A Living Anchor

Xiphoid process is for 

our own good. 

Small and powerful

shield for organs beneath

an anchor for

the muscles of breath

“

Just as each of us 

in our own small ways 

protect each other’s lives

and breathe life into the world.

“Your spirit has wound itself into my bones, 

My rib cage is the anchor for its home.”

~ Frances Woodard,  Strings of Fate

Aunt Bertha

Aunt Bertha

“ ‘Fair is as fair does’ ~ Aunt Bertha, what does that mean?”  My name is Steven and I am ten years old. Aunt Bertha is my favourite aunt. She has all these sayings like: ‘the hurrier I go the behinder I get’ and ‘beauty’s only skin deep’. Then there’s ‘a penny for your thoughts’. I’ve never seen a penny. I’d never asked her before what any of them meant. I would just say uh-huh or maybe nothing. After all I am only 10 years old and none of them made sense to me. ‘Fair is as fair does’ made me curious though. Or maybe I was just tired of saying ‘uh-huh’ or maybe feeling bad because I was kind of ignoring the aunt that made the most delicious cinnamon buns and always had cookies when I stopped at their house on my way home from school. If I ever wanted a sleep over on the weekends, I could stay the whole weekend or only one night. Didn’t matter. Uncle John is my favourite uncle too and he’s a lot quieter than Aunt Bertha. He’s always out in the garden, gone downtown with his buddies or behind his newspaper. Maybe he gets tired of hearing all the sayings too. When Aunt Bertha answered my question about what her saying about fair is as fair does, she was making a pie. She just kept on rolling the pie dough and said “Well, Steven, dear. It’s rather like this pie I’m making.” I rolled my eyes when she said that. “When I tell you I’m making peach pie, I put peaches in it.” I had to think real hard about that ‘cause I wasn’t sure it made sense. “So-o-o, if you tell me you’re making peach pie and then make an apple pie, and I expected peach pie………..” Aunt Bertha started cutting up the peaches for the pie. “What would you say if I gave you a piece of the pie I made, Steven?” I got out the sugar and the cloves for her. “I guess I’d say, that you hadn’t been fair. You told me one thing and did another thing.” Aunt Bertha wiped her hands on the wet towel she kept beside her and took the sugar and cloves from me. “Thank you Steven. You’re exactly right…..Here’s your Uncle John. Now let’s get him a cold drink from the fridge. He and his friends have been out on a long walk. I’ve got one for you too and a plate cookies. You two fellows can have a chat while I finish up this pie. Maybe then I can tell you about other sayings that I love.” I just said ‘uh-huh and thank you’ and took Uncle John his drink. 

~~~~~

Years later, I would recall that conversation with affection. I had been looking at my reflection in the water. Like my Uncle John, I took long walks and was hungry. Aunt Bertha’s cinnamon buns, peach pie, cookies floated in front of me. Her sayings never really became a favourite of mine, but what I learned from them were the anchors that kept me safe.

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, 

and only the wise can see them.”

~ Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

'Has Beens' and 'Whats Are'

Rose Garden in Beacon Hill Park with deer fencing

Where do I start?

There is so much to do ~

I’m not sure I can tell

which one comes first?

Oh, not the housework ~

for that I’ve got a plan.

Do I always follow it?

Not necessarily ~ but

I call my disorganized clutter 

‘setting up visual cues’ ~

like readying the ironing board and iron

beside a small pile of laundry.

Where do I start?

1. The written word

2. Personal peering into my life with guides and anchors

3. Awareness of ‘has beens’ and ‘whats are’.

When will it be finished?

Like everything else in my life

it will be finished when

all steps and missteps zip past.

So I’m setting up visual cues ~

disorganized clutter appears with

puzzle pieces and paper turned and tossed 

on table, chairs and counters.

Where do I start?

There are so many pieces!

Begin with ‘what’s are’ and ‘what’s known’

to see this solitary race as beautiful!

“I make a project and I panic. Which is good, it can be a method. First, panic. 

Second, conquer panic by working. Third, find ways to solve your doubts.”

~ Eduardo Souto de Moura

Before and After ~1

Before the end of my career

I could see nothing

but dark blankness ~

my anchors cut away

cruelly setting me

adrift into an uncertain sea.

By the end of employment

I saw many doors

to be opened by 

my trembling hand,

cheered on by others

already in mid voyage.

My early journey

has found joy in

cautiously hoisting my sails

riding the winds

confident in the strength 

of my fragile ship.

“The way through the world is more difficult 

to find than the way beyond it.”

 Wallace Stevens, American modernist poet

(October 2, 1879 - August 2, 1955)

A Work Day Cometh

Stay focused on the task at hand

Keep your anchors steady on.

So much to do, so much to say

errant winds may rock each boat 

Calming kindness and compassion ~

Sturdy sails to be unfurled

Stay focused on each task at hand

And let each voice be heard.

“When walking, walk. When eating, eat.”

~ Zen proverb

Don’t forget!  March is Epilepsy month with Purple Day for Epilepsy on March 26 each year.

Anchoring Habits

Anchor habits. Two words that resonated with me this morning. Having read them a few weeks ago, set them aside and forgotten them, it was as though I was reading them for the first time. I have some basic anchor habits in the morning, but throughout day, any anchor habits disappear without much notice. They seem to drift away sometime after lunch. Losing that anchor, I seem to drift away as well without any clear direction unless there is some kind of busy work absolutely needing my attention. Granted, in the afternoon, most of us have been running about our day, getting things done, getting to appointments, watching the clock or calendar so in the afternoon we do feel slower. Our body clocks are actually set for an afternoon nap. How many of us take that slowed down, sometimes very sleepy feeling, seriously? Time for at least a pause whether at work outside or inside our homes. Time to say hello again to ourselves. Time to be kind to ourselves and sit with a cup of tea - or coffee. Maybe only five minutes, maybe fifteen minutes. 

Chosen anchor habits really are started in childhood when we learn to set our clothes out at night for school, brush our teeth, eat a good breakfast. As we grow into adolescence and adulthood, some of those childhood things may be put away or maybe just revised to fit a new, growing and active life. Not everyone eats breakfast! Such a foreign concept. When I was a kid, a long time ago, coming home from school, despite carrying a load of books, was all about play time. Put the books down, put on some play clothes and go play or read a book. Homework was for later. The only anchor habit was to make sure I had the right clothes on for the right task - in this case Tag or Kick the Can. Talking about this really does relate to my Guidelines for Daily Planning. When creating that plan this morning, it was the anchor habits and what I would choose to do in the afternoon that intrigued me. Sit down and stay down til bedtime? Putter and go in circles til bedtime? Cook something? It has been my experience in the world of nursing that, most people’s energy is good and some really strong in the morning. This does include staff and patients. Energy spent in activities, emotionally challenging situations or, if at home, just the everyday activities and challenges of life, normally and naturally, dissipates. Our work world, like our school world, demands that energy level does not flag - at least until we are outside of those institutions. But we all need energy to play, to know our communities, to participate in fun with family and friends, to rest and recuperate.

Anchor habits, in the morning, establish a steady gathering and storing of energy. Emotional, physical and spiritual energy. Anchor habits in the afternoon, following a day busy or quiet, may or may not have already been established. Personally, I do have some ideas for what some of them may be for me. Part of my plan for today, is to be alert for what they may be, adjust ones not of value for today and keep ones that support this depth process. Knowing the value of morning anchor habits and deciding to examine my afternoon anchor habits brings to mind an Al-Anon slogan ‘Take what you like and leave the rest’. These pieces of wisdom set judgement aside. This opportunity offers choices that will anchor us in our own lives.

“Let go of your old tired habits and plant new habits in fertile soil.”

~ Harley King

Don’t forget!  March is Epilepsy month with Purple Day for Epilepsy on March 26 each year.

Silent Commitments

Silent commitments sustain.

Anchors for souls tarnished, lost and drifting through stormy hairpin turns of this life

Silent commitments ~

Touch stones of inner truth and wisdom keep us safe despite stinging sleet or twinkling temptation

Silent commitments ~

Whispers heard in silence, felt in chaos.

Beliefs to still my running feet.

Silent commitments sustain.

Rooted in stillness and growing from chaos ~

new life and living created in silent baby steps.

“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength 

which will always spring up if thou wilt always look.”

~  Marcus Aurelius,  Meditations

Intention - Repost from February, 2013

My Intention was to pen a new post for tonight - financial goals and work offered changed my course for a few hours!

Set your intention.

Goals for distant horizons are important.

Intention ~ the anchor preventing 
stray hurricane winds or

unwelcome undercurrents from 

creating unintended drift.

“A good intention clothes itself with power.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Intention

Set your intention.

Goals for distant horizons are important.

Intention is the anchor preventing 
stray hurricane winds 

unwelcome undercurrents from 

creating unintended drift.

“A good intention clothes itself with power.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson