Do you dwell on the past? If you do, are you remembering loving and joyful experiences or are you caught in the cycle of ongoing regret, embarrassment, or fear that others will find out? 

If you remember joyful, happy memories and those memories elicit joy and happiness in the present moment, good! If you remember happy, joyful memories and those memories cause you to compare them to your current situation, what experience are you creating in the now? If you bring forward experiences that are painful and then judge yourself or your behavior, what experience are you creating in the now?

Do you consciously realize that you have a choice every moment to create your own experience? I learned at an early age to bring the past into the present and it wasn't always in order to experience the blessings of my life. My past mistakes were brought up to me in an accusatory manner or to make me the brunt of humor. The goal was to embarrass me. It worked.

I was fortunate to learn,...

These three words describe the course of my lifetime. As I sit at my keyboard, I realize they make sense in any order:

HEAL...LEARN...GROW:     I had to discover how to heal myself by releasing counterproductive or harmful behaviors. Once the healing began to take hold, I was able to open up to clearer, healthier ways to live and interpret life. This resulted in mental and emotional growth, understanding, maturity.

LEARN...GROW...HEAL:     As a child, I learned a lot about what works in life by watching others. I tried on different behaviors, seeking approval and a sense of belonging. As I grew toward adulthood, I sought marriage and a family and I was blessed with both. I also faced disappointment and tragedy which taught me what I needed to heal from within.

GROW...HEAL...LEARN:     All through life I have been blessed with loving, compassionate spiritual teachers. They came to me through both the Catholic and Protestant sides of the Christian family....

Sunset Park in Las Vegas is a great place to enjoy nature without leaving town. The county has created a desert park there which includes three circular trails that connect for walking, running, biking; leashed dogs are allowed. The thing I like best is that it is like entering a different world. It is a world of jack rabbits, cotton tails, road runners, lizards, and a wide variety of birds. A friend of mine walked on an unpaved trail once and spotted a coyote.

The sounds of traffic recede as you pick which loop to walk. There are times that it is so quiet I forget the city completely. People wave and say hi. Some would let me love on their dogs for a moment, which is helping to soothe my longing heart for my dogs who are no longer with me. We shared many of life's joys and challenges and I love them still. There were times I felt the sky was a painting displayed by the Creator just for me! The clouds were bright white against the blue sky and had that look of having been...