Wealthy Beyond Measure: Stress Free, Too .5/22/11

“Abundance does not consist in how

 much we have, but in how much

 we enjoy.”

 

     Good evening, everyone,
How was your weekend? Yesterday, my sons, a friend, and I were immersed in nature all day. At Sunol Regional Wilderness Park, near Niles Canyon, south of Pleasanton.  My sons, along with a friend I've known for fourteen years, and I hiked. For more than two hours, alternatingly
basking and slowly baked in the weather in the steep hills. We tromped, scampered, and clambered; I have a heat rash on my neck to prove it.

1. I'm thankful for my physical well-being, sweet times with family and friends, the daytime chirping of crickets, and the fact that I wasn't tasted as fresh meat by a blood-thirsty mosquito. 

One part of the creek that we scampered over

          The time spent together was heavenly. We clambered over boulders strewn across a raging creek, swollen by rain that poured in earlier this week. The canopy of branches and leaves shaded us from the weather while we explored the creek.

           As the sun shone through the leaves, the variegated shades of green, sewn together with patches of blue sky (that peeked beyond the limbs of the gnarly trees), provided a quilt for the soul and eyes. This natural covering outdid any ceiling in any palace or magnificent hotel like the Fairmont. Enveloped by panoramic vistas that stretched on for fourteen miles was the balm needed for the demands of urban living.

           My walking stick was handy. I bounded from one boulder to another while at Little Yosemite, the name for the area. The stick allowed me to vault across the water, one boulder at a time.(See photo above.) There were multiple waterfalls. Their watery roar blasted away our cares for the moment.

        The day added to my happiness quotient. We trekked trails after exploring the waterfalls. Feeling my quadriceps strain, catching my breath was all part of the joy of climbing the side of a hill strewn with cow patties. 

         My sons, friend, and I chatted while marching upwards. At the hill's peak, we devoured the 360-degree restful vista of green hills, trees, unencumbered with a telephone line, road, or tract homes, while listening to the roar of the rain-swollen creek below. Traversing the hill, we paused to fly a multi-hued, two-string stunt kite we had brought along. 

        It wasn't to be.  It flew only for a half minute, the weather too good for it to stay aloft, notwithstanding the prompts from the mooing cows pasturing below.

        My sons, friend, and I spent four hours immersed in nature.  I may not have a cabin in the woods.  I may not have visited Paris yet.  

        I'm deeply loved. I'm tremendously wealthy, beyond measure.  I delight in the rich times shared with friends and family. 

        I know how to handle stress and less than kind people. I know God's gracious, accepting love; I experience it from family and those who love me.

        I'll treasure yesterday's memories. They provide gratitude. Oh yeah, the world didn't end; you might recall some radio preacher predicted the end of the world. 

       I'm not too sorry for those in his flock that quit their jobs and sold all they had. They needed more discernment. I hope they learned.  

       The fact the world remains means I'll live to see my grandkids. Not that I'm pushing for that---my sons are young. More importantly, if the world had ended yesterday, I would have been ready to meet my Maker.

2.  I'm thankful for the time of bonding, communicating, and celebrating nature together with my sons and a dear friend.

3. This morning, Sunday, I had a two-hour discussion with my middle son. The only thing that would have improved our time would have been to top our time with a visit to Fenton's Ice Cream Parlor.

The personal growth I've enjoyed over the past seven years has contributed greatly to my serenity and sanity----yaaay!. One area of personal improvement is the detachment I now exercise. A key component of this detachment is grace and compassion toward those who disturb me.

 4. Earlier in the morning, I spoke with someone who tried pushing my buttons. I'm thrilled this morning that I responded and did not react to the provocateur when challenged. I'm happier that I replied with calmness. It's liberating not to allow another person's emotions to trigger mine.

    We enjoy personal, characterological, and spiritual growth when snide, hateful comments are overlooked, and we can see the humor in what used to be terrifying, disturbing moments. It is a joy living life on our terms while being empathetic to others, even when we disagree with them. Empathy does not mean agreement.

  5. With a friend, I went to one of my favorite cafes this afternoon: Abigail Cafe. It's owned by a Moroccan couple. I spoke limited Arabic with them.  Moroccan tea was served with a nice silver tea set and an eggplant Parmesan sandwich.  

      Sitting at a table that's next to a picture window overlooking the San Francisco Bay, The City, and San Francisco Peninsula was a terrific way to start this week. 

    While there, we met a kind, intelligent business owner from the Netherlands----Jange. It's pronounced Young. His education was in philosophy, an interest of mine. He joined our table, and away we went, discussing leadership, controlling our attention, public speaking, speaking out of our fullness rather than from our neediness, and his four thousand mile journey over the past few weeks from Boston to Alameda, his newly purchased $7,000 Moto Guzzi motorcycle.

     I think I might have him do some work for me. Time will tell. Two hours flew by in that cafe. 

     My friend who joined us for lunch went with me as we met with other friends at 4:00 p.m. I didn't like the feel of my time with this group of friends. I trust my intuition. My gut was right this afternoon. Just before our time with them wrapped up, I piped up. I was the last to speak. I mentioned that there's no growth in continually complaining or presenting ourselves as victims.

     I was disappointed to hear most of those at the gathering not focusing on the solution and actually bemoaning their past histories.  Of course, I shared one of my favorite quotes. "Acting like a victim is a choice. It's not a destiny." You could hear a pin drop after I was done.

    Oh, I should say I was with my female friend and twenty-five other women. No other guys were there. Before leaving I visited with L___, one of those who earlier said she felt like a victim because of her parents.  The quotation I shared with her I'll post tomorrow.
6. I went to Fenton's Ice Cream Parlor Sunday afternoon, a wish fulfilled. I can't think of a better way of enjoying the weekend: a hike in the woods, fantastic fellowship with my son, speaking my truth among a gaggle of geese, and enjoying ice cream at my favorite ice cream parlor. How could I not have an Attitude of Gratitude?