REFLECTION

Wow, can't believe I haven't posted for almost a week! Where does the time go?

I haven't felt like posting because I didn't really have anything to say. As good a reason as any, I guess. I haven't been doing anything creative to post, however, I have spent the last couple of days writing the newsletter for the building I live in. It is twelve pages long, so took a bit of doing. Lots of computer time that I am not used to. I did enjoy doing it though. I live in just a regular apartment building but we try to create a sense of community, something that I feel is really necessary these days. Although I am a bit of a loner, it good feel that sense of community. I am very lucky because I really like my immediate neighbours, all friendly and ready for a little chat and a laugh. Often someone in another part of the building will walk past my place and my patio door is always open so they will give me a call and we will chat from my patio. It's a little like the old neighbourhood. The owners of the store where I shop are very friendly and if I'm short a dollar or two some days they let me pay next time I'm in. I pay everything by cash and sometimes just run out by the time I get home. The people who work in two places I go for sushi and the two coffee shops I go to know me now and bring me orders without me having to order. Is that not great in a big city? It feels like neighbourhood!

I don't know where all this came from but I just realized that this is abundance. I have never acknowledged it as abundance before but that is what it is.

Further abundance is my two bloggy friends, Mel and Rose, who have given me the Me-Me Award. And Bev who was going to give it to me but didn't because Mel already had. Thank you for the thought Bev.

As part of the award, I must tell you seven things about me:

1. I love to laugh.

2. I hate housework.

3. I don't like cooking much so, although I eat pretty healthy food, it's usually something that can be made in ten minutes or less. I eat about a dozen different foods and that's it.

4. I don't like vegetables or red meat, but I do eat my veggies like a good girl with a bit of grimace on my face.

5. I have a rebellious streak and am a non-comformist mostly.

6. I can be grumpy and bad tempered sometimes but it's not my in my nature to be that way, so don't stay that way for very long and can be jollied out of it pretty easily.

7. I wrote a story about a carousel horse for my great granddaugter and would like to draw some illustrations for it but don't know if I can.

Just thought, do I have to do 14 things because two people gave me the award? *grin*

I am required also to pass this on to seven people - I hope not fourteen. I don't

think I know seven to pass it on to.

1. Hybrid J because she is so dedicated to her creative path and shares new things that she learns.

2. Angie because she is learning to sew, is very talented and stretching her creative wings.

3. Mary Ellen for her spiritual openness and intelligence.

4. Kim because she has had surgery recently and has set up her table easel so she can paint as soon as possible. She does some beautiful paintings.

5. Bev because we have so much in common. Even if you already had the award, I'm giving it again!

I would give it back to Rose and Mel but that would be a bit silly!! They have such beautiful spirits and write interesting and inspirational blogs.

I feel such a sense of abundance to know you all.

The chapter in TAW on abundance asked the following questions and these are my answers. Money was always an issue in our home, lots of fights about it and I have lived most of my life in survival mode, so learning abundance has been a long and bumpy road but I am getting there.

1. People with money are self-absorbed and wasteful.

2. Money makes people selfish.

3. I'd have more money if I believed I was worth it.

4. My dad thought money was the only thing that mattered.

5. My mom always though money would run out.

6. In my family, money caused lots of fights.

7. Money equals freedom of choice.

8. If I had money, I'd live where I wanted and have a studio.

9. If I could afford it, I'd live in Kitsilano (my favourite neighbourhood in Van).

10. If I had some money, I'd have a garden.

11. I'm afraid that if I had money I would lose it.

12. Money is a ticket to freedom of choice.

13. Money causes problems.

14. Having money is not the most important thing in life.

15. In order to have more money, I'd need to be open to it and change my attitude toward it.

16. When I have money, I usually worry about spending it all.

17. I think money rules the world.

18. If I weren't so cheap I'd get a manicure, pedicure, facial and full body massage.

19. People think money is the most important thing in their lives.

20. Being broke tells me I am virtuous.

I think to have more money in my life I need to change a few of my attitudes about it and the people who have it.

My niece and her husband won $4.4 million dollars last year and it was really interesting to watch what it did to them and the things they bought with it. I would love to win that much for what I could do for my kids and as I said, the freedom of choice about many things. I don't think my life would change all that much because I have lost everything once and have come to appreciate the fact that "things" don't matter. Having enough for all of your need and little luxury - whatever that means to you - is really all that matters. Sure I would like to live in real luxury for a week or two but I wouldn't like it and everything that goes with it for the rest of my life. As I have said to my kids many times, "I am just simple folk."

I have done the next chapter of TAW but I think I have written enough for tonight, it's after eleven and I have been on the computer for hours today. I also borrowed The Joy Diet from the library, I had it once before, and it is pretty interesting . Certainly not light-hearted. Just as difficult, if not more so than TAW.

Goodnight, sweet dreams.