#215 "More Water?" By Susan Pearl

To be upset or to not be upset that was my dilemna.
To have an evening meal in a high scale restaurant was a very special occasion for us.
The table was set beautifully. The water was in elegant goblet style long stem glasses.
We had been told the atmosphere of this restaurant was something to behold so we consented to go there with other family members to enjoy it, too.
Then the steaks were served and things changed fast for our table. 
My husband thought his steak was tough and so he stabbed the steak with his fork to firmly hold it in place while he took his steak knife and used it like a hand saw going back and forth in short fast rapid motions trying to cut through the steak. 
The table started shaking so much that the water started spilling out over the tops of the long stem glasses.
It was like our table had been placed on top of a jackhammer and we were trying to eat with a raging vibrating, shaking table connection to a jackhammer going at full speed.
The table quieted down as my husband had finally made it though the steak to actually had his first bite of meat. 
Then the table vibrations started all over again for him to cut his second bite of steak.
More water was spilling and slushing out of the goblets and I couldn't really believe that this special evening had tuned into an embarrassing experience.
I had never tried to eat a meal at a shaking table before and I don't think the other family members had either.
Thank goodness they didn't serve peas or they would have literally rolled off of the table. 
My husband did not have a clue what he was putting the rest of us through in with the sudden eruputions of a shaking table.
The waiters wanted to refill our water but we declined.  We had not drank any of our water. The water had spilled out over the top of the goblet onto the beautiful tablecloth leaving  large circles of spilled water around the base of each goblet. 
I didn't know if I should be upset with my husband or not be upset by knowing he is the type of person that if if he has something to do --come hell or high water--in this case -spilled goblet water, he is going to get the job done no matter what it takes. And in this case a tough steak needed to be cut up.  He would have helped to cut up anyone's steak if we had asked him. 
I chose to laugh.  I knew that no matter what the challenge at hand my husband would meet it.  Cutting up his steak changed the restaurant up scale sophisticated atmosphere to a funny and comical setting.  We began roaring with laughter and it was a such great fun.
It was well worth the price of the meal.
Why we didn't send the steak back to the kitchen I'll never know.
I guess we just were too busy trying to hang on to our own meal with the shaking table that we didn't have time to think about it.

#214 "Discernment Of The Selfish" By Susan Pearl

Selfish people will come and go from our lives,
And each will take a part of our life if we let them,
They can take our time, our strength and our attention even our assets,
To be only for themselves without any mutual thought or any mutual mention,
And it can take a toll on our self esteem over the course of time,
Because selfish people think only of themselves without the best interest of others in mind,
To be taken apart bit by bit and part by part and giving it away with nothing to show in return,
I'm telling you in my lifetime that was one of the hardest lessons I ever had to learn.
I learned to say "no" time and time again,
Selfish people have come and gone away but the unselfish people became my friends to stay.
And it is a far better life than it was before that I can certainly say.
Because I am no longer being selfishly used and the people I now know wouldn't want it any other way.

#213 "Retrospect" By Susan Pearl

"Retrospect" is looking back for a forward perspective,
For a scientist it is the ability to analyze former tests and applying the results to get closer to a wanted discovery,
To a pilot it is following training and the manual which has been made by many "retrospects" and equipment testing,
To a baker it may be learning the oven bakes hotter in the back so now the the pan is turned midway through the baking process for best results,
Now if  a new oven is purchased and changed the former retrospect would become outdated and no longer appliable,
"Retrospect" is filled with learning, through an updating process of lessons learned and assesssing the outcomes,
And because things change then the current ways become the proper use of a new "retrospect",
With new facts applied the next effort should have a better and more successful outcome,
And "retrospect" continues to analyze the current data and making new manuals for safety with the best possible outcome for everyone.
Our current perspective should contain the current "retrospect" otherwise an outdated setting may emerge that is stuck in the past and may lead to eventual dysfunction.

#212 "Good For All" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion there are good things in motion at all times,
I think that if we have become separated from the good potential around us it is up to us to reconnect with the potential for good,
I think it all begins by truly wanting good for all,
And then truly wanting to be a part of that good,
And not wanting to be separated from the good around us at any given time,
Which will require recommitment to a value system of being in step with the motion of good for the benefit of all.

#211 "Tips For Heel And Heal" By Susan Pearl

Heel with the two "e's"-"ee" is the part on the back of our feet ("ee"- two e's).
Heal with the "a" is for an ability to be healthy again and the process of such "a" recovery.

#210 " Original Design Of Seeing New Things" By Susan Pearl

The older I get with time,
The more I return to my original design,
A design of delightfulness in being alive,
And seeing something new without going on  a drive,
This original design is like having a childlike wonder,
Finding new and wonderful things to see and to ponder.

#209 "Frozen In Time " By Susan Pearl

This week I was reading and the phrase "emotions frozen in time" caught my attention.
At first I  thought that to remedy frozen emotions a person should allow whatever emotion that is frozen to absorb the warmth and beauty of the current setting,
Then I realized the real setting is "frozen in time",
It is the "time" that is frozen,
To be frozen in time is to be locked into the past,
 It would be to an advantage for a person to have a realization and an awareness that the painful parts of the past have been locked in time and should remain in the past,
Such hurtful feelings of the past do not have to be reexperienced in the present setting,
If we are in the tropics should we be feeling the bitter cold of a previous artic adventure?
That was a different time, and these painful emotions do not have to be reexperienced in the setting and environment of the now.
Time has moved on and so has the surroundings.
Our current emotions should match our current setting and not be frozen in time.
We have left that time in our life and we should leave the negative things of that time to remain in the past where they belong.
If we choose to remain in the past with our emotions we will be frozen to the enjoyments of each day and miss the joy of a new time and new surroundings.

#208 "Understanding Times In Vain" By Susan Pearl

Whenever I think of the things for me that have been in vain,
I know that good has not come from some of the hard work and efforts made,
And even though things didn't turn out the way I thought they would,
I know in my heart I did the best I could,
And even though some efforts given went towards an unproductive area,
Well, at least I tried, my conscience is clear, time to move on from here,
 Now I know the difference doesn't rest singly with me,
That there is only so much anyone can do and then see what will be,
 Knowing that makes it more painless to understand the times of vainness.
And peace comes, knowledge is increased and another turn in a lesson learned.

#207 "1950's Fun on the Run" By Susan Pearl

What fun! What fun!
Playing outdoors on the run!
The boy down the street was the best on stilts.  He was like a giant grasshpper coming down the street.
A new toy was the pogo stick, but I was a little too heavy for a full spring reaction bounce,
So I would try to jerk the pogo stick up and off of the ground.
The best toy was the bycycle.  I had a light on my bycycle and so I would stay out until dusk and  ride my bike with the light on.
One fun game was" statue", when someone would spin you and then let go, 
A person stayed in the position of the hurled landing to be judged who was the best statue.
Other games were hide and seek, red rover, drop the hankie, Mother May I, London bridge is falling down, dodge ball, and jumping rope.
What fun! What fun!
Playing outdoors on the run!

#206 "Rhyming Tips For Which And Witch" By Susan Pearl

"Which" spelled with the two "h" 's--two or more of anything can make for a choice and then a decision to make of course.---like which way or which one or which team will beat.
"Witch" spelled with a "t" may say "Trick or Treat".

#205 "Awareness Sets Swing Limits" By Susan Pearl

To the depth of extent for the creativeness,
Can also be the depth of extent for the destructiveness.
The pendulum of emotion can swing from side to side.
And it can be one heck of a ride.
To the depth of extent for the destructivness,
Can also be the depth of extent for the creativeness,
But time will tell,
If it is the facts or what we feel,
That will dictate the extent of our boundaries and set limits that the swing takes us,
It does all depends on if the swinging pendulum bares the name of "awareness".

#204 "Outgrowing Fears" By Susan Pearl

I remember being in the conveience store part of a gas station.  I was ready to check out when a little boy, probably six years, came running into the store very scared and almost crying.
The little boy said,  "He said he is going to spit on me"!!!!
The store owner said, "Well, we're not afraid of him".
The owner of the store went and opened the store door and looked out.
Sure enough, there was a much bigger boy waiting on a bycycle. 
The older boy took one look at the store owner and rode away.
What this writing is about is to convey how "intimidation" and "fear" are interlocked.
The litle boy was intimidated by the size of the bigger boy.
The bigger boy was intimidated by the sight of the store owner protecting the little boy. 
I think "intimidation"  happens when the other person is overpowered or afraid of harm.
And sometimes is happens because the other person already feels inferior to others and is an easy target for being intimidated.
I think that store owner taught the little boy a lesson when he said, "Well, we're not afraid of him."
Maybe that expression "facing our fears" helps during times of intimidation and can unlock the setting of intimidation and release us from the feeling of inferiority.

#203 "Brighter Makes Things Lighter" By Susan Pearl

Bight thoughts make dim the darkest of times,
And may bring enough light that a person won't have to feel his or her way through,
But have enogh light to know what to do.

#202 "Calm Reflection" By Susan Pearl

I like looking at a picture we have hanging on our wall,
It is a country scene with a serene lake,
The reason I can tell the waters are still is because the water gives a perfect reflection of the surrounding beauty,
It is almost twice the beauty because of the reflection,
Maybe if I would stay calm in life I would see twice the beauty of  the loveliness that surrounds me,
Once by seeing it, and then again with the calmness of peace what it reflects back for me to see.

#201 "Extreme Bill Paying" By Susan Pearl

I have been told that the words "never" and "always" are extreme words,
And that people who use those words often are extreme in their thinking,
I try not to use these words very often with that thought in mind, but,
I "never" pay a bill without understanding the charges,
I "always" know exactly what I am paying for.
If that is being extreme, well then, let it be.

#200 "Parade Of Years" By Susan Pearl

Happy memories are like confetti in the parade of years.
Happy memories are like bits and pieces of gleeful places and loving faces,
All raining down so fast, like the fast past, they represent for a brief moment in time,
With triump and joy they come and go letting us know we truly have had happy memories in the parade of years.

#199 "Rhyming Tips For Tale and Tail" by Susan Pearl

Tale written with an "e" is the telling of a story.
Tail written with an "i" is my, oh, my---a scared cat has a tail that is sky high, a horse has a tail that can swat a fly, a friendly dog has a wagging tail that is like waving "hi" and "bye".

#198 "Waterfall Lesson" By Susan Pearl

I studied a picture of a beautiful waterfall, 
The amazing waterfall has area that were so thin I could seee the background behind the waterfall,
Then I saw so many areas that were completely white with the fast moving waterfall,
I noticed the difference between the two is the length between where the water is falling to come against the next ledge,
The shorter the distances between the waterfall landing ledges to the next landing ledge the more the density of the waterfall,
The farther apart the landings ledges were for the waterfall the thinner the waterfall became,
And that is when a person can see behind the waterfall or see through it,
Maybe when rough areas in life come way too frequently it is best to make an effort to get away for a brief while and put some distance between ourselves and these rough ledges,
This may allow us the opportunity to be able to see through things and be able to understand what is behind it all,
Just like seeing through to what is really behind areas of a fast moving waterfall,
It is good to know what is behind it all for the fastmoving times in life,
And that perspective may see a new lovliness with a new understanding of the full picture.

#197 "Spell Check Double Take" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes a miscommunication can be like a spell check that the wrong word is being used but yet the wrong word is being spelled correctly.

For instance, yesterday was our wedding anniversary and the wrong word for wishing us best wishes would have been "Happy Adversity".

Spell check would have passed the word "Adversity" as being the spelled correctly but it definately is not the right word for communicating anniversary best wishes.

Communication should have a double check of not only the spelling but also the correct word usuage for what we truly want to convey.   It is best to do a double take of a correct word and a word spell check when communicating to avoid any miscommunication. This double take saves time in the long run. 

#196 "Anniversary Tribute" By Susan Pearl

Hello, it is good to be back doing my blog. I had a nice blog vacation from July 8th-August 8th and I have a lot of new thoughts and perspectives that I am looking forward to sharing with my reading audience.

Today is a very special day for me.  Today is my forty-fifth wedding anniversary.  I would like to write an anniversary poem for my blog today.  Thank you.

Many years ago I thought I saw something so good in you,
And time has proved that what I saw is true,
Little did I know that when I promised to have and hold,
That our love would be that of a hundred fold,
And we have known a love that knows no end,
Because what is given comes back time and time again,
I have been there for you and you have been there for me,
When it wasn't easy to be.

And we could count on our love like the strength of an oak tree,
Constant and steady the way love ought to be,
We leaned on our love, too,
When we didn't know what to do,
And it just would not give in,
It gave back more than was taken time and time again.

Over the years we kissed away the tears,
And one by one we put away our fears,
Our love became like a wall refusing to fall,
And we held on through it all.

Time will test all loves to tell if they are true,
Happy Anniversary, I love you,
With a love that has been there for you and me,
When it wasn't easy to be.

And we could count on our love like the strength of an oak tree,
Constant and steady the way love ought to be,
And we would lean on our love, too,
When we didn't know what to do ,
And it would not give in- it's been,
Giving back and giving back over and over again,
It's been a love without an end.