Mel at Melsdream loves her sister deeply. So? What’s the big deal?
She flew across the country because an excellent surgeon was scheduled to remove a malignant tumor from her sister’s mouth. Mel knew her beloved sister would be coming out of surgery unable to speak or eat. They had to remove her tongue.
On March 22nd, while Mel was taking a break from post surgical care-giving, she took solace in the blogosphere and left a comment. Imagine her still having this much medicine in her spiritual medicine chest:
Today’s Slogan
I think I want to tell the world:
Love more deeply.
Play.
Enjoy the warmth of the sun.
Splash in puddles.
Listen to the birdies sing.
Hug another person.
DO random acts of kindness and don’t just talk about doing them.
Buy someone a cup of coffee.
Color on sidewalks.
Blow bubbles.
Dance in the kitchen.
Sing off-key.
Wear mis-matched socks and be PROUD!
Post silly notes on the mirrors in public bathrooms.
Tell people they matter.
Thank you, Mel, for your fathomless, loving spirit.
The Golden Blankets are still in place!
Blessings.
***
Every Thursday
we OCCUPY this space.
We give this planet a shot of
fun, support and positive energy.
.
Share something you’ve been wanting to tell the world.
or
Do an Occupy of your own and add a link in comments.
.
This space thrives on positive material. Soul Dipper reserves the right to decline any submission that is presented with a flair for the negative, deemed to be derogatory or could be surmised as slanderous.
***
Α – Ω
Soul Dipper 
yes please i would like to do all those 🙂
Beverley, I strongly suspect that you will, then! Take photos of the mismatched socks! 😀 Big hug to you…
i shall take photos, i shall, i shall 🙂
What a wonderful response … and blog post. Interesting too, (this anger shall just bounce off the post here and not leave any negative energy here) as I am having to deal with significant anger that is actually not misguided or misdirected. Perhaps out of proportion as I allow my anger to bubble up. So now as I read this I know that I must summon grace and wisdom to find the correct words for navigating this terrain upon which I find myself.
That, Amy, is one of the wonderful things about you … Soul Dipper and this blog. It always makes me think.
Oh boy, Raven, it is so tough when anger bubbles through our veins. I will send out all sorts of good energy that you are able to bring it into line so it isn’t affecting your health. And remember that you are so loved and appreciated.
I am so very grateful to know you! You are just spectacular!
Whoops … I meant to say thank you.
O, my friend, thank you is rampant in that last comment! XO
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Hi,
I love Mel’s philosophy, enjoy life and make sure those around you can also enjoy life which in turn always brings a smile from a stranger.
Too right, Mags! This seems to be one of Mel’s most active gifts. She spreads her love of life everywhere.
Thank you Amy, for bringing us this amazing story of love and strength. When something minor upsets my balance I tend to focus on it, allowing it to affect my whole being. With her fun-filled message, Mel has inspired me to keep my minor worries in proportion, to remain grounded and to share out those golden blankets, whenever I can. What an awesome lady!
My small contribution this week is published on http://wightrabbit.wordpress.com
Methinks, Wightrabbit, that you just described a good number of humans! 😀 Thanks for contributing…I’m off to read it.
I had to come back here to let you know – I LOVED YOUR STORY!
So poignant, so full of life, so simple and yet so heartwarming.
Why is the world and all its people not more like this? Would we need another paradise then?
Amy, your blog has made my day. Thank you!
God bless
Shakti
Shakti, the secret is, there’s a bit of this in all of us. For some reason, the world chose to give power to the negative. With people like Mel, you, me and all our readers, we can expose our bit of goodness and encourage others to let out theirs Together, we can bring back, to varying degrees, the default of loving kindness intended for humanity.
Amy aunty, This post really made me think. I have done everything in that list; but after reading this poem I realized that, since last few months I am not doing these things too often except of Wearing mis-matched socks and be PROUD.
The reason may be anything; but rather than analyzing why I am not doing so, I would prefer to try & do these things again.
Thanks a lot for the remainder. 🙂
Arindam, heading off to school is always a thrilling thought. The reality is not so easy. Be gentle with yourself for all those feelings bubbling up. Going from a wonderful rural life into the chaos of the city is not easy. Going from knowing everyone to having people look through you is confusing. Having to adjust to new everything challenges us and stretches us beyond our comfort zone.
The richness of your questioning, the insights you are gaining, the difficulties you come through will carry you for the rest of your life. It is the difference between simply having wings versus having the strongest, most powerful and best aerodynamic wingspan technology could provide!
Your depth will mean you have x-ray vision that you’d rather not have – at times. On the other hand, you’ll be able to say thanks for it as you find yourself progressing to another evolutionary level. (Sometimes it’s painful, but keep your eye on “purpose”.)
I hope to keep you on my radar…your soul’s unfolding is going to be wondrous, Arindam, whether you till the land or lead a corporation.
Our family was tested last fall. And I must say it was a blogging presence that kept me on course. No, no, no I will not give in to negative energy. I am grateful for your presence here.
Georgette, the impact and effect of negativity on our health is incredible. We read about, we hear about it, we pay it lip service; yet continue to indulge and titillate with more doses of negativity – served intentionally and discretely.
Thank you for your determination…I’ll walk this path with you any day!
Oh tell people they matter.. !! please! What a woman.. c
Yes, Celi. Every single soul matters – including us. We forget so easily. If we overlook our gifts, what can we give others? Pride does not have to wear a cloak of arrogance. It can be adorned in confidence. Like you visiting a senior gent on Fridays, an hour’s drive away – each way -, and taking/sharing a dog that lifts that man’s soul from tedium!
You’re one of my heroes, Celi!
There isn’t anything further one can add to this moving story, besides thanking Mal for sharing her wisdom with us. I hope and pray her sister recovers quickly.
Mel wrote that a recent report was good news. They took a flap graft from one of her sister’s arms and that’s healing nicely. She can actually begin to each soft food now. That’s amazing! The whole healing process? About a year.
Just think…she could have just given up. Instead, she chose to continue being that beloved sister and wife.
Mel is an inspiration and an amazing human being. and Raven – I hear ya! I am in the same place. It’s a hard place to be and even harder to be kind to oneself from within it. This too shall pass (I keep telling myself, hopefully!).
With friends like Amy, and inspiration from people like Mel, who seem to have that innate ability to rise above situations that would leave me drowning in anger…to be able to practically and emotionally care so deeply, how can we fail, but to succeed in getting to the calmer more loving self. Thank you both and all.
You, my friend, have just described you! I’m so grateful we connected.
I’m “sending” you a Golden Blanket. It’s especially good for wrapping up to do an hour’s meditation. Okay…even ten minutes is good. Then…
“Wrap it around” the person who did or said whatever that hurt you. The first time, you might only be able to throw it at them. Throw it anyway! The next time, you might be able to hand it to them with your eyes closed. Do it! By the third time, you will have a smidgeon of sincerity.
Then watch. They’ll transform…right before your transformed eyes.
If this gives you a resentment…just give it a try anyway. I promise, it’s phenomenal. Even when we think we’d rather pin their ears to the blades of a Bell Helicopter.
I came here via Raven’s blog. How wondrous, a blog of the Positive. I am very moved by the story of the two sisters. Thank you so much for creating a space of positive vibrations – as you know, where the ripples join, it becomes a sea! We are not solitary waves.
Welcome, Sherry Blue Sky! I hope you are enticed enough to write your own positive entry and link it in a comment here. You can do it today, tomorrow or next week. Doesn’t matter as long as you join us! (I’m off to visit you now…)
AAhhhh – listen to the birds sing – they have such lovely melodies.
Beautiful words.
Isadora http://insidethemindofisadora.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/lighting-up-the-blogosphere-6/
Oops, Isadora…I responded to your link instead of your comment. Please refer there…
This is great. I love the idea of posting silly messages on bathroom mirrors. I’d heard once where someone wrote notes with lipstick on the mirrors. I think I shall make myself a collection of inspiring quotes written on post its and carry it in my purse for specifically placing in public bathrooms…maybe it’ll just lift someone’s spirits somewhere…
I love that idea, SuziCate. That’s a fabulous thing to do. Way better than graffiti on the wall of the loo… Plus, it would be very interesting to see what people would do with the notes. Is this fodder for another reality show? 😀
Excellent idea, Suzi.
Post-It notes are quicker, faster, and cleaner than lipstick which someone would have to clean up.
I really love doing random acts of kindness…it makes the day worthwhile.
I can see you aren’t going to do a “show and tell”… 😀 Good for you. The glory is yours as long as you don’t tell, me ol’ mom used to say.
Ooops – here I have been writing my little flicker to Light up the Blog-o-sphere every Thursday for weeks now and linking it back to your blog, not even thinking to put a link here. Anyhow I am pleased that you take the time to pop in and read and your lovely comment today was much appreciated. I enjoyed your post today – I smiled because I write notes on bathroom mirrors. It always makes my son smile (although sometimes it takes him a couple of days to notice it but that’s teenagers for you).
We often have to remember to ignore the “cool” that goes with the teen stage. Remember when we were back there? You bet we wanted to be loved! 😀
To me, this is a reminder of the gifts that are brought forth in moments of pain, both one’s own and that shared.
I agree, Victoria. We are so often given exactly what we need and don’t see it. Mel caught this in spades! Hope you are well, my friend.
I can only add that I feel as if I’m in the presence of a beautiful prayer ❤
Only? What a great description of Mel’s contribution. Many thanks, beautiful Kim – loving sister of Kay.
A tough read. My…
Though, we can either turn on the light or snuff it out…
Nice words to keep in mind. The little things really do matter and can mean so much to someone else.
So true, Totsy: “we can either turn on the light or snuff it out…” – our own or that of others. It’s pretty much the same amount of effort and energy to say or do something kind as to be negative. There’s great power in kindness…a different kind, but better. Fuel for the soul.
Wonderful thoughts from Mel . . . we can only live happily ever after on a moment to moment basis. 😀
Here’s to mis-matched socks and bubble blowing!
Can you dance with socks on, Nancy? 🙂 I suspect you could blow bubbles and dance at the same time!
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This list is so full of wisdom. Mel reminds us to play, to give to others and to ourselves, to enjoy each moment because they are so important and they can be taken from us just as quickly. This list is also a reminder that rather than being caught in the negative of what is happening around us and in us, that we need to find the beauty and joy that is life and to be grateful for all that we have/receive.
Thank you Amy
You’d nailed that one in spades, Sam! You see the spirit of Mel. Her desire to give to the world shines positive energy for all of us. No sitting around harrumphing for her!
I love how, we, on-line, in this format of blogging, are joining together to support, to share, to encourage, to laugh, to cry, to send out golden blankets of caring. We are awesome and we, each of us who blog and comment, are changing the world. It’s a humbling and exciting thought, no?
Exactly, Joss! The people who have an abundance of innate goodness merely need an invitation to let it out! Like our Canada Geese, while we hold a V-formation. We can take turns setting the pace, choosing the direction and helping each other when any of us need a rest. And sometimes we get to honk like hell in protest of whatever!
love the analogy.
Boy…talk about struggling with what to do with all this–I thank you for the abundance of kindness shared here. For me, that’s what Occupy Blogosphere is about…love. And I don’t think there can be too much of that.
For the prayers, for the golden blankets, for the thoughts/energy and great abundance of love shown to the sister, I thank you. Small words, hugely felt. I wish I could make them FEEL as big as I mean them.
I know the power of prayer.
I know they were heard.
Frankly, I couldn’t DO less than what I did–I wanted to do more, only the body said ‘enough’ as my mind fought with me about returning…..but returning was the right thing to do. As right as the going and remaining. It’s what needed to happen for the both of us…for all of us.
It’s tough being here while she’s still struggling there.
She tells me it’s horribly lonely and awfully quiet. LOL Chatterbox that I am, one never loses sight of where I am about the house. I talk with everything, whether it answers or not.
But I’m home–catching up on rest in between catching up on ‘stuff’ that needed caught up. And I’m trusting the process of all of this. Cuz it is a process……..
And today, I coloured with sidewalk chalk, sat in the sun, watched birdies and took the time to just BE.
It felt indulgent of me, but there you have it! Did it anyway!!
((((((((((((((( Amy ))))))))))))))))
Bless your heart for its hugeness.
And bless those who joined you in sending those thoughts and prayers our way.
They mattered.
Every single one of ’em.
Just as the people who went out of their way to offer them up matter..every single wondrous, wonderful one of ’em!
((((((((((((( the wondrous and wonderful ones ))))))))))))))
You are so welcome, Mel. You teach me how to be a sister.
Mel is so right, I loved what she wrote!!! Isn’t it amazing how many wonderful people there are in this world of ours, we all need each other.
The Blog world is definitely a way to plug some holes with love! 😀
This is truly grace and beauty under pressuere…
Mel is an inspiration…imagine the sister and the love that inspires this…lots of love and prayers for both of them and their families…
God bless you Amy for sharing…
Shama, I’m confident this type of sisterly love is no stranger to you. I am positive I could learn from you!
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