April 25, 2008 by jacquie.

Here I am face-to-face or better yet, cheek-to-jowl, with my own will power. Guess what the topic is? You guessed it—a diet. Call it nutrition if you want it to sound healthy. The program I’m on calls it cleansing, which in fact it is. Whatever you call it, I call it challenging. I’m on my second pre-cleanse day and I’m having trouble sticking with it because I have a horrendous habit. I graze. Just like a cow, I munch, munch, munch all day long. Hmm, those almonds look wonderful … now I need an apple–but first I’ll have a glass of iced tea … it’s time for lunch … now I need something sweet … it goes on and on! My head is awhirl with wanting!

They say it will get better. Do they know about my constant thoughts about food? I’m either planning meals, shopping for ingredients, preparing meals, eating meals, eating between meals, or thinking about a restaurant where I’d like to eat. I have thoughts about food all day long! No wonder I got to this portly, chunky, generously proportioned size! I think about food constantly! And I live in the gourmet ghetto, how ironic is that?

Honestly, it was easier to stop smoking thirty years ago because at least with cigarettes, I simply wasn’t going to indulge in them anymore. Food is a necessity. I have to have some of it and that’s what’s so maddening. I do have to think about it. For this cleansing program, I don’t need to think very much – just one regular meal a day – except once a week when I don’t get any meal because I’m savoring a cleansing drink!

Oh, doesn’t that all sound fabulous? Well, I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this program. I knew I wanted to do it because I really need to lose 40 pounds or so. Probably more, but I’ll start with 40 and see where that takes me. This is about health and when I found a program that was more about health than about appearance, I simply could not resist and still have integrity.

One advantage to not messing about with food is that I have so many extra hours. But that can be a curse because when I’m bored, I think about food even more. I’ll have to come up with some activity that takes my attention to far off places and keeps me occupied. I have a stack of mysteries by one of my newly found favorite authors. I can spend all kinds of time, languishing on our deck, not sipping mint juleps, but reading some fascinating page-turner. It’s a plan anyway.

UPDATE: Marlowe, our Dog Share companion is here today! He goes home every night to his real parents, Annette and Lloyd.

© 2008, Jacqueline Hale

Posted in Articles | Print | No Comments »

April 18, 2008 by jacquie.

It’s April 15. You know what that means. Well, maybe you don’t. This is the date I set last November when our sweet dog Charlie died. I decided that I shouldn’t think of getting another dog until April 15^th because we had a lot of travelling to do before that date. It is the fifteenth of April as I write and now the travel is done and the house feels mighty empty. What’s next? I have to be careful because I will probably take the next available dog I see.

It isn’t surprising that Jim and I have ended up liking the freedom and flexibility we’ve enjoyed these past four months. We could travel and not think about a dog sitter. We could stay out until 3 AM and not worry about the poor dog’s bursting bladder. It was nice to be totally animal-concern free. But I’ve missed having a dog. I’ve missed the connection, the friend who doesn’t talk back, the unconditional love. To this day, I have yet to open the front door without expecting the happy barks and sweet kisses. I thought that expectation would have ended long ago.

An innovative idea I’ve had is to share a dog with a neighbor – someone who works all day and whose dog would love coming to our house to play with us. That way we could have our cake and eat it too, so to speak. We could watch Rover while the other “parents” are on trips and they could watch Rover when we are away. It seems like a great idea. I’ve even gone scouting to see what dogs are out at 8 AM. I’ve seen a few possibilities – a good owner, the right-sized dog, one who loves to play with other dogs, and likes to swim in the nearby creek. Over and over, I thought, “Maybe that’s the right dog?” But then I get overwhelmed with the quandary and wonder if the whole idea would even be satisfying?

Today being April 15, I went online to look at the dogs up for adoption. Oh dear, that was a mistake! I want a lot of them. I am filled with longing. I want my own fluffy dog who knows I am her/his best friend. I want to rush right out and snatch up one of those Belgian shepherds I saw. (It’s a good thing they are all spoken for!) But I think I should try the dog-sharing idea first. I think that’s what I should do.

I’m sure that by next week, one dog or another will be at my feet as I type. Maybe my heart will be in shreds by then, agonizing over which one is the one. In the meanwhile, I keep remembering Lassie, Muggs, Snap, Tinka, Jessie, Benny, and Charlie, my companions for sixty years of my life. I am ready to have my heart filled one more time.

©2008, Jacqueline Hale

Posted in Articles | Print | No Comments »

April 9, 2008 by jacquie.

This morning I asked myself again, “Now, what do I want to do with my life?” It seems I ask myself this question fairly often. Wouldn’t you think I’d already know what I want to do with my life? After all, I’ve recently gotten my Medicare card! However, when I finish a project or come to the end of some saga, I find myself pondering what’s next.

The choices seem endless. Being multi-talented and incredibly interested in many things can be frustrating. I have skills and training in more areas than seems sensible. Sometimes it seems like I dabble rather than take an occupation seriously. Am I really required to pick one and stick with it forever? Am I a dilettante when I move fluidly between various activities? I don’t know.

What I do know is that I feel it’s time to quit floating down the river. It’s time to climb onto the shore and assess where I am and what my resources are. Brrr! It’s a little chilly out here, standing dripping wet in my birthday suit. What would make me feel warm and cozy?

·         What engages my mind so completely that I forget what time it is?

·         What activities engage my heart?

·         What motivates me to do more?

·         What challenges me to be better?

OK, that’s clear. I answered those questions, and now I know what I want to do next. A few months ago, I might have had trouble answering those questions. I was restless and feeling dull. I was waiting for the next thing to appear.

Here’s a question that helps people determine what has heart and meaning for them: What do you want to be remembered for when you die? Since I came home from Africa, one of my answers is to be remembered as the woman who changed the health of thousands (or millions) of people around the world by disseminating information about purifying water in discarded plastic bottles. This idea has engaged my heart, stimulated my mind, and when I talk about it or think about it, I lose all track of time. The challenge for me is to find out how to get the information to the people who need it and to motivate them to use the low tech method I discovered on the internet to eliminate water-borne diseases from their lives.

And then I think, “Who am I to accomplish this daring goal?” That question reminds me of Marianne Williamson’s words about our greatest fear:

We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.  

I know I get scared when I think I don’t know what I am doing, but I keep moving forward and finding the most wonderful information. And people have contacted me to say they want to help! It does seem like the path has been illuminated for me. So here I go, taking another step!

© 2008, Jacqueline Hale

Posted in Articles | Print | No Comments »