My Abundant Life 4-16-26

April 16th, 2026

Walking as Meditation

“I will tell you what I learned myself. For me a long, five- or six-mile walks helps. And one must got alone and every day.”

Brenda Ueland (American Journalist and Editor; October 24th, 1891 to March 5th, 1985)

“It requires a direct dispensation from Heaven to become a walker.”

Henry David Thoreau (American Naturalist and essayist; July 12th,1817 to May 6th, 1862)

“…most days I go on walks for a ‘movement meditation’–fitness of the spirit. I try to quiet the voices in my head, take long strides, and concentrate on the slow, steady rhythm of my breath, comforted by the interior silence.”

“I love walking and try to get in a 3-5 minute walk every hour at work. Usually once around the block is enough to clear my head and breath fresh air. My favorite meditative walks are holding my husband’s hand and walking quietly together in wonder of the majesty of the beautiful planet we inhabit.”


–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 120 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

Daily Gratitude 4-15-26

April 15th, 2026

  • I am thankful for my parents – for giving birth to mw. Because if there is no them, there would not be me.
  • I am blessed for my extended family – for being my closest kin in the world.
  • I am grateful for my friends – for being my companions in life.
  • I am thankful for my sense of sight – for letting me see the colors of life.
  • I appreciate my sense of hearing – for letting me hear trickle of rain, the voices of my loved ones, and the harmonious chords of music.

My Musical Life 4-15-26

April 15th, 2026

#99  Hey, Western Union Man (Jerry Butler) 👍🏼

Lyrics:
Oh, western union man send a telegram to my baby
Send a telegram, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram to my baby
This is what I want you to say🪄
I want you to tell her that I’m all alone
I tried to call her on the phone
Tell her I’m in misery and think she’s avoiding me
And if the telegram don’t do
Send a box of candy too and maybe some flowers🪄
Tell her that I miss her for hours and hours
Send a telegram, send a telegram
Hurry up, send a telegram, man, to my baby
Do you hear what I say🪄
Oh, western union man, send a telegram
Oh, send a telegram to my baby
Western union man, hey, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram, man, to my baby
This is what I want you to do🪄
Listen, tell me, have you got a boy you can send
This is what I want him to do
Put him on his bike right away
See if he can get my message through
Maybe tomorrow but mail it right away🪄
I want the girl to know that I missed her
Something like yesterday
Send a telegram, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram, man, to my baby
Do you hear what I say🪄
Oh western union man why don’t you send a telegram
Well send a telegram to my baby
Western union man, send a telegram
Oh send a, send a telegram, send it
Send it, send it, send it, right on to my baby
Do you hear what I say🪄
Hey western union man, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram to my baby, hey

My Abundant Life 4-15-26

April 15th, 2026

Discovering the Momentum of Creative Movement

“The body is shaped, disciplined, honored, and in time, trusted.”

Martha Graham (American Dancer and Teacher; May 11th, 1894 to April 1st, 1991)

“The world as I know it is divided into two types of women–those who exercise and those who don’t.”

“Those who do exercise seem to have more energy, less stress, fewer weight problems, and generally a more positive and optimistic outlook on life. Women who are fit will tell you that regular exercise is the single most important thing they have ever done to improve their life.”

“Women who do not exercise don’t believe them and have every excuse in the world for why they can’t or won’t find out for themselves: they don’t have the time, they’re too out of shape, they’re coming down with the flu, it’s too cold or too hot, they’re too tired, they’re too depressed, maybe next week.

“Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes.”

Robert Maynard Hutchins (American Educator and Former Chancellor of the University of Chicago; January 17th, 1899 to May 17th, 1977)

“This is not good. This is not self-nurturing. This is not healthy. We know this intellectually.”

“Don’t refer to the activity as exercise or fitness any longer. If you must call it something, call it creative movement.”

“Think of creative movement as a life-enhancing, enjoyable pastime, because it is. Just pause for a moment and imagine all the ways that you could move creatively that bring you pleasure: dancing (ballet, jazz, or tap), swimming, fencing, horseback riding, racquetball. tennis, golf, riding a bike. …Start moving, a step at a time, step after step. The positive momentum will take if from there.”

“With enlightenment and self-awareness, we can reguide and realign our whole selves: our bodies, by finding new ways of moving and celebrating them and by adding good food in amounts they tell us they need; our souls, our sense of ourselves as good and worthwhile, by connecting them to the earth and to each other.”

Diana Roesch (Theater and Film Producer)

“I have always loved movement and feel more of myself when moving. I have learned to move in new ways in this chapter of my life. Specifically, my husband introduced me to rowing regularly which eases the stress on aging joints. BRILLIANT! I had coached rowing for years and in all that time, I rarely participated. Now I have an rowing ergometer in our living room. WINNING!”


–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 119 to 120 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Musical Life 4-14-26

April 14th, 2026

#98  Bend Me, Shape Me (The American Breed) 👍🏼

Lyrics:
You are all the woman I need
And baby, you know it (know it, know it, know it)
You can make this beggar a king
A clown or a poet (poet, poet, poet)
I’ll give you all that I own
You’ve got me standing in line
Out in the cold
Pay me some mind🪄
Bend me, shape me
Anyway you want me
‘Long as you love me
It’s all right
Bend me, shape me
Anyway you want me
You got the power
You to turn on the light🪄
Everybody tells me I’m wrong
To want you so badly (badly, badly, badly)
But there’s a force driving me on
I follow it gladly (gladly, gladly, gladly)
So, let them laugh, I don’t care
‘Cause I got nothing to hide🪄
All that I want
Is you by my side🪄
Bend me, shape me
Any way you want me
‘Long as you love me
It’s all right
Bend me, shape me
Any way you want me
You got the power
To turn on the light🪄
And bend me, shape me
Any way you want me
‘Long as you love me
It’s all right
Bend me, shape me
Any way you want me
You got the power
To turn on the light

My Abundant Life 4-14-26

April 14th, 2026

When You Hunger and Thirst

“The body must ne nourished, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We’re spiritually starved in this culture–not underfed but undernourished.”

Carol Hornig

“When I first became aware that when I ‘swallowed’ life I was really hungry and thirsty for joy and serenity, it was a turning point for me in learning self-nurturance. Finally, I understood that I wasn’t underfed but spiritually undernourished. I realized I could go within and ask my soul–my authentic self–what I needed. I learned to stop and ask myself the questions ‘How can I care for you? What is it you truly need?'”

“As you nurture your spirit with kindness, your physical cravings will loose their grip.”

“Realize today that your hunger and thirst for a reason. Ask your authentic self to reveal your deeper needs, so that Spirit can quench and satisfy your parched and ravenous soul.”

“I love food for all the ways it flirts with me in smell, taste, texture and sight. I used to only look as food as fuel and from a lens of scarcity. I have never been an overeater, more of a grazer. I eat when I’m hungry. I often get engrossed in whatever I am up to and forget to eat until my project is done. When this happens, I assess what my body needs and take in the fuel my body is demanding…usually protein. I really have never been much of an emotional eater. I notice more my desire based on cravings which usually point out other deficiencies in my daily diet. I do my best to listen.”


–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 118 to 119 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.