Day 265 Shit

August 31, 2015

(If we live with an open and grateful attitude, every day will bring a gift. This is one of 365 gifts during the year I turned 70.)

 

There is beauty even in a dead rose.

Today marks the day that leads into the last hundred days of my 365 project where I focus on daily "gifts." I do not retreat as Thoreau did, but I do live each day deliberately, recognizing the good and the meaningful. I acknowledge my body aches with a nod and then go try to on to better things. I cannot control my inherited genes and the aging body, but I can control my focus and response.

Each day I have choices. I can spend time doing things that suck my soul or I can choose to welcome what lifts my soul. I have the power to shuffle priorities and change what I place at the top. I can choose to clutch the negative, or I can embrace the positive, or I can create something that weaves both together.

Long ago, I heard a story that defines a pessimist, an optimist and a realist. The stage is set with a pile of manure, a rose bush and a shovel. Someone comes by, notices the smell of the manure and declares, "Life is shitty!" as he hurries away pinching his nose and not seeing anything else. The second person comes by, bends over to smell the roses and purrs, "Isn't life wonderful!" He continues, ignoring the other items. A third person walks into the scene, stops and examines what he sees. He then picks up the shovel, puts the manure around the rose bush and continues on his way. No words are necessary because the action says it all.

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” ~ (unsubstantiated source: Abraham Lincoln? Alphonse Karr? B. Fay Mills? Roe Fulkerson? J. Kenfield Morley? Anonymous?)

 My gift today is choice.

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You can find links to my other posts on this project here:

http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html

Day 256 Good Energy

August 22, 2015

(If we live with an open and grateful attitude, every day will bring a gift. This is one of 365 gifts during the year I turned 70.)

Photo by David. M. Ettlin

The corner of Arlington Avenue and Hollins Street in Baltimore held a little magic tonight—not the normal rabbit from a hat trick but peace and happiness from the heart. Troy Staton was the conductor but everyone there held the magic as they connected with one another. In 2014, just outside his barbershop, someone was fatally shot just several feet from the door and then earlier this year, some events scheduled to take place in the area were postponed because of the unrest in Baltimore. Last night’s party reflected a more positive spirit like the one that emanates from Troy. The street was blocked off for a party, chairs and tables were scattered about, food smells  and songs of music surrounded the area. As it grew dark, people sat and walked about, ate, drank, talked with one another and hugged. Talked with one another.  This is a most important part of the happening tonight. Good energy permeated the scene.

An art exhibit hung inside the barbershop and spoken word performances rang out with passion and touched all who heard. Talent vibrated the small space inside. Troy’s son Rashad, who graduated from Morgan State University last year, organized artist talks and spoken word performances. At age 18, spoken word artist Grim Jackson held the audience spellbound, as did those who followed.

I wonder…how can someone focus on negative energy once they’ve experienced a gathering such as this?

My gift today is a night of positive energy.

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> Day 257: Life's Binary

You can find links to my other posts on this project here:

http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html