My Musings...

St. Theresa's Prayer:
'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.'

I just received the above prayer from a dear friend. It goes to the heart of what I've been thinking which is... I'm feeling a real need to re-connect and to deepen the connections I have with my friends, family and clients. I made a New Year's resolution to this end and I think it's going well. I hope you'll enjoy the message as much as I do.

just a note - Saint Theresa is known as the Saint of the Little Ways. She believed in doing the little things in life well and with great love. She is also the patron Saint of flower growers and florists. She is represented by roses.

Jan. 1, 2009

Ok, so there isn't a blog yet. Do you blog? I want to. I've got sites to go to, but that ole bear TIME is in direct opposition to my list of good intentions. You know the old saying, there are more checks at the end of the month than money? {Just realized that's dating me, isn't it? I don't do on-line checking. I think it's a left-over feeling of insecurity about the safety of putting my financial info. out there}. Anyway, I feel that way about time. I ALWAYS have a list of good intentions longer than my follow through. Guilt reigns supreme most of the time - and there it is again - that word! Anyway, I also like to keep up with things, learn about new stuff and basically try to stay on top of what's out there in the world. So, I have a life long habit of tearing out articles, circling websites that interest me - you know I might need that piece of info. some time! And then, I'm awash in pieces of paper, and are you good about filing things? I'm terrible about it. Don't put me in the clean desk crowd. I like my piles. Don't get me wrong, I do operate pretty efficiently, but still... I've got all this really good stuff I don't want to forget, so guess what? Having a website with pages that let me save things - and the hopefully soon to be launched blog - wow - it's a virtual filing cabinet!

~ A Personal Journey ~

Over the last several years, I’ve been traveling to Cities with a past, a present and a future. On this trip I went to see New Orleans. It was interesting, disheartening and also uplifting.

Initially I was overwhelmed by how huge the areas impacted by Katrina were. It was also amazing how some parts of the City were seemingly untouched.

For example, I stayed with friends in the Garden District, a delightful historic neighborhood that was minimally impacted by the storm. While on the surface their homes were basically unharmed, their sense of safety had been sorely shaken. As they talked, I felt a palpable sense of resignation had settled over them. They seemed to have lost their moorings and sense of who they were.

Through ERA, I had arranged for a guided tour of the areas impacted by Katrina. Gwen Dorris, a native of New Orleans, had kindly volunteered to take us around. We began in the 9^th Ward and then traveled for several hours to many other neighborhoods and parishes. The Visual Tour at the end of this email has photos from our travels.

Gwen said that after the storm, she and her husband had volunteered to clear debris, and that, coupled with no electricity, kept them from actually knowing much about the day to day dramas that we were avidly watching on our 24/7 news. This was the first time she had returned to many of the locations we saw. It was a difficult day for her.

For me personally, I felt somewhat prepared for the state of affairs in the less advantaged neighborhoods. It was the continuing damage in neighborhoods similar to our Windsor Farms that had the most impact. Many homes had been totally gutted, and they are still in that state now. It’s called flooded and gutted – such a descriptive term.

As you ride past these homes, you look straight through them. They are like lost souls crying for help.

The timing of this trip was the week before Mardi Gras. Masks and beads filled shop windows and decorations graced the homes in the Garden District.

I guess you could say New Orleans is a testament to both the good and the bad of how we react to adversity in our lives.

Musings...

Feb. 6, 2009

Jan. 1, 2009

~ A Personal Journey ~