For Comfort

The color of the typing used in this entry is different from what has been in the past.

Did you notice?

It's brown.

Brown is a woodsy, earthy tone. 

Found in nature, also found in poop. You can choose. 

When I think of nature, it makes me think of raspberries from a briar patch. It makes me think of the bark on trees. Especially more mature trees. Trees that could tell of many events if they could speak in human terms. 

When professionals who study, deal with trees on a regular basis, speak of them. People will listen to agricultural terms.

Some people will listen to agri-woo-woo terms, most, will turn away.

Being somewhere midway on that, I'm an everything girl.

Today, life has given me a little bump in the road. My trusty steed has gone on strike. It clicked, tried to start. Just fell short of kicking in.

It seems like it would be something minor such as worn or weakened spark plug, here's hoping for that. A girl can hope & dream.

While it's a bit unsettling, it's manageable.

From my food storage, my basic needs are met. Food, food for my fur baby (PJ), toity paper, water. Of course there are other items for different types of pressing emergencies. Must have Wiley Wallaby soft black licorice, a 1001 clean jokes book, 25 MREs. The MREs may have a bland taste, they would sustain until the crises passes.

Yeah, that sort of comfort in that sort of emotional, mental sort.

While being at a 4 on a scale of 1 - 10, my comfort, today is coming from a few different sources.

Along with comfort food, I have PJ. He seems to sense that things are different, right now. I have AC on a hot day, beautiful needlework projects to complete. A smart TV with unlimited entertainment. My new laptop so I can get some work done in the interim. Focusing on what I have vs a car that hiccups instead of starting.

So much to be grateful for, focusing on that feels empowering.

What about mental comfort?

What about emotional comfort?

What about spiritual comfort?

What about financial comfort?

Having all four of these covered, all I have to do is wait for Monday.

Today is Saturday. Of course, the trusty steed would pooh out on a Saturday. As I look deeper, go for my interior when the exterior of life throws a curve ball, seeing it as a small life lesson. It makes more sense, is more acceptable than a poor me or victim of circumstances attitude.

The attitude of choice can make such a difference.

Actions taken can also make a big difference.

Using the extended time in the present, carless can also make a difference.

Positive thoughts -> Happy feelings -> Smiling when I feel like crying -> Lower cortisol level -> Choosing a healthy comfort food ->

Everything will brie all right.

The life I have in a world that I view isn't a glass that is full. It's a glass overflowing with infinite clear, unadulterated, cool water. It's overflowing as the life decisions I have made have given a good life. Far from perfect. Closer to perfect, a 7 on a 1 - 10 scale. 

As one who lives as a lady hawk, learned to live as a free spirit, learned to depend mostly on my own sheer will. Only within personal thoughts, independent attitude, strength of willing it to be so. While other people have sought to use me in exchange for giving very scant. Other people who call on me for help while leaving me somewhat unsettled, even a scant depleted for me to replenish on my own. 

I am all I have.

There are only a very few who give back to me. Some of the users are the ones I have had to eliminate or diminish contact with them.

How does one survive, even strive in this?

When the choices are to give up, wallow in all that is making me feel hopeless or get moving, choose the positive, such as ~

Exercise

Play with PJ

Get going on a project

Take a long walk

(Hopefully it will be on a long plank to match)

Indulge in creativity

Write the feelings down

(Instead of eating the feels)

Sit outside in the back yard & just listen to the birds

Start a small organizing project

When pondering on the world, the cultures of the different countries I have experienced first-hand. Then ponder on the people I have known from those cultures. Again, to ponder on the culture mixture of all the people in my own country, the USA.

People who say that people are simple are so self-misled.

Even more people who say the male gender is simple are more 

self-misled.

People who are realistic thinkers, who act in more truthful ways, who speak from truth while still being kind are simpler. In a world that tells us to tell the truth, be who you are. Then, finding out early in life that telling the truth & being who you truly are can deliver 

a 1 - 2 punch of trouble. 

Worldliness can be a bitch with 22 puppies.

Most of the comfort in life, for me, is benevolently gotten by needlework, growing things, meditation that calms the mind while elevating my spirit. Some needleworkers I have known have certain subjects they love, some that they avoid.

Band Samplers are a favorite for me. Every time a band is completed, it feels like a mini finish. Line upon line, precept on precept, prose & poetry with flowers & lace.

Beautiful children & adult people doing interesting things. Less static, more of an in-motion feel.

Flowers of all sorts. Often, it's roses or a flower with petals with a contrast center such as Gerber Daisies, Sunflowers. Stitching roses creates such easily recognized beauty though it can feel mundane.

Poetry, whether historic or original can cause intimate introspection.

That was the sweet. Here is the other.

Bugs. 

Having a strong reaction to venom in insects, especially bees makes me mostly averse to stitching bees. Though I do it sometimes if the bee is cute or more styled than realistic. Any other insects such as beetles, spiders, creepy crawly inching type bugs. Yuck.

Rodents, specifically mice. If you have had to deal with three separate rodent infestations, as I have. It might be easy to see.

The real-life mice, rats, various others that can contaminate my food storage, make nests in my hat boxes, chew a favorite book to pieces.

Those pesky rodents are neither harmless or cute.

Outside of those 2 categories, most needlework subjects are delightful ways to pass the time, to comfort in grief, to amuse.