Yuku free message boards

Yep, the ocean is a healer. Glad you got to go yesterday. We went too, and loved it.

Grateful that it's a tad cooler today. We will probably continue with this mixture of sun and clouds, but no matter what color the sky is, the temps are sweet.

Today I am grateful:

That my son will accompany on a trip to Orlando this weekend. I enjoy travelling companions....plus he's a very funny and entertaining person.

That my brother and his wife have opened up their home for me to come and stay.

That my other brother, who also lives there, will also open up his home to me for a visit...which used to be my home before I sold it to him. It is fun to go back and see what changes and improvements he has made.

That weather conditions seem quite good for me to go on a planned pelagic (out-to-sea) trip from New Smyrna Beach tomorrow from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. We will go many miles off-shore and into the Gulf Stream in an effort to see all the wonderful birds who live on the open seas.....birds such as shearwaters, storm-petrels, boobies, tropicbirds, jaegers, loons, gannets, fulmars, phalaropes, scoters, kittiwakes, noddies, terns, and gulls. It's a whole 'nother world out there!

For my incredible good fortune to have been born, raised, and lived my whole life in the wonderful state of Florida.

Why, thank you all so much...Suzi, Rona, E-ji, and Bill. I am so glad to be a part of this board and to interact daily with all my wonderful friends here. A great portion of my contentment comes from our mutual love of yoga and our commitment to honoring the light in each other.

I want to share one more thing that I am also grateful for today....

I volunteer with our local Y Reads program, and the woman who runs the program asked the volunteers to promote it at a local Books-a-Million all weekend. We had a table set up with a jar for donations; many, many books on display for people to purchase and then donate into our bucket to give the Reads Kids a book for Christmas; and also a volunteer sheet for anyone who might like to join us in helping the kids. My two-hour stint was this afternoon. I was just amazed at the numbers of people willing to donate what they could, and I was able to convince people to donate their money, time, and books all. So, I was feeling like my shift there was going well. But, what I really enjoyed was the interaction with everyone. Sure, there were folks who didn't want anything to do with the request, and that was fine. Fortunately, none of them was rude. But, the people who were into it were really great...and some folks were the type that I think society kind-of gives up on..... I had a guy in a wheelchair, who was missing a leg, and who told me he was raising nieces and nephews at home, put a few bucks in the jar. And a girl whose entire face was covered in tattoos, complete with the ear plugs, happy to chat with me and purchase a book. Some of the really elderly people were great about wanting to help kids get books for Christmas. A young teenage couple came in and decided to scan through all the books until they found the perfect one they wanted to give. Another woman with a very heavy accent, who probably didn't understand much of what I said, bought one too. I just kept thinking..."you simply canNOT judge a book by its cover."

But, my most unexpected and really touching encounter was with a black man and his daughter. I had spoken with them when they first came in, and the man said he would come back later and take a look at the books. About a half hour later, he walked up to me and said, "You're a very interesting woman." I laughed and asked him what made him think that. And he proceeded to tell me that he had been watching me and how I interacted with people, and he just thought it was interesting...something along the line that what I was doing was great and that so many women today were just "crap". Well, okay...whatever....So, he said he would buy a book, went to the table, and proceeded to pick up book after book after book. I walked up to him and said..."You're not even looking at the prices!" And he said "Money means nothing unless you know what to do with it." He took a huge handful of books up to the counter, probably 12 - 15, spending well over $60! Whoo-ey!!! When he came back to put them in the bucket, I asked him if I could give him a hug....and I swear, I almost cried when I said it, I was that happy and just so touched. And so, that exchange was just a really super-meaningful one for me....the icing on the cake of all the other gifts people gave today. On the half-hour drive home, I didn't play the radio, as I just wanted to think back on and savor all the generous folks, helping our wonderful little K-3 kids read a little bit better.