catch up and OHM

Friday we had lunch with Roma and her new fella Marty, nice guy, very laid back and quick of wit n mind; they called in briefly yesterday evening on their way to the airport, bringing lots of goodies with them, freshly picked oranges and roses.
Lau finally sent thru a pic of her new tattoo, wow it isn't small and discrete by any manner or means, but very nice gotta admit, OM surrounded by lotus flowers
we popped out for a glass of wine with Keith Sunday afternoon, he is missing his girls, apparently Martha has a broken arm, it was done at nursery here before she left, they knew she had taken a tumble and had checked her over and she seemed OK, but when back in UK she suddenly stopped using her arm, so off to the hospital where they found a green stick fracture, so now she is causing chaos roaring around with a cast on her arm.....be good to see them again at the end of the week...
we are still awaiting the grandchild.....
poor Cyn has just had news that her mum has cancer and has to have her spleen removed and some radiation and or chemo, at 76 this is going to take a heavy toll on her, so it looks like Cyn will be heading back to Canada sooner rather than later........we will keep them in our thoughts.......

Healing Past Hurt
Our Evolving Language

There are many troubling phrases in our language that we use without considering
their full meaning simply because they have been accepted into common knowledge.
Even as our ideals progress, our language maintains some phrases from our past that
no longer serve us, for example: Boys don't cry; good child; boys will be boys;
problem child; illegitimate child; and many more. While these phrases may be used
without harmful intent, they are inherently negative. Children can be especially
sensitive to such phrases, which may stay with them their whole lives, adversely
affecting their self-image and wounding their self-esteem. We can create positive
change by choosing not to use these words and phrases as we come across them in our
vocabulary.

It is challenging to examine our habits in terms of the words we use to express
ourselves, but it is also exciting. Language is an area where we can exercise our
free will, creating positive change in the world around us by simply choosing
carefully the words we use. It may seem like a small thing, but our words have a
rippling effect, like a stone thrown in a pond. People naturally pick up on the way
other people speak, consciously or unconsciously changing the way they speak in
response. We don't need to actively try to influence people; it happens without our
even thinking about it. All we have to do is choose to be more conscious ourselves,
putting to rest words and phrases that are outmoded, insensitive, or harmful. We can
also exercise our creativity by creating new phrases that carry positive and loving
energy to replace the old ones. 

You may already have some ideas about phrases you'd like to transition out of your
language, and now that you're thinking about it you may come across many more. As
you consciously decide not to use these phrases, you may feel lighter and more
joyful, knowing that you have chosen to drop baggage that was handed down to you
from a less conscious time. As you do so, you elevate the language for future
generations who would no doubt thank you if they could.