February

What did I enjoy about this month?  The snow, the winter beauty of where I live.  It's all white.  Taking long walks surrounded by a white covered landscape with bare trees, a blue sky and dry, warm feet.  Seeing my breath in the air, then after 30 minutes, having to take off my hat because I'm so warm.  The temperature has been in the 20s and when it gets into the low 30 degrees farenheit, it feels like a heat wave.  It's quiet in the winter.  I also enjoyed helping people at work.

I'm an introvert.  I enjoy the peace and contentment that descends on me when I find myself alone.  I work in a large company and am surprised sometimes by how much one can do to help others.  One need not go to an impoverished country to help humanity.  There are heroes all around us striving to let their spirit come out, to be courageous, to be buttressed by encouragement that it's okay to be unique.  People in the United States shine so much just from a small amount of appreciation,  whether from a smile, encouraging words, a raise, or a promotion.  Anything one can do to help people have the courage to be their better, unique self is a blessing on us all.  They will then be a little bit kinder themselves, to their children, their partners, the person in front of them in the checkout line.

Kindness begets kindness.

Love

I think it's important to learn how to love oneself, to be able to be complete and happy and whole without requiring someone else to love one. Only by being strong and complete, can we not enter a relationship full of neediness - that leads to disappointment. Of course we'll be disappointed. Who can better love oneself than ourselves? We know what we want. We can't expect other people to be mind readers or robots, doing everything exactly the way we want to - only we can do that. I think relationships are best entered with the Question - What can I give the other person, expecting nothing in return, rather than the question, What do I want from the other person? To be able to love someone else, we first need to be able to be whole ourselves. Sometimes, we can't love someone else. We're too needy. We expect the other person to fulfill us. This isn't love. It's selfishness. Only if you find a person, you only want to give to without asking for anything in return - is one strong and mature enough to call it love. Think of a mother with a child or a carer of a pet. We don't ask the baby or the puppy for a list of things, requirements. We simply want to do all we can to make them happy. That's love.

January

I love my house.  In the winter afternoon, I have a large picture window from floor to ceiling that overlooks a lawn and then trees for as far as the eye can see.  The forest floor is covered in snow, the tree limbs are bare of leaves and right before sunset at 4:30, the tree line glows pink, white against a fluffy blue sky.  I can spend hours on my couch looking at this view.  The light, the snow, the trees, the sky - I feel like a snug squirrel, warm and surrounded by beauty.

December

What do I love about December?
- The beautiful, pure winter crystal light that comes only in the Winter.
- The forest, with its bare trees and the floor covered with crisp, bright, golden, crunchy leaves.
- A layer of snow on all the tree limbs, silently stunning.
- Time, time, time to do whatever you want to.  Work is winding down, winter trips haven't started yet.  Days to just play.
- Florida in December - 70F, walks by the beach in shorts and t shirts.  Cuban, vietnamese food.  Sunsets, warm breezes off of the ocean.  Watching dolophins along the shore.
- Books.
  1.Tony Blair's - A Journey.  
  2.Daniel Amen's - Change Your Brain, Change your body.
  3.Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche - The Joy of Living
  4.Daniel Goleman - Emotional Intelligence

 (2-4) above have really increased my internal sense of well being and happiness.  If you read them as a result of my blog, they're my Christmas present to you.  Happy New Year all.

Pets

I have a pet, a beautiful, warm, furry, tailed adorable, 4 legged fuzz ball.  He is warm, spirited, handsome, super cute, winsome, elegant and the best little being on this planet.  He curls up next to me in the evenings.  In the morning, he comes up to me and closes his eyes as I scratch and pet him.  He radiates health, happiness and super abundunt joy.   He makes me a better person.  He expands my heart. 

Friends

I talked to a friend last week.  Just being with people who are concerned about you and have good advice is very restorative.  Be with people, you not only admire, but also only wish for good things for you.  It shines through. 

Sunday

A perfect day today.  I spent the morning in the forest with my dear companion and pet.  He is so happy frolicking in the woods.  He climbs trees, rubs against my legs, smiles at me.  His smile is a caress from the sun.  We came back and all of us went back to bed, to cuddle together and read the Sunday papers.  Perfect, with the sun streaming in and so warm, under the covers.

We went out for lunch.  I indulged myself: pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, a large pitcher of my favorite caffeine free tea.  Again, a booth with the sun streaming in.  Afterwards, a walk in the woods with my best friend, overlooking the Croton Reservoir.  Stunning.

Back home for tea and a slice of custard pie.  Yummy!   Custard pie in October, perfect!   More Sunday papers and then house cleaning, dinner and an hour at the piano.

What a wonderful Sunday - music, nature, pets, friends, comfort food and perfect tea.  A blessing to all out there.