SOME HELP, PLEASE!

     I'm sitting at home for three days already, nursing my ankle back to health.
     At least now I can sleep. The first night was a torture: no matter, how I tried to lay my foot, the ankle ached terribly.
     In the morning I asked Sonny to make me a poultice of turmeric and oil. Attached to my painful joint, it immediately relieved pain. Unfortunately, it didn't apply to the times when I had to get up and walk. On Saturday we went to yoga, despite serious reservations I had about the wisdom of using my poor limb in such a vigorous fashion. 
     It worked: I spent most of the time, doing exercises on a chair, followed by the same relaxation and euphoria, as the first time. 

     Today my foot and ankle are complaining. Turmeric helps a little, but I walk with a cane, limping and lurching, like Dr. Frankenstein's assistant, Igor. 
      Taka was quite patient with my infirmity. He looked like he understood, I was in pain and couldn't do the housework or make dinner. It lasted almost the whole weekend. Now he began to show the signs that, his equanimity is fraying. Oh, well, he lasted longer than ever before!

COMMENTS!

     I write this blog not to please anyone. I write it for myself, or - more precisely - to express myself. 

     Still, by myself is not the most satisfying way to be!

     Like in every relationship, my dear readers, there'd better be a give-and-take, or this me - writing - you - reading thing might not be as fulfilling, as we hope!

     Simply put, I long for your comments. How would leaving comments benefit you? You can express yourself and help me stay on track, when I get too full of myself.

     

THOUGHTS ON THE FOURTH OF JULY - repost

          "All men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". We are all created equal. A few thoughts about that. 
     Number one: created. Number two: where are those liberty and happiness? There's no question: this world does not match the ideals expressed in the Constitution. Millions of people not only lack liberty and happiness, but the very right to live comes to them with a hefty price. We were created. We are somebody's creations. We should know, whether that Somebody wants us to excel and thrive or if He (She?) doesn't care either way. The things we do to each other and to ourselves are incomprehensible! If we are all made by the same Creator, we should treat our brothers and sisters differently, don't you think? So, are we all equal? I say, "No!"      Shocked? Here is what I think: God created us with equal rights, but the Creator didn't endow us with equal degree of love, tact, brains and common sense. That makes all the difference. Was it a joke? An experiment? Did they get tired of it, as well as of our stubborn ignorance, and abandoned the experiment to run itself? Or did He (She?) mean for us to balance out each other's deficiencies and strive to achieve a harmony that He and She have within Them? We live and we die and we teach our children the things, we believe to be true. Let's make sure, we, ourselves, think them through and realize, what we want from life and each other. Let's find the balance which will allow us to be truly alive, free and full of happiness. 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS - repost

"Oh, say, can't you see?.." 

Well. its a good question! Every 4th of July Taka waits until about 8 o'clock in the evening and then herds us into the car, and off we go, to watch the fireworks. Only, the trouble is, we 
never can find a good spot to, actually, see them. In a true spirit of the American independence, we don't go to where the crowds of more pragmatic people gather. We look for a lonely hilltop that would be all ours. Over the years we found a lot of lonely hilltops, but never did see the fireworks yet. Time to time, we would catch a few dying sparkles in the sky,  before  turning back home. So, - no, to answer the question in the first sentence of this post, - we "can't see.." Not really!

THE TUNING FORK OF THE CONSCIENCE

     It's Monday. Over the weekend I went with Taka to the yoga class, Roberta and I attended service at the Creekside Community Church; Taka and I went for a walk. Then he and I watched a movie together.
     All of those things are fairly new for all of us. I wrote about yoga. It's still a wonder to me to remember the feeling of euphoria, resulted from the exercise, imperfect as I was in doing it. I hope and pray, I will have enough will power and motivation to continue!
     The service at the Creekside Community Church was wonderful. The pastor spoke on the topic of real faith. He read from the Acts's chapter 27. It talks of the Apostle Paul and some others being taken as prisoners on the ship to Rome. During a storm, the ship had to run aground, and that's when Paul's faith in God's promise saved the crew and passengers. 
     I like the pastor's sermons at that church. They are not just emotional preaching and wailing, like in some other houses of worship, and not lectures, like in my former church. The atmosphere and the pastor both help to inspire people by equally appealing to their intellect and emotions. 
     My feet and knee were pretty worn out by the uncustomary exercise in yoga class, but, when Taka offered to go for a walk, I readily agreed. We had a small Father's Day celebration shortly before that, and: 
1. I wanted to offer him my compliance, as an additional gift; 
2. Like I said before, I'll take motivation where ever I can find it!

     We slowly advanced up our small street. I enjoyed smelling sweet jasmine and magnolia scents, coming from the gardens and didn't anticipate Taka's question. He asked me, if I was ready to come back to sleep in our bedroom.
     Because of various aches and pains for quite a few months I stayed on the living room couch. But that was half of the reason. I feel, for my husband I am, mostly, a worker in the family. I fight for any sign, he considers me more than that. So, it seemed weird to go back to sleep with him, since for me there were no indications, he wished for me to do so. 
     I tried to explain that to Taka, but he went into one of his "pouts". Said, if I don't attend to my "duties" and some imagined agreement, he'll make other arrangements. 
     Now, that didn't help to reverse my mood! 
     "Other arrangements"?!
     I should've walked away right then. Why didn't I? I guess, I had on my mind Mr. P.'s lessons about the non-violent and open communication. On the other hand, I might've been scared.
     I told Taka, a threat to go to someone else for satisfaction showed me, he didn't love me. I said, he didn't need to bring me flowers or diamonds. All I am waiting for is a sign that, he himself wishes for our relationship to be more romantic. 
     I don't think, he thought exactly of romance, and he didn't tell me, he understood, what I was saying, but a few minutes later he began to offer me his help and suggestions for my health and, when we got home, he came out of his "cave" and offered me to watch a movie together!
        How wonderful! It's been at least 10-15 years since he felt like spending time with me alone even doing such a simple thing! 

     Mr. P.'s words that, people's conscientiousness is like a tuning fork and they hear and respond to the truth, when we might not suspect it, came back to me. Taka heard me in his heart and showed it in his actions. 
     Thank you, Heavenly Father, Happy Father's Day for you too!

     

EUPHORIA WITH YOGA

     Did I tell you, Taka and I now take walks along the street that runs by our house? I figured, I can be grateful for any help or motivation to promote better lifestyle!
     We don't go far: my feet and knee carry me for just about a block or so, but I'm getting stronger, and Taka seems to be pleased by my effort.
     In line with this small development, we also signed up for a yoga class. 
     Unbelievable!
     To tell the truth, after many years of being a mental work out kind of girl, sitting in a chair in front of the lap top, I didn't believe that we were actually going to do it, but, despite my reluctance to attempt such an ambitious undertaking (and, potentially, embarrass myself), early Saturday morning we got ourselves together (I, as usual, lacked the appropriate for yoga clothes) and drove to class.
     It was a trial lesson for us, to see, if we wanted (and could) continue, but there were other, new and experienced, pupils. We lined up in rows (Taka went to a row ahead of me, where he coudn't be of any help, even in an unlikely event if he wanted to do it). Whops, complaining again!
     Anyway, we commenced stretching and breathing and tapping (by that I mean, banging) our abdomens, or "dahn jons" - I might not pronounce it correctly. Apparently, "dahn jon" is the second chakra, located in lower spine. That was the easy part of the lesson!
     Honestly speaking, there was nothing too difficult for me to do, until it was time to lie down on the floor (or a mat) and do exercises there. I glanced at Taka. He was already happily staring at the ceiling from his place on the linoleum. The teacher provided a low step stool for my convenience, but, try as I may, it didn't look like a sufficient support for me to get down to the floor and back up. I sat on the chair and decided to do as much as I could right there. 
     Even knowing, how inadequate my chair exercises were, I felt wonderful warmth and euphoria steal over me. It was quite lovely, really, to sense the relaxation, that accompanied them.
     I am not exaggerating. For the first time in my life I felt the relaxation and, yes, euphoria, after doing exercises!