30 Days of Gratitude

When I started this blog, I wasn't sure I'd have something to be grateful for everyday, but I did.  And I had lots more that wasn't shared on these blogs.  It was a good exercise to remember that some of the best things in life are sometimes overlooked, yet small moments of joy are something to be savored and cherished.  Even our icy snow mess on Tuesday/Wednesday created some wonderful snow scenes for my California guests and seeing their appreciation for the winter beauty made me appreciate what that brief storm created, despite the icy conditions.  So as we have entered Advent and the four themes of Advent are hope, peace, love and joy, I'll try to continue to post a daily affirmation during December.  It is the season of light and while there is much (too much) going on to protest and feel at times all is lost, I will look for something positive to share for the next 30 days.  It is so easy to get worn down and worn out, but I will persist because I do believe that love will win.  I know folks are reading this posts because I get statistics, and if you feel like adding something, please use the comments.  In the meantime, I will continue to look for joy in as many places as possible and hope you are able to do so as well.  Namaste.

 

So much to be grateful. for today...

Today I am grateful for the wonderful company who visited me this week.  The designing talents of Debbie Tallia in creating a centerpiece transitioning from Thanksgiving to Christmas using materials from my garden.  Genius!  And another friend, Jacki, may recognize one of her gifts to me taking center stage.  It has been a week that has been filled with joy and laughter and I am overflowing with gratitude.  Lots of happy memories created this week, while also sharing remembrances of happy times with people no longer with us.  I feel very fortunate to have had some quality time with good friends this week.  I hope your Thanksgiving was just as wonderful and that you were able to enjoy family and friends and in the process created your own new happy memories.  

 

Day 28 of 30 Days of Gratitude

 

"We’re a nation hungry for more joy…because we’re starving from a lack of gratitude."

Brené Brown Grateful for this beautiful pie  made by Debbie Tallia

Grateful for good friends at Thanksgiving

Was able to visit the Julia Child exhibit again yesterday at the Minnesota Historical Society.  And this quote seems perfect for today.  May you have good friends and family surround you today and may new happy memories be created along with your meal.   Bon Appetit!

 Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Grateful for first snow of the season

 

Thanskgiving week and first snow not too bad, at least in the Twin Cities, about 3 inches depending on where you are.  Not enough to totally mess up travel today, just a need to be careful.  And we need the moisture for covering the ground which has been in drought conditions this month.  So, very grateful it is a manageable snowfall and not a disruptor.  

Day 25 of 30 Days of Gratitude

 Lots of people travelling this week.  So I am grateful for the safe arrival of two friends visiting for Thanksgiving.  Flight arrived on time, I was able to find a parking spot in short term parking, and that was a lot easier than waiting in the long lines of traffic to drop off or pick up people.  And how many of you were aware of the "dress nice and be nice" campaign by the Administration for travellers?  Totally unaware until I started getting social media messages about how people were responding.  You can read more about "The Golden Age of Travel Starts With You" at NPR.  In the meantime, while our sports teams, with the exception of the womens' sports team, may not be doing much this year, we are number 1 in something.  Being ranked as the #1 airport should be some comfort for the any of the 3 million travellers expected on airlines who go through our airport.  Meanwhile, closer to the ground, our weather is changing tonight, so please be careful on the roads tomorrow.

Grateful for happy holiday memories

Normally I wait until after Thanksgiving to put out Christmas decorations, but I have friends coming to stay and since I now store my most fragile ornaments in the guest room, needed to unpack these.  The Santa, reindeer, sled, and packages were on display in my Mom's house at Christmas for as long as I can remember.  The glass reindeer now missing most of the silver coating are from my grandmother (Mom's mom) and the Santa is from my great grandfather (on my Dad's side.)  I am always grateful when I unpack the reindeer and the remaining ones are still in one piece.  I am sure many of you have similar Christmas or Hannukah decorations that bring a smile.

 

Grateful for my spiritual community

 This morning I was able to hear our Bishop speak about love and joy.  I can't recreate his message, but it is the type of message I need every week in order to get through the week.  It was uplifting and made one feel ready to tackle whatever came at us this week and we know every week is something new.  He also praised our rector and associate rector and I am very grateful for the two of them.   They are both inspiring.  I am also grateful for a fellow church member who gave a talk on food and the Bible and the importance of meals after our 8 a.m. service with the Bishop.  His talk gave me so much to think about especially as this is the week when so many gather around a major meal on Thursday.  Again, I can't recreate his message, but I hope it might have been recorded and if so, will be shared.  And then as I was driving home, another friend texted me an article and while I have just skimmed it, I will sit down to read it more carefully later this evening.  Many of my friends know I am involved in fighting back against Christian Nationalism and if you want to know more about why, this article can give you some perspective.  And many friends my age will know excactly what he is talking about.  They're Doing to America What They Did to Christianity"The author of this article is Bill McKibben, founder of Third Act., a group focused on people over 60 who are interested in making the world a better place. And I am very grateful for his article that I hope will reach more people and continue to help us build the movement that is trying to repell the forces of hate.  As our Bishop reminded us this morning, in the words of Bishop Tutu, "love wins."

 So today I am grateful for messages of joy, love, and thoughtful perspectives to reflect on today.  I hope you all have something positive to reflect on today as we head into this week of Thanksgiving.  Namaste.

Day 22 of 30 Days of Gratitude

 Today I have a lot to be grateful for and that includes:

• no meetings today
• learning from a FB friend that Jon Kabat Zinn was a graduate of a small college, Haverford
• MTG is leaving Congress in January
• whimsy in my neighborhood 
  Just seeing a Santa on a dinosaur made me smile yesterday when I was walking with Ella.

Going to leave it at that.  May you enjoy the day today!

• 
  

Day 21 - Grateful for Mindfulness Group

If someone asked you what your most valuable asset was, how would you answer?  In yesterday's mindfulness session, the answer was: attention.  I often think time is my most valuable asset, but I can see how attention fits.  Advertisers, social media, friends, lovers, neighbors, community members all seek your attention.  Google "most valuable asset" and you will see that "gold" comes up first.  (I will not slide into a rant about the gilding of the White House as this blog is supposed to be about staying positive, but that was the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw "gold.")  Google "most valuable asset is attention" and you will find a variety of posts, essays, videos, there probably is a Ted Talk out there somewhere.  

I have been a long time admirer of John Kabat-Zinn and use his meditation CDs regularly.  

And I love his book - 

But today, I am most grateful for the members of the Thursday, noon Mindfulness group at Mac.  Being a member of a group like this and learning together and sharing insights, practices, new ideas, and more, just brings me joy.  That and having just one hour to focus and step back from the hectic pace I have found myself in recently, helps me greatly.  If you have never practiced meditation, there are numerous apps out there - Calm, Head Space, and more.  Need a reason to try it?  How's this:

"Meditation and emotional and physical well-being

When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.

The emotional and physical benefits of meditation can include:

• Giving you a new way to look at things that cause stress.
• Building skills to manage your stress.
• Making you more self-aware.
• Focusing on the present.
• Reducing negative feelings.
• Helping you be more creative.
• Helping you be more patient.
• Lowering resting heart rate.
• Lowering resting blood pressure.
• Helping you sleep better."

from the Mayo Clinic webpage - https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

So I am very grateful for our new instructor, Patrice, and thinking of our previous instructor, Jane R., for helping me in my mindfulness practice.

During this busy holiday season, why not consider giving yourself the gift of paying attention to yourself?  As mentioned above, there are numerous apps, but you can find videos, tutorials, etc. to help get you started as well as books.  And if you do try it, let us know your experience--good, bad, indifferent?  And for readers that already practice, please do share insights in the comments for others.

Namaste.

Julia Child Exhibit at Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society  has a current exhibit on Julia Child.  I'll admit, I never watched her cooking shows, and actually my first introduction to her was in the form of a now infamous skit on Saturday Night Live with Dan Ackroyd.  Nevertheless, this exhibit is exceptional and well worth your time.  In addition to artifacts from Julia Child, the Historical Society has put together a display of local cookbooks which provide an example of ethnic cooking in Minnesota during various periods of time.  

And I love this quote because I often advised new hires to "find their passion."  

And although I didn't watch her shows, who doesn't remember her "Bon Appetit!" 

 

Grateful for the resistors who are confronting ICE

Artist: Karen Hallion
 https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRNARwZEb_A/

Created for the people in Charlotte who are standing up to ICE.  When ICE shared that they named their operation "Charlotte's Web", social media lit up as expected at the outrageous act and the granddaughter of E.B. White issued a statement to protest.  We had our own raid in Saint Paul yesterday and people showed up to protest.  Not including any photos of the event, just grateful again for those who show up.  

Grateful for book recommendations from friends

A friend recently recommended this book.  Although the subtitle is "Along the Alzheimer's Journey", I think a more accurate title would be "Along the Memory Care Journey" as dementia takes many different forms and not everyone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  The point of the book is that people with memory loss, remember moments and this is a guide on how to create moments of joy based on those memories.  The first example presented was to bring a fishing rod to the person with memory loss who had many happy memories of fishing.  Just putting the rod in his hands made him smile.   It is an interesting book and I wish I had had this when my mother was going through her journey with memory loss.  I have just started it, but for anyone dealing with someone close to you that is suffering from memory loss, this copy is the fifth edition.  It's been around a while and you can read a review of it here.  From the review:

 "Another quote from Jolene: 'With short-term memory loss, life is made up of moments. There are not perfectly wonderful days, there are perfectly wonderful moments—moments that put a smile on their face and a twinkle in their eye. Five minutes later, the person will have forgotten what was said and done; the feeling, however, lingers on.' ”

Everyone's journey is different, but if there is an opportunity to create a happy feeling, no matter how brief or how quickly forgotten, isn't worth taking the risk to create that happy feeling?  If you have someone in your life dealing with memory loss issues, you might find this a worthwhile read. 

Grateful for unexpected joy

Last Friday I was able to tour the DeWitt Wallace Library and see the renovations that had been made on levels 1 and 3 this past summer.  I found this sign on one of the new office doors.  Inside the library on the main floor they had done a very nice change with the ceiling, adding a wooden feature.  Photo isn't so great, but the change gave the room a nice feel.  Change is hard for many people, but all the changes fit in the tradition of the library which was  continuously undergoing change for the entire time I spent there.  It was also great to spend time with Angi Faiks, Dave Collins, Katy Gabrio, and Paul Overvoorde.

And outside the library, the pillars had received some artwork that makes them stand out.  Another very nice addition.  It was just nice to see the library is getting attention in a good way.

After the visit to the library went out and spent a short time with a visit to Beth's bench.

I think Beth would approve the changes in the library.

 

Grateful for artists and visionaries

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to hear Brad Neary, Director of the Saint John's Bible Heritage Program, talk about the history of the Saint John's Bible.  The first illuminated, hand written (caligraphy) Bible to be produced in over 500 years.  Brad is passionate about this project and he kept an audience entralled for over an hour and a half.  He had one volume of the Heritage set and attendees could see and touch the pages.  It was a riveting talk and the photo does not even come close to the magnificence of the art.  The photo is of the Beatitudes.  If you have the opportunity to see this work at one of the locations or the original pages at St. John's in Collegeville, it is worth your time.  Very grateful for Brad's talk and the opportunity to see one of the volumes up close.  You can find more information as well as page turning version of the Bible at their website.

On the website you can look at individual pages of the Heritage edition and examples of how they "fixed" problems when they missed a line - remember all handwritten with quills, so getting creative when a mistake occurred see below with the bird with a string to a dangling sentence that was missed.  Pretty amazing!

 

Grateful for 70 degree day in November

 

We had a record break yesterday with a high of 72 in Saint Paul.  We have had 70 degrees in November in past years, but yesterday I was able to get out for one more round of golf for the season.  And I am very grateful that it was my very best round of golf, ever.  I hope my improvement this year carries over to next season. 😎

Grateful for groundwork being done to fight back against authoritarianism

There is a growing movement that you won't hear about in media for a while, if ever.  But it is something to pay attention to and I am grateful for the very young people who are leading this charge.  It is a faith based movement.  It is being led by a group in Minnesota, ISAIAH, a coalition of faith communities in Minnesota.  If you look at the team leading this group, you will notice the YOUNG faces.  So what are they doing?  They are starting a movement to fight back against authoritarianism.  Plans are being made for a march on Palm Sunday, followed by action working with county boards to address the needs of the vulnerable, followed by a proposed march in Washington on the 4th of July.  Their focus is on addressing the needs of the hungry, the poor, and the stranger.  In Minnesota over 5,000 people will be gathering at the Minneapolis Convention Center.  

"Saturday December 13th, “A Light in the Storm”                                                                 Event: A Light in the Storm will be a gathering of 5000 people from across Minnesota and delegations from other states from 1pm - 6pm at the Minneapolis Convention Center. We will launch an agenda and plan a path for protecting our states, families, and neighbors in the face of rising authoritarianism. Clergy and teams of lay leaders will be trained in moving the Palm Sunday Path to the next phase.

And this is part of a national movement, started here, in Minnesota.  It is our Civil Rights movement. Stay tuned for further updates as I plan to attend the December 13th meeting.  It gives me hope.

Image - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beacon-in-the-Night.jpg

Picked up my signed copy of Turtle Island by Sean Sherman, owner of the Owamni Restaurant

 I have had the pleasure of eating at his restaurant, the Owamni,  in Minneapolis twice.  I highly recommend it.  This is his newest publication, Turtle Island, which I picked up yesterday at Birchbark Books.

"On the surface, “Turtle Island” is a cookbook. Look a little deeper and it doubles as a history textbook and even a travel guide, one Sherman and a team of writers and photographers spent three years building. “It feels like an encyclopedia,” Sherman said.

The recipes, organized by regions such as the Great Plains, Great Lakes and Desert Lands, are touchpoints through North America’s landscapes and seasons, offering culinary histories that often have been erased."  From the Star Tribune - you can read more with this gift article. Read more about it here.

Grateful for people who show up in cold weather for Vigils at Whipple Bldg

The second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 a.m. is a Prayer Vigil at the Whipple Building at Fort Snelling where the Immigration Court is located along with a detention center.  I am grateful for the folks who showed up Tuesday morning in the cold, including a group of students from Bethel University.  It was good to see some young faces.  Organized by ICOM Minnesota (Interfaith Coalition on Immigration). It was Veterans Day so the facility was closed, but we got a chance to interact with our fellow community members and I got the chance to talk to Emily from Bethel.  Just being present makes a difference and I am grateful for all those who showed up.

 

Grateful for opportunity to hear Barbara Kingsolver as part of a RUBI Briefing

 Barbara Kingsolver was the featured speaker on November 7 with RUBI - the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative. It was a conversation about Appalachia and her most recent book, Demon Copperhead.  She also talked about her work fighting the opiod epidemic in her region. You can watch her conversation on YouTube.

Her conversation is very interesting in providing insights on the challenges people living in rural areas.  Definitely worth listening to.  Her project fighting addiction is Higher Ground Women's Recovery Residence.  This is the second conversation I have listened to and if you want to explore RUBI for future briefings, see their website.   https://ruralurbanbridge.org/

Grateful when SCOTUS makes the right decision

 

Don't think I need to explain why I am grateful for something unexpected from the Supreme Court.  

Grateful for people who are putting in the hard work to help immigrants

Attended an Indivisible Twin Cities session on Saturday on immigration.  Heard from a young man from El Salvador who explained his path to legal status and the fact his parents still do not have legal status.  More personal stories of families under extreme stress right now.  Learned more about the Immigrant Defense Network and local strategies including:

• Working with local city governments to keep police departments from working with ICE - contact your city council representative and ask for their support

• ACLU is working on a state level to unmask ICE. Our statutes are old and need to be updated.  Only California has passed a law, doesn’t go into effect until January 1, 2026 and Massachusetts and New York are working on bills.  Contact your state reps to ask for their support.

• No new detention facilities in Minnesota. Sherburne, Freeborn, and Kandiyohi counties have long-standing contracts for housing ICE detainees. Additionally, the former Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton is being considered for reopening as a potential future detention center. Working to stop Appleon from being reopened.

Indivisible Twin Cities is doing great work in addition to organizing and planning No Kings rallies as well as local daily protests. Grateful for all their work.

Grateful for strong women role models

 

Today I am grateful for strong women like Nancy Pelosi. She announced her retirement this week. I am grateful for all the hard work she put in to making life better for others.  As a woman of faith, her values shaped her political life and the choices she made.  She started her involvement as a representative from California because she wanted to do more to address AIDS in San Francisco.  As the first women to be Speaker of the House she worked to improve lives with the passage of the Affordable Care Act and she was always on the side of human rights and women’s rights.  I am truly grateful for her life of dedication to working to improve the lives of others.  Thank you House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi. May you have many years of happy retirement and enjoying the ability to spend more time with your family and friends.

Very grateful for good friends

 Day 7 - Happy Friday!

The end of the first week of 30 days of gratitude.  What am I grateful for today?  Good friends.  Last night I was able to attend a Westminster Town Hall with Steve Hahn who wrote Illiberal America and provides some hope that in this difficult time, all may not necessarily be lost. You can watch him with an interview with Gene Robinson here 

The session at Westminster was recorded by MPR and will appear eventually.  

Meeting two good friends at the Town Hall made for a great end of the day.  Relationships are so important for staying positive in these very difficult times.  And these two friends have been so kind in so many ways. I always enjoy their company, conversations, and just being in their presence that is always uplifting.

The Westminister Forum is in their 45th year and it is free.  Such a wonderful opportunity to hear speakers and be engaged in thoughtful discussion for free!  Mark your calendars now because Bishop Mariann Budde is coming on December 4th.   She stood up to Trump in his first administration (remember when he held up a Bible upside down outside a church?) and she spoke so eloquently at his inauguration service about having mercy.  

So I hope you have a very happy Friday and an even better weekend! May you spend some time with a good friend.   Closing with this quote on friendship:

“A friend is one of the nicest things you can have and one of the best things you can be.” - Winnie the Pooh

Lots to be grateful for today

  

On the politics side, election results show Democrats had some positive gains. NYC Mayoral Race, Proposition 50 in California, Dems still control the Senate in Minnesota, and more. On the school board elections in Minnesota, only one of 11 candidates who were endorsed by the conservative group Minnesota Parents Alliance was able to win on election day and he was an incumbent. That's good news. And I am grateful for some hope in how people voted.

And with hope, comes time to put on some music. 

 “Music has healing power.  It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.” - Elton John 

One of my favorities is the Four Seasons - Autumn by Vivaldi.  MPR is doing a session on Friday, variations on the theme of gratitude at 3 p.m. on Friday.  " MPR Theme for November:

Our theme this month is GRATITUDE: What are you grateful for, and what music reminds you of it? Or even, what music are you grateful for and why? Send us your stories and music of gratitude.  MPR Webpage

 I submitted the Four Seasons as my pick.  You can submit your own recommendation for consideration here.  Now I just have to remember to listen at 3 p.m. on Friday.  

Have some music you want to share that you are grateful for? Please use the comments and let us know. In the meantime, may you have a joy-filled day today.

Grateful for the fabulous fall we are enjoying

 

”

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”  F. Scott Fitzgerald, from the Great Gatsby.

So very grateful for the beautiful fall we have had this year.  The leaves in all their glory, in the various shades in bright or dimming light, against a blue sky or a grey sky.  On a windy day, when the leaves are falling gracefully to the ground, I can hear in my head the song, “Autumn Leaves” by Nat King Cole which I am pretty sure was on some album owned by my parents.  So many colors and sometimes the beauty created by a carpet of red or yellow leaves is just stunning.

  

I hope you have had a chance to just walk around your neighborhood and take in all the glorious colors. Yesterday we reached the 60's and it was a perfect day for a stroll, or a walk with friends, or dogs, or just sitting by a lake and watching other people. I hope you get to enjoy these closing days of fall as we head into the holiday season.

Closing with a poem by Emily Dickinson -

Besides the Autumn Poets Sing (131)

Besides the Autumn poets sing,

A few prosaic days

A little this side of the snow

And that side of the Haze -

  

A few incisive mornings -         

A few Ascetic eves -

Gone - Mr Bryant’s “Golden Rod” -

And Mr Thomson’s “sheaves.”

  

Still, is the bustle in the brook -

Sealed are the spicy valves -         

Mesmeric fingers softly touch

The eyes of many Elves -

  

Perhaps a squirrel may remain -

My sentiments to share -

Grant me, Oh Lord, a sunny mind -        

Thy windy will to bear!

This poem is in the public domain. And Emily is one of my favorite poets. She'll probably pop up again soon.

Whimsy - something to be grateful for everyday

 

”Cultivating a whimsical life is a balm on the spirit while we are living in this age of darkness and anxiety.  It is also a wonderful way of expressing a nature-based spiritual path and connecting with the world around you.  I believe that especially today, working to balance ourselves to find happiness and to recognize what we have control over is part of successfully navigating this age.  “ Source

The photo is from an event I was at the day before Halloween. The creative whimsy of dressing like a flower pot made me smile and I hope makes you smile as well.  One of our participants in our Joy is an act of Resistance lunch group, again, no names, has engaged in acts of whimsy by purchasing inflatable costumes for her stints at protest events.  Seeing her  posts on Facebook always bring a smile. [And if you are reading this and ok with me posting some photos, please comment below and I’ll add them to this post.]  For a guide on cultivating a whimsical life see the post “cultivating a whimsical life” as it provides a much better guide than I could write. Her guide includes:

• Cultivating a sense of wonder

• Cultivating curiosity

• Play and unstructured time

• Playful interactions with animals

• Joy in simple things and simple living

• Creating a sense of enchantment 

• And more…

When I was working we often talked about how to add whimsy to our work surroundings. I think one of our students heard us and it resulted in this photo.

So, what kinds of whimsy have you encountered or are added to your daily life lately?