Day 3770: Stories we like to tell

As a therapist, I listen to stories that people like to tell. Some stories are curative; others are habitual retellings of internalized toxic beliefs.

A story I like to tell is that people are capable of change, growth, and healing, no matter what awful experiences they’ve had.

I expect I’ll have stories I like to tell from my vacation in Europe next week. The last time I took a trip, I certainly had stories (see here for one of them).

Do you see stories we like to tell in my images for today?

The Daily Bitch likes to tell fascinating stories.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for the stories we like to tell.

I look forward to reading the stories you like to tell.

Thanks to all who help me share the stories we like to tell in this blog, including YOU!

Day 3624: Find

I find it useful to define my terms, so here’s a definition of “find.”

I always appreciate what people find in therapy, discovering that they can find resilience and hope in the midst of emotional and physical pain. I find we keep learning important lessons over and over again, perceiving new understanding every time.

Yesterday, I was grateful to find, again, that I can use my adult wisdom and capabilities to react more effectively to situations that trigger painful childhood memories.

I find that this newly installed pipe …

… can either obscure my view or help me see more clearly. And if I find that I don’t like looking at it, I can always have it redone.

Here are the images I find on my phone this morning:

I find that

• I’m trying to obsess less about shit in general,
• I’m grateful to have a roof over my head,
• I like to play outside with Joan the cat, and
• the Daily Bitch calendar is a real find (as is Joan).

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “find.”

It took me several careers to find my main passion, which is group therapy. I’m hoping to find more time to pursue my other passions, including travel and songwriting.

If you find you have something to share about this “find” post, please find the comments section below.

Thanks to all the finds who find me here on WordPress, including YOU!

Day 3613: Relish

I relish having another day to

• blog,
• work,
• connect,
• learn,
• love, and
• just be.

Here’s a definition of “relish” (for those who relish such things).

Here and now, I relish being alive and well 59 years after my unexpected heart surgery on the same day that President John F. Kennedy was killed. I definitely do not relish what happened on that day, but I’ve learned to relish many, many precious moments since.

Do you see relish in my images for today?

Today, on National Cranberry Relish Day, I shall do my best to relish every moment. I also relish the progress I’ve made over my 10 years of blogging (click here for the post I wrote on November 22, 2013).

Here’s what I find when I search YouTube for “relish.”

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I relish all who make my life better, including YOU!

Day 3275: Unforgettable lines

Last night, I asked a question about unforgettable lines on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, I had noticed unforgettable lines in a story about CNN’s 2021 Hero of the Year, Shirley Raines, whose non-profit Beauty 2 the Streetz (which she started after her young son died) provides food, clothing, beauty services, and other nourishment to the homeless in Los Angeles.

“You don’t need to be whole to be the missing piece in others’ lives” is profoundly unforgettable.

Do you see unforgettable lines in my other images for today?

In the midst of adding those images to this blog post, I stopped to create (I hope!) unforgettable lines for a new original song, “Forgettable.”

I think there are many unforgettable lines in Paul Simon’s song “The Cool, Cool River” including “sometimes even music cannot substitute for tears.”

I’m looking forward to unforgettable lines from you in the comments section, below, and I hope my gratitude for you is unforgettable!

Day 3183: Expressing love

There are many ways to express love, as I’m seeing in the hundreds of answers to this question I posted last night on Twitter:

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I love to remind people that there are many different ways to express love and that different people have different love languages. No matter what the love language, though, people can express love with patience, commitment, and acceptance of difference. Also, in order to love others better, it’s important to love yourself.

Don’t you love how it’s so easy to sound cliched when you’re expressing thoughts and feelings about love?

Am I expressing love by sharing my other images for today?

The Daily Bitch has an interesting way of expressing love.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “expressing love”:

I also find this:

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Blogging is one of my ways of expressing love, so loving thanks to all who find the time to visit, including YOU!

Day 3178: What life is

The Daily Bitch calendar for today is explaining what life is, sometimes.

My late mother (whom I miss even more during the Jewish holidays) used to say “Life is what you make it.”

What life is includes dealing with constant change. Today I am going back to work in-person one day a week and I hope I can adapt to that easily.

Do you see any indications of what life is in my other images for today?

What life is includes joys, sorrows, fears, frustrations, the unexpected, hurts, healing, despair, hope, and obligations. Now I need to give our adopted kitty Joan some treatments for her stubborn mastitis (an inflammation of the breast tissue caused by her nursing her kittens), before I leave for work.

What do you think life is?

Here is “What Life Is” by Rebelution.

What life is includes gratitude for all who help me deal with what life is, including YOU!

Day 3167: Noses

People that knowses this blog know that I’ve been thinking a lot about noses lately, because the little girl with this nose …

… who didn’t know what she was doing, caused my nose to start bleeding out of control last weekend.

My husband Michael thinks that Joan the cat has a funny nose, but I love her nose.

I’m also loving MY nose more, here and now, because it no longer has an ugly and painful balloon stuck up it and it seems to be healing rather well!

I have to be careful and gentle with my nose for the next week. Because I take a blood thinner, the cat scratch inside my nose will take longer to heal. But the mouth under my nose is smiling today, for sure!

Yesterday morning, before I saw the reassuring Ear, Nose & Throat specialist at the hospital, I searched for quotes about noses and found these:

Do you see noses in any of my other images for today?

I smell blueberry popsicles in some people’s futures.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “noses.”

My nose knows that gratitude always smells sweet, so thanks to all who poke their noses into this daily blog, including YOU!

Day 2945: Rear view mirrors

Lately, I’ve been using a helpful image to leave behind and let go of toxic things in my life: I imagine them in the rear view mirror of my car, getting smaller as I drive away.

Donald Trump is in my rear view mirror. He’s also in Randy Rainbow’s rear view mirror, as we can see in “Seasons of Trump.”

Also in my rear view mirror are:

• perfectionism,
• fear,
• worry,
• shame, and
• assholes.

Soon I’ll be putting my fear about getting COVID-19 again in my rear view mirror, because I’m getting the vaccine on Wednesday!

I wonder what I’ll actually be seeing in my car’s rear view mirror as I drive to the Boston hospital where I work to get my shot.

Do you see any rear view mirrors in these photos?

Compassion will make you beautiful, no matter what mirror you’re using.

What, or who, would you like to put in your rear view mirror?

Thanks to all who helped me create this rear-view-mirrors post, including YOU.

Day 2053: Peace & Quiet

In an Iceland hotel, instead of demanding “Do Not Disturb,” one politely asks for “Peace & Quiet.”

I think we all deserve some Peace & Quiet these days, especially with all the noise in the news.

Do you see any Peace and/or Quiet in my other photos from yesterday?

I’m off for another day of Peace, Quiet, & Dramatic Scenery in Iceland.

Peace, Quiet, & Thanks to all who helped me create today’s blog post and — of course! — to you.

Day 1859: That was then, this is now

January was then,  February is now.

 

That was February 1st when I took those photos, this is now February 2nd, Groundhog Day, and my 65th birthday.

For those of us who are still recovering from the past, this is now the time to tell ourselves: “That was then, this is now.”  The then is still with us, but the now offers the gifts of opportunity, healing, and hope.

That was then when I watched and listened to The Monkees.  This is now “That Was Then, This is Now.”

 

That was my blog post for the day.  This is now my gratitude for all who have helped me get through the then and the now, including the Monkees, The New Yorker, Roz Chast,  and YOU.