Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Childhood Cleanup

Welcome Friend!
it's
Aloha Tuesday
in
W A I K I K I




click on photos for all the usual reasons
Marsha Marsha MARSHA!
Yep, that's cultural icon Maureen McCormick of TV's Brady Bunch.


You can listen to the theme song here.
Warning: It will probably stick in
your head ALL day.


"Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them."
Albert Einstein


"I'd feared surrender would sand me down to nothing.
Now I've started to believe it can bloom me more solidly into myself."
Mary Karr




"The chill of suspicion and incomprehension came between me and humankind when I was sixteen. . . it wasn't possible to live among other people if all of a sudden they could attack one another with such ferocity.""
Romano Bilenchi

><>

"If we learn to open our hearts, anyone,
including the people who drive us crazy,
can be our teacher."
Pema Chodron


<><


Young children are sponges
they thrive
or fail
on the input, especially the
emotional stimulus,
from their parents.


In my case
there was an over abundance of stimulation
from which I learned
to filter
and to cushion myself
in order to survive
the big waves
of emotion.


Now I realize
that this has always made me
defensively critical
of new things
and people.



I need to absorb the New
in digestible bites,
or bytes.




It's sad to think
of all the opportunities
that I have "defended" myself against.



But I'm learning to trust myself
and to open up to
Possibilities.





The holidays are the time
when we reflect on where we've been
and often reconnect
with the people who've loved
and failed us
the most.


My Holiday Wish for you:


Trust the adult that you have become.
Don't rise to the usual bait.
You deserve to enjoy your holidays,
and to forgive.

Epecially
yourself.


ALOHA & THANK YOU!! cloudia

31 comments:

Vijay said...

Hi.. I just visited ur blog.. It sounds Great.. Hope u too will Visit my blog..

RONW said...

Hi Cloudia, I've taken photos of the red hibiscus, too, except with the light angle more from the front instead of backlit as in your photo, only to find that the red is so brilliant, that it almost appeared to be photo shopped.

Anonymous said...

A smile itself is a beauty.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

You have a Merry Good Christmas too!

Kay said...

I remember Brady Bunch. I used to watch it all the time. How fabulous that you were able to meet her!

BLOGitse said...

Thanks for your Holiday Wish!
I do forgive others but sometimes I'm too hard to myself.
I'll try to remember!
Aloha! :)

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

Hi Cloudia,

Maureen McCormick: The last thing I saw her in was the Larry the Cable Guy roast which was crude but I must admit funny in some places.

Merry Christmas.

the walking man said...

Cleaning up the childhood without destroying the child within is found in the removing the limits one puts on the better portion of their nature.

Fireblossom said...

....What happens if I press that song button? I'm suspicious! :-D

Kavita Saharia said...

Happy holidays to you too Cloudia!The pic of you and Maureen is cute.Aloha,Cloudia!

Teresa said...

I didn't need to push the button for that song to start up in my brain. Thanks for sharing your wise words about childhood and letting go.

Carol said...

No good, no bad, no judgement.

Haddock said...

There are some lovely pictures in your posts.

Like that one with the tree roots embracing the leaves........


Like that saying by Ingmar Bergman
"Old age is like climbing a mountain.
The higher you get,
the more tired and breathless you become,
but your view
becomes much more expansive."

Ingmar Bergman

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

Terrific!
<><

Nancy said...

Words to take to heart, Cloudia. I, too, believe we have to "let go" in order to move forward and upward.

Akelamalu said...

Love the photos and the advice to love myself Cloudia. x

Charles Gramlich said...

Tis a good season to think of forgiveness.

Cloudia said...

How wonderful to see this crop of great comments by interesting folks!

I must say that there is much wisdom in Walking Man's simple-seeming comment.


Thank you EACH!

xxx said...

Marsha Marsha Marsha!! that made me laugh out loud :)

love to you during this silly season and beyond

:) Ribbon

Barbara Martin said...

Ah, I needed some photos of tropical flowers to ward off winter craziness as snow and chilly weather has hit Toronto. Love those bright colours.

Jean said...

hibiscus is malaysia's national flower

A smile from SJ =)

SandyCarlson said...

I recently defended myself against a possibility and lost a dear friend. So this post sure did resonate with me. Thank you, friend.

Anonymous said...

Receiving a letter that should have been send about three decades ago last Christmas, makes this year to be felt as if time would have been returned.
A very special thank for this entry of yours. It's now short after four in the morning and maybe time for a bit of sleep.
Please have a wonderful Wednesday.

MorahMommy said...

Your photos just make me smile. We just came in from the cold and their warmth spread throughout me.
Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Wow, Marsha. I needed to hear from a gentle spirit today(meaning you). Thanks for dropping by and letting me see Hawaii through your eyes. Hugs and Kisses you. Walk on the beach for me. Aloha. Travis

magiceye said...

lovely!
thank you for your lovely holiday wishes
heres wishing you and yours have a ball this holiday!

Vijay said...

Thanks for visiting my blog and posting ur valuable comments...

foongpc said...

Nice hibiscus flower. It's a common flower over here in Malaysia!

Btw, love your holiday wish to your readers! : )

Maria Verivaki said...

marsha from the brady bunch, well that does take me back years

just got your book in the mail...

DeniseinVA said...

A blast from the past, I used to love that show. She still looks the same. Is that you with her? How wonderful to get a picture of you if it is :)

Cloudia said...

Yes, I confess that it's me with Marsha. Why is SHE not ageing (while I am??!!)


Aloha dear friends!