Yesterday, a new thing was added to my life that can help booster my quality of life.  I got a hearing aid.  I have been mostly deaf in my right ear ever since I was born.  One of the three inner bones in my inner ear did not grow properly during development and has caused me to have a conductive hearing loss in that ear and helped prevent me from hearing conversations I am having with friends or family, especially when there is background noise.  I was finally tired of saying, "Huh? What?", all the time.  I figure it is better to do this now, then miss out on too much else in this marvelous adventure called, 'life'.  This device will also help me with hearing bird songs, hunting and other natural wonders.  When I first placed it in my ear I almost cried.  It was unbelievable how much I have missed out on over the years.  This hearing aid will help tremendously with not only with my vocabulary in the English language, but also with getting ready for complete emersion in a new language and culture.  I am sure there will be some things I will not want to hear, but that is the price you have to pay.

I was visiting my friend Greg, Becky and Bowman Klauk in East Glacier several weeks ago and I was waiting for Greg to get home from work (imagine that), and I was perusing through "The Economist" and the most recent edition of "Time" magazine.  There was an article about Steve Jobs the ex-CEO of Apple and he had some great advice that I have always tried to live by.

He stated, "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life,"  he said sounding as if the very thought infuriated him. "Don't be trapped by dogma's which is living with the results of other people's thinking.  Don't let th noise of other's opinions (fears) drown out your own voice.  And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.  They shomehow already know what you truly want to become.  Everything else is secondary."

I am a member of this free poetry website called, "Poetry Chaikhana" that sends you a daily poem and on my last day of work in Glacier National Park this year I checked my email a few days afterwards and a poem was sent me that day that was very fitting and appropriate.

The poem is called, "POEM for NEW BEGINNINGS" by John O' Donahue

In out of the way places of the heart
Where your thoughts never think to wander
This beginning has been quietly forming
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire
Feeling the emptiness grow inside you
Noticing how you willed yourself on
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the grey promises that sameness whispered
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent
Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground.
Your eyes young again with energy and dream
A path of plentitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of  beginning
That is one with your life's desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm
For your soul senses that world that awaits you.


John O' Donahue


Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream.  My life is wide open at this moment and it feels great!  Scary, but pregnant with potential and opportunities.  I don't know what my future holds but I embrace it with open arms. 

I visited my oldest sister Nancy, her husband Jeff and my nephew Jamison  last night in Leland, Illinois.  We grilled beef steaks, had salad and a wonderful new fruit salad consisting of  apples, snickers, marshmallows, grapes, pineapples, raisins and miracle whip.  It is scumptious!   I have heard of snicker salads before, but that was a first.  Normally, I don't like fruit salads, but this one will be going into my cooking repertoire.

Those of you who know Jamison, he is doing great.  He is seventeen years old, driving, dating lots of girls  and practicing Kar-a-te'.  He is now a yellow belt and has won several trophies.  One of them is over six feet tall.  It is helping him a lot with focusing, discipline, and  hand-eye coordination.  His family and I are very proud of him.

Another video link of my favorite mythologist and teachers that I never have had, but have been fortunate to read almost everything he ever wrote.  His name is Joseph Campbell and he was good friends with George Lucas the creator of the movie, "Star Wars."  He is famous for coining the term, "Follow Your Bliss!"  In this video he describes what exactly that means.