IT'S NEVER TOO LATE...

I love my Aunty so much that I have given up a huge portion of my life to take care of her. If I occasionally think my career as a writer might be further along if I did not have such an immense responsibility, I immediately realize that is not the case at all. My precious Aunty is my Academy Award, Bestseller, motivation, and inspiration! And, she is so much fun to be with. We keep each other happy.

As a gift to my readers I share these recent snapshots of Aunty, and the sentiment behind them. If Aunty can pick up her first golf club at 87 years old…there is no excuse for you, at 30, 40, 50, or 60, not to take up something new and exciting. As a bonus, experts now say it’s good for the brain. So, stay sharp by following Ageless (with) Aunty ….

Next, Aunty catches a wave, or something brave and daring....After all, life shrinks or expands in accordance to one's courage!

INSTANT KARMA...

You could even say she glows

There is an extraordinary sacred singer/chant enchantress named Snatam Kaur who has the presence of a saint, and by all accounts, sings like an angel. If you listen to her for even a minute you will immediately understand what I mean. If you see her in concert it will be further validated. If you actually speak with her, and get close to her like I did…you know you are in the presence of someone divine.

I was beaming, and felt like I was having an outer body experience when I met her over the Memorial Day weekend. For Christmas a friend had given me tickets to Snatam’s May concert in Boston. After listening to her chant/sing and radiate love, peace, and all things good, I went down to the front of the stage with hopes of catching a closer glimpse of this amazing being. Having listened to her for months prior, I was channeling my own inner goddess, and before I knew it, I was standing there speaking with Snatam Kaur! How is that for instant karma? I told her she was Ageless and that I strive to be more relaxed and calm like she is. She told me she is trying too. She kindly agreed to pose with me. My dear friend Rory who is great with a camera took the picture. I am going to enlarge the image above as much as I can and frame it in gold leaf!

touched by an angel

These pictures show me that anything is possible. I have been listening to Snatam for years, and envisioning meeting her. I kept that vision before me and brought it to fruition.

Her singing/chanting is exceptional. I have suggested teas, incense, specific products, certain exercises, and much more on this blog. However, if I had to suggest just one thing…it’s listening to Snatam. You will be transformed and enlightened and brought closer to the Divine. She exemplifies what it is to be ageless and blissful.

Visit her stunning site http://www.snatamkaur.com/

Sat Nam…Pass the Yogi Tea~

SHE LOVES ME, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH…

Me and my cold Momokawa Sake

As promised, I carried the festivities of celebrating my May birthday, all the way into June…with a little bit of help.

When a small group of friends helped me celebrate this year, gathered around the table of a small Japanese restaurant, we started singing and carrying on. I knew we might cause a scene if we continued the high-decibel merrymaking. We quieted down and went back to having our regular fun with an ordering frenzy and a sushi fest. But, something tells me we were just as loud. I don’t think it’s possible to enjoy yourself that much in a restaurant without a little noise.

A couple of weeks ago one of my sisters took me out to lunch to honor my birthday. And what a time we had. We laughed so hard I honestly thought they might ask us to leave. I didn’t know you could feel so good at one o'clock in the afternoon on a Tuesday. My sister even bought me a cup of the world’s most expensive and healthiest tea.

One of the most touching gifts this year was from my sister who lives in California. I don’t get to see her as often as I would like to and I love her very much. When she was a toddler she got into my Beatles Album collection and scribbled on the covers and broke one of the records. I was devastated! I secretly cried (because I didn’t want to hurt her feelings because she was so young). I thought I would never get over it. I LOVE THE BEATLES!

Well, last night after that same sister treated me to the most outstanding lobster dinner at the Blue Ginger (my favorite restaurant) she had them bring out a cake she had had made just for me. It was a big, funky cake with a record player (that looked like the one I had growing up) with a Beatles Album being played!!! I was  stunned. I was also touched. Then it got even better. When the waitress came back to cut and serve my creative delight… the cake was Red Velvet! I was over the moon knowing that my sister loves me that much! And, that I got my Beatles Album back.

Thinking about it now…by not getting overly upset with the desecration of my beloved record collection, all those years ago, I was putting out good karma. And, decades later my Beatles Album came back to me with love, sugar, and a sister’s smile.

Birthday - The Beatles

You say it's your birthday

It's my birthday too yeah

They say it's your birthday

We're gonna have a good time

I'm glad it's your birthday

Happy birthday to you…

This Blog is Magic...Make a Wish



HOW TO STAY YOUNG!

Our resident Ageless Guru…aka Aunty may be almost ninety years young, but she still knows how to kick up her heels and have fun. Friday night, she turned a night of dining into a night at the disco!

My family and I were having a nice quiet dinner, enjoying some fine wine and conversation. On our way out, Aunty dragged us into the adjacent club for some dancing. “I love to dance,” she declared, as she started moving her hips and pulling us into the joint as soon as she heard the music.

She was flirting with the singer; she danced with the waitress, and made friends with the guys next to us. Before we knew it she got the entire room on its feet. What a sight to see; her happy spirit doing what it does best…making others happy.

How does she stay so vibrant being only a decade away from 100? I think the blueberries, the omegas, and all the green tea I give her help. I also supply her with daily doses of hugs and kisses. And, Aunty does go into the stratosphere of super-happiness when she is around her family! But, most important….she DOES follow the blog Ageless with Aunty. Judging by these pictures and Aunty’s advanced age, I dare say, I think the potent mixture of all of the above is working! She continues to inspire me, and everyone who meets her.

look at that childlike grin on Aunty

For the record, I had to literally pull her out of the place because she would not stop dancing! I was worried  she might not be able to move the next day. I am glad to report....Aunty is alive and kicking! We started our day today listening to Frank Sinatra's You Make Me Feel so Young! And then we danced...

WHEN THE LIGHTNING STRIKES…

Yesterday, I had planned my entire day around going to hear my meditation guru, Larry Rosenberg, speak. But, Mother Nature had other plans which would be the antithesis of a quiet meditation….

I started out preparing a blog post. I washed and ironed Aunty’s clothes, worked on an upcoming project, and did a little cleaning and organizing, like I promised myself I would. Then I walked into town for some errands. About 3:30, while I was out Gracie called me on my cell phone to say, she didn’t think she would be able to come and sit with aunty due to the “tornado watch.” I had no idea what she was talking about. We agreed to talk a little later. About 4:30, on my way back home, a friend rang my cell phone warning me not to go out because of a bad storm coming our way. Suddenly the sky appeared dark, and there was an ominous feeling in the air. Gracie called back to cancel. I knew this meant no meditation or dharma talk, so I decided that as soon as I got home I would do my own meditation before Aunty arrived back from her day program.

As I approached my house my downstairs neighbor was at the door waiting for me. She told me,
“There’s a tornado watch. I am thinking of going down to the basement!” She added, “Do you have any kind of helmet?” The sky turned black. I ran upstairs and turned off my computer. I closed all the windows, drew all the shades and unplugged appliances. When I turned on the TV it showed a tornado hitting the Springfield Massachusetts area (which is less than an hour away). Suddenly on the television screen I saw something I had never seen before; a tornado warning for my town. My neighbor ran up the stairs and said, “I have my transistor radio all set up and I think we should go into the basement.” What made this all the more frightening were the sirens going off from her Weather Channel station as the tornado watch became a tornado warning.

My neighbor and I were prepared to take cover in the basement if the tornado got closer. From her television set we could see the damage the tornado was doing as it headed closer to us. And from her new I-pad we could track the storm like professional meteorologists.

I did not want to go down to the basement without Aunty, and she was not home yet. I paced the floor, and peeked out the window. Miraculously I remained calm and did my deep breathing. After all, I was supposed to be meditating.

At 6:10, minutes after Aunty arrived, the anchorman announced that the tornado was south of us. But, there could be another one coming. It was confusing at times because there seemed to be conflicting, and delayed reports. Things were also happening very quickly.

Aunty and I went back to our place and continued watching the news stations. It was horrible. In western and central Massachusetts, four people died and many lost their homes, their cars, and much damage was done. The governor declared a state of emergency. I just couldn’t believe this was happening in Massachusetts.

About eight in the evening, Aunty went to bed and I continued to watch. They had kept us on alert till eleven p.m.

Lucky for us we did not get hit with a tornado, but, we experienced severe thunder and lightning like I have never seen. I decided to go out front and take a picture, but at that exact moment the newscaster said, “Do not go outside. This is not your average thunder storm.” The lightning (hotter than the surface of the sun) was striking 45 times a minute! It was unreal. At about nine o’clock, the thunder was so loud the sound of one bolt actually jolted me. Aunty woke up. She was terrified! She kept asking… “What’s wrong? With each thunderous bang she said, “This is awful.” I held her hand and rubbed her back. Eventually the storm passed, Aunty went back to bed, and we were back to normal.

One of the things I learned from this experience is how much people care. We got several phone calls from concerned friends wanting to make sure we were okay. Those in the midst of the storm comforted and helped one another, many sheltered strangers. I realized that Mother Nature is the strongest force on earth. If you have even the slightest experience with any kind of flood, tornado, hurricane, volcanic eruption, earthquake, or landslide, you know exactly what I am talking about. I will certainly keep doing all I can to stay on her good side. She’s indomitable!

I also learned that as long as I don’t move from where I am living now, I should be able to survive anything. My neighbor is a true boy scout. She is prepared for everything. She’s also got the Weather Channel, an I-Pad, I-phone, transistor radio, two bike helmets, and a crate of canned food. As a savvy world traveler, she has experience with every kind of weather change and knows how to handle unpredictable situations.

And, the most important thing I learned from yesterday’s natural disaster so close to home, is the power of meditation. If you have a meditation practice under your belt you may not be able to avoid a natural disaster, but, you have a much better chance of surviving one if you are calm and aware. Meditation puts you in harmony with the universe, yourself, and the world. It's the opposite of any natural disaster.