Author: chungwipff

No Problem

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Jiddu Krishnamurti: “Do you know what my secret* is? I don’t mind what happens.”

By this, he did not mean blindly accept everything (oppression, violence, etc.) but to accept reality, and to not be “put off” by unforeseen circumstances. This is where you must start before exacting change or growth.

He lived by the tenet, “I don’t mind at all.” So I decided that would be my mantra today.

I sat down to paint. “Caroline, can you help me get my car to the garage for servicing?” I don’t mind at all.

And then I wanted to take a bath. “Honey, can you help me fix the window?” I don’t mind at all.

Throughout the day, I was called upon to do something unplanned and I thought, I don’t mind at all.

Saying it to myself in response to these events, I felt my body relax and my brain say, “This isn’t a big deal, I’m happy to help.”

I still managed to get my work done and I just completed a painting. I’m about to take a bath now…unless, of course, someone needs me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*secret to complete inner peace

Tamed

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A month ago, they were fighting so much we had to muzzle them when they were in the same room.

What changed?

A slow transition to unmuzzled company.

Daily exercise.

Firm but loving handling: sitting before going out a door, sitting before feeding, etc.

Immediately redirecting any aggressive behavior.

Lots of positive reinforcement of good behavior.

 

Dogs are a lot like humans!

Soul in Manacles

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“If someone else can decide what will happen within you right now, isn’t that the ultimate slavery?”

Sadhguru

 

“He’s a narcissist and he’s dating that whore.”

This is something she said for over eight years. Eight years. She wore bitterness on her sleeves, she spoke of her ex-husband – their father –  like this openly.  In her desire to vent and let her ego shine, she cast a dark shadow on her sons.

What she didn’t realize was that she had no control over his actions, but she DID (and still does) have control over her own thoughts and actions. When we get angry about the words and actions of others, we have just placed manacles on our own words and actions. We have become slaves to others, allowing our moods to be swayed by them.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Kiss your ex goodbye, wish him well and move on.

 

 

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

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I pack my daughters’ lunches on school days. Yes, they’re teenagers and could do it themselves and no, I’m not spoiling them. I do it because it really is a pleasure for me.

Monday, I packed chicken quesadillas. I used Costco shredded cheese. Literally, it says “Mexican Blend Cheese“:

Image result for costco mexican shredded cheese

Ava comes home and says, “The Mexican boys at my table saw my lunch and asked me why you use yellow cheese. I told them that I have a Korean mom.”

 

!

 

Tuesday, I packed garlicky pasta. Because I’m so nice and thoughtful, I taped a piece of gum on the thermos:

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No comment from the peanut gallery teens.

 

Wednesday, I packed Korean sticky rice and threw in some dried seaweed. Ava says she wants to be more vegetarian, so I thought this was perfect.

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She came home and said, “I got so much teasing over my Asian lunch.”

 

Thursday, I packed more Korean sticky rice and baked tilapia. But when I looked for small tupperware, I had none. I’ve decided to stop using plastic bags (you know, the ocean and all) and so I had to use the zipper pouches I wrote about before:

Wegreeco Reusable Sandwich & Snack Bags - Set of 3 - (Odyssey)

Yes, I put fish in a bag. 

That afternoon, Ava comes home and sighs.

“Could you please pack lunches that won’t get me beat up*?”

 

 

*Obviously, she’s not really getting beat nor bullied.

 

Inktober

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I should could be working on my National Board Certification, but I wanted to do this instead. Drawing and painting help me get centered, as long as I embrace imperfection.

This is the first in a series of lessons in Lisa Congdon’s Inktober challenge (Creativebug.com). I’m supposed to use ink, but I don’t have any yet. So I used watercolor.