JAN. 1-2018 LIFE MARCHES ON.......

SHALOM TO MY READERS:

AFTER LAST MONTH'S FASHLA, I WILL NOW AIM FOR THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH TO MAKE MY ENTRY, SAME TIME AS  I PREPARE FOR THE CANCER GROUP WHICH I LEAD, AND HOPEFULLY WHERE I GIVE SOME TIPS, HOPES FOR DEALING WITH WHAT ONE MUST IN EACH SITUATION.

I HAVE HAD THE PRECIOUS PERIOD OF FEELING 'NORMAL' ALMOST. ALMOST MEANS FOR SURE SOME PARTS OF MY BODY AND SPIRIT GET KNOCKED AROUND, BUT MANAGEABLE. THAT IS THE TIME TO REALLY BE AWARE OF GIVING GRATITUDE AND THANKFULNESS FOR THESE PRECIOUS MOMENTS. WE KNOW THAT IN OUR LIVES WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE HILLS AND VALLEYS TO CROSS. BUT LET'S GRAB AND HOLD ONTO THE UPS WHEN WE ARE ON A HILL, AND USE OUR COURAGE AND STAMINA TO HOLD ON WHEN DOWN IN THE VALLEY. SOME SAY THAT WE LEARN THE MOST WHEN WE ARE DOWN IN OUR VALLEY. I'M NOT SURE OF THAT.

BUT I KNOW THAT EACH OF US HAVE INNER STRENGTH FROM THE BIBLE, FROM WARM AND CARING FRIENDS, FAMILY, MOTIVATING ARTICLES  TO HELP US THROUGH THE ROUGH TIMES. AND IF WE ARE 'ALONE' AT SOME POINTS, WE HAVE OURSELVES WITH OUR INNER STRENGTH AND HARD HARD WORK TO KEEP US GOING. LET'S TREAT OURSELVES WITH LOVE-PAMPER OURSELVES AS WELL. LET'S NOT WAIT FOR OTHERS TO PAT US ON THE BACK. WHATEVER WE MUST ENCOUNTER, LET US TREAT OURSELVES WELL-WITH GOOD FOOD, GOOD BOOKS, A WARM HOME. EACH OF US HAS HIS/HER CHOICES OF WHAT FEELS GOOD.
 WE HAVE TODAY, NOW. THE PAST IS GONE, THE FUTURE IS UNKNOWN. SO LET'S CELEBRATE LIFE TODAY, EVEN AMIDST OUR ACHES AND WORRIES.
G. BLESS ALL OF US FOR A HEALTHIER 2018.
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN-

3/12/17 ALONG LIFE'S JOURNEY

I APOLOGIZE TO MYSELF AND TO ANY READERS FOR NOT WRITING THESE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. IT WAS A TOTAL SENIOR FORGETFULNESS ! IT TOOK A GRANDSON ASKING ME IF I AM CONTINUING MY BLOG, THAT SHOOK ME INTO REALITY. AGING SEEMS TO REALLY KICK IN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE HAVING MANY VALLEYS , AND LESS HILLS IN LIFE.
WHAT CAN I SAY? I FIND MYSELF MUCH SLOWER PHYSICALLY, AND MANY PHYSICAL CHALLENGES COME MORE AND MORE. BUT.... I DO HANG IN, AND DEAL WITH EACH ASPECT, ALWAYS THANKFUL THOUGH THAT SO FAR, NO CANCER HAS COME BACK YET.
BUT MY FATIGUE IS ENDLESS, AND REALLY INHIBITS MANY ACTIVITIES.  NEVERTHELESS, I TRY TO KEEP UP WITH MY CANCER GROUP THAT I LEAD, TO READ , TO RELAX, TO MEDITATE, TO KEEP FIT PHYSICALLY AS MUCH AS I CAN, AND THEN SIMPLY, TO 'PETER OUT,'. GRATITUDE KEEPS ME AWARE OF ALL THE GOOD I HAVE DESPITE WHAT I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH. MY DIARY OF 'ABUNDANCE' HELPS ME SEE ALL THE POSITIVES IN MY LIFE, HOWEVER SLOWER I CAN ACCOMPLISH.

I HOPE THAT YOU, THE READER, WILL FORGIVE MY ABSENCE.  I HOPE THAT YOU CAN
REMEMBER THAT WE ALL HAVE OUR HILLS AND VALLEYS TO CROSS AND DEAL WITH I WISH ALL OF US GOOD HEALTH AND GOOD THANKFULNESS FOR WHAT WE
DO HAVE! LET'S CELEBRATE NOW, TODAY, FOR THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE!
G. BLESS US ALL, UNTIL  THE NEXT BLOG, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BE IN JAN. 2018
.

JULY, 2017 RIDING ON THE TRAIN OF LIFE......

SHALOM :

AS I RIDE THE TRAIN OF LIFE, I AM SIMPLY HEART-BROKEN TO SEE ONE OF MY FRIENDS, GET OFF THE TRAIN. WITH NO FOREWARNING, AFTER A PLEASANT VISIT TOGETHER,  THAT'S IT! SUDDENLY, HER LIFE IS OVER!

SO WHAT HAVE I LEARNED? WHAT I KNEW BEFORE, BUT IT CONTINUES TO BE A SHOCK TO MY SYSTEM, AND PERHAPS TO EACH OF YOU WHEN IT HITS.
LIFE IS NOW, TODAY! WE ARE NOT OUR  CANCER/OTHER MAJOR ILLNESS!
WHAT ARE WE DOING TODAY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BODIES, OUR MINDS, TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR FRIENDS IN NEED, FOR THE WORLD AROUND US?

CAN WE TAKE CARE OF THIS NESHAMA WITHIN US AS WELL AS TAKING CARE OF OUR FAMILIES/FRIENDS/STRANGERS? LET'S NOT WAIT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE TO SHOW OUR CARING FOR OURSELVES AND FOR MANKIND AROUND US.

THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A MEMO OF GLOOM. WHAT IS, IS. BUT WE MUST AND CAN DO OUR BEST TO BE THE BEST THAT WE CAN, FOR OURSELVES AND FOR OUR FELLOW CREATURES.

WISHING ALL OF US GOOD HEALTH AND PEACE OF MIND.

ALONG MY TRAIN RIDE, JUNE 14, 2017

SHALOM DEAR FELLOW FRIENDS:

HOW THE HILLS AND VALLEYS OF LIFE CONTINUE IN EVERYONE'S LIFE. WHEN WE HAVE THE VISION OF THE HILLS, BEING HAPPY AND CONTENT WITH OUR LOVE AND ENJOYING LIFE, SURE ENOUGH AT SOME POINT WE ARE THRUST DOWN INTO THE VALLEY, EITHER IN OUR OWN LIFE OR DOWN, IN EMPATHY FOR THOSE DEAR TO US WHO ARE SUDDENLY STRICKEN .  WHEN LIFE THREATENS US OR OUR DEAR ONES, WE ARE SHOCKED AND WITH NO UNDERSTANDING OF THE WHY  IT CAN HAPPEN. WE CRY, GET FRIGHTENED, BUT EVENTUALLY, WE PICK OURSELVES UP AND CONTINUE, HOPEFULLY WITH BETTER APPRECIATION OF WHAT WE DO HAVE, RIGHT NOW, AND CONTINUE ON OUR VOYAGE THRU' LIFE, TRYING TO APPRECIATE AND LIVE EACH MOMENT FOR OURSELVES, FOR OUR LOVED ONES. WHAT CAN WE (I) DO TO HELP ANOTHER SOUL IN MY TIME ON EARTH?

THESE ARE THOUGHTS I PONDER, AND TRY TO ACT UPON.
WISHING ALL OF US IN THIS MONTH OF JUNE MANY GOOD HAPPENINGS, AND APPRECIATION OF THE LIFE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, AT THIS MOMENT!

UNTIL NEXT TIME, MY BEST WISHES.
CHW

STILL ON THE TRAIN OF LIFE, THANK G. MAY, 2017

SHALOM!
LIFE'S TRAIN CAN RUN SO SMOOTHLY, AND THEN COME THE BUMPS, THE TRIBULATIONS, AND PAINS AND DISMAY. AND WHEN WE RISE AGAIN, THANK G. WE CONTINUE ON SO RELIEVED THAT WE HAVE ENDURED THIS SETBACK AND CAN BREATHE AGAIN!

LET'S ENJOY THE GOOD MOMENTS, TODAY, TONITE , TOMORROW AND WHENEVER WE CAN. LET'S TAKE THE MOMENT NOW TO APPRECIATE, TO LOVE, TO DO WHAT FEELS GOOD FOR US. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE WHAT OTHERS LIKE TO DO. IT'S WHAT WE FEEL IS BEST FOR US AT THIS TIME. THE FUTURE WILL COME, AND THEN WE WILL MAKE OTHER PLANS, DECISIONS AS THE NEED ARISES.

SO IN THIS MONTH OF MAY, 2017, I TAKE DEEP BREATHS OF THANKS FOR BEING ALIVE AND HAVING A BREATHER AS THE TRAIN TRAVELS ALONG THE PATH OF LIFE.

TO YOU READERS,
LET'S LIVE TODAY HEARTILY AND I WISH ALL OF US GOOD HEALTH!
TIL THE NEXT TIME WE MEET.........CHW

APRIL TIDINGS ALONG THE MOVING TRAIN

SHALOM!
 IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO REMEMBER HOW TO GET INTO MY BLOG, THUS THE DELAY.

PASSOVER, SPRING, BRINGS ITS HIGHLIGHTS AND REVEALS MY SLOWER MOVING BODY, NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ALL THAT I ONCE DID, RESTRICTING MYSELF DUE TO FATIGUE, PHYSICAL AILMENTS. but BUT (REPEATED TWICE NOT BY ACCIDENT), I AM STILL HAPPY TO BE ON THAT TRAIN OF LIFE. I DON'T WANT TO BE CAST OFF THIS TRAIN OF LIFE WITH ITS VERY NICE 'HIGHS' AND VERY LOW 'LOWS'. WE ALL HAVE OUR HILLS AND VALLEYS TO CROSS, AND SOMETIMES I JUST NEED TO PAUSE,REST  BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.
 
I HOPE THAT YOU, MY READER, WILL FIND STRENGTH TO ADJUST TO WHATEVER STATE YOU ARE IN, AND KEEP PLODDING ALONG, AND EVEN SINGING AND ENJOYING LIFE'S PLEASURES.

WITH MY BEST WISHES FOR A MONTH OF GOOD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE!
HOPEFULLY, WE WILL MEET AGAIN IN MAY!

MARCH 2, 2017 ON THE TRAIN OF LIFE

SHALOM OUT THERE:

AT MY CANCER FORUM WHICH I LEAD EACH MONTH, I HAVE BEEN ASKED HOW TO DEAL WITH DEPRESSION.

HOW NORMAL AND EASY IT IS TO ENTER A DEPRESSION, SHORT OR LONG TERM. WE ARE HURTING, PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY. THESE FEELINGS ARE TOTALLY NORMAL.
SO HOW DO WE DEAL WITH IT?

WHY AM I WASTING AWAY MY DAYS BEING DEPRESSED. WILL IT CHANGE THE SITUATION? WILL IT HELP< YET, IT IS A NORMAL FEELING. WHY WAIT FOR BETTER DAYS? ALL OF US KNOW THAT THIS MOMENT, TODAY, NOW, WE ARE ALIVE, YES ACHING, BUT WE ARE HERE! SO WHAT CAN WE DO TODAY TO ENJOY OUR LIFE? TO ENHANCE OUR LIFE? SOME CHOICES ARE:

CALL A FRIEND/RELATIVE THAT YOU LOVE.
GET TOGETHER TO CHAT, TO LUNCH, TO GO TO A MOVIE/PLAY/MUSIC PERFORMANCE, OR JUST SIT AND TALK OUR HEARTS OUT. WILL WE GET BETTER? PERHAPS NOT, BUT OUR MOOD CAN BE LIFTED EVEN TEMPORARILY.
LET'S FOCUS ON THE NOW! ALL OF US ARE RIDING ON THE TRAIN OF LIFE. AT SOME POINTS OF OUR JOURNEY, WE FALTER, WE FALL, WE BECOME DESPERATE.
BUT WE CLING ONTO THE TRAIN AND TRAVEL ON. LET'S STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES, EVEN WITHIN OUR PAIN! LET'S READ A GOOD BOOK AND ENTER SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE . LET'S GO TO A MOVIE AND ENTER ANOTHER'S WORLD.  LET'S LISTEN TO NATURE, TO THE BIRDS, TO THE SIGNS OF SPRING WHICH IS SOON UPON US, LET'S INHALE THE BEAUTIFUL SMELLS OF SHABAT, TO ITS BEAUT OF A 24 HR. PERIOD. LET'S REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE REACHING OUT WITH LOVE TO US!

YES, WE DON'T HAVE IT ALL, BUT WE DO HAVE THIS LITTLE OF BEING HERE . LET'S POUNCE UPON THE GOOD! LET'S SEEK IT OUT!!

LET'S PRAY, LET'S LAUGH, LET'S EVEN CRY! BUT THEN WE PICK OURSELVES UP AND CONTINUE ON OUR JOURNEY OF LIFE!
NO ONE PROMISED US A ROSE GARDEN! WE WOULD LOVE IT TO BE SO, BUT LET'S GRAB AND HOLD ONTO WHAT WE CAN AND HUG, TOUCH ONE ANOTHER, LET'S TASTE  WONDERFUL TASTES OF GOOD FOOD, OF LAUGHING TOGETHER, AND EVEN CRYING TOGETHER.
IF IT LOOKS LIKE LIFE IS PERFECT ELSEWHERE , DON'T BE FOOLED. WE EACH HAVE OUR HILLS AND VALLEYS TO CROSS, TO WILL FALTER SOMETIMES, AND THEN WE RISE AGAIN AND SMILE EVEN THOUGH OUR HEARTS MAY BE BREAKING (REMEMBER NAT KING COLE) SINGING THAT THOUGHT IN HIS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC).

LET'S LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT IS OUR LAST, WHICH HOPEFULLY IT ISN'T.

THE ABOVE IS NOT ME PREACHING TO YOU, MY AUDIENCE, IT IS ME TALKING TO MYSELF AND TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST OF WHAT I HAVE! NOW!

G. BLESS UNTIL NEXT MONTH.

5-2-17 A MONTHLY CHECK-IN OF MY REALITY

SHALOM!
Another month has gone by, and I am thankful of my awareness of my space on the train of life.Have I done worthwhile things to make this world any better? Could I be doing for my health, both physically and mentally? As I meet with other cancer survivors, do I truly act to be my best healthwise? It is so easy to let time slide along, and half vegetate due to fatigue and not put out my utmost. Can I (and you readers) do more to help ourselves both mentally and physically during these winter months when it is so easy to sit back and look at nature around us, and use excuses for not taking a walk or going to a class, etc. I admit to this inertia, and am now taking up the challenge of returning to walking a bit more, to going back to an exercise group and reclaiming my ability to challenge my body and mind.

Perhaps you have felt the same inertia? It is so easy to sit back and say, well,  I haven't been well and I am allowed to just sit there in my comfy chair. Let's all take the initiative to better our mood by doing something for ourselves, for others, even if only a little bit. LET'S MOVE OURSELVES!

I wish us all a healthy, healthier February! With love to each of you readers,

CHW
Until next month, G. willing

january 2017, along life's journey

HI THERE!
A MOMENT TO SAY, THANK YOU, UNIVERSE FOR BEING ALIVE TO ENTER 2017. AFTER A VERY DIFFICULT FALL, HEALTH WISE, HOW THANKFUL I AM TO HAVE LIVED BEYOND, AND AM MORE STABLE PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY. YET I KNOW, THAT THERE WILL BE MORE UPS AND DOWNS IN MY LIFE. THAT SEEMS TO FIT EVERYONE'S BILL HERE ON EARTH. SOMETIMES WE TAKE THE GOOD TIMES FOR GRANTED AND ARE CRUSHED WHEN THE BAD TIMES COME. TO BE REALISTIC, I NEED TO REALIZE (AND PROBABLY ALL MANKIND NEEDS TO AS WELL) THAT THERE ARE HILLS AND VALLEYS AS A NATURAL PROCESS IN ONE'S LIFE. JUST AS WE SEE WEATHER PLAYING HAVOC AT TIMES, AND ALWAYS HOPING FOR SUNNY, WARM DAYS FULL OF CHEER, REALITY IS THAT NATURE HAPPENS, WITH ITS GLORY AND KNOCK-OUTS.
AND SO I ASK MYSELF, OR TELL MYSELF, 'LET'S GO WITH THE FLOW' AS MUCH AS WE CAN. A POSITIVE ATTITUDE CAN ONLY HELP EVEN DURING OUR VERY DIFFICULT PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL TURMOIL PERIODS. CAN WE FIND SOME SILVER LINING OF GOOD THINGS IN OUR LIFE? PERHAPS THREE THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR EACH DAY? OR MORE? AND SOMETIMES LESS.

THUS, AS JANUARY 2017 IS UPON US: LET'S REMEMBER TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES WITH GOOD FOOD, GOOD  THOUGHTS, GOOD FRIENDS, AND GOOD HOPES. 'WHERE THERE IS LIFE, THERE IS HOPE.'
MY BEST WISHES TO YOU THERE, MY READERS, AND HOPE TO TALK TO YOU
AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
BYE FOR NOW! G. BLESS!