HALLOWEEN WITH MITT & AUNTY (well sort of)...

Keeping up Aunty's tradition of making the children happy on Halloween I made sure I had plenty of treats on hand. I even wore Aunty's fury purple bat ears. And since I am white as a ghost and was not wearing any make-up I looked pretty scary. Considering Aunty loved giving everyone a little Halloween thrill my ghoulish look was very apropos.

When the neighborhood children started ringing the doorbell I let the pinging black bats (from the top of my head) go out first and then I appeared with my glowing Halloween Crystal Ball. I told the little ones they had to press the button for some candy/cookies/ and treats! When the orange button is pressed this funky skeleton flashes in many different colors, and with leaves flying and eerie music playing he says "Enter if you dare," and then laughs in a fiendish way. The children love it!

Then I would present them with two enormous bowls of treats. They had a choice between boxes of Oreos or Angry Bird cookies. It was a tie. The younger children gasped in delight over the Honey Maid Birds and the older ones (including a ten year old wearing a blue suit, a red tie, and smoking a big plastic cigar who told me he was Mitt Romney) liked the Oreos. Because I was balancing bowls of snacks and my Halloween crystal ball, I wasn't able to take a picture of the little candidate like I wanted to. But earlier in the day I captured a few haunted houses. 

Now that it's nine o'clock in the evening...the doorbell has stopped ringing. I am going to indulge in some of the left over Oreos. If Lorie and her new man come over we'll play that Halloween Classic....Monster Mash and dance around my place just like we used to do with Aunty. Aunty loved all the fun, magic, children, and candy that we celebrated and thoroughly enjoyed during our many Halloweens together. By keeping up all our traditions its like she is still right here!

Aunty's Halloween Pumpkin 2008

What may I ask did you give out for Halloween this year? Did you eat too much candy yourself? Was anyone dressed as Mitt Romney? Did you make the children happy.....

TAKE THAT HURRICANE SANDY...

Holding on to Aunty's Light

 

If you take a look at the last blog post

you will see the two lanterns (pictured here) that I used to carry with Aunty.

And even though it's not easy carrying on without her....

My Aunty's Light, Spirit, and Energy are infused in everything I do...in everything I touch, and are still my best company and my best protection!

 

However, at times it's just not easy to be as happy and as brave as Aunty always was.

I do count on my friends to help me along. I can not stress enough the importance of nurturing your friendships. When I look back on this last year (November 18th will mark the one year anniversary of Aunty's passing) I can assure my readers that the only way I managed to get through the pain and the loneliness of losing Aunty, aside from my faith, and the optimism & courage Aunty instilled in me, was with a little help from my friends.

 

My friends are more than happy to

 help uphold Aunty's Light

 

while Illuminating my life

 

In Light of Hurricane Sandy hitting the East Coat today.... Don't be afraid of the Dark. Keep in mind that the Light from within will endure any storm....and as seen throughout this blog...it is  indomitable and it is eternal!

 

BE THE LIGHT...

 Lighting the World With LOVE

 

The 26th annual Jamaica Pond Lantern Parade, sponsored by Spontaneous Celebrations, will be held this year on both Saturday and Sunday evenings at sunset (about 6 p.m.). That’s tonight and tomorrow. The lantern stroll goes on for a few hours so you can stop by at any time.. If you live in the Boston area it’s highly recommended that you go. What a lovely way of bringing people together under the stars and into the light….Fresh Air, Exercise, and Unity…Celebrating Life, Nature, and Human Connections. Aunty was a reveler at heart and the Lantern Parade was one of her favorite events! Her spirit  exemplifies the event then and now. She has passed the torch to me and I will carry on our tradition of spreading love and light.

 

This beautiful annual tradition has its roots in Japanese lantern making and Dutch tradition and began in 1984 in JP. The parade processes around the pond bringing a trail of bouncing lights into the darkness. Workshops are going on to make the candles made out of recycled soda bottles decorated with colored tissue paper. They will also be for sale the nights of the event. Children are encouraged to come in their Halloween costumes.

 

This magical event is held at Jamaica Pond, 507 Jamaica way, Jamaica Plain, MA and it’s FREE!

For MORE INFO GO TO http://www.spontaneouscelebrations.org/

 

SEE YOU THERE….

I WILL BE CARRYING THE SAME TWO LANTERNS (AS SEEN IN THE PHOTO At the top) AS the AGELESS SPIRIT OF AUNTY LIGHTS THE WAY…

 

If you live outside of Boston look for a Lantern Parade in your area.
Part of this post is from the Jamaica Plain Patch

AUNTY, THE DALAI LAMA, AND YOU...

The Dalai Lama in Boston

This blog is all about sharing the joys of living well and staying positive, calm, happy and hopeful in today’s overstimulated and often hectic world. Aside from writing about the joyous and genuine Christ-like nature of my late Aunty (who still inspires this blog) seeing the Dalai Lama yesterday at a talk in Boston, and all that he IS and his way of being, has utterly blown me away and I want to share some of his message with you.

 

*He highlighted the ways in which science has provided evidence of the need for human compassion and an expulsion of negative emotions. Human immune systems prove less effective when people are racked with anxiety and negative thoughts. Infants who go without affection and physical contact struggle to survive. Kindness and interpersonal connection are important values, no matter what faith you adhere to, he said.

I find the Dali Lama to be ageless and timeless and he fits perfectly with all that I hope this blog will be. At the core of all the fun we have here at ageless is compassion towards others and working towards inner peace (which naturally will bring more peace into the world given the interconnectedness of the universe). We are one. And, each one of us makes a difference.

His Holiness said every person has a responsibility to help protect the world for future generations.

“It’s not this nation facing global warming, or this nation or that nation. No, entire humanity facing it.”

The Dalai Lama teaches the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. He believes that all human beings are the same. Aunty lived her life like this and therefore reached the highest evolvement a human being can attain. She selflessly made others happy. At the end of her life she had made a difference. She was happy and had no regrets. She had a peaceful death. I aspire to be more like her. And the Dalai Lama himself, one of the great world leaders is a lot like my late Aunty. Goodness is goodness and it all comes from God.

 The Dalai Aunty

After hearing him speak yesterday my wise meditation teacher reported: Each individual should create inner peace-- then it spreads out, like a pebble thrown into water, in widening circles. His Holiness noted that at some point in the next twenty years he will pass away.  When this happens, he will know that he made an effort in this great work, and so he will die without regret.  At the moment of death, wealth and beauty are of no use.   The one question when then matters is:  What have I done...Have I had a meaningful life? ...

One woman who was interviewed after the talk said….. If you want to be happy think of others. If you want to be miserable think of yourself.

 with Brother David Steindl-Rast

This is all really worth pondering and putting into action. If we do not have inner peace and true regard for each other how can we help create and bring more peace into the world. His Holiness is extraordinary. You truly feel something when he enters the room. And, it was quite wonderful  hearing his simple words of wisdom right from the Lama's mouth himself. He laughs all the time and even makes himself laugh. You can’t help but feel ageless and timeless in his presence. You cannot help but feel utter love and hopeful for a better world.

 

According to Boston.com…and more than anything, audience members said, they loved that infectious Dalai Lama chuckle.

“He was just so jovial,” one woman said. “He makes himself laugh.”

I say, a genuine deep rooted smile is contagious. It nurtures miracles.

Instant Karma:

On the same stage as the Dalai Lama

immediately after the talk

 

If you are not able to see the Dalai Lama in person you can be just as inspired. Go to http://www.dalailama.com/

 

As a tea lover myself I did a little research and found out that the Dalai Lama drinks Po Cha…Butter Tea (or at least he used to). I have a great recipe for that coming soon. Thank you for stopping by we hope to see you again. I met and posed with some profound “spiritual brothers” as His Holiness referred to his guests. I will be posting those pictures and some exceptional links. It’s all for you.

 

May all beings live in peace and harmony.

 

*some parts of this post were taken from Boston.com

 

 

 

 

EVERYTHING REMINDS ME OF AUNTY...

Everything reminds me of Aunty. When I wake up to the singing birds I cannot help but think of her. She loved and appreciated the little creatures. She would behave with childlike glee when she heard the birds singing or if one nibbled crumbs by our feet when we ate outdoors.

The first thing I do when I get out of bed each morning is put out the eternal Aunty candle. I light it each night before bed and turn it off or blow it out (depending on which type of candle I use) every morning. The first words I utter as I greet each day are “Good Morning Aunty.” When I have my coffee I think of her. Coffee was Aunty’s most favorite drink of all. She could not get enough. She even graces my coffee cups. I see that smiling face with each sip. The picture above is proudly pasted to my coffee mug.

When I go outside my door the great big sun in the bright blue sky reminds me of Aunty (and these days more than ever). I know she is residing somewhere up there. When I walk down the street and see all the trees I vividly recall how often she would remark at the beauty and splendor of the trees. She was captivated by nature. We would always have to stop for her to take it all in.

 

Driving in my car I feel her sitting there so comfortably in the passenger seat. She loved being with me and it didn’t matter if we were going to a doctor’s appointment or a dance party….she was blissful. She was so content to be by my side.

Everywhere I go people still talk and ask about Aunty! I am not the only one who misses and remembers her.  Last night at a church meeting a lovely woman told me, “I still see Aunty sitting there.” Aunty would watch TV at the gym while I ran on the treadmill. Everyone loved saying hello and good-bye to my/our benevolent little “Aunty” as they passed.

These days Aunty talks back to me and that is the best part of all. There are too many messages from her to list here but she tries to reach me often and I welcome it. I see hearts everywhere from a drop of water, to my tealeaves, and even my hair elastics. Lots of things around me have suddenly started forming heart shapes.  I see hearts in the earth where I walk. I have the pictures to prove it.

 

When I was cleaning my house yesterday I found a book that Aunty loved…a little Betty Boop Guide to Life book! Betty Boop was one of Aunty’s favorite characters. When I saw the book I immediately thought of Aunty and smiled. I touched it tenderly and a voice came from inside the book that said….what Aunty used to say… “I’m Bettye Boop, Boop Boop Be-Doop.” I had no idea it was a talking book. But, I feel it’s just one more way of Aunty showing me that she is here and that she loves me more than ever.  The more I stop and think about it the more amazing It really is.

Aunty Gave Betty her Scarf

and even Miss Boop misses Aunty

 

Saying my prayers at bedtime particularly reminds me of Aunty. She relished saying her prayers aloud and it’s the last thing we did together every night and the last thing we did together period! And the fact that the porcelain feathered Angel, a gift that was placed by Aunty’s’ side when she got sick still glows (even before I hit the switch) is yet another  sign of Aunty’s’ presence. Aunty’s angel seems to miraculously turn on with a soft natural glow when I am sad and missing her most.

The fact that I wear Aunty’s frilly pink nightgown (the one I bought for her before she passed) and sleep under Aunty’s soft white comforter, it’s no wonder I dream of her too.

Don’t anyone get too worried. I don’t have an Aunty obsession. Under the circumstances it’s all quite normal. If you experienced a lifetime of selfless love and happiness, and pure unadulterated joy with someone as wonderful as Aunty, you would do all that you could to keep her spirit and that precious and sacred relationship alive!

I am here to share with you….your departed loved ones are closer than you think! And Aunty will always love you. So stay here with us where the love is….with Angels, with Aunty, and with me.