Rainy Day Soup

Perfect day for making soup and I have a fridge filled with celery, carrots and mushrooms as well as grains, onions and chicken stock.

Soup day! I made a sofrito (Italian for the soup or sauce base of chopped carrots, celery, onions and garlic) I added part of two dried Santa Fe red peppers, Israeli couscous, chopped canned tomatoes and chicken sausage and after the vegies had softened and the sausage released some of its juices, I added about 1-1/2 tsp of salt, the chicken stock, tomatoes and about 1/3 cup of red wine. Finally, after these ingredients had simmered for a few minutes I added about a pound of previously sauteed chopped mushrooms.

While it will be better after it is cooled (in fridge overnight) and reheated, I must say, this first bowl is quite good.

Make soup - it's a rainy day.

Dear President Obama

Daily I am listening to the enormous criticism raining down on you and your administration. I am angry that even the people who are ready and eager for change should be so disrespectful of the enormous job you have accepted.

Your willingness to tackle such nasty, huge and complex problems is not only impressive, but reassuring. Your ability to accept responsibility for taking each step to implement change is mature AND wise.

I support your desire for change and I am doing what I can to make my own small space more receptive to change.

Thank you for being so competent and willing to be such an incredible model for adult behavior. Thank you for being my President.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan T. Lindau, LCSW

Catching Up

Where did January and February go?

How did I get so busy? Now I, the therapist of last resort must confront my own emotional overwhelm. I have just learned some very sad news about someone very important to me, a special friend who has been support, counsellor, advisor and, in many ways, more a mother than my own mother was.

How will I deal with her terminal illness? What can I do to help myself? I am feeling both the crushing pain of loosing her and the anguish of living without her support after she is gone.

I can only do what I tell my clients. Stay present. Remember the lessons learned from this relationship. Respect those lessons. I can honor our long relationship by sharing the lessons I learned from her. I can express my sadness in a way that teaches others how to manage their own pain.

A New Year

What a year of changes! Both professional and personal aspects of my life have changed,become richer and more satisfying. If I were asked to identify only one experience that has enhanced my life in 2009 I would have to identify the work with soldiers and their families.

I have learned so much about integrity and bravery and my own sense of patriotism has been refined. I am more thoughtful and circumspect. I find myself responding with more awareness to issues on which I previously had fixed opinions. I look forward to working with more soldiers and the significant people in their lives in this coming year.

As this new year opens it is possible to face it with apprehension about tasks yet undone or with fear about the unknown and unexpected and those negative feelings would get in the way of simply owning this present moment. All we ever really have is this very moment here. Energy invested in the possibility of what might happen or on the other hand focusing on assignments not completed takes our awareness away from what is really happening in the present.

Breathe and accept this moment as all that we ever need or own. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to the creatures - all sentient beings - in your life. And, most important of all, laugh.

A New Year

HELLOOOO

Congratulations!

We got through those challenging days. I survived by doing some actually pretty silly things including gazing at the moon, eating lots of chocolates and watching several thrillers. The closest I got to Christmas spirit was the snow in several of the scenes in the thrillers.

Now it's about breathing and being gentle with ourselves. Maybe even getting files and records ready for the next semester.

Nicest of all is that I am returning to a project started many years ago that was interrupted by a marriage, family crises, a move to Southern California and a change of careers. This adult fantasy is great fun, light, minimal heart break and focuses on dreams of environmental and political peace.

The remainder of this break from office and classroom is a little cooking; I'll get the leak in the bathroom fixed and finally replace that worn-out, broken toaster oven.

Keep thinking those good thoughts AND breathe. Gently enjoy the crisp clean are and the scents of pine in the air. Be of good cheer.

Short Story

Hello

My short story has been posted at http://rosecitysisters.blogspot.com/2009/11/30-condolence-calling.html. Do read it. For laughs.

More about getting through the holidays later.

Smudging - discussion will be posted later.

Keep thinking good thoughts.

The most wonderful time of the year?

Not really. These next few weeks are the most challenging of the year. I am always confused about why we must call it the "most wonderful time of the year". Everyone is under pressure to be "joyous" of to spread happiness and gifts. Not really easy this year and that's the point of this blog today.

First, know that these days are rough and it's okay to acknowledge you're not up to the task of making everyone joyous. Do something for yourself: take a deep, gentle breath and sit quietly with a cup of tea or hot chocolate. Be easy on yourself. You can actually provide a lot more happiness for the people around you if you are finding some peace within yourself.

Take care of yourself. Breathe. Take a walk and watch a funny movie. If you can go to the movies, see The Fantastic Mr. Fox. You will get through the next six weeks and then it's a whole new year.

Tough Days Ahead: Keep breathing

There're back. Those darkest days of the year. First there's Thanksgiving and eating. Then there are those school and office and neighborhood parties then Chanukah and Christmas and Kwanza and then the New Year. How does anyone get through these days? How does someone who is struggling with depression manage the holidays. What about the families whose soldier is away in training or in Iraq or in Afghanistan?

Sure you can "get through it". But what does that mean? Using every artificial support you can find or doing the whole macho bit of "barrelling through" without a thought about anything except hanging on until January 2? There really is a better way, sometimes an easier way but definitely a way that doesn't add to the sadness that often accompanies the holidays.

First step is to breathe. yes, something as simple as taking a moment to experience that full deep breath before saying anything or taking any action. Then remember there are people who care about you and people who can offer support. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Telling someone you need support is a very brave step. It is the first step to getting through these coming challenging weeks.

Keep breathing. More ideas to be posted.

Hello from the woods!

The intensity of the past few days reminds me that as far as we may be from Afghanistan or Iraq or Bosnia we are all touched by the lives that are disrupted in those and all the other conflicts occurring around the globe.

It is important to remember that we can make a difference for both our soldiers here at home and abroad and for ourselves. We can make a difference by being kind to each other, by understanding we all experience confusion and pain about the events at Ft. Hood or at the office building in Orlando or the lack of services from the telephone company. We can't take the gun away from the person racing through the office building but we can look at our own anger and take control of those intense feelings.

When we take responsibility for our own feelings, we are able to show our children that anger does not require destructive behavior. We show ourselves and our loved ones that negative emotions can not only be controlled but can be channeled into constructive action.

The most important way in which we can care for ourselves is by being kind to ourselves, being gentle during these painfully stressful times. Those non- judgmental behaviors will spread beyond ourselves to everyone we touch. Sometimes a pebble in a pond can create a tsunami. The wave of easy, soft feelings we share can soothe others' firey pain.

Breathe