Standing by the fountain at DIA - I found myself staring at family members as they greeted each other, and my smile got bigger and bigger as I watched.
One woman was making wild arching movements with her right arm. A huge grin on her face, she was trying to get the attention of her husband and teenage son. The son noticed, but in typical teenage style, said nothing. She approached her husband from behind and startled him. He blushed, so happy to see her. The teenager smiled wide as he hugged his mother.
Another woman was squatted down by the escalator (just a bit unusual for an airport). A second later I heard “Mommy, Mommy” as a small blonde girl vaulted herself into her mother’s arms, followed by her equally tiny sister and a slightly harrassed father. Their laughter was infectious.
In the next minute Kay start motioning to me. Left? Right? I point right and we gallop to meet, not having seen each other in over a year. I love reunions. The aniticipation, the emotions, the joy and laughter.
Namaste’
Flo
People tell Frank Warren their secrets. All Frank does is ask for them. Frank has been collecting secrets for the past four years and to date, has collected more than 200,000.
On April 26, I wrote of going to hear Frank, the author of four PostSecret books. Listening to him speak about PostSecret and meeting him afterward showed me how big his heart is. It showed me how genuinely serious he is about collecting secrets and “protecting” them. You might think the word “protecting” doesn’t apply, after all he has published four books and posts 20 postcards on his PostSecret.com website weekly ( 20 of approx. 1,000). By protecting, I mean he doesn’t allow himself to be in situations where the secrets or the process can be ridiculed, for instance he choose not to be interviewed on the David Letterman show, for that very reason.
Think about your secrets. It can be a difficult thing to do, particularly if you consider yourself to be honest, forthright, honest, direct, and again, honest. We all carry stories with us, memories of humiliation from grade school, embarrassing moments, and then our more serious and even debilitating secrets. By simply sending him a postcard, Frank gives everyone an opportunity to voice those secrets, create momentum that moves a person in the direction of healing.
The presentation ended with the lights dimmed and Frank giving audience members the opportunity to share their secrets. I sat there thinking “there is no way anyone would do that” and was I wrong. Often heartbreaking and sometimes hysterically humorous, the audience members bravely shared their secrets with us. While getting my books signed, I tried to thank Frank for all he has done. My guess is, he hears this all the time. I think I’ll tell him in a postcard.
Namaste’
Frank Warren, the creator of the PostSecret series of books and the postsecret.com website, is speaking tonight in Fort Collins.
I read the first book when it came out in 2005. Entitled ”PostSecret“, Warren begins his introduction “In November 2004, I printed 3,000 postcards inviting people to share a secret with me: something that was true, something they had never told anyone.” He left the postcards in art galleries and library books, and the preaddressed postcards started arriving in his mailbox.
The books are full of secrets. The response has been and continues to be overwhelming. Checkout the website and I’ll be back after the presentation to tell more.
Flo
One year ago, I wrote http://cloud9000.com/flo/dear-future-self-remember-me/. This week, I have been receiving forgotten emails from me, dated the beginning of April 2007. If nothing else, they are entertaining and make me laugh!
Here’s a reminder: Futureme.org allows you to send an email to yourself, at a specific time in the future. Tonight I wrote about Homer, Wally and Abby - just to remind me of what I am doing right-this-moment. Sometimes, I forget to be in-the-moment and tonight I want to remember this feeling.
Namaste’
Yesterday, while sitting in a court room, watching the process of an adoption - I was proud to be part of “the village”. Proud to be part of the support system that loves and embraces the family.
On such a momentus occasion, it was funny to watch the children - the parents were attentive and solemn, listening to the judge. They agreed this is what they have always wanted and answered questions such as “what do you do for fun?” and “what do they like to eat?”. At the beginning, the children sat on their parents’ laps, listening and participating as best they could. Quite soon, the children were climbing under the bench to the bench behind them to join the other children. The bench seemed alive with moving children - back and forth, up and down (benches are great for sliding, you know!)
The air itself seemed to vibrate with applause and laughter, hugs and happiness. The parents feel blessed and the village found such joy in participating in the celebration of love.
Homer basset didn’t have surgery last week. Considered to be “non-surgical” due to the other spinal issues he has, we brought him home and with medication, there has been limited improvement.
It’s surprising to me how much life changes in just a few days - we carry Homer up and down the stairs and watch him totter across the back yard, doing his “business” with the other dogs. His positive demeanor has returned and he is pain-free. At times, it feels we’re living with an infant, which is different for us and all the while Homer continues to be his warm, loving and happy self. For this I am grateful. We are enjoying his presence, his companionship and have to laugh at his ability to be so very joyful as his physical limitations increase. This is a quality I’d like to possess.
He is a good friend and we are happy he is here.
Namaste’
The title - it’s the name we called Homer basset and Abbygail basset, the day we brought Homer home. Tim asked me what we’d call them when they grew up and I’m sure I made some flip or sarcastic response. The thing is, over 11 years later they are still the “basset babies” or “the babies”. (It’s a good thing we didn’t ever have children - we’d have never let them grow up.)
Today, Homer is in the hospital. He is in Denver and is likely to undergo surgery on Thursday. I don’t handle this very well. Married to a veterinarian, I am used to being able to be there the whole time, watching and observing, holding and hugging immediately following any procedure. That is not the case this time. It is hard for me, really hard. There is some invisible sense of control that goes along with just being there and none of that is there right now.
I am aware I am upset about something in the future and not right now, but that’s the case. Homer isn’t sleeping at home and Wally basset wanders around looking for him. My feelings for Homer are immense, full, gigantic and enormous. My love for all the creatures we share our lives with is like that. Nothing much bigger exists.
In my head, I realize that there isn’t alot I can do - I can think positive and optimistic thoughts; I can project that he will be running around the yard in 6-8 weeks. In the meantime, my heart aches.
Flo
“When friends stop being frank and useful to each other,” wrote literary critic Anatole Broyard, “the whole world loses some of its radiance.” Make sure that doesn’t happen any time soon, Gemini. In fact, regard this horoscope as a warning beacon that motivates you to action. Intensify your intention to keep your best alliances frank and useful. Infuse a dose of raw candor into any relationship that is in danger of becoming lazy or dishonest. -Rob Brezsny
This isn’t the first time (nor is it likely to be the last) that I’ve written or noted Rob Brezsny’s words in my blog. However, this week I find his words provoke alot of thought and go along with how I’ve been thinking for some time. Things like the need to be honest in relationships and the need for others to be honest with me. For the most part I keep myself out-of-the-line-of-fire, not being “called” on my actions-words-behaviors too often. That doesn’t remove me from being a person that needs that in her life, that accountability, and I hope those who know me and love me clearly understand that is something I expect from them. It should be reciprocal, not one sided. Just the idea of it feels so freeing, yet I wonder how many of us allow for this in our lives?
It’s not an invitation to be broken down or trod upon, it’s the willingness to continue being human. To be made aware of when I trip up or wander, which may cause hurt or pain for others. In some ways it feels rather freeing.
Namaste’
On a weekly basis Ted Kooser, U.S. Poet Laureate prints “American Life in Poetry“. This week’s poem is by Trish Dugger and here it is below:
Spare Parts
We barge out of the womb
with two of them: eyes, ears,
arms, hands, legs, feet.
Only one heart. Not a good
plan. God should know we
need at least a dozen,
a baker’s dozen of hearts.
They break like Easter eggs
hidden in the grass,
stepped on and smashed.
My own heart is patched,
bandaged, taped, barely
the same shape it once was
when it beat fast for you.
Enjoy.
Recently, on the CBS Evening News Morley Safer reported on “The Pursuit of Happiness.” He quoted the main scientific survey on international happiness conducted by Leicester University in England, noting Denmark is the happiest country in the world with the U.S. ranking 23rd (above Iraq and Pakistan). Many topics are discussed as to why the United States ranks so low and Denmark so high on the list.
Among others, Safer interviews Tal Ben-Shahar, who teaches Positive Psychology - the Science of Happiness at Harvard University about this study and about how American’s view happiness.
A 2006 NPR article also interviewed Ben-Shahar, who lists his six tips for happiness. Although in the article his best advice is #4, it would do us all some good to consider this list, and figure out how we’d like to implement it daily.
Flo
Subscribe in a reader
