“I am thankful my husband reminded me to begin the days with alternating hot and cold packs on my biopsy site. Amazing how this helps the circulation and lymph system clear the bruising.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
“I am grateful we got our Costco shopping done earlier in the day so we could relax the balance of our Sunday together.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
“I appreciate my husband helping break up the proteins we purchased into meal sizes so we could freeze them for future use.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
“I am blessed to live in a time with readily access to food items from around the word. Affording us an opportunity to create delicious exotic meals. It is my little way of traveling without leaving my kitchen.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
“I am thankful my husband’s imagination in the kitchen tonight made a yummy pizza for dinner. He used his famous ‘green sauce’ as a base and it came out fantastic.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
“I am grateful for the laughter between myself and my swimmers as I egged them on to start their workout in the freezing pool water🥶. I’m a sadistic coach.” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
“I appreciate my partner listening to me as I vent stress of my uncertainty and ongoing “To Do” list. He is so patient with me.”♥️ (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
“I am thankful for a light dinner of bao dumplings and beer.” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
“I appreciate the movie alignment with my partner as we watched Gandhi…again. Just love this flick!” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
“I am blessed to have drifted off to sleep so quickly last night as I was wiped out.” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
Lyrics: When I think about the good love you gave me I cry like a baby Livin’ without you is drivin’ me crazy I cry like a baby Well, I know now that you’re not a play thing Not a toy or a puppet on a string As I look back on a love so sweet now I cry like a baby Every road is a lonely street I cry like a baby I know now that you’re not a play thing Not a toy or a puppet on a string Today we passed on the street And you just walked on by My heart just fell to my feet And once again I began to cry When I think about the good love you gave me I cry like a baby (Cry like a baby) Livin’ without you is drivin’ me crazy I cry like a baby (Cry like a baby) I know now that you’re not a play thing I cry like a baby (Just like a little bitty baby now) As I look back on a love so sweet now I cry like a baby (Just like a little bitty baby now) Every road is a lonely street I cry like a baby (Cry like a baby) My heart just fell to my feet, you know I cried like a baby (Cry like a baby) You left the water runnin’ now (Cry like a baby) I cried like a baby (Cry like a baby)
Walter Whitman (American Poet, Essayist and Journalist; May 31st, 1819 ~ March 26th, 1892)
“Creative excursions are regular solo rendezvous with your authentic self designed for this purpose. In the beginning of any intimate relationship the best gift you can offer another person is the investment of quality time together. So it is with your authentic self.”
“When you embark on creative excursions, your authentic self will lovingly reveal to you the beautiful mystery that is you. This occurs spontaneously as you make the pursuit of personal growth a sacred endeavor.”
“Creative excursions require an investment of time, not money.”
“…once we realize that nurturing our imaginations and developing a relationship with our authentic selves is an investment we can no longer afford to put off.”
“Well, wouldn’t you know it, I did it again. Putting off what I should do. UGH! No more. Working on my resume now!!!” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
“I have added a weekly creative excursion to my calendar on Fridays so I an reconnect to my authentic self and pay amends to her for not nurturing this part of her deep desire. This could be anything that will dedicate time to my authentic self…small or large…alone or with my husband. The point is to take time each week to acknowledge and feed my soul. It feels a bit selfish, and I am learning to put myself first after a lifetime of placing myself last or not at all. I am blessed my husband supports me in this general idea of filling my cup first before filling others. Part of this commitment will include rewatching or watching for the first time films throughout my lifetime. I think rewatching these films will bring up fond memories of times in the past as well as seeing them newly with my new outlook on life.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 35-36 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
My Distilled Life 