BON = TRAY; SAI = PLANTING
Bonsai plants bring nature into our homes. I like the comparison of the Gardener to Parenting. Trimming away the excess is the discipline we need, not only in keeping a clean physical environment, but also as part of our thinking.
We need strong roots. IKE'S PRINCIPLES are designed to help us think about our heritage values and a foundation of as said by Barry Schwartz in his TED talk, "Do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time."
Visualizing a fulfilling life with exposure to beauty and nature as our mentors is key. Then, exercising the freedom of making our own choices is important - not leaving our thinking up to our surrounding influences. The gardener has to water every day, especially when it's warm; and bring the plants in when it is freezing outside.
It's our responsibility as we become adult to being our own mentors and parents who take care of the child within as we work to create our God given heaven within. It's fun to add a little humor!
![11 PRINCIPLES THAT WILL CH...]()
11 PRINCIPLES THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Several years ago, Ike was one of the first individuals of Japanese Heritage to get an executive job as Director of Atlantic Street Center in Seattle. It was during a time when "Black Is Beautiful" was being emphasized.
Ike said, "'Yellow Is Beautiful' doesn't resonate!"
Thus, Sam and I had Ike over once a week for a period of time and wrote the book IKE'S PRINCIPLES.
In our Thursday night leadership meetings, we are discussing these principles that I will explain in the next few weeks on my blog.
![BRINGING OUR THE BEST IN M...]()
BRINGING OUR THE BEST IN MYSELF AND OTHERS
When I was a teenager, I had a serious argument with my Dad. I said, "I can be anything I want."
He adamantly shouted and forcefully answered, "NO YOU CAN'T!"
That conversation remains clear in my mind because I don't remember another time he raised his voice in such frustration. He laughed loudly, but he was quiet about his many difficulties.
It wasn't until years later, I learned that those of us with Japanese Heritage were discriminated so blatantly and not hired, even with college degrees.
Despite those words, I learned to embrace other parts of my Japanese Heritage that teach us to learn from nature and bring out the best in ourself and others.
![PASSING IT ALONG!!!]()
PASSING IT ALONG!!!
It's taken me a while to get used to my new life, but as I get organized I'm finding that when it is known that I am 80 years old, I get all kind of perks. By perks, I mean that the people helping me are compassionate and friendly.
My daughter once made the comment that she enjoyed introducing me to her Asian friends because they were automatically more respectful. It's nice to find respect and helpfulness more and more in "customer services" in general.
We've often commented that in taking a trip to Japan, we fall in love with their attitudes and practices related to customer service. I'm finding more and more of that good feeling here in the USA. Love it!
![DON'T LAUGH, BUT IT'S ABOU...]()
DON'T LAUGH, BUT IT'S ABOUT A YEAR THAT I'VE
BEEN CONSISTENT WITH AT LEAST 5000 STEPS A DAY.
Getting my daily/weekly exercise does not automatically occur in my thoughts and in my life. But I am committed to a mobile body until I die.
What has worked for me is to be consistent for short periods of time like doing the treadmill for 5 minutes a day and gradually increasing. If I feel inspired to walk around the park on nicer days, that's a bonus.
Some of my family and friends keep making fun of me because I like to bounce on the Rebounder. They say that isn't real exercise. I disagree. It has helped my "balance" and I can stand on one foot and keep my balance better than I did a year ago.
The best gift I have received is the Fitbit. It's important for me to have something to hold myself accountable. I can get to 10,000 steps every once in a while, but my main goal is to never get less than 5000 steps a day and maybe next year I will increase it to 6000.
![KEEP ON TRUCKING]()
KEEP ON TRUCKING
GAMBARU is a gramatical variation of "GAMBATTE!" - A word often said by a Japanese mother as she sends her children/husband out into the world. It has a mix of meanings: use self-control, persist, overcome all odds, succeed in what you are setting out to do, put forth your best effort, do it with dignity and grace.
I consider myself a professional and do counseling so I have a set of instructions in my skill set to follow. I can put on a good face when I'm crying inside. I haven't watched the news for the past year. I've watched a bunch of Hallmark love stories that help me shed happy tears. I've always needed more tissue for happiness and greatness. I have as many friends over, as will come, so I don't have to eat alone and I can shop for groceries and not have a bunch of food spoiling in the fridge.
The biggest help is watching NHK TV, from Japan, while I exercise on the rebounder. Appreciating and being inspired by nature is part of all NHK programing. A lot of my skill set comes from our Japanese Heritage. Sam's sister lost her husband earlier this month. I see her setting the same example set by her mother and my mother when each of them lost their husbands. I can hear one of the older aunties say, "Gambatte!"
These heritage values have gotten me through a year of lonely evenings. Now, it's spring and the days are getting longer. It tickles me to find these drawings that Sam left behind, "Keep on trucking" inspires me to share this skill set!!
![Great Grandma lived, her last ...]()
Great Grandma lived, her last years to age 90, on no Rx, on white rice and Shaklee nutrients because of her sensitive stomach, proving we can live on what Shaklee offers.
Today, my 11-yr-old granddaughter is sick and didn’t go to school. We had a talk. I suggested we have a secret between us. She agrees not to discuss it with anyone else and when we remind each other of our talk, we have a secret word that we are using. We agree that we want to be healthy enough to do the fun and fulfilling things of which we are capable with our talents.
The issue is that she has a sensitive stomach as well as a detail oriented personality and is more particular in her food choices. She is drawn to noodles, white breads and sweets. She is constantly told to be more like her younger sister who tries most anything and likes meats and vegetables. Their mother is good about buying organic and providing as healthy choices as she can.
I also explained that Mommy says, “Even Shaklee is junk food, look at the ingredients.” I explain to our granddaughter that Shaklee put’s better ingredients together and makes sure to preserve the enzymes by not using high heat for processing. So, it is better than most vitamins and food products.
So, the secret is: “I take vitamins from Shaklee to get all the nutrients I need. I eat as good as I can to get fibers, liquids and bulk; but I also sneak in the tasty stuff and treat myself all the time. DON'T TELL!!!!”
For sure the responsibility for my "good health" is up to me!
![SAM AND MY FIRST CHILD]()
SAM AND MY FIRST CHILD
As we work to put together the book about Sam's life and cartoons, I am reminded of the Beagle puppy, "Sonsie", we acquired from my co-worker during that first year of our marriage. We had an apartment a block away from MarketTime on Seattle's Capital Hill. We confined Sonsie to our bedroom when we were both at work.
One day, that first couple weeks we had her, I came home to find that Sonsie had pulled out the biography book of Walt Disney from the book shelf and had begun to chew on it.
It was clear that Sam's smell was deeply imbedded in the book and Sonsie was using it for a comfort toy.
![THEY SAY I HAVE THE SAME...]()
THEY SAY I HAVE THE SAME TELEMERES AS A 41-YR-OLD
A landmark study done at UC Berkeley and research done by Nobel Prize winning Elizabeth Blackburn suggest: "The Shaklee population was only one-third as likely to have telomeres in the bottom quartile based on other studies that examine short telomeres and their relationship to a long healthy life.
TELEMERES are like the plastic tips at the end of shoelaces that protect our chromosomes and DNA. Dr. Blackburn is on the Shaklee Advisory Board and is considered the top authority on Telomere Studies.
![Be positive NEURO-PLASTICIAN...]()
Be positive NEURO-PLASTICIANS!!
WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN BIRTH/LIFE AND A FELONY?? At what point do we call it a ‘SIN”?
Dr. Leaf, neuroscientist on YouTube explains, “You (all of us) are a Neuroplastician. You are able to perform your own brain surgery. We are wired for love. We learn fear. Fear is not normal, it is wired by choice. Every thought lays down a brain cell.”
If we are wired for love, why do we have toxic thoughts? God gave us the ability to think and make choices. We are not robots.
Dr. Leaf gives us an example of a patient who was brain injured at age 16 and told she would be a vegetable the rest of her life. The parents refused to accept the diagnosis, surrounding their daughter with positive prayers, voices, music, connections. The patient woke up and remembered it all, going on to be determined to graduate with her senior class and did so. An added bonus was that she had previously been poor in math and even her math score improved with all the positive input.
It’s working to ask for prayers and positive energy for countering the almost criminal behavior being put forth by some in my life circle. A lot of the chosen “tumor”, according to Dr. Leaf and others, can be “surgically” removed and prevented by choices!!! Appreciate the prayers and positive energy coming our way. It's never too late to change.
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