Obviously, the resuscitation of beauty is not more money, status, the latest creams slathered on hopeful faces, or something we can force. It is very much a byproduct of our journeys toward a spiritual power that shines within.

When I think about whether I could be one of these super-helping people, I don't think I could. Multiple factors would affect my ability to do what they do, and I don't think I'm that courageous, but I could "cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples."  

Despite many edits, I just didn't know how to write yet, so didn't avoid common pitfalls that befall first-time writers: wordiness, "telling" not "showing", character head hopping, misuse of dialogue tags, misplaced modifiers, forgetting the timeline (or bouncing around in time), and the dreaded passive voice. They let me know what I needed to do to get my book back on track. I am truly indebted to them for their time and expertise.

Funny how I look at time now and feel urgency as if I've wasted most of my life doing, rushing, accomplishing. Funny how learning, being, and living don't feel like wasted time. Is time a concept that stretches and shrinks depending on how we think of it?

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who dreamed of playing her flute so beautifully that those who listened to her would experience an emotional connection with the rising and falling melodies she played.

Diving timing can be confusing. I struggled with the concept for a long time until I asked a different question: What stops Divine Timing?

Sashka drills down and says Gen Xers are "reframing menopause as a life stage (not a medical condition)." If I may borrow the concept, like Gen Xers, some Boomers are going through a life stage instead of into a retirement home.

In the bright sunshine, I thought next of duality, or how life seemed to be constantly reminding me of two sides of a coin, the flip side of a decision, young and old, sunny and cold, and on and on, causing me to ask are the parts of us separate, even contradictory?

The first side is very familiar to me. I waffle and wait, letting my emotions cloud clear thinking. Sometimes the waiting decides for me. Change interrupts and forces us to explore options.

Love, laugh, cry, I heard in my head. Maybe it's sarcasm or maybe it's a little wisdom leaking into my head because I heard these words next: serve, don't take yourself too seriously, and release. How I arrived at that second set of words took years.

I had that kind of conversation with a good friend. It was amazing how we each interpreted events and snippets we'd heard from various sources differently, radically differently. But because we're good friends, we listened to each other, asked questions, challenged each other, and agreed to disagree on some things.

The rush of getting things done and going for a goal is addictive. Using a targeted approach and my perseverance, I lost weight, accomplished home projects, and went to night school, all to accomplish my goals and get ahead.

This is not an idyllic place; it is a powerful space where the self gets out of the way of the magic.

I was told, no doubt by a disapproving friend, that my grandfather's first wife was small in stature but mighty in spirit. After all, she gave birth to and raised seven children, who all turned out to be hardworking, responsible citizens. I was told that after raising her children, she took classes, probably at the University of B.C. I'm sure she was in her golden brain years then.

I was told they would not leave this world as long as they needed to carry their memories. As the last soul passed me, he turned around and said one word, "Remember."

It turns out we feel as much stress in certain social situations, like social media scrolling, as we do in isolation. When I think about it, I'm really comparing my self-worth, accomplishments, appearance, and social status to the people featured in front of me as I scroll.

Certain steps will help you with the stages, whether you’re facing losing summer or in the middle of a crisis. None of the three steps will disappear or stop changes; change is inevitable, and out of it comes growth, if you're open to it.

On the other side of the path, yarrow blooms nodded in synchronized motion with the chirping crickets. I wonder if the other walkers think I’m daft? I'm surrounded by incredible beauty, yet I’m wobbling down the path buried in my phone, texting what's streaming out of my head.

The question I want to explore is this: when wanting to bring something into your life that you want, are you who you need to be to receive it?

The thought I had after my traffic frustration, survival, and no-one cares attitude was to turn inward for answers and not turn off or tune out. OK, I may need to turn away from news channels, too, for my mental health, but I'm learning to turn inward to work on my daily stress level.