Month: August 2016

wounded heart

#Women’s Health Week Revisited – #Heart Health – Connecting the Dots by D.G. Kaye | Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life

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Sally Cronin revisiting some worthy health information in her Health Series. Today’s post is about Heart Health, where Sally has featured my story.

 

Women’s Health Week Revisited – Heart Health – Connecting the Dots by D.G. Kaye

 

Welcome to the women’s health week revisited and I am so pleased that author D.G. Kaye accepted my invitation to guest post last year. She shared her story about a health issue that could have gone unnoticed at great risk to her life. Thankfully she is now fully recovered and definitely firing on all cylinders.

 

 

I became fascinated by a tiny red dot on my right forearm. Months had gone by and I was puzzled as to why it was still there, so I kept mental note of it every time I glanced it. I just found it strange that this tiny red, transparent speck had taken up residence on my arm and wouldn’t go away. It never hurt, nor itched; it was just there.

I followed my intuition and decided to take action. Ironically, this wasn’t the first call to action. I had previously shown it to my husband’s Dermatologist two months prior, and he offered to burn it off. He was a very old gentleman, and I had mentioned to my husband that I thought this doctor was ready for retirement, as he didn’t see very well. He never used a microscope and seemed always too eager to burn things off. I didn’t feel at peace with the issue so I wanted to seek a second opinion.

I made an appointment with a new Dermatologist who came highly recommended in August 2005. I had to wait until January of the following year to see him. When January rolled around, I went to the appointment and I was told that the doctor I was to see was off sick and that I would be passed over to one of his associates; Dr. Allen (name changed.)

When I met Dr. Allen, I sensed her compassion immediately. She made me feel comfortable with her warm smile and her soft-spoken manner. She informed me that she was going to cut out the dot and send it to pathology; her standard procedure. Dr. Allen stated that she didn’t believe it was anything serious, but as a precaution she wanted to have it analyzed. I was satisfied that I had somebody competent now looking after me. Dr. Allen informed me the results would take about two weeks. Two weeks later . . .Continue Reading

Source: Women’s Health Week Revisited – Heart Health – Connecting the Dots by D.G. Kaye | Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life

Reblog and featuring

We Are Not #Broken – You Are Not Broken |Dorothy Sander

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Reblog and featuring

Today’s reblog is from Dorothy Sander and her wise words about healing ourselves. We are not broken, we are on a journey of discover, learning, growing, exploring.

We Are Not Broken

Feeling and believing that we are broken or don’t measure up in some way…that we are flawed…inadequate…and in need of fixing…is an illusion. You are not broken. Perfection is a fantasy.  As human beings we have the ability to see, to conceptualize, a more perfect something. It’s an ability that drives us to create and learn and explore. 

Perfection is a fantasy.  As human beings we have the ability to see, to conceptualize, a more perfect something. It’s an ability that drives us to create and learn and explore. We’ve begun to use this ability to destroy ourselves.

I don’t believe we were born to exploit ourselves or each other, and yet, that is exactly the nature of the life in which we believe ourselves to be trapped. It’s no different from living in a cult. Our culture is a cult. Think of it. Think about how hard it is to go against the norm. We believe in many ways that we are powerless. We are powerless only insofar as we believe we have no choice. . . Continue Reading

 

Source: We Are Not Broken – You Are Not Broken |

#BookReview Uvi Poznansky: -The Music of Us

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book reviews

Sunday book review featuring The Music of Us by author Uvi Poznansky.

 

Music of Us

                                  Buy this book on Amazon

The Blurb:

 

In 1970, Lenny can no longer deny that his wife is undergoing a profound change. Despite her relatively young age, her mind succumbs to forgetfulness. Now, he goes as far back as the moment he met Natasha, when he was a soldier and she a star, brilliant yet illusive. Natasha was a riddle to him then, and to this day, with all the changes she has gone through, she still is.

 

Digging into the past, mining its moments, trying to piece them together this way and that, dusting off each memory of Natasha, of how we were, the highs and lows of the music of us, to find out where the problem may have started?

 

To their son, Ben, that may seem like an exercise in futility. For Lenny, it is a necessary process of discovery, one that is as tormenting as it is delightful. He often wonders: can we ever understand, truly understand each other – soldier and musician, man and woman, one heart and another? Will we ever again dance together to the same beat? Is there a point where we may still touch?

 

 

My Review: 5 Stars – A Beautiful Love Story

 

This was a beautifully written story by Poznansky who has a gift of bringing her readers into the story. The story begins in the 70s when Lenny, a former marine in WWII invites us into his life with his beloved wife Natasha, a concert pianist.

 

As Natasha is progressing with an early onset of dementia, Lenny’s love and hope for her to stay in the present, takes us into the story, told in reflection by Lenny. As we learn about their first meeting, and Lenny’s adoration for the young girl Natasha, we follow their relationship through the obstacles they endured through wartime, and missed opportunities amongst themselves, including Natasha’s over-bearing mother who tried to keep them apart. But we learn, love has no boundaries. A most beautiful read.

 

Check out all of Uvi’s books here on Amazon

 

Reblogging is flattery

Rejection is God’s Protection… | mira prabhu

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reblogging

Those of you who know me, know that I’m a huge believer in the universe, what goes round comes back, kindness and karma. Well today I’m reblogging a most beautiful post written with the great worldly wisdom she possesses, by Mira Prabhu.

 

I was blessed with the opportunity to befriend Mira when I met her through comments on Sally Cronin’s blog. Mira is a wise woman, a world traveler, and a prolific writer. In this article I’m sharing Mira’s thoughts on ‘Rejection is God’s Protection’. I think you can tell by my description what Mira is all about, there are many lessons of the universe in this article. Please enjoy.

 

“I’m sorry, I love you, please forgive me—three magic antidotes to any human relationship if honestly expressed—were absent from his skill-set. She’d gone through hell and back with him, relying on his brilliant mind to eventually open up his heart, hoping he’d make the magical shift into a new consciousness. Besides, through all their personal ups and downs, he’d helped her manifest her greatest dreams—and for this she was immensely grateful. Eventually she’d backed away, experiencing alternating waves of bitterness and relief. She wanted my view on what she’d confided in me and I, of course, obliged. . . Continue Reading

 

 

Source: Rejection is God’s Protection… | mira prabhu

Live Laugh Love

What the Dying Want Us to Know About Living

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breathe

I was compelled to share this most beautiful post I came across from Purple Clover . It’s a wonderful article reminding us all to take a moment and savor the small moments in life, as told by a dying woman.

 

We all get overwhelmed with our busy life and schedules trying to keep up, and sometimes tend to rush things we find insignificant at the moment, but turn out to be poignant parts of our lives we look back on. Please enjoy the article.

 

What the Dying Want Us to Know about Living:

 

“I was always in a hurry. Hurrying. Always. For what?” She took a deep breath, and gently said it one more time, “Always in a hurry ….”

What left me astonished and teary-eyed was not the surprise of her hating the picture, but that these words were exactly the ones my grandmother had spoken to me on the morning of her own passing. I had been sitting vigil at her bedside and she was growing weaker with each day in the hospital. Stroking her hand, I spoke softly to her, “Abuela. Abuela, do you hear me? Remember when you would take us to the grocery store across the street from our house at the start of every summer, and you began our first day of vacation with a popsicle?”

 

“Smiling, with her eyes still closed, she quietly answered, “I would tell you all to hurry, make your flavor choices, and to hurry. There was much to do. I would let you take your time choosing now, if I could. Things could have waited.” 

“Death teaches us not to rush past the things we’ll wish we had more of at the very end of life Continue Reading

 

Source: What the Dying Want Us to Know About Living 

D.G. Kaye author

The Powers in #Heaven – A Wedding Story

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My youngest brother’s daughter Natalie, got married this past Sunday. The wedding was held at a farmhouse about 45 minutes north of Toronto. The ceremony was to be held outside, and after, the big reception was held in a beautifully decorated barn.

 

During the prior week to the wedding, many of our family members were keeping a close eye on the weather predicted for that day. Rain was predicted as every day passed, as we remained hoping for a different turnout. The weather we’d been having for the past month has been hot and humid with hardly any rain. The humidity lingered in the thick air, begging to be released.

I kept praying that Sunday wouldn’t be the day the heavens would finally open up to rid us of the heat. Sunday morning I woke to sunshine, with a bit of cloud cover. I did my ‘sundance’ and asked my parents in heaven to please hold back the rain for Natalie and Sam’s wedding, if only for the ceremony.

 

As we drove up north, the sun turned to black clouds and it began to pour. By the time we arrived and exited the car, the rain had turned to drizzle, then it stopped as we proceeded to our seats in front of the Chupa (the covered arches, a symbol in the Jewish faith, where the bride and groom get married under). Suddenly, the winds picked up and the sky was getting dark again. The 80 plus degree temperature had dropped to what felt like 50 degrees. As neatly done hairdos were blowing, and us women dressed in sleeveless attire in anticipation of the heat and a non air-conditioned barn were shivering, I was feeling anxious and wishing the ceremony would start before those thick ominous clouds threatened a big storm. Some had commented it felt like we were suddenly transported to Kansas, The Wizard of Oz.

The music began to play – Love You For A Thousand Years, and the wedding party proceeded to walk down the aisle. As my brother and his beautiful wife came down the aisle, arms linked to their precious daughter, the sun forced its way through the clouds, and the temperature climbed back up to near 80 degrees. Throughout the half hour or so the ceremony lasted, the sun shone brightly, and some of us were even sweating. I knew in those moments, my parents were looking down on us and had somehow intervened by holding off the rain and shining a brief time of sunshine down on their granddaughter’s wedding.

mother's obituary

My Mother

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My Dad

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Me and my brother (brides father)

Only moments after the ceremony, the temperature quickly dropped once again, and a light sprinkle fell from the sky. I truly believe my parents were there with us to watch their granddaughter marry as they held off the rain and left behind their joyful tears from heaven.

#BookReview – Marcia Meara – Wake-Robin Ridge

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book reviews

Sunday book reviews continues with my review of Wake-Robin Ridge, a romantic mystery by Marcia Meara. Read the review below:

 

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Available at Amazon

 

The Blurb:

A PHONE RINGING AT 2:00 A.M. never means anything good. Calls at 2:00 A.M. are bad news. Someone has died. Someone is hurt. Or someone needs help.”

 

On a bitter cold January night in 1965, death came calling at an isolated little cabin on Wake-Robin Ridge. Now, nearly 50 years later, librarian Sarah Gray has quit her job and moved into the same cabin, hoping the peace and quiet of her woodland retreat will allow her to concentrate on writing her first novel. Instead she finds herself distracted by her only neighbor, the enigmatic and reclusive MacKenzie Cole, who lives on top of the mountain with his Irish wolfhound as his sole companion.

 

As their tentative friendship grows, Sarah learns the truth about the heartbreaking secret causing Mac to hide from the world. But before the two can sort out their feelings for each other, they find themselves plunged into a night of terror neither could have anticipated. Now they must unravel the horrifying events of a murder committed decades earlier. In doing so, they discover that the only thing stronger than a hatred that will not die is a heart willing to sacrifice everything for another.

My 5 Star Review: – A Hard Book to Put Down

 

I have to admit, I was more than surprised at how much I loved this book. I enjoy this author’s writing and I’d been looking forward to reading one of her books. At first I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy the genre, but Meara has a way of captivating her readers. She could probably re-write the telephone book and I’d read it. With all the plots and twists along the way, I couldn’t help but get back to reading in my stolen moments.

 

Marcia Meara chose a clever method of blending two romantic relationships from two different eras into one story. This kept me wondering what one couple were doing while I was reading about the other until her story linked both couples together.

 

This book touched me with several emotions. I found myself smiling, crying, frightened, anticipating the outcome of the relationships right through to the end. Meara knows how to hook a reader, and naturally I’ll have to read the next book.

 

Visit Marcia’s author page at Amazon and check out all of her books!

Empower

STORIES OF #COURAGE & #SURVIVAL– #ABUSE — Women of Wisdom Series™ |

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 empower

Dorothy Sanders is a memoir writer. Her blog Aging Abundantly is a place she shares her thoughts and wisdom on life and notable changes  and gratitudes, – changes in attitudes, growth, experience and how experiences affect the choices we continue to make after fifty.

 

About Dorothy:

 

PUTTING WORDS TO INTUITIONS

 

I write to put words to the feelings, truth, and intuitions that live within me, to find answers to life’s most pressing questions and to share what I discover along the way with those who are searching and /or suffering. I share my words, my discoveries, my thought processes, and my love and support  through articles, books, workshops and one-on-one coaching.  As I continue to search for my voice, my truth, my raison d’être, I love to share my journey and support others who are doing the same. Read more about Dorothy HERE 

Dorothy has started a new series, Voices of Wisdom, where   she has invited several memoir writers, including myself, to share some of our own wisdoms on subjects that became important in our lives. You can read my contribution Here.

 

Recently, Dorothy has written a beautiful article on memoir writers, and how our words have the power to encourage others who resonate with the emotional and physical abuse that we share in our stories, offering hope to the many who have yet to find their voice or claim their power. I was honored and humbled to find that me and my book Conflicted Hearts was chosen to add to her article, and I was deeply moved by her synopsis of my story. Please have a look at this article below.

“As part of The Women of Wisdom Series™, I am introducing three memoirs, each addressing the issue of abuse. Though the stories are different, the message is in many ways the same.  Each memoir sheds light on the impact of abuse on us and provides lessons in survival. The women describe their journeys from a place of strength and courage, characteristics they undoubtedly honed through their difficulties.

 

These women are people just like you and I and what I love about memoirs. Thanks to modern technology, and the increase of Indy Publishing, we are able to see into the lives of everyday people  It’s so exciting  that women are stepping up, one by one, and sharing their stories. They benefit from the telling, we benefit from the listening.

 

We all can learn from an author with a compelling story to tell. It doesn’t matter whether or not the book is worthy of a literary award. What matters is what we take away. . . Continue Reading

I want to share here, the beautiful statement Dorothy wrote regarding my book Conflicted Hearts:

 

CONFLICTED HEARTS:  A Daughter’s Quest for Solace from Emotional Guilt by D.G. Kaye

 

Conflicted Hearts Cover SMALL revised

“A girl’s relationship with her mother lasts a lifetime, but it is often not until we reach midlife that the complexity of a difficult connection comes into focus. What we come to believe about ourselves as adults through our interactions with our mother’s as children, is often not an accurate reflection of who we really are. This conflict, this inner disparity, either drives us toward disintegration or the truth.

D.G. Kaye took on this battle. In her book, Conflicted Hearts, she shares her story as she struggles to come to terms with her challenging and complex relationship with a mother she both loved and despised. It is a journey that all of us can relate to in one way or another. Kaye writes with honesty, candor, humor and courage as she peels back the layers and gains understanding and perspective. In the end we not only learn about the author, we learn about ourselves and may even come to see our own mother/daughter relationship a more clearly.

Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea, and enjoy this journey into one woman’s world. When you put down the book, you will feel as though you’ve gained a friend.”

As a memoir writer, I can honestly say writing in this genre is often difficult.  There are days when I have to walk away from writing to put my head in a different space, like coming up for air. I began writing Conflicted Hearts after years of journaling about my life, and consequently it led to writing a sequel, P.S. I Forgive You, a closure to that part of my life that existed within me for most of my life, written after my mother’s eventual death. But through the writing, it became a release of the emotional pain, and the best part about sharing pain and learning how to overcome is the reward that comes along with it. It’s inspiring to find that I have helped others in some small way, others who have endured similar paths with their own emotionally abused issues. We are not alone. And together we have the power to lift and enlighten one another and those who’ve yet to find the courage to walk away from what doesn’t serve them as healthy.

 

Visit Dorothy’s books 

 

Source: STORIES OF COURAGE & SURVIVAL– ABUSE — Women of Wisdom Series™ |