Crepúsculo

It is late afternoon in November and the sun is setting, las sombras de los árboles se estiran por la tierra y me tocan suavamente. I lean against this delicate tree near our brook and wonder about so many things. Está terminando el día, pronto vendrá la noche, primero el crepúsculo, first the dusk sneaks its way into my world and then de repente Night falls y empiezo mi vida de noche, subo la calefacción, prendo las luces, check my email, I slow down, search for warmth in the words of mis amigos o mi familia. A phone call from my daughter, a hug from Teddy and life moves on in its never-ending circle.

¿Adónde van los días? Parecen derretirse en la nada, se va el sol o la Tierra se da la vuelta más bien, y la noche permanece un buen rato. The yin and yang of this Universe is ever-present, seems to be carrying me along with it and I do what I think I must, waking up to the day and sleeping through the night. Dusk is the hardest part for me, Night falls, yes, it's not kidding, it's not subtle, I turn around and everything is black, yet the sunrise creeps slowly....or so it seems, and is anything what it seems? Hay que aceptar todo como es. Me encanta el verano con sus días largos, pero tengo que aceptar el otoño con sus días cortitos y sus noches de repente, you cannot linger this time of year, savor the day while it is here, enjoy its quick afternoon light and let it soothe you while it can, for the night will envelope you with its oscuridad total and it will be earlier than you think, but still you must fill your time before going to bed.

Have you ever awakened at two or three o'clock in the morning and looked out at the stars? They are three times brighter than normal and the sky looks magical. Parece un sueño y son diamantes suspendidos en el cielo oscuro. Is it my imagination? Todos aquellos soles iluminando otros planetas girando en nuestro universo, o a lo mejor son las joyas de las diosas del cielo, los destellos, the way the ancient peoples thought about the heavens. Who knows? Does it matter really? Para mí, me da lo mismo.

So I dance in the morning and meditate at night and the earth carries me and keeps me circling in its whirling, swirling patterns.

Soy Lorena
11/30/06

A reprint of the last half

Unfortunately, there was a problem with the size of the font and I could not figure out how to get the font to enlarge...so I am reprinting the last half of today's blog.

Thank you for the people in my life who share with me their thoughts and dreams, thank you for my feelings, my hopes, my curiosity and my optimism, gracias por mi casa que me da amparo, gracias por mi ropa que me cubre and me protege del frío, gracias por la comida que me alimenta. Thank you for vegetables and salads and fruit and chocolate, thank you for water, for tea and coffee so satisfying at the right moment, gracias por la música que me sosiega, thank you for my piano that takes me to another level of existence with her beautiful singing voice, thank you for the earth that supports me and never lets me down, gracias por las cartas que me llegan de los países lejanos, thank you for parents and children and grandchildren and cousins and lovers and dreams and fantasies...and for all the abundance in the Universe which is infinite.
GRACIAS, GRACIAS, GRACIAS, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Gracias (exclamation point)

Gracias por el sol aunque no lo veo hoy, gracias por la luna, aunque está escondida, gracias por el aire fresco que respiro en la mañana, thank you for the sky, the clouds, the trees that smile upon me with bare branches, gracias por mis pies que corren por el laberinto, gracias por mis músculos tan fuertes que me llevan dónde quiero ir, thank you for my beating heart that sends its energy throughout my body, thank you for the colors of the earth, the varied shades of green, los rojos y azules, las hojas anaranjadas ya acabadas, thank you for the beauty my eyes receive when I look upon you, earth, gracias por el arroyo que corre con una urgencia de llegar lejos...lejos...lejos.

Thank you for the people in my life who share with me their thoughts and dreams, thank you for my feelings, my hopes, my curiosity and my optimism, gracias por mi casa que me da amparo, gracias por mi ropa que me cubre y me protege del frío, gracias por la comida que me alimenta, thank you for vegetables and salads and fruit and chocolate, thank you for water, for tea and for coffee so satisfying at the right moment, gracias por la música que me sosiega, thank you for my piano that takes me to another level of existence with her beautiful singing voice, thank you for the earth that supports me and never lets me down, gracias por las cartas que me llegan de los países lejanos, thank you for parents and children and grandchildren and cousins and lovers and dreams and fantasies.....and for all the abundance in the Universe which is infinite. GRACIAS, GRACIAS, GRACIAS, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Did I leave out anything? I'm sure there's more.....what are you grateful for?

Soy Lorena
11/29/06

Luna, luna...where are you?

The new moon showed itself a few days ago, bulging with life and brilliance, but now the cloud cover is thick and I miss her, mi luna tan bella que me trae amor y recuerdos. Here is the full moon in San Miguel de Allende, this past summer, when we celebrated her arrival. Parece tan lejos, la luna, pero aquí está dentro de nosotros. Hard to believe she is inside each one of us. Close your eyes and you can feel her soft reflection soothing our hurts. The moon is moody as some people can attest because of their sensitivity to her changes. Para mí, la luna es puro amor y compasión. Te saludo, luna, te mando mi cariño y muchos besos y abrazos aunque no te vea hoy.....siempre te recuerdo.....siempre.

La luna en la Argentina está de cabeza. Sí, es cierto. Imagine that. So it's true that the southern hemisphere is upside down. I have it on good authority, only the catch is, the people who live there think we are upside down, but they see the moon's face the other way around. Who is right? It's a matter of point of view, punto de vista, depende de dónde la miras. It's a metaphor for opinions, perceptions, thoughts, ideas. Everything depends on your point of view. Entonces, nada es ni bueno ni malo, solamente depende de tu punto de vista. Are we right because we live in the northern hemisphere? Are they wrong because they live in the southern hemisphere? How silly. Qué ridículo. Tu puedes creer lo que quieras y no me hace daño a mí, ¿verdad que sí? Son tus acciones que cuentan, no tus creencias. ¿Qué opinas tú? Vamos a empezar un diálogo un día de estos.

I was thinking yesterday how everything seems to go in a circle...we wake up, start our day, we work, we run around, it gets dark, we go to sleep and the day begins again, the earth spinning and circling around the sun, the solar system spinning and moving through space. ¿Por eso estoy mareada? Todo se repite, everything is repeated, the day, the night, the seasons, and though we do the same things over and over, nothing is exactly the same. Todo cambia...ah, hay una canción sobre este tema. Qué maravilla de mundo es este. ¿Cómo puede uno abrurrirse? Imposible.

It all comes back to experiencing the moment, to being present, here and now. It is the same and it is not the same.

Enjoy your moments for they are unique.

Tus momentos son singulares.

Soy Lorena
11/28/06

Dos Mujeres en Praga

"Estamos condenados, en efecto, a tropezar con aquello de lo que huimos." Dos Mujeres en Praga, por Juan José Millás.

I'm reading this book now in Spanish, it's a strange story but very compelling. Why is this quote so true? Think about it, what you focus on is what you get. If you dwell on your fears, then they come to you because in a way you are calling them. Prefiero creer en la magia que existe cuando pienso en cosas buenas...como estas piedras, las junté, las arreglé pero no tenían forma bonita hasta que encontré las últimas dos piedras. La piedra más alta no estaba cerca, la había encontrado lejos en la entrada de la casa. Me llamó esta piedra y la recogí y la llevé cerca del jardín sin saber lo que iba a hacer con ella. Se quedó unos días esperándome creo, y cuando construía esta escultura tratando de hacer algo interesante, puse la penúltima piedra y en seguida supe que la piedra que había llevado unos días antes quería estar allá. And look how beautiful this rock sculpture is, how magical, how harmonious. For me this is a kind of meditation, Nature's beauty, I can just sit and stare at it and become peaceful and complete. I love its shapes, its lights and shadows, its majesty. Mírame, dice. Soy bella.

So what about two women in Prague? What about me in Massachusetts? Or you in wherever you are? To contemplate beauty and peace will bring beauty and peace into your life. Just think what we could accomplish if we all did that. If you give love you will receive love. No, this is not corny, (o cursi) it's simply true. Even if you don't believe it.......try it and watch what happens.

Soy Lorena
11/26/06

Where does Time exist?

I keep reading here and there that we create time, that there is no time in the Universe, that it is an invention of Man, del Hombre, entonces, ¿Dónde, exactamente, existe el tiempo? ¿En mi cabeza? Sé que no sé dónde existe el ciberespacio. Prendo mi computadora y allí está. La apago y se va.......pero ¿adónde? Se me hace que el ciberespacio es infinito. I get the feeling that cyberspace is infinite, like the Universe. How does that happen?

Have you watched the sun as it is setting? If I don't notice it, the sun seems to be just hanging out there in the sky for a long time, but If I focus my attention on it, wow, it's moving and fast, too. Me encanta mirar la puesta del sol sobre el mar. I love the way it "sinks" into the ocean.

So, where is yesterday? Where is tomorrow? ¿Dónde está el Ahora? Se dice que nada más tenemos este momento. Be in the present moment......is it right here wherever you are? Is my present moment the same as your present moment? What about our opinions and experiences? How do they shape what we see and feel in each present moment? Se puede volver loco pensando en estas preguntas. A lo mejor no hay respuestas. Pero me doy cuenta que si me pongo a contemplar estas preguntas llego a saber un poco, bueno, un poquito más de mí y del Universo dónde vivo. Por lo menos dejo de pensar en tonterías, o en el pasado, o en cosas que no me sirven para nada. The Power of Now por Eckhart Tolle dice "Accept what is. The moment that judgment stops through acceptance of what is you are free of the mind."
Maybe Time exists only in the mind. If that's true, then there is a way to be free of it. At this point in time, I'm not sure how to do that......oh, well, maybe next time I'll figure it out. :)

I think Spanish is a little more exact when it comes to using the word "time." We say, "What time is it? they say "¿Qué hora es?" What's the hour? We say "time and time again." They say "Una y otra vez." "Lots of times.......muchas veces." But we agree on this: "I don't have time. No tengo tiempo." Pero, de verdad, ¿tenemos tiempo o no tenemos tiempo? Do we have Time or does Time have us? Are we merely slaves to Time? Why are we all rushing around these days when our parents' generation "took their time?" How did all these machines to help us live better and easier lives find us with less time to do the fun things we want to do? Well, that's another story for another day.

Have a good time with your day. Que lo pases bien.

Soy Lorena
11/25/06

La Amistad

La amistad es para mí algo muy importante porque soy hija única. No conozco lo que es tener hermanos, y aunque he tenido cuñados, no es lo mismo.

Friendship, when it is deep and caring can be the most wonderful thing because along with the friendship goes a kind of love, different from Romantic love or love for your children or parents even. Friendship is chosen, escogida y a veces no sabemos por qué brota la amistad con esta persona pero no con aquella.

Recently, I met in person a woman with whom I have been emailing for five years. She came to visit from a faraway place and because we had been writing for so long and kind of knew each other's position on a number of things, we knew we would get along...but I don't think we knew to what extent we would connect. La verdad, sentí que la conociera toda la vida. We just clicked. We had the best time together, we chatted, we laughed, we ran around the city seeing everything as if for the first time. It was hard to say good-by, but I know that now I have a friend for life.

Sometimes a friend's words can do so much. Me llegaron unas palabras lindas de otro amigo hace poco y me inspiraron tanto sus palabras que compuse una canción con ellas. Me tocaron sus palabras profundamente, me hicieron llorar y me hicieron dar las gracias por esta amistad tan bella en mi vida.

So, yes, well, gratitude is one thing I'm feeling a lot of these days, gratitude for these friendships, gratitude for this life, gratitude for my children and all of the abundance that the Universe has given me....and especially GRATITUDE for my parents....finally, por fin.

Isn't it appropriate this time of year when tomorrow is THANKSGIVING?

I wish everyone good friendships and may Gratitude be with you always.

Soy Lorena
11/22/06

¿Cómo amaneciste?

In English we say, "How did you sleep?" En castellano se dice "¿Cómo amaneciste?" o How did you wake up? But since el amanecer is the dawn, I think of this phrase as literally How did you dawn? Think about it. How did you sleep? What's the real answer to that question? How did I do something....hmmm, how did I sleep? Well, I put on my pajamas, lay down on my bed, closed my eyes and the next thing I knew it was morning. Isn't that how I sleep?

On the other hand, How did I dawn, or How did I wake up? Lista para enfrentar el día...
o descansada, o con ganas de levantarme a salir para hacer los ejercicios, o deseando una taza de té o mil y un sentimientos. We say the day dawns, but maybe we can dawn as well and perhaps that's a better way to greet the new day. How did you dawn? I like that.

This morning was the coldest morning so far this season, 24 degrees F. o -4 Centigrados. Había escarcha por todos lados afuera. La foto que saqué es del laberinto con escarcha, pero tal vez no se note mucho en la foto. Pero sí, el pasto no está verde, sino blanco. Me puse mi gorro, los guantes y una chamarra bien caliente y anduve un buen rato inhalando el aire escarchado y fresco.

Cada día hay algo distinto, una sorpresa del Universo, cada momento es distino.

Billie Jean King (the tennis champion) once said that the ball never crosses the net the same way twice.

Nothing every happens the same way twice. And for me, that's what makes life interesting.

Soy Lorena
11/21/06

This is not a test

If you fail a test, maybe there's a chance to take it over. This is your life and it is NOT a test. If you fail, there is no chance to take it over.
What does it mean to fail?
I don't think making mistakes means you fail, creo que cuando haces errores y no aprendes de tus errores, entonces eso es un fracaso.

Does the Universe test us? ¿Parece que el Universo nos da pruebas o problemas para resolver? Nadie nos dijo que la vida será fácil.

¿Qué te pasa cuando la Vida no te hace la vida fácil? ¿Cómo te comportas? ¿Cómo reaccionas?

How do you deal with a government worker on the telephone who either doesn't answer your questions, tells you the computer is down, or gives you a different answer than the other government worker last week?
How do you keep your sanity in the midst of confusion?
How do you resolve the problem?

¿Cómo sigues adelante con el peso de los problemas sin resolver?

En la universidad tenía yo un profesor que siempre decía cuando ya terminaba la clase, "adelante."

Bueno, digo ahora adelante, adelante, ADELANTE, mis amigos. Esto no es una prueba, es tu vida....................que sigas adelante--

Or do something creative.

Soy Lorena
11/20/06

Sunday

Domingo, a day of rest, but I am creating again, a new song is bursting forth...

Habló mi Musa y aproveché la hora, se trata del agradecimiento de nuestros padres, lo que nos han dado y lo que hacemos en su honor.

A ver como sale.........

Que descansen este día.

Until next time.

Soy Lorena.
11/19/06

Solitude, la soledad

Leaves fell on the skylight, the rain held them there.
The sun came out and they blew away.
But here is their moment....as if dancing in air.
Nature's art....

Hojas en la claraboya, bailando
y pegadas por la lluvia.
Duraron un rato no más, para que les sacara una foto.

Hoy estoy sola, me desperté sola, pasé el día sola, comí sola, pasé la aspiradora sola, limpié la cocina sola, toqué el piano sola, canté sola, fui a ver el arroyo sola, miré el sol cambiar su luz sola, vi la oscuridad empezar a llegar sola, escuché lus ruidos de la casa sola, pinté el laberinto sola, y al final de cuentas me doy cuenta que no quiero vivir sola. Un día sola es aguantable, pero más días solas, sé que no los quiero.

The leaves are not lonely, they are piled on top of each other, they fall together one by one or in clumps, they stick to each other, they decompose back into earth again...together. The trees are not lonely, they live side by side, they grow, their branches touch, their leaves mix together as they fall.

Did I say I was lonely? No, the day is quiet, I am alone. I like to be alone sometimes. I am good company for myself.

Enjoy yourself. Enjoy your solitude. Enjoy others too. This universe has many opposites. They can be fun.

Hasta pronto.

Soy Lorena.
11/18/06

El Mundo Cambia

The world is changing, time has speeded up, "el tiempo corre como agua entre las manos"
Today I took the commuter train into Boston and when I went to get on the subway, (metro) suddenly I thought I was in Europe. I was confronted by very sophisticated-looking machines, ya no había gente vendiendo las fichas y me tocaba dar el dinero a la máquina, apretar la pantalla, pero no sabía dónde empezar. At the next machine was a young pregnant woman. I turned to her and said, "I like people. I don't know how to do this." She asked me what I wanted to do and I told her buy two "tokens" que ya no son fichas sino boletos. Ella empezó a apretar la pantalla de su lado y me dijo que fuera allá y meter el dinero. What a nice person, I thought. After I got my ticket and my change, I turned to her and asked, "¿Hablas español?"
"Sí," me dijo.
"Ay, hubiéramos hablado en español," le dije. She smiled.

I learned something from this encounter. The world may be changing but it is still full of good people, walking angels I'd like to call them. When I need help, the Universe provides me with exactly what I need. I wished this young woman luck with her future motherhood...but not out loud. I was too shy to do that. Sí, soy tímida a veces. Como ya dije, el tiempo pasa rápido, y este encuentro no duró más que unos minutos. Se fue ella, me fui yo......y seguimos nuestras vidas.

My main objective for the day was to see my granson play his last football game of the season. He's a Freshman, but they take the game seriously. Actually, it's more than just a game. It's teamwork, being part of a group, learning how to cooperate, be a community, apoyar el uno al otro, vivir como una entidad, aprender trabajar juntos y mucho más. Su equipo ganó, jugaron muy bien, y lo mejor fue que ganaron a su rival. He was flying high. We went to dinner, my daughter, Alex and me. He's still sweet, todavía es dulce. Lo quiero mucho.

Life is good.

How to find Authentic Happiness, try this.

Soy Lorena.
11/17/06

Somos humanos

¿Qué quiere decir, realmente ser un ser humano? Un ser humano tiene compasión por otro ser humano porque los dos sabemos lo que el otro siente, ¿sí o no?
Entonces, ¿por qué hay asesinos? ¿Por qué hay guerras? ¿Por qué hay tortura en este mundo?

¿Somos humanos o somos inhumanos? Tal vez estas preguntas no tienen respuestas.

I think many things can be tied to the Seven Deadly Sins, los siete pecados capitales,

ávaro (greed), lujuria (lust), pereza (sloth), glotonería (gluttony), arrogancia o altivez (pride),
envidia (envy), ira (anger)

If you allow these so-called Sins to overtake you, then you can be led to commit inhuman acts.
¿No es cierto? Does robbery and murder stem from greed? ¿Does rape come from lust?
¿Does anger lead to torture during war conditions? I only ask.

Simplemente pregunto.

I don't want to leave you with these heavy themes, afterall, there is still happiness amid misery, hope amid desperation...somos humanos, ¿verdad? SERES HUMANOS. Tenemos la capcidad de resolver problemas, sanar los malos pensamientos, crear un mundo mejor.

I try to do my best....my best can only start with me....your best begins with you.

Suerte...hasta pronto.

Soy Lorena
11/16/06

My iPod nano

Yes, yes, I know happiness does not come from owning material things. When it comes to electronic gadgets I usually wait and wait before I purchase and then don't purchase. But this time I waited and waited and then decided to purchase an ipod. By the time I got to the store, the nano had arrived. Well......to be perfectly honest my ipod nano has made me very happy.
¿De verdad? No puede ser...qué ridículo.(exclamation point here) Pero, la verdad o "la neta" como dicen en México, no es la cosa electronica que trae felicidad, sino la música que da. Ahora tengo toda mi música preferida en un solo lugar y fácil de escuchar. And that's what I experience as happiness. To put on my head phones, run outside, jog, skip, dance to David Lanz' Skylight Firedance, puro piano con una energía emocionante que me motiva a moverme el cuerpo.
Or listen to the flutes of the Andes, or sing along with the trova singers, Fernando Delgadillo y más, o escuchar a Mayahuel, el conjunto de San Miguel de Allende, ay, qué rico.........

Final note for today. Happiness comes from within and from one's perspective or point of view, punto de vista. It's not about the THING, it's about how I choose to experience the THING. I was happy before I got my ipod nano. I just feel that my happiness is a little bit enhanced because of my ipod nano. (ha ha) Does this make any sense at all?

Hasta mañana.

Soy Lorena.
11/15/06

La Música

La música me corre por las venas. Tengo ganas de componer otra canción
pero no tengo la letra. I need the lyrics to create a song. Once I have the words
the music flows like a waterfall, una cascada, and quickly
I go to the piano and let it happen, watch it happen.

Mi Musa ha estado un poco callado últimamente, pero hay que tener paciencia; Patience is a Virtue.

This morning I went outside for my morning exercise.
It was drizzling, lloviznando, había neblina, pero bailé
de todos modos en la lluvia....dancing in the rain, the stream
was rushing ahead full force and filling up our occasional pond.
No ducks, no frogs to hear, the trees are bare now, but this
is the first Fall I have been so present, aware of each day,
truly experiencing this season as much as I experience summer.
Wow. Being in the moment is a really wonderfull place to be.
El momento, este momento y este, y este y este...........etc. La verdad,
es profundo, ¿cuándo tenemos el cuerpo y la mente en el mismo lugar al
mismo tiempo? No es fácil.
This morning I dreamed I was going skiing with people who ski a lot.
I have never been skiing. I saw this dream as a reflection of the rehearsal
I had last night with experienced singers, while I am a novice in this area.
Okay, so it's time to stretch. It's all about one's experience and training. They
have had training...I have not, well, just a little. I have started singing lessons
at this stage in my life and it's really quite exciting. ¡Qué emoción! Me encanta
aprender algo nuevo.
Hay que aprender cosas nuevas. Es lindo, te llena de vida.

Here's to learning something new. ;)
Chau.

Soy Lorena
11/14/06

"The Happiness Hypothesis"

Este libro escrito por Jonathan Haidt se llama "The Happiness Hypothesis, finding modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom" Aquí está su sitio en el web: http://www.happinesshypothesis.com/

Me pongo feliz cuando________________________________. Fill in the blank.

I get happy when____________________________________. Llena el espacio.
I get happy when:
I wake up each morning and it's a new day, a new beginning, and I don't know what will happen.
I run outside to greet the sun or the rain or the warmth or the cold or the fog.
I see the moon and know that she is mine...and yours too.
I receive an email from a friend in a faraway place. Sé que somos unidos, parte de un entero enorme, sin fin.
I nourish my body with my liquid breakfast, banana, blueberries, almond milk, protein, vitamins, minerals, flax oil, mmmmmmmmmmmm....
Ted and I hug and smile and look deep into each other's eyes.
I feel my body waking up, my muscles stretching into action.
Acepto a mí misma, sabiendo que soy perfecta.
Dejo que el mundo haga lo que tiene que hacer, sin pensar que todo va mal.
Tengo todo listo para dar mis clases.
I know that all my needs are met and there is no need to worry.
I realize that NOW is all we have and our days on this earth are short.

When do you get happy? ¿Cuándo te toca la Felicidad?

Soy Lorena
11/13/06

Epitafio para un poeta

Un poema por Octavio Paz, el poeta mexicano.

Quiso cantar, cantar
para olvidar
su vida verdadera de mentiras
y recordar
su mentirosa vida de verdades.

Me encanta este poema. I love this poem. I'd like to try
to put it into English....let's see.

He wanted to sing, to sing
in order to forget
his real life of lies
and remember his lying life of truths.

Someone tell me if the English says it the way
Paz meant it.

Anyway, it rained today, a large part of the day and there was flooding
as we drove into Boston to see a play.
I think of movies as an escape, but of theatre as being slapped in the face with the real world.
Theatre doesn't let you off the hook, el Teatro te dice Mírame, mírate a ti, mira la vida, aprende de tus errores, enfrenta la Verdad...Face the Truth with a Capital T.

The play was Rabbit Hole. I highly recommend it, the acting was superb, the message deep and tragic...we cried. For me it is so satisfying to experience great theatre. One of my strengths is Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence. Encontré esto porque tomé la prueba de la Felicidad, the Happiness test. I'll have to look up the website and post it here.

La Felicidad....¿Por qué se dice "soy feliz?" Were you happy today? Did Happiness touch your life, o sea, te diste cuenta que la Felicidad te tocaba? Aunque pasan cosas tristes, todavía existe la felicidad.

Les mando mucha felicidad, I wish you much happiness.

Soy Lorena
11/12/06

Mis hojas de noviembre--November pages

It's November....isn't it? noviembre y casi todas las hojas se han caído, but my "leaves" keep coming, pages of thoughts that fill my head and fall into the present moment. Esta mañana me puse a rastrillar las hojas que tapaban el laberinto. The sun was rising, the ground was still dew covered and the faint white lines of my hand-painted labyrinth were still hanging onto the wet grass. Miré arriba y vi la luna...the half bulging moon in its waning phase. It was a beautiful moment and I felt a deep appreciation for being alive. Corrí, salté, bailé taking in the fresh air of the morning and the hawk flew overhead, nuestro halcón que vive en este vecindario, elegante, majestuoso...enemy of the small birds around here and the chipmunks. The chipmunks, by the way, have been tucking themselves away more often than usual. "Rocky", the chipmunk I consider my pet, who likes to take peanuts from my hand, has been especially reticent to show himself lately. I think perhaps these creatures begin to slow down as the fall season changes into winter....ojalá que pudiéramos hacer lo mismo, pero nuestra vida sigue su ritmo frenético durante todo el año. Mis días libres son para mí lo mejor para desestresarme, (si existe esta palabra), to "destress", slow down, take it easy, breathe, send out gratitude to the Universe, take in all the goodness and beauty the Universe has to give....remember, the Universe is endless, sin fin.
At some point I want to talk about "voluntary activities" and the impact they have on us. Not volunteer activities, that's something else. Lo que uno hace simplemente por gusto. What you do in your spare time...when you have spare time....what moves you, what calls out to you, what gives you life.

Saludos...until next time.

Soy Lorena
11/11/06

Day one, Spanish and English

Prefiero llamarme tejedora, tejedora de ideas o pensamientos. As I was thinking about creating a blog, I was wondering what the theme should be…el tema, y en seguida quería que este blog mío fuera bilingüe, o sea, en castellano y en inglés, así mi mundo sería más grande. The world opens up when there is more than one language.

We were in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, this summer and I was in two worlds at once. There was the “gringo” world, retired Americans, some richer than us, people I would not have the opportunity to hang with in my own country, but there, I was accepted. Then there were the Mexicans, the local people with whom I could also relate because I spoke their language and in my other life, mi otra vida, I had been married to one. It was cool.

Pero, regresando al tema, getting back to what I want to write about, HAPPINESS o FELICIDAD…what is happiness? How do we attain it? Jonathan Haidt wrote a book called The Happiness Theory, and he says we are all born with a “set point” for happiness, o sea, uno nace con su capacidad de sentir felicidad ya fija y las circunstancias no necesariamente cambian eso. Once an optimist, always an optimist? I am optimistic and have always been that way, even though my life was filled with unhappy events for many years….well, not exactly unhappy events, but rather more like not being accepted for who I was, being criticized for my thoughts or beliefs, but…let’s not go there. No vayamos allá. No hay que pensar en el pasado, un pasado ya muy pasado.

¿Merecemos la felicidad? Don Miguel Ruiz dice que estamos aquí (en la Tierra) para disfrutar de la vida. We are here to enjoy life and if we are impeccable with our word, don’t take things personally, don’t make assumtions and always do our best, we will be happy. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? I’ve been working on living these four agreements of Don Miguel, and it’s not easy. The trick is to increase your awareness of your actions and words, but life happens fast sometimes, bueno, casi siempre pasa rápido y ya cuando me doy cuenta de lo que he dicho, pues, ya es tarde, ya lo dije. Oops! Well, next time I’ll be more careful, but it’s a slow process, don’t kid yourself. And I’ve learned that you can’t separate the agreements, all four are connected. You can’t be good at one, but not good at another. If you make an assumption, you then tend to say something based on that assumption which turns out not to be impeccable and you take it personally, and then of course you’re not doing your best. I’ve seen this happen in myself. El camino a la Ilustración (Enlightenment) es largo y lleno de impedimentos, ¿no es cierto? Pero seguimos, paso a paso, step by step, sometimes baby steps.

So, I’d love to have a dialog about happiness, en castellano o en inglés, o en los dos idiomas. Write and tell me your thoughts.

Soy Lorena.
11/11/06