Happy Crayola Crayon Day!!

TFTD

I search for silver linings, for the deeper meaning of the events in my life. Life is my teacher if I can learn to read the subtle messages that are laced into the circumstances that I co-create around me. I will look for the lesson. When life offers up its inevitable challenges, I will try to understand what I am meant to see that I am not seeing, what I am meant to hear that I am not hearing, what I am meant to know that I am not knowing. There is always a silver lining if I look for it. Even if I don't see it readily, I trust that it is there and that it will reveal itself to me over time. Life isn't simple. One of the ways that I can grow from life's adversities, is to see what is positive about a difficult situation, to look for the silver lining. I can grow in joy and in pain. It doesn't need to be one or the other because pain can transform into joy. It can be the fire that clears the field for new and tender growth.

 .

Daily reading

When I slow down long enough to smell the roses, I usually see the beauty and all else that is ours to share.
–Morgan Jennings

We overlook so many joys, so many hidden treasures, when we hurry from place to place, person to person, experience to experience, with little attention anywhere. All that matters passes before us now, at this moment. And assuredly, we will not pass this way again.

It has been said the greatest gift we can give one another is rapt attention; additionally, living life fully attentive to the breezes, the colors, the sorrows and the thrills as well, is the most prayerful response any of us can make in this life. Nothing more is asked of us. Nothing less is expected.

We have just this one life to live, and each day is a blessing. Even the trials we shall understand as blessings in the months, the years ahead, as we can see now how the painful moments of the past played their part. Our attitude toward the lessons life has offered makes all the difference in the world.

Ummm...I made meatloaf for dinner and I didn't use a recipe? :-/

Today's Reminder

 Trusting Ourselves

Trust can be one of the most confusing concepts in recovery. Who do we trust? For what?

The most important trust issue we face is learning to trust ourselves. The most detrimental thing that’s happened to us is that we came to believe we couldn’t trust ourselves.

There will be some who tell us we cannot trust ourselves; we are off base and out of whack. There are those who would benefit by our mistrusting ourselves.

Fear and doubt are our enemies. Panic is our enemy. Confusion is our opposition.

Self-trust is a healing gift we can give ourselves. How do we acquire it? We learn it. What do we do about our mistakes, about those times we thought we could trust ourselves but were wrong? We accept them, and trust ourselves anyway.

We know what is best for us. We know what is right for us. If we are wrong, if we need to change our mind, we will be guided into that – but only by trusting where we are today.

We can look to others for support and reinforcement, but trust in ourselves is essential.

Do not trust fear. Do not trust panic. We can trust ourselves, stand in our own truth, and stand in our own light. We have it now. Already. We have all the light we need for today. And tomorrow’s light shall be given to us then.

Trust ourselves, and we will know whom to trust. Trust ourselves, and we will know what to do. When we feel we absolutely cannot trust ourselves, trust that God will guide us into truth.

Fairy Reading

Observe Yourself

Watch yourself. That’s not a grim admonition. It’s a call to observe yourself and is a helpful tool on the journey.

When you get stuck in a behavior, stuck in a pattern, stuck in a place, a thought, a feeling, a job, or a relationship and you don’t know how to get unstuck, watch yourself. When you’ve tried everything you know and your feelings and old ways of reacting still come to the fore– even when you don’t want them to and especially when you’ve made an effort to do things differently– watch yourself. When it feels hopeless, when it seems things will never change or shift, when you can’t help yourself and it doesn’t look like those around you can either, look at yourself.

The act of watching ourselves, neutrally observing ourselves without judgement or reproach, can be a powerful tool for change. If you’ve tried and tried to change but it hasn’t worked, then watch yourself. Watch what you say, what you think, how you feel, how you act, how you react. Don’t try to stop yourself. Don’t judge. Just observe. Do it as long as you need to, although it may not take long.

omg I'm nuts...

Zackly how fast can things go down the proverbial hill?!
Couldn't they just kinda "roll"at a nice gentle pace?
Apparently the answer to that one is rancorous laughter.
In text that is "Mwahahaha...."
Or wait.....maybe that's just mischievous laughter?
I sure hope so, I use that one a LOT.  :-/
Regardless, it's almost laugh worthy.  It's been, what....30 days since my appointment with Dr. "Dunno-why-you're-here-but-let-me-script-you-narcotics", done ONLY-I'm sure-because I have such an honest looking face....and I'm returning to see him.  :-/

...k....
In all fairness, neither he nor I had a clue as to why I was there--hardly his fault his receptionist put my records on top of a cabinet....which probably wasn't her fault either, given they were delivered in a BOX and not the standard manilla envelope most copy of records arrive in.  Yes....a BOX.  *sigh*  I do very few things in a small way.....and I mean VERY few.
I'm pretty sure the man was just trying to get me relief from pain.
I'll find out when I return.
Cuz right now, nobody seems to think returning to the previous Pain Medicines Physician is a good plan.  Not the nice nurse assigned to me for the past 2.5 years, not my Family physician who isn't feeling confident about making changes to the quickly rolling downhill medication regime, not the much revered/respected oncologist I rang in frustration to get advice from, and not even me.  Not adding up to a lot of confidence...that's kinda essential in a partnership with a doctor.
And I'm going back to Dr. Dunno because?  Duh....because I'm nuts?

Because my oncologist would recommend him?  Because he's done well with patients my family doc has referred on?  Because he has my BOX of records and I won't have to wait forever to get into see him cuz records are required before any P M doc will see you which is why the first situation with Dr. Dunno is even more laughable.
At this point if he's open to seeing me, I'm open to seeing him...only because he comes with recommendations
But he's got some explaining to do.....

Daily Reflections

"Mishaps are like knives, that either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or by the handle.”

—James Russel Lowell

Success rains down for no apparent reason. Tragedy strikes like a freight train. We’re left to deal with the results. We can allow our egos to swell over our sudden good fortune, or we can humbly accept the fruit of our labor and continue to better ourselves. We can lie down and give up after a tragedy, or we can grieve, get up, and begin taking steps to move on with our lives.

Look at the situations in your life. Have you been given success? Are you learning the lessons of loss? Perhaps yours is the gift of the ordinary. Don’t walk too boastfully through your successes, nor remain too long in your grief. And don’t sleep through an ordinary life. You’ll lose your sense of wonder and awe, and when it ends, you won’t know where you’ve been.

We cannot always control what will happen to us. We need to let go of any false thoughts that we can. We can choose how we’ll handle the situation just like we choose how we’ll pick up a knife– by grabbing the handle or the blade.

Watch out for the cutting edge.

Choosing happy cuz it's a HAPPY DAY!!!

On the other hand……  It's all about attitude, and I can choose mine.

I'm working this evening, mentoring, teaching—and doing observations so I can have a conversation at a later time.  Oh, but I'll be getting to play with kiddos.  We'll be doing homework and chores and maybe having a group (that would be cool…..I've not sat in a therapy group for a long time though I'm not sure the therapist would actually want an observer…..).

 

It's a happy day!

Roof's done and today they're putting on the gutters and other 'stuff' that gets put on after the roof.

And then I can write the big check.  Eeks!

 

Wait—happy.  Choose happy.

Stuff 'Max' into my pocket and go have fun with kiddos!

Fact is, I'm thinking I'll go early, while they're in school so I can chat with the grownups and just 'hang'.

What a brilliant idea!  Who wants to do all this excel stuff when you could be playing with kiddos and grownups! 

Boy, am I smart or what?!  Mwahahahaha!!!

 

 

 

Least I forget while life speeds up

Be still
                                                                                         

    Breathe.
                                                                                                               Just BE.

                                                                         

       Right HERE.  Right NOW…….

Fairy Reading

"If we could untangle the mysteries of life and unravel the energies which run through the world; if we could evaluate correctly the significance of passing events; if we could measure the struggles, dilemmas, and aspirations of mankind, we could find that nothing is born out of time. Everything comes at its appointed moment.”

—Joseph R. Sizoo

Timing can be frustrating. We can wait and wait for something to happen, and it seems to be forever until it comes to pass. Or, suddenly, an event or circumstance is thrust upon us, catching us by surprise. Believing that things happen too slowly or too quickly is an illusion. Timing is perfect.

This is my first reminder

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Daily Reminder

"Never bend your head. Look at the world straight in the face.”

—Helen Keller

Pride is elusive when we’re hurting emotionally.  We may act and feel overwhelmed.  It is very difficult to be mindful of all we can accomplish and we may focus on what is out of our reach.  Or we may tend to hide from our problems by withdrawing from social gatherings or by isolating ourselves emotionally. Feeling ashamed that we are hurting makes asking for help very hard.

Now, as we hide less often from our feelings we find it easier to face the world straight on.  We may not have made this transition easily or even by ourselves, but we are making it with the help of loving friends.  Increasingly we accept our limitations, make the effort to  do  what we can, and ask for help when we must.  And with this, we raise our heads with pride.

Today's fairy reading

“Love is not getting, but giving. It is sacrifice. And sacrifice is glorious!”

—Joanna Field

How easily we mistake attention for love. Even more easily, we trick ourselves into thinking our ability to control someone signifies love—especially theirs for us. But love is something far different from either attention or control. Far different.

Love frees others from our grasp—and lets them return on their own. Love is placing another’s personal needs above our own, without regret. Love is selfless, yet it exhilarates the self. Giving love softens our edges, completes us, and connects us to the people with whom we are fulfilling our destinies.

Wanting love is a normal human desire, not one we should deny. And we shall receive love, the less our emphasis is on getting it, the more on giving it. We invite love when we freely and honestly give it. Another invitation for love comes from loving ourselves; self-hatred, which trapped many of us for years, hampers us no longer.

Love inspires—ourselves and those we give it to. It brightens our way, lessens our burdens, makes possible our rightful unfolding.

I won’t look for love today. I will just give it. It will bless me tenfold.

Fairy Diddy

Although we have been made to believe that if we let go we will end up with nothing, life reveals just the opposite: that letting go is the real path to freedom.

Things that make me happy....

...bitty buds on the buddlieah bushes.

....flying a big tailed, HUMONGOUS kite (until I got it up so high it threatened to pull my arms outta their socket....)

....flying my long, rainbow colour tailed, itty bitty kite.  :-)

....sending a weekly card to a friend who's fighting the good fight.

....ohhh!!  The awesome remote controlled candle that can go outdoors--which is where it's going come spring!! 

....talking to the sister.  I love her soooo much!!

....catching the start of sunrise before walking into work....love it!!

Captured Memory #67

Sleeping with Bread

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
Blessed are You, Lord, our G-d, King of the Universe...

Yesterday I was honoured with an opportunity to hear a 5th Step.
Sage was burned, tears welled up ...and fell, a life filled with hate and anger and resentment was share.  Fears and shame, listed in black and white, tumbled out....  A lifetime of edging G-d out (ego).
There's a transformation that happens when you share the monsters in your closet.  I know this to be true.  I've done a number of 5th Steps myself....too many to remember how many.  But G-d has a way of tempering what and how much gets revealed to us .... and when.  Which is a great plan for me.  It's a great plan for any of us who have a lot of monsters.  G-d's smart like that.

I left, emotionally drained and spiritually humbled.
When I got home dinner was waiting and I plopped myself on the couch afterwards.  Himself takes good care of me and makes it an "easy" night when I do these 5th steps.  So he put something in the fancy blue ray player and just let me veg out on the couch.

If I ever needed affirmation about how small I am and how BIG G-D is, this one is going in the fancy blue ray player again. 
I knew from an earlier moment in time that leaning into what I know to do, was what I needed to do.

BE present.

Right here. 

Right now.

Give the rest to G-d…….those old beliefs, those old feelings, those old ways of thinking… 

My greatest consolation is that what I need to hear always, always gets delivered.
I'll add "Trust G-d and stay small" to my list since the King of the Universe felt a need to remind me.

Shalom.

Today's Reminder

 Say whatever when it’s out of your hands

We cannot control everything that happens to us. But we can control our response to those things. We cannot control the feelings of others—their fear, their power trips, their issues. All that we can choose is how we want to respond.

Maybe you have been wronged. Maybe you have had a dream taken from you due to the actions of another. What are you going to do about it? You can give up and give in, or you can make the best of the situation, move on if you can, or make a life where you are.

Say whatever.

Learn to live and let live.

TFTD

Connect to Creativity

The more open and connected you are to the world around you, the more creative you will become.

You will become more creative in your own growth and in how you live your life. You will be more creative in problem solving in work and play. You’ll be more willing to try new things– whether it’s learning to play a flute, build a stone fence, ride a horse, or create a Japanese garden in your front yard. You’ll find yourself more open in solving problems with loved ones, trying less traditional approaches than you might have considered in the past. You’ll find yourself gaining insights, information, and healing from sources you may have previously overlooked. Your participation in all your activities will be less controlled and more spontaneous.

You will hear the universe prompting you more. You will imagine more. You will recognize the quiet voice of intuition, the voice of your heart. You will see possibilities. And because you are open to your heart, the guidance of your inner voice, you will know what to do, and when to do it.

Circles

 

Today is International Day of Kindness.

 

It's also the first day of Spring.

Finally.

 

I like that I'm placing those two in that order.

 

I'll adore everything about Spring being here and save the whining about all the rain and storms and all that rot for another day……LOL

I dare say I've been a tad depressed.  Probably even clinically depressed.  I'm qualified to diagnose, don'tchaknow.  *sigh*

 

I'd blame winter, but the bottom line is it's been a spiral since the leg got broke.

Circumstances changed all around me and things were stripped away.

Stripped—I don't give things up without claw marks.

But changes happened left, right and center.

And I could sit and watch it unfold.  Not a whole lot I could physically or emotionally do about them.  Spiritually, yes……I had all the control in the world—but I wasn't focused on the spiritual aspects even though I talked them.

I've been pretty much lost inside, cuz it's emotionally been 'intense', to say the least.

And the changes keep happening—physically and in my circumstances.

 

I'm not sure where I am, today.

Physically in pain.   Internally, stuffing the pain and externally making it look different than it is.  I can't rightly keep myself in this cesspool of crap—I have to be functional, do what's in front of me and keep putting one foot in front of the other, trying to make the best of the circumstances.  It's what I've been taught to do—"Act as if" and keep moving.  So I'm "Acting as if"—and it's working in places.  I've been able to 'adjust' in my new work circumstances, excel in bits of it, even!  At home I've been able to claim back some of what I temporarily lost because of my brokenness.  Time changed some of it.  A huge chunk of it isn't going to change and I'm working on learning as each thing is revealed to me-- and accepting……..but it means giving up a lot of what 'was'.

 

Internally -- when all the noise and talk and 'acting as if' is removed—sad, overwhelmed, sometimes angry, but bigger than all of those is the fear.  Cuz the fear begets the rest.

Buckets of fear…

Spiritually I have all the tools that I could ask for.

EVERYthing I know and trust and have learned to lean into in moments like this is there—right here, right now.

 

Putting that into black and white brings me the solutions for today.

BE present.

Right here. 

Right now.

Give the rest to G-d…….those old beliefs, those old feelings, those old ways of thinking…….

 

Right HERE.  Right NOW.

 

It's International Day of Kindness.

 

Everything about that is what I know to be true……go be kind to another human being.

See how that all works out.  Full circle.

And I didn't even know it was a circle when I started this.

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

 

Fairy Reading

The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.”

—Frank Lloyd Wright

When we were younger, day and night were two separate entities.  Day was when we played and night was when we slept.  The distinction is not that sharp as we get older, especially if we have any problems with disturb our sleep.  Worry and pain have a tendency to make nights much longer — and lonelier.

What looked hopeless the night before can take on a whole new light in the morning.  It would be wonderful if we could learn to treat each new day with the same freshness we had as children.  We can learn, once again, to experience and to savor each each moment.  Once we separate the more likely we are to allow ourselves wonderful days again.

Today's Reminder

"Who can separate his faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations?"

– Kahil Gibran

We may, at times, represent ourselves in an untrue fashion. This may happen when we are trying to impress someone who doesn’t know us well. We may unconsciously try to imitate another person. Yet in doing so we are not being faithful to the gift of our own uniqueness.

Our need to “prove ourselves” diminished only when self-esteem and self-awareness blossom. As we become more secure, we begin to honestly express ourselves and our faith. We no longer need heroes to worship; we can instead honor the gift of life.

Captured Memory #66

Things that make me happy.....

....jelly beans!  :-)

....being asked to mentor some staff who work with kiddos and families.

....sunshiney and 78°!!!!

....northern ultra toilet paper and lots of it.  LOLOL!!

....lugging out my dormant potted plants so I can watch 'em wake up.

.....guided relaxation at bedtime.

....melted snowbanks.  :-)

The Stillness Fairy

There Is Power in Stillness

Our miracles and life’s magic don’t appear when we’re restless and frantic. The miracles and magic happen when we’re still, quiet, calm, and trusting.

Each of us has favorite items and places that help to calm and quiet us. What stills our mind? A walk in the park, a special place in the city, a quiet room? An old chenille robe? A rock, a cross, a picture, a lit candle?

Use these places and things to find that place of stillness in yourself. Find the power in stillness. It’s a power that comes gently, like the morning sunrise or the evening stars.

Reflection for the Day

Reflection For The Day

“What if…”  How often we hear these words from newcomers to The Program.  How often, in fat,we tend to say them ourselves.  “What if I lose my job?”  “What if my car breaks down?”  What if I get sick and can’t work?”  “What if my child gets hooked on drugs?”  What if — anything our desperate imaginings can project.  Only two small words, yet how heavy-laden they are with dread, fear and anxiety.  The answer to “What if…” is, plainly and simply, “Don’t project.”  We can only live with our problems as they arise, living one day at a time.  Am I keeping my thoughts positive?

Fairy Thought

"The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder.”

—Virginia Woolf

Anguish is undoubtedly more familiar to us than is the beauty of laughter. We feel anguish over our failings; we feel anguish over our losses; we feel anguish over the attempts to succeed that beckon to us.

Anguish comes of fear. And we so hope to avoid it. However, it seasons us as women; it enriches us even while it momentarily diminishes us. It is a major contributor to the sum and substance of our lives. The anguish we experience prepares us to help others experience their own particular anguish.

Our laughter, too, must be savored and shared. And laughter builds more laughter. Laughter lends a perspective on our anguish. Life is made richer, fuller, by the ebb and flow, the laughter and the anguish in concert.

If only we could remember, when the anguish is present, that it is making our Spirits whole. That it, along with laughter, is a healer of the soul. That it lifts our load at the same time that it burdens us. That it prepares us to better receive life’s other gifts.

Captured Memory #65

Sleeping with bread...

Of all the tunes, of all the days.....

It's lovely.

I want to remember this one.
Before I moved to this little town I lived and worked in another little town.  And when I was there, newly divorced, alone and without children...trying to get my feet back under me, I found a church that I went to on a weekly basis.  It's where I came to know this tune.  It came from a time when  I, again, wrapped myself in trying to solidify my relationship with the G-d of my understanding....not the G-d that was shoved down my throat as a child.

WPIML had visited me in treatment and helped me come to know where I was stuck...what was getting in the way of me having a SANE life, a life with peace and serenity...  He helped me come to understand that I wasn't the sum total of all the roles that had been stripped away from me.  I wasn't a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend of so and so... not a therapist, not a family therapist, not a psychologist or a clinician or counselor .....those were roles, those were not my identity.  I AM those things....I DID those things.
I'd put my worth and value into BEING those THINGS.
And those THINGS had been stripped away for a reason.

He visited me in treatment.
Not my stepmother.
Not my husband.
Not my children who were at the mercy of their father to bring them...
Not my friends.
Not my coworkers.

He died shortly after I moved to that other small town.
But the lessons he helped me learn have not.
His wife told me he lived just long enough.

She's right.

Sometimes things just pop into my head.
I used to think it was willy-nilly, for no reason.
Today I know.

If I stop and really listen and LOOK, I know.

I'm going to hum this one all day long.....

TFTD

 Accepting Imperfection

“Why do I do this to myself?” asked a woman who wanted to lose weight. “I went to my support group feeling so guilty and ashamed because I ate half a cookie that wasn’t on the diet. I found out that everyone cheats a little, and some people cheat a lot. I felt so ashamed before I came to the group, as though I were the only one not doing my diet perfectly. Now I know that I’m dieting as well as most, and better than some.”

Why do we do this to ourselves? I’m not talking strictly about dieting, I’m talking about life. Why do we punish ourselves by thinking that we’re inferior while believing that others are perfect – whether in relationships, recovery, or a specific task?

Whether we’re judging others or ourselves it’s two sides of the same coin: perfection. Neither expectation is valid.

It is far more accurate and beneficial to tell ourselves that who we are is okay and what we are doing is good enough. That doesn’t mean we won’t make mistakes that need correcting; doesn’t mean we won’t get off track from time to time; doesn’t mean we can’t improve. It means with all our mistakes and wandering, we’re basically on course. Encouraging and approving of ourselves is how we help ourselves stay on track.

Captured Memory #64

Fairy Reading

Happiness is a byproduct of an effort to make someone else happy.

—Gretta Brooker Palmer

We have striven for happiness, generally in self-centered ways. We expected others to favor us with their attention, for example. Or we waited for invitations or gifts. We have probably tried to buy happiness with the purchase of a new dress or shoes. Fleeting moments of happiness were gained, that’s all. And soon we were discontent once again. And the search was begun anew.

But things have changed for some of us. We are learning, maybe slowly, how to find a more permanent happiness. And we know the happiness that comes from “getting” is elusive. Giving to others, giving attention, sharing hope, sharing our own stories, listening to theirs, is the key to finding the happiness for which we’ve searched so long. We must get outside of ourselves and focus on another’s joy or sorrow. Only then do we get a clear perspective on who we are and the necessary role we play in the lives of others who need our attention and who have a message we also need to hear.

Daily Thought from the Fairy

"Failure is impossible.”

—Susan B. Anthony

Failure is an attitude. Having an attitude of failure can’t help us. It can only hurt us. If we’re not careful, it can grow into a way of life. So, when we feel like failures, we better look at our attitudes.

An attitude of failure often comes from making mistakes. But we can learn to see our mistakes as lessons. This turns mistakes into gains, not failures. Sometimes, we try to do things that just can’t be done.

When we act like we know everything, we’re going to fail. if we try to act like God, we’re going to fail.

We can’t control others. We can’t know everything. We’re not God. We’re human. If we act human, we’ve already won.

Daily Fairy Reading

 you ever been around people-pleasers? They tend to be displeasing. Being around someone who is turned inside out to please another is often irritating and anxiety- producing.

People-pleasing is a behavior we may have adapted to survive in our family. We may not have been able to get the love and attention we deserved. We may not have been given permission to please ourselves, to trust ourselves, and to choose a course of action that demonstrated self-trust.

People-pleasing can be overt or covert. We may run around fussing over others, chattering a mile a minute when what we are really saying is, “I hope I’m pleasing you.” Or, we may be more covert, quietly going through life making important decisions based on pleasing others.

Taking other people’s wants and needs into consideration is an important part of our relationships. We have responsibilities to friends and family and employers. We have a strong inner responsibility to be loving and caring. But, people-pleasing backfires. Not only do others get annoyed with us, we often get annoyed when our efforts to please do not work as we planned. The most comfortable people to be around are those who are considerate of others but ultimately please themselves.

Captured Memory #63

yuck, yuck and yet MORE yuck

Himself has had the flu since Saturday....and I mean he's REALLY had the flu.
He's been able to keep liquids down for a couple days now, but his insides are revolting.
And yup, mine have been too.
*sigh*

Why is it always "follow the leader" in this household?
Seriously...like I need to be JUST well enough to get through work and come home to feel like crap?  (no pun intended)

I just want something to be NORMAL...even though I know normal's over-rated....  *sigh*

Daily Reading

 "The Old Ones have always said that no matter who despises or ignores you, no matter who keeps you from entering their circles, it is right to pray for them because the are like us, too.”

–Larry P. Aitken, CHIPPEWA

You don’t know how an apple tastes until you taste it. You don’t know what a fish tastes like until you eat it. You don’t know how it is to be a woman unless you are one. You don’t know what it means to have a baby until you have one. So it is with the natural laws. An example: the natural law of forgiveness says, if you hate someone, pray for the person to be blessed with happiness, joy and all the blessings of the Great Spirit. You will not know about this law unless you do it. The natural law says love others as you love yourself. If you hate yourself or feel guilt in some area of yourself, you will tend to judge and condemn your neighbor. You cannot give away what you don’t have. You teach your children by your example, not by your words. The natural laws are written in our hearts.