tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12626601662758484422024-02-20T12:04:56.169-08:00Nothing Happens Until You DecideAn online journal to document my transition from doing to being.Becky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-4347713156083090182008-09-04T07:42:00.000-07:002008-09-04T07:47:59.088-07:00Six Word Memoirs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IIk8mP4aix5aVlWH84W92VBQ1OGXLmg5XPplQ0Y-792XY9byzlR9mV1yfnWgl37FskKABASnYGoCN57JbGwK_QHkGz9GRMTXuVLpmLmmL8TA0cTP9tJdvrIAsiLLTWgXZSjWarK6Vrs/s1600-h/Enders+Island+010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IIk8mP4aix5aVlWH84W92VBQ1OGXLmg5XPplQ0Y-792XY9byzlR9mV1yfnWgl37FskKABASnYGoCN57JbGwK_QHkGz9GRMTXuVLpmLmmL8TA0cTP9tJdvrIAsiLLTWgXZSjWarK6Vrs/s200/Enders+Island+010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242177395534127186" /></a><br /><br />Endless Summer at Ender's Island<br /><br />Remarkable people make my life whole - Susan M.<br /><br />Sieze the day; hacia la luz - PatBecky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-60688616374511234902008-03-28T18:44:00.000-07:002008-03-28T19:12:36.461-07:00Friday March 28 2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Btki5Cyrz-vyhBlTv5jMPWjoednfBzmJiwtdFoMAlws5QBTG1yv_RreweSkEvkbFhH98xgBaVgb0PqsKHhy7pZxnDFVHoYS_yeLaPE2QEmUhI4TQlMfNIetpC9N43wvbrzUmR419VG0/s1600-h/aug0704.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Btki5Cyrz-vyhBlTv5jMPWjoednfBzmJiwtdFoMAlws5QBTG1yv_RreweSkEvkbFhH98xgBaVgb0PqsKHhy7pZxnDFVHoYS_yeLaPE2QEmUhI4TQlMfNIetpC9N43wvbrzUmR419VG0/s200/aug0704.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182980140456415874" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Coon Cat Reflecting in New Hampshire<br /><br />The time;<br />not now<br />But when?<br /><br />A charmed life<br />with charming people<br /><br />denverpost.com/books<br />smithmag.netBecky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-29788371246145013252007-12-31T07:09:00.000-08:002008-07-08T09:16:23.414-07:00Holiday Letter 2007Camino de Santiago Special Edition<br /><br /><br />Season’s Greetings Everyone, December 2007<br /><br />Here I sit at a small café in Windsor, England (waiting to have tea with the Queen, of course) realizing it is already December and I need to get moving on this year’s holiday letter and drawing. At long last it is a sunny but blustery day and sitting in this cozy cafe is giving me time to reflect on 2007. My head is spinning just thinking about all that has gone on. It has been a busy, fun filled year of travel, change, packing, saying goodbyes, unpacking, making new friends, knitting, walking and contemplation. Here are some highlights:<br /><br />· Going to Ethiopia not once but twice. It is a fascinating country.<br />· Being treated like a VIP when I went for day surgery at Al Hada hospital<br />· Lighting 45 candles for my birthday celebration<br />· One last boat dive on the Red Sea – a beautiful day but I can still feel the waves<br />· Saying good bye to many wonderful and kind people I met while living in Saudi. I miss the teachers, the students, the families, nurses, the staff, the shop owners in Taif, the lentil soup man, the bread man, the BA guys, and friends in Jeddah and Dhahran<br />· Saying hello again to friends in Petra and Amman and walking through Petra with 10 year old Hadeel – she would not let me walk alone fearing I would get lost<br />· Hanging out one last time at Michele’s swimming pool in Jeddah<br />· Starting the baby blanket knitting project/book – it has been well received and I expect the first draft to be completed by April<br />· Visiting Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Tel Aviv and Old Jaffa and wishing I could stay longer<br />· Shipping 110 kilos to the states and having all 8 bags eventually arrive stateside<br />· Being escorted through the airport in Jeddah as I did my final exit<br />· Taking an eventful Greyhound bus from Denver to Vail with first, the bus driver deciding to throw off a passenger for no apparent reason before we even took off and then 10 minutes into the trip while the driver is trying to maneuver around rush hour traffic in Denver a lady comes to the front of the bus and says, “I am not one to complain, but….” <br />· A weekend backpacking trip with Steve in the Snowmass wilderness area, meeting 8 crazy men from S Carolina on their yearly gourmet trek, watching the meteorite shower on a cloudless night by the lake<br />· Two weeks in New England and realizing not to wear a lot of pink around the Springfield, MA bus station if I want to blend in<br />· Having a great Couchsurfing (couchsurfing.org) experience in Paris<br />· Spending a day at Mont St Michele when the tide was out<br />· Visiting the candle capital of the world – Lourdes, France<br />· Walking the Camino de Santiago - 900km in 45 days with only 3 really wet days<br />· Watching the baby blanket story unfold as all kinds of people partook in knitting some of it from around the world – also a set back occurs as I mistakenly left the blanket under a bed two weeks into my walk<br />· Taking the Eurostar from London to Paris – very easy and fast<br />· Seeing the Rockettes at the Radio City Music Hall in NYC<br />· Comparing holiday light displays in London, Paris and New York City. London was OK, Paris had some nice traditional decorations, but NYC was over the top – I loved it.<br />· Best of all was connecting and reconnecting with family, friends, and people <br /><br />As most of you know I took a year off starting in June to walk the Camino de Santiago to reflect, think, and to practice being in the moment. I will say my aching feet kept me in the present with every painful step. However, I did have many glorious days to walk and think and I will share some of that with you now (please see below); the real trip letter will come later in 2008.<br /><br />For now I plan to be in the Denver area until June taking a class, studying for an exam to be certified as a secondary math teacher, writing the children’s story, working part-time tutoring math, writing, and looking for my next teaching job. Will it be in Mali or Egypt or Syria or Saudi or Madagascar?<br /><br />I will close with a quote I came to appreciate very much this year. It is by Thich Nhat Hahn from “The Miracle of Mindfulness”.<br /><br />“The miracle is to walk on Earth”<br /><br />Happy trails to you,<br /><br />Becky Stateside<br /><br />PS for the fun of it I wanted to list places I walked around in 2007<br /><br />Addis Ababa, Axum, Lalibela, Jeddah, Dharan, Shashamanee, Petra, Amman, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Bethlehem, Denver, Seattle, Hanover New Hampshire, Woodstock and Burlington Vermont, Suffield, Norwich and Mystic Connecticut, Washington DC, Baltimore, Annapolis Maryland, Paris, Lessay, Mont St Michele, Bordeaux, Lourdes, St Jean Pied de Port, Roncesvalles, Burgos, Leon, Ponferrada, Astorga, Pamplona, Santiago, Fisterre, Muxia, Madrid, Toledo, London, Windsor, Eton, Reading, Oxford, Coventry, and New York City.<br /><br />Walking the Camino de Santiago<br /><br />Length:<br />St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago – 776 km<br />Fisterre to Muxia to Santiago – 123 km<br /><br />Number of days: 45<br /><br />Weather: lots of sun, 3 wet days, cool in the morning then nice temps by 10:00am<br /><br />Start: Sept 22<br />End: Nov 5<br /><br />Status: Solo<br /><br />Trail: it is well marked by yellow arrows and scallop shell markers<br /><br />Food: coffee, bread, cheese, bocadillos, tortilla, fries, chicken, fish, pasta, tuna, canned corn, wine, chocolate<br /><br />Best meal: Paella at Fisterre<br /><br />Accommodations: Pilgrim hostels – basic but functional<br /><br />Best Hostel: Granon because it was a full house with 48 pilgrims and we all sat down for dinner and breakfast. Because it was a full house the overflow people slept in the choir loft and I thought it was very special despite it being cold. The hosts were great and made it look very easy caring for 48 needy pilgrims.<br /><br />Cost: on average about 25 euros per day<br /><br />Weight of backpack: never weighed it but estimate about 20 lbs starting off and then about 15 as I unloaded the pack three separate times<br /><br />Why: to walk and to have time on my side<br /><br />My 16 second elevator answer to “How was it?”: It was a great way to see Spain and I experienced 5 things: tolerance, insight, inspiration, community and camino magic.<br /><br />Songs that popped into my head as I walked: Morning Has Broken, I am on Top of the World, On the Road Again, I have been Every Where Man, The Bear went over the Mountain, Hey Jude, to name a few<br /><br />The Best Part: every day is a new day with new places, new people, and being outdoors<br /><br />The “I could do without this” Part: the snoring and blisters<br /><br />The Best Rest Spot: Muxia for 2 days<br /><br />What did I learn: I am on the right path<br /><br />Here are some excerpts from the journal I kept during the walk:<br /><br />Sept 22 9:45pm<br /><br />I feel cheated and robbed on my first day out. What rotten luck to have the whole day socked in! The mist was heavy and soaked everything. Normally I wouldn’t mind but today of all days was the day to be in the Pyrenees and you could hardly see 25 feet ahead. I could only imagine how beautiful the views could have been.<br /><br />Sept 27 7pm<br /><br />Day 6 of the walk and I am in pain. My poor feet are hot, tired, and bothered with blisters to boot. No longer is walking a natural thing. I have to think about it – how and where to put pressure on my feet. Each foot is in different pain so I have to try and accommodate each, resulting in a funny waddle that is not making me laugh. It made me a bit sad today because here I was on a very nice dirt road walking through vineyards with great views and try as I might I could only wince with each step rather than to be at peace enjoying the walk. My body is telling me loud and clear to rest more and to get rid of some weight.<br /><br />Oct 7 7:45pm<br /><br />Walked 28.5 km from Burgos and my feet can tell. The first 20 km went fine and then my feet started getting tired but still OK. It wasn’t until I got to the “Good Luck Spring” when my luck turned for the worse. They say if a pilgrim soaks their feet in the cold spring water (the water is freezing cold) then their feet should suffer no more on the camino. I happened to change socks to put on the extreme-hiker-no-seams-very-expensive socks and that is when my feet started to tense up and ache. The socks were left behind.<br /><br />Oct 15 2:15pm<br /><br />Now I am Hospital de Orbigo with a bottle of Vina Ruperez from the Rioja region. It is a sunny day and I’m in a beautiful, peaceful setting at the pilgrim’s hostel. The walk was short only 11km but I wanted another ½ day to rest – mountains are on the horizon.<br /><br />Oct 17 8:00pm<br /><br />You should be here. Spanish music, soulful music, is being played in the kitchen while the hosts cook. It smells amazing. From what I can see so far is salad, soup, and pasta for 14 people. I am ready for a good meal after today’s walk. I think one of the bests yet with old stone villages, some crumbling apart while others are neat and tidy and romantic, woods to walk through, autumn colors, mountains, blue sky, and comfortable temps.<br /><br />Oct 27 7:00pm<br /><br />Today was the day! We still didn’t know how far to walk today but was glad to be walking towards the full moon. By 3pm we realized we were only 5km away from Santiago so why not go for it. Alain and I decided to stay in the hostel since it would be his last night being a pilgrim after nearly 3 months on the camino (he started in Le Puy, France)….Alain and I shared a big bear hug at the cathedral – he was done. I still had leg 2 to do but knew the longest part was behind me.<br /><br />Nov 6 8pm<br /><br />On Sunday (Nov 3) morning at daybreak (~8am) I set off in the ground fog and was already chilled to the bone. Partly due to the adrenaline rushing through my blood which I hear can make you cold. The adrenaline was rushing because I was out in farm land with small villages and big guard dogs – no make that junkyard dogs because they were big and mangy – and not chained up. I knew the slightest noise or scent would set them off in a tizzy and with most farmers asleep or in the fields, no one would be around to witness the attack. I walk with bated breath feeling neither hunger nor exhaustion, conscious only of the threat with every step. This feeling lasted 10 hours until I reached the next hostel.<br /><br />Nov 7th 3pm<br /><br />Nov 5th was my last full day of walking. Again, the brilliant sun painted a wonderful picture with fall colors in the dense woods. I took this walk slowly and no longer feeling and threats of dogs, getting lost, and lack of time… I walked on thinking back over the last 44 days. The people, the places, the weather, the laughs, the picnics, the sleepless nights, and the common goal we all shared. The miracle is to walk on Earth.<br /><br />A Pilgrim’s Pray<br /><br />To know the way,<br />We go the way;<br />We do the way<br />The way we do<br />The things we do.<br />It’s all there in front of you,<br />But if you try hard to see it,<br />You’ll only become confused<br /><br />I am me,<br />And you are you,<br />As you can see;<br />But when you do<br />The things that you can do,<br />You will find the way,<br />And the way will follow you. – Benjamin Hoff<br /><br />Peregrinos, Pyrenees, plateau, plains, poplars, pines, pavement, pebbles – R TumickiBecky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-53008913664063763912007-12-23T06:57:00.000-08:002008-03-28T19:29:14.413-07:002007 Photos<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxp4YoP9Z2aLRhGfpB-cfAb98MeQdV7iZ_64r1s-4AFRrXFx311ZWfD_BFJqYCIcT87rlpwfYtkPzQWfY30IlvvaKEUfaCq3FnDFp5eZKFG7j5sSTNvkwolZFjjP9QtxWLSt_E3sLg0I/s1600-h/Alain+011.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxp4YoP9Z2aLRhGfpB-cfAb98MeQdV7iZ_64r1s-4AFRrXFx311ZWfD_BFJqYCIcT87rlpwfYtkPzQWfY30IlvvaKEUfaCq3FnDFp5eZKFG7j5sSTNvkwolZFjjP9QtxWLSt_E3sLg0I/s200/Alain+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182985058193969906" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxXibBHmX8P_UBBnI-DhVwumsHv0HX6nx4nsqVY7OH7whom-tCbulKpcEfoKCldFvkflZ9KaDB8urLWbbbHe8W9xshM7Gbi7RC311kQOkU5_aMLqmMAfmKql81hhiukrsya4OPVqpq7o/s1600-h/Ethiopia+031.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147185487099917298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxXibBHmX8P_UBBnI-DhVwumsHv0HX6nx4nsqVY7OH7whom-tCbulKpcEfoKCldFvkflZ9KaDB8urLWbbbHe8W9xshM7Gbi7RC311kQOkU5_aMLqmMAfmKql81hhiukrsya4OPVqpq7o/s200/Ethiopia+031.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSPjl5uCC3QsoBOHhxhMEss33Q-rkr6975Bb7cPy5lBAWl07ZF7R2ZGG6sH-hyFZEk_MHO_pL0ToJLnmWZvsntbS1Imbz82kfi5XiMEKi3HZJlNbtWeWopzvesVOk1dNB3ckvIoW3Yuc/s1600-h/Ethiopia+050.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147185495689851906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSPjl5uCC3QsoBOHhxhMEss33Q-rkr6975Bb7cPy5lBAWl07ZF7R2ZGG6sH-hyFZEk_MHO_pL0ToJLnmWZvsntbS1Imbz82kfi5XiMEKi3HZJlNbtWeWopzvesVOk1dNB3ckvIoW3Yuc/s200/Ethiopia+050.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jamRnOi2HNhnXthUuFwTXUMTGBe4PzLZxnsNaDW0_lUR-Eo05fxYUwr7psYCvrZrTpcJ9wG5HV6PLhk0uMy2AvtaMM1K64UWF4M2iARE9sXNb9_PHJG66uQ4aTW2B1pIUEx8Lb9oArk/s1600-h/14+west+wall+fri+pm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147185504279786514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jamRnOi2HNhnXthUuFwTXUMTGBe4PzLZxnsNaDW0_lUR-Eo05fxYUwr7psYCvrZrTpcJ9wG5HV6PLhk0uMy2AvtaMM1K64UWF4M2iARE9sXNb9_PHJG66uQ4aTW2B1pIUEx8Lb9oArk/s200/14+west+wall+fri+pm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Becky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-35537266105987628542007-05-13T21:21:00.000-07:002008-03-28T19:14:27.242-07:00Quotes Part III - Way of the Peaceful Warrior<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOH5KN4BDkIo5SV690wqSbZg9n6OLL7GTsT8Xm3Y6xKZ2wueWQJJPfGdx0hkaWQa1gSBWi9dG-dStS8ChZmhhKsHyO3PiSi-kE_QhMovKHXeaB25gwHTBxPUsx2x4Upzodd5yeKMGMKbE/s1600-h/05k+stop+on+the+way.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOH5KN4BDkIo5SV690wqSbZg9n6OLL7GTsT8Xm3Y6xKZ2wueWQJJPfGdx0hkaWQa1gSBWi9dG-dStS8ChZmhhKsHyO3PiSi-kE_QhMovKHXeaB25gwHTBxPUsx2x4Upzodd5yeKMGMKbE/s200/05k+stop+on+the+way.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182981098234122898" /></a><br /><br />Morocco<br /><br /><br />Quotes Part III<br />From The Way of the Peaceful Warrior<br /><br />Stay in the present, stay where you are – there you are safe. The demons are in the past. The door is the future – Beware<br /><br />Cultivate a simple lifestyle of few desires; that way you always have enough money.<br /><br />Insight and discipline to choose the simple way.<br /><br />The secret of happiness is not found in seeking more but developing the capacity to enjoy less.<br /><br />The time is now, the place is here.<br /><br />Changes to show up on the inside<br /><br />Body exists in the here and now. Mind lives only in the past or future – its power over you is to draw attention out of the present.<br /><br />Stay in the present moment. There you are safe. Keep your attention in the present moment. This is freedom from suffering, from fear, from mind.<br /><br />I am a warrior so my way is action.<br /><br />Embody what you teach, and teach only what you have embodied.<br /><br />A warrior can rely on the power of love, of kindness, of service – and the power of happiness<br /><br />Happiness attains you – but only after you surrender everything<br /><br />Your path will guide you; you cannot lose your way.<br /><br />Better never begin; once begun, better finish<br /><br />Life is the only teacher<br /><br />The call – life’s longing for itself<br /><br />Calls – do something, be something, change something. Calls towards whatever we’ve dared and double-dared ourselves to do for as long as we can remember.<br /><br />Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.<br /><br />We can’t help but approach the prospect of following our deepest callings with both exhilaration and terror.Becky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-76372585093092885522007-05-13T21:02:00.000-07:002008-03-28T19:16:37.831-07:00Quotes Part IV - The Alchemist<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjicMs-Ypf5HCJfdqZH9rUUPRUYwdctnVcCo_OkOH6vAcwJaM2GsnWzFGXP_XaCNCfcgIn_JzqoM57vhzc-bg36A5diI15_1HcLgb5N8LJKmE5OxxxtUwp7kJJiK5RsYalZD06WbyIOU/s1600-h/School+for+UConn+001.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjicMs-Ypf5HCJfdqZH9rUUPRUYwdctnVcCo_OkOH6vAcwJaM2GsnWzFGXP_XaCNCfcgIn_JzqoM57vhzc-bg36A5diI15_1HcLgb5N8LJKmE5OxxxtUwp7kJJiK5RsYalZD06WbyIOU/s200/School+for+UConn+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182981742479217314" /></a><br /><br />7th Grade Students Al Hada<br /><br />Quotes Part IV<br />From The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho<br /><br />It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes it interesting<br /><br />It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary<br /><br />To realize one’s Personal Legend is a person’s only real obligation<br /><br />People learn early in their lives what is their reason for being – maybe that’s why they give it up so early<br /><br />The boy felt jealous of the freedom of the wind, and saw that he could have the same freedom. There was nothing to hold him back except himself<br /><br />Dreaming gives me something to live for<br /><br />Sometimes there’s just no way to hold back the river<br /><br />Never stop dreaming. Follow the omens.<br /><br />And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it<br /><br />There is a force that wants you to realize your Personal Legend; it whets your appetite with a taste of success.<br /><br />God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left for you.<br /><br />Urim – white stone – no<br /><br />Thummim – black stone – yes<br /><br />The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon (never forget what is true and dear to you)<br /><br />Making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.<br /><br />The desert is a capricious lady, and sometimes she drives men crazy<br /><br />The closer one gets to realizing his Personal Legend, the more that Personal Legend becomes his true reason for being.<br /><br />Intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of Life<br /><br />People need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want<br /><br />When you want something with all your heart, that’s when you are closest to the soul of the universe<br /><br />All things of manifestations of one thing only<br /><br />Because people become fascinated with pictures and words and wind up forgetting the Language of the World.<br /><br />If he pushed forward impulsively, he would fail to see the signs and omens left by God along his path.<br /><br />Don’t be impatient. Eat when it’s time to eat. And move along when it is time to move along.<br /><br />He felt the urge to go out into the desert to see if its silence held the answers to his questions.<br /><br />Always heed the omens<br /><br />The secret is here in the present<br /><br />All of us know that whoever believes in dreams also knows how to interpret them<br /><br />To die tomorrow was no worse than dying on any other day.<br /><br />You already know all you need to know. I am only going to point you in the direction of your treasure<br /><br />Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. You’ve got to find your treasure so that everything you have learned along the way makes sense.<br /><br />Life attracts life<br /><br />Are you a man of the desert knowing that you have to go away in order to return?<br /><br />The omens will abandon you because you’ve stopped listening to them.<br /><br />One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.<br /><br />I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.<br /><br />Listen to your heart<br /><br />In pursuing your dreams, you might lose everything you’ve won.<br /><br />The fear of suffering is worse than suffering itself.<br /><br />Strongest qualities – courage, enthusiasm<br /><br />Be aware of the place where you are brought to tears. That’s where I am, and that’s where your treasure is.<br /><br />The path was written in the omens and there was no way I could go wrong.Becky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-28867289483368472492007-05-11T05:36:00.000-07:002008-03-28T19:18:29.344-07:00Quotes Part II - What Should I do with My Life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJl6_ngFFW_0nrHMi3YeXL5JDcPC9ZgBkIrD3PmVCWw25MuY6Vf9bp9up3ciUXozPGUztOpTTfHC8_0JnM0QQnVqoghjdFnlpDz43yQZclaDximaqSvJuJ0zNDjHmDLOQZgdqSlh-kq0k/s1600-h/dead+sea+8.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJl6_ngFFW_0nrHMi3YeXL5JDcPC9ZgBkIrD3PmVCWw25MuY6Vf9bp9up3ciUXozPGUztOpTTfHC8_0JnM0QQnVqoghjdFnlpDz43yQZclaDximaqSvJuJ0zNDjHmDLOQZgdqSlh-kq0k/s200/dead+sea+8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182982253580325554" /></a><br /><br />Dead Sea, Jordan<br /><br /><br />Quotes Part II – from What Should I Do with my Life and other favorite sayings<br /><br /><br />When there is no desire, all things are at peace<br /><br />In dwelling, live close to the ground<br /><br />In thinking, keep to the simple<br /><br />In conflict, be fair and generous<br /><br />In governing, don’t try to control<br /><br />In work, do what you enjoy<br /><br />In family life, be completely present<br /><br />From “What Should I do with my Life” article<br /><br />What do I do next vs to what can I devote my life?<br /><br />Who you are vs what you do<br /><br />What is freedom for if not the chance to define for yourself who you are?<br /><br />We are all writing the story of our own life. It’s not a story of conquest. It’s a story of discovery<br /><br />What gifts do we have to offer the world?<br /><br />Vocation<br /><br />What in my life builds meaning for me?<br /><br />What do I do that I like?<br /><br />What do I do and like that has impact on people?<br /><br />What calls out to me in life?<br /><br />What do I expect and want?<br /><br />Decisions<br /><br />Give it the time it requires – don’t rush<br /><br />Involves clarity<br /><br />Courage<br /><br />Involves deep interests<br /><br />Reflection<br /><br />Deeply excited about doing something<br /><br />Deeply engaged in doing it<br /><br />Themes present during those times<br /><br />Identity<br /><br />Blessed with the ultimate privilege – our economy is vast<br /><br />Filter out chatter that tells you to be someone your not<br /><br />To learn the sound of your own voice<br /><br />To ask the Question and seek out a path to the Answer<br /><br />Commitment<br /><br />Clarity<br /><br />Turning points<br /><br />Having more choices makes answering the question harder<br /><br />Face up to the challenge; armed with weaknesses and equipped with fears<br /><br />What really matters when it comes to work?<br /><br />Whisper – faint urge – that’s the call – it’s up to you to do the work of discovery<br /><br />Never a single right answer<br /><br />At some point it feels right to choose<br /><br />Stumbling Blocks<br /><br />Money<br /><br />Even with financial independence to walk away, people rarely do<br /><br />Making a change comes from a personal trigger<br /><br />The shortest route to the good life involves building the confidence that you can live happily within your means<br /><br />Embracing your dreams is liberating<br /><br />Have a sense of purpose<br /><br />Spending habits reorganize<br /><br />You discover you need less<br /><br />Your callings, most often, comes after great difficulties<br /><br />Connect with people emotionally not just rationally<br /><br />What moves your heart to put up with the down sides?<br /><br />Smarts<br /><br />Your calling is not always what makes the brain happy<br /><br />Don’t ask what I am good at – this is intensity not passion<br /><br />Passion – meaningful + fulfilling<br /><br />Is your choice something that will stimulate you for a year or something you can be passionate about for 10 years?<br /><br />My life plan should be<br /><br />Meaningful<br /><br />Significant<br /><br />Fulfilling<br /><br />Personal<br /><br />Places<br /><br />What belief system will I adopt?Becky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-43737576257672789032007-05-10T11:05:00.000-07:002008-03-28T19:20:10.863-07:00Quotes Part I<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkxGIGU1JpXoMuhyphenhyphendKzXwSNwbm0gtJAKpO2DTj8Ruzf71hEOkYd7CbIYXnivQvAoYv_xndZ_B7Sg7gYZ7hI-H1Cf5OqcLRHXdc_J7GZS__KiJVEn0luskEyDrZ0AnZ2vk4IEKi2g1txM/s1600-h/Ethiopia+050.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkxGIGU1JpXoMuhyphenhyphendKzXwSNwbm0gtJAKpO2DTj8Ruzf71hEOkYd7CbIYXnivQvAoYv_xndZ_B7Sg7gYZ7hI-H1Cf5OqcLRHXdc_J7GZS__KiJVEn0luskEyDrZ0AnZ2vk4IEKi2g1txM/s200/Ethiopia+050.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182982691666989762" /></a><br /><br />Ethiopia<br /><br />I have decided to write down and share with others meaning passages.<br />From the Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho<br /> <br /><br />…a world that seemed to know that, in order to grow, it had to continue moving along, always moving along<br /><br />I am very glad to be here said Petrus because the work I did not finish is not important and the work I will be able to do after I get back will be so much better.<br /><br />Don’t lose sight of your objective…does that happen to a lot of people? Mainly with people like you who are fascinated by details and forget what they are after.<br /><br />This happened because the process of moving along did not exist for you. The only thing that existed was your desire to arrive at your goal.<br /><br />Wherever your treasure is, there will be your heart.<br /><br />The journey, which prior to this was torture because all you wanted to do was get there, is now beginning to become a pleasure. It is the pleasure of searching and the pleasure of adventure. You are nourishing something that’s very important – your dreams.<br /><br />The good fight is the one we fight because our heart asks it of us. Today the good fight has shifted from battlefields to the fields within ourselves.<br /><br />We kill our dreams because we are afraid to fight the good fight. <br /><br />The first symptom of the process of our killing our dreams is the lack of time. <br /><br />The second symptom of the death of our dreams lies in our certainties – we ask so little of life.<br /><br />The third symptom is peace. Life becomes a Sunday afternoon – we ask for nothing grand, and we cease to demand anything more than we are willing to give…we seek personal and professional achievement.<br /><br />We always know which is the best road to follow, but we follow only the road that we have been accustomed to.<br /><br />The only way we can rescue our dreams is by being generous with ourselves.<br /><br />They do not see that with an awareness of death they would be able to even more daring, to go further in the daily conquests, because then they would have nothing to lose – for death is inevitable.<br /><br />You are in a spot that is absolutely safe, with one exception: the danger created by your own fear.<br /><br />Love and all things change like the wind.<br /><br />When I sent you without moneybags, knapsacks, and sandals, you lacked nothing.<br /><br />A great sense of calm came over me, and I felt a kind of presence alongside me. I looked over and saw the face of my death. This was not the death that I had experienced a few minutes before, the death I had created with my fears and my imagination; it was my true death, my friend and counselor, who was never again going to allow me to act like such a coward…He was not going to allow me to put off until tomorrow what I should be enjoying today.<br /><br />Wisdom has value only if it helps us to overcome some obstacles<br /><br />You have your own way of living your life, or dealing with problems, and of winning.<br /><br />Teaching is only demonstrating it is possible. Learning is making it possible for yourself.<br /><br />People always arrive at the right moment at the place where someone awaits them.<br /><br />The search for happiness is a personal search. (Sword’s secret) to know what to do with it and with the happiness that it would represent.<br /><br />Few can accept the burden of their own victory. Most give up their dreams when they see that they can be realized.Becky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-67053463761514929852007-05-10T10:24:00.000-07:002008-03-28T19:22:44.995-07:00All I Need When I Travel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ofhLU21FSKdLFRbtmQxlu9ENyHOcFaQqkndShQHmLFLDWRnjg7u-CoOfLJT6_D20E17jVlOmWsdjvWM326GkFPm3J09tZaspqULu51Mvn3iElbUtnp79J3yVn2RACxjAfnggaFBPmec/s1600-h/hajjarah+19+leaving.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ofhLU21FSKdLFRbtmQxlu9ENyHOcFaQqkndShQHmLFLDWRnjg7u-CoOfLJT6_D20E17jVlOmWsdjvWM326GkFPm3J09tZaspqULu51Mvn3iElbUtnp79J3yVn2RACxjAfnggaFBPmec/s200/hajjarah+19+leaving.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182983357386920658" /></a><br /><br /><br />Yemen<br /><br />I have decided to write what constitutes a good trip.<br />All I need when I travel is…<br /><br />Passport/money/ticket/tooth brush<br /><br />Spoon<br /><br />Black wool shawl<br /><br />Reading book<br /><br />Knitting<br /><br />Notebook<br /><br />Pen<br /><br />Flashlight<br /><br />Alarm clock<br /><br />Camera<br /><br />Lungi<br /><br />Good conversation<br /><br />Walks<br /><br />Cafes<br /><br />Mountains<br /><br />A rainy day to relax<br /><br />A funny guide<br /><br />Cheap bus transportation<br /><br />New places<br /><br />Not to get sick<br /><br />A stolen kiss<br /><br />A moment in time<br /><br />A peaceful sunrise<br /><br />A romantic sunset<br /><br />A friendly face<br /><br />Local song/dance<br /><br />No mosquitoes<br /><br />New people<br /><br />The unusual<br /><br />A post office<br /><br />Patience with annoying kids<br /><br />A hot shower every three days<br /><br />Decent chocolate<br /><br />Moments of awe<br /><br />A church for escape and solitude<br /><br />Local cuisine<br /><br />Post cards to write<br /><br />A local contact<br /><br />A roof top terrace<br /><br />A nail clipper<br /><br />A light load<br /><br />Comfortable shoes<br /><br />A reminder to reconfirm flights<br /><br />No bed bugs<br /><br />No biting dogs<br /><br />Some local language<br /><br />A kind strangerBecky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-17546619598467484262007-05-10T10:03:00.000-07:002008-03-28T19:26:35.595-07:00Life's List<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWu8H4x3DSQ9lnaLI8lfWv0XPDWWESvx2RbtC4fdU_yXjTGseIKExSiInqt0cYq6sp4yX8Hp1CLvbNRn-BR36dlB81ISMe5H7-XoHq4W1458MrmDApFxpNntogcYyhHRj5eG4NUdr5bqI/s1600-h/part+2+245.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWu8H4x3DSQ9lnaLI8lfWv0XPDWWESvx2RbtC4fdU_yXjTGseIKExSiInqt0cYq6sp4yX8Hp1CLvbNRn-BR36dlB81ISMe5H7-XoHq4W1458MrmDApFxpNntogcYyhHRj5eG4NUdr5bqI/s200/part+2+245.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182984370999202530" /></a><br /><br /><br />Life’s List 2007<br /><br />I have decided to write my life’s list. A work in progress but here is the start.<br /><br />To write a book<br /><br />To take a travel writing and children’s book writing workshops<br /><br />To go to New Zealand first class<br /><br />To take a calculus course again – I miss it<br /><br />Buy a new wardrobe for $1000<br /><br />Illustrate a book of my Simply Simon figures<br /><br />Volunteer 9-12 months at a rural school in India or Pakistan or Ethiopia<br /><br />Bring back Simply Simon when the time is right<br /><br />Walk the Camino de Santiago<br /><br />Visit all the people in my address book<br /><br />Extended stays in Turkey, Syria, Yemen<br /><br />To learn more about the Art of Living organization<br /><br />To stay with each family member for a month (Seattle, San Francisco, Ireland, New Hampshire, CT)<br /><br />To practice yoga<br /><br />To avoid TV<br /><br />To stay in touch with people<br /><br />To continue to write letters<br /><br />To continue to travel and to meet people<br /><br />To be better at being than doingBecky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1262660166275848442.post-62140438526843557032007-05-09T23:25:00.000-07:002007-05-11T06:02:47.024-07:00The Time is Now and the Place is Here<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDqXOUBeI3h088dOB1Ax1rqFa7PKDqD0bR0Uq1Ns2ki9sn0afQEKRpcHuA2LqluhsH7bOprAoVTfqBPovVFLNPjsEc2eOCHZXsDqtcjDxlUlMU-6ubFESRd2g524p4el53wdTZem7XEM/s1600-h/Starbucks+letter+writing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDqXOUBeI3h088dOB1Ax1rqFa7PKDqD0bR0Uq1Ns2ki9sn0afQEKRpcHuA2LqluhsH7bOprAoVTfqBPovVFLNPjsEc2eOCHZXsDqtcjDxlUlMU-6ubFESRd2g524p4el53wdTZem7XEM/s200/Starbucks+letter+writing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062993349885884130" border="0" /></a>Starbucks, Panda Mall, Taif, Saudi Arabia. April 2007<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Nothing Happens Until You Decide</p><p class="MsoNormal">I have decided to write more.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have decided to move on and not to re-contract for my 5<sup>th</sup> year of teaching and not to look for another job. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have decided to live out a dream of taking time off.<span style=""> </span>Time off from what I ask?<span style=""> </span>The grind? The rat race? The world we make for ourselves?<span style=""> </span>Time from out current situation to make time for other endeavors? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have decided to spend time in nature by walking the camino de <st1:city><st1:place>Santiago</st1:place></st1:city> from <st1:country-region><st1:place>France</st1:place></st1:country-region> through northern <st1:country-region><st1:place>Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region> to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Portugal</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style=""> </span>This will be an inward journey as much as an outer one.<span style=""> </span>I want time to reflect and to be.<span style=""> </span>The inward journey is to answer the almighty question, “what is my purpose?”<span style=""> </span>The outward journey is to appreciate what each day has to offer in terms of terrain, history, people, culture, cuisine, and camaraderie.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have decided not to have a schedule outside the fact I will start in September.<span style=""> </span>I want to be flexible and open with what comes my way.<span style=""> </span>My goal is not so much to “finish” but to “start”.<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have decided to practice, “When I sent you without money bags, knapsacks, and sandals, you lacked nothing (from the Pilgrimage by P Coelho)” and go lightly by taking the minimum needed for a multi day trek, a notebook, a reading book, a map, a guide book, an umbrella, my knitting, and my camera.<span style=""> </span>I will leave the mobile phone behind.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have decided the time is NOW and the place is HERE and that is all that really matters.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have decided to create a blog for this journey and here it is.</p><p class="MsoNormal">May 10, 2007<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Becky of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096607871470002792noreply@blogger.com1