4175.3 miles from my father's front door

Some people realize they've reached adulthood when the desire to go to the mall on a Saturday is replaced with dread for walking through those teenage infested,over priced shops. Or maybe its when when they look in their grocery cart and where Twinkies,Doritos and some sort of enamel eroding citrus drink would normally be found is, bran cereal, fresh fruit and something called a kohlrabi.
For me adulthood recognition comes with the desire to be where my roots were formed. I have a longing and deep desire to be on the little rock of Newfoundland. This chunk of land is,what I consider to be,paradise!
And being 4175.3 miles away from my fathers front door,really does make it feel like an unreachable promise land.
For those of you passers by who are unfamiliar with this little land I call home, I will share with you this... google will not give you the smell of salt water and the freshest sea air. Bing can't show you the kindest hearts and generosity of any people you could ever hope to know. Food network won't have nan's recipe for homemade bread. And map quest will not highlight this area as the happiest place on earth (but it most certainly is)
I'm sure I will always have nomadic flights in my heart but the wings of my want to go home are much bigger.
You know that feeling you get when you return home for the holidays? The flutter in your heart, and that childish excitement to see aunts and uncles, and get hugs from grandparents, or mom and dad?
Well, for me, Newfoundland is the home that puts those feelings in my soul. This entire province and all of it's parts is my family. It's tranquil scenery is the old photo album. The sea salty air is comparable to Christmas cookies baking in the oven. The "caw" of the sea gulls and the waves washing up on shore, is the radio playing old tunes in the background. And Wharf,Nipper,Scoff and "ah,by" are the names of some old friends.
One day I plan to return to my little rock. And even though I am 4175.3 miles from my father's front door, Newfoundland and all it's wonderful parts is permanently in my heart.

With every handshake, give the truth

There was an episode of The Outer Limits (many moons ago) that played out with a character, a young man,who was being punished for a minor offence. (Now I tried to google this episode but came up with nothing, so I'll give my best recollection) and for his punishment he bore a mark on his forehead, this mark told everyone he met that he was being punished and everyone he encountered was to pretend he was invisible. The people in this town were not to assist this man if he were in distress, they were not to speak to him or even make eye contact with him or they would be banished into their own lonely existence as well. Much like wearing a Scarlett letter I suppose.
I think about this episode, of what seemed like at the time, insignificant television programming, often in my life.
I wonder, what if with every person I met I wore my truth? Would they still respect me? Want to be my friend? and Would I change my feelings/opinions of others?
If we were strangers who met tomorrow and I gave you a greeting followed by;
"I curse too much. I pray to God and then question his existence. I am inpatient of others for doing things I know I've done myself."
Would you accept me and my truth?
I try to challenge myself often to offer my truth and catch myself when I'm being dishonest with myself or others. I'm one of those people who will ponder what answer you want me to give when asked a question. I suppose you could say I have a keen ability to read people and oftentimes know what they want from me and others. I've been more right than wrong when it comes to reading people and understanding their personality type.
Sometimes there are things I don't want to know about others that I am faced with anyway. But maybe there's nothing wrong with having to deal with the whole package.
No one really wants to deal with other peoples problems, and yes it would be uncomfortable to meet someone in the grocery lineup who says "Hello, I'm currently cooking the books at my place of work, I've been married four times and I hate puppies." But sometimes this would save us a lot of trouble and grief in relationships. No surprises. No skeletons in the closet. Wouldn't you love for the political party you were considering voting for to be wearing a print out of his/her truth. But maybe not so much the physician who is about to perform knee surgery whose truth is "I may have had too much to drink last night, but I got this."
I guess, my friends and passers-by, there is a reason why we are in charge of how much or how little we give.
Personally I'm going to try to give a little bit more with hopes that the soul I'm greeting is giving me the same.
Oh, and at the end of the episode, the man's punishment had ended and he was walking to a coffee shop when greeted by a woman who bore the mark of banishment and was weeping, desperate for someone to speak to her. She approached him in tears and begged him to acknowledge her. He looked her square in the eyes and said "I can see you."

Was here the whole time....

Begin a blog, dive right in and then...fall of the face of the earth! While it looks that way, I really was just out in the hall twirling my hair and shuffling my feet not knowing what I was going to say next! While I was out there, however, I made a few crafty items and got going on my ETSY shop, decorated my house to the gills for Halloween and had myself a one year older celebration!
I hope all has been right with your world! It looks as though things are remaining steadily tough out there and with the winter months setting in the blues are bound to happen. But I wish you all well and promise to return shortly with something fun and exciting to share!

Be Well