My Musical Life 3-17-26

March 17th, 2026

#68 I Thank You (Sam & Dave) πŸ‘πŸΌ

Lyrics:
(I want everybody to get up off your seat
And get your arms together, and your hands together
And give me some of that o-o-old soul clapping)πŸͺ„
You didn’t have to love me like you did
But you did, but you did
And I thank you
You didn’t have to squeeze me like you did
But you did, but you did
And I thank youπŸͺ„
If you took your love to somewhere else
I wouldn’t know what it meant to be loved to death
You made me feel like I’ve never felt
Kisses so good I had to holler for helpπŸͺ„
You didn’t have to squeeze me but you did
But you did but you did
And I thank you
You didn’t have to hold me but you did
But you did but you did
And I thank youπŸͺ„
Every day was something new
You pull out your bag and your fine to-do
You got me trying new things too
Just so I can keep up with youπŸͺ„
You didn’t have to shake me like you did
But you did but you did
And I thank you
You didn’t have to make it like you did
But you did but you did
And I thank youπŸͺ„
All my life I’ve been shortchanged
Without your love baby, it’s a crying shame
And now I know what the fellas are talking about
When they say that they been turned outπŸͺ„
I want to thank you (thank you)
Thank you (oh, baby)
Thank you baby (yeah, yeah)
Oh baby (I gotta be thanking)
Got to sayπŸͺ„
You didn’t have to love me like you did
But you did, but you did.
(And I thank you.)πŸͺ„
You didn’t have to hold me like you did
But you did, but you did.
(And I thank you.)πŸͺ„
Thank you (thank you, baby)
Baby (Got to thank you)
Baby (oh, baby)
Thank! I’ve! Got! I’ve got to (thank you baby)
Thank you baby (oh baby)

My Abundant Life 2-16-26

February 16th, 2026

At The End of Our Exploring

“We shall not cease exploration

An the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.”

Thomas Stearns Eliot OM (Known as: T.S. Eliot) (Poet, Essayist, Publisher, Playwright, Literary Critic and Editor; September 26th, 1888 ~ January 4th, 1965)

“When we live our lives authentically, we discover our true place in the world for the first time.”

“It takes tenacity and daring to travel to the darkest interior of one’s self. Who knows what we might find there?”

“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE FRSL (known as: J. R. R. Tolkien) (English Writer, Poet, Philologist, and Academic; January 3rd, 1892 ~ September 2nd, 1973)

“Our dragons are our fears : our day stalkers, our night sweats. Fear of the unknown. Fear of failing. Fear of starting something new and not finishing. Again. Or the real fear, the one that sends shivers up our spines: the fear of succeeding, of becoming our authentic selves and facing the changes that will inevitably bring. We ight not be happy with the way we are living now, but at least it’s daftly familiar.”

“…there is really nothing to fear from self-awareness because at the end of all our personal ecploration, we will arrive back where we started and know in our hearts that we finally belong there.”

Thomas Stearns Eliot OM (Known as: T.S. Eliot) (Poet, Essayist, Publisher, Playwright, Literary Critic and Editor; September 26th, 1888 ~ January 4th, 1965)

“Today, if you feel frightened or unsure about the future, pick up the double-edged sword of Light and Love. Always remember, it’s simple not an adventure worth telling if there aren’t any dragons. But as in the best old tales, at the end of your exploring, you will live happily ever after.”

My Bucket List

Visit Caerlaverock Castle; Scotland
See the King Penguins on Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands

Before my story began…(Heather Houston 2-16-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I drove the MINI Cooper out of the garage tis morning for the first time since I purchased it last night. Wouldn’t you know it, As I pulled out the garage a warning light came on…”Low Tire”. UGH! I got out checked all the tires and they felt just fine. I choose to drive to work and check the pressure and then reset the light. I think during the detailing a setting malfunctioned. This is new for me to not worry myself to death about something minor. YEAH ME!” (Heather Houston 2-16-22)

“

“The dragons that lurk in the shadows of our lives can only be slayed with the double edge sword of love and light. Lately, I have been feeling empty in my job. It is not using my skills and I am surrounded by extremely needy people who suck the energy from people like myself. As an empath, I have to buffer myself from people who are vampires. I need to find something that fulfills my purpose and what gifts I can provide the world. Funny how when we age we must reinvent ourselves.” (Heather Houston 2-16-26)


–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. β€œSimple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 50-51 of 501.

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