Julanne's Village Jewels

PLEASURES BLEEDING HEART When I look around the VILLAGE, I find more and more scenes, activities, support and people that give me PLEASURE. It’s so easy for me to experience new aspects of my life at the Village. So much is available here and I’m open to more adventures everyday. There are several activities I want to try. One PLEASURE I have done is watercolor painting and I intend to do more of that. The activities I enjoy every week are exercise classes, swimming, gardening, meeting new people, writing my blog, teaching classes, my garden and generally enjoying each day to see what comes up. Every night when I get into bed at night I give thanks for a most rewarding and surprising day!  Remember, you can rotate activities, or stagger them and you can rest whenever you want to! I love this new attitude I have adopted because I no longer fret and plan each day to the fullest. I derive much more satisfaction from being free and spontaneous a great deal of the ti...

PLEASURES BLEEDING HEART When I look around the VILLAGE, I find more and more scenes, activities, support and people that give me PLEASURE. It’s so easy for me to experience new aspects of my life at the Village. So much is available here and I’m open to more adventures everyday. There are several activities I want to try. One PLEASURE I have done is watercolor painting and I intend to do more of that. The activities I enjoy every week are exercise classes, swimming, gardening, meeting new people, writing my blog, teaching classes, my garden and generally enjoying each day to see what comes up.  Every night when I get into bed at night I give thanks for a most rewarding and surprising day! Remember, you can rotate activities, or stagger them and you can rest whenever you want to! I love this new attitude I have adopted because I no longer fret and plan each day to the fullest. I derive much more satisfaction from being free and spontaneous a great deal of the ...

MUSICAL NOTES RAIN Sweet and glorious RAIN! How I love and appreciate RAIN nourishing and feeding all plants, all nature. My son Jonathan from California came to visit for 4 days and there was a fair amount of Rain. That did not impede on our adventures together. We enjoyed some meals here at the Village, went shopping, buying a new bed for me and a new pair of Sketcher shoes, all very exciting. One of the days we wanted to be out in Nature and so went to La Chua Trail and it stopped RAINING long enough for us to enjoy a gorgeous walk on the ‘trail’, a boardwalk. It was staggeringly beautiful, watching the Egrets, 2 alligators, and other birds singing and foraging for food.   The water was higher from the RAIN and we saw these magnificent water plants floating about on the water. It was another world! The RAIN started once we got back in the car. Amazing timing! That happened every time we were out. I realize more and more how the RAIN is such a gift. It is cooli...

HEART MANDALA FRIENDSHIP In this wonderful world of The Village I am discovering a new meaning of ‘FRIENDSHIP’. It has always been easy for me to make FRIENDS and to be FRIENDLY. I made FRIENDS in kindergarten, 2 of whom I have remained FRIENDS with. Once when I was a little girl, I was with my dad and I called out to a family friend across the street and my dad scolded me, ( I embarrassed him). The friend in turn scolded my dad. He said,” don’t you ever scold Julanne for speaking up! Do you know how few people speak to me like that?” I’ve never forgotten that. The second day I was at the Village, I saw a woman sitting on a bench and went up to her to meet her and we have been good friends ever since. I have met lovely people here at the Village, not all of whom I’m friends with in the usual sense ( doing many things together) but in a friendly sense. We can have brief conversations that are pleasing and very satisfying to me. I love to meet people and find out abo...

EMPATHY One day I over heard 2 people talking, both were having a hard time being patient. I found myself becoming irritated and feeling quite helpless. I did nothing. Later, I mentioned this incident to someone and he suggested I use EMPATHY, a technique, if you will, using the ability to recognize and share emotions and understanding of another. It is a way of reaching out to someone to embrace them in their feelings of frustration, loss or whatever. I had never felt his exact situation but one close enough to understand and feel for his pain. If the situation had been conducive, I could have reached out to acknowledge how he must be feeling, endeavoring to impart that he was not alone in his feelings. It is basically seeing his situation from his PERSPECTIVE . What I did was to JUDGE his harshness. None of us really knows what the other person has/is experiencing, but if we are even half awake, we can feel and see his/her distress and even with a look, or a g...

St. Francis PASTTIMES What are PASTTIMES? Perhaps something to PASS the TIME in order to feel like we are doing something. A hobby, a game, learning a new skill, research about some topic we are or have been very interested in, an invention or discovery that fascinates us or is just plain fun. Since I have moved into the Village, I have re-discovered activities I used to do or have been too lazy to investigate a new way of being. My first and top priority is exercise, mostly balance, stretching, walking, back strengthening, and gardening. This week, I attended a yoga-meditation class and an ‘aquacise’, (water aerobics) class, both I find delightful. I’m amazed at how much better my body and mind feel doing these physical and mindful activities! I may have mentioned this before but it bears repeating because it is making such a difference. Many people participate but there are many who do not. I’m sure that it is because they are in pain, stiff or bored. A hobby coul...

SETTLED Lily When I moved into the village, I felt very un SETTLED to be sure. I was torn between unpacking, arranging, SETTLING IN and visiting at least some the activities offered here. I decided to take the first month, ( that seemed how long it was going to take me) to SETTLE in. I know I have mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. I have always been so glad I made that decision because that is precisely why I feel SETTLED in my home and in the community. When I feel a bit overwhelmed or frayed, I come ‘home’ and SETTLE in again. Then I’m ready to get on my horse and ride again. I have been single for 34 years and have learned how to SETTLE in very differently than when I was married. I grew up! I’m so grateful I found the ways to make my life work both by myself and with help of others. Now I feel ever so much more confident and efficient. It can be done. It takes perseverance. The very word un SETTLED can make me feel that way. Think about the various mea...