Falling Stars

I was driving home from working Early Voting the other night when my passenger and I simultaneously said, “Did you see that?  I think it was a falling star!”   Then we laughed.

Turns out it was the first time either one of us had ever seen one.  When I told some co-workers about it the next day, all four of them thought nothing of it.  They had all seen one before. Interesting.  Have you seen one?  It only lasted a couple of seconds, but it was so cool.

However, a little further research on the subject proves, there is no such thing as a falling star.  Way to crush my imagination, NASA. Sigh. 

That’s okay, I’m going to hold on to the fact that I witnessed something beautiful that I have never seen before.  I know the reality (it was space dust) but I will remember the wow factor.

How often do we have an idea that something is what it is not?  Probably enough to experience disappointment.  However, if we are grounded in reality we can still embrace the wonder of the idea. If that remembrance brings us joy, all the better.

While thinking about this blog, I recalled the song, “Catch a falling star.”  One of the lines says, “For when your troubles start multiplyin', and they just might It's easy to forget them without tryin' With just a pocketful of starlight”  SO, go ahead.  Hold on to your imagination and keep that starlight for when you are feeling down.

Short and sweet this week. I’m off to work the polls.  Perhaps my passenger and I will get another glimpse of star dust tonight.  You never know.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Awaiting the Unknown

I write to encourage others to move positively forward.  When I face my own challenges, I feel compelled to walk my talk.

 We have a health situation with a family member and indications have been that it may not be an easy go from here on out.  BUT, we don’t know, yet, what they are facing.  Testing continues, and the final diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis will be revealed at the end of this month.  It has been a loooong couple of months dealing with the unknown.

 You’ve heard the phrase, “facing the unknown.”  I’m not sure that’s the best way to say it.  How can you “face” an unknown.  I think the real difficulty comes in waiting for the unknown to be known.  Once it is known, you can face it.  You say, “This is what it is.” And ask, “How do we move forward now?”  The unknown becomes tangible and you can form a plan to deal with the situation (pleasant or unpleasant).

 I do believe many people struggle in the period of the unknown.  How do you keep yourself, or your loved one, afloat in the crashing waves of the unknown?

 Don’t worry.  It’s hard, I know, but you can’t spend time worrying about the what-ifs of a situation.  You will make yourself crazy.  We are dealing with three possible scenarios.  If we start worrying about them, who are we helping?  No one.  We could be worrying over absolutely nothing.  What if everything is easily treated and no big deal?  Then we’ve stressed out ourselves and everyone around us for nothing.  Not fun.  I, jokingly say… “Wait until you know what to worry about before you start worrying.”  Seriously though, worrying is worthless.  It doesn’t help, and it can even be a bother to those around you.

 You can calmly plan.  Personally, I brace myself to expect the worst news.  That way, if the worst happens, I’m ready to hear that information.  If the worst doesn’t happen, I’m very relieved. 

 Even on your worst days

·         Discover beauty around you

·         Find something to laugh about

·         Thank God for your blessings

·         Pray, without ceasing

 *Pam Horton is a certified stress management coach in the Raleigh area.

Hard to get up in the dark

Have you noticed it’s dark when you get up these days?  I typically get up at 6AM. It’s dark now.

During the summer it was easy.  The bright sun shining through the curtains seemed to say, “Good Morning, Pam! It’s a wonderful new day!  Let’s get this party started!”

Last week, as I rolled over and later woke up at 7, I realized it was dark at 6AM.  No wonder I fell back asleep.  Thankfully, I didn’t have anywhere I had to be that day – or the next, as I repeated the process.

I actually said to Jim, “It’s so hard to get up when it’s dark.”  He Mm-hmm’d me and went out for his morning run.   Maybe dark mornings aren’t a struggle for everyone, but they are for many. 

How can you overcome those dark morning blahs?

·         Set a loud alarm

·         Have your light on a timer

·         Ask a friend or family member to check on you

 ~ ~ ~              

I’m going to put a new twist to the title and talk a little about moods.  The same statement applies, doesn’t it?   It’s hard to get up in the dark.

When your mood is low or dark, you know it.  You recognize it.  You feel it.

Sometimes, you are in a funk and you don’t even know why.

Sometimes you know why.  You may even want to hang out in your darkness to embrace it for a bit before climbing up above the darkness.  It can be part of the healing process, but you don’t want to be in the darkness for long.  It isn’t healthy.

How can you get out of a dark mood?

·         Talk to a trusted friend, family member, pastor, or health professional

·         Write out your thoughts

·         Consider sitting with a “happy lamp”

·         Listen to positive, uplifting, encouraging, happy music (I suggest Contemporary Christian music)

Whether you are trying to get out of bed in the morning or lift your mood it’s hard to get up in the dark, but there are strategies to help.  You can do it!

*Pam Horton is a certified Stress Management Coach.

What do grown ups know?

There have been emails, columns, comic strips, and comedy routines about how kids perceive their parents.

Let’s take a look at a “typical” relationship, over time.

I think from birth until a child enters school, they think their parents are absolutely, unquestionably the wisest people on the planet.  I mean, really, we’ve taught them everything they know.  Treasure this time – it is about to change.

During the elementary school years, our child discovers that there are other people that know, at least as much as we do – if not more.  That little glimmer of doubt enters their minds, as they discover we are fallible.

The middle school years bring even more intelligent people into their sphere, their peers.  With these peers comes the peer parents, who let their children jump off a bridge!  Hm, not only are we fallible, but we aren’t cool anymore either, sigh.

Ah, the high school years, chuckle.  This is when we become fallible, uncool, idiots.  Our children know far better than we do what can happen at the party down the street, the house with the parents out of town for the weekend.  Nothing bad ever happens in that situation.

As young adults, our children are learning what it means to be an adult.  We have never had to job hunt or make a car payment, or decide whether to marry or not, so what words of wisdom could we possible impart?

Parents – take heart!  When our children become parents, we suddenly have value again.  I’m not talking about as babysitters, either.  Our kids begin to realize that we might be able to provide some words of advice that may assist them in childrearing.  Of course, it helps when we laugh and comment, “Hm, wonder where she gets THAT from?!”  Or maybe, “What goes around comes around, huh?” as we snicker.

I guess going from genius to idiot to wise is the pattern of life most of us will go through.  The genius phase is wonderful.  The idiot phase just plain stinks, but when we reach the wise stage, we truly are wiser.  It shows in our demeanor, our tolerance level and our patience. 

As a grandparent – I love this stage.  However, my grandkids are young.  I wonder if the phase will start all over once they get to middle school.  I hope the idiot stage is reserved for parents and grandparents are always wise.