“I appreciate my administrative assistant felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable with me today in keeping me in the loop on her interest to applying to an internal position within our foundation at HQ.” (Heather Houston 1-12-26)
“I am thankful that I am tech saavy and was able to figure out how to use the following apps: NotebookLM, Google Gemini and Trello.” (Heather Houston 1-12-26)
“I am blessed there was hardly any traffic today on my commute home…WINNING!” 🏆(Heather Houston 1-12-26)
“I am grateful my husband strategizes how to maximize our time together and he had our dinner (Pizza) all ready to go so practically when I walked in the door, he was putting it into the oven. HE is a magician!” ❤️ (Heather Houston 1-12-26)
“I appreciate watching TV series for pure entertainment at the end of the day…Bridgerton!” (Heather Houston 1-12-26)
I appreciate the random country selector that helps us determine which country we will cook from on our world chicken journey. (Heather Houston 2-12-22)
I am grateful that this winter has been mild and not super icy when I drive to work at 4:00AM. (Heather Houston 2-12-22)
I am thankful for the weekends to get caught up on sleep and rest. (Heather Houston 2-12-22)
I am blessed to have good eyesight…Thank you Lasix!😁 (Heather Houston 2-12-22)
I filled with joy that I have a loving partner who I love so hard!💕 (Heather Houston 2-12-22)
Lyrics: Tenement slum Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh Ahhhhh You think that I don’t feel love But what I feel for you is real love In other’s eyes I see reflected A hurt, scorned, rejected Love child, never meant to be Love child, born in poverty Love child, never meant to be Love child, take a look at me Started my life In an old, cold run down tenement slum (Tenement slum) My father left, he never even married mom I shared the guilt my mama knew So afraid that others knew I had no name Ahhhh, ah This love we’re contemplating Isn’t worth the pain of waiting We’ll only end up hating The child we maybe creating Love child, never meant to be Love child, (scorned by) society Love child, always second best Love child, different from the rest (Hold on, hold on, just a little bit) Mm, baby (Hold on, hold on, just a little bit) Mm, baby (Hold on, hold on, just a little bit) I started school In a worn, torn dress that somebody threw out(Somebody threw out) I knew the way it felt, to always live in doubt To be without the simple things So afraid my friends would see the guilt in me Ahhh, ah Don’t think that I don’t need you Don’t think I don’t wanna please you But no child of mine’ll be bearing The name of shame I’ve been wearing Love child, love child, never quite as good Afraid, ashamed, misunderstood But I’ll always love you (Love child) I’ll always love you (Just a little bit longer) I’ll always love you (Wait, wait, won’t you wait, just hold on) I’ll always love you (Just a little bit longer, love child) I’ll always love you (Wait, wait, won’t you wait, just hold on) I’ll always love you (Just a little bit longer)
“Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German Poet, Playwright, Novelist, Scientist, Statesman, Theatre Director, and Critic; August 28th, 1749 ~ March 22nd, 1832)
“Today, try to find a photograph of yourself when you were about ten…Send love to that young girl. Try to travel back in time and imagination. See yourself at ten: at home, at school, and at play.”
“…age ten was probably the last time you trusted your instincts. You didn’t listen to the opinions of your mother, your sister, or your friends because you had your own.”
“Try to contact the girl you once were. She’s all grown up now. She’s your authentic delf and she’s waiting to remind you how beautiful, accomplished, and extraordinary you really are.”
“The task today was to find a picture of myself when I was ten. The idea is that at ten we still trusted our instincts and didn’t let the opinions of others rule us. Regrettably, my story began at three or four-years old, so I had many stories by the time I hit ten. I included a picture when I was 4, which is likely the time when I last trusted myself. The other picture are closer to ten, but I was already manipulating myself by what I imagined others thought of me.“ (Heather Houston 2-12-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
1976 Christmas-Me, Santa & my brother
“See yourself at ten: at home, at school, and at play.”(Heather Houston 2-12-22)
“Where did you live?”
1324 Sunny Drive, Eugene, OR. 97404
“Can you see your house or apartment, and the street?”
Yes. Hedges lined the yard perimeter. An ancient golden locus tree in the front yard. The 2-Story garage in the side yard. The fat backyard had 2 filbert trees and a huge garden. A rock garden was nearest the house in the center of the backyard. Raspberry bushes lined the edge of the backyard with the far backyard. The street we a dead end and our house was located halfway down the length of the drive.
“Walk through your rooms in your childhood home. What did your bedroom look like?”
My room had oak floors. My bed was a separated bunk bed with drawers along the sides. I had a white bedspread with bright pink and orange butterflies printed on it. I had a small round wooden table, made by my father, with 4 red plastic chairs in the corner of the room. I had a family maple dresser with an oval mirror. Upon my bookshelf sat my phonograph.
“Who were your friends?”
Hannah Huntley
Lisa Humphreys
Clark Schaffer
Kyle Grey
Theresa Moso
Shari Shaffer
“Did you have a best pal?”
Theresa Moso
“Who was she?”
Classmate
“How did you play?”
Tag, dodgeball, hot lava
“What was your favorite color in the Crayola pack?”
Midnight Blue
“Did you play a musical instrument?”
Violin
“Who was your favorite doll?”
Stuffed Dumbo
Raggedy Ann & Andy
“Can you recall the scent of Play-Doh?”
Ohhhhh yes and silly putty.
“What were your favorite foods?”
Chicken Fried Steak
“What subject did you like best in fifth grade?”
Writing
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 46-47 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“I appreciate my husband fixing my faux pas when I emptied the dishwasher. I thought it was clean and instead they were all dirty. He went through the kitchen and collected all the dishes with a smile and gently kissed my forehead and said, ‘I love you!'” (Heather Houston 2-11-26)
“I feel blessed to live in a place where eagle sightings are a regular occurrence.” (Heather Houston 2-11-26)
“I appreciate that even with the celebration parade in downtown Seattle today, traffic to and from work was a breeze.” (Heather Houston 2-11-26)
“I am thankful that my Rx were ready at the pharmacy when I arrived…in and out!” (Heather Houston 2-11-26)
“I am thankful my husband made the flag of Italy pasta with a pesto (green), alfredo (white) and spicy marinara (red) sauces…YUM!” (Heather Houston 2-11-26)
I appreciate a peaceful morning getting ready for work. (Heather Houston 2-11-22)
I am grateful that my commute was without any agro-drivers. (Heather Houston 2-11-22)
I am thankful for the time my partner and I make after work to enjoy a cocktail together and share our day. (Heather Houston 2-11-22)
I appreciate watching mindless movies on a Friday night to unwind the week. (Heather Houston 2-11-22)
I am blessed to have an incredibly loving partner to build a life with. (Heather Houston 2-11-22)
Lyrics: In the cool of the evening when ev’rything is gettin’ kind of groovy, I call you up and ask you if you want to go and meet and see a movie, First you say no, you’ve got some plans for the night, And then you stop, and say, “All right.” Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you. You always keep me guessin’, I never seem to know what you are thinkin’. And if a fella looks at you, it’s for sure your little eye will be a-winkin’. I get confused, ’cause I don’t know where I stand, And then you smile, and hold my hand. Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you. Spooky! If you decide someday to stop this little game that you are playin’, I’m gonna tell you all what my heart’s been a-dyin’ to be sayin’. Just like a ghost, you’ve been a-hauntin’ my dreams, So I’ll propose, on Halloween. Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you. Spooky, Spooky, Spooky, Oh-whoa, all right, I said Spooky!
Divine Discontent: Learning To Live By Your Own Lights
“Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness…Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as thought a voice were saying” ‘You are accepted.'”
Paul Johannes Tillich (German-American Christian Existentialist Philosopher and Lutheran Protestant Theologian; August 20th, 1886 ~ October 10th, 1965)
“Discontent and disorder are signs of energy and hope, not of despair.”
Dame Cicely Veronica Wedgewood, OM, DBE, FBA, FRHistS (known as: C. V. Wedgwood)(English Historian; July 20th, 1910 ~ March 9th, 1997)
“When we learn how to spin straw into gold. When we realize gratefully that we can live by our own lights if we access the Power.”
“T.G.I.F. This day always seems to fly by…thankfully. I am so excited to get home and reunite with my love!” (Heather Houston 2-11-22)
“I have been on a bit of a quest of late. Learning how to ask the Universe for what I want to manifest. Curiously, I have been intentionally asking the Universe to send me eagles. Like magic, I am sighting 1-3 eagles per day on the regular. The last 2weeks has been 10 total. My intention is to begin leaking this intention into other areas of my life. All very new and exciting. Watch me GROW!” (Heather Houston 2-11-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 45-46 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
Driving to work westbound, I spotted a beautiful bald eagle perched on the railway wind gauge pole facing the north at the midspan point of the bridge. It was facing me and the wind was ruffling his white head feathers.🦅
“I am thankful I have learned to listen to my body and rest when I need it. Today was one of those days.”(Heather Houston 2-10-26)
“I appreciate my supervisor acknowledging the disrespect and mistreatment by a colleague and offering suggestions on how to deal with this issue moving forward.”(Heather Houston 2-10-26)
“I am blessed to have a wonderful administrative assistant. She honored me today with public acknowledgement around her thankfulness of me as her manager at our staff meeting. Iwas moved touched and inspired by her acknowledgment.”(Heather Houston 2-10-26)
“I am thankful my husband made a fabulous chicken shawarma meal tonight. It was a food orgasm!”(Heather Houston 2-10-26)
“I am blessed to have such a kind conscientious husband. I have been in pain the last few weeks as I recover from my biopsy. Apparently, I was uncomfortable in my sleep…whining and crying. He woke me to give me Tylenyol to help ease the pain. Thank you honey!” ❤️ (Heather Houston 2-10-26)
I appreciate getting a coffee and the barista asking how my morning is going and is actually interested and listening. (Heather Houston 2-10-22)
I am grateful that my internet connection did not drop at work as I heard many other departments lost all connectivity. This makes it hard to keep caught up. (Heather Houston 2-10-22)
I am thankful for the weekend forecast of sunny weather. (Heather Houston 2-10-22)
I am grateful to have a home that feels like a sanctuary. (Heather Houston 2-10-22)
I am blessed to have indoor plumbing. I can’t imagine having to tramp out in the cold to a dump toilet all the time. (Heather Houston 2-10-22)
#25 Judy In Disguise (John Fred & His Playboys) 👍🏼
Lyrics: Judy in disguise, well that’s what you are A lemonade pie with your brand new car Cantaloupe eyes come to me tonight Judy in disguise, with glasses Keep a-wearing your bracelets and your new Rara And cross your heart, yeah, with your livin’ bra Chimney Sweep Sparrow with guise Judy in disguise, with glasses Come to me tonight, come to me tonight Taking everything in sight Except for the strings on my kite Judy in disguise, hey that’s what you are A lemonade pie, hey, got your brand new car Cantaloupe eyes come to me tonight Judy in disguise, with glasses Come to me tonight, come to me tonight Taking everything in sight Except for the strings on my kite Judy in disguise, what you aiming for? A circus of a-horror, yeah-yeah, well that’s what you are You made me a life of ashes I guess I’ll just take your glasses
Creating An Authentic Lifestyle For Yourself And Those You Love
“It’s a funniy thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.”
William Somerset Maugham CH (English Playwright, Novelist, and Short-Story Writer; January 25th, 1874 ~ December 16th, 1965)
“It’s far easier to live an elegant, beautiful life when you’re not on a budget. When cash is readily available, you don’t have to learn the lessons that delayed gratification teaches us. But having money does not guarantee that we live authentically. Nor does being surrounded by beautiful things guarantee a lifetime of happiness.”
“When you learn what you can live without, you are able to ask life for the very best because you possess the gift of discernment. You develop patience that enables you to wait gracefully and gratefully until the best arrives because you know it will. You are able to create an authentic life for yourself and those you love because you are able to make conscious choices.”
“Long afterwards, she was to remember that moment when her life changed its direction…It was not predestined; she had choice. Or it seemed she had. To accept or refuse. To take one turning down the crossroads to the future or another.”
Evelyn Bridgett Patricia Ward-Thomas, née Stephens (known as: Evelyn Anthony) (British Writer; July 3rd, 1926 ~ September 25th, 2018)
“Turning away from the world and toward your own happiness is the path of authenticity.”
“Today, my soldier-athlete in my sprinting group learned the lesson of proper warm-up and flexibility. She experienced a bit of a calf strain due to not being fit enough to handle 30m sprint drills…very basic. It was an opportunity to help her learn how to warm-up to be preventative and to approach her drills from a focus on form vs. speed. Great learning day!” (Heather Houston 2-10-22)
“I have spent a lifetime waiting and discerning what to add to my life. My fiscally challenged upbringing was a gift and taught me what I could live without and if I needed something how to budget and be patient. Learning early what I could live without made it possible for me to be living the life I love presently. 8 years ago I asked the Universe for the very best life and “TADA” I am living it.” (Heather Houston 2-10-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 44-45 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
My Distilled Life 