Thursday, October 14th, 2010 - Carpe Diem, Putting the Past Away, And Another "11"

Today has been extraordinary and transformative in the most simple yet profound ways. 

• 11 - the positive power number has appeared again and again. 
• Coincidences en masse
• Signs - popping up everywhere

Since I am doing a half marathon this weekend, and since I haven't been my most healthy self, I have been "indulging" a bit too much in treats.  I declared that I could eat whatever I wanted this week - and has that ever been a true statement.  Treats are not bad, as Grandpa Phil always said, everything in moderation.  Well - I forgot the "moderation" part and just went for the everything.  The wagon isn't too far gone, but unless stopped, it would ride into a many pound weight gain, and that just is not acceptable.

While watching that last miner ascend yesterday (miraculous!), I enjoyed a high calorie and  fat treat.  I was rejoicing with the world at this miracle, and rejoice equals coconut cream pie, right?  It capped off an unhealthy dinner, a ridiculously bad lunch, and an earlier indulgence that I don't wish to acknowledge (yes I know - my head is in the sand). 

This morning, I woke up with a migraine and a cold in my chest - no surprise there.  My jeans were in a word "snug".  And quite frankly, I felt like I had been to the junk food bender-orama.  This capped the build up to detonation, and when I got on the scale this morning to face the truth - BOOM!!!

The word "Detoxify" came to me, and the meaning resonated.  To feel better, I ate worse.  What an old and stale pattern that is / was.  Eating junk wasn't going to help "fix" anything.  Using white cheddar popcorn as a weapon - not going to dent the enemy. Injesting chemically created "cream" on a pie?  Really? 

The root of the eating?  For another blog, but we all have "something"...

Oy...

So - Done...Enough...

To quote from The Labours of Hercules by Dr. Francis Merchant, the Teacher said to Hercules:
"One word of counsel only I may give...
We rise by kneeling; we conquer by surrendering; we gain by giving up"

When we face a hydra with nine heads (one of which may be a Dorito, or a bag of them), fighting a conventional battle of  brute force will only empower it.  If you cut off one head, two more will instantly appear (these then shaped like a Dairy Queen Cone and  A Hostess Ho Ho). 

A Different (and smarter) Strategy:
If you get down, grab that hydra and raise it up, suspended in mid-air, it's powers diminsh.  The light and air causes that nasty ol' beast to be weak, and then, we can take it out with ease and never see its ugly heads again.

Today is declared to be Hydra Be Gone Day...

On another note - and profound in a different way:

Between Monday, December 3rd, 2007 and Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 - there were:

• 2 years, 4 months, and 11 days
• 863 Days
• 20,712 hours
• 1,242,720 minutes
• 74,563,200 second

This is the Past.  It is now done, concluded, over, finito, finished, basta.  Thank you for the lessons, and for giving me such knowledge, wisdom and experience.

Between Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 and Thursday, October 14th, 2010 - there were:

• 6 months
• 183 Days
• 4,392 hours
• 263,520 minutes
• 15,811,200 seconds

This is now also the Past. It is concluded and complete.

Between Thursday, October 14th, 2010 and Wednesday, September 14th, 2011 - there are:

• 335 Days
• 8,040 Hours
• 482,400 Minutes
• 28,944,000 Seconds
• It is equal to exactly 11 months (there is that number again...)

This is the beginning of a great present and a incredible future.

Carpe Diem - and so it is.

Carpe Diem Reminder #216

I just got word that a dear former colleague of mine passed away from a heart attack at age 52.  That's tough to take, but for me it is another reminder to live in the present moment, and don't let the minisule irritations get in the way. 

Treasure the simple:

• Playing a fierce game of Trouble with my nieces, and then snuggling with them under a pile of blankets on a chilly fall evening wearing our matching pajamas
• A gorgeous maple tree changing colors
• Sunshine
• A feast of Chinese takeout
• A fantastic conversation with someone in a customer service job that actually wants to provide customer service above and beyond (thank you BethAnn at the Mandarin Oriental!  You are the best!)
• A note from my college freshman godson telling me "I'm the best" for no apparent reason
• Finding the perfect birthday card for my mother that I know will make her cry in a good way

These are not monumental moments, but they are the moments that thread together our lives, and sometimes, that is all the special that is required. 

Joe -many will miss you.  Thank you for being a part of my life for the time you were, and thank you for the viseral and painful reminder that Carpe Diem / All In is the only way to live.