MindBlog Archives
February 1 - 28, 2005

Happy trails to "One Sweet Lady"
02.28.05 - 11:59 pm (CT)

Eva Jeane Harper "One Sweet Lady" 1917 - 2005

Eva Jeane Alexander Harper, June 17, 1917 - February 23, 2005… my mom passed away this past week. She didn't quite make it to 100 years old like she hoped she would, but she did manage to beat the Law of Averages by making it past a spry 87 years old and living a very full and happy life.

Even though there were lots of things she either didn't have the money to do or just plain didn't get around to doing, it didn't stop her from finding happiness and fulfillment with whatever life sent her way. Whether it was something as simple as riding on the trolley in the Fun Day parade, or something as difficult as raising six kids on her own after her husband of 24 years died way too young 41 years ago, she took it all in stride.

Her attitude about her life was to "Brighten the Corner Where You Are" (Words: Ina D. Ogdon, 1913; Music: Charles H. Gabriel), so throughout her 87 years, she was one sweet lady who brightened whatever corner she happened to be on — those who knew her were darn lucky to have made her acquaintance, and they knew it. As not an aside at all, my mom signed off almost all of her correspondence with a simple, "Happy Trails", which was the theme song for the 1950's TV western, The Roy Rogers Show, so now in honor of this sweet lady's life, we sign off this MindBlog with the same salutation to her:

"Happy trails to you,
Until we meet again.
Happy trails to you,
Keep smilin' until then…

"Happy trails to you,
Til we meet again."

Happy trails to Eva Jeane Alexander Harper… one sweet lady.

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Time for a change? Or maybe just a new perspective?
02.13.05 - 3:25 pm (CT)
Changes… whether it's a change of pace, circumstances, careers, or life, there are times in our lives when we all could use a little help figuring out what it is we really want and/or need. We may need guidance in clarifying our options for changing our lives for the better, assistance so as to avoid the options that could make our lives worse, and sometimes we just need a little reassurance that the options we've already chosen have us headed in the right direction.

However, clarity and perspective are sometimes hard-to-come-by in this world… it's not that easy to find the right person to help you "clarify your options and assist you in changing your life", as there are a lot of people out there giving their opinions and advice, but how do you know theirs is any good? Well, you don't, unless someone else has recommended them and you can see by their results that maybe, just maybe their life has been improved.

With that said, if you're anywhere near Morris, Illinois, I would personally recommend that you give Kathleen Egglesfield of Options for Change, Ltd. a call at (815) 263-1191, as those who know me can testify that she has most definitely helped me in changing my life… for the better. I called her after realizing that I had come to a major crossroad in my life and needed help in deciding which road to take. She helped to clarify my thoughts, options, and perspective on the direction my life was taking — and in the end, I decided to take "The Road Not Taken" and that is making "all the difference".

A little bit of silence, please
02.01.05 - 6:53 am (CT)

"…a picture being worth a thousand words… your face is the canvas… your lips aren't moving… you're speaking without talking…"

Silence is sometimes preferable to talking, as in when your mother gives you "the look" — you know, the one that can kill — she need not say a word, because "the look" says it all. There are so many times in life when saying absolutely nothing says more than any number of words you might put together could. It's similar to a picture being worth a thousand words, only your face is the canvas and your lips aren't moving, which means you're speaking without talking… ah, the peace and serenity of silence, it's almost cathartic.

So, let's all take a moment to enjoy a little bit of silence… very quietly inhale, now listen to absolutely nothing and enjoy the moment, very quietly exhale… for those few precious moments the extraneous noises of life were blocked and the peace and serenity of silence filled our world. And finally, all together, let's finish the moment with one very cleansing… fun SCREAM!!! Now, that was cathartic!

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