Category: Guest Bloggers

Guest blogger Lorie Sheffer: Choices

Orlando Sunrise from aircraft

 

(photo jeff noel: Sunrise brings another new opportunity to become a better, less judgmental, person)

Every now and again I will see or hear a comment that sticks with me. I thought about this one for an entire day:

“Before judging someone consider they may not have had the perfect option available but had to choose from imperfect options.”

It reminded me of a long, difficult and heartfelt discussion I had years ago with a friend who had to make a painful choice. She said that no matter what option she chose, she wasn’t going to feel good about it.

Sometimes life is like that. We just have to go with what is available. This is when it’s most important to be kind to ourselves and to one another.

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Guest blogger Lorie Sheffer: Sometimes you need a crow bar

Rainbow over East Glacier, Montana

 

(photo: Behind us or ahead, the right ‘tools’ help us find perspective))

There is no greater horror to a middle-aged woman than swimsuit shopping. My own collection of swimsuits having seen much better days, I mustered the courage to venture out to see what was left on the sale racks.

My arm was loaded with at least a dozen choices as I headed to the too-small dreaded dressing room and it’s panic inducing florescent lights. If even one of the suits sorta kinda fit, it would be a miraculous day.

I remembered the 70s – my favorite decade – when a swimsuit consisted of a few scraps of fabric and a couple of strings. Now, struggling to yank these behemoths into position caused my wrist tendonitis to flare up. And then I heard it. First the whimpering sounds and then the cries for help from the adjoining dressing room. At first I thought I was imagining things, but then I heard it again.

“honey?….. HONey?…… DAN!!!!!…..” The cries became louder and more desperate. Then “Dan” answered. “What do you want?”

“Can you come in here please? I need your help!”

“You want me to come in to the ladies dressing room!?” There was panic in his voice.

“DAN! I’m stuck in this swimsuit! I need you to help me get out of it!”

I slammed my hand over my mouth so hard I cut my lip on my tooth.

As luck would have it, while heading out to the register I ran into “Dan” and his wife. She was a very lovely lady, about the same age and size as me. We locked eyes and immediately felt a sisterhood.

“Who the HELL sizes these things?” she asked.

“I know. I had to go up a size on a few of them, too.”

“Yeah. But at least you didn’t get stuck.”

Good thing. Gary was home mowing the lawn and I would have felt kinda funny asking “Dan” for help.

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Guest blogger Lorie Sheffer: Soul exercise

Blurry but cool Sanibel Island sunset photo

 

(photo: due to technical issues, Lorie is allowing MLC to pick photos for her Guest posts. This one is from Sanibel Island, a few days ago)

Try this: For every negative thought or comment you have about a person, place or thing, think of two positive thoughts or comments.

If you can’t think of anything positive, consider that your judgment may be clouded or your assessments too harsh.

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Guest blogger Lorie Sheffer: Our parents

Nature path in Summer

 

As teenagers we did everything we could to break free of our parents. Now we do what we can to hang on for as long as we can.

Most of us who still have our parents are dealing with the emotions of seeing declining health and the frailties that come with old age.

Just this week, I came home from visiting with a friend whose father is now a dialysis patient, while her mother is battling Parkinson’s. When I sat down to catch up on some social media, I discovered an old friend’s father had passed. Yesterday, I spent the day transporting my parents to a medical facility. In middle age, hospitals, nursing homes and funerals become all too familiar to us.

Somewhere in our crammed schedules and busy lives, we need to find the time. Some things really can’t wait until another day.

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