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May 15, 2012 10:02:53
Posted By Faye
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Below is a quote I found on Face Book today. It struck a chord in my heart and needs to be shared. We all can learn from these wise words. We can learn how to live and how to face our own mortality.
Live Your Life
Tecumseh
So live your life so the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their views, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and of service to your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or sign of salute when meeting or passing a stranger if in a lonely place. Show respect to all people, but grovel to none. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.
Touch not the poisonous firewater that makes wise ones turn to fools and robs them of their visions.
When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.
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May 12, 2012 02:49:35
Posted By Faye
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My Mom
Mom and I shared a birthday month. May. The year I was born, 1952, she would turn 42 years old. Really, too old in those years, to become a new mama. Yet she tackled the job. It was a rocky relationship. In my youth, she would tell me that she was too ‘old’ to play with me. I watched her, as became my lifelong habit to do … with everyone. I often wondered if one of my older sisters could be my real mama.
As I aged, I knew mama was my mama. I began to look like her. In many ways I acted like her. Then I began to see her in me, and then I finally knew. She was my for-sure mama. My mama, who carried so many troubles. My mama, who dealt with an older child who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The same child was also a lesbian, and in 1963, that was an illegal thing to be. My Mama. Had many woes.
When my Mama reached her 80’s, she and I became best friends. She would often tell me that she could not understand how I could have turned out so well. She would often tell me that she was sorry that she had no love to give me when I was a child. She would often tell me that she wondered how I stayed happy and could be so positive day after day.
Toward the end of her life, we had our best days together. I loved her as my best and dearest friend. My Mama asked me to be with her when she ‘crossed over’. We talked of death and the afterlife. We wondered together what it would all be about. She had a best friend in me. I had a best friend in her.
My Mama. I would not have it any other way, now that I near 60. I now know that she lives in me … strong yet.
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May 12, 2012 02:19:39
Posted By Faye
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When I got on the beltline this past week, I inched my way into the lane of traffic. In that same spot is where I sat for the next 40 minutes. I was in the middle of 6 lanes of traffic, three lanes each way … that were not budging. I watched the cars; I studied the people behind the wheel. I wondered as we all did, what on earth was going on? I watched as some drivers tried to beat the system. A few drove on the shoulder of the road and snuck ahead of the rest, in the parking lane. I do not like those drivers any more than the rest do. They are aggressive. None of us like them. However, each time there is a traffic jam, the same group of people try to take the lead. I believe they try the same technique all their life in many various ways. Sneaking.
So, I sat in my car and listened to tapes on my CD on public speaking, my passion. I sipped my water, feeling grateful that I made that last bathroom trip before I got on the beltline. I waved to the driver that allowed me the privilege to slip into a spot. He could have easily edged me out, to get that one car ahead. I sat and waited. After 40 minutes, the lanes began to flow; I kept an eye out for the accident. I did not see any evidence. I did not see cop cars with lights flashing or trucks toting broken vehicles. I drove my 60 miles home. I actually forgot the episode.
That night on the news, was a video of a young man, early 20’s, struggling with life and death over the viaduct that crossed the interstate just a few miles up the road. It was a small news blip and a short video clip of a man hanging on to a wire fence above the traffic. A video of his fingers clenching the wire mesh and his toes resting on the thin wire. He was about to jump into the traffic. The police tazzed him, caught him in a net and took him to a mental health facility. He told the police that he could not find work and did not know where to go, or what to do. He wanted to end his life.
I sat and watched the news with my hands over my face! I was stunned. Life and death played out before me. I could have been part of the cars that ran over his body before I even knew what I had hit! Oh my God! I was stunned in many ways.
I speak on quirks and jerks. I cannot speak how many people I know personally who have committed suicide. Too many to remember or count, in my line of business. Yet, even the thought of one more and I am left helpless and speechless to my marrow of my bones, and quaking in response. Why does this continue to happen?
What is wrong? All he wanted was a job? Seriously? A job? Have we become that desperate of a culture? A job? This incident barely made the news. I am saddened and shocked by the day’s events and left wondering what has happened to this young man.
As someone who has worked with people who threaten to commit suicide, I can only say … it is fatal if done successfully. Talking to them is a better route. Ask them questions. Don’t be afraid to use your words. Make paper contracts, and ask them to sign it. I have made many contracts with people. I have wrote agreements and asked for a signature to call me before they do anything. Use words, get involved, and help where possible. Sometimes, all that is needed is to hear that someone cares. Sometimes, they are still successful. We mourn. It is our failure.
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April 23, 2012 03:26:36
Posted By Faye
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Recently, 3 of my favorite clients fell down in their home due to feeling weak. There are all in their upper 80’s. None of them broke any bones or hurt themselves badly. However, all three felt bad enough to lie down in their bed a few days. All three ended up with pneumonia and are now in the hospital due to complications of lying down! They needed to sit up, move those lungs and keep taking small walks even through discomfort.
I was with a friend the other day and I told her about these 3 people. She said, ‘don’t lie down! Lesson to be learned, Faye!’
I have since thought about it, and she is right. Lying down after a fall for any of us can be a critical mistake. Not just after a fall on the floor, but after an emotional fall from any of life’s events. Did you ever feel a sense of failure at your job, or feel embarrassment because a project you were working on did not live up to your standard, or someone else’s standard? How about failing to take responsibility and growing to tolerate diversity? There are so many areas in which we can feel like we fall down, figuratively speaking.
The lesson from my elderly clients is, do not just lie there! Get up! Move! Do something to let yourself and others know you that are going to be working on this issue. You are not a person who is going to give up and just lie there!
This is a simple message and can be used your entire life to keep yourself going. Do not just lie there in your bed. Get up, stretch, move and keep going forward. Try again.
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April 16, 2012 03:03:41
Posted By Faye
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Ever so slowly, decisions are being made for my new web site. I started this adventure in November of '11, and I am still working on it. I put it on hold for months because I was no where near ready. I am the type of person who, if I don't commit, I won't do it. so, I committed.
Today, we made the decision to keep this Nutterville site going, and link my new site to it. So that means, for all you who read my blog here, that this site will continue to be a chat between you and me. i do NOT have to make it so professional and always have a big point. Thank God for me!!! Yahoooo. I can be as casual as I want with you, because you are my friends. I am not aware of any one here, who reads my blogs that is not my friend. It is very comforting for me, to sit down and chat. This is the way I prefer it.
As for my speeches, I have grown quite a bit in doing that. I am pumped and excited. I always say forward to myself when I think of doing another. I am hoping this will be a new career and that my speeches will pay for the new web site in the future. This has been a big emotional and finacial investment for me.
I really do advice everyone to follow their dream. Even if it means investing in yourself, as I am doing. it adds a new layer of life to things. What is YOUR dream? care to share it with me? What are YOU investing? Talk to me, let me know. Lets beging a conversation!
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