I Am ~

      I am a runner ~ so they say, but not in the traditional sense. Not a competitive person by nature, running affords me the luxury of eating chocolate and enjoying the benefits of good health.




Carlie~a bad case of "Black Toe"

     When I run solo, my running companion is a black lab mix named Carlie. Flanked by her on one side and with my iPod secured to my opposite arm, I meet my daily mileage quota beating the streets of my own neighborhood.



     Of late however, Carlie is hesitant about going outside. I am not sure if the loud trucks intimidate her as we cross a busy divided highway to get to our starting point, or that she simply prefers the clay/grass trail to asphalt pavement.



     After our last four miler, she acted like her feet were sore- (don’t laugh – it’s true!) A careful observation of her paws revealed that the pads appeared, dry, cracked and raw and I immediately applied a soothing salve. Since then, Carlie has been less enthusiastic about running on pavement, though I can still manage to coax her with the promise of a ‘treat!’

     We are similar in that way: I am one who looks for a reward in my daily goals…and while Carlie’s is a meal bone ~ mine is dark chocolate!  Aaahh- it is the Sweetness of life♪♫



A New Lease on Life

A Journey Through the {final} Stages of Unemployment

                      Welcome Back to My Blog~



So I begin...(again)

     After taking nearly a year off from writing/blogging I realized that I am not one to leave unfinished business. So I thought it best to move forward with my life by ending the chronicles of “A Journey through the Stages of Unemployment.” Here is my last journal entry regarding My Journey. I hope you enjoyed reading the stages….
     Grief or the act of grieving, causes the heart to respond in different ways. Some say that grieving must occur to process the devastating situations that life throws at us. According to psychologists there are several stages of grief, though all may not agree specifically on their precise order ~the implied directive is that one must walk through the steps to obtain healing...
     And so I have walked... through turmoil, doubt and disappointment.What I have found is nothing short of what is normal for every human being: the need for validation and approval. I have found that I am just like a million other Americans who scrambled for stability when their employment world was rocked. I saw myself behave in irrational ways contemplating ideas fueled by desperation.
     When the mental fog of uncertainty dissipated I caught a glimpse of my inner strength: it was lying beneath my character - sore from a post employment boxing match. Though my inner strength had had a massive work out, from it was born a purpose to move forward.
     The epiphany put a glow on my face and a deep inner peace which prompted me to reach out and touch other hurting people. During this transformation I studied and read up on the Holocaust which led me to advocate for children; I became certified as a Guardian ad Litem. I also did pro Bono sewing for young mothers and offered my education and administrative assistance to a local church.

     Busy making the world a better place through advocacy and volunteer work, I channeled my skill set investing in worthwhile causes. Just as I was considering a volunteer position as a teacher at the Center for The Blind- my story changed: I received a call to return to the workforce. Imagine that!

     I would be remiss if I failed to mention how much I learned about myself during my 11 month hiatus from the corporate world. Thankful, appreciative, and humbled are a few adjectives that come to mind.

     It has been a Journey filled many emotions and personal struggle. Yet in its finality, the Journey of Acceptance was the stage which produced the greater good in me. I am eternally thankful for being given another opportunity to be employed in America’s workforce.

                                                Here’s to a new chapter in my life…..