To Fall or Fly

The calendar tells the story of a new season’s arrival. We feel it in our bones with the falling temperatures and brisk winds. Before long, we’ll admire colorful bursts of red and orange leaves while sipping hot chocolate or tea. We’ll exchange flip flops and bathing suits for boots, hats, scarves, and coats in anticipation of what comes next. Wait. Before jumping to ahead to winter, let’s pause to crunch the leaves, savor fall’s natural beauty, and hang on to the moment. It might feel like this: 

                                         https://youtu.be/rKUipxR3bDc

Given those conditions, they better hold on to something solid before they’re blown away. The wind plays a one-sided tug-o-war game and it’s close to winning. A slightly stronger blast will send someone flying. If you feel like unseen hands tug at your life, pulling you in directions you don’t want to go, who or what would you put on the other side of that struggle? 

Designated Survivor?

I dislike flies, especially when they’re inside our house. Few things are more annoying than chasing those little critters while they zip from one room to another. They gravitate to the windows trying to find a way out, but that only makes them easier to swat. I expect to find them flying around the kitchen searching for crumbs, but once they migrate to bedrooms I declare war. 

This week a fly had the guts to visit the bedroom and then sat on the bathroom sink alongside the soap. I lump soap and food together as the most unsettling places a fly can land. You never know what type of disgusting germs a fly will bring from its last adventure. In short, the fly that entered our house is…gone. It should have stayed with its buddies, like this explorer.

                                         https://youtu.be/iSnotDc9JIw

Did you feel like a wandering fly, heading toward the light, yet unsure if you’ll reach safety? Drifting off the main trail quickly causes disorientation and trouble, but our adventurous natures usually win out and we wander away anyhow. What kind of groups or people will prevent you from wandering into messy situations?                 

Surprise!

My cat had a nightmare, I think. Our cat usually sleeps through the many noises around her. Despite the blaring television and rattling dishes, she keeps on snoozing. One day during nap time, she jumped up into the scary hunched back position. She stared at us, jumped to the floor, and ambled away as if nothing happened. Maybe she dreamed about an encounter with the neighborhood dog. Cats are full of surprises.   

There are pleasant surprises and downright awful ones. Here’s a surprise this young man didn’t anticipate:

                                              http://youtu.be/n4mznkHDMGk

 Active military soldiers and their families deserve heartwarming surprise reunions, and much more. What sorts of surprises have you experienced?     

 

 

 

The Power of a Stare Down

We had another showdown at our house when our youngest child protested about eating vegetables. These encounters occur rather frequently around our dinner table. I stifled a laugh when I looked over and heard a small voice say, “We meet again, enemy.” What a way to talk to your lima beans! Even a serious showdown can end on a lighter note. Take a look:

                                             http://youtu.be/YFX_DDouOmM

Never underestimate the power of a stare down to loosen things up. Mix it with a good laugh, and you’ve got a great diffuser for stress and negative energy. Did you know there are laughter clubs where people gather just to laugh? One New York area club meets in a cemetery. I can’t make this stuff up! If there isn’t one in your area, by all means start one!  

Ok, maybe a laughter club isn’t your thing. What do you do to distress and rejuvenate?

The Alarming Situation

It is official. Autumn is here and you know what that means. Every morning’s chilly and grey skies start our days. Bliss is lying in bed under the warm covers minutes before the alarm clock rings. But, if you have to get up, you’ll need all your strength to push back the blankets and roll out of bed. Fall makes getting up especially hard and the Battle of the Sheets isn’t an easy victory. Of course, we offer a good fight by hitting the snooze button (several times) and vowing to get up in “two more minutes.” Kids and pets can be great motivators to drag us out of bed, but if you rise first in your home or live alone—good luck!

Many of us use some type of gadget to wake up, but those obnoxious alarm clocks fail to offer the real encouragement we need. Most alarm clocks lack pizzazz. Here’s a guy who donned his thinking cap and got creative:

                                          http://youtu.be/kQ-l5PlDa-k

If I had an alarm clock like that one, I’d have to blame my tardiness on something besides oversleeping. I could blame it on the concussion I would surely get from using that contraption. Barring extreme alarm clocks, what makes you leap out of bed, eager to start a new day?