“Unlike plain string, a wick has a wire inside so that it burns straight.”

The guide went on to explain that in pioneer days the wire inside would have been made of lead. Obviously, that was banned when the lead poisoning became a known hazard.

The idea of hidden strength felt particularly appealing on a weak when my own has been tested. It made me think about the sorts of personality traits that create strength. Is it possible that, like lead, some of the things that help me get through rough situations might actually be toxic… or if not that extreme, then at least unhealthy?

As I’ve watched my daughter grow and encounter challenges I’ve learned what it means to think of myself as a holistic being. As such, not only the mind, but also the body and spirit are part of my coping mechanisms. If you think about it, our physical reactions to stress, sweating, loss of appetite (or an increased appetite), lack of sleep (or desire for sleep), are all physical responses to trying situations.

Likewise, an inability to focus and a sense of alarm (fight or flight) are ways our mind copes with stress. Finally, our spirit can shudder and retreat, or become defensive when faced with a difficult challenge.

Where within me do I find the core strength to resolve all of these different aspects of myself when all of my high alert instincts have been engaged?

As I look to my own core, I can see that the one word, Faith, has the strongest chance of breaking through the rest of my automatic responses. Starting with this as my core, I can find the strength to take my breaths and calm down my body. I can sleep more easily at night, and remind myself of all of the things I have to be grateful for. I can refocus my mind on what is important, and pay attention to that.

Faith that I will get through whatever, that the world is a good place, that there is so much more than my small world and its challenges, and that I am loved and cared about by many all help me to be a wick that stands straight, even in when tested by fire.

                                                          NEWS... NEWS... NEWS

> Betting Jessica and Untangling the Knot are now both available in PRINT - Find them at Amazon.com: http://amzn.com/e/B005YHFBQ2 


> For the next few weeks I will be posting once a week only on Tuesdays. Please let me know what you think of this change. Thanks. Deanne


How do you cope with difficulties? I’d love to hear from you. And to prove it, leave a comment and I’ll enter you into my drawing where one lucky January commenter will win a copy of any one of Daniel Davidson's Travel Free Guides. Check back at the end of the month to see if you’re my winner. Please note –while I love and appreciate getting Facebook posts and Twitter replies, the comment must be made on my blog, using the blog form – this way all who see the blog post can engage in a shared conversation. Thanks.

(BTW - For those of you who don’t yet know of Daniel Davidson, he’s a travel writer with great advice on saving money while traveling. Check his website for more info: http://www.freetravelideas.com/)

“Harry Reid has decided to trigger the nuclear option.”

And about time! I am so tired of all the back and forth arguing, the posturing and threatening. The thought that someone was doing something, anything, to try to fix our broken system was a huge relief. Fist pumping in the air, I listened as the political pundits debated this move by the Senate majority leader.

And then I became depressed. Perhaps it is my own failing… needing a right answer, an answer that will make everyone happy. At my age I should know this doesn’t exist. And yet I hope. I hope that rather than this partisan bickering we could find a way toward personal and interpersonal peace. When I hear the word War it makes me think of fighting on a battlefield or in a foreign country. But war is waged, every day within each of us.

We really don’t have to look any further than so many family Thanksgiving dinners. Even without the conflict that families bring, our own  internal debates about the best way to keep the mashed potatoes warm can be the like a little Normandy.

Peace is warm and fuzzy… it is our rose colored image of what Thanksgiving should be. But, somewhere between that image and the reality of pulling together 7 different dishes, kids and adults, silverware and stemware, I usually lose it. My Zen calm goes up in flames like the yams placed too close to the broiler.

As the holiday approach, as we consider the 150 years since Gettysburg, the 50 years since JFK was assassinated, the year since we lost
those precious lives at Sandyhook Elementary, may we find a new resolve to fill our lives with peace, within ourselves and with our  neighbor.

Do you have any good tricks for maintaining peace in the midst of strife? I’d love to hear your comments on this or any of my blog posts. And to prove it, I am going to pick one lucky commenter during the month of November and donate $10 to the charity of their choice. Just leave a comment for any of my blogs and then check back at the end of the month to see if you have won.