Category Archives: eldercare

Writing and Spiritual Journeys

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“Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.”  ~ Andre Gide

Yesterday’s blog posting led me to much deeper thoughts about the value of writing about health issues.

There are many men, women, and couples, who have found help and spiritual healing by writing about their own experiences of dealing with health issues of all kinds. If it weren’t for independent publishing, many of these stories would not be available for others to read. Important that these stories be told to help others who are going through difficult diagnoses and treatment, independent publishing serves as a valuable avenue in getting these books out to the public. Unique books, with personal stories, are often sold and marketed through e-commerce (sold on the internet).

There are many books available on cancer but there are three independently published books that I would like to mention in honor National Breast Cancer Month. To read more about these publications or to order them, please visit the links beside each title.

Fine Black Lines: Reflections on Facing Cancer, Fear and Loneliness by Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad  Click here for info & ordering

The Heroics of Falling Apart: One Couple’s Breast Cancer Journey, Julie and Dan Gordon http://bit.ly/SYjX7xClick here for info & ordering

The Cancer Odyssey Author: Margaret Brennan Brumel http://bit.ly/RAPOrHClick here for info & ordering

As a member of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com , I have the opportunity to meet many authors who have published award-winning stories that help others. Although I do not know Julie and Dan Gordon or Margaret Bermel, I do know Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad. She is an amazing woman for many reasons, not just because she is a cancer survivor. She also has written other books about personal relationships. Each time I see her at a publishing event, we enjoy speaking with boeach other. I have observed something that she writes about – a very, very long lasting, successful marriage. She has been married 64 years, as have my parents. Her musings on what it means to have a fulfilling marriage are thoughtful and inciteful.

Although you may think your own story would not be of interest to others, I encourage people to find creative ways of telling them. It may just benefit someone else or at least yourself. It is very the reason, I told my story of childhood illness, (unrelated to cancer). For more information click on this link. Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard andwww.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Better Living Books

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Are you looking for a different assortment of books, like no other? Publications geared toward mind, body, spirit and the Earth? 

The Living Now Book Awards “Books for Better Living” has a great selection of independently published books on many topics that are popular and relevant to better living. Here are just a few categories that are judged in the Living Now Book Awards. 

  • Green Living
  • Social Activism/Charity
  • Enlightenment/Spirituality
  • Metaphysical (Astrology, Tarot, Psychic Development)
  • Healing Arts/Bodywork/Energy Techniques
  • Caregiving
  • Mature Living/Aging
  • Grieving/Death and Dying
  • Inspirational Fiction

 To see the titles of the winning books that came from thirty-six U.S. States, six CanadianProvinces and 7 overseas countries, please visit this link. http://bit.ly/RLQ8WV.

Return tomorrow for more independent publishing news from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Gem Stone Village Discovered

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“I’m also looking for gems that the average reader might have missed.” ~ Terry Windling

“My, oh, my, isn’t it gorgeous?” I said to my husband and son, as we drove into Ouray, Colorado on Saturday. “Didn’t I tell you, Mom?” my son said “that’s why I said you have to come see it.”

Ouray, nestled between high, high peaks in the San Juan Mountains is called “Switzerland of America©.” The “alpine-like” village is a gem. Outstanding ice climbing and summer rock climbing and the healing hot springs are just a few reasons that this little town is so busy with tourist activity.

On Saturday morning the center of town was the starting place for the Imogene Pass half marathon. Fifteen hundred runners faced a challenging course that climbed from altitudes of 7,700 elevation to 13,000, over an unpaved mountain pass from Ouray to Telluride.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the relief and pride I felt as my saw my son cross the finish line after running seventeen grueling miles. It takes guts and grit to tackle it. He did well for himself, finishing 14th in his age group. But, he said many of his competitors were “seniors who looked older than the mountains and really put him and the younger people to shame.” I noticed that as I watched.

Ouray has so much going for it! Well cared for Victorian buildings, art galleries and quaint little shops, the Ouray Hot Springs, and charming bed and breakfasts, historic hotels.

It was second Saturday Art Walk, and we made the rounds. We stopped into Buckskin Booksellers. They have a large and outstanding collection of books of regional interest on Colorado, Western history and of geological subjects such as mineralogy, mining, fossils, rock hounding and the like.

I also noticed some outstanding art books scattered in different retail establishments throughout town. You could not help but notice them because some were like tomes – oversized, beautifully crafted, filled with magnificent images. I spied John Fielder’s Ranches of Colorado http://www.johnfielder.com and books on the Art of Howard Terpning. 

Many notable movies were filmed in Ouray County. My son Marc’s interest in visiting Ouray was more than just to run in a footrace. As a filmmaker, he was interested in seeing the settings of these movies:

Our visit to Ouray was a perfect stop along the way of a fun and fulfilling weekend. I’d like to return some day to further explore this area. It is located near where four states – Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah come together. There is a lot more to see such as Twin Peak Falls, and more to do than I ever realized.  For more information, visit this website http://www.ouraycolorado.com/.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Humor in Marriage and Friendship

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“Laughter is the best way to make somebody’s heart beat.” ~ Robert Holden 

 Happy Labor Day Monday – just a light-hearted subject this morning. Good to focus on fulfilling things other than publishing, every so often.

Don’t you love having life long friends? I have quite a number, but there is one friend who has brought more cheerful times and humor to my life than I can tell you. We met the first day I arrived on my college campus. Her nickname is “Chatterbox,” for good reason. More fittingly, however, her name should be “Chatter, the Character! ” She’s made of stuff that you read about.

The other day was Chatter’s 29th wedding anniversary, and much to my surprise, when I  went to her Facebook page to send her “Happy Anniversary Wishes” there was a picture of her all dressed up in the wedding dress she wore 29 years ago, complete with floral bouquet in hand. The dress still fit, she’s always been tall and slender.  I was bowled over with happiness and warm feelings when I saw the image. Nostalgic thoughts  came flooding back;  my twin sister and I were bridesmaids in her wedding. I’ll never forget when she left the reception for her honeymoon. She exited sitting on the back of a convertible, Jackie Kennedy Onassis style, as if in a parade, waving to the wedding crowd while her newly betrothed husband drove the car. It was something she said “she had been waiting to do her whole life.” 

Of course, as soon I saw the image she posted on Facebook the other day, I wrote a comment and an exchange of e-mails soon followed. Evidently, on the morning of her anniversary, she had awoken her husband of 29 years all dressed up in her gown. What pleasure  I felt in my heart when I saw her again in her wedding outfit; I can only imagine what the surprise did for her husband.

 Could this be a new trend for women who are celebrating their wedding anniversaries? A chance for ladies to wear those gowns every year, rather than only once in a lifetime. It might be healthy for marriage; bringing fulfilling memories back and a  reminder of what was promised.  What better motivation for women to maintain their  girlish figures – so they can fit into their gowns each year. Perhaps a way to reduce healthcare costs for women. 

Today, this blog is in honor of my friend Chatter! She has overcome adversity in her life, and a bout with cancer – always with dignity and honor and humor. 

Girlfriend – you are an inspiration! You remind me that laughter brings sweetness to life and friendship. I will see you next spring or early next summer as we have planned.

“Chat” and me at my niece’s wedding a year ago, October 2011.

Photo credit:  Erin Batton of eebphotography.blogspot.com

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Story Woven with Nostalgic Images

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Where were you during the Vietnam Era?

I just read the newly-released book Cottonwood; a satisfying read on many levels. Author Tom Dawson effectively crafts a story of two men who served together during one of our country’s most painful periods, the Vietnam era. The ties that bind them are their war experiences; they become life long buddies.

The author intertwines the culture of the ‘Nam era” into the storyline, which filled me with nostalgic images of my own, as a person whose adolescence came during the late nineteen sixties and seventies.  I could also relate, on a certain level, to some of the frustrations and attitudes that the main characters, Tom and Sam, carry about today’s technological era.

As a woman, I appreciated how through good dialogue, the author showed that the two comrades, Tom and Sam, communicate differently. The  truthfulness with which Dawson writes about the issue of men and aging was refreshing and honest. It is a story I didn’t anticipate liking but I really look forward to reading more from this author.

Dawson’s book is available through Amazon in soft cover and also as an e-book edition. To order this publication, please follow this link.Cottonwood

To read more about Tom Dawson, the author and war correspondent, follow this link. http://bit.ly/Ng0Srt. Don’t miss out on his blog and comic art, he calls “Pieces” on his website.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Telling Stories about Community

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In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it. ~ Marianne Williamson

Have you ever noticed that every community has its own unique “characters?” You know, people who are known to everyone in town, in all social circles. North, south, east or west, all neighborhoods have their own quirky people.

Author Sandy St. Clair offers a panoramic overview of the culture and climate in “Ski Town U.S.A.” in her new novel “Living with Miss Scarlett.” A real mountain resort town that she writes about, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is where locals describe their community as a place “where the odds are good but the goods are odd.”  Click here for info & ordering

This book is about two mismatched widowers whose lives converge in “the Boat” and leave you laughing and weeping at the spirit with which they rebuild life together in a town of diverse people. Many women will relate to the plight of the two main “characters,” Sissy Rawles, a Dallas socialite and Ali McDaniel, an Iowa housewife.

Although the story is set in a tourist town in the Rocky Mountains, readers may feel as if they have met the characters before. Perhaps similar to a person who has drifted into their own life, has found they liked it and stayed put. Or akin to someone who has journeyed through on the pathway of life, managing to leave their mark on the hearts of hometown residents.

This delightful read, Living with Miss Scarlett, is available in e-book format through all major e-book retailers.

Sandy Eshbaugh St. Clair is also the author of The Cookbook for Non-Cooks published in 1984 by Workman Press.Click for info and ordering

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Things that Sparkle

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“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. “

 ~Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Tis the season for illumination. Today, on All Things Fulfilling I am going to focus on all things that shine. 

  • A clear star lit night
  • Tinsel on the tree
  • New parents and child experiencing their first Xmas together.
  • Icicles hanging from the eave of a roof
  • Lives spared by a Kiwanis and UNICEF Maternal and Neo-natal Tetanus vaccine
  • Polished silverware
  • Rudolph’s red rose
  • A gemstone given as a surprise gift
  • Glitter on a holiday card or an ornament
  • Candles on a tree, a mantel or on a festive holiday table
  • Snowflakes as they fall from the sky
  • A child’s face when they discover a book that draws them in
  • A beautiful painting, surrounded by golden frame
  • Crystal stemware
  • Someone who is passionate about the Art they create
  • Sequins on festive holiday clothing
  • Love discovered, love renewed in the spirit of Christmas
  • The face of the elderly or a veteran knowing and feeling that others really care
  • Twinkling white lights decorating a house
  • A lit lamp post standing sentinel for the arrival of holiday guests 

If you really want light up your own spirit this year, adopt a holiday family. Make some one else’s holiday shine by giving some gifts or fixing’s for a big holiday meal.Holiday buying this Christmas,  was especially fulfilling for me. I bought a few items for a set of twins who otherwise may not have had Christmas at all. More fun than the gifts given inside of the box, I created wrapping that really showed that I cared. When all is said and done, I think the packaging will be as treasured as much as the gifts inside! 

This year, buy one less gift for your own family, and give it to a family less fortunate and in need.  Here is a website that lists the top five Christmas charity projects. http://bit.ly/8ZBCef. 

Make your heart merry and illuminate the spirit of someone else this holiday season!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Fulfilling Services and Needs

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“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”  – William Arthur Ward 

The holiday season is in full swing, the signs are there – decorations, holiday fairs, parties, an appointment book that has become ragged and torn. A sure sign it is time to ring out the old and bring in the new. Increased activity of UPS, Fed Ex and other delivery trucks on the highways and byways, indeed indicates Christmas is near. 

On this blog site, we often recognize the work of artists and crafts persons working in a variety of mediums – writers, poets, painters, sculptors, filmmakers, potters, musicians and more. But there is another important form of art that we tend to forget – the art of serving others. 

 If you have ever worked in a service industry, or lived in a resort area, you become acutely aware of those who serve. These folks carry an extra burden at this time of year. In light of that fact, I would like to pause today to recognize people in all sectors of the service industry. They deserve our gratitude! 

  • Heartfelt thanks to nurses, doctors, hospice workers, and all medical staff.
  • Oodles of praise for mail carriers and delivery persons
  • Obliged to those who wait tables, to housekeepers, concierge and valets, too.
  • Respect for chefs, plumbers, electricians, builders, excavators and more.
  • Rewards for military servicemen and women who have ever kept us safe – well deserved
  • Abundance of kudos for repair shops, retail employees, gas station attendants, grocers.
  • Yule Tide Greetings to those service people I have missed such as the clergy. Many of you, because you serve, may miss holiday celebrations with families or friends. We greatly appreciate that you are fulfilling a need for the work  that you do. We desperately need people like you!

 Don’t forget to give a token of thanks to those who serve. Let them know that you appreciate what they do, over the holidays and each and every day of the year, too!

Return tomorrow for more independent thoughts, words and views from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

 

Observing Darkness and Light

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“Every moment of dark and light is a miracle.” ~ Walt Whitman 

A Christmas tree gives rise to thoughts of darkness and light. Have you ever noticed how people’s interpretation of what makes a pretty tree is so opinionated and individual?

Many families argue while putting up a Christmas tree. Some like it simple, some more ornate. A modest nativity scene indicates to some that, indeed, Christmas is here. Others like their homes, properties and trees lit up like the night time neon lights of the Las Vegas strip. Some families like simple homemade strings of popcorn, and cranberries or perhaps pine cones sprayed with gold paint will do. An evergreen wreath hung on a door and lit by a single spot light is beauty at it’s best for some individuals. It is interesting how a certain holiday decorating style can be fulfilling to one, atrocious to another. It is all a matter of personal opinion. How about you? What is your idea of good taste? 

As we all know, a good way to tell whether the lights and ornaments are well-placed on a tree is to step back and take a look. You can find the spaces that are empty and fill them with shimmery light. 

It is like life. In order to move away from the darkness, we have to discover the light. In this upcoming holiday, find it – seek it! Stop and listen to the carolers, spend a day or evening walking Main Street. Join in the energy of the shoppers. Listen to beautiful holiday music. Bake a batch of Christmas cookies for an elderly person or a military veteran who has no family at all. It will lighten your spirit and brighten your day along with some one else’s, too. 

Watch out! You might just get caught up in the spirit and feel the swish of a magic stick over your world. What a fulfilling thought that is!

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Cookin’ Up a Soulful Pot

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As a blog writer, when the inspiration hits, I am on the job no matter what day of the week it is.  I am compelled to put it down on paper, when the mind and heart is awakened by a spark of creative thought. It’s all part of fulfilling my need to write. 

Today is National Day of Chicken Soup for the Soul, did you know that? It’s Saturday, a good day to stay at home and create a soup full of thoughts that will warm me both inside and out. Intuition tells me the ingredients to build a healthy stock would be – 

  • Year-long gratitude for the personally fulfilling things I have in my life
  • Observance of the gift of quiet times
  • Understanding that the ordinary can be extraordinary
  • Appreciation for the natural beauty of the earth
  • Rigorous amounts of stirring of the spirit by exploring one’s own gifts
  • Ecstatic feelings for our son and seeing him make his marc on the world
  • New Ideas to bring inspiration and creativity
  • Eager anticipation of beauty in the holiday season
  • Variety in Independent Thoughts, Words and Views for my blog readers
  • Energy  and excitement as I go about my daily work
  • Rousing possibilities for telling my own story
  • Abundance of work to do
  • Limitless discovery of “kindred spirits”
  • Old fashioned values of home and hearth
  • Nurturing of the book I am writing -it is close to my heart
  • Enduring love from friends and family 

Create your own unique recipe for Chicken Soup for the Soul. Add  ingredients that  bring happiness, contentment and peace to your life.  Stir the pot with a big strong spoon, so the harmony and balance of flavors will be just right. 

Bountiful Living to You !

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