THE LAST HOLDOUTS OF THE PRE-BOOMER GENERATION OF ARSCOTTS & FROM THE HILLS OF CULLODEN & THE RICKETTS FROM THE VALLEY OF CROOKED RIVER

July 19, 2013
 


THE HOUSE NOW - SHOT TAKEN AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY



Yesterday was a delightful visit with "Daddy" & "Mother", Cecil & Phyllis.  There was a lot a catching up to do but we picked up right where we left off a little over three years ago.  I've been thinking about them a lot, as I often do, because they are such great examples of poineering Jamaicans, strong in faith, love of God and love for each other.  I often refer to then two pea in a pod, phyche & chim, or another one which I wont write because some of you might find it a little bit vulgar.

Of course, it didnt take long after I arrived before Mother brought me up to date about her last phone call with her cousin and playmate Miss Cislyn, the second last hold out of the original decendants of the Arscott's from Scotland who settled in Coloden, Clarendon.  Both these ladies had wonderful memories of their time growing up together and as teenagers, often describing the elaborate dresses, hats and high heel shoes they used to wear.  And yes, I know about it, because four years ago when my uncle Cas died, Miss Cislyn was there at the celebrations, high heel shoes, pretty frock and the fancy hat and all at the tender age of 89!  She passed on this spring, leaving Phyllis as the last surviving member of that generation.  On that last phone call Miss Cislyn  told Motheer "mi still wear mi high heel shoes you know Phyllis, me caan wear flat shoes, but mi no wear the slim heal ones"!  She told her how she had planted her vegitable garden, and how well her crops were doing.  They caught up on the children and grandchildren, and of course swapped stories on the goodnes of God.  They lived and breathe their faith.  A week later, Miss Cislyn was gone.

She still has her wits about her, so this is the opportunity to catch up on the family history.  When I said to her that she is now the sole torchbearer she pointed out to me that "Daddy" is on his side of the family too.
This is such an amazing couple!  When I say they are two peas in a pod, I mean it.  I remember shortly after I arrived in Canada, there was a blockage in the drainage in the house so Daddy called in a plumber to fix the problem.  When the plumber was finished, the charge for the job was more than what was expected and I remember Mother crying, yes crying "my poor husband, where you think he would get that kind of money", seriously dont touch a hair on his head!

They have laid down tracks in this city and this country.  Their three children who were born in Jamaica and came here as youngsters with their parents have done very well for themselves, in their family life, professions and business and the grandchildren are now raising their own families and are prospering. Daddy & Mother have have sponsored many of their family members here to Canada.  In addition, they started the Mount Zion Apostolic Church which is a fixture in this city, and after retiring from his porter job with the railroads, Daddy got into fulltime ministry and became a Bishop.  Through the church, and personally, they have help countless hundreds, if not thousands over the years in so many many ways. 

To them, their integrity is everything!  They live and breathe their faith and you cannot find a more  a solid example of a strong marriage, strong family and community builder.  They dress well, aha, they are both fasionistas! They eat well and the live well. 

Yes, they came conquored.  I salute them - Daddy is 98 and Mother is 90 and  I pray that they will be with us for much, much longer.

I will follow up with further details on this marvelous couple in the future, so stay tuned!



 

ME - MISS SAM - NEW CANADIAN!



THE HOUSE AS IT WAS WHEN I ARRIVED IN CANADA



SOCIETY'S BAD APPLES



THE BAD APPLE

I was in the backyard yesterday, and as I looked at the apple tree loaded with wormy apples and remembering the advice of my nextdoor neighbour to spray the blossoms, this thought came to mind.  "You have to start when they are young", indeed, just like spraying the apple blossoms, you litterally have to start, not from birth, but from pregnancy! 

You start by watching what you eat.  Eating healthy foods is essential to the development of a healthy baby.  So is monitering your thinking and state of mind.  A mother shares her blood and all that is running through her veins with her baby, including her chemical balance or imbalance!  Being a happy mom-to-be will likely significantly affect the baby later.  The main reason my mind was on this topic is because I had just watched +Joel Osteen broadcast on #EXCELLENCE, this is the third time I watched that broadcast and it was just as inspiring as the first time.  I saw the movie +The Butler for the second time last Thursday, what a fine example of #EXCELLENCE under the most unfavourable circumstances that +The Butler lived by!  Apart from the entertainment value there is a lesson in this movie for everyone.

Some parents think that they can raise a child in the anything goes fashion where the child is incharge and then expect them to make a 360degree turn come teen years is mistaken.  Herein lies a great part of society's burden or challenge, depending on how you want to look at it.   Our beliefs and habits are so ingrained that without conscious rigorous effort is is near impossible to change them.  So much so that I have seen very highly educated people default to arcane and outdated thoughts or principles without flinching, it happens so automatically, unconsciously!  The observer will see, and if you bring it to their attention they be get offended, or even cross with you.

The good news is, unlike the bad apple, as +Russell Simmons (@uncleRUSH) often tweets, everyone can change, if they want to.  It takes much more energy and effort to undo bad habits and negative "wiring" than it does to cultivate good ones in the first place.  Is it worth it?  Absolutely!

Think #EXCELLENCE!

MissSam 

 



You Dont Have To Be Rich & Famous To Live Like The Rich And Famous



Go where the juice is!



Bumble Bee - Backyard Santuary



Backyard Santuary

Went out to the backyard to have my lunch on a bistro in a little nook I created alongside the garage.  As I sat down, I thought to myself "you're living like the rich and famous", followed by another thought, "you dont have to be rich and famous to live like The Rich & Famous"!

I quite enjoy my little nook.  I sit there to have my coffee in the mornings from spring to fall. It also dubs as the observation deck for my small vegitable garden which sits directly across the way. I read, contemplate and been know to have some intense debates and highly philosophical conversations to into the wee hours of the morning with my like minded  friends and a bottle of merlot.  A friend of a friend once said life is short, enjoy your friendships, laugh a lot and drink merlot!

 

What does it take?  A desire to be passionate about life and living in the moment.  Be spontaneous, be whimsical, it is oh so much fun!

 


Vintage Tray - Circa 20+yrs Ago, School Fundraising!
The wine - Yellow Tail Merlot


The candleholder:  Rescued from a friend's place



Bistro - Canadian Tire 8yrs Ago Edition
Gift to Daughter for 1st Apartment.

The lunch:  Aisan salad - brought home from Bluesfest yesterday; Artisan bread & Left over salmon. 


When I moved in the house three and a half years ago, the backyard was a mess.  I installed a patio, in foregroud.  The patio stones alongside the garage were gathered up from various spots on the property.  I decided to create a walkway to the back alongside the detached garage that extends to the edge of the ravine at the rear.  Once the patio stones were put in place, edged by rescued construction blocks again rescued from different parts of the gardens, I got the vision for positioning this bistro that was taking up space in the garage.  I had given it to my daughter as a gift for her apartment balcony at her first apartment.  It ended up back in the garage, so I've put it to use.

  

Lunch was great.  So were the buzzing bumble bees and the chirping birds.  What a lovely way to enjoy a  perfect summer's day!

Till next time,

MissSam

August 11, 2013

PASSING THE TORCH TO THE NEXT GENERATION

BABY KILLDEER - BEING NURTURED & PROTECTED BY MOMMA

There is a lot written about the Millennial's or "Generation Y".  If I am not mistaken, these are the children of the boomers born from late 70's to the early or mid  to late nineties.  And some of what has been said is not so flattering.

I have the privilege of working with some of these young people in my business, and I feel confident that there are enough hardworking, delligent, brilliant, ambitious and wise cohorts of this generation that will carry on just fine.  Even great, I would say.  Some of them are even wise beyond their years.  I totally believe that in each generation, God has raised up the people he wants to carry out his will, advance humanity and fulfill his purpose for us as people.

Take for instance my daughter, when she was young and I had so many problems, challenges, you name it - she would be the calm one when I would fall apart.  It never dawned on me that this was wisdom and and strength of character - the stuff of which leaders are made - until I started reading books, attend seminars, workshops on the subjects of leadership, emotional intelligence, and got out of religiosity and started focusing on spirituality.

When my son was in grade 12 highschool one day I was cleaning up and found a pholosophy paper he wrote so I sat down and read it.  My son was giving me some challenge at the time so I was naturally curious to know what he was up to.  I just couldnt believe the paper - it was brilliant!  The teacher commented in the remarks that this was university material.  I was encouraged, and it give me more determination to help him through this murky period of transition from teen to adulthood.  This is the same child that, when we moved from Toronto to Brampton in 1989, driving through the then prestine neighbourhood of Castlemore observed " I wonder how much that house would cost?  I bet it is about $500,000".  You know something?  At age five, he correctly guessed the price of the houses in that neighbourhood.

Fast forward to 2008, the darkest days of the financial and economic crash in the U.S.A. and the global meltdown that followed.  People were scared!  In retrospect, they were more scared because they didnt know what was going to happen, than they were of losing money.  I found myself being more of a "shrink" than an advisor.  All they wanted was for someone to tell them that "the world wasnt ending", everything was going to be ok.  I had to have faith for myself, and I had to confidently convey this message to everyone who called out to me.

One evening I came home from the office, (my son was about to complete his last year of university and was home at the time) I must have had the look of death on my face although I didnt think or feel that way.  As I walked in and put my computer bag and purse down, he look at me, took me my by the arm and lead me to the couch.  He put me on his lap and hugged me and said "mom, it's going to be over soon.  They (the U.S.A.) is going to pull out of this.  Now what you have to start doing, is devise a strategy as to how you are going to help your clients take advantage of all the opportunities that are to be had".  As a twentythree year old not yet graduated from university he went on to tell me how, after this recession is over, he believes there will be a long period of prosperity and  so much opportunities and how he feels confident about about the future.

He was always ahead of his years, we used to call him the little man.  He graduated, and since obtained his CMA designation, and also working on his CFA.  I am not concerned about him, for as long as he has a vision of a bright future he will be alright.  Ditto for my daughter.  She has always been the little entrapreneur!  I remember in grade 5 or 6, the year the "scrungie" hair thingy became popular, she would sew crungies and take them to school to sell.  She is the artistic one, the linguist (runs in the paternal lineage), the social butterfly and has an amazing ability to draw people and opportunities to her.

It never occurred to many people to have a conversation with a young person.  It is in the casual conversation that we really get to know someone.  Sometimes we have to draw it out of them, they are reluctant to share their thoughts because they feel they do not have anything worthwhile to say.  Hear them out, validate their ideas, give then new insights were warranted had help them gain the confidence they need to get where they want to go.

When it get to the time where we have to step back and pass the torch, in our own families, business, communities and countries, be confident that our Millennials will do just fine!

MissSam
August 5, 2013



MOTHER KILLDEER DRAMA QUEEN EXTRAORDINAIRE & HER LITTLE ONE

 

Daily Musings of MissSam: Staying Open 24/7, Never Know How Your Miracle Is ...

Daily Musings of MissSam: Staying Open 24/7, Never Know How Your Miracle Is ...:   
HIKING UP THE RIVER 
  I borrowed this one from +Russell Simmons.  He tweets a version of this title often and I'...

Staying Open 24/7, Never Know How Your Miracle Is Going To Come





HIKING UP THE RIVER

   I borrowed this one from +Russell Simmons.  He tweets a version of this title often and I've been sharing it when friends and aquaintances when giving encouragement because it resonated with me.  Sometimes these quotes sound cliche, and can actually feel like just something people say to make themselves feel good, or to make you feel good.  Then an occasion turn up in your life where you assess a series of or chain of events and cause you to pause. 

That happened to me the other day on my way home from  my appointment with my Naturopathic Doctor.  I said out loud "Damn, I still believe in miracles, and sometimes the miracle you are looking for doesnt come the way you expect it to, but it's a miracle none the less!"  At the same time I remembered an incident that took place in the Spring 1996.  My son was in middle school and I went to a parent event there.  I met a former church member and we greated each other.  I hadnt seen this young man in a very long time, and he was a little floored when he saw me.  He said to me "sister dear, what ever you are asking God for continue to believe, and be patient and continue to pray for God is going to answer your prayers.  Because just yesterday, in broad daylight I was sleeping (he worked night shift) and I saw you in a dream.  You were standing in the church (the one we both attended when I met him first) and you were giving a testamony that was absolutely amazing".  I had many challenges in in my life at the time, but I didnt say anything to him about that.  I was encouraged by him sharing this dream and I thanked him for sharing it with me.  I had many wants and needs and desires at the time, and since then through all of life's challenges I keep looking for the fulfillment of the "biggies", those major desires that we think if we get them, then life would be easy street from there.  I have had many miracles that I did not consider them miracles until I look deeply and wonder, sometimes out loud, how did I do this?  How did I get through those problems that wore me out and made me feel like I had been run over by several Mack Trucks?

We have been conditioned to believe that a miracle has to be a major spontaneous healing or other occurance.  That's not true.  We experience little miracles every day, and when we notice them, life becomes joyful, exciting and our hearts filled with grattitude.  In this particular instance, my mind went to the amazing "coincidence" - I put it in quotation marks because I do not believe in coincidences.  I believe everything happens for a reason, and in the natural order of life to bring us what we need, or take from us what no longer serves us and fulfill our purpose.  My colleague at work had found this Naturopathic Doctor and told me about her.  I was happy to hear she was pleased with the results she was getting because I had been wanting to go to one forever, but just hadnt taken the initiative to find one.  I asked for the contact information and immediately scheduled an appointment because I have been feeling terrible.  I went to my regular doctor, and as usual my test results were "normal", or great for "someone your age"!  Except for my blood pressure a little elevated, everything was fine.  All I know, I was not satisfied with that, I wanted to feel vibrant and I was not.

I also didnt care for the idea of going on blood pressure medication (or any other kind, if I can help it)
so I want to be proactive in getting it back to ideal  reading.  It took three visits with good instructions and information about nutrition, habbits, sleep and the help of some natural remedies to get my blood pressure to optimum.  Within six months I'm sleeping better and I am getting my vitality back.  In my mind, timing is everything.  Had this "miracle" not occured, I could have found myself with a major health crisis sooner than later. 

That's not part of my plans, neither sooner, nor later!  I am one of those boomers who is holding on to every ounce of passion and vitality till I take my last breath - if I have anything to do with it!  The future is here, and I intend to live it with "reckless abandon".



WILD ORCHID FIND - SWEET!


 As Miss Lou, the beloved Jamaican folklorist would say "mi gaan, till next time"!

MissSam
Saturday Aug 3, 2013

THE DEADLY COMBINATION OF FEAR AND IGNORANCE

Here is how Wikipedia defines ignorance:

“Ignorance is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge).^[1] The word ignorant is an adjective describing a person in the state of being unaware and is often used as an insult to describe individuals who deliberately ignore or disregard important information or facts. Ignoramus is commonly used in the US, the UK, and Ireland as a term for someone who is willfully ignorant. Ignorance is distinguished from stupidity, although both can lead to "unwise" acts.”

The whole world is riveted on the Trayvon Martin trial!  As I watch the live broadcast of the court proceedings and listen to the various cable news talk shows I cant help but think how sad it is, to think as human beings, and as citizens of the most advanced countries on the planet we still have not evolved to the state where we can learn to be kind to each other, not just some of the time, but as out default state.  We can put men on the moon, on many planets out in the depth of space, but we cannot learn to understand each other.  That is sad!

Dont confuse ignorance with being schooled or educated, as per the definition above, the willful ignorance is the sort of which I write.  I have coined the phrase "Ignorance is to the mind what cancer is to the body".  Just think about this!  In the year Two Thousand and Thirteen, human beings still want to oppress each other because they look diffefent.  Human beings are still wrapped up in the game of racial prejudice, economic prejudice, social prejudice and it is all out of a deepseated ignorance of their own humanity!  What ever would cause one person to think they are "better" than the next person when that person had no say in how they got here, which family they were born into and how they look.  The more I think about it, the more incredulous it is to me.

Who - show me - that person who can make my curly hair straight, or cause my skin colour to change, who can tell me they consciously choose the family they were born into, and I would agree that yes, you are "better" than me because you would have posessed powers that no other earthly human being posess.  Otherwise, if you, regardless of how educated you may be, or how much money you have, how many "important" connections you claim, would behave by actions or words or both in a way to suggest that you are "better" than me, I'll just give you a nice big smile.  Because, at that point, I am feeling a lot of compassion for you, because you are indeed a fool!  I believe it is the great King Solomon who said "a fool is wise in his own conceit", no kidding! 

Add fear to the mix and voila!  You end up with the situation Mr. Zimmerman finds himself in.  You are a God fearing man you say, and yet you ignore one of the most basic tennets of Christianity which is judge not, for there is only one judge, and whom ever you judge, that same judgement will fall right back at you (or something like that, not a religious scholar so dont hold me to word for word quote here).  I have long concluded that if there really is such a thing as "the devil", then his real name is fear because fear make people do crazy things.  I know, I know, they do not teach this in school, and God for bid, they dont teach it in church either so where is a guy like Mr. Zimmerman supposed to get this knowledge?  Clearly he's not going to read +Deepak Chopra's books, take yoga or join Miss +Opra in her Life Class!  You see he is single minded in his focus to "get the bad guys" you know the ones I'm talking about - as per his recorded description of the young black males.  And every young black male that crossed his path is painted with the same brush, regardless of the facts.   Ah yes, it's shoot first and ask questions later. 

My hope and prayer is that something good will come out of this fiasco.  That Trayvon's life would have served the greater purpose unto which he was born.  Even if is only to cause more people to: 1) Listen and follow instructions of those in authority (Zimmerman didnt); 2) Believe it or not, if youre afraid of someones prescence, they just might be afraid of you too so if your intention is good, engage in a conversation instead of a confrontation and release the tension (Zimmerman didnt do this because my conclusion from listening to his account of what went down, he was out to get "those ......."you know what.  And since he was playing policeman he should have known this, it's only commonsense. 3) Dont jump to conclusion about others,  even if 99 out of 100 is one way that does not mean the 1 remaining will also be the same.

As +Russell Simmons tweets often "Love everybody and everything all the time, but only spend time with people who will uplift you".  As we hold our collective breaths waiting for the verdict pray for peace, and pray for understanding.

One Love,

MissSam

RECOMMENDED READ:   This Blog - The series on LABELS

                                             The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Riuz

                                             The Art of Loving - Erich Fromm

                                            

I SAW THAT ONE COMING



CRUSHED!

I thought won the lottery when I choose the house I'm living in.  It is as what a visiting friend said yesterday "your street must be the shortest in Toronto".  I was a little taken aback by the name of the street at first, and even though I "favoured" the house on the MLS listings 3 months before I actually started looking I let my agent took me to see some houses that I wouldnt live in if they offered for free before I overcame the hangup with the street name and came to look on the house.  There are houses on only one side of the road and the other is lined with trees and shrubs.  I get the same reaction from every visitor, every cab driver - this is so neat, it's like the country, how did you find this place?  I saw what most house hunters cannot see, because they are afraid of grunge work.  I saw a diamond in the rough.  I'm a realtor's dream client because I always reasearch my own areas/homes as I just do not want someone to "sell me on a something" because they think it is a good buy or because they are anxious to do a deal.
Living in an older neighbourhood with way old trees has risks.  Risks that a tree will tumble over and cause real damage.  There is no risk immediately near my home, but the elderly gentleman on the parallel street whose backyard and parking spot is adjacent to me has a huge tree that must be upwards of 60 years old.  I've been nervous about the tree from shortly after I moved in and started to observe it.  What's worse, the gentleman parks his car right under the tree. "God help him if this tree crashes when he's in the car", I often think to myself!  Hydro came and trimmed some branches about 2 years ago but left a huge limb above electric line and I kept wondering why they didnt at least cut that limb off.  If the tree toppled, then it wouldnt affect power on our street.

Well, last year during a particularly windy period a huge section of the tree broke off.  He was lucky there, the car wasnt in the spot and nothing was damaged.  After that was cleaned up, I called his attention to another section that I thought was in imminent danger of breaking free.  The neighbours got together and cut it down for him.  All seems well.

There's always the calm before the storm!  Today I was at work and my neice sent me this picture! 

Glad it happened when I was out because I would have been scared stiff from the impact of the crash.  Power was out for several hours, firetruck, police & hydro workers scrambled to secure the area.  The elder gentleman's car?  Crushed!  Thank God it happened when he was securely in him home.

Commonsense combined with the POWER OF INTUITION will save a lot of time and money.  Unfortunately, common sense is not so common these days, and intuition?  For some folks it's like "what the heck is that"?

My guess is first thing Saturday morning the big trucks will be out, cutting and shredding with all the noise.  Good thing I'll be out enjoying myself.  Hoping we will get a break from the rain though.

MissSam
Friday July 6 2013

TAKING CARE OF SELF AND MY LITTLE CORNER OF EDEN

The day I woke up and realized that most of the activities that I carry out on a daily basis is soley to ensure my survival was a great "AH HA" moment for me. It really changed the way I viewed the activities of daily life and my attitude towards routine tasks and even the challenges that I encounter.  +Rich Jones tweeted the other day that he spend two and a half hours cooking a meal and then cleaning up and wondered if that is really life!  Some of the replies were bluntly "yes"! I read an article sometime ago on the topic of different species and how long it took to get the offsprings self sufficient.  It was duly noted that the human specy was the only one that took upwards of twenty (20) years!  These days it seem to be taking even longer, there are many publications, even stand up comedy acts on this topic.

For my generation - at least the people I went to school with, relatives and generally the people I knew - we couldnt wait to be eighteen so we could legally leave home and be on our own.  The thing is, we were prepared to be responsible at young age.  All the households I knew growing up children were given responsibilities very young.  That's how we learned.  For instance, before we could talk properly, parents wrote items on a list and send us to the corner shop.  Mind you, in those days everybody was protective of children and acted as parents.  By the time you could talk they didnt bother writing a list, we had to remember because there was no telephone.  If you get to the shop and dont remember, you would have to go home and go all the way back again.  Then you might be shamed for not being able to remember one or two items.  Different generation, different times.

But seriously though, I've been responsible all my life, I dont know any other way of being.  When we were young girls at home, my sister and I took care of our younger brothers and sister.  We did our uniforms for high school - washed, starched and ironed them.  We also took care of the school clothes for our siblings.  My parents didnt have time for flower gardens.  Every now and then my father would plant shrubs, and he kept the trees and hedges trimmed.  My mother planted vegitables everywhere she could, so it was not uncommon for her to "stick" broad beans in the flower garden my sister and I made.  Us girls were gardeners, so were our cousins and therefore we always had our little compitions going - who had the best garden.  We used to exchange plant cuttings and it was quite the thing when we visited someone with exotic flowers in their garden to get seeds, cuttings and suckers!  We would head home with glee.

In addition, we kept the house.  That allowed my mother time to sew and do her farm chores.  As we got older, we also took over the cooking on weekends and holidays.  But again, it wasnt only us, all the households in our community ran the same way.  But guess what, my sister and every single one of my cousins and other members from my community have lived responsible, successful lives and have raised successful children.  Those early years were definitely solid training for us so no matter which country we ended up migrating to, we were able to settle in, adapt and live fullfilling lives.

Some of the most cherished memories I have are of the well kept properties where I grew up and went to school.  There is one particular property which I always admired when I rode the bus to school.  The Sharpe property in Trout Hall.  I have this vivid memory of this large house at the top of a gently sloping hill with wrap-around varandah.  There were orange groves all around the house nicely spaced, with lawn grass well maintained and the root of the trees near the house were white-washed. Stones lined the walkway up to the house - a long walkway, were whitewashed with flowers along the paths.  I didnt go to Jamaica for quite a few years and when I drove through Trout Hall I was so dissappointed and disgusted to see how run down the property had become.  My speculation is the old generation of owners had died off and the ones who inherited the property were not taking care of if.  The pride of ownership had vanished!

Living and raising a family in a big metropolis like Toronto, or anywhere in the GTA is like being on a treadmill.  But I did it.  And for the most part I did it alone having separated and divorced after twelve years in the marriage.  I mostly took care of others.  My children, family members and others I helped out with this or that, there was hardly any time to focus on me. 

There were times when I felt like an "it", a non person.  Then life changed - the children grew up  and so I had to learn to focus on me.  All of a sudden I am spending time with myself!  There is such a time as spending time with oneself.  That was scary.  I'm doing yoga, meditation, I'm learning to golf and meeting new people.  Wow, I used to get so much done though, and now I can barely keep up with just looking after me.  Well, well, no, I'm no longer cutting the grass, doing a couple loads of laundry and preparing dinner before I leave for work.  I'm spending time meditating, reading, streatching - that's before I leave my room in the mornings.  That's like an hour to hour and a half.  I'm now into smoothies too, so prepping my veggies, herbs and fruits take time.  Then I go for a walk before getting ready for work.  All this to stay fit, vibrant and alert.  My thing is if I'm going to get old, I'm going to do my part to get there as healthy and happy as I can. 

Finally, I'm living life on my terms.  I take care of my self, I take care of my garden (spring to fall).  I'm still taking care of my little corner of Eden and I am loving it.

MissSam
June 28 2013

 

Guns, Mental Health & Social Consciousness

I started this blog post on December 14th, 2012 , the night of the Sandy Hook masacre.  Tonight I've decided to revisit my unfinished posts and picked this one, I'm now ready to share my thoughts.

I had a lot to write, it was flowing like the Niagara river this morning while I was driving to work but now that I am sitting infront of the computer I'm speachless, or should I say, thoughtless!  Guess this happens all the time.  Note to self- pick up a voice recorder for car since I get my best ideas in the car!!  Dont know if absorbing and processing the horrible news of yet another mass shooting has anything to do with it, but funny thing, I was thinking along the same lines this morning even before I learned about the shootings.

I have not been formally schooled on any of these topics, but I do read and I am able to comprehend, analyze and put subjects in perspective.  I am very  perceptive  and since in my twenties I became interested in the area of human behavour, spirituality and the convergence of science and spirituality.  I became bored and frustrated with "religiosity" and started a journey of spiritual awakening.  I believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and believe whole heartedly that if christians really observed Jesus' teachings we would not have most of the problems that we do today.  The thing is, many people "believe in Jesus Christ, but they do not "believe Jesus Christ"!  Think about it for a second here.  I do concur that spiritual awakening  is a journey, not a destination and not everyone will "wake up" at the same time.  I also have a gift of detecting b***sh**t.  

Now about this latest mass shooting.  I must give credit to the one person who has been relentless in pursuing this topic lately - +Piers Morgan of the Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN fame.  I do not get the American gun culture one bit, and none of it makes any sense whatsoever!  On the one had, most of these folks are "consevative" bible thumping Christians and on the other hand, they believe they need to be loaded down with arms for protection - are we missing something here?  From what I can see, America has long past the wild, wild west stage of its formation.  It has also passed the hunting for food stage, and even the agriculture sector is now controlled by huge multi-national conglomerates so that argument is mute.  City folks do not need to carry guns, people living in fear will believe they need guns for protection, but how much of this protection does a gun give it's owner?  Christians needing the protection of guns, ha, what a contradiction.  Where is the love?  And where is the faith?  And what about the belief that you trust the Lord to take care of you?  Confilcted, conflicted, conflicted!  No wonder people are confused, because the "new" brand of Christianity is preach one thing, and live another.  On second thought that's not so new, it's called hyprocrisy.

The other issue is mental health.  Mental health challenges+weapons = deadly combination.  We have seen this over, and over, and over again.  So why is this so difficult to get consesus on this from the lawmakers?  Research is saying about 20% of the population now have, have had or will experience some degree of mental health crisis in the future.  My uninformed, unscientific guesstimate would say it way higher, and I am basing this on the number of people I encounter in my daily life who have teens, young adults and or spouses with extremely difficult behavour and personality challenges but who would not think of seeking counselling let alone  seeing a psychiatrist/psychologist.  They'd rather live unfulfilled, unproductive lives and potentially deadly existence than seek help.  There's the stigma, and then there's the cost.  Even people who can I think can afford it balk at the thought of forking over money for this type of thing because in their mind "it's not going to work, it will be a waste of money" without trying.  There are folks who genuinely cannot afford counselling not covered by health plans.  There has to be a way to get these individuals the help they need.  You know the saying, pay now or pay later, either way you pay?  If access to care is provided, the cost to society would be a lot less not only in dollars & cents but in tragidies and suffering.

The Mental Health Frontier needs drastic changes in different areas of society in order to stem the tide of people suffering from debilitating mental health challenges and help foster happier, healthier citizens. I believe the Government has a large role to play in this, not just publishing pretty pamphlets about mental health, but in making policies, mandates and directives strategically put together to encompass the whole range mental health welbeing.   Start by working tirelessly to eliminate the stigma.  After all, I believe mental health should be viewed no different from cancer, heart attack or any other disease of the body.  No matter what the cause, be it genetic, trauma  physiological at the end of the day the resulting malidy is a bio-chemical situation.  One are that needs addressing pronto is teaching people to deal with stress - starting with the children.  There seem to be a significant number of children suffering from anxiety, panic attacks and depression.

I give due credit to +The Toronto Star and +The National Post.  These two papers are the ones I read the most and I can say they've been a source of education for me and on the subject of Mental Health, fantastic.  Both papers have run great series on the topic, I've actually referred people to these articles when having discussions about social/health issues. 

Another eye opener for me was What the Bleep!?: Down the Rabbit Hole (2006) - IMDb Getting all these brilliant people to do this video which deals with issue of science, spirituality and religion was amazing.  I try to watch it ever so often just to refresh myself and each time I watch I see something I missed before.

My prayer, my wish, my hope is for a world with a lot more love and compassion.

MissSam

PERCEPTION VS INTUITION AND THE FATE OF AMANDA KNOX

It is my opinion that an individual's perception is developed based on their likes, dislikes, life experiences, desires, pain and pleasures.  In other words, we develop a perception of an individual or situation, and then we judge that individual or situation based on our perception.  This can be damning!  Of course, because of positive perception of some a person who may not be deserving will get a free pass. 

On the other hand, intuition, which is your "inner guide", some people call it spirit, in religious circles you will hear people say "The Lord spoke to me", or "God told me".  My intuition has NEVER been wrong!  I can relate situation after situation when I did or didnt follow my intuition and the consequences - good and bad.  My challenge was, and still is, but to a lesser extent now, to learn to listen the that still quiet voice.  It is so subtle, it is easy to miss, or override it with logic.  It could be as simple as backing out your driveway and that quiet voice says take route X this moring instead of your usual route Y.  You override it by saying to yourself, "ah, I'll just take route Y because it's the highway, and I prefer to drive on the highway".  As soon as you pull on to the freeway and floor the gas there comes the sireen blaring behind you - you get pulled over and presented with a speeding ticket, and now your'e also late.  It is at this point you will say "if only I'd listened to myself, I would not have gotten a ticket, and would not end up being late".   Here's the tricky part - knowing to differentiate from your own logical or irational thoughts and your inner thoughts or your intuition!

As +Byron Katie famously said "just because you had a thought doesnt mean it's true".  This is simple but profound!  Too bad the way the world is programmed these days it now appear as though folks think up their own truths about other people and situations.

One of my cousins posted this status on facebook the other day (May 3rd),

"Your personality is your greatest asset or greatest liability, for it embraces everything that you control:  mind, body,and soul. A person's personality is the person. It shapes the nature of your thoughts, your deeds, your relationships with others, and it establishes the boundaries of the space you occupy in the world.
It is essential that you develop a pleasing personality—pleasing to yourself and to others. It is imperative that you develop the habit of being sensitive to your own reactions to individuals, circumstances, and events and to reactions of individuals and groups to what you say, think, or do, (whatever your mind can conceive and believe, you can Achieve!!!"  

 I commented that he had finally woke up, meaning his consciousness has opened up.  I was delighted to see the growth taking place in him, because I know he struggled for a long time.  I'm happy for him and will continue to encourage him to unleash the great wisdom that is locked up in him.  And on May 7th, just after watching the Amanda Knox interview on CNN, which gave me the idea for this blog post, I read this status on my cousin's facebook page:

"Two opposite qualities are very prevalent in human nature, but each is a major roadblack to accurate thinking. Credulousness—the habit of believing on basis of little or no evidence—is a major human fault, for it is fatal to accuracy in thinking."  I applaude my cousin for he has begun a journey which will lead him to greater understanding of himself and the world in which he lives. 

Reading this post knowing the quote came from my cousin's course material solidified what I felt as I listened to Amanda, Jack Tapper - her interviewer and watched her reactions.   I have watched news features and bits of the televised trial of Amanda Knox, and my reaction during those times were no different than my reaction to this interview.  Perception about this young beautiful American girl and the eagerness of the authorities to "nail the perpetrator" put Amanda Knox behind bars.  And of course, not only her, but right in the United States of America, and here in Canada many innocent souls are languishing in prison because of the perception of others!  Just think about this for a minute, this could have been any young beautiful American girl, your sister, your daughter, your neice - it just happened to be Amanda Knox!  I sensed that the Itallian authorities and media started off with a biased perception of American girls, code word I heard translated to:  they are loose, they are sexually promiscuous, sexaholics!  "And if  they are this, them they must be that as well". 

This is a great shame and misfortune for humanity because with all our sophistication, education and advances in science at the core have we really evolved any?  If, still, in year 2012, or 2013, we can still allow our judgements to be coloured by our own biases are we  any farther ahead than those who burned witches or stoned prostitutes?

 My heart goes out to all the innocent people convicted for crimes they didnt commit.  I pray that they will be strengthened, and that theywill persevere.  I pray that in the end, a greater purpose will have been served and their misfortune will turn into good.



Perception:  Dead Tree

 

Before the
new leaves of Spring


MissSam


Wikipedia: Perception (from the Latin perceptio, percipio) is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the environment.Perception is not the passive receipt of these signals, but can be shaped by learning, memory, and expectation.
Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without inference and/or the use of reason.^[1] "The word 'intuition' comes from the Latin word 'intueri' which is usually translated as 'to look inside' or 'to contemplate'."^[2] Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot justify in every case.

THE U.S. UNDOCUMENTED WORKER & MY MORNING SMOOTHIE



Add The Fruits










PICTURE THIS!








MISSING PICTURE - ME PUTTING THE JUG TO MY
HEAD AND DRAIN THE LAST DELIGHTFUL DROP!



Start Here



Morning Delight!

 Who would have thought I would be eating - er, drinking Dandilions, yikes!  Shortly before I moved from my home in Brampton, my neighbour begged me not to spray weed killer on the front lawn, his wife, he said was ill so he would go out and picked the Dandilions to use as medicine for her.  My neighbour was great, he was one of the original Vietnamese boat people who loss everything in his old country and then risked his and his family's life to get to Canada.  He worked hard and made a great life in the Canada.  We would cut each other's lawn, mostly he would cut mine. 

As I gathered my herbs and vegs together for my morning smoothie ritual I  relished the lushness of the green Dandilion leaves I thought of my former neighbour.  My mind then quickly shifted to the U.S. "undocumented workers".  How much more would these vegitables cost if it were not for the cheap labour of the undocumented worker?  Would it even be possible for me to readily purchase these vegitables and herbs I have now made part of my morning ritual?  It is so easy to be self-righteous and pontificate about how much these workers "take away from the "hard working Americans".  I say hogwash!  I doubt if a real honest study has been done about the true value these folks who work in harsh conditions, low wages, no benefits and pay taxes and can never legally get much of the services provided to citizens and legal immigrants.  Take  the undocumented workers out of the equation and the economic ripple effect would be felt in unexpected places.  Like me, who just got on to the smoothie bandwaggon and is loving it.  It is loving me too because everywhere I go people who know me want to know what I'm doing, they want to know the secret why my skin look so bright and glowing.  I have more energy, not feeling hungry much, can go the whole day with just a very light lunch and not tired and listless in the afternoons like I used to.

But back to the very contentious issue of the undocumented worker or "illegal alien" situation in the U.S.  I have pretty much stopped watching most of the news programs on that side of the fence because the views expressed by some hosts, guests, including politians are just so toxic it is unhealthy to expose oneself continuously.  Yet, one doesnt need to be Nate Silver to figure out that the agricultural sector of the economy and food security of the country would be greatly compromised without the abundance of "cheap" labour.  Could there be a great conspiracy to keep the so called broken system in place?  Just saying, eh.

Canada has a Guest Farm Worker Program which is not perfect but it seem to be working better these days than back 15 to 20 years ago.  I cant wait for summer to get some homegrown herbs vegitables but it's seasonal so the reality is, I will always need U.S. and Mexican fresh produce in the off seasons.  I will be paying keen attention as the debate over the future the the 12 plus million lives unfolds in the United States.

In the mean time, let me drink my herbs and vegitables to my good health.

Cheers,
MissSam





AN EARTH DAY MESSAGE TO RESIDENTS OF HARWOOD

Dear Goodly neighbours,

I've been living in the community for 3 years now and I just love it.  I love that I'm just a hop, skip and a jump from High Park, although my price is waaaaaaaaay below High Park prices.  I love that I can connect to the Humber Trails form various points.  I love that I'm just 7 minutes from Keele subway station & 15 from downtown, on a good day. I love the topography of the area - hills, valleys, gullies - so beautifully, especially at nights.  I love that I'm 5 minutes from the local golf course.  I love that you are such quite neighbours!

What I dont like is that you do not teach your kids to put their trash in the multitude of trash bins around!  I am totally not cool with the litter on my walking routes.  The city workers are  always so prompt in clearing the snow from "the steps", I designated the cardio portion of my walking route and other paths, but I just cannot stand the sight of the pop bottles, coffee cups and wrappers for various eats strewn along the way.  I just cannot comprehend why anybody would want to leave garbage in their own neighbourhood.

Yes, I know you're all hard working folks, and you pay such keen attention to your yards and gardens, does this extend out to the community as well?  All the paths were school children congregate or frequent are just littered with trash, expecially now that the snow has melted.

How about this, tell your kids if they have to walk and eat, put the wrapping/bottle in their backpack till they spot garbage/recycling bins.  Sit on one of the many convenient rest benches and eat, the garbage/recycling bins are right there.  Like everything else, children have to be taught not just to care for and respect their own property, but the property of others and their community.

Then my walks would be that much more enjoyable - comming upon a mother hawke teaching her baby to fly in the spring time, listening to the merriment of birds chirping so loud at the welcome of spring and not being distracted by wondering why, oh why do people litter!

MissSam

High Park In Springtime

Golfing at Scarlett Woods

"The Thaw"

Daily Musings of MissSam: THIS ONE IS FOR JUSTIN TRUDEAU

Daily Musings of MissSam: THIS ONE IS FOR JUSTIN TRUDEAU: As I drove out on to the main street on my way to work a few weeks ago, I thought about my walk the day before, how much I enjoyed the scene...

THIS ONE IS FOR JUSTIN TRUDEAU

June 1, 2013 - Updated

I recentlly received an email from Justin Trudeau asking what I would say to Stephen Harper, the answer is same as I'm saying to you!  Regardless of who is the Prime Minister of Canada, my wishes, desires and hope for the country are the same. I have now updated this blog post to include some thoughts I didnt get in before publishing the first time.  Interestingly, what is happening in the Senate and the saga with Mayor Rob Ford really make this blog post even more relevant!


Published April 20, 2013

As I drove out on to the main street on my way to work a few weeks ago, I thought about my walk the day before, how much I enjoyed the scenery and how blessed I feel to be living in Toronto, "the City within a park", I conceived the idea for this blog.  In retrospect, now that Justin has been formally selected as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, I regret that I didnt finish the post that night when I started it.  Nethertheless,   the work has only just begun, so I'm right on time in that sense.

What do I as a Canadian really, really, really want for my country?

Like most Canadians, I'm a transplant! Canada has been home for the past 39 years, except for the 2 years in my rebelious youth when I was supposed to have it all figured out and returned to Jamaica, and swore I would not come back.  I love this country, and I am constantly reminded of how blessed we are and how good we have it here.  No regrets though, those though as that's how I launched my career in financial services.

Every time I go out for a walk, whether it's in the neighbourhood or along one of the many trails I am amazed as to how much there is.  Every community has tennis courts, basket ball hoops, benches, gardens, community centres.  One thing I know for sure, those city & provincial politicians, planners got a lot right in the last 25 - 30 years.  The fact that I can walk from Lake Ontario at Sunnyside beach to Steeles Ave on the gorgeous trails on the Humber is nothing short of amazing!  There are so many trails, parks and gardens in our city that it would take years to explore them all.  Yesterday as I entered the downtown core on my way to a workshop on Bay Street I just oozed with awe as to how much the city has grown in the last twenty years.  And this is not the only time, it happens every time. Does it sound like I'm in love?  Yes, I'm in love with the City of Toronto, my Province and my Country.

As I contemplated the progress this city and country over the last 40 years, I thought, how would I like to see this country in going forward, and voila, this idea was born!

What I do I want for my country:  Smart politicians with fresh ideas.  I am tired of the same old, same old.  I want politicians and policymakers who ware smart and bold enough to step it up to the 21st century.  Why does it take 30 - 40 years for policy  and laws to catch up with the results of scientific and social science research?  Most of which the Government actually pay for, than stacked in warehouses to gather dust.  That's a crying shame.

Take for example the idea of current Prime Minister, Stephen Harper and the Conservatives who think building more prisons is the answer to society's problems with people engaging in criminal activities.  When, in the history of the world, has the presence of jails stopped people from committing the most gruesome acts?  Recommended read:  Erich Fromm's A Sane Society & Escape From Freedom, written in the fifties and still so relevant today.  But there is a mountain of scientific research readily available on brain function, social behavours, human development from conception to adulthood etc that policymakers can use to create smart policies that would definitely lead to a more dynamic, intelligent society but old school politicians are stuck in the past.  The last thing Canada need is a U.S. style prison industry, which in my humble opinion is the new form of slavery.  Neither Government nor private enterprize should  be in the business of running jails for a profit, that is outrageous!

Honesty in Government - I want my Government to be honest, and I want clarity.  I have a beef with EI, and I've had it since, forever.  Unemployment Insurance is paid for by employees and employers, and therefore, this money specifically belong to the people of this country to deal with unemployment and employment related matters only.  Under NO circumstance should EI funds be used to fund anything outside that mandate, otherwise it is not INSURANCE, it is a tax.  If EI is a tax, then call it a tax and call it ET!
In its current state is resembles a tax more than insurance because everybody who is on a payroll has to pay it, sutdents who will never be able to claim, retired people - yeah, why do retired people who are on full penion still required to contribute to an insurance plan they will never be able to collect from? 

Politicians, Policymakers & Government who are visionaries - If you are unable to craft a vision of a greater future and can only deal with the day to day, you should not be in a position to run this great nation.  "Without a vision, the people perish" - this is from the bible, but it is as relevant in people's personal lives as much as the Federal, Provincial, City and Municipal Governments.  That's why now, in 2013, the largest and most dynamic city in the nation - TORONTO, is now just debating, a comprehensive transit strategy!  The suburbs have mushroomed, there's gridlock everywhere and this just didnt start a few years ago.  How long did it take Mississauga to build out?  And nobody paid attention to all those studies about trends!  They focused solely on what's in front of them, it's too expensive, blah, blah, blah.  But how much more expensive is it today?  Smart politicians surround themselves with people who are visionaries and can spot trends - we need trend setters not just followers and copy cats.

Politicians who can engage the young - The generation behind the boomers need something to be excited about.  Boomers were hell bent on changing the world, and change it we did. According to my son, sometimes not for the better.  But the sixties and seventies were exciting times when the young were engaged and eager.  That type of excitement needs to be ignited in the young, after all they will be running this place when we are old.  That's why new leaders must be bright, engaging and bold.

And isnt it time the Health Ministry get up to speed with alternative remidies and recognize the fact that Canadian's are spending millions and millions on alternative remidies and therapies not only to treat health maladies but to maintain good health.  I remember 20 - 30 years ago these practices were totally snubbed, with constant warnings about the dangers of herbal remedies etc.  As the use of herbal remedies continued to increase, the tone shifted from "this will kill you to measurements and safety", meanwhile, the large conglamorates started to jump on the band waggon. Surely there are enough research to substantiate their use, and that is why they have become "mainstream" in use and availability. Now entire sections of every pharmacy is stacked with every herbal remedy imaginable! Still  there is no medical tax credit available and they are not covered by health plans.  Over the last 12 years I have spent substantial dollars to get myself health and stay health all the while keeping it natural.  If I spent the money on traditional prescription medicine I would get reimbursed for covered portion from my private health plan, and get tax credits for amounts not covered. 

I want a tax system that is fair.  Majority of Canadians dont mind paying tax, but they object to politicians taking their money and living large, wasting resources while continuing to squeeze the life force out of their citizens and behaving like they are entitled and above the law. 

An overhaul of the education system is long overdue.  Schools should have a curriculum that actually prepares student for the real world!  I know both my children took business and law courses in high school but these were optional courses.  These courses really helped them not only prepare for university but also with  vital life skills. Life skills - yes, there should be mandatory life skill courses for every grade level and by the time a student is graduating high school, they should have basic financial literacy!

No to mention the legal system!  This "old boys fraternity" needs to go!  Canadians need a legal system that they can have confidence in, and that's all I am going to say about this right now.

So you see Justin, the world is changing, Canada not only need to keep, but to be a trend setter and standard bearer.  Are you sure you still want to be Prime Minister?

It is appropriate to congratulate Justin for his victory in the leadership race.  Now, roll up your sleeves Justin, because there is a lot of work ahead.

Good luck and God speed!

MissSam

HUMBER TRAIL, FALL 2012

FALL IN THE CITY

Daily Musings of MissSam: Daily Musings of MissSam: EVEN MORE ON LABELS

Daily Musings of MissSam: Daily Musings of MissSam: EVEN MORE ON LABELS: Daily Musings of MissSam: EVEN MORE ON LABELS : I dont believe even + Joel Osteen can fathom how deep this topic of labels run!  Every day t...