Casey

Casey is our beautiful Australian Shepherd mix dog that came into our lives as a puppy eight years ago.  The moment that we first laid eyes on her she touched each of our hearts.  Since that first day she has never stopped giving to each of us her unconditional love.

Australian Shepherd dogs are herding dogs known for their intelligence and live on farms to herd and protect the sheep.  Casey runs so beautifully and fast and it is amazing to watch.  She always sits vigilantly by the window on the watch as our protector.   She always looks us directly in our eyes with her beautiful dark brown eyes waiting anxiously for our every word . . .  yes, she really does understand what we are saying to her!!  She responds by prancing around the room, pounding her front paws on the floor, guiding us to where she needs us to be and smiling . . .  yes, she really does smile!!  She understands what we are saying with our words and how we are feeling as well.  She comforts us when we are sad or lonely just by making sure that she is always there by our side.  Casey is truly a best friend to each of us.  I can only hope that she feels that we are her best friend!!

I believe that dogs are God's way of helping and guiding us to become better people. Casey's unfailing loyalty, patience and unconditional love are just a few of the amazing ways of how she has helped me to strive to become a better person each and every day.  I do not believe that it is a coincidence that the word dog is God spelled backward.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass . . . it's learning to dance in the rain." --Vivian Greene

I have been waiting and waiting for my storm to pass.  The past years have been filled with many personal challenges and sadness.    When I think about how I have faced these challenges, I am still unable to fully comprehend exactly what I have been going through.

While these past years have been very difficult and the storm does not seem to be passing any time soon, I am hopeful that I am a better person because of these experiences.  I have been forced out of my comfort zone.  As a result, I am beginning to realize just how strong a person I am becoming.

There have been many, many times when I thought that the storm was starting to ease and possibly even pass.   I was wrong all of those times.  I have stopped looking for the storm to pass.  I am hopeful that I am learning to dance in the rain.

One Person's Trash Is Another Person's Treasure

When it comes to our possessions I think that we can all fall basically into two groups.  Those of us who save everything and those of us who donate and throw out everything.  Our family definitely falls into the saves everything category.  We also come from a long lineage of family savers as well.  As a result, we recently held our first family garage sale.  It was an amazing experience that I would encourage everyone to do at least once in your life.  The biggest surprise for me was the emotional toll that it took on each of us.

As each one of us brought out our prized possessions to sell, a flood of memories would overcome us.  It was wonderful to re-live so many special memories that we had forgotten.  Each of us would share these special memories with the prospective buyer.  As hard as it was to sell a certain special something because of the memories that it held, somehow we were hopeful that our memories would not be forgotten and that these same wonderful memories would live on for someone else.  As a result of us sharing our memories, the prospective buyer would share with us their life stories and memories as well.  We met so many wonderful people with so many amazing life stories that we would have never had the opportunity to meet had it not been for our garage sale.  It seemed that the prospective buyers enjoyed our garage sale and left with one of our special something items with a smile.  Anything that we could not sell we donated to the Goodwill and to Ozanam (a local organization that helps children and families).  Our garage sale was full of conflicting emotions, but all in all it was a wonderful experience that our family will certainly never regret and always treasure.

Jia

Jia is the name of a new Chinese restaurant that recently opened within walking distance of our home.  My husband and I enjoy walking and it has become one of our favorite destinations.  I had never tasted Chinese food until I moved to the San Francisco Bay area when I was twenty something.  There are many amazing restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area.  I have been fortunate enough to have experienced quite a few wonderful meals at some of these amazing restaurants.  Although having a meal at a Chinese restaurant is my most favorite.  I think that it is more than just the fact that I truly love everything on the menu.  It is not just the wonderful food, but for me there is something special about the whole experience.

On our latest visit to Jia, we asked the waitress if there was a significance to the restaurant's name of Jia.  Our waitress, Helen, was actually the owner of the restaurant.  Helen explained to us that Jia means home in Chinese and that is why she named her restaurant Jia.  She wanted her restaurant to feel like home to the people who would come to enjoy a meal there.  She also told us that her mother is a very good cook and that she uses her recipes at the restaurant.  Helen telling us about opening Jia gave me some insight as to why eating at a Chinese restaurant is special for me . . .  it feels like home.

The last favorite experience of eating at a Chinese restaurant for me is the fortune cookie.  I was taught that you are not to choose your fortune cookie, but that you should wait for the fortune cookie to be handed to you.  I think that all fortunes are relevant in some way to our lives and can give us reason to pause.  We save many of these tiny slips of paper for future affirmations.

No Place Like Home

Whenever I think about the words "no place like home," I think of a "place" that is comfortable, peaceful and safe.  As I say this, I feel that it sounds so cliche, but for me these four little words are so powerful.  This "place" is where I strive to be each and every day.

I still believe that words are very powerful.  When I say "still" I guess that what I am referring to is how differently words are used today compared to before technology became a part of our lives.  If you think about it, there are so many different words to choose from and so many different ways that we can choose to use them.   I believe that how we choose to use words can affect how others see us and as a result can have an affect on our lives.

The words comfortable, peaceful and safe have different meanings for each of us.  I guess for me, together, these words mean a "place" that makes me feel good and reassures me about the person that I am now and the person that I am continually working to become.  I am hopeful that as I strive to be in this "place" each and every day, this journey can help me to have a more positive outlook of others and of my life as a whole.

You'rrrrre Safe

I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA.  A city well known for the hard working men and women of the steel mills and amazing sports fans.  My Dad was one of the amazing Pittsburgh sports fans.  He truly loved life and sports was one of his passions.  My love for sports was definitely a gift that was given to me from my Dad.  I have to admit that when I was growing up I never could quite understand my Dad's love for the game of  baseball.  I can remember thinking that the game of baseball just seemed to move at a pain staking pace and was always never ending.

My son, Eric, unfortunately was not blessed with having the opportunity to know my Dad very well.  My Dad died of a brain tumor when Eric was five years old.  It is truly amazing to me how much Eric is like my Dad.  Eric has my Dad's love for life and his passion for sports.  Eric is always striving to perfect his talents on the baseball field.  Throughout Eric's journey as a baseball player he has continued to teach me, as my Dad did, the true love of the game of baseball.

Both my Dad and Eric have given me the gift of always feeling that unbelievable feeling when you walk onto a baseball field.  The baseball field is truly an unbelievable place because it is a place where any thing is always possible.  A place where one decision can change the entire game.  I think that the game of baseball is a lot like real life.  Each and every day we are "at bat," at "home plate" faced with making each decision that will determine when and how we make it into the game.  If we are fortunate, maybe we achieve a home run only to arrive safely back home.

As I look back, I cannot believe that I thought that the game of baseball just seemed to move at a pain staking pace and was always never ending.  I could not have been more wrong.  I wish that I could have been a better student for my Dad as he was trying to teach me the love of the game of baseball.  I wish that I would have realized that what my Dad was really trying to teach me was so much more than the game of baseball.  I hope that I am being a better student of the love of the game of baseball and of life for my son, Eric.