Connecting to the earth and our energy flow. . .

The other day we had rain . . . I'm talking buckets of rain.  Spillways and streams have been silent in suspended animation all summer as they wait patiently for the rains.  We haven't had rain for 7 months so the first rain is quite a welcome site.  I water my garden during the dry summer, but many plants just struggle for survival as they yearn for mother nature's life giving rain.  So the other morning my plants gayly reached for the sky in delight as rain caressed each tiny leaf.  Those plants that struggled the day before for their mere existance flourish today in celebration of the rain.  It reminded me of being back in the midwest where I grew up.  We referred to the heavy rain as raining cats and dogs.  We even had a rare clap of thunder with lightening just like the midwest.  You may already know that lightening liberates nitrogen from the air, which provides the nutrients that plants need to thrive.  The day before the rain my newly planted impatients looked droopy and sad.  I thought I had done everything I could for them, but what they needed was the one thing I couldn't provide -- rain.  The rain is the harbinger of autumn, and winter to come here in Southern California.

I spent time in my garden today with all the happy plants  . . . and the weeds.  It's wonderfully cool outside and perfect for getting grounded in the garden.  Connecting to the earth helps us to ground our energy and regain a beneficial energy flow.  My good friend, Shirley, introduced me to Earthing, which is method of grounding with Mother Earth.  I always knew that digging in the dirt felt so therapeutic; no matter how much pain I have, I am always drawn

Nurturing your mind, body and spirit . . .

Today I received a message from a good friend of mine.  She was so distressed that she had missed another family party and the criticisms that she can only imagine that come from family and friends when her husband arrives alone.  I am astounded at how we are able to feel each other's pain from messages that come to us in cyberspace.  Some of that pain is a recognizable personal pain that comes from our own personal experiences.  We have all been in that same place.  Either that or we attend family and friend get togethers regardless of how we feel; in essence we put ourselves last.

In a previous blog post, Don't Ever Let Them See You Sweat, I talked about our invisible illness and how that actually helped me to keep working.  My writing was focused on that warrior side of us that won't give in to this illness.  But that is only part of our collective story.  It is critical that we listen to our bodies every day and that we place ourselves first so we can be as healthy as possible.  I want to reiterate that we absolutely cannot wait until others understand the gravity of our illness and the daily struggle for wellness.  For our own quality of life, our survival, and our ability to thrive, we must be