Picking Up The Pieces

Remember: Just who you will be is up to you. These are the words that Maria Shriver leaves us with in her book Just Who Will You Be? It is a very powerful and scary statement.

I have received various emails over the past couple of months from persons who express a strong desire to move beyond the physical and/or emotional pain they are suffering. They want to know how I am able to wake each day; write so positive and keep moving forward, after everything that I have and continue to go through.

Well, let me tell you – I am no better, nor different from any of you and I have no magic wand. I still have days, where getting out of bed is a huge struggle be it due to lack of energy, pain, or just feeling at a loss. When I started blogging I made a pledge to myself to write less about these more challenging days, and more about the better days. To be honest there are some days that I still do not make it out of bed all day – thankfully these have become less frequent – and I also have days where I do not leave the house, pajamas are the day’s attire. Like you I search for the Holy Grail of Healing.

I have found in the struggle to keep moving forward the support, encouragement and help I receive from family, friends, care-team, pets, my new Blog friends and let’s not forget my pride and vanity; play a huge role in my day to day functionality.

It is important to surround yourself with POSITIVE people. This unfortunately, may require you to distance yourself from love-ones, who are always focusing on the negative effects of this detour in your life - or who always talk about how your situation affects them - instead of trying to encourage you to move forward. This distance may be temporary or permanent, that is up to you.

To further expand on the above points and to share tools that have been instrumental in getting me this far and others that keep me going; my Monday posts will be dedicated to “Picking up the Pieces”.

I look forward to your continued emails and post comments. Know that the comments you leave encourage not just me, but also others who stop by for a visit and read.

Dolce's PawsPost - Garden Walk

I waited and waited for Mommy to take me on our evening garden walk. Did she forget? It was Thursday evening and I had a post to paw for Friday! What would I post if we didn't go for our walk? I paced at the garden door, in hopes of reminding her. Where was she? Finally I decided to go see what was taking her so longgggg!

As I ran up the stairs I could could hear Daddy saying "don't forget the sun block," I went around the corner so fast - that I slid into Mommy's clostet - stopped only by the purple box on the floor. What was this? Mommy looked down at me, "I'm going to miss you!" - miss me? I am right here! Lets go for our walk I barked softly and wagged my tail ... "can you take him for his walk, I still have so much to pack" she said to Daddy. "Oh, and can you take the camera and take some pics of the gardens and Dolce - as he explores on his walk".

Walks with Daddy are always lots of fun... he lets me run freely and takes me past the stream and to the other side of the forest. We had so much fun playing. When we came back in - Mommy was still upstairs. "did you get some good pics of Dolce's walk for his post?" Opps, we had so much fun playing we forgot to take pictures. "No worries, I don't think I will have time to post, I'm tired and I just finished packing". "Packing"  where are we going?

When my Mommy and Daddy went downstairs to get something I started to look around for my DoggiePack, sniff, snifft, sniff. Then I heard Daddy saying to Mommy "don't worry - we will be fine, you are only going for the week-end, you need a break." Whatttt? I'm not going? I had to get in this box, I had to go too! I love going on vacation!!!

"Check out your suitcase...laughing ..." Daddy called to Mommy. Ahhh busted ... I knew I should have hid under her clothes.

Friday morning, we woke up really early! I thought I'll just jump into my chair at the door and give Mommy my best "puppy doggie eyes" this always gets me extra treats - so she will have to take me too!

All I got was a walk ... and a short one!!

Here are a couple of pics, from this morning's very, very, very, very  short walk;

I guess Mommy really is going without me ... Daddy says its too hot in Bermuda for me. Maybe I will have some doggie play dates.

This is my Sister- Stella, she is not as small as me, but she is lots of fun to play with! She is a Yellow-English Lab.

This Bella, she is a Maltipoo - she likes to chase me all the time. We have lots of fun.

This is Daisy - she is a Papichon - she use to hide from me and jump on the couch so I couldn't catch her. But, now that I'm a big Doggie, I can keep up with her.

Oh, in her busy Friday morning, Mommy forgot to post my PawsPost so you get to hear from me 2 times this week. When, Mommy gets back she promised to take me for an extra long garden walk. See you Friday!!!

Just Who Will You Be?

Life Is what happens when you are busy making plans!

Anyone who has faced an unexpected detour in their life, [accident, loss of a loved one, divorce, down sized from job, learning they are not able to give birth, lifestyle downsizing etc.] will often wonder "Who am I now"?

Early in my recovery, I was given the book  Just Who Will You Be? written by Maria Shriver. At the time, as a friend read it to me, I did not realize that this book would [almost two years later] be the "Wind" that would set my sails into an unknown future.

I have not thought about this book and yet something drew me to it as I looked at my bookshelf. When I picked it up - it open to the following prayer:

We have been telling people that this is the eleventh hour

Now we must go back and tell the people that this IS the Hour.

Here are the things that must be considered:

Where are you living?

What are you doing?

What are your relations?

Where is your water?

Know your garden.

It is time to speak your truth.

Just like Maria, I am asking myself  "If this is the hour how do I want to spend it?" "What do I want to do with it?"

Even more interesting is, I will be going away for a few days. Away from the stresses of rehab, day to day life and although I am not going alone [I'm  unable to travel completely on my own]; I am going with a dear friend who just wants to lay in the sun and relaxe. 

I truly belief that everthing in life, good or not so good, happens for a reason. So, I will be taking Maria's book with me - reading it on my own this time. While my friend is busy relaxing, I will be reading and trying to figure out just "Who I Will Be!"

Click here to see Youtube Interview with Maria about book.

If you are trying to figure out "where to now" or "who am I now", I highly recommend this book. Check your local book store.

Visit often over the next few weeks to see where I am at on my journey to creating me. Wishing everyone peace and courage!