A Daughter Gives Thanks

I lost my father yesterday, November 21, 2012. As I write this, I’m sitting on a plane, flying from West to East to comfort and be comforted by family. I had plans this week, to write a blog article on one of my favorite “Chart Your Course,” practices that always manages to get me moving in the right direction—practicing gratitude. “In any and all situations, give thanks” is my motto. I had imagined such an article timed to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Yesterday  was one of my greatest gratitude tests. As I lay in bed last night, I could not stop crying, tears flowed, non-stop. The closest words to describe the feelings were, “heart-break.” Interestingly, this description was signed to me by a Deaf client only a few days prior as tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. He had received a similar blow, having heard of a friend’s passing. Yes, the evening of November 21, my heart physically hurt. I apologized to my husband as it approached 1:00am and still I wept, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me!”

“Nothing’s wrong with you,” he said, gathering my wet self in his arms. Then he asked, “What are you thinking about?”

My answers were telling: a sense of heavy regret, that perhaps my pop is struggling somehow, and lastly, that I love him. My husband paused then and ever so gently asked, “Not baseball, or bowling?” My mirror, my Love, steered me back to one of my North Stars: be grateful. Within minutes the tears stopped, and I was sound asleep, lulled by what a sucker my pop was for animals and little kids, as evidenced the day we were shooting hoops, and I convinced him to buy me a parakeet if I made some crazy back-bend basket move that I had never before made in my life—until that day. When we arrived home with the bird, he took the heat for me, explaining to my mother that he had promised--and a promise made, is a promise kept. I called the parakeet, “Pretty Boy."

Whenever my heart begins aching on this Thanksgiving Day, I do my very best to think of the blessings of my father’s life. May your Thanksgiving be filled with promises kept and gratitude for family, friends and loved ones.

To Love We Must Swerve Often From Our Path

My Luvee riding in fall sunshine

Perhaps it's the season of fall and brilliant colors, but I've noticed of late that Life (intentionally capitalized) constantly interacts with me. When I pay attention and actively participate, miracles happen. Enough foo-foo-woo-woo, let me give you a few examples.

You all might remember the Veteran's Day event I had scheduled last Sunday at my office. I wracked my brain on how to increase my exposure to vets and decided to hold an open house. People in the field warned me that veterans don't tend to go to such events, but I felt compelled to do it. A few days before my event, a veteran called from the local hospital. This person was incapacitated and unable to make it on Sunday, but was wondering if I could come to the hospital for a visit. I smiled, having the distinct feeling that Life was placing a great opportunity in my path, requiring a slight detour from "my plan"--no problem, I set up an appointment immediately following my open house. The following evening, I received an email from a father of a vet who committed suicide after coming home from Afghanistan. He commended my efforts and said, if one vet is served, it'll be worth it. He then proceeded to share that he was in the military over twenty years and in addition he had built the building that housed my office. In a small town of 23,000 is this just interesting coincidence? I don't think so--Life is interacting, not just with me but with this devoted father.

Well, Sunday rolled around and unfortunately (or not:), no one attended my open house. However, I left the office and headed to the hospital. Here I found a willing veteran who applied the Meridian Treatment with great success, bringing the distress experienced from a SUD (Subjective Units of Distress) 6 to a 0 in less than five minutes. When I arrived home that night, I looked up into the star-filled sky and heard again the words of the man who had lost his son to suicide--if one vet is served, it'll be worth it. I breathed deep the crisp fall air and committed to take off my blinders and stray more often from my determined path. 

Veterans Day Event

Please spread the word to any veterans you know that this Sunday, November 11, 2012 from 4:00-5:30 pm there will be the following event at The Studio Lake Tahoe to honor our service men and women: