WHEN YOU HUNGER and THIRST from Sarah Ban Breathnach (Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy)

I came across the entry for April 14 today and it resonated with me .... I think, no, I am sure, because of the work I am doing / processing in the Read-Along with Dr. Brene Brown:

I THOUGHT I WAS JUST ME (but it isn't) - which can be found here: http://www.ordinarycourage.com/

So we're into Chapter Four, and for this week's podcast, Brene had a special guest visitor/speaker on the 'cast - author Katherine Center, who wrote THE BRIGHT SIDE OF DISASTER and her new EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL.

We're looking at areas where we get pulled into "what's wrong with me? why can't I be perfect like so-and-so" -- for some, it's in the area of motherhood. For others, it's in the area of body image. For others, it's career - education - religion - married life. Whatever it is that sucks you in and makes you feel LESS THAN, it bears a closer look so that you can HEAL that part of your world that is causing you pain & discomfort.

But let me get back on track.

What I turned to in SIMPLE ABUNDANCE: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy (April 14 entry) is this:

WHEN YOU HUNGER AND THIRST
'The body must be nourished, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We're spiritually starved in this culture -- not underfed but undernourished."
-- Carol Hornig

WOW. Then Sarah goes on to say ...

"Many women, including myself, swallow life in an attempt to keep it manageable. I mean this literally and figuratively. Whenever we're anxious, worried, nervous, or depressed, without thinking, we instinctively swallow food and drink in order to push away the uncomfortable negative experience we're feeling in our guts. We hunger and thirst, but it's not for a bowl of ice cream or a glass of wine. It's for inner peace and deeper connection."

HOLY COW. This is what hit me the hardest - what she says above. Talk about getting into my head!

Sarah goes on ....

"Carl Jung, the famous Swiss psychiatrist, believed that alcoholism was a sacred disease. M. Scott Peck relates in his book Further Along The Road Less Traveled how it occurred to Jung "that it was perhaps no accident that we traditionally referred to alcoholic drinks as spirits, and that perhaps alcoholics were people who had a greater thirst for the spirit than others, that perhaps alcoholism was a spiritual disorder or better yet, a spiritual condition." I believe this is also true about compulsive overeating, which is the addiction of choice for many women. We have such a passionate appetite for life, we just don't know what we truly need to satisfy our insatiable cravings for Wholeness."

WOW again. An 'insatiable craving for Wholeness.' That's powerful stuff.

more from Sarah:

"When I first became aware that when I 'swallowed' life I was really hungry and thirsty for joy and serenity, it was a turning point for me in learning self-nurturance. Finally, I understood that I wasn't underfed but spiritually undernourished. I realized I could go within and ask my soul - my authentic self - what I needed. 'How can I care for you at this moment? How can I love you? What is it you truly need?'

The next time you reach to put something in your mouth, take one minute to focus your awareness on what you're doing before you do it. ARE YOU EATING BECAUSE YOU ARE PHYSICALLY HUNGRY, or anxious? If you're anxious, a walk around the block instead of into the kitchen would be better for you and more loving. At the end of the day, are you pouring yourself a glass of wine out of habit in order to signal that it's time to relax? Instead, why not take a few sips of delicious fruit flavored mineral water as you prepare dinner, and enjoy the wine WITH your meal? Learn to create ceremonies of personal pleasure that can nourish your deeper longings. As you nurture your spirit with kindness, your physical cravings will loosen their grip.

Realize today that you hunger and thirst for a reason. Ask your authentic self to reveal your deeper needs, so that Spirit can quench and satisfy your parched and ravenous soul."

WHOA. Sarah hit my nail RIGHT on the head.

Her work is fresh and perfect no matter how many times I visit and re-visit it.

-- DAH

Miss AMERICA

no, not THAT Miss America ...

THIS Miss America ...

Say 'hello' to AMERICA, a puppy currently being raised by my friend, Ann, for CCI ...

Canine Companions for Independence enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.

Visit them at www.cci.org for more details!

-- Davielle

Did you Know? a must-see video clip

A very mind-blowing collection of information that I found -- interesting, frightening, shocking, exciting -- all that, and more.

For anyone currently IN SCHOOL, or THINKING OF GOING TO SCHOOL, or RAISING CHILDREN, this is a must-see clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY

Let me know what you think {I love comments}.

-- Davielle

So Cal AZTECS rock their Tourney, Day One

Grandson Trevor had a travel ball WOOD BAT TOURNAMENT on Sunday - two games, back to back, in 100 degree heat. I am NOT kidding.

Cara and Kaia and I stayed for the first game -- Kristina & Kiara stayed for the second. {me and my bad migraine had to cool down, and fast ...}

Game One: the So Cal Aztecs came from behind with a 5-0 score to TAKE the game 8 - 7 in the end. WHOO - HOO !!!

Game Two: I have no idea how the game played out, but I do know that they WON again.

Nice playing, SC Aztecs !!!

-- Trevor's proud OMA :-)

Holocaust Remembrance Day

I may have already mentioned the book I finished recently, but if not ... I highly recommend SARAH'S KEY, a story of World War II, set in Paris during the German occupation.

Especially today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, I think it is important for this story to be told.

Here is the best link I have found about the book itself, and about the topic it addresses:

http://www.sarahskey.com/article-24514585.html

And here is a link that talks directly about HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY - why and how it was established, and how it is observed around the world:



http://history1900s.about.com/cs/holocaust/a/yomhashoah.htm



Last but definitely not least, here is a link to a very touching news article about children (now adults) who survived the Holocaust:



http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iMSPfNKtxFpBDnjVpVXaiRfn-HwAD97MSI1O0

Please take the time today to REMEMBER.

-- Davielle

Solid Potato Salad

Okay, so an old friend / former co-worker, RD (for those who don't know him, he's quite the trickster), sends my friend Marsha and I this link to a YouTube video of a 65 year old show routine and says we ought to revive it (with a third gal):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ76pS23Ky8&feature=related

I about fell out of my chair when I saw how limber and nimble these three girls were -- and heck, with genes like theirs, they probably still ARE !!!

A big "thank you" to RD for even positing that we could do anything remotely like this; God love you for that sense of humor. :-)

Enjoy!

-- Davi

Just Watch ...

don't ask "why", or "what's it about" ... just click on this YouTube clip and WATCH.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k

Friend Ann Deakers had this on her blog -- and she found it through Patti Digh's blog, I think -- you see how this all works?

Whenever and Wherever it originated, JUST TAKE THE TIME to ENJOY this one.

I'm still smiling. My family, once they view this, will know why!

-- Davielle

In our Garden, 4-13-09

As I drove up the drive yesterday after art class, I grabbed the camera to snap off a few pics of the local BIRDS; this is what I got ...

We have a (male) Hooded Oriole here, front & center

I think there are 2 birds in this photo, at left ... a Hooded Oriole and the one on the right is an Ash-Throated Flycatcher...

there's FOUR birds in this one -- far left & far right, two Lesser Goldfinches

and then in the middle, the Oriole again & the Ash-Throated Flycatcher

What I had hoped to capture was the BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK that was IN the misty birdbath WITH those Orioles when I first drove up ... deep, darkest orange with black -- stunning bird.

-- Davielle

THANK YOU TO FRIEND ANDY MAURO FOR THE POSITIVE I.D. ON THE BIRDS ...

The Art of Being a Neighbor

Besides wishing everyone a Happy, blessed EASTER today, I wanted to say this about 'community' -- the following story {yes, you must click the link to get the story - I am not going to re-cap it for you} will OPEN YOUR EYES.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102961694&sc=emaf

Webster's defines COMMUNITY like this:

"A body of people having common organization or interests or living in the same place under the same laws; hence, an assemblage of animals or plants living in a common home under similar conditions."

All I know is that EVE BIRCH has re-defined 'Community' for me, and for many others, with this lifestyle shift.

Counting my blessings, and hoping you're counting yours, too. Whatever they might be.

-- Davielle

Frankie Goes to Italy - a blog is born

Just started a new blog, folks -- but this time, it's all about my father, Frank ...

You see, the process of applying for a Passport and booking round-trip flights to ITALY is a huge event in his life. He is 88-going-on-89 {this year} and he has not set foot on European soil since he left Germany after World War II ended. That was a mighty long time ago, friends.

So follow along as FRANKIE GOES TO ITALY, if you like.

http://frankiegoestoitaly.blogspot.com

-- Davielle

I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME (but it isn't)

So I'm wandering thru blog-land this afternoon, taking a look at what other participants have posted for their BSM (that's Best Shot Monday) image, and I stumbled upon this ...

Long story, made as short as I can make it:

Artist KELLY RAE ROBERTS has long featured a "button" on her blog and website to this book by Brene' Brown, and I've never made the time to delve into it any further. But today, on Tracey Clark's blogsite, the gal who introduced me to BSM (again, that's BEST SHOT MONDAY), I found a very in-my-face entry. Tracey, thank God, put it out there that she's participating in a Read-Along, and being the voracious reader (and obviously, blogger/writer) that I am, I had to take a look at what that was all about.

So there you have it - my Full Circle story. I'm on my way to pick up my own copy of I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME (but it isn't) by author Brene' Brown ... for anyone not living within spitting distance of a Barnes and Noble, like I do, visit this link to buy it through Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592403352/wwwbrenebrown-20

I hope plenty more like-minded invidivuals join us on this Read-Along.

Gotta sign off now -- time's a wasting!

-- Davielle

BSM: Best Shot Monday

Hop on over {it's just a click away - no, really, if you just CLICK on the TITLE of this posting, it will take you there ... really it will} to my other blog to see my inaugural photo on BEST SHOT MONDAY ...

I'm excited to bring the kind of focus to my photography that posting a BEST SHOT from the previous week will "demand" ...

:-)
Davielle

Rocky in Windowpane Plaid

Took this photo this morning, as Rocky stood in the sunshine pouring through the top half of our kitchen's Dutch door ... creating a bit of a "plaid" marking over his own handsome self.

-- Davielle

Rocky and Sophie and Max

A Tail of Two Rhodesian Ridgebacks and One Rat Terrier

Sophie (on hind legs), Rocky (fawning at Max's face) and Max, in the foreground ...

SIZE DIFFERENTIAL? What size differential?!

Rocky never once thought that either of these gorgeous Rhodesian Ridgebacks was "too big" for him to play with. Au contraire ... they were JUST THE RIGHT SIZE to make a complete mess of our bed ... {yes, it WAS made when they started their play session}

How cute is this?

But wait, there's more ...

Max can't figure out what all the fuss {and fun} is about - chasing after small dogs just isn't his "thing"

but Sophie ... she LOVES to play with the little dogs !!!

finally, Sophie and Rocky, all tuckered out !!

THE END.