I am having a very hard time relating to some of this week's chapter which surprises me.  Although I understood the point that Martha was making in her example of the pig, it was not a story I enjoyed reading.  When I think of surrounding myself with things that make me feel good or happy I don't think it should be because I am rewarding myself for doing something difficult but because I deserve to be surrounded by things that make me feel good and special. When I complete a difficult task that includes a risk towards my goal, I get a feeling of accomplishment which I treasure.  That is enough of a reward for me.

 I did complete the catalog of sensory delights and water kept appearing on my list.  I love to look at water, hear water, feel water, and water shows up in all of my paintings.  So this week when I was walking I walked by the lake.  It was a beautiful fall day and I especially enjoyed the walk because it was by water.  So I intend to take this walk often.  This list was beneficial because it made me more aware of things that I like and that I want to include in my daily life. 

I am very interested in knowing if this was a difficult chapter for anyone else.  I think it may be that I just could not relate to the way that Martha presented the information.  One thing I did get from this chapter was how important words are to me.  If something is not presented in a way that I am comfortable with, then I may miss the point.   I need to be very careful that I don't miss some valuable lessons just because the  examples that are used are not something I can relate to easily. 

This week's chapter was all about taking a risk.  Since I am not someone who likes to take risks just the name of the chapter made me nervous.  I did have two experiences with risk recently that I would like to share.  Last week we were on a trip and thought it would be great fun to charter a boat with a captain to go fishing.  This was one of my husband's dreams and so we did it.  The boat was large, the captain experienced and the mate great.  What we didn't know as we went through the calm channel was that we were in for the ride of our lives.  The water went from smooth to choppy to five to seven foot waves within minutes.  At one point I was thrown down in the cabin and my husband who was sitting outside looking at just a wall of water was captive in his seat.  We both love water and the ocean but we decided for us this just wasn't the trip we had looked forward to and so headed back to shore and didn't take the risk that the day was offering.  I was OK with not taking this risk. I think, for me at least, I have to weigh how important the risk is before I will take it. 

On the other had, I did take a risk today that I feel good about.  Several years ago I began to really focus on my health.  I began walking three to six miles a day and also began to seriously study yoga.  After a great walk one day my knee began to bother me. The pain got increasingly worse and one day it was so bad that I literally crawled up the stairs to get to my bedroom.  The doctor diagnosed it as arthritis and I went through some therapy and things got better after about a year.  I added weight lifting to my workout routine continued the yoga but could not get back to walking.  I really wanted to walk daily again (not that I love it but I know it is good for me) but I could not get back into the routine.  So after reading this chapter I asked myself "What am I afraid of?" and I realized after some quiet moments I was afraid of the pain returning if I did begin to walk on a daily basis.  So today I decided this was definitely a risk worth taking and added a walk to my exercise routing.   I don't have to walk six miles but I do have to add taking a walk to my routine.  So for me reading the chapter has been good.  I realize that I don't have to take every risk that comes along but if there is a risk that will actually benefit me I need to step back, analyze my fears, and do what I know in my heart is best for me.

This week I played cards with a blind man.  I didn't know him and will probably will never see him again but he taught everyone at the table about acknowledging the challenges you face but not allowing those challenges to stop you from obtaining what you want or desire.  This man knew he wanted to play cards, sat down with strangers, explained what little assistance he needed, and began to play.  He had a great afternoon and created a positive experience for himself as well as for those who were privileged to meet him. 
In the past, I have always thought of a creative person as one who paints, dances, sings, etc.  But at this stage of my life, I see creativity all around me in everything I do.  Martha lists many things we can do to be creative.  Once again, I have decided to simplify the chapter in order to make it work for me.  The most important thing I got from the chapter on creativity was the reminder that everything I think, say, and do helps to create the life I live. This is quite a powerful concept and I have made a promise to myself not to float through each day but to live each moment mindfully and with intention.  If I have the power in my hands to create the life I want, then it is going to be a masterpiece that I can proudly call my own!
  

Desire what an interesting word.  Each chapter has been challenging and somewhat difficult and chapter three was no different.  For the past three years I have been on a self-imposed journey to find out who I am at this time of my life.  After retiring I found myself a little lost and so I began trying out new things to see what I wanted to do with my life.  After a lot of thought and a little work, I think this chapter came just at the right time for me.  What do I desire?  As crazy as it sounds, I want to continue to work.  I have been consulting for the past three years and I really do enjoy it so I am going to begin to do a little more advertising and see what happens.  For me the question, "Then what?" really made the biggest impact.  I realize that as long as I am breathing and learning and enjoying life there will always be a "then what?" or "what next?" to think about.  But the best part is that I realize that I am ok with that concept.  It is exciting to think ahead and plan for new adventures as long as I also remember to embrace and appreciate what I am experiencing each day. 

This week's chapter in the Joy Diet on "Truth" was incredibly helpful.  I have always been a worrier.  I worried about what happened or what might happen.  Hopefully, you will notice that I used the word worry in the past tense.  After reading this chapter, I realized what a disservice I had been doing not only to myself but to all those around me.  So although this week's chapter was full of ideas and things to think about I am now able to make one simple sentence work for me.  When I begin to create a storyline in my head I ask myself, "What do you know for sure?"  It is only what I know for sure that I allow myself to be concerned about.  This week has been wonderful.  I have lived in the present so much more and when I am concerned about something it is something real and not a story that I have developed in my head.  This is the second week in a row that something very simple has made a big difference in my life.  I am really anxious to begin the next chapter on Desire.  Each chapter is liking opening a very special present  and the best part is that each present will last a lifetime as long as I remember to use the gift that I have been given.