Matriarchs - My Great Aunties - Part II

Besides our wonderful dinner and family BBQ, we had the opportunity to take the Matriarchs to the Miami Zoo. What a beautiful day. It started out in the low 70s and the temperature rose to the mid 70s. The sun was shining and the humidity was low with a gentle breeze. The Miami Zoo is an open air zoo - for the most part, no cages. It did mean a lot of walking. We put Auntie Maggie in a wheelchair as well as Auntie Sylvia and away we went.

We visited with the lions and tigers and camels. We saw an elephant take a river of a pee and a huge dump.  We saw orangutans and all sorts of feathered friends.  However, the highlight of our day was watching and hearing the mammoth turtles have sex. Both aunties got out of their wheelchairs and stood up to see this feat.  It seems like we were witnesses to all the important biological functions. Tee hee!!!

Just before the end of their visit, we went to see a late afternoon movie together, The Secret Life of Bees. Both Auntie Maggie and I had read the book. I still cried. Definitely bring the box of Kleenex. After eating a bag of popcorn each, I didn't think the Matriarchs had room for dinner.  Yet, 5 minutes later at Moonlite Diner, Auntie Maggie had eggs and potatoes and Auntie Sylvia had a tuna salad sandwich.  These women never cease to amaze me.  Tee hee!!!

We will all meet again in California in February to celebrate Auntie Maggie's 90th birthday.

We are Family

Great Auntie Sylvia and Riley, oldest and youngest members of the family

The grand Matriarchs of our family were here together last week.  As a Goddess, I am especially grateful that the oldest living relatives of the Seltzer family are MATRIARCH Goddesses.

Great Auntie Maggie and Great Auntie Sylvia were reunited again.  Auntie Maggie flew in from California for a two week sojourn with her sister.  We had the privilege of picking her up at the airport and breaking bread with her and Auntie Sylvia.  It was such a beautiful moment to see them reunited and hugging since their last visit when Uncle Jack passed away.  We ate some Italian tuna and olives and pickles on thick Tomato Basil Bread from Panera.  Auntie Maggie told me it was her favorite kind of meal.

Their coming together created some unexpected ripples in the family. Soul Mama came back to Florida earlier then planned. And Uncle Josh came to visit from the Big Apple to hang with the Aunties.

Noah and I decided to host a Sunday afternoon BBQ by the pool and invite the whole family.  We created an opportunity for a family group picture.  The last one we had was taken in 2000.  As you can see in the picture below - there was only one baby, Goddess In Real Life Alexandra. 

 

And here we are, eight years later.  This side of our family has been blessed with twelve children (eight of them here in our 2008 family picture).

Some of the family members of our clan have been out of touch.  Some of our cousins were not aware of how many we truly are.  And how we are growing - and what a beautiful new generation of cousins is being created.  Which was why Noah and I became ambassadors of peace in our families.  Tee hee!!!

BOUNDARIES - Walking a fine line

Maintenance of my body requires me to steer clear and away from toxic environments - I CHOOSE not to be around second hand smoke, people who smoke, environments with alcohol and/or smoke.

I know this may sound selfish but LET ME BREATHE THE AIR
(lyric from a great song by Little River Band, Cool Change - check out this cool video)

This lifestyle I created for myself took some time to manifest. Being that there was no manual for how my body works (there is one now, thank you Dr. Oz), I had to learn slowly what works and what doesn't.  

I had to, one baby step at a time, let go of old habits and imprints (smoking, overeating, being a couch potato, stressed at work) and replace them with new patterns of Be-HAVE-ior.  I tried and tested all sorts of different things (food, exercise, meditation) until I observed and felt what was working for me.   I started listening to the messages my body was giving me.  And I had to be patient and gentle with myself as I learned new things and techniques to give my body what it needs at the physical level so it can function smoothly.

I am still learning to set my BOUNDARIES - My house, my Rules. Learning to say NO to what hurts my body and injures my soul.   

And yet, at some point, drawing lines can get kind of sticky.   Almost like holding myself back from enjoying life because I drew too many lines around me.  Like surviving instead of thriving.

A lot of things are shifting in my life right meow.  Mostly in my head as I analyze and think and weigh my options.  And then into my heart so I can feel what is true for me.   Now, I am ready to cross the threshold.   I feel I am becoming more flexible and open to life, no matter what comes.  Crossing the lines instead of being fenced in.    Tee hee!!!

Daily OM -Allowing my Soul to Shine

I get these Daily OMs sent to me every day.  Positive thoughts and musings to give me perspective for my day.   One was about ALLOWING MY SOUL TO SHINE.  And HIDING.  

When I am lost inside my rich world I tend to forget to come out and play.  I can spend days at home without venturing outside during the light(well, all that has changed since Ginger).  I prefer communing with nature than with PEOPLE.   I always thought I was really shy.  And then I reMEMBERed.  When I was little I wasn't shy.  I was assertive and confident and happy.  Something happened to my heart - little by little -  I started closing it up, building a wall  - letting the outside world fade away as I explored within.  Daily OM says shyness might be a defense.  That I might be hiding.

Now, I usually run and hide when I feel hurt or don't understand the energies or PEOPLE around me.  Or if I feel PAIN.  Then I hide within my sacred spaces until I can open my heart again and re-examine what is going on.

This week has been especially wonderful and energetically tough.  Great Aunties here together, lots of family visiting and opening up our home and sacred space and BEING.  Lots of old patterns (of thought, behavior and attitudes) have come up.   New Moon.   OVERwhelm.  And the slightly chilly weather to blow it all away once it has served its purpose.

I have been thinking about this HIDING.  Giving it great thought.  I always thought I was HIBERNATING.  The weather hit 55 degrees in Florida and the sweatshirts and jackets and closed shoes came out.   For me, hibernating lets me restore and replenish.  Gives me time to absorb and chew on my experiences.  Gives me an opportunity to ground and center myself.  Helps me regain my balance.  HIDING - that is running away and losing faith and withdrawing from LIFE.  I did this too for years.  During the "dePRESSion".  

What helped me then was BABY STEPS.  A little bit every day.   Making a COMMITment to something new or different.  And being CONSISTent.  Small steps outside my door every day with Ginger Mama, not just in the dark of the morning but when the sun rises too.  Getting to know my neighbors and the squirrels that reside in the trees.  Praying with the trees as the wind blows through.  Feeling the sun on my face.  Just being ME and spreading ripples of LOVE energy out into the world.

Daily OM writes:    "Stepping out of the wings and letting your light shine is actually a way to serve the planet. We each have a responsibility to contribute to our community, and we do this when we let ourselves be seen. It doesn’t do anyone any good when we try to hide. We are all beings of light and we are here to light the way for each other ..... Shine your light out into the world, bless those around you by sharing your gifts, and watch the universe glow."

Off to laugh and shine and glow.  Tee hee!!! Yipee!!!