Grace Blesses My Office

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” ~~ William Arthur Ward

In keeping with my annual Thanksgiving month tradition started in 2010, my ABCs of Gratitude for 2020 are listed below. This pandemic year is unprecedented; however, I still found 26 blessings.

My ABCs of Gratitude for 2020

Alison…friend and nurse practitioner

Black Cats…Halloween display

Chauncey…watching out for me

Deliveries…on my doorstep

eBay…my supporting customers

Friends & Family…their love

Grace…bringing me her toy gifts

Home…my safe haven

Injections…dystonia control

Joe… grocery shopping since March

Kitchen…creating new and easy dishes

Library…2 blocks from my house

Maggie Mae…beloved Tortie makes me laugh

Nature…calming effect

Oregano…thriving in my wee garden

Parkinson’s Team…awesome professionals

Quiet Time…to just be

Rest…knowing when I need to pause

Solitude…renewing my spirit

Treasurer…Daughters of American Revolution

University…still working with students

Victory…staying safe and well during COVID-19

Walking…a favorite way to keep moving

Xadago…a new Parkinson’s med

Yellow Mums…punch of color at my front door

Zoom…staying connected during pandemic

What are you thankful for today and for this year?

Blessings!
Linda

The post 11th Annual ABCs of Gratitude 2020 appeared first on Parkinson's My Way.

I cannot be in this breathtaking scene and be unhappy. Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC

In 2010, I created my first ABCs of Gratitude list.  I look forward to this project every November. The simple yet thought-provoking exercise is a unique way to reflect on the year. I label a sheet of paper A through Z and  fill in with blessings.

According to Ingrid King gratitude is a wonderful way to raise your vibration and shift your energy. The vibration of gratitude is a powerful force. It can shift your mood and your thoughts from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance. Wayne Dyer believed that if you get to a place of gratitude you will experience peace. Be in a state of gratitude for everything because there is something to learn in everything. Be grateful even for the pain because there are lessons to be learned.

In keeping with my annual Thanksgiving month tradition, my 2019  blessings are listed below. I always compare my list to prior years. Some years have more peaks, and other years have more valleys. But, I always find 26 blessings.

My ABCs of Gratitude for 2019

Auction…Midwest country the best

Biltmore Estate…tea and 63 Christmas trees

Elegance

Crossnore…sponsor 7 children at Crossnore School & Children’s Home

DAR…school committee state award

Exercise…Parkinson’s meds

Friends…long leisurely lunch visits

Grove Park Inn…stay in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Room

Heaven Sent Anthology…Rose and the Six Kittens

Book Cover

Interview…Davis Phinney Parkinson’s Ambassador

July… Missouri Vacation

Kice…summer visit with my 7^th & 8^th grade teacher

Teacher and Student

Love…of family, friends and Joe

Micanopy…historic Florida “antiques” town

Nine-Years-Old…birthday siblings

Grace

Chauncey

Okun MD…movement disorder specialist

Pink Boxing Gloves…KitKat is my name

Wanna Fight?

Quiet Time…read, reflect, rest

Rock Steady Boxing…trainer Shanda

Sixty-Nine…birthday party at Teapots & Treasures

A specialty–Orange Cake

Tent House…termites be gone

University of FL…movement disorder center of excellence

Victoria Vacation…sister Donna

The Two Sisters

Writing…profiling creative people with Parkinson’s

Artist Michele Keir-Rhode Island

X-rays…Dr. Cohn

Yoga Class…balance benefit

Zone Out…when being creative

What are  you thankful for today and for this year?

Blessings!
Linda

The post 10th Annual ABCs of Gratitude 2019 appeared first on Parkinson's My Way.

Missouri Cotton Candy Sunset

If you only say one prayer in a day, make it ‘Thank You’—Rumi

I  cannot be in gratitude and be unhappy.

In 2010, I created my first ABCs of Gratitude list.  I now look forward to this project every November. The simple yet thought-provoking exercise is a unique way to reflect on the year. Grab a sheet of paper and label it A through Z. Fill in with your blessings. If you get stuck on a letter, a dictionary is permitted!

Wayne Dyer believed that if you get to a place of gratitude you will experience peace. Be in a state of gratitude for everything because there is something to learn in everything. Be grateful even for the pain because there are lessons to be learned from it. According to Ingrid King gratitude is a wonderful way to raise your vibration and shift your energy. The vibration of gratitude is a powerful force. It can shift your mood and your thoughts from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance.

In keeping with my annual Thanksgiving month tradition, my 2018 ABCs of Gratitude list is listed below. I find it interesting to compare my list to prior years. Looking back, some years had more ups, and other years had more downs. But in the end, I always found 26 blessings. This year is no different. Most of my days have ended with awe inspiring sunsets such as the one taken from my brother’s backyard deck in the country.

My ABCs of Gratitude for 2018

Angels on Duty Anthology…Angel by My Side poem

Angels on Duty

Board Director…DAR Seminole Chapter

Creative Genius Anthology…My Parkinson’s Muse essay

Creative Genius

Dineen…stress buster housekeeper

eBay Seller Plus…1000+ reviews

Fennelly State Poet Laureate…workshop leader

God…providing healing and hope for Judy

Highland Park Anthology…Power Struggle poem

Highland Park Anthology

Invigorate…Dr. Sarah King Parkinson’s exercises

Joe…my love, my rock, my partner

Kitties’ 8^th Birthday…Grace, Chauncey, Rosebud, Tigger, Boots, Angus

6 Kitties, 4 weeks old

All Grown Up! Rosebud, Angus, Boots & Tigger

More Grown Ups! Grace & Chauncey

Lake Yellowstone Hotel…mountains and lake room view

Peacefulness–What a View!

Marsha at Perry Consulting…PD website diva

Nieto…compassionate doctor

Okun…internationally known movement disorder specialist

Parkinson’s My Way…website and blog launch

Quietude…meditative nature walks

Lane to Family House

Reunion…50 year high school class ‘68

School Teacher Mrs. Kice…special visit

June Kice. my 7th & 8th Grade Teacher

Ten Year Anniversary…member Daughters of the American Revolution

Uncles (great) Carl and Rupert…honor sacrifice 100 year WW

Honoring Rupert’s place of death Naix, France

Vinnie Ream Award Finalist…Voice Within poetry collection

Wood Stairs…Nic’s skillful renovation

X-rays…caring Active Health Center 

Yellowstone National Park…trip with Joe for memory bank

Yellowstone Canyon

Zeal for Exercise…keeping Parkinson’s at bay

What are you thankful for today and for this year?

Blessings!

Linda

The post 9th Annual ABCs of Gratitude 2018 appeared first on Parkinson's My Way.

Autumn at My Florida Home

On November 1, I ran errands at my favorite strip shopping center. Located three miles from my house, it is anchored by Hobby Lobby on one end and Staples on the other. In between, Dollar Tree, Pet Supplies Plus, Russo’s Subs, and Burlington Coat Factory are frequent stops. A free standing Chick-fil-A is crazy busy. Well, the whole complex is crazy busy, but there are still far off parking spots where I park for added exercise and less chance of getting a dent in my car. I developed this habit when I worked on a college campus, and it serves me well in my Parkinson’s life!

In four stores, I overheard conversations about the calendar flip. “I can’t believe it is November 1.” “Where has the year gone?” “It will be Christmas before you know it.” “The year goes faster every year.” “What are you doing for Christmas?” “After Halloween, it’s downhill fast.”

Honoring Thanksgiving

What intrigued me was not one word was said about Thanksgiving! Hobby Lobby has had Christmas decorations out since August where I live. But the day after Halloween, the staff was making room for even more Christmas stuff by moving Halloween items (what little was left) to sale tables. I specifically went to Hobby Lobby to buy fall wreaths for my upper and lower front doors. I left empty handed. Oh, they had some. But the fall décor was smashed together in a couple of aisles, almost like an afterthought. I will just continue using last year’s fall decorations since it will be time to put up the Christmas wreaths in a few weeks. I may even have to put them up earlier since time is now going faster!!

The experience reminded me how much I love Thanksgiving and how much I hate the idea that it gets overshadowed by Halloween and Christmas commercialization. The mega retailers are advertising their Thanksgiving shopping hours, so we can plan our family get-togethers around buying. The Hallmark channel has been showing Christmas movies since way too soon! I understand “why” from a marketing perspective as I have taught these concepts to hundreds of university students over the years. But it does not mean I have to embrace the concept! My Thanksgiving traditions  have evolved,  and without knowing it, I was creating a Parkinson’s proof Thanksgiving free of stress that I would someday need.

Who Cooks?

Joe and I live in Florida and do not travel to Missouri for Thanksgiving where our families live. Our Thanksgiving tradition has changed from me doing all the cooking when we had a long distance relationship to now going out. Joe use to fly in from White Plains or Orange County or Atlanta (he’s lived all over and in some terrific places!) on the day of Thanksgiving. In 2001, I decided preparing this feast for two needed to be a two-person operation. He readily agreed and flew in the night before to help make pumpkin pies. Then it was up early the next day to get the turkey in the oven, make the candied sweet potatoes, Waldorf salad, and oyster dressing (which he was not too sure about). But oyster dressing is my favorite part of the meal (as it was my mother’s)! He was a good sport and helped with all the preps. But I think he enjoyed the sitting down and eating part more! It’s a toss-up for me as I love to do both!

The following year Joe suggested we go out for Thanksgiving. I was not too keen on the idea, but he easily persuaded me with a reservation at The Breakers Palm Beach. In 2003, I thought we would stay home and rub shoulders in the kitchen. I really do love to make Thanksgiving dinner. However, by then Joe was planning to move to Miami Lakes and was looking for a place to buy. He had several real estate appointments scheduled for the day after Thanksgiving and wanted me to go with him. So we had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner at The Breakers again.

15 Thanksgiving Dinners at The Leopard Lounge

We had several reasons to be thankful in 2004. Joe made the move to Miami and was now just 76 miles from my house. He was acclimated to South Florida living quickly, but harshly, as we endured Hurricane Frances on September 4 followed by Hurricane Jeanne on September 26. I was without electricity for two weeks and without water for one week.  Weary from hurricane clean-up and repair, we decided to try Thanksgiving dinner at my favorite little English hotel, The Chesterfield on Palm Beach. It has proven to be the right venue for the two of us as November 22, 2018 will mark our 15^th Thanksgiving dinner in the Leopard Lounge at Chesterfield!  In between, I held my Tatianna book signing party in the hotel’s library in 2007.

Parkinson’s Proof Thanksgiving

We reserve for the one o’clock Thanksgiving seating and depart with enough left-overs for two more meals. Strolling down Worth Avenue after our feast is a perfect way to end the afternoon. No shopping, (nothing is open) just window shopping and people watching! I add my touch to the holiday by making cranberry relish on Wednesday and baking one pumpkin pie on Friday. We have plenty to eat and stay home on Friday—no malls, no traffic, no stress!

Question to Ponder:  What is your favorite way to spend Thanksgiving?

Blessings!

Linda

The post My Parkinson’s Proof Thanksgiving appeared first on Parkinson's My Way.