Rant # 19: Making friends

I realize that my daily rants haven't been quite daily the last few days. I always think I can do it all but even super me can't always fit in everything I want to accomplish. Sometimes I just have to be selective about what constitutes a priority and what doesn't.

Ordinarily Jon and I maintain a very simple life. We live with our two kids in a studio apartment. We cut corners and save as much as we possibly can. But during the past few months we decided it is time for us to stay within our means but also reward ourselves for being such frugal boys. We both came from rather fancy situations so we are quite proud of ourselves for being able to focus on what is truly important to us. That being, helping others and working with the ASPCA to find homes for beautiful rescue dogs.

The last two days we went on a shopping spree. Monday was all about new clothes and new kitchenware. We haven't really bought any new clothes for about three years. As for kitchen stuff, we have made do with odds and ends we found at thrift stores for many years. Well, now we have brand new everything for our kitchen, dishes, silverware, pots and pans, casserole dishes etc. As far as clothes go, we didn't make a big leap. We stayed with the Palm Springs basics like cargo shorts, polo style shirts, T shirts, and jeans for those fancy occasions.

The next day we bought a lot of new furniture. Out with the futon, in with a sofa bed. Bye bye old chair, in with a glider recliner. New bookcase, new night tables, new lamps (oh how I love the new lamps we chose). Don't worry, we will share pics when all is said and done. We still have to paint and have shutters made so it will take another 10 days or so.

The thing that was a pain was the amount of time spent on the bus to get where we wanted to go. But really the bus trips turned out to be the most rewarding part. I got to speak to some truly remarkable people. Not the people we meet at our favorite coffee place, but people who are working hard just to get by. To some, even the bus is a luxury. I was so amazed at how resilient most people are. They truly are trying their best to survive in today's economy. I didn't perceive bitterness or anger. I think that's something reserved for the evening news. These folks were joyous!

It just reminded me that it's not what you have, it's what you give. It's not about being loved, it's about giving love. It's not about looking at the negatives in life, it's all about going forward with a positive outlook. When you share your positive energy, it comes right back in the most miraculous ways.

Yes, we were fortunate enough to afford new stuff without incurring debt. But, at the end of the day it's just stuff. That will get old and go away in time. But the wonderful interactions will have a ripple affect that will last forever.

                                       Peace and Love,

                                         Austin/Bill

                                                             The Way I think  

                                                     www.wahjr56.blogspot.com

Well it was bound to happen. Sooner or later I had to have a day that didn't turn out right so that I can let you know that I too am only human.


I woke up with a very upset tummy. Well, these things happen. But I was supposed to meet an old friend from High School days for lunch. Since I was married to the bathroom, I had to cancel. Obviously that was disappointing. Still I told myself that maybe this just wasn't meant to be right now. Pretty positive way of looking at it, right?


Well, later in the day, I was looking at the various posts on Facebook. There was one that was very anti-gay. You know. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Cultures that accepted homosexuals fell. It's immoral. Blah, blah blah. I usually ignore such ignorance but today I decided to take on the battle.  I was wasting my breath and I knew it. But I persisted in making my point. When I finally realized that I was up against a Ku Klux Clan mentality, I finally came up for air. I was angry and I know that anger and love don't dwell in the same place. So I had a choice. I could continue a negative discussion and remain angry, or I could end it with a loving statement, assuring the combatant that we would have to agree to disagree. I chose the latter.


I share this with you because I want you to know that living in the light of love is not easy. It takes constant effort, and when you find yourself trapped in a no win situation, you have to develop the self control, and self knowledge, to reign yourself back in. Believe me, it IS work and it is always ongoing. We all have days that just refuse to go our way, but those days have a purpose. They remind us to be vigilant. We are reminded to stop the negativity, look inward, find the love at our center, and regroup. I KNOW that is hard to do sometimes!


I had to fight the impulse to verbally bash someone because I was having a less than perfect day. Was it easy for me? Hardly. But I did it because I chose what kind of person I want to be. Everyone has that choice. Embrace each moment as it comes. Try your best to keep from giving in to a negative moment, but if you find yourself in that place, take a moment to remember that your choice was to be loving and kind. Remove yourself from the situation with a loving affirmation, and move on.


I never kid my readers. It ain't easy, but the rewards are soooo worth the effort. I will sleep well tonight knowing that I will have the opportunity to do better tomorrow.



                                             Peace and Love,


                                               Austin/Bill

                                                                        The way I think                                                          
     
                                     www.wahjr56.blogspot.com         

Rant # 17: Positive trumps Negative

I love all the comments and questions. I will do my best to address them all as we go on this journey together. I do have to admit that it disturbs me a little that many comments seem to assume that I have always had a blessed life. Nothing could be further from the truth. I came to the place where I am today by way of hard knocks, lots of reading, and lots of internal struggling. It took many years of concentrated effort with a huge dose of willingness to be truly happy.


Three years ago I fell and broke my left hip. I didn't have health insurance at the time so I didn't get any medical treatment for a year. During that year I was totally bedridden, depending on Jon to take care of everything that couldn't be accomplished by phone. I finally got health insurance and went to a doctor. The good news was that my hip had healed. The bad news was that my muscles had atrophied over the year in bed.


Physical therapy was hard and painful but after months of exercise, I was at least able to walk with a walker. I didn't walk far but it was going well. I used my power wheelchair to get around town. Then on April 16th, 2001, I was crossing a nearby street in a crosswalk with a flashing yellow light, when I was hit by a car. My chair undoubtedly saved my life. I was thrown out of the chair onto the pavement but my injuries were minor compared to what they could have been. If I hadn't broken my hip, I wouldn't have had the power chair. Without the chair I could have been killed. See what I'm getting at here?


Everything happens for a reason. I realized immediately how quickly life can come to it's end. It reminded me of the absolute necessity of living every moment as if it might be your last. There wasn't time for my life to flash before my eyes. The accident happened in a second. All I had time to think was "Oh Shit!" It was back to bed for me for about 4 weeks. I lost some ground on my physical therapy. But I was more alive than ever. I felt that the way I have chosen to live my life is spot on. I had this opportunity to walk the walk. I am grateful for the accident because it validated everything I have come to believe.


Now, don't get me wrong. I don't recommend getting hit by a car to solidify your belief system. But I do believe that we are all given opportunities to reevaluate the way we live our lives. When those times come we have to be ready to act on them. It's easy to throw ones hands up and give in to the negativity of "Why me?". It is harder and much more rewarding to find the positive side to any situation. I know, I sound a little like Pollyanna. But even she went through a dark time when she fell from a tree and became a paraplegic. She taught those around her that a positive attitude can work miracles.


Take nothing for granted. Remind yourself in every conversation that the impression you leave may be the one that will remain long after you are gone. Being positive, even in the face of a great challenge, will give you peace and joy. It will also change the course of everyone you come into contact with. Love is the answer to every question. Center yourself with love and everything else will follow suit.


I say nothing that hasn't been said for thousands of years by men who are much wiser than I. I just want to remind you of what you already know. Search inside for the answers you seek. That is where you can tap into the truths that are already there, just waiting for you to slow down long enough to hear your own wisdom.


                                            Peace and Love,

                                                                     Austin/Bill
                                              The way I think   
                                  www.wahjr56,blogspot.com










  

Rant # 16: Forgiveness

Last night my dogs were playing as usual. Suddenly Charlie did something that Roxy didn't like. That rarely happens but Roxy has no problem putting Charlie in his place. Of course, Charlie was devastated. He loves and respects his big sister so much. He is a very sensitive boy (must be gay) and he would rather die than upset Roxy.

After their little spat, Charlie came up on the couch and laid down next to me. He needed comforting. Within a minute Roxy walked up to the couch, gave Charlie a big lick on the nose, and let him know that all was forgiven. Overjoyed, Charlie jumped down and together they continued their game as if nothing had happened.

The dogs have a way of making me think. Their behavior is such a template for we humans. They can get angry with each other, express their feelings, and then totally forgive and move on. They can do this because they are totally committed to love. I work with many abused dogs during our season in Palm Springs (too hot in the summer) and it never ceases to amaze me how they still want to be loved. It is in their DNA to give and receive love.

But I digress. What amazed me last night was the pups ability to forgive almost immediately. We humans seem to have a much harder time doing that. We tend to hold on to everything including anger. Why do we do that? We are capable of forgiving. But we have trouble putting forgiveness in action. Even after we give our forgiveness we don't just forget about it. We will drag around whatever we perceived as a wrong for a very long time. We can remember wrongs more than we can remember names or small acts of kindness.

What works for me is to remind myself that I am coming from a place of love. Love can't feel anger. Anger doesn't exist in the same space that love does. When you remember that love is your true core, forgiveness can be ever so much more genuine. Love can even help you to forget whatever made you angry or hurt in the first place. Letting go becomes a far more attainable goal.

It may seem to you that I am writing about the same thing all the time. Perhaps that's why I chose the word "rant" for the title of my blog. I AM basically saying the same thing over and over because I hope the reader will see how love gives us the power to overcome all obstacles. Armed with love we can forgive ourselves and that opens the door to forgiving others.

                                         Peace and Love,

                                          Austin/Bill
                                      www.wahjr56.blogspot.com

Rant # 15: Regrets

Regret. Oh how I dislike that word. I hear it from people all the time and it always gives me pause. When someone tells me they regret a choice they made in life, it tells me that they are dwelling on the past. Obviously, they aren't talking about the future. And certainly they aren't regretting the present. They are regretting a choice they once made. Why do that?

Here is an idea I have. Let's say that, at birth, we are each given an open cardboard box. Inside the box are pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. It is our job from birth to death to fit those pieces together in order to reveal a complete picture. Since there is no lid on the box, we have no idea what the picture will look like when all is said and done.

First we go through the jigsaw pieces and pick out all the ones with straight edges. Then we put them together to create the border of our picture. This is our foundation and it's fairly easy to put together. Then it starts getting harder and harder as we search for pieces that fit together to create the rest of the picture.

One by one we pick pieces that seem like they might fit together. Sometimes we pick the right piece immediately. Other times we try piece after piece before finding the one that fits perfectly. Now, do we regret that it took many tries to find that perfect piece to our puzzle? I think not. We have patience with ourselves because we are doing our best. We are trying and, even if we're wrong, we have learned at least which pieces work and which don't. After finding pieces that fit easily we increasingly face the difficulty of finding ways to fit the less obvious pieces together to form our picture.

This may seem to be a fairly simple analogy. Well, it is simple. Why regret something that can't be changed? The logical choice is to forge ahead until you find the right choice. When that right choice comes along you have the experience and knowledge to see more clearly which choice is right for you. You have already put those wrong choices off to the side to be used when the time is right. We all make mistakes but , hopefully we learn from them. Sometimes we have to learn the same lesson over again. This is part of our lifetime education. Do we regret any other kind of formal education? Well you see what I'm getting at, I hope.

When you find yourself using the word regret, you are really saying that you still need to learn to love and forgive yourself. You have to learn this lesson before you can effectively live a life of peace. It comes down to letting go in order to go forward without the impediment of regret.
                                
                                      Peace and Love,

                                         Austin/Bill
                                     wahjr56.blogspot.com

Rant # 14: moving on

Many of my favorite lyrics from Broadway shows were written by the great Stephen Sondheim. His lyrics are so insightful and they often mirror my general outlook on life. One of my favorites is called "Move On" from "Sunday In The Park With George". It says, "Stop worrying where you're going. Move on. If you can know where you're going, you've already gone. Just keep moving on."

I have found this philosophy very helpful throughout my life. When my mother passed on when I was a senior in High School, I was devastated. The easy thing to do would have been to wallow in my grief. Just check out for awhile. Instead I was back on stage 2 weeks later reprising the role of El Gallo in "The Fantasticks". I think that I just instinctively knew that I had to keep moving forward. That instinct was a survival mechanism that has seen me through a lot of the rough times in my life. The show biz aspects may sound glamorous to some but, believe me, it isn't the easiest lifestyle one could choose. There are many sacrifices involved in having a life in the theatre.

My instinct to keep putting one foot in front of the other no matter what I was going through led me to my general philosophy. Learning from the past is one thing, dwelling on it, or attempting to recreate it, is futile. That is why I speak about the past with a certain amount of reticence. The memories are still there but they have become more like a movie in my mind. It was a very good movie but there are too many movies I haven't seen yet to keep replaying the same one over and over.

It takes definite intention on your part to live in the now. There is work involved in letting go of the past. After all, we see the past as what made us who we are. That's right in a way but the past cannot be changed. Dragging it along behind us like the chains of Marley's ghost is going to significantly impede our progress. We have to work at forgiving ourselves first. Then we can forgive the people who may have wronged us. And finally we have the freedom, and our own permission, to live in the now with a sense of peace and love. Those chains that have bound us for so long can finally melt away, one link at a time.

Every morning I watch the sunrise and use it as a focus for my morning meditation. As the sun fills me with energy, I also allow it to remove all negativity that may come my way. I make a spiritual decision to banish any negative person or situation from affecting my sense of peace and love. Then I move on.

                                     Peace and Love,

                                       Austin/Bill

Rant # 13

My love affair with musical theatre began in 1959 when I was just 5 years old. We used to travel with my dad on business trips all over the world. Of all the many, many trips we took, the trip to New York City in '59 is the most clear in my memory to this day and I still look back on it from time to time as one of my happiest memories.

While dad was in meetings all day, my mom took my brother and me to all the tourist sites. We took a boat ride around Manhattan, rode the Merry-Go-Round in Central Park, went to the top of The Empire State Building. It must have been hard on my mom dragging around a 5 and 3 year old. The one event that changed my life forever though was when mom and dad got a babysitter for my little brother and took me to my first Broadway show. It was "Flower Drum Song" by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

From the moment the overture began to play, I knew I was home. I sat in my chair transfixed and became lost in another world full of color, light, music, and more than a little magic. I KNEW I was home. When the show was over the sound of applause thrilled me. I had seen many a performance in churches but there had never been applause. This was new to me and I knew I wanted to share in that exciting display of approval. I guess, even then, I wanted some of that thunderous sound for myself.

That is how my life in musical theatre began. I never had any other goal or ambition. By the time I finished High School I had already been in 4 musicals. The year after I got my first professional job playing Woof (the gay character) in "Hair". My eyes were wide open to all the possibilities that lay ahead.

The reason I'm telling you about all this is not because I want to recite my resume. It is about finding your dream in life and sticking to it. I was lucky (or cursed) to find my dream so early in life. It takes much longer for most. And some people give up when their dream doesn't come true right away. Sometimes you have to change or alter your dream to fit reality. But you must always stay true to the original concept, no matter how much you have to change it. When you stop dreaming a part of you dies.

The good news is that you can always rekindle a dream. It may not look the same as it did in younger days but it remains a dream, YOUR dream nevertheless. Now is the time to work on it. Don't always put it off and call it fantasy. That causes the would've, could've, should've syndrome. That is the place where regrets are born. Who wants, or needs, that kind of negativity in their life?

The pictures on today's blog are from my very first musical,"How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying". I was 15 yrs old. In many ways I still am that boy with a dream.

Peace and Love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 12

Sorry about the one day lapse in my daily rants. Wireless service problems required me to take a day off whether I liked it or not. It took all day to fix the problem and I was tested on my philosophy of loving everyone I come in contact with. When you become frustrated it takes a lot of reminding oneself that the goal is to remain calm, centered and, yes loving.

Charlie is in that tv representing the struggle those of us over 30 face when dealing with technology. When in doubt, find a kid to help you. They have learned how to do all this stuff from birth. Us older folks are playing catch up with varying degrees of success. The very fact that I can now navigate facebook and twitter is a testament to shear will power, much less writing this blog.

The main thing is to keep your eyes firmly on the goal. When you go to someone for help and you can't understand them because of their accent, you can't allow yourself to become impatient. I find that it is helpful to ask for THEIR patience. Thank them for sharing their knowledge with you. It amazes me how often people will go out of their way to teach me what I need to know. I let them know that they are valued by me and they respond by giving more of themselves. Believe me, I know it isn't easy sometimes but the more you practice giving of your spirit of love, the more you will get in return.

I have decided to share a little more of my own life experiences that contributed to the philosophy I now expound. I have had a number of comments from people who want to know how I got from point A to my current point B. As I continue my daily rants, I will share a little more. I am not usually one to talk about the past. The present is far more interesting to me. But as the past can be used to illustrate the process of progress, I will try to be more forthcoming. Or you can wait for the book. Ha Ha!

Peace and Love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 11

A story on the evening news got my attention last night. It was about a cop and a young boy at a McDonald's restaurant. The boy was 10 cents short of being able to buy 3 cookies and asked the officer for help. The policeman bought the boy his cookies, then engaged him In a short conversation about what he wanted to be when he grew up. He encouraged the boy to work hard and follow his dream of becoming an NBA star. He then left the restaurant and within seconds was shot and killed.

On it's face that is a tragic story certainly. But the inspiring part is how that officer's last act on this earth was a simple act of kindness. Because of what happened that boy's life will be changed in a positive way forever.

For me it was a reminder of how very important those little kind acts can be. We never know what kind of lasting affect our actions might have. Those small things can turn into big things that we will probably never know about. We need to make an effort to take advantage of every opportunity to show others our loving spirit. We need to live every moment as if it might be our last. I refer to it as living in the now. The past can't be changed. The future is unknown but we have a lot of control over what we do right here, right now. Even something as simple as a smile can alter the course of a person's day.

Ordinary miracles happen all the time. If we keep that in mind we can see marvels right before our eyes every day. The little things can fill us with awe. The miracle of the mountains for example. Just appreciate what your eyes behold. Then pass on the joy and wonder of what you behold .

Peace and Love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 10

     

Yesterday I had a chance to go through all  the comments and questions that I have received about my blog. I am grateful for each and every one of them. I thought that I would try to further discuss the most frequently discussed topic. That would be the concept of unconditional love.

Many of my readers have expressed disappointment that they have never experienced unconditional love in their lifetime. As I have said before, the only true unconditional love we experience as adults is going to come from a baby or a dog. Even cats seem to put conditions on their love. Babies have not yet been conditioned to expect a return on their love. Once we learn that we can have expectations, the party is over. We learn to expect that whatever we give, should give us some kind of return. That is what messes us up.

The best advice I can give for an experience of love that comes close to being unconditional is to try to practice giving it yourself. But the moment you expect anything in return, and I mean anything, you have already blown it. It is very hard, maybe even impossible to keep our hopes, desires, and fantasies out of the way. Wouldn't it be nice if life could imitate a Disney animated film? But that is highly unrealistic and a real set up for disappointment.

Remember that you have freedom of choice. You can choose to do your best to love without asking for anything in return. Forgive yourself if you can't quite do it successfully. Continue to try and in time you will find that you are getting closer to your goal. Keep in mind that the goal is only for yourself. You can't ask someone to share that goal. Once you ask that you have missed the point.

I did hear from a number of readers that they have trouble leaving comments directly to this blog. I have tried to find out what the problem is but I can't seem to get a reasonable answer. Something about cookies and caches. Greek to me. You can comment to me directly at wahjr56@gmail.com or find me on facebook.com/wahjr56. I truly love hearing from you all. I especially love that many of you are recommending my blog to friends and family. That is such a blessing to me.

Peace and Love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 9

The most wonderful thing happened for us yesterday. My friend Sandy came to share the Palm Springs sunrise with Roxy, Charlie, Jon, and me. She had to get up mighty early to make the one hour drive from her home to ours but she arrived looking fresh and ready to share a fabulous loving morning with me and my family.

On her drive here Sandy saw a shooting star over the mountains, a good sign that it was going to be a great day. And a good day it was indeed. We watched the sun come up together for the first time in 40 years. It wasn't the most spectacular sunrise because there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Clouds are what promote the most beautiful colors. But watching the purple night sky turn to the light blue of morning and seeing the brilliant white sun rise in the east was spectacular enough for us.

The sunrise is a big part of my morning ritual. I use it as a focal point for my morning meditation. I feel the light and colors fill me with love energy to have, and then share, for the day ahead. It has worked for me for a long time. When I start each day reaffirming my commitment to love, it can't help but be a good day.

Sharing that experience with Sandy was extraordinary! It further solidified the love we have for each other. I highly recommend it to one and all. My pups even got in on the act. They too seemed to be extra happy to have more love to experience.

Begin every day with the promise that you will give your loving spirit to others. At the end of the day you will find that you have received a lot of love in return. Any troubles you may have to confront will seem far less significant. The level of peace that you will have is directly related to the love you give.

Peace and Love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 8

Today it's Charlie's turn to have his story told. He came to us in a very different way than Roxy did but his story is no less remarkable.

Jon and I are in the habit of going out for coffee early in the morning. We go to a local place called Koffi where they have a big courtyard and everyone brings their dog along. Roxy always loved it and she had a lot of puppy dog friends.

After our coffee one morning, we were on our way home when we came across a young man sitting on a public bench with his dog on the bench by his side. He had a lot of personal belongings sitting on the ground and I just had to stop and talk with him. It was obvious that he was homeless. We stopped and I started to offer my hand to his dog for inspection. He immediately informed me that his dog hated strangers and didn't get along with other dogs. I said, "oh really?" and offered my downturned hand to the dog. He licked it and then proceeded to jump off the bench to find out what Roxy was all about. The homeless guy was stunned.

He told me the story of his life. Just one of the many stories that I have become accustomed to hearing. I counsel homeless people for free every week. He told me that the city of Palm Springs had given him a free bus ticket to go back home to his mother in Wisconsin but he didn't know what to do about his dog. Well!

By now my faithful readers can guess what I did next. I told him that I would take his dog and find him a good home. The poor guy broke down in tears and said goodbye to his 16 month old pup. Jon, Roxy, the pup, and I went on our way home. I was wondering what the heck I had gotten us into. The dog's name was Pablo but I said to Jon tht he looked more like a Charlie. Within minutes of our arrival home I could see that he and Roxy were in love. Roxy introduced him to her food and water dishes. That was good enough for me. I knew we had a new family member.

We immediately started socializing our new boy. He WAS afraid of people and other dogs. We took him to Koffi every morning and slowly introduced him to other people and other dogs. He saw how loving Roxy was towards every creature and slowly he got the idea. We trained him with love and patience. We created a love monster! Now he loves everyone and every dog he sees. Good thing we keep him on a leash.

The message in all this is that the love we give has an amazing impact. It can change the most damaged among us in a fairly short time. Granted people are a bit more challenging, but love can heal all kinds of damage. Charlie reminds us every day of the healing power of love.

Peace and love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 7

Today I want to share the story of our little girl, Roxy. It is another story about love. I hope you don't find me a one note blogger but love is the core of everything I hold dear. They say you should write about what you know so THIS is what I know.

Seven years ago when Jon and I first came to Palm Springs we decided that we wanted to adopt a rescue dog. Because we live in an apartment we thought we should look for a small or medium size dog. I called a local shelter and got all the necessary info and off we went.

We entered the shelter and there was a long corridor lined with cages/kennels full of dogs. At the very end of this corridor, I saw this face. It wassn't the small dog I was looking for. It was a big beautiful red and white mixed breed. It was a "Some Enchanted Evening" moment. She was looking at me directly and I didn't look at another animal. It was love at first sight and, as I approached, I could see that the love was mutual.

Meanwhile Jon was off looking at all the available dogs. By the time he rejoined me I had one of the shelter workers bring this big female out of her cage. She licked me immediately and wagged her tail cautiously. Almost like she was afraid of being disappointed. Jon took her for a test walk but I went to the office before he returned to pay the fee and sign the papers. Poor Jon didn't get much of a say 'cuz I was in love.

Roxy was approximately 7 years old and had been left outside the shelter in a closed box with a litter of 6 puppies. The pups were adopted right away but nobody wanted to adopt an older dog. Well, nobody but us. We named her Roxy right on the spot and led her to our truck. She jumped right in. She knew she was going home.

We have now had this incredible companion for 7 years. She has never waivered in her love and committment to us. She is about 14 yrs old now but she hasn't slowed down much. She is still our little girl.

Roxy has taught us so much about love by her example. Every day she shows us what the words love and loyalty truly mean. I try to be like Roxy. I want to be a good dog too.

Peace and love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 6

Beautiful Palm Springs, California. Our home for the past seven years. The summers can be brutally hot and we wonder "what are we doing here?" Then fall comes and we think, "why would we want to live anywhere else?" It is just a part of the cycle of nature.

Our lives are connected to that same cycle. The energy that surrounds us at all times is what connects us to nature, animals and each other. Sometimes our lives seem hot and uncomfortable. At other times we feel happy and well. These are the seasons of our physical nature.

But it ain't necessarily so. By connecting our minds with our spirit, we can alter our physical seasons. We can be happy and well all the time simply by refusing to give in to the uncomfortable things that come from outside us. We can connect with our eternally positive spirit and maintain that connection through every season of our lives. It is a choice. We can choose to be miserable. Easy choice at times. Or we can put in the work and choose to be happy. Personally, I choose happy. I choose to be at peace. I choose to give and receive love. Those are all choices. The alternative is to give in to the negative things that surround us. That would be a choice as well. Doesn't seem attractive to me or Jon or Roxy or Charlie.

We choose each day to celebrate whatever the season that is affecting us might be. Hot? Well turn on the a/c. Cold? Turn on the heat. Do the same with your perceptions. Feeling lousy? Decide to feel good. Feeling happy? Decide to be downright giddy. We have so much power to control the world around us. It is all about how we perceive the world in which we live.

As always, these are my feelings. This is how I CHOOSE to live. Do I worry? Only when I indulge that negative tendency. It does take work and practice but peace, happiness, and love are only a choice away.

Peace and Love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 5

Rant

Charlie is on the. left. Roxy is on the right and my leg is in the bottom left hand corner.

Today I want to share the story of Roxy and Charlie. As you can see they not only love me but they deeply love each other. They patiently share the same food dish. When one of them finishes eating or drinking, the other one waits to make sure it's ok to take their turn. They both show so much love and respect for each other. It is tru.ly a lesson in the kind of unconditional love I was talking about yesterday.

They respect each other's space but never want to be far apart. They don't have to smother each other but they are never far apart. If Roxy is on the couch, Charlie will mirror her directly underneath . If something captures their attention that needs to be looked into they wake up together and rush to investigate. Charlie hangs back and let's Roxy do the barking if necessary. Then Charlie comes running to me or Jon and barks at us to let us know that something exciting is afoot.

Watching them every day is such a love tutorial. Pup love lessons 101. I learn a lot from them. I try to be just like them in the way I approach my relationships. Loyal, respectful, patient, and eager to please. If I had a tail I would try to keep it wagging, just as they do. The best I can do is maintain a pleasant expression. That works too.

The point to all this is that we can learn by watching creatures who don't judge. In many ways they seem far more evolved than most of us. It is something we can work on and try to apply the prinipals that our pets teach us.

As always these are my feelings. I share them with you in the hope that these feelings will resonate with you. I am so grateful for your comments and support.

Peace and Love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 4

Merriam- Webster describes a rant as speaking loudly and wildly. Well, that is what I'm doing. Loud because I want to be heard. Wild? Well some of my ideas are considered wild by some people, maybe many people. It is not a negative word because I speak loudly and wildly from my spirit which is pure and loving.

That said, I want to talk about the concept of unconditional love. If you expect that kind of love from an adult human being you are going to be disappointed. From the time we are toddlers we are taught that there are conditions aplenty. Eat everything on your plate and you can have dessert. Finish your homework and you can watch TV. You get the picture.

Unconditional love comes from babies and, yes, dogs. I have two beautiful rescue dogs, Roxy and Charlie. They teach me about unconditional love every day. When I wake up they greet me with unbelievable joy, as if they waited all night just to be with me again. Hard to be grumpy when you are greeted with such passion early in your day. My partner, Jon gets the same treatment. That is our unconditional love for the day. Dogs don't judge you. They live to love you.

Wouldn't it be a perfect world if we could follow that templar? It isn't really possible for we humans. Our early training simply prohibits us from doing anything without conditions. But that doesn't mean that we can't try to be less conditional with those we love. We may never achieve the desired result but we can find satisfaction in making the effort. It is always worth a try. The more you try, the closer you get to achieving the ultimate goal of pure love.

Pure love is within us. If only our brains didn't have to get involved in everything. When you practice allowing the spirit to guide you through the day, you will find that love becomes easier to give and easier to receive. Try loving the clerk at the store, or the bank teller, or the mailman. Just wait and see how much love you will get in return. Everything that we all have to deal with becomes easier. Downright pleasant even. It requires conscious effort. Simple if you make it a priority on your list of things to do each day.

Unconditional? Well, not quite. But a step in that direction is a step well taken. Just put love on your agenda. Then enjoy the rewards.

As always, these are thoughts about the way I feel.

Peace and love,

Austin/Bill

Austin/Bill

Rant # 3

Day 3. And here I go.

I had a plan for what I wanted to share today, but plans sometimes have to be changed.

I was asked the question " How can I maintain that connection with spirit/soul"? Well, here is what I do.

Every morning I get up in time for sunrise whether I want to or not. I watch the sun come up and I meditate, meaning that I free my conscious thought and feel the rays and color of the sunrise to renew the energy that I will need for the day. I allow the light that is born of the sun to infuse every cell with power. I watch the changing colors and let them fill me with the love that will get me through the day ahead. I feel the healing energy and accept it. Then I am ready for the new day. The new me.

It might sound simple but it requires committment. Trust me, it doesn't come with the first try. Freeing the mind is a process that takes practice and patience. The result is well worth the effort. Once you feel comfortable with the process you can begin to focus and send the light/love energy and send it towards whoever you want. The power is not yours but the connection of your spirit and the Universal/ God energy is what creates miracles.

We must work hard to get to the point where we can let go of the thoughts that have always shaped us. We have to reprogram our brains, much like rebooting the dvr from time to time. We have to let go of all those things that slow us down. Fear is our worst enemy. Think about it. Fear is at the core of all negative thought. Love is at the center of everything positive.

Again my friends, I only share what I feel. I don't claim to know anything. I only am sharing what works for me. If anyone gains from these rants, it will bless untold numbers of living creatures.

Peace and Love,

Austin/Bill

Rant # 2

As promised I am now off and running on our new adventure. Today I want to expand on one of my favorite subjects: the concept of connectivity.
Our brains are very tricky. The brain gets used to controlling everything, our breathing, our heart beat, our sense of touch. Well, all of our bodily functions are dependent on the unconscious workings of our brains. We get used to that dependence. But somehow, in that dependence, we disconnect from our spirit. Soul, if you like.
The spirit is the essential core of our true selves. Spirit is where love resides. It is what connects us with every living thing in the universe. And I believe that love is what connects us if we allow it.
The mind wants to shut that connection off sometimes. What if I get hurt? What if my love is rejected? That list could go on, as everyone knows. But the truth is that none of that crap really matters. It is the connection through love energy that is what matters. Expectations of a return of that energy are counter-productive. What you give WILL come back to you. Just not always in the way you expected.
Love is at the center of every positive thing that comes our way. If the brain disconnects from the spirit, we lose the greatest gift from our very center. That center is love and that is what connects to the energy most of us call God.
Let go of fear. That is a brain product. Embrace love. Share it freely with everyone you meet. I guarantee that the return on that surrender is incredible!
I want everyone to know that in no way do I mean to preach. I am sharing my thoughts. Simple as that.
See ya tomorrow. Who knows what will be on my mind then.
Austin/Bill

Today's Rant

Today I just want to introduce myself and tell you about the purpose and goal of this blog. First, I have never done this before so I will learn as I go.
I want to talk/rant about whatever enters my mind on any given day. From spiritual thoughts to political insights, I want to share with you and hear your point of view.
For today I just want to say that whatever I write will be coming from loving energy. Love is the center of everything I believe in. OK english majors, in which I believe.
You are invited to take this journey with me. Together we may just affect change in your life and mine.
Well that's a start. Let's see what happens'
Austin/Bill