Over The Moon

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When everyday life things make me feel as if I may fall (or jump) over the edge of my world, it takes but a tidbit of sunshine to leave me feeling over the moon.

Now, I am one who believes that much-needed sunshine for my spirit can always be found no matter my life circumstances, no matter the darkness — IF I but open up my senses to see its light. And you can bet that when my life seems out of balance, I am learning that when I am more mindful of the moment I can better see what needs seeing.

For instance... Today I was feeling a bit off-kilter, for no special reason. I paused my fingers on the keyboard, turned and looked through the pass-thru from my work area to the living room. There my dog Valentino was lounging on his sofa, head raised off his pillow — looking back at me!

My dog Valentino looking back at me.

One look from Valentino sent me over the moon with warm emotion. I snapped a picture of my handsome fellow, gave him a petting and a snuggle, then back to my desktop computer I went with a smile in my spirit.

It takes but a small thing to change someone's emotional state. Your loving look, your smile, or the sound of your voice might surely be the sunshine that takes them from over the edge to over the moon.

Today, I am feeling over the moon!

My article topic for today begins with the letter "O" for feeling over the moon.

Each week we share emotions from A to Z in the ABC Challenge. Hop along with us!

Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an Associate of Amazon and may earn income based on purchases made through links in this article.

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Nihilistic Nothingness

Although I label myself a reality thinker, I now find myself drowning in negative thoughts and feelings of next to nothingness. I call this "nihilistic nothingness" for my own personal emotional state of mind.

Those who know me well can attest to my belief that negative has its place in my "one can always find a bit of sunshine peeking out of the clouds" pathway to positive thinking.

What this means for me is that I am generally able to allow negativity its rightful time and place in my life. I address it (perhaps even embrace it) then I move back, or forward to, a more positive state, that of being the woman behind the "abitosunshine" label of my life, online and off.

The Fault In Our Stars

Feeling Nihilistic

Mindful of my present life circumstances, I find myself up against a seemingly insurmountable mountain of nothingness. Perhaps a character in the book "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green said it best.

"...the problem is not suffering itself or oblivion itself but the depraved meaninglessness of these things, the absolutely inhuman nihilism of suffering.”

Do I believe in nihilism? No; rather, I do (or did) not think so. However, my present thoughts and emotions surely seem to lean ever so slightly in that direction.

Am I, as Friedrich Nietzsche might say, in a life place where I "must experience nihilism" before I redefine the values upon which I am living my life? If this be truth, my suffering is not in vain. If this be truth, I will move to something — surely far better than feeling nihilistic nothingness.

Introduction to Nihilism

Yes, I am one who needs meaning and purpose to my life, regardless the time and circumstance from birth to death. I need to feel that I am living, not just existing or merely surviving.

As I share my feelings here today, I see just cause for more reflection on my next-to-nothingness reality.

Read all about the ABC Challenge of Emotions and join us here each week as we write and share our feelings from A to Z.

Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an Associate of Amazon and may earn income based on purchases made through links in this article.

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Live For Today the Mindfulness Way

MINDFULNESS

In order for us to live for today we must set aside those thoughts and feelings of our past and future that lead us astray from the present moment.

I was reminded of this mindfulness truism today on my morning walk with my dog Valentino. My mind was a million miles away while he was dragging my body to and fro to places we need not go. As I began to focus my attention on our walk I was then able to enjoy our time together, as it should be.

Feeling Mindful Today

I find it encouraging what mine eyes can see when mind, body, and spirit are bundled together as one. Look! I did not miss the gift of this enlightening palm tree!

The Mindfulness Way Postcard by abitosunshine
Design Full color post cards at zazzle

Yes, setting aside my worries and woes, I am feeling mindful today. I am ready to accept the present for what it is, to live for the moment, to enjoy the gifts each day brings.

In putting mindfulness meditation into practice I am able to focus on feelings in the present moment. I am able to address, yet dismiss, my concerns for the future of my dog and my self, acknowledging past emotions but leaving them where they lay. (Perhaps buried like a dog bone to be dug up another day.)

The Mindful Poet

While on the topic of mindfulness, I would be remiss if I did not introduce you to my author friend, Susan Budig, the Mindful Poet. I've no doubt you will enjoy her collection of poetry as much as I.

For the 26-Week ABC Challenge of emotions, my feeling begins with the letter "M" — MINDFUL.

Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us here each week as we write and share our emotions from A to Z.

Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an Associate of Amazon and Zazzle and may earn income based on purchases made through links in this article.

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Justifiable Emotions

I am feeling knackered and low-spirited of late. Are these feelings justifiable? A tidbit of kvetching is on the agenda.

I am plumb worn out, emotionally and physically. And yes, I would enjoy a bit of cheese with my whine! (Perhaps a glass of wine is in order!)

Yes, I am feeling rather kvetchy these days, what with being sick for nearly a month during an already trying time. That said, yes again — I do feel justified in feeling knackered and low-spirited.

When "they" say a spring or summer cold hits one harder than a winter cold they are not kidding. This one lasted nearly a month and I am just now feeling good again — physically.

Of course, this means I now have the energy to get back to dealing with the emotional side of life things. I found myself in low spirits at the prospect of having to move, even more so when my original plan fell through. Now, I am planning to head back home to Ohio. Wherever I end up landing I will manage one way or another to keep a roof over the heads of me and my dog Valentino.

This past month or two has been truly tough with emotions running the gamut of good, bad, and ugly. However, my motivation to rise above this emotionally exhausting crisis is my love for my dog, the friends and strangers who are supporting me, and yes, my love of my family in Ohio.

I found a great quote on the World Prayers web site that pretty much says it all for me as I plan and work to make my life right in this journey. The site attributes the prayer to Confucius.

"To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right."

Though I may find myself feeling knackered along my way — I shall readily live with any regrets at the end of my life journey.

REGRETS STRETCHED CANVAS PRINT by abitosunshine

My topic today for the 26-Week ABC Challenge of emotions this week begins with letters "J, K, and L" — JUSTIFIABLE, KNACKERED, AND LOW-SPIRITED.

Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us here each week as we write and share emotions from A to Z.

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Infelicitous Dead End Street

When feeling ill at ease with where we are, it is a sure sign it is time to back up, return to that intersection, and turn the other way — before that infelicitous feeling takes over.

Who wants to live on an unhappy dead-end street forever?

Failure to read the signs on the road map of life which warn of possible danger ahead often leaves us feeling infelicitous with our circumstances. Fortunately for us, opportunities will arise to change our ill-chosen direction, thereby turning our life around on a newly chosen path.

It is through redirections that we learn valuable life lessons that will help us make better choices in the future. (Hopefully a little more quickly than we did in the past.) It is these redirects that often turn us from being unhappy campers into feeling felicitous with our life choices.

I have made a few U-turns along life's way and am about to do it again. A couple of years ago I moved from Ohio to Florida, which has left me feeling infelicitous. I am currently making preparations to leave the state of Florida with my hound dog Valentino. Ohio is our tentative destination but who knows how Signs shall sing to me along the way!

SIGNS by The Five Man Electrical Band

Video by Steve Carlsen

I will definitely read the signs and/or create a happy sign or two of my own, as the song saying goes, to ensure better odds of a happy landing rather than getting in a stew due to someone else stirring my emotional pot.

My topic today for the 26-Week ABC Challenge of emotions begins with the letter "I" — feeling INFELICITOUS.

Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us here each week as we write and share emotions from A to Z.

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Heavyhearted Resting Place

We often feel heavyhearted at the emotional ordeal of letting go of things we hold dear. We can let go when we know that a thing represents a fond memory that will be with us always.

Finding myself in a situation where I am having to downsize my personal belongings, I am facing letting go of many material possessions that I hold dear. However, I am fast to realize that these objects of my affection merely represent the memory of a time or place, or even a loved one's face, in my past. These are the people, places, and things I need never let go of, for they live in the mind of my heart forever.

This past week I experienced such an event that left me feeling heavyhearted. I have this wood carving of an eagle that I have carried across the country with me on various moves for nearly two decades. On the move I am about to make I have no room to tote my eagle along.

For days I contemplated whether I should try to sell my eagle at a yard sale or give it to someone I felt worthy of its presence. I chose the latter.

There is a couple that lives nearby that have befriended me and my dog Valentino. We look forward to seeing them on our daily walks in the neighborhood. Valentino runs to greet them as they call out to him. The woman in this pairing has lovely flower gardens throughout her yard and I often take pictures of her flowers (and the butterflies they attract!) My heart told me my eagle wood carving would be a splendid addition to the gal's garden fare.

One day my dog and I stopped to chat with the fellow and I told him I had a gift for his wife's flower gardens. Later that evening I carried the eagle up the street to their home, leaving it on their doorstep.

I felt a bit sad as I walked away from my eagle. Conversely, I felt humbled the next day as I saw the prominent resting place the carving had been given. From the street I could see the eagle sitting at the bottom of the front porch stairs, nestled alongside an old tree surrounded by ferns and flowering plants. What a vision to behold!

Eagle Resting In Nature Postcard by abitosunshine

Book: Things We Once Held Dear

It will be easier for me now, the letting go of things once held dear, and my heavyhearted feeling seems to have vanished. It is as though the eagle is directing the pathway to my destiny. This is a heartening experience for me as I prepare to grasp an opportunity to look at life things through new eyes.

I can honestly say that this eagle-eyed experience has taken me from feeling heavyhearted to feeling lighthearted. Yes, I have let go of my wood-carved eagle that I once held dear but I shall remember its significance ... forevermore.


Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an Associate of Amazon and Zazzle and may earn income based on purchases made through links in this article.

My topic today for the 26-Week ABC Challenge of emotions begins with the letter "H" — feeling HEAVYHEARTED about things held dear.

Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us right here each week as we write and share emotions from A to Z.

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Gladsome, Guided, and Grounded By Love

While with a canine companion by my side I have always felt well-grounded, the best-laid plans of a woman and her dog do not always come to pass on the long and winding road of life.

On a gladsome note ... Shortly after a glitch in the plans for me and my dog to move to the state of Washington occurred, I received an unexpected text message, followed by a telephone call, from my son and feel as if I have been granted a genuine chance for mother and son (and grandson!) to reunite as a real family.

I guess things really do happen for good reason. While I am feeling sadness about not going to Washington (meeting my friend Karen there and my friend Nancy along the way) I am feeling gladness about being guided to return to my home state of Ohio.

I look forward to working hard at repairing my damaged relationship with my son. And of course, I am feeling great about getting to know my grandson before he's all grown up.

I am also grateful to my previous boss (and friend) in Ohio who is giving me back my old job. I will at least have an immediate income. It's a start at a new beginning.

If not for the generous giving and support of others (via the Fundrazr set up on our behalf) this move would not be possible. I will be forever feeling gratitude for those who have made it possible for me and my dog Valentino to travel this leg of our life journey ... Together!

My plans to go west have been thwarted, at least temporarily. However, preparing to head north on the road of life, I am feeling...

Gladsome, Guided, and Grounded by Love!

We Thank You Postcard by dogpawsitivetidbits

Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an Associate of Amazon and Zazzle and may earn income based on purchases made through links in this article.

This week my topic for the 26-Week ABC Challenge begins with the letter "G" — feeling GLADSOME, GUIDED, and GROUNDED.


Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us right here each week as we write and share emotions from A to Z.

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Feeling Forgiven Not Forgotten

Forgive & Forget

A forgiving spirit toward others as well as ourselves is essential for our personal well-being. 

It is often said that we can forgive but not forget. In truth, a forgiving feeling comes into being only after forgetting.

Forgiving Spirit
©Ruth Cox

Forgivable
Worthy of being
Forgettable

Forgiveness
Born of
Forgetfulness

Forgiven
In time
Forgotten

Forgiving
Spirit of future
Forgetting


Another truth of forgive and forget is that we must remember it is the action we felt was taken against us which we need forgive and forget — not the person. This reasoning is clear to me each time I read the poem Night Mail by W. H. Auden.

You can listen to the verse written for the documentary film. (Fast forward to 19:20 or so for "Night Mail" by Auden)

The last line of Auden's verse says it all for me...

For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?

  

Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an associate of Amazon.com and may earn sales commissions via purchases made through links on this article.

This week my topic for the 26-Week ABC Challenge begins with the letter "F" — feeling FORGIVING not FORGOTTEN.

Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us right here each week as we write and share our emotions from A to Z.

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Hound Dog Picture Poem Limericks

Since I enjoy penning poems to pictures I opted to try my hand at limericks. Of course, as a dog lover I chose to write these silly rhymes to photos I took of my dog Valentino.

Note: Click the pics for a larger view.

Love Dogs Valentino and Cassie

It was pretty much love at first sight for Valentino and Cassie, the neighbor's Labrador Retriever. One kiss and this little miss melted, succumbing to my Redtick Coonhound's tail wagging. Now they both jump for joy when they see each other, perhaps whining and pining for a chance to run off into the sunset together.

My Dog Valentino Hunting Seabirds

An afternoon walking the dog on the beach was loads of fun watching my hound dog sniffing bird tracks in the sand and sniffing the air as the birds took flight when he came too close. I imagined Valentino thinking, "If only she'd drop the leash I could catch one of those seabirds and prove to her the good hunter that I am."

Valentino chased those birds up and down the coastline for nearly an hour, with me in tow at the other end of his tether. What fun it was to see him enjoying himself at our sea of enchantment.

Sit and Stay Dog Training Valentino

This is my pride and joy, my Valentino in a "sit and stay" dog training session in the front yard. At any time he could have darted after any number of squirrels on our tree-lined street, but he didn't!




Edward Lear was a master poet and illustrator, often pairing his limericks and illustrations. Children as well as adults enjoy his classical representations and nonsensical poetry form along with the tales they told.

Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an associate of Amazon.com and may earn sales commissions via purchases made through links in this article. Links herein may lead to 3rd party sites for which the author is not responsible.

This article is linked up with Writer's Unite, a blog hop for writers to share their written works, and is hosted by Marsha's Spot.