. 

I’ve only met a few of these gems,

But each one has left their mark on my life.

We’re a special kind of people,

We take life without all the strife.

Iv'e got a pinch of tobacco in my pocket,

I'm not gonna roll it, I'm not gonna to smoke it till we're staring at the stars and the rockets twinkling in the silvery night.

And though the sun may be washed by the sea and the old will be lost in the new, and though you will not wait for me ... I'll wait for you.

Keep the faith my dearest friends. It gets better ... trust me things always find a way of working themselves out.

Life is good!

What's wrong?

When The Times invited essays on the topic, “What’s wrong with the world?” G. K. Chesterton in a letter offered his famous terse response, “I am.” We applaud his reply — and the world has not changed. 

I googled how many wars / conflicts are taking place in the world. The total number of countries involved in wars is 65 which is very sad.

The US is involved in quite a number of these conflicts - both openly and behind the scenes.

The two main reasons for the majority of these conflicts: INEQUALITY and RELIGION

Below is a list of hot zones.

AFRICA:

(27 Countries and 177 between militias-guerrillas, separatist groups and anarchic groups involved)

Hot Spots: Central African Republic (civil war), Democratic Republic of Congo (war against rebel groups), Egypt (popular uprising against Government), Libya (war against islamist militants), Mali (war against tuareg and islamist militants), Nigeria (war against islamist militants), Somalia (war against islamist militants), Sudan (war against rebel groups), South Sudan (civil war)

ASIA:

(16 Countries and 145 between militias-guerrillas, separatist groups and anarchic groups involved)

Hot Spots: Afghanistan (war against islamist militants), Burma-Myanmar (war against rebel groups), Pakistan (war against islamist militants), Philippines (war against islamist militants), Thailand (coup d’etat by army May 2014)

EUROPE:

(9 Countries and 72 between militias-guerrillas, separatist groups and anarchic groups involved)

Hot Spots: Chechnya (war against islamist militants), Dagestan (war against islamist militants), Ukraine (Secession of self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic)

MIDDLE EAST:

(8 Countries and 215 between militias-guerrillas, separatist groups and anarchic groups involved)

Hot Spots: Iraq (war against Islamic State islamist militants), Israel (war against islamist militants in Gaza Strip), Syria (civil war), Yemen (war against and between islamist militants)

AMERICAS:

(5 Countries and 25 between drug cartels, militias-guerrillas, separatist groups and anarchic groups involved)

Hot Spots: Colombia (war against rebel groups), Mexico (war against narcotraffic groups)

TOTAL:

Number of Countries involved in wars 65

Number Militias-guerrillas and separatist groups involved 636

My Friend - Cy Coleman

My Friend (by Cy Coleman). From the musical The life.

Another one of my favorite musicals!

Wishing everyone a great weekend.

Money

Harder still it has proved to rule the dragon Money … A whole generation adopted false principles, and went to their graves in the belief they were enriching the country they were impoverishing. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

No truer words have ever been spoken.

Breathing

Change your perception and your world changes. Just breathing is a cause for celebration ...

I must remember to stop and smell the coffee.

Life is good!