Love

My Little Dog Lost — And Only A Miracle Brought Her Back!

/ jrmilson / 9 Comments

Happy Day and Thank You for visiting with us! We’re getting a bit personal today.

The intended purpose of my Writing Pages here, just like my Little Red Bear Adventure story books, has always been to entertain, inform, and educate a bit along the way.

Having been thru so much this year dealing with various health issues and strong encouragement from my family to do so (after sixteen surgeries, one of my sons remarked that I should be an expert in preparing for them), after a good deal of reflection, I decided that perhaps sharing bits and pieces of my personal life and some of the issues I deal with from time to time might be helpful and of benefit to others. Hoping so, anyway.

Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) with all that entails (a list in and of itself), Degenerative Disc and Joint Disease, Autoimmune Disease, Neuropathy, Numerous Surgeries for Joint Repairs and Replacements, Dental, and other general issues related to Aging are a few of the things at work here. I consider myself blessed that so far all of my issues have been confined to the superstructure (bones, joints, tendons, etc.) and nerves, with otherwise good organ health overall.

With both hips replaced and many levels of my spine fused together, I am about as flexible as a 2″ x 4″ these days and require the use of several tools and assistive devices to get dressed in the morning and carry out other daily functions. So I thought that talking about those things now and then, along with information on the various tools and implements I routinely use or have tried unsuccessfully along the way, might help and allow others to learn and benefit from my experiences.

Please let me know in the Comments if you think this would be of interest or benefit from time to time . . . . . .

But today, we are talking about my little dog companion, Allie.

Allie is a sweetheart, thru and thru. She loves people, especially those with treats (and there are many here in the Senior Complex where we live!), and on occasion has been known to tolerate other dogs, as long as they have a properly signed sidewalk pass to trek thru her territory. Her “Territory”, of course, being the sidewalks and streets surrounding the seniors’ community where we live.

Allie is a spayed female and is around eleven years old. I adopted her a couple years ago to save her from being dropped off at the animal shelter, bringing her into my home when the living situation with a two-year-old boy became unworkable for her original family. Small dogs and small children are seldom a good match.

Getting back to the story, last week Allie and I were dog and pet-sitting at one of my sons’ homes while he and my daughter-in-law were away on vacation, something I do for them nearly every year around this time. This was Allie’s second tour of pet-sitting duty with me.

My son and his wife have two adorable little Pugs, a black and a fawn-colored one, both neutered males around four and three years old. He also has a fully-grown Blue-phase Tegu Lizard, “King Louie”, and several assorted others including geckos, snakes, tarantulas, African frogs, and others. My duties are limited to taking care of the dogs, the Tegu, and the geckos. They have a fenced backyard where, along with the two pugs, my little chihuahua can run and explore along with them off-leash. A real treat for her since we are required to walk solely on leash here when out and about.

From prior years, I was aware of a small opening in the chainlink fences at a back corner of the yard, where three fence poles come together but do not meet. The opening is too small to be an issue for my son’s chunky little pugs but could be passable for my slim little chihuahua. Right off the bat, the first thing I did both last year and this year was to block off that opening so Allie would not be tempted to go off on an adventure and explore the area. We are a good match that way, always wanting to discover what is over the next hill and around the next corner.

Tragedy nearly struck last Friday afternoon, however, when Allie discovered a new, small opening at the bottom of a wooden, privacy fence gate leading to the front yard that I was unaware of. I opened the back door and called the dogs in after they had been out for just a few minutes. The pugs both charged in as they did, but no Allie. I went into the yard to look for her and searched all over, but she was nowhere to be found. Repeated loud calls of her name yielded nothing. Rushing thru the house to the front, I called over and over again. Allie was nowhere in sight and not responding.

Trips back and forth thru the house, front yard to back yard to front yard to back yard were fruitless. I had no car to drive the neighborhood, and with my health and mobility issues, was unable to go anywhere to search for her. I remembered that I had never gotten around to ordering a dog tag for her. There was no way for anyone to get her back to me.

Panic began to set in! Allie was lost! A tiny little dog out in the big, dangerous world. All alone! Lost and alone, unfamiliar with the sights and sounds in a strange new neighborhood. With absolutely no regard whatsoever for vehicles or crossing the street, how long would she last without me to pull her back and keep her safe?!? There was no way my little Allie could find her way back. Rushing from back to front and back again over and over, if I wasn’t praying I was cussing, and if I wasn’t cussing I was praying! After about twenty or so minutes, I was giving up hope and beginning to reconcile that I had lost my dog. She was gone!

Returning thru the house from yet another front yard calling session, I stepped out the back door and suddenly there she was, racing up the hill towards me from the wooden gate, never taking her eyes off me and echoing the same panic-stricken look that I had on my face.

Somehow, some way, Allie had found her way back from wherever she had been off exploring, remembered the hole in the wooden gate, squeezed back thru, and made it safely into the backyard again. I give total credit and thankfulness to God, because I had reached the point of despair, resolved that she was gone, and trying to figure out how to break the news to others at home where we live. God be praised!

Allie, along with the two pugs of course, immediately received a tasty and yummy Bacon & Cheese flavored treat to welcome her back! Despite my emotional state, there was no scolding, no punishment, no corrections. Simply affection and praise to welcome her back. The story of the Prodigal Son came to mind. Praise God, Allie had returned and was back.

It should go without saying, that the hole at the bottom of the wooden gate was immediately blocked and covered over with concrete blocks, along with assorted sticks and leafy twigs to deter future exploration out of the yard. And — a shiny, new, stainless steel ID tag is on the way in the mail, too!

Sharing this personally embarrassing story, there are hopefully some lessons for us all, at least dog owners, perhaps.

Admittedly, right here for all to see — I am not perfect. I had intended all along to get an ID tag for Allie just in case something like this might happen at some point. I didn’t. No excuse. There was always something coming up to distract me when thinking about it, or at other times it just slipped my mind altogether. Shame on me. I expect and demand better of myself than that, especially when someone else is depending on me to protect and/or provide for them, as Allie does.

Also, after hearing the story, several folks here have asked or commented — “Boy, I’ll bet you gave her what-for after she came back!” Or — “Did you scold and let her have it?” “Did you punish her?” “No treats for two weeks for you, little lady!”

Again, having had and trained dogs for many years, my only response after she found her way back was loving affection. Scolding, yelling, hitting, or punishing a dog at such a time is only teaching the dog NOT to come back next time!  And I have found that practice works with children, too. And, employees for that matter. The subject of her disappearance has never come up in discussion since, because Allie would have no idea what in the world I was talking or upset about. That near-catastrophe was on me, not her.

My story character friend Little Red Bear would explain it this way — “If every time you walk out into the barnyard and a duck comes up to you, whether you called it or not, and then you conk it on the head with a stick, it won’t be long before that duck stops coming to you, whether you have a tasty treat in your hand, or not.”

Thank you again for visiting today!

And please, do let me know if you enjoyed this little bit of “life share” and would like to see more posts like this, about true life experiences both health-related and not.

I have always been reticent to share such things from my personal and private life, but if you enjoyed this and think entries such as this may help or benefit others along the way, please do let me know, because helping and benefiting others is what it is all about here.

None of us are perfect, and we all struggle with issues of one sort or another as we journey along the life path set before us. Sometimes, it’s good to know that we are not alone and that we have company along the way.

Sending along best wishes for a Beautiful Autumn and coming months in your neck of the woods.

Until next time — Best Wishes & Blessings! — Jim  (and Red!) 🤠 🐻 🍂 🧡 🍎 🌻 🍁

In A World Where You Can Be Anything — Be Kind. Because Kindness Matters!

With children and grandchildren around (and for those of any age who like to color!), we invite you to visit “Little Red Bear’s “Happy Autumn Season!” Coloring Pages”.

Enjoy hours of family coloring fun and time together, all offered Free for our visitors!

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “Happy October — The Gateway To Autumn & The Holiday Season!” and “Wishing You Deep Peace, Love, Happiness, and Joy –  And A Very Good Day!” 

New Visitors — Welcome! To find out what we are all about, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim & Little Red Bear” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post! Because really, why in the world wouldn’t you?

              “Faith goes up the stairs that Love has built and looks out the windows which Hope has opened.” – Charles Spurgeon  

“That’s the very reason they put rubbers on the ends of pencils . . . because people make mistakes.” – Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!
        “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven’t.”         – Thomas Edison

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of developing new materials, maintaining, and operating.

If you enjoy your visits and time with us, I invite you to Join our Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” stories and books to Senior Citizens,  School Libraries, Local Libraries, Classrooms, and those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a Non-Monetized site free of distracting and questionable advertisements allowing for speedier loading and a more enjoyable experience for visitors,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of Happiness, Inspiration, Kindness, Compassion, Positivity, Environmental Awareness, and Conservation with everyone.

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Thank You for visiting with us!
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Hooray for Autumn! We Are Back, Thinking About Fall and All The Great New Features And Things Ahead!

/ jrmilson / 5 Comments

Well folks, here we are — back again. As they say, it’s been a minute, hasn’t it? It’s almost like starting over. Again.

I am just now resuming work and writing after a much-too-long, lengthy absence due to personal health issues. This time, another four-level spinal fusion surgery, followed by a complication and another major surgery a month later to remedy that. Anemic leaving the hospital, the last six months have been a period of slowly recovering and rebuilding strength, complete with two oral surgeries a month ago. For someone who is normally a fast healer impatient to get things going again, this has been a lesson in patience, accepting what is, and allowing everything to unfold and heal on its own schedule.

But — while not yet fully recovered, I am back to about 80%, it is my very favorite season of Autumn now with the holiday season soon to follow, and my story character friend Little Red Bear is back from his extended vacation and fishing trips during my absence, and we are both fit and raring to go again! We can talk more about my surgeries and personal health at a later time. So for now, let’s talk about Autumn, what is ahead here, and get back to it, shall we?

As stated above, this is unquestionably my favorite time of year. Days are getting cooler, the air is crisp and refreshing for early morning walks, and the leaves are beginning to change colors here.

Vivid Autumn memories begin to color my mind — the arrival of sweater weather –fall trips to my uncle’s farm when a youngster, hitching mules to the wagon and helping to bring in the last harvests of the season, scarecrows in the fields — raking leaves and jumping over and into piles — the fall smell of burning leaves and woodsmoke in the air — playing football after school and weekends, bonfires and hayrides, taking the kids to the Pumpkin Patch every year — carving Jack O’ Lanterns, creating Halloween costumes and Trick or Treating — hot chocolate, fresh apple cider, candied caramel apples, pumpkin pies, and so much, much more!

Autumn — don’t you love it?

After such a long (for me) downtime and so much to do to begin catching up now, I have the overwhelming urge to get busy working on everything all at once but at the same time find my desires and personal expectations exceed my ability to do that.

As my writing character, Little Red Bear, always reminds me — “Being busy is not the same as being productive, Jim. It only counts if you truly accomplish something.”

Yeah, that bear can be a real task master sometimes when it comes to getting down to working on and writing his stories. “Focus” and “Produce” are the keywords of the day around here now.

So, nevertheless relentlessly intrepid and sometimes overreaching perhaps, Little Red Bear has outfitted me with a ridiculously large, bear-sized pencil, and here is a rundown of what I am working on right now or will be soon, along with new posts and features coming soon thru the Autumn and coming Holiday Seasons . . . .

  • Resuming Regular Posting Here On The Writing Pages
  • Completing the “Animal Alphabet” Coloring Pages for Young Children
  • Adding New Pages and Educational Videos on Nature, Wildlife, the Environment, and Conservation, with accompanying Coloring Pages for Young Children
  • Creating a New Added Premium Bonus for Patreon Supporters
  • Finishing, Editing, and Publishing “The Ozarks Ostrich Crisis” Serialized Story
  • Adding a Large Print version of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” available for Seniors and other vision issues
  • Making the “Pine Holler Christmas” Kindle book available in Regular and Large Print Versions for the coming holiday season
  • Creating More New Little Red Bear Video Features
  • Adding New Poetry to the Writing Pages
  • Adding More Positive & Inspirational Permanent Pages
  • Adding a Page for my Favorite & Guiding Life Quotes
  • Creating New Christmas Feature Pages for the Holiday Season
  • Continuing Work On The Next Little Red Bear Adventure Stories Collection — “The Second Holler Over!” for a Targeted Spring 2024 Release
  • Writing stories to begin the process of publishing a new series of illustrated Little Red Bear Storybooks for beginning young readers

So, that’s a lot, isn’t it? Will it all happen according to plan? Given my personal history where unknown issues and unplanned surgeries can pop up at any time — we’ll see.

That is simply the reality. Once again, I have learned that not everything is within my control, to not issue promises or guarantees anymore, but rather merely to keep a steady writing pace and do my very best while allowing things to progress as they will.

Relax, Breathe, and Allow the Universe to unfold according to plan. As Disney fans of “The Mandalorian” have been reminded — “This is the Way.”

Thank you so much for your patience and for visiting with us today!

We (that would be my story character friend Little Red Bear and me) hope you stay in touch and visit again soon!

If you are new here, I encourage you to please Register today to be notified of every upcoming post and feature because a whole heap of entertaining, informational, and positive-themed material is on the way!

We are all about Positivity, Kindness, Compassion, Love, Peace, Children, Family, Conservation, and the Environment. That is who my story friend Little Red Bear and I are. And it’s all Free with no distracting advertisements to slow things down because that’s just how we roll here.

In closing, Little Red Bear and I are back and hard at work again. New story ideas and features for this site are pouring into my brain faster than I can write them down now. We have a great deal of catching up to do, and are SO happy to be back with you here!

Thanks again and always for stopping by!

Until next time — Best Wishes & Blessings! — Jim  (and Red!)  🤠   🐻   ❤️

In A World Where You Can Be Anything — Be Kind. Because Kindness Matters!

With children and grandchildren around (and for those of any age who like to color!), we invite you to visit “Little Red Bear’s “Happy Autumn Season!” Coloring Pages”.

Enjoy hours of family coloring fun and time together, all offered Free for our visitors!

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “Happy October — The Gateway To Autumn & The Holiday Season!” and “Wishing You Deep Peace, Love, Happiness, and Joy –  And A Very Good Day!” 

(New Visitors — Welcome! To find out what we are all about, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim & Little Red Bear” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post! Because really, why in the world wouldn’t you?)

                “Mindfulness isn’t difficult. We just need to remember to do it.”  – Sharon Saltzberg

(Artwork by John Sloane — “I Remember When”)

“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.” – Shira Tamir 

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!
        “And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and Autumn was awakened.” – Raquel Franco

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating.

If you enjoy your visits and time with us, I invite you to Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  School Libraries, Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a Non-Monetized site free of distracting advertisements,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of Happiness, Inspiration, Kindness, Environmental Awareness, and Conservation with everyone.

We invite you to Join Us In Making A Positive Difference In The World!

“Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” – Emily Dickinson
Thank You for visiting with us!
Please feel free to share with family and friends. Likes, Shares, and Comments are truly appreciated and help greatly to expand our reach and encourage new readers and visitors!
Because together, we can do so much! 

 

Growing My Hair Out To Support Children With Hair Loss

/ jrmilson / 15 Comments

Happy December!  Happy Holiday Season!

But before we get into holiday season topics and features, taking a few minutes today to talk about another issue dear to my heart – Children With Hair Loss.

Seeing sick and ailing children in hospitals has always torn at my heartstrings. While having actively supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital thru the years, I have always sought out ways to do more, and have recently discovered another way to help the children. And it costs nothing, really.

In recent days, some folks here have approached and asked me about my increasingly long hair. “What’s up with the ponytail, Jim?” Here is the inside scoop for everyone.

What began as more of a lark when the COVID shutdown occurred last spring, growing out a ponytail just for fun because I could not get to a barber anyway, continued afterward when restrictions eased just to see what it would do, aided by my lifelong disdain for barbers and costly haircuts in general.

I had always wanted to grow a ponytail just for fun and had made more than a few aborted attempts along the way, always grabbing the scissors when my hair reached five inches or so, not having the nerve to really go thru with it. But always in the back of my mind were the mental images of some of my heroes, all sporting ponytails (or “queues” as they were called in the early days) at one point or another in their lives – George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Willie Nelson, George Carlin, and others. Admittedly, some may have been wigs in colonial times, but still a simply smashing good look!

So, with a beginning boost from the COVID shutdown in spring, my personal “Ponytail Project” has now evolved into purposely growing my hair out with a reason.

I am supporting and joining in the efforts of a large (and growing) number of men who are growing their hair out to support the organization “Children With Hair Loss”, a non-profit organization that provides human hair replacements at No Cost to children and young adults facing medically-related hair loss due to Cancer treatments, Alopecia, Trichotillomania, Burns, etc. Beginning in the year 2,000 and helping children and young adults across the nation, Children With Hair Loss has assisted over 5,000 nationwide thru 2019.

A 2019 event sponsored by ‘The Longhairs’ organization I am participating with set a Guinness World Record, generating 339 pounds of hair donations and $50,000 in support of the Children With Hair Loss efforts.  The next big donation event – “The Great Cut 2024” is scheduled for some time in 2024 (exact date to be determined later), at which time they are working to do even more and set another Guinness World Record. At that point, I will donate my hair to be part of it all.

So, that is why I am growing my hair out – to help the kids. Because the painful effects of the treatments these children have to endure are far more than physical, and deeper than merely cosmetic.  Self-image is a very important thing when one is a youngster, teen, or young adult. Emotional scars are just as or more painful than the physical, with emotional damage perhaps everlasting.

If you would like to join with me in the cause and save a bundle of cash in barber and hair salon expenses over the next four years, I would be honored to grow along with you. There will be opportunities to donate and/or participate from anywhere in the world.

Donated hair must be at least 8” long, with the strongly preferred length 12” and longer. It can be grey or any color, dyed, or treated, but cannot be bleached. On average, human hair grows approximately ½” per month, so now is the time to start.

In the meantime and as time goes on, your support and encouragement are greatly appreciated while I simply Keep on Growing!

I will update with progress reports here from time to time as we go along and eagerly look forward to hearing from others who may be growing their hair out for the children, as well.

Right now, with the early head start last spring, my hair is already 9” long. With the kids in mind and along with the other men, I am shooting for a length of 24” to 30” by 2024. Please wish me luck and just call me “Hippie Jim” if you like.

Will you grow along with me to help the Children With Hair Loss efforts? It is for a very good cause and is yet another opportunity to help make a positive difference in someone’s life.

Thanks always for visiting and reading along! Very best wishes for a Happy & Healthy Holiday Season!  Keep on Growing!  – ‘Hippie’ Jim

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “How To Be Mindfully Aware Of Positive Thoughts and Actions”  

(New Visitors — Welcome! To find out what we are all about here, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim & Little Red Bear” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post!)

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

“The charities closest to my heart have always involved helping children in some way.”           — Oscar de la Renta

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!

Find out what readers have to say about Little Red Bear and His Friends!

(Royalties from the sale of Little Red Bear’s books go directly to supporting this site.)

“Helping someone because you want to is much more appreciated than helping someone because you have to.” — Unknown

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us, Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a non-monetized, ad-free site,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone. We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Great Cut 2024” info → https://thegreatcut.us/

Children With Hair Loss → https://childrenwithhairloss.us/

Christmas Peanuts & Linus’s Inspirational Message For Us All

/ jrmilson / 9 Comments

Merry Christmas and a Very Happy Holiday Season to everyone!

Some writer friends and I are taking a few minutes this month, some to recall treasured holiday memories and traditions, and others to take a look back at the writing year soon coming to a close. I invite you to check out their thoughts later, listed at the end of this post.

For me, the morning of December 9th, 1965 found me one week away from my 16th birthday, approaching nearly not fast enough at the time, as you may well imagine — The Big 16!

That evening featured the debut of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on the CBS television network, based on my favorite comic strip “Peanuts” by creator Charles Schulz. The show remains a much-anticipated classic and delight each holiday season for millions of viewers to this day and an annual highlight of my family’s Christmastime.

I honestly do not believe that Charles Shulz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip, ever envisioned the impact this simply created little show would have over time. Nevertheless, over fifty years of continuous broadcasts and changing times have not diluted or diminished the show’s impactful messages.

While there are many discussion themes running thru the story, the most poignant for me has always been Linus’s speech on stage, responding to a frustrated Charlie Brown’s question of — “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?!?”

At this time of year, trying to keep our wits about us while navigating thru and around all the hustle and bustle of crowded malls, traffic, grocery shopping, cookie exchanges, decorating, children’s school plays and activities, holiday parties, family pictures and greeting cards, boxes, packages, wrappings, and bows, all while trying to out-maneuver porch pirates from swiping online deliveries, do you ever find yourself wondering the same question — “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Sometimes we simply need to pause, taking a moment to catch our breath, and reflect.

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought,                doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”            — Dr. Seuss

As one of my sometimes forgetful uncles used to say years ago — “I don’t need to be told, but I do occasionally need to be reminded.”

In reply to his friend Charlie Brown, Linus took the stage to remind us all —

“Lights, please . . . .”

“And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid.

“And the angel said unto them — “Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

“And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and goodwill toward men.”

And that is what Christmas is all about. For Charlie Brown. For Linus, Lucy, and Snoopy. For us all. The reason for the season, as they say.

Not to be found in a store, Christmas it turns out, does indeed mean a goodly bit more.

Linus is famously noted for carrying around his trusted security blanket with him wherever he goes. Held tightly fast and never let go lest panic ensues. Have you ever noticed that at the point when Linus repeats the words of the angel “Fear not!” that the blanket is suddenly on the floor beside him, confidently lain aside until he once again retrieves it at the end of the presentation?

There are subtle messages and lessons to be found in Linus’ simple action and demonstration of faith for us all this Christmas Season.

As Ebenezer Scrooge even came to realize in the end — “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year!”

Peace, Good Will, Kindness, Generosity, Charity, Compassion, Empathy, Love — none of these are or should be exclusive or seasonal things, as each of us should truly keep them in our hearts throughout the year.

The Christmas Season is an annual reminder of how we should be always, for everyone and all things in this miraculous and beautiful world we all share and call home. Sometimes we do not need to be told, but occasionally do need to be reminded.

Thru the inspiration of Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts”, Charlie Brown and Linus remind us of the real meaning of the Christmas Season each year.

Thank You for visiting with us! In a period when it seems so much and so many seek to divide us, perhaps the Christmas Season is a time when we can all set aside differences for a while, come together in the spirit of the season, and just perhaps, realize that in coming together, like Charlie Brown’s little Christmas tree, that those things are really not so divisive and bad, after all.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and Holiday Season!

A simple act of kindness or encouraging word can change someone’s entire life around. Will you do that for someone today?

In the Spirit of Christmas.  — Jim  (and Red!)  🤠 🐻

If you grew up with the Coca-Cola Santa image as I did as a baby boomer in the ’50s, you may also enjoy my piece on  → “Haddon Sundblom, Coca-Cola and Santa Claus” 

(New Visitors — Welcome! To find out what we are all about here, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim & Little Red Bear”

(Then sign up to follow and be notified of every new post!)

I invite you to please visit with my other writer friends to discover more about their writing year and holiday season thoughts!

Cat Michaels — “My Ups, Downs, and In-Betweens on the 2019 Writing Road”

Rebecca Lyndsey — “December Dreamin’ – Holiday Traditions that Ring in My Season”

Julie Gorges — “Baby Boomer Writer’s Ups, Downs & In-Betweens in 2019”

Rosie Russell — “My Ups, Downs, and In-Betweens on the 2019 Writing Road”

Julie Schooler — “3 Writing Wins and Lessons in 2019”

Sandra Bennett — “December Dreaming – 5 Ways Looking Back Can Help You Look Forward”

            “Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.” – Eric Sevareid

“Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day.” – Helen Steiner Rice

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!

“Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.” – Washington Irving

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us, Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  Schools,  Classrooms, and Local Libraries,  and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy. 

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to cover site fees, registrations and operating costs while continuing this as a non-monetized, ad-free site,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone.

We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!

“Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” – Dale Evans Rogers

 

“A Sudden Awakening – Enjoying Life’s Startling Surprises”

/ jrmilson / 6 Comments

I always maintain that we are never too old to stop learning, having adventures, and experiencing new things. And to have fun while doing it, if for no other reason than it sure beats sitting home on the couch eating popcorn and grumbling about being bored.

For example, the other day I shared on my Facebook Page that right now I am at one of my children’s homes for two weeks dog and pet-sitting while they are away cavorting around Disney World with Mickey Mouse and the gang.

Sitting for two families, watching over four dogs altogether, ranging in size from a very large and heavy German Shepherd to a lighter-than-a-feather long-haired Chihuahua, with a medium-sized mixed breed and five-month-old pug puppy completing the pack.

Back to experiencing new things then, just this morning, for example, I was awoken at 4:19 a.m. by the little black pug puppy standing on my pillow, urgently licking the bald spot on top of my head. We tend to take note and remember the exact time of such unique and momentous occurrences in our lives, don’t we?

Having written about a wide variety of animals and critters over the years with Little Red Bear in his adventure stories and being fluent to passable now in a number of animal languages and dialects, I immediately understood the message from the puppy to be —

“I need to go outside and pee right now and if I don’t you will be sleeping in a wet bed and it will not be my fault because I told you first hurry up I gotta go!”

As you can probably tell, especially in the middle of the night, puppies are more focused on delivering the message and not really yet into dramatic or purposeful pauses in their speech and dialogue at that stage.

Grasping the urgency of the message, I jumped out of bed, stepped into shorts, and moments later three adult dogs and I were standing in the backyard batting away mosquitos and staring up at the moon and stars while the puppy watered the grass in the beam of my flashlight.

Despite the risk of a nervous neighbor reporting a half-dressed old stranger leaning on his cane with a  flashlight in the backyard, a little black dog is hard to spot and keep track of in the dark of night, and we’ll just leave it at that. This fact attested to by movie ninjas dressing all in black, opting not to go on martial combat missions dressed as circus clowns. Although, clowns might actually be more terrifying for some, but that is perhaps a topic and post better suited for Halloween at a later time.

With a high degree of confidence, I can honestly state that the occurrence of having the bald spot on the top of my head frantically licked in the middle of the night was a new experience for me, as I have no recollection whatsoever of it ever having happened to me before.

Well, with the possible exception of that toothless Florida swamp zombie a few years ago, but his intent was so different I really don’t count that encounter the same.

And must admit that as far as the puppy licking my bald spot this morning is concerned, overall it was an unexpectedly energizing experience, not unlike the lemon juice thinking cap of Zaphod Beeblebrox in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams. (Something to definitely check out.)

Despite suddenly waking from a very pleasant dream about a chocolate sundae in the park, I understood the importance and immediacy of the situation right off the bat and am proud to say I responded accordingly, as any responsible dog sitter would be expected to do. And also as someone very averse to sleeping on a soggy bed.

Ramblings aside, the message here is that it is important to remain open to new experiences, broaden our horizons and try new things in life. At every age. There is just too much of life going on around us to throw up personal isolationist barriers and walls to keep it out.  Thru experience is how we learn and grow, after all, so we should always be open to an adventure and trying something new.  It never gets old and helps to keep one from getting old in the process.

Who knows? A new experience may come disguised as an anxious and impatient puppy licking the top of your head in the middle of the night. We don’t always get to pick and choose our adventure experiences, so I have found over the years that it’s just best to roll with them, trusting that the Universe has it all under control. And if it doesn’t, well then, we’re kind of doomed like a dead duck so it won’t make any difference in the end, anyway.

As my story friend Little Red Bear observed and commented on life — “You might as well enjoy the show. There ain’t no refunds.”

So while rolling along thru life, we all need to remember to simply leave our cranky pants in the closet and look on the bright side when surprised, or when things don’t go our way or as imagined.

For several folks I have come across, I can imagine that suddenly being woken by frantic head-licking at four in the morning might have had a sour impact on them that no amount of morning coffee could have changed, perhaps even ruining their entire day. What fun is that? For anyone?

Call me crazy if you like, but I laughed about it. Personally, I had never been awakened by anyone of any species licking the top of my head before so just chalked it up to a new experience, another added to the list.  Even with the zombie fellow, I was already wide awake and active that day when the slobbering licking incident occurred so like I said, not really the same.

Life is much more enjoyable when we are able to look beyond the discomfort, inconvenience, or self-imposed misery of the moment and to find the humor in a situation.

Be happy. It is a choice, you know. I think the puppy was laughing about it, himself.

Thanks always for reading and visiting with us!  We hope you enjoy your visits here and return often, if for no other reason than to check out the number of Short Works & Free Reads available whenever the reading urge strikes. A lot of cold and dark winter days await shortly over the horizon. Good reading time.

In my own reading the other day I came across a message from Dr. Wayne Dyer, not to seek peace, but rather to Be The Peace.

Please remember to be kind and live your life as though all of your children are watching. Because they are.  And always choose to be happy.  The folks around you will appreciate it.  — Jim  (and Red!)

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also enjoy → “Opting for Millstones or Milestones — “The Desiderata” 

(If a new visitor — Welcome! To find out what we are all about here, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post!)

“Choose being kind over being right and you’ll be right every time.” –  Richard Carlson

                “A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.”                 – A. A. Milne (‘Winnie the Pooh’)

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!

    “The person who was holding me back from my happiness was me.” – Keanu Reeves

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us, Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  Schools,  Classrooms, and Local Libraries,  and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy. 

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to cover sites fees, registrations and operating costs while continuing this as a non-monetized, ad-free site,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone.

We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!

“All the peace and happiness of the whole globe,
The peace and happiness of societies,
The peace and happiness of family,
The peace and happiness in the individual persons’ life,
And the peace and happiness of even the animals and so forth,
All depends on having loving kindness toward each other.” – Lama Zopa Rinpoche

How To Be Mindfully Aware Of Positive Thoughts and Actions

/ jrmilson / 21 Comments

Imagine yourself, if you will, in a cafeteria for lunch. Tantalizing food choices pass by in front of you on a conveyor belt, emerging from a window opening from the kitchen on the left side and then passing on out of sight thru another window at the other end to the right. A continuous stream of moving menu offerings to handpick from as they stream past.

No one expects everything offered in a cafeteria to necessarily be to their liking, so of course, you select and place on your tray for lunch only those items which appear appetizing and most greatly appeal to you.  Makes sense, doesn’t it?

What if we approached the random thoughts and ideas streaming thru our mind every day in the same way, selecting to note and act only upon those thoughts which most greatly appealed to and benefited us? Those thoughts congruent with our most basic nature of universal kindness, compassion, tolerance, acceptance, and love?

That is the nature we were born with, after all, before being indoctrinated into our disparate ‘tribes’, society’s conditioning and various belief systems.

Merely allow any thoughts of intolerance, prejudice, bigotry, judgments, hate, jealousy, greed, resentments, ill will, and others to pass by and out of sight unacted upon in the same way as you would your most disliked and distasteful food items on the cafeteria belt.

In other words — Take No Notice, Disregard, and Ignore Them.

Thoughts and ideas come in a never-ending stream throughout the day. Even in our dreams. Scientists say the average human has 60,000 separate thoughts a day. But we maintain the power and control to choose those which we deem worthy enough to act upon while allowing the disagreeable ones to merely ‘Exit Stage Right’ and pass on away and out of sight.

It really is that simple and the positive results can be life-altering. But it does require being mindful.

It becomes more onerous though when we realize that we must accept responsibility for our selections, the ones we choose to take from the passing thought stream and act upon, and then living under a dark cloud of gloom if we have not selected wisely with our highest and best interests in mind.

Reflexively making unhealthy choices at the cafeteria selection belt by consuming a steady diet of super-sized fatty burgers, fries, cakes, cookies, candy bars, and milkshakes every day will have no less of a detrimental impact on our overall health, happiness, and wellbeing than selecting negative, unfavorable, hurtful, and unwholesome thoughts as they enter into our minds each day, inevitably followed by the oppressively gloomy dark clouds.

But we have the right and ability to allow those undesirable thoughts to continue on the conveyor belt and pass right on out of our mind again without acting upon them. Merely let them pass by untouched in the same way you might that unwanted passing dish of brussels sprouts and oysters.

Do not feel ashamed or guilty, nor judge yourself harshly for unhealthy and destructive thoughts entering your mind. Everyone has them, for with so many media and social stimuli and inputs each day we have as little control over where they come from or the randomness of thoughts passing thru our brains as we do menu offerings appearing on the conveyor belt in the cafeteria.

There are ways that we can help to influence our thoughts, but that’s a topic for another day.

The key point is that just as in the cafeteria — We Get To Choose Which Thoughts We Pick Up — while letting the others pass by and away untouched or acted on.

Spend today mindfully, being mentally aware and noticing, without judging, which thoughts are passing thru your mind today. Then choose to select and act only upon those which can bring the greatest good to both yourself and those around you.

Acknowledge being aware of the undesirable thoughts, just as you would notice the dish of brussels sprouts perhaps, but allow them to pass.  And then do it again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.

Small steps — one hour, one day at a time — gradually but steadily raising your level of awareness and mindfulness in life-changing ways.  Positive thoughts are uplifting!

Much sooner than later, you may notice the air around you is lighter, people around you are friendlier, your food tastes better, unsolicited help begins appearing without asking, and your life as a whole has changed for the better as you spend more time and energy on the positive thoughts and ideas in line with your loving, basic, God-like nature.

I urge you to give it a try. After all, what do you have to lose — another grumpy, bummed-out day of judgment, negativity, and gloominess?

Because here’s the thing — when we become aware of our thoughts and persist in consciously and repetitively acting upon the negative and hurtful ones, then we are as responsible for the damage and pain they inflict on ourselves, our family, and others around us, as we would be for our 60-inch waistline from snatching all the poor food choices at the cafeteria.

Whatever we get out of life is the result of our own independent, conscious choices. And that begins with our thoughts. It’s not our background, upbringing, family, where we were born, financial situation, or anything else we might wish to point a finger at. It’s on us.  It is easier and better for everyone to accept responsibility for our thoughts and subsequent actions, and to follow our better natures.

Please imagine again, if you will, not only you and I acting upon our best kind and loving thoughts, but also together with us a whole bunch of folks the world over. Do you think it would take very long for the world to become a kinder and gentler home for us all?

Thanks always for visiting and reading with us. A single kind word or action has the power to positively change someone’s day or whole life. It’s all about sending out positive ripples.

Will you splash some kindness and brighten someone’s day today? —  Jim  (and Red!)

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like —  “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” 

(And if a new visitor — Welcome! To find out what we are all about here, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post!)

“If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” – Roald Dahl

                “Guard well your thoughts when alone and your words when accompanied.”                 – Roy T. Bennett

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!

                                                                   “We are addicted to our thoughts.                                                 We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking.” – Santosh Kalwar

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us, Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a non-monetized, ad-free site,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone.

We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!

“The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius