How to Focus on the Present

December 17, 2015December 18, 2015 / Laura Lee Carter / 5 Comments

I find I prefer keeping my mind on my present. My present is quite wonderful, but my tendency is to unconsciously begin worrying about the future or dig up more stuff from my past. How do I change this? What helps to being me back to now?

I just realized today how a few of my favorite things, help to being me back to focusing on my present.

For one thing, listening to good music brings me to the present and keeps me there. I never forgot this amazing music teacher I had in elementary school. She would play great music and have us close our eyes and make up a story to go with the music. This is still one of my favorite pastimes!

I also have a new hobby that demands a certain amount of presence, coloring. I have been coloring mandalas for a couple months now. This activity takes my mind to all sorts of interesting places.

Certain ones remind me of India or Mayan art, so I go with that, and choose colors that express those cultures best.

Music and art work better for me than straight meditation, just like walking has always worked better for me than silent sitting.

Perhaps that’s just me, but I thought I’d share this discovery, because it is bringing new joy into my life.

The Sweetness of Doing Nothing

December 8, 2015November 20, 2017 / Laura Lee Carter / 16 Comments

“There’s nothing sweeter than falling in love with the moment we’re given, the only one we have.” — Marcia Smalley

I saw the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” for the first time the other night, and enjoyed it. Elizabeth Gilbert’s journey reminds me at times of my own, except I did most of my traveling in my twenties and thirties, before I settled down to a regular career in libraries. Sometimes I cannot even remember all the countries I have experienced! I count at least 10 just in Asia…

But one line struck home for me, an apparently common Italian phrase: “The sweetness of doing nothing.” In this part of the film a barber is explaining to Liz the difference between Americans and Italians. And the more I thought about that idea, the more I agreed.

In my travels in France and Italy, I was struck by how relaxed and happy most people were compared to us. I can see how Europeans might see us as too busy, too serious, always in a hurry, pressured and uptight. I remember hearing children singing together on their way home from school as they walked the narrow, cobblestone paths of Venice, an indelible glimpse into a completely different way of life.

The Spanish Peaks in the ghostly morning light!

The Spanish Peaks in the ghostly early morning light!

Only now, since we moved to a rural area and as I recover from a new brain injury, do I appreciate the simplicity and peace of doing nothing.

This is something I was not raised on, and the guilt is still present with me, but I work everyday to cultivate this art. My goals are to heal my brain while also healing my past. Now I embrace every moment I can find to sit in silence and appreciate my life. I am filled with gratitude that I can now live like this forever… Instead of worrying about the past or demanding more of my future, I can now just be here, loving my life. Learn more about our adventure. How we ended up down here, etc. in my new memoir!

The Japanese Lover, Allende does it again!

December 5, 2015December 5, 2015 / Laura Lee Carter / 2 Comments

I have been a lifelong fan of Isabel Allende. I simply get lost in her magical style of storytelling. So when I heard she had a new one, I quickly got on the library waiting list. And no, I was not disappointed.

The Japanese Lover is a tale of fierce, forbidden love over many decades, but it also engulfs the reader in how it feels to be in your 80s, having lived life to its fullest. But what is so amazing is how Ms. Allende brings in the lives of many other complex characters and makes you feel you know them intimately. Her mastery of language astounds me at times. With very few words she can tell you so much.

For example, Alma, the main character, comes from an old European Jewish family. She describes her father’s worldview this way:

“The simple recipe for success that Mendel had instilled in his children from the cradle on consisted in never complaining, never asking for anything, striving to be the best in everything you do, and never trusting anyone.”

This early training did not stand Alma in good stead when she arrived in the U.S. as an orphan, with no ability to ask for help or any other important relationship skills.

Allende’s story covers parts of World War II, life in the Japanese Internment Camps and even the story of a Moldovan immigrant.

But most importantly this is a story of how we view aging and manage the end of our lives. That is the reason why I bought my own copy. I can see myself rereading this book in fifteen or twenty years, to learn even more of the skills needed to end a life well-lived.

After the fog clears in southern Colorado!

December 1, 2015January 4, 2016 / Laura Lee Carter / 4 Comments

“The sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses. Won’t you stay, we’ll put on a day, and we’ll talk in present tenses…” — Joni Mitchell

Yes, I know I’ve been talking about snow and fog quite a lot here, but the best part is after the storm lifts. The views are incredible from every room in our house!

This was the view from my bed this morning when I opened my eyes. Not a bad scene to wake up to, eh?

And the full view looked like this!

Even better than that is the wonderful sun pouring in to warm our home into the 70s within an hour or two. Natural solar heating is the best, and you can’t beat the price!

I have become the total sun worshipper living here. Where would we all be without it? I love to lay on my bed and simply soak it all in!

Living in this place is a great help to focus my mind on the present moment. To hell with all that stuff from the past or worries about my unknowable future. I challenge myself moment to moment to be present with where I am right now. What a blessing that can be!

Snowed in for days and loving it!

November 29, 2015November 30, 2015 / Laura Lee Carter / 3 Comments

“There is only one success, to spend your life in your own way.” — Christopher Morley

This is our first glimpse of the sun in a few days…

Since our foot of snow on Thanksgiving night, we have been entertaining ourselves quite well. In fact we have been totally fogged in for a few days.

But how can we be bored with fun photos to take, a good book to read, Netflix and lots of snow to shovel?

Not to mention one of my favorite new pastimes, coloring! I am presently coloring mandalas, which represent a microcosm of the universe.

Did you know Carl Jung used to have his patients color mandalas to help them access their subconscious? It works! When I’m coloring I completely stop worry shopping, and focus on my bright future:
Love what interacting with so many colors is doing for me. It sets my underdeveloped artist free! Everyone go try this! It’s wonderfully relaxing.

We have also been slowly getting out our Christmas decorations. This is exciting because last year everything was packed away.

Yes, we are finally home for good!

Our pets are very slowly getting used to each other, kind of…

Rasta’s still mad about that evil intruder Charlie. We joke about Rasta’s favorite present being the disappearance of said CAT!

The marvelous SUN came out this morning. It is glorious! I am a total sun worshipper! So now we are ready for some quiet holidays, watching our pets growl and chase each other around the Christmas tree…

Did I mention? The views are incredible up here, especially after a great big snow storm! We get a 180 degree view of the Sangres!

And BTW, I will be writing soon about that wonderful new book I’m reading…please stay tuned!

Passive Solar Heat & the First SNOW!

November 18, 2015November 20, 2015 / Laura Lee Carter / 2 Comments

Monday night was exciting up here! We saw first sleet and then snow falling, and it snowed all night.

As some of you may know, I’ve been recording precipitation data for the CoCoRAHS project since 1998, at the seven addresses I have lived at in that time. Yesterday’s reading was particularly difficult because of high winds and drifted snow, although I did record almost an inch of precip!

Let me put it this way, it was difficult getting out of the house on Tuesday morning. Some places there was almost no snow and it was a foot deep elsewhere. We live on a county road so they took care of the road plowing.

And our solar heating has been working great! For example, outside we got down to around 20 degrees last night and inside we were around 60 this morning, but as soon as the sun started coming in, we jumped up to 66 quickly. We do have supplemental electric heat, which we use sparingly, and I also have hot flashes, which help a lot!

The sunset was beautiful here last night, a constant reminder of why we choose to live up here!

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