Daily Delight for the Five Senses

Who: I and my 82-year-old companion

What:  walk 5 km

When: 7 a.m.

Where: the perimeter of our community

Why: for mental and physical well-being

How: briskly with lots of communication

Bonus: All of our senses are stimulated.

Yes, it’s true. Not only do we feel and smell the newborn morning air, and see the changes in Mother Nature’s palette, but we also read each other and communicate with a glance.

This kind of bond is founded on mutual respect, and it works beautifully because we never judge or try to control each other with corrections or criticism or evaluation of the reality of the other. We don’t fill our 45 minutes with telling each other what to do or think or feel, nor how to dress or act or speak. We simply welcome and share personal experiences, perceptions, opinions and feelings . We simply listen and hear and touch each other with our stories of what is important–to us.

Our personal voices have a voice. And two ears.

 

Constant Consistencies

My, my, my, how time flies!

Looking back on the two-and-a-half-plus years since December 2012–when I was finishing an eight-week teaching fill-in–I can’t help but notice that, although I am now retired, I still rarely and barely have enough time to do everything I want to do, or need to do, or feel compelled to do in my ever-shrinking 24-hour day.

Apparently–since I am in charge–I prefer it that way.

Yes, my life is different and the activities that keep me busy are very different. But the criteria that guide my choices have not changed at all. Indeed, I’m happy to see that, although it took me far too many years to recognize my simple truths, they are still working very well for me: I am still learning; I’m still being honest and kind to myself and others; I still never let anyone do my thinking for me.

And following these principles is what makes my busyness work.

https://sunflowergirls.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/simple-truths-that-work-for-me/

Hmmm. I wonder how many of my students remember my words of wisdom and try to apply them to their lives.