A NEW DIAGNOSIS-COUNSELLING HELPS WITH THE FEARS

Part of my work is counselling people with a new diagnosis. Going from healthy to dealing with a new health problem can be overwhelming. Allowing the emotions to flow. Normalizing those feelings. Making room for planning and what is next! Often allowing for hope. It can be treated. Life will go on. When asked what is your greatest fear. Often surprisingly, it is not- I am afraid to die but I do not want to be a burden on others. I do not want to be bedridden! Letting the person share their fears helps with the process. If there are tasks to do to help with the situation then the person has some control in those decisions. After diagnosis comes treatment and coping and often healing.                                                  Counselling can be a great support provided.

Cancer can be a heavy diagnosis to hear. April is Daffodil Month in support of cancer awareness and funding services. So remember to look around you and be there for others with any new diagnosis.

MARCH-OUT LIKE A LION?

March weather in Canada can fluctuate greatly. Warm days, cool nights. Rain, snow, freezing rain. For the Maritimes winter has not left with all the storms that keep brewing. The GTA is warmer but coats and jackets are still needed with the chilly weather. So hard to say if winter is really over. Too much talk about all the remembered storms in April that were experienced. We'll see!

LUCKY OR BLESSED

While shopping for Easter stuff, the cashier remarked when I said I was buying for my grandchildren. She stated you are lucky to have grandchildren. Without a heartbeat I replied, no blessed. It is a blessing to have grandchildren in my life, Luck is a good thing to have. Sometimes we are lucky at some endeavors. But feeling blessed by many things in our lives is more important. So yes my grandchildren are a blessing. The number 6 is not the 6 in Toronto but the 6 in my life.

GOSSIP-DO YOU LOVE IT OR LOATHE IT?

Okay we all hear some gossip sometimes. We all share some sometimes. But do you live to know all the scope on everyone you know. There is celebrity news but is it important to know it. Some celebrities make a living on nothing, just pictures posing and doing the ordinary. And getting paid because they have a following on Social Media. Some people have jobs reporting- well gossip.

The Oxford  Dictionary gives a good definition. It tells us- easy or unconstrained talk or writing about persons or social incidents; idle talk;groundless rumours.

Can it be hurtful? Well yes! Can it be false? Well yes! To want to know everything about others means what!

Even as a child, I did not like the little girl cliches that gossiped about others. Who cares if someone wore a different coat or whatever?
In any work environment there are the gossip teams that drag information from one area to another. People who want to know and share all.

Knowledge is power. So is it a power trip to have the latest. I know something you do not know.

Unfortunately there are some people who are not discreet and flaunt their indiscretions everywhere. Extra marital affairs in the workplace can be uncomfortable for the other staff around them. No one really wants to see someone snuggling up to their new squeeze in a public place knowing there is a spouse with children at home. Besides it is a workplace. Those not cheating are not being public and snuggling up to their partners in public places at work. The line is drawn between home and work.
Be discreet!

Back to gossip. Why is it so interesting? Why does someone's problems carry such delight to others? "Did you hear?"


I like to be one of those people that knows tons about everyone but like the three monkeys- hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil! If I do share something sometimes which I do make sure it is with someone I trust. Like my husband, he is not listening anyway! My reality is the fact that someone shared something and I wish to honour it. If the person cares to share with 50 people, okay but not from my lips.

So do you love gossip? Do you spead it? Do you go out of your way to know things about people? Do you loathe it with I don't care about it? What are your thoughts?
#gossip#discretion#cheating#knowledgeispower

LIFE EBBS AND FLOWS LIKE THE WAVES

Ocean or lake or river waves are so revealing about life. They ebb and flow. Sometimes gently, sometimes roughly. Sometimes calm. Sometimes a storm. We can bounce in the waves alone or use a device like a floatation one. Life can be waves. Events can hit us in waves. Life one big wave coming ashore.

SPRING CLEANING 2017

There are so many sites informing us about decluttering and spring cleaning. Some go room by room or select a category like clothes and go for it.
Knowing what to keep and what to give away or try to sell takes time. So when there is time in the busy schedule get started. I saw how some people had cleaned their whole house. I could not do that in one weekend. But starting with a drawer, a closet, a room is a good start. I have also learnt over the years to keep some areas clutter free. One or two junk drawers are okay but not every drawer in every room. Seasons keep us focused. For me a change of closet in Fall and Spring. Warm and cold weather clothes with some used for both.
My daughter Sonya has an amazing blog for young parents. She did a post on cleaning and safety in the home. Try it out.
Sonya Kerr
If you can not link then just google her or House of Kerrs.
#sonyakerr#parenting#modernmother#modernfamily

MARCH IS MAPLE SYRUP SEASON

Yeah the sap has been running. Maple Syrup a wonderful Canadian food. Available in Supermarkets or at Farmers' Markets. A wonderful school theme or even a class trip to see how it is collected. Maple trees a Canadian symbol give us this wonderful commodity. Quebec is the largest producer of Maple Syrup. Great on pancakes or french toast! There are wonderful recipes that use maple syrup like fudge! So what are you making today.
#maplesyrup#spring#pancakes