Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Summer Salad
I love summer salad. In fact, I can practically live on this stuff in the summer time!
For me, it's a dish that goes all the way back to my childhood. We had a garden; and each year, no matter what else we planted, we always also grew our tomatoes and cucumbers.
Oh man! Is there anything better than eating sun-ripened tomatoes fresh from the vine??!!! I used to take a bucket of water, a towel and a knife . . . sit myself down in the middle of the tomato patch and have a feast!
I posted this very photo of fresh, marinating veggie goodness on my Facebook page the other day; I had just made a new batch of the salad and thought, "Hey! That would make a great picture!" The modesty is almost overwhelming.
Vicki, one of my FB friends, asked for the recipe; thus the reason for this post.
:)
This recipe is simple and basic; and it is pretty-much how my dad used to make it, with one minor change (mentioned in notes below).
Enjoy, and thanks for reading!
Be blessed,
Sharmie
*~*~*~*~*
Summer Salad
I have never really measured the ingredients in this recipe (and neither did my dad), but I will try to recreate the quantities based on what I did the other night.
~ 4 large cucumbers, sliced vertically in quarters (cutting each vertical half in half, vertically) and then sliced in chunks (horizontally).
~ 6 roma tomatoes (sliced in the same manner as the cukes)*
~ 1 very large onion, chopped in medium-sized chunks
~ raw sugar **
~ apple cider vinegar **
~ canola oil
~ sea salt
~ pepper ***
Chop all the veggies into a large bowl; mix lightly.
Sprinkle the surface of the veggies with salt and pepper, according to your taste preference (although, I would suggest to not over-salt).
I usually use about about 1.5 more sugar / vinegar mixture than I do oil. Again, this can be determined by your taste preference. There should be enough sugar / vinegar and oil so that the veggies are almost covered. This will allow them to thoroughly marinate.
After adding the vinegar and oil, mix again (lightly).
Cover bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The longer the veggies marinate, the more flavorful the salad will be. It is best to periodically lightly mix the veggies during the initial marinating.
Notes
* Roma or sun-ripened tomatoes work best for this recipe. I'm not particularly wild about hot-house tomatoes (for anything, if I'm being completely honest). Whichever tomato you choose for this recipe, make sure they are not under-ripe.
** My dad used white sugar and he would sprinkle it over the veggies in the same manner as the salt.
Nowadays, I try to avoid white sugar as much as possible, so I use raw sugar. Raw sugar, however, doesn't dissolve as quickly as white sugar. My solution to this is to dissolve the raw sugar directly in the apple cider vinegar. Use a jar with a lid. Add about 1/4 cup raw sugar to about 1.5 cups apple cider vinegar. Shake vigorously and refrigerate at least 24 hours, or until the sugar is dissolve. Shake again before adding to the veggies. I keep a jar of cider vinegar & raw sugar in the fridge so that I always have some on hand when it's time to make more summer salad. If more vinegar is needed for the salad, then I add it directly to the veggies (and make a new batch of sugar vinegar for the fridge).
Some people like to use bottled Italian dressing in lieu of the vinegar and oil. I'm generally not a bottled dressing kinda gal, but if that works for you, then pour away! (Except, I will give y'all a gentle reminder to please read your ingredient labels to make sure there's no harmful or icky ingredients; soy and high fructose corn syrup come readily to mind; especially regarding bottled salad dressings.)
*** I don't always use pepper; it really depends upon my mood. And, when I do use pepper, sometimes I use black pepper; sometimes I use white pepper. Go wild!
**** The marinade "juice" can be "re-used" . . . more veggies can be added as needed.
I usually discard any remaining juice and start with a fresh batch after 5-6 days.
Friday, September 7, 2012
13 Days
August 25th . . .
. . . Tex was loading up the truck. We were getting ready to go to one of our niece's birthday party. As I was walking out the door, her dad (Tex's oldest brother) called and told me they were getting ready to take my mother-in-law to the hospital.
I told him we were on our way and we'd see him at the ER.
*~*~*~*~*
The upshot is that she was diagnosed with West Nile virus.
It's been a long stretch - these past 13 days. There have been ups and there have been downs.
This is *not* the kind of roller coaster I like. Not one bit.
BUT. My mother-in-law is a woman of great faith. She is also loaded with grit, determination and tenacity.
Good, good, good . . . and good!
*~*~*~*~*
The doctors tell us that this illness does not present itself in just one specific way; the symptoms and complications can vary from patient-to-patient.
I am trusting Our Lord. This illness did not come as a surprise to Him.
I have faith that He is covering this entire situation . . . her, the family members, the medical team . . . everything and everyone. He's got it covered.
That's what I know . . . and that's what I'll go with.
Day-by-day and moment-by-moment.
Please keep this precious woman in your prayers.
Thank you so much.
Be blessed,
Sharmie
. . . Tex was loading up the truck. We were getting ready to go to one of our niece's birthday party. As I was walking out the door, her dad (Tex's oldest brother) called and told me they were getting ready to take my mother-in-law to the hospital.
I told him we were on our way and we'd see him at the ER.
*~*~*~*~*
The upshot is that she was diagnosed with West Nile virus.
It's been a long stretch - these past 13 days. There have been ups and there have been downs.
This is *not* the kind of roller coaster I like. Not one bit.
BUT. My mother-in-law is a woman of great faith. She is also loaded with grit, determination and tenacity.
Good, good, good . . . and good!
*~*~*~*~*
The doctors tell us that this illness does not present itself in just one specific way; the symptoms and complications can vary from patient-to-patient.
I am trusting Our Lord. This illness did not come as a surprise to Him.
I have faith that He is covering this entire situation . . . her, the family members, the medical team . . . everything and everyone. He's got it covered.
That's what I know . . . and that's what I'll go with.
Day-by-day and moment-by-moment.
Please keep this precious woman in your prayers.
Thank you so much.
Be blessed,
Sharmie
Know Who You Are
I've been zooming around this web of world-wideness for about 14 years. Sometime within the past 10-12 years, I became acquainted with my friend, T.
T has a wonderful, beautiful heart and has always been kind to everyone she encounters. I've witness many of these encounters electronically, on the internet; and I am certain that she behaves in the same way offline.
T is an overweight woman and also struggles with low self-esteem. This struggle has been on-going for as long as I have known her; and I'm quite sure the struggle extends even many years prior to her involvement in the various internet communities that know and love T.
Recently, she shared on her Facebook about being ridiculed and mocked by teenaged girls and boys, and opened a discussion asking people how to deal with such occurrences.
*~*~*~*~*
This blog post is my response to that discussion (including her OP and also some of the various responses to which she received and/or replied). I had initially tried to respond there, but FB . . . in all its glory . . . kept screen-freezing and doing funky dances with my post; so I decided to use Swirlings to house my response.
My reasoning? My response to T is the same response I would give to anyone with similar questions . . . and I have found that T's ponderings are not at all unique; many people share similar self-esteem struggles. It is my hope that not only will my response help T, but that also it will be beneficial to others, as well.
*~*~*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*
Years ago, I learned that it's really none of my business what people think of me. I will say here and now that I believe people can definitely abuse this adage and take it to unecessary and inappropriate extremes; but regarding complete strangers, it really is none of my business what they think of me. Nor, is it any of your business what other people think of you. Why let people live rent-free in your head like that? Especially, with people that you don't even know!
*~*~*~*~*
T, you mentioned that you didn't know overweight people could have eating disorders. However, they most certainly can. While there are exceptions, of course (because there are exceptions to almost any axiom), most overweight people definitely have an eating disorder; one that is rooted in emotional eating.
But, putting that tidbit aside . . . I would like to encourage you to realize that having an eating disorder does *not* define who you are.
And here, I will take a moment to expand this thought . . . I would like to encourage anyone to quit being so possessive about whatever illness or disease they may have personal experience with . . . "my" cancer, "my" diabetes, "my" OCD, "my" mental illness, "my" eating disorder, etc., etc., etc.
As y'all may know, they are *not* "my" seizures; I claim no part of them and I have not nor will not ever invite them to take up residency in my life. They are "the" seizures.
I truly believe that the words we speak definitely influences our outlook . . . and our outlooks definitely influences our overall health and well being.
*~*~*~*~*
Going back to being diagnosed with an eating disorder . . . as gently as I can say this . . . so what?!
Don't let that become your end-all / be-all. OK . . . you've been dignosed with an eating disorder. Do something about it! I do not say that lightly, facetiously nor without personal experience.
Every illness (again, using some of the above examples: cancer, diabetes, mental illnesses . . . even eating disorders) requires work on the person's part to combat the illness. Persistent, dilligent, determined, ongoing work.
Regardless as to how an eating disorder is manifested, the root of it all is why? Why did the person turn to emotional eating in the first place? Until that question is answered and then the answer, itself, truly dealt with, there will be no freedom nor victory; only ongoing pain and setbacks.
Do what is necessary to overcome the eating disorder. My prayer for you, T, is that you can find the inner strength within yourself to go from being resigned to "having" an eating disorder and pretty-much that is that, to pushing through all the ick and yuck AND pain so that while you may have to live with and struggle against an eating disorder, you are also, at the same time, doing everything you can to overcome it and to not let it win.
Illegitimus Non Tatum Carborundum.
That's a very popular "made-up" Latin phrase. Incorrect wording aside, it commonly means, "Don't let the bastards get you down".
I absolutely love it, and have used it as one of my silent mottos for probably 25 years now. I guess I just broke my silence. Ha!
T, in your situation, the bastards are the eating disorder and the low self-esteem, and they are working hand-in-hand and side-by-side to trip you up and keep you down.
Don't let them win! Fight back!
Will it be easy?
Nope. Not one bit.
Will it be fun?
I seriously doubt it.
Will it be a quick thing . . . this fighting back?
Probably not; in fact, prepare yourself for the long haul.
Will it be a one-time thing?
Nada. See above . . . long haul.
Will it be worth it?
ABSOLUTELY!!!
Are you worth it?
Most Definitely!
But the caveat to that is . . . until YOU believe that you are worth it, it's not going to matter who says that to you or how many of us say it to you; you're not going to believe us until you believe yourself that you are worth it . . . and until you believe it yourself, you're also not going to live it.
That's another prayer I have for you.
*~*~*~*~*
In your thread, you asked what other people do when they are belittled for being overweight. My answer can apply to anything; not just being overweight, but they are my answers specifically to your question.
My suggestions to you are varied. You may utilize one or some of them; depending on your comfort level:
1) Completely ignore whomever is doing the ridiculing and ignore the specifics of what they are saying.
2) Smile your very best smile. Directly, at them. Make eye-contact with them while smiling. Disarm them with charm. Hey! I just made a rhyme; whaddya know?! :)
3) If you're feeling brave and spunky, say hello to them.
4) Pray. This should definitely be the first -and- continuous thing to be done.
Pray for them - that Our Lord will bless them.
Pray for you - that Our Lord will give you His Strength and Comfort, along with His Wisdom and His Guidance.
Whatever you do, do it with your head held high, your shoulders squared and your back straight and not slumped.
Do it with confidence. If you don't have confidence, fake it until you do have confidence (and, correct body posture goes a long way in helping someone have confidence; especially regarding their outer appearance).
And this confidence stuff? The cool thing about that is that once you have confidence, then you also exude said confidence.
People do not generally belittle and mock people who have true confidence; at least not to their face or within their hearing. I'm not talking about rude, unstable arrogance; I'm talking about that quiet, steady confidence that comes from a person's inner core because they truly know their worth.
And again, that kind of confidence cannot come from what other people say good of us; it can only come from us staring down whatever bastards are lurking in our lives and truly addressing the root of them and then being able to put them in their place . . . which is away from us.
It also comes from knowing who you are in Christ.
And, that, my dear friend, are my prayers for YOU!
They are my prayers for each of y'all . . . quit hiding behind the external reasons and get down to the heart of the matter. Clean the junk out of your lives, give it to Our Lord, ask Him for HIS Strength and HIS Peace and HIS Joy in your life . . . and then go out and live a life worth living - regardless of what you may have to fight along the way.
And, if you encounter someone along the way who tries to trip you up, here's what you do: square your shoulders, straighten your back, hold your head high, smile and say, "Nope; not today; I've got better things to do than to wade in muck."
OK . . . one last thought.
T, you are a Christian, so I will leave you with some Scripture that you can apply to your situation:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things...And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8, 9b).
Since teenagers (or anyone else) mocking and ridiculing someone does not fit into any of the above parameters, then why give such behavior and/or comments a second thought?
Thanks for reading, y'all!
Be blessed,
Sharmie
T has a wonderful, beautiful heart and has always been kind to everyone she encounters. I've witness many of these encounters electronically, on the internet; and I am certain that she behaves in the same way offline.
T is an overweight woman and also struggles with low self-esteem. This struggle has been on-going for as long as I have known her; and I'm quite sure the struggle extends even many years prior to her involvement in the various internet communities that know and love T.
Recently, she shared on her Facebook about being ridiculed and mocked by teenaged girls and boys, and opened a discussion asking people how to deal with such occurrences.
*~*~*~*~*
This blog post is my response to that discussion (including her OP and also some of the various responses to which she received and/or replied). I had initially tried to respond there, but FB . . . in all its glory . . . kept screen-freezing and doing funky dances with my post; so I decided to use Swirlings to house my response.
My reasoning? My response to T is the same response I would give to anyone with similar questions . . . and I have found that T's ponderings are not at all unique; many people share similar self-esteem struggles. It is my hope that not only will my response help T, but that also it will be beneficial to others, as well.
*~*~*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*
Years ago, I learned that it's really none of my business what people think of me. I will say here and now that I believe people can definitely abuse this adage and take it to unecessary and inappropriate extremes; but regarding complete strangers, it really is none of my business what they think of me. Nor, is it any of your business what other people think of you. Why let people live rent-free in your head like that? Especially, with people that you don't even know!
*~*~*~*~*
T, you mentioned that you didn't know overweight people could have eating disorders. However, they most certainly can. While there are exceptions, of course (because there are exceptions to almost any axiom), most overweight people definitely have an eating disorder; one that is rooted in emotional eating.
But, putting that tidbit aside . . . I would like to encourage you to realize that having an eating disorder does *not* define who you are.
And here, I will take a moment to expand this thought . . . I would like to encourage anyone to quit being so possessive about whatever illness or disease they may have personal experience with . . . "my" cancer, "my" diabetes, "my" OCD, "my" mental illness, "my" eating disorder, etc., etc., etc.
As y'all may know, they are *not* "my" seizures; I claim no part of them and I have not nor will not ever invite them to take up residency in my life. They are "the" seizures.
I truly believe that the words we speak definitely influences our outlook . . . and our outlooks definitely influences our overall health and well being.
*~*~*~*~*
Going back to being diagnosed with an eating disorder . . . as gently as I can say this . . . so what?!
Don't let that become your end-all / be-all. OK . . . you've been dignosed with an eating disorder. Do something about it! I do not say that lightly, facetiously nor without personal experience.
Every illness (again, using some of the above examples: cancer, diabetes, mental illnesses . . . even eating disorders) requires work on the person's part to combat the illness. Persistent, dilligent, determined, ongoing work.
Regardless as to how an eating disorder is manifested, the root of it all is why? Why did the person turn to emotional eating in the first place? Until that question is answered and then the answer, itself, truly dealt with, there will be no freedom nor victory; only ongoing pain and setbacks.
Do what is necessary to overcome the eating disorder. My prayer for you, T, is that you can find the inner strength within yourself to go from being resigned to "having" an eating disorder and pretty-much that is that, to pushing through all the ick and yuck AND pain so that while you may have to live with and struggle against an eating disorder, you are also, at the same time, doing everything you can to overcome it and to not let it win.
Illegitimus Non Tatum Carborundum.
That's a very popular "made-up" Latin phrase. Incorrect wording aside, it commonly means, "Don't let the bastards get you down".
I absolutely love it, and have used it as one of my silent mottos for probably 25 years now. I guess I just broke my silence. Ha!
T, in your situation, the bastards are the eating disorder and the low self-esteem, and they are working hand-in-hand and side-by-side to trip you up and keep you down.
Don't let them win! Fight back!
Will it be easy?
Nope. Not one bit.
Will it be fun?
I seriously doubt it.
Will it be a quick thing . . . this fighting back?
Probably not; in fact, prepare yourself for the long haul.
Will it be a one-time thing?
Nada. See above . . . long haul.
Will it be worth it?
ABSOLUTELY!!!
Are you worth it?
Most Definitely!
But the caveat to that is . . . until YOU believe that you are worth it, it's not going to matter who says that to you or how many of us say it to you; you're not going to believe us until you believe yourself that you are worth it . . . and until you believe it yourself, you're also not going to live it.
That's another prayer I have for you.
*~*~*~*~*
In your thread, you asked what other people do when they are belittled for being overweight. My answer can apply to anything; not just being overweight, but they are my answers specifically to your question.
My suggestions to you are varied. You may utilize one or some of them; depending on your comfort level:
1) Completely ignore whomever is doing the ridiculing and ignore the specifics of what they are saying.
2) Smile your very best smile. Directly, at them. Make eye-contact with them while smiling. Disarm them with charm. Hey! I just made a rhyme; whaddya know?! :)
3) If you're feeling brave and spunky, say hello to them.
4) Pray. This should definitely be the first -and- continuous thing to be done.
Pray for them - that Our Lord will bless them.
Pray for you - that Our Lord will give you His Strength and Comfort, along with His Wisdom and His Guidance.
Whatever you do, do it with your head held high, your shoulders squared and your back straight and not slumped.
Do it with confidence. If you don't have confidence, fake it until you do have confidence (and, correct body posture goes a long way in helping someone have confidence; especially regarding their outer appearance).
And this confidence stuff? The cool thing about that is that once you have confidence, then you also exude said confidence.
People do not generally belittle and mock people who have true confidence; at least not to their face or within their hearing. I'm not talking about rude, unstable arrogance; I'm talking about that quiet, steady confidence that comes from a person's inner core because they truly know their worth.
And again, that kind of confidence cannot come from what other people say good of us; it can only come from us staring down whatever bastards are lurking in our lives and truly addressing the root of them and then being able to put them in their place . . . which is away from us.
It also comes from knowing who you are in Christ.
And, that, my dear friend, are my prayers for YOU!
They are my prayers for each of y'all . . . quit hiding behind the external reasons and get down to the heart of the matter. Clean the junk out of your lives, give it to Our Lord, ask Him for HIS Strength and HIS Peace and HIS Joy in your life . . . and then go out and live a life worth living - regardless of what you may have to fight along the way.
And, if you encounter someone along the way who tries to trip you up, here's what you do: square your shoulders, straighten your back, hold your head high, smile and say, "Nope; not today; I've got better things to do than to wade in muck."
OK . . . one last thought.
T, you are a Christian, so I will leave you with some Scripture that you can apply to your situation:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things...And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8, 9b).
Since teenagers (or anyone else) mocking and ridiculing someone does not fit into any of the above parameters, then why give such behavior and/or comments a second thought?
Thanks for reading, y'all!
Be blessed,
Sharmie
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Pinning It Down
Last week I mentioned that I had joined the land of pinning. . . that wonderful electronic bulletin board known as Pinterest.
Honestly, I joined out of curiosity, and I really didn't think that the site would do that much for me.
But! It has become a very welcomed resource; kinda like Google already is for me. For example, it's helping me gather recipes for our upcoming Labor Day party, where the menu will be cajun-themed . . . Catfish Etouffe, anyone? That's one of the first recipes I searched for; Tex put in that request a few months ago, when we were just beginning to plan the party, long before Pinterest became an everyday word with me.
There's something, well, if you'll pardon the pun, delicious about scrolling down through all those photos of various recipes that I have pinned. Or, ideas for my Heart Captors, otherwise, known as grandkidlettes. Or, crafts that lure me. Or, recipes for Tex and me on an everyday basis . . . we don't just eat at parties, doncha know.
I've got other boards over at Pinning Land, as well; 24 of them, to be exact (that number could increase or decrease at any moment; I have no contractual obligation to the number 24 . . . which, amusingly, also happens to be the number of NASCAR race driver, Jeff Gordon . . . who happens to be Tex's favorite driver. Go figure. Why couldn't I have 48 boards . . . Jimmie Johnson's number. Tis a cruel, cruel world. Well, not really).
*~*~*~*~*
Oh my goodness . . . we interrupt the above ramblings so that I can gush about a little girl I'm watching through my window while I sit here and chat with y'all. She and her mother are taking their morning walk, along with Spot, the family dog (or, whatever his name is; maybe it's Stripes; I just don't know). The girl is still a baby, but walking. So very cute. Stripes crosses the street, Cutie wants to cross too; but Mama puts her hand on her shoulders and coaxes Cutie to call Rover back across the street. So Cutie claps. And grins. And does little cute baby jumps. Oh. My. Word. Heaven for my eyes this morning!
*~*~*~*~*
Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . .
Pinterest . . .
. . . As with most anything in the web of world-wideness, this site has its good and not so good. And, even that's subjective; depending on what an individual might consider good or not.
Another friend, Audriana, told me that the comment sections can get pretty argumentative sometimes; and since that's not my focus or desire, I think I'll just forgo participating in the comments . . . besides, that doesn't fit in with my time priorities anway. So, I'll happily heed Audriana's observation and just go about my pinning business, sans the discussions.
But, so far, I'm pleased with it all. I'm trying to be deliberate in what I pin. I don't want them (whoever they are) to find me . . . unresponsive, staring at the computer screen, with tiny little red and white P's pulsating out of where my pupils used to be.
*~*~*~*~*
If you're a pinner, I invite you to peruse my boards. If you'd like, let me know how I can find you on Pinterest, and I'll take a look at your boards, as well.
The link at the top of the post will get you to me, over there . . . and, so will the pin button to the right of this post --->
The link at the top of the page will be opened in a different window; the "follow" button to the right opens in this very window; I need to figure out how to change it so that it opens into a different window).
And yeah, whatcha think about my Pin name (Sharmie Swirls)? Anyone notice that it's also the URL address to Swirlings?
Sometimes, the cleverness is downright frightening . . . as is the modesty.
*~*~*~*~*
And lastly, what are y'all's opinions on Pinterest? I'd really like to know.
*~*~*~*~*
Thanks for reading; y'all be blessed!
~Sharmie
Friday, August 10, 2012
Keeping it Real
I'm cheating with this one . . . it's actually a "note" that I wrote and published on my Facebook account back in 2010. Back then, I used the Note section over there as a mini-blog.
It's a busy day, here at the Tex and Sharmie show. He's taken off work to do more bathroom remodeling, and I'm helping him (in addition to getting some things done on my own list).
But. I also feel the need for a post, here in Swirlings. I'm also in the somewhat-ongoing process of re-reading some of my previous writings . . . which is how I happened to come upon today's post. It's a message which I think can never be overstated.
So, without further adieu . . .
*~*~*~*~*
"Keeping It Real"
(Originally written by me on Facebook; October 18, 2010)
I wonder . . . when did "keeping it real" turn into an allowance for people to spew vitriolic anger towards everyone and anyone; not only in what they say, but in what they write? Especially, in what they write.
I understand anger. It's a human emotion. If you're human, chances are very good that, at some point in your life, you have been angry. It's also quite reasonable to expect that, at some point from here forward, you will, once again, be angry.
Anger, in and of itself, is not a "bad thing." In fact, anger can often be the impetus that produces good results.
Most of the time, however, that type of anger, is not an in-the-moment, "volatile instant gratification" type of expression. Anger that produces beneficial change is normally anger that has been acknowledge, considered and then responded to after the "heat of the moment". There are always exceptions, yes; but my point is that spewing out angry rants in the written form rarely fall into this category. And rarely are they effective.
Electronic Road Rage.
I'm seeing it more and more.
I also believe that it's a sickness that is quite contagious. The consequences of such viral activity can be quite severe.
As gently as I can put this . . . things happen; sometimes very unpleasant and heart-wrenching things. I know. I've been there. More than once. Multiple times, even. I'm sure you have, as well.
Deal with the anger, certainly; for to not do so is not at all healthy. But please be careful to not let the anger envelope you; what good can come in allowing the anger to control you? I do not say this facetiously, nor without empathy. Spewing anger does not change what has happened; NOR does it strengthen you to continue on. It only enrages a person more and more until they are literally blind with anger; blind to anything else except "the" situation in their life.
I often hear people say, "You can't understand if you haven't been in my shoes." True. It's why I'm very careful to not casually use the phrase, "I understand."
Conversely, though, in reality, no one can truly understand another person's circumstances; even if there are strong similarities in the experiences of the two people. Additionally, more and more, I am finding that phrase to be used selfishly; i.e. used in the manner of, "You don't understand; so therefore, you have to tolerate every horrific tantrum I throw and if you don't like it, then you're not welcomed in my life, and I have no qualms in telling you so."
A bell cannot be unrung.
Words cannot be unread . . . even if the writer deletes them.
I'm very much for people being honest and transparent. I'm not at all into putting on facades.
Like with so many things in life, however, there's a responsibility that accompanies such "realness."
We can express our anger in ways that doesn't leave the reader feeling as if they've verbally been slammed up against a wall simply for sharing the same universe that we inhabit.
We do not have to post Every Single Thought that comes into our head.
Yes, we do need to extend grace to those who are going through difficult times and may be having trouble getting a handle on intense feelings of anger. But that doesn't give them the excuse to behave as small children throwing temper tantrums towards everyone they encounter; whether in-person or via the wonderful world of this wide, wide web called the internet.
May each of y'all truly know His Peace . . . it can cover you and carry you through even the most horrendous of situations.
*~*~*~*~*
Thanks for reading; y'all be blessed,
Sharmie
It's a busy day, here at the Tex and Sharmie show. He's taken off work to do more bathroom remodeling, and I'm helping him (in addition to getting some things done on my own list).
But. I also feel the need for a post, here in Swirlings. I'm also in the somewhat-ongoing process of re-reading some of my previous writings . . . which is how I happened to come upon today's post. It's a message which I think can never be overstated.
So, without further adieu . . .
*~*~*~*~*
"Keeping It Real"
(Originally written by me on Facebook; October 18, 2010)
I wonder . . . when did "keeping it real" turn into an allowance for people to spew vitriolic anger towards everyone and anyone; not only in what they say, but in what they write? Especially, in what they write.
I understand anger. It's a human emotion. If you're human, chances are very good that, at some point in your life, you have been angry. It's also quite reasonable to expect that, at some point from here forward, you will, once again, be angry.
Anger, in and of itself, is not a "bad thing." In fact, anger can often be the impetus that produces good results.
Most of the time, however, that type of anger, is not an in-the-moment, "volatile instant gratification" type of expression. Anger that produces beneficial change is normally anger that has been acknowledge, considered and then responded to after the "heat of the moment". There are always exceptions, yes; but my point is that spewing out angry rants in the written form rarely fall into this category. And rarely are they effective.
Electronic Road Rage.
I'm seeing it more and more.
I also believe that it's a sickness that is quite contagious. The consequences of such viral activity can be quite severe.
As gently as I can put this . . . things happen; sometimes very unpleasant and heart-wrenching things. I know. I've been there. More than once. Multiple times, even. I'm sure you have, as well.
Deal with the anger, certainly; for to not do so is not at all healthy. But please be careful to not let the anger envelope you; what good can come in allowing the anger to control you? I do not say this facetiously, nor without empathy. Spewing anger does not change what has happened; NOR does it strengthen you to continue on. It only enrages a person more and more until they are literally blind with anger; blind to anything else except "the" situation in their life.
I often hear people say, "You can't understand if you haven't been in my shoes." True. It's why I'm very careful to not casually use the phrase, "I understand."
Conversely, though, in reality, no one can truly understand another person's circumstances; even if there are strong similarities in the experiences of the two people. Additionally, more and more, I am finding that phrase to be used selfishly; i.e. used in the manner of, "You don't understand; so therefore, you have to tolerate every horrific tantrum I throw and if you don't like it, then you're not welcomed in my life, and I have no qualms in telling you so."
A bell cannot be unrung.
Words cannot be unread . . . even if the writer deletes them.
I'm very much for people being honest and transparent. I'm not at all into putting on facades.
Like with so many things in life, however, there's a responsibility that accompanies such "realness."
We can express our anger in ways that doesn't leave the reader feeling as if they've verbally been slammed up against a wall simply for sharing the same universe that we inhabit.
We do not have to post Every Single Thought that comes into our head.
Yes, we do need to extend grace to those who are going through difficult times and may be having trouble getting a handle on intense feelings of anger. But that doesn't give them the excuse to behave as small children throwing temper tantrums towards everyone they encounter; whether in-person or via the wonderful world of this wide, wide web called the internet.
May each of y'all truly know His Peace . . . it can cover you and carry you through even the most horrendous of situations.
*~*~*~*~*
Thanks for reading; y'all be blessed,
Sharmie
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
"It Ain't Your Mama's Yoga!"
Back in April, I was surfing YouTube and found the video, "Never, Ever Give Up. Arthur's Inspirational Transformation!"
I'm sure many of y'all will know the video; it went viral very quickly and continues to reach more and more people.
Good!
"Inspirational" falls very short of accurately describing Arthur Boorman's story.
Here's the link to the video:
"Never Give Up!"
See?! I told y'all you probably had seen it.
And, was I right or was I right . . . Beyond inspirational, right?
Of course, right.
*~*~*~*~*
I have watched this video many times in the past 3 months. Rarely do I not watch it that tears do not seep out. Arthur's grit and determination - God bless him!
After watching this amazing video the first time, I immediately googled DDP Yoga.
Google is my friend, doncha know :)
I went to the site - and knew. I. Wanted. That. Kit!
But, budget priorities taking . . . well . . . priority told me that I needed to wait util August before I could order them. But, I promised myself that I was going to get the kit, and I waited with eager anticipation.
Not-so-coindicidently . . . probably, more Godincidently . . . I had been researching yoga during the earlier part of the year. My reason for finding the video was not based on any of my yoga research; it was just a happy result of video surfing out of boredom. BUT! The timing was great, nonetheless.
*~*~*~*~*
I ordered the beginner's package yesterday; it should be in my hot little hands either by the end of this week or early next week. WooHoo!
I'll be letting y'all know what my impression of the workouts are.
But, right now, I've got to tell you . . . so far, I'm pretty dang impressed with Diamond Dallas Page and DDP Yoga.
The site is replete with various links to other parts of the site, designed to help people learn and ask questions. Diamond Dallas, himself, is beyond cool and his enthusiasm is contagious. He even created a private YouTube welcome video for all new members.
Also, part of the cost of any of the packages is membership in an online community, complete with forums and personal pages for each member.
This was a pleasant (and somewhat bothersome) surprise for me. Why bothersome? I'm trying to simplify my online activities (which is why last week I created a new account on Facebook and created my first account on Pinterest - ha! Figure that one out, will ya?).
But. I figured I could always register with the DDP Yoga community; and if I thought it was going to be useful, I could utilize it; if not, then no harm / no foul.
Within a couple of hours of signing-up and creating my profile (and that's all I did - I didn't make any posts), I had several email notifications of people over at DDP Yoga posting their welcomes to me; and those welcomes continued to trickle in throughout the evening.
I was pretty impressed with that; the support of the community . . . and such community being people who have purchased their own yoga packages through DDP. That speaks volumes to me.
I'm pretty excited about this new adventure that I'm entering!
*~*~*~*~*
By the way, does anyone see the amusing irony of me . . . ME . . . learning yoga from a retired WCW world heavyweight professional wrestler? It sure makes me giggle, for a variety of reasons.
*~*~*~*~*
By the way, again, when you watch the "Never Give Up" video, be sure to click on the link at the end of the video that will take you to the extended version of the video. Great stuff!
*~*~*~*~*
Y'all be blessed.
Thanks for reading!
~Sharmie, the Yoganator
I'm sure many of y'all will know the video; it went viral very quickly and continues to reach more and more people.
Good!
"Inspirational" falls very short of accurately describing Arthur Boorman's story.
Here's the link to the video:
"Never Give Up!"
See?! I told y'all you probably had seen it.
And, was I right or was I right . . . Beyond inspirational, right?
Of course, right.
*~*~*~*~*
I have watched this video many times in the past 3 months. Rarely do I not watch it that tears do not seep out. Arthur's grit and determination - God bless him!
After watching this amazing video the first time, I immediately googled DDP Yoga.
Google is my friend, doncha know :)
I went to the site - and knew. I. Wanted. That. Kit!
But, budget priorities taking . . . well . . . priority told me that I needed to wait util August before I could order them. But, I promised myself that I was going to get the kit, and I waited with eager anticipation.
Not-so-coindicidently . . . probably, more Godincidently . . . I had been researching yoga during the earlier part of the year. My reason for finding the video was not based on any of my yoga research; it was just a happy result of video surfing out of boredom. BUT! The timing was great, nonetheless.
*~*~*~*~*
I ordered the beginner's package yesterday; it should be in my hot little hands either by the end of this week or early next week. WooHoo!
I'll be letting y'all know what my impression of the workouts are.
But, right now, I've got to tell you . . . so far, I'm pretty dang impressed with Diamond Dallas Page and DDP Yoga.
The site is replete with various links to other parts of the site, designed to help people learn and ask questions. Diamond Dallas, himself, is beyond cool and his enthusiasm is contagious. He even created a private YouTube welcome video for all new members.
Also, part of the cost of any of the packages is membership in an online community, complete with forums and personal pages for each member.
This was a pleasant (and somewhat bothersome) surprise for me. Why bothersome? I'm trying to simplify my online activities (which is why last week I created a new account on Facebook and created my first account on Pinterest - ha! Figure that one out, will ya?).
But. I figured I could always register with the DDP Yoga community; and if I thought it was going to be useful, I could utilize it; if not, then no harm / no foul.
Within a couple of hours of signing-up and creating my profile (and that's all I did - I didn't make any posts), I had several email notifications of people over at DDP Yoga posting their welcomes to me; and those welcomes continued to trickle in throughout the evening.
I was pretty impressed with that; the support of the community . . . and such community being people who have purchased their own yoga packages through DDP. That speaks volumes to me.
I'm pretty excited about this new adventure that I'm entering!
*~*~*~*~*
By the way, does anyone see the amusing irony of me . . . ME . . . learning yoga from a retired WCW world heavyweight professional wrestler? It sure makes me giggle, for a variety of reasons.
*~*~*~*~*
By the way, again, when you watch the "Never Give Up" video, be sure to click on the link at the end of the video that will take you to the extended version of the video. Great stuff!
*~*~*~*~*
Y'all be blessed.
Thanks for reading!
~Sharmie, the Yoganator
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