LITTLE THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR: “ALL BUT THE COFFEE!”

A series of essays....

A WALK THROUGH NATURE IS
A GREAT STRESS RELIEVER

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

The abuse of and abysmal charade that the presidency of this once honorable nation has become has left many of her people stressed out and forthrightly yearning for peace, understanding, and blissful calm. Many of us have turned towards the basic idea of being joyfully grateful for the little things that make-up our days and nights in order to obtain that bit of solace we so desperately require.

Staying in my room and reading a book often brought me peace and quiet from three brothers I shared my life with while growing up. Being the only girl of four children taught me many survival tactics that I would never have required if I’d been blessed with a sister to share my feelings with. At least, this is what my adult self believes. Books became my good friends and took me away to distant places far beyond the male dominated world I lived in.

By the time I hit my early teen years, their world became a part of mine and I learned to throw a perfect spiral, hit a ball out of the back yard, and employ a graceful swan shot that often sank ‘rimless’ into the net. I was always angry that I could never handle a slam dunk, even at an early height of 5 feet 7 inches! 

While scrolling social media a few days ago, I came across a meme that was so simplistic in nature it resembled an adult’s doodle; a child’s rendering of objects experienced in life and expressed in simple drawings in order to be shared with others. Even the wording employed a combination of upper and lower case letters, sometimes within the same word, suggesting a youthful approach to its wording and artwork.

“ALL BUT THE COFFEE.”

The meme itself brought a soothing calmness to my soul. Reading the many comments of others who appreciated the gentle nudge of its message brought a certain zen-like mellowness to my day and encouraged the feeling of hope all of us so desperately need right now.

I am a firm believer in reading the comments offered by others on social media. We are able to understand so much more about a particular article, picture, blog post, or meme by the reaction of those who have actually taken the time to read them, share their feelings, or offer their ideas (good, bad, or indifferent) about them.

Here are a sampling of reactions to this meme: “Feeling of cat fur and hearing the purring....” “Smell of fresh cut grass.” “Love and so thankful for the little things!” “Looking into my dogs eyes and seeing love.” “Rainbows and tea brewing.” “Being able to walk with no pain!” “Being blessed and grateful for the people in my life.” “So Grateful for all these LITTLE THINGS. 💕” “Not just the sound of rain, some actual rain would be good.” “Sleeping in and great coffee.” “All but the coffee!” “The sound of laughter.. Its very rare lately....”

Many people were grateful for everything on the list while others added to the original photo list with specific personal wishes, and others negated an item or two. This is why people fascinate me so much and keep the world spinning along on its axis. But, it was the final example and quote that I shared from the comment list that offered a sharp reality check more than anything else.

I began remembering all of the good hearted belly laughs shared throughout the years with family and good friends and how that wonderful tinkling sound of pure joy in compliance with unadulterated mirth would bring on self-induced hiccups, guffawing, and, in my case, uncontrollable snorting. (I truly apologize for this particular image, my friends.)

Laughter comes in many forms and instigated by a multitude of reasons. Whether it is expressed by chuckling, tittering, or giggling...it is the greatest and least expensive form of merriment we have as human beings while being able to openly express our happy, glorious selves! It was sad to know that people believe that hearing laughter ringing out is becoming a rare occurrence today. But then, even our smiles have become hidden behind triple filtered masks. 

Our eyes are becoming more interesting and expressive these days. With our smiles tucked away in public, for now, the ‘windows to our souls’ are working overtime! The eyes become wide with happiness, crinkled with laughter, and brighter with the anticipation of greater things to come. We must fight hard and hope that others do, as well, but in a little over 60 days from now I am predicting more smiles, laughter, pure happiness, and even uncontrollable snorting are in store for those of us who have sat back and watched a joyful world begin to implode in on itself.

For now, we’ll take our list of ‘Little Things To Be Grateful For’ and add our own personal touches to it. We’ll be content and happy for all of these small wonders that evoke fond memories, peace and calm, spirituality, gratification, pleasure, and love within us. And, we’ll work hard to regain the sense of pride in our lives that stemmed from being grateful for a deep conversation with friends and a cleansing walk in the forest after a summer’s rain. It’s the little things that help make us who we are. It will always be the little things that see us into a brighter future!

Register to vote. Wear a mask in public. Be kind. Vote.

Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

PLENITUDE

A series of short stories.....

 

 

 

 

Plenitude....A 'Super Moon' Kind of Story

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


It's difficult for us to imagine how someone who could give us so much infectious joy throughout a lifetime and career can become so lost within themselves that the same joy is not able to save them from the sadness and helplessness swirling around within their own mind and soul. Like the fatal black mist that it is.....despair and the complete absence of hope has claimed yet another victim, Robin Williams.

Yes, Rest In Peace, Sweet Man!  As God and all of His Angels welcome you into their 'Heavenly Comedy Club' please know that your joyful spirit and generous nature lives on within every earthbound creature you have left behind.

We do not see you as a victim......rather, as an example so that we may become more informed and aware of others around us who suffer from feelings of extreme sadness and hopelessness, as you have.  Your private struggle should become our public format as we consciously educate ourselves to help others find relief from their own personal despair.

Comic Relief ~ Help For The Nation's Homeless
Whoopi Goldberg...Billy Crystal...Robin Williams

We must never take lightly this serious disease labeled depression.  Not one single person should have to suffer its consequences alone.  Unfortunately, it is a 'silent disease' that often evokes a sinister form of embarrassment by those who do recognize its symptoms.  This stigma has always been a grave societal 'faux pas' in the United States and has seriously weakened healthy social development for many decades.  Mental illness in this country can be filed under the heading of Major Taboos right alongside the medicinal value of marijuana (cannabis), nudity, same sex relationships, Civil Rights (after all this time and suffering), sex education and contraception, masturbation and, most regrettably.....rape.  Don't get me started!!

Sorry, too late.  How can such an advanced society such as ours,  comprised of intelligent individuals, still 'giggle' because they feel uncomfortable about their own bodies?  Why, in 2014, do we still hide behind invisible masks when the above topics are brought up within a civil conversation?  Has our own naïveté and unsophistication blinded our radar so badly that we've become oblivious to the presence of understanding and common sense?  Yes.  Quite simply, yes, because we continue to refuse to acknowledge the positive lessons learned by example and apply them to our daily lives.  "It's his problem or her problem, not mine," I hear this all of the time.  No, my friends, it is OUR problem!  I have said this before and will say it again and again.....we are all in this game of life together.  Let's make a valiant effort towards getting it right this time around!  Our children and grandchildren depend on our generation making a positive difference.

I further acknowledge the sinking notion that if a particular scenario does not make quick and copious amounts of revenue for certain individuals or institutions, then it's not worth pursuing.  Our resources are great and we live in a land of abundance with a plenitude of food and natural resources.  And yet.....yet, we squander the opportunity to properly feed and house our own people.  We continue to ignore the fact that our forefathers failed to appropriately apply checks-and-balances with regards to industrial development throughout the years.  Our world is suffering, in part, due to their neglect.  Couple this with our neglect, as well because some of us are still choosing to pretend, either for political reasons or by employing the 'ignorance is bliss' syndrome, that we are not destroying the natural beauty and sustenance that was given to us as our greatest gift of all, Mother Earth!

Perhaps, Robin understood all of this.....  The rich do get richer and the poor, well, the poor are too often forgotten about.  The color of your skin should never determine the value of your intelligence.  Love for your fellow man holds more value than a bulging bank account.  And, laughter can only temporarily hide or distract us from our underlying problems.  Sadly, Robin knew this.



Scene From The Movie Good Morning, Vietnam

Growing up in the same generation as Robin Williams, I often think back on the many reasons why I am who I am today.  I am a product of a strict, Catholic upbringing in the '50's; the '60's and '70's unveiled their complete package consisting of the brutality of war (Good Morning, Vietnam!), the unreasonable death of good people (Kennedy, King and Kennedy), while peace, free love and rock n'roll wound their trailing tentacles of import and significance throughout every fiber of our existence; the '80's and '90's were years spent attempting to cope with everything we'd lived through our first three decades of life.

Despite of or, more than likely, because of all the above, I have learned to be open-minded, verbal and passionate, vulnerable and always choose to believe my cup is half full rather than half empty.  Being an eternal optimist, I trust that mankind will do the right thing, make the best choices for a healthy sustainable earth and provide subsequent generations with a positive footprint for their future growth and development. 
 

Courtesy of: The Global Citizen

  
I Do Not believe in the justification of war because of religious ideals, beliefs or doctrine.  War becomes a hypocritical smoke-screen for the general lust for power and the control over others.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a hypocrite as, "A person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion and acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings."  Our history books are filled with such hypocrites (The Crusaders, for example) who hid behind their particular 'cross' while seeking power and greed in the name of the Church!  Innocent people died, as they are dying today in Syria, Israel, Iraq and the Ukraine, to name only several places, due to the inability of men and women to see one another as equals along this dusty road called Life.  Who gets to decide that his/her lifestyle and religious beliefs should reign over another human being?

No one.

I don't care what banner you wave or if your 'good intentions' heighten your feeling of superiority over those you feel are less fortunate or living in darkness and must see the light....communication, learning and understanding our differences with the eventuality of accepting them and seeing yourself within others will even out the playing field. Toss out the fear of the unknown and accept the fact that the earth never really was flat after all!

Fear exists when the lack of knowledge prevails.  Understanding, awareness and the appreciation of other cultures, their lifestyles and customs are some of the main reasons why we enjoy traveling.  Walking unfamiliar terrain and witnessing sights you've only imagined while reading a favorite book or enjoyed in a particular movie......what a personal thrill! 

There is nothing quite as invigorating as a misty afternoon hike along a craggy mountain trail or walking hand-in-hand with someone you love on a moon-lit, Caribbean beach as a cool ocean breeze caresses your face.  And, like a refreshing breath of fresh air, Robin Williams inundated our mundane world with an abundance of pure joy, a plenitude of laughter and helped us to understand that life is a series of extemporaneous 
adventures.....totally unscripted and capable of taking us anywhere we want to go.  This is his legacy; this is his gift to all of us. 

Koko and Robin 'Hamming It Up'

"Tickle me, tickle me," signed Koko, the gorilla friend whom Robin had forged a bond with when he visited the Gorilla Foundation in California back in 2001.  Whenever I saw Robin Williams, either on the big screen or television, secretly I was asking the very same thing.  "Tickle me, tickle me and make me laugh......"  He never failed to do so.  I will always remember this brilliant, generous and kind man!  Love.

Courtesy of The 'Love Infinitely Project'
Give...Love...Create...Change

Copyright © 2014 Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved