SoCS: Hope for the Best and Trust the Timing

Linda picked my favorite word for today’s prompt: HOPE!

If you can’t find faith, look for hope. Hope will lead you to faith.

About 15 years ago, I was afraid to hope. Romance was not working out for me at all, so I tried not to want a partner. I tried to become cynical about men. I decided to focus on myself and my daughter, friendship, and of course my most loyal companions, the dogs.

But hope snuck back in. I read about manifesting, and visualizing. Of course, this was AFTER I had worked on myself some. For five years, I hadn’t dated anyone beyond a coffee shop visit. No one interesting seemed interested in me. Now, I know that was all part of the plan created by God, the Universe, my guardian angels who were tired of my dating messes and lessons. They all knew I had work to do on me first.

At the same time I was working on me, licking my wounds, and finding my footing again, my high school sweetheart and long lost first love was doing the same – working on himself. We were becoming ready.

Have you seen my wild woman photo? It was taken around that time when I was working on me. My daughter and I had gone on a trip to the mountains. I love this photo.

It was comfortably dark in the forest, and I’m resisting the urge to edit this photo.

I see that I posted it back in 2013. Well, here it is again. I thought I was lonely, but I was finding myself. My authentic self. I’m guessing this was taken around 2006, but that’s just a guess.

Well, here we are in 2021. David and I are coming up on the ten year anniversary of our second first date which was July 15, 2011. We were so nervous and excited. He says he wasn’t looking for a relationship. I told my heart to calm down! But we both knew this was extra special. In October, the company he had worked for in Connecticut for 35 years told him it was time to retire. That spring he moved in with his 3 dogs to make our five pack. In December of 2012, we made it official. I know you’ve seen that photo before. But maybe the five pack one not as often.

David and I walking the five pack.

The five pack is gone now. They’ve all crossed over the rainbow bridge in the past ten years. I miss them and hope to see them in heaven. That’s more than a hope. Do I have faith that I’ll see my dogs in heaven? Yes. God knows how important this is to me.

Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst if it’s likely to happen, but don’t spend a lot of time on that. It’s like with tropical storms and hurricanes. We knew Elsa would not do as much damage as a big hurricane, so we didn’t spend much time preparing. Just a little.

We can strengthen ourselves for the difficult times as we hope for the best. Like my favorite quote goes:

I hope you are well and at peace as much as you can be. Enjoy the hopes that come your way. Nurture them and they will become exactly what they are meant to be when the time is right.

For more streams of hope, visit our host, Linda Hill at:

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS July 10, 2021 | (lindaghill.com)

SoCS & JusJoJan: Manifesting and Letting Go

“Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “close eyes and point.” When you’re ready to write your post, open a book, a newspaper, or whatever is handy and close your eyes and point. Whatever word or picture your finger lands on, make that the basis of your SoCS/JusJoJan post. Enjoy!“

The book closest to me was, The Language of Letting Go, by Melody Beattie. It’s a daily meditation book for codependents. Her first one. It’s my second copy because I wore the first one out. But I haven’t read it in a long time, so I’m surprised it was close by. Maybe I was going to lend it to someone.

We’ve been through a lot together.

Anyway, here’s what I pointed to:

“It may not happen the way we wanted it to and hoped it would. But our controlling wouldn’t have made it happen either. “ (July 23: “Making it Happen”)

Hmmm. Some things have actually turned out better than I hoped they would. Other things did not. Life is full of surprises. Trying to control things is a hard habit to break. The other day, I went out with my adult daughter and found myself telling her she should do this or that. She was relatively patient with me, and I need to apologize. It’s not like I was doing it a lot, but more than I should. Yikes! There’s the should word again! We are human.

When things don’t turn out the way we hoped or dreamed or did all that manifesting stuff, maybe it’s because God has other plans. God or the Universe, whoever. There are powers greater than us who know better what we need. And it aint over til it’s over. Maybe God has something even better planned!

All we have to do is our best. That does not mean perfect. My best is different on any given day. Sometimes my best is listening well, being kind, sorting a stack of papers, throwing stuff out, exercising and eating well, or maybe my best is just doing one of those things. Some days, my best is getting a load of laundry done and watching a movie.

We should can let God and the universe know what we want. Name our hearts’ desires, imagine the feelings we’ll have when we get what we want or something even better. We can go ahead and work hard for our hopes and dreams increasing the chances of them coming true. But God and the universe might have other plans. Maybe there are lessons we need to learn first, like I wrote about in my book. Maybe we need to walk the long and winding road. Or maybe our dream come true is right around the corner.

The point is, stop trying SO hard. Stop worrying SO much. Ask, do your best, and let it go. (Note to self.)

…

Stream of Consciousness Saturday and Just Jot January is brought to us by Linda Hill. For more info, visit:

The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan 2021 Daily Prompt – Jan. 23rd | (lindaghill.com)

SoCS: Magnets, Manifesting, and the Star

Today’s prompt is the word, “magnet.” We get to use it any way we want and of course, enjoy!

Magnet reminds me of, magi, as in the three magi who saw the star over Bethlehem. One reason this came to mind is that I’m excited and hopeful about the great conjunction happening over the next few days. Saturn and Jupiter are going to be aligned in such a way that they look like a very bright star. This hasn’t happened in a long time like (okay I had to peek) not since the year 1226. It’s kinda the same thing that happened at the time of the star of Bethlehem. I’ve written about this before and refer to the documentary The Star. I wonder if that will pop up as a related post. We’ll see….

The upcoming conjunction is going to be visible from all over the world. I think that’s what the article said. You can read more about it, here. In the northern hemisphere, Dec. 21st is the easiest day to see it (in a clear sky) in the west near the horizon at twilight.

December 21 is the anniversary of my deceased parents. I’ve been writing about them in my family history maybe a novel some day, Betty and Jim. Takes me back to my childhood. Remember those games where you put hair or a mustache on the bald guy using a magnet? What was that called?

Wooly Willy! Really? I don’t remember the name, just giving him hair with the magnet.

Magnets. The possibilities are endless. They seem like magic. The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter might seem like there’s something pulling them together, but it’s really a matter of timing and position. Timing. Trust it. Focusing on what we want, good thoughts, are like magnets, drawing things to us. If those things are meant to be ours. So, we need to catch ourselves when we are thinking negative thoughts. Sometimes I catch myself worrying or imagining something I DON’T want and say, “Stop it!” Then I have to go back and imagine what I DO want. It’s surprising how often this happens.

Imagining a compatible partner drew him to me like a magnet. But not until the time was right and we were ready.

Imagine what you want for the year ahead. Health. Peace. Traveling safely. Having fun painting and writing. Joyful relationships….. Draw these to you like a magnet.

I also thought about this song when I saw the prompt: “Magnet and Steel”

I wish there was a Christmas song about a magnet. I bet someone somewhere got a Wooly Willy for Christmas once upon a time.

Here’s one of my favorite Christmas song about a star by the lively and impressive Angel City Chorale:

For more streams of consciousness, rules, and fun, visit our SoCS host, Linda Hill at:

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Dec. 19/2020 | (lindaghill.com)

SoCS: Compatibility, Snoring, Melatonin, and the Magic Desk

Today’s prompt is: “List.” Make your list and check it twice. I just edited a wee bit because I forgot to mention the prompt!

“Must love dogs.” That was somewhere near the top of my list when I was manifesting a soulmate. Spiritual was up there somewhere. Open minded. Intelligent. I got those things in my compatible partner. There were other things that I got that might not have been on the list, but were in my mind, like, He knows how to fix things.

What I didn’t get, because maybe it was on the bottom of the list, or maybe it wasn’t on the main list, because there were multiple lists, was, “He doesn’t snore,” or “doesn’t snore loud.” That did not manifest. But in the big picture, if that’s our biggest challenge, and it might well be, it could be worse. At least he turns over easily if I ask him to. Problem is, he even snores on his side. But there’s a lot more to be thankful for than complain about. Gratitude gets you more good stuff.
Ear plugs decrease the snoring noise by about 40 percent. That’s not enough for the discomfort. Going in the next room decreases it by about 80 percent. Taking melatonin or half a Benadryl helps, but I better not take the latter too late, if I want to get up early.

I just read that melatonin is being looked at as a treatment for COVID because it (melatonin – a natural sleep hormone) helps with decreasing inflammation and helps immunity. I had no idea! That’s great!

Back to my compatible partner: after 23 years, he finally bought himself a new truck. I didn’t take a picture of it yet, but what I did take a picture of was the signing of the documents with the financial guy at the car dealer. The truck buying process took a BIG part of the day. But the interesting thing was that almost all the documents to be signed, and there was a very long list, were signed on a screen that was also the desk. There were only a couple of pieces of paper to sign for the DMV. David got a nifty little flash drive of the documents.

There’s no paper.
He’s actually signing the magic desk
with a magic pen.

If we can do all this with technology, we should be able to feed the hungry, clean up the planet, and figure out how to get along. And we can. Sorry, he didn’t buy a hybrid electric truck, though. We have almost no trash to throw away at our house on most weeks. We recycle and reuse like crazy. But it’s his truck. He picked it out. Nobody’s perfect. But we are compatible.

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For more streams, a whole list of them in fact, and rules, visit Linda’s blog:

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Dec. 5/2020 | (lindaghill.com)

SoCS: Ready for Miracles

Today’s SoCS prompt is to find a word that starts with the letter, M, and base our post on it. At least that’s what I remember.

The word I’m going with is, Miracle.

I looked it up before I started typing this, because I was curious. The word comes from Latin among other languages of origin meaning “wonderful.” Some people think “wonderful” is overused. It’s one of my favorite words, and I’m going to use it whenever I feel like it.

We need some miracles in the United States and across the globe. Miracles seems to have to do with divine intervention, but there can also be an element or factor of manifestation, another M word.

It felt like a miracle when my high school sweetheart found me 39 years later when the timing was perfect. But I also worked hard to manifest a partner who would be compatible, while taking into account God might want me to stay single, and the compatible partner could have ended up being my dog.

I believe we will be successful in at least quieting Covid 19 and maybe even squashing it. Will that take a miracle? Maybe to get people to take precautions like distancing and wearing masks. But that brings me to a bigger concern: the political divide in the US.

It will be a miracle when we learn to listen to each other and accept our disagreements with respect. I am not neutral on very many subjects, though there may be a couple. I have made it clear on my personal FB page, and maybe slightly less clear here on WP, who I support for president. But I try not to call people names, like “idiot.” Though I occasionally give descriptions and might make a comparison. Here’s a hint of what I was watching Thursday night along with the debate.

I won’t say who Smaug reminded me of.

But I also try to post positive stuff and good news more often.

We need a miracle to bring our country together. And I don’t want it to be an attack from outer space. Let’s NOT manifest that. We need a miracle of understanding, compassion, and willingness to consider other points of view.

I admit, that if my candidate loses, I will be devastated and afraid. Very afraid. But I would like to be understanding, of my neighbors at least – the ones with the TRUMP banner in their yard. I have often shied away from intense political debates, though not in the format of Braver Angels where respect and listening are key components.

Right before I sat down to write this post, I listened to a podcast on NPR about this guy who is riding a bicycle across the continental divide of the US. He’s a journalist and wants to talk to Americans in rural areas. It’s called Facing West by Nate Hegyi.

One thing that stuck with me from this podcast was that Nate said we have more in common than we think and need to pay more attention to our own backyards (or neighborhoods) rather than the national politics to see the common ground. What I’m thinking that means is having, cultivating, grace and acceptance for my neighbors, even the ones with the T…. banner.

I’m reminded that one of my former colleagues used to say, “acceptance doesn’t mean you have to like it.”

We must have some common ground, even if it’s sharing the same sidewalk and living on the same street. I know my T banner neighbors like (or at least tolerate) trees, because they have a big magnolia tree in their little front yard. They also have dogs. One thing I’ve noticed is that a love of dogs seems to transcend politics. I only have a cat for now, but I will always love dogs.

Maybe dogs are part of the miracle. They don’t care about politics. Certainly cats don’t care about politics. They teach us to be in the moment, here and now.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by Linda G. Hill. For more streams and SoCS rules, visit:

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Oct. 24/2020

SoCS: Look Before You Link

These days linking is done mostly through our computers. In bloglandia, we’re used to this type of connection. I find it comforting. Do I add a link to my new book? Not yet. We’ll see.

Some of the book is about linking with the wrong person and how to find the right person – a compatible person who is a good fit. Not someone who has fits. Now, I’m streaming. Those kinds of fits aren’t in the book. But you don’t want to be around someone who has fits, do you? Like hissy fits, or fighting fits, or even being fit to be tied. Not often anyway. Where was I going with this?

I had a list of traits I was looking for in a compatible partner. Some things were non- negotiable, like, “Must Love Dogs.” I got that one. Maybe the one about “not snoring loud” should not have been way at the bottom on the list. I did not get that one. But it’s not a deal breaker. Thank goodness.

Link with someone you trust. But how do you know? People are on their best behavior when you first meet them. It takes time to find out what someone is really like. And then if you link, and find out, oops, this person is crazy and not in a good way, you have to unlink.

If I could go back in time to the rebound from hell and tell myself something, I would tell myself around the second or third date, “GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!” But I didn’t. Due to my vulnerable state of low self worth, I was linked in there for a year. Which was 365 days too long.

I didn’t mean to write all about that. But it (the rebound from hell) gave me compassion for people who stay too long in unhealthy or abusive relationships. Maybe it can help someone avoid the mistakes I made. That’s the point of my new book. That and manifesting. What a weird word. How about making your dreams come true? That’s better.

Some links can be great. Strong. Stable, a good fit. Like when you find the puzzle piece that really does fit, and it makes the picture make sense. And you don’t have to force it. Cause if it don’t fit, don’t force it. A good link makes the whole thing work better. So look before you link. Ask a lot of questions. Or stay home and read a book, or watch TV. Learn stuff. Love yourself. Be well.

We don’t need a link to the book. You can just click on the top right picture of the cover of From Loneliness to Love if you’d like, or scroll down below the post.

But we do need a link to Linda, who gave us this prompt for SoCS. Here it is:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/07/17/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-18-2020/

And here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!