reSLience… a.k.a. resilience

More arrived in my inbox this morning that reminded me of blessings surrounding me. The retail world bombards me at every turn. Dave and I have already decided to simply pay the mortgage for a couple months as presents for each other for our anniversary and Christmas and feel blessed to have a home for our family. I know, I know… exciting. But we do feel so blessed to have a home, and four healthy children. And… Ralph Waldo Emmerson sums it up beautifully:

SUCCESS

To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty,
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

I looked up today and realized it was almost the end of March. When did that happen? When did the world hit the fast forward button and wake me up with only a few days until April?

I took a closer look at the image I had placed in the header of my blog and realized it was more fitting than I ever had imagined. Somehow, hanging onto a giant leaf, on the edge of a giant world, seems so poetic and fitting for the time that has escaped me over the past few months.

I took a trip across the country over the weekend. It was fast. It was very rewarding on many levels. And it let me press the pause button for life in Arizona. For just a minute I was suspended in time and able to sleep and breathe and just think of really… well… nothing more than what kind of coffee I would like to order from Starbucks and whether or not I should take an extra pen from the table with Ronald Reagan’s name on it for my colleague that loves and admires the man so.

The pause button put an interesting thing into play. As I returned to my regularily scheduled programming, as they call it in tv land, I slept. I re-emerged slowly. I enjoyed. I snuggled my family. I took a day at home to have the WHOLE HOUSE to myself. I savored the accomplishments of my family last week with regards to our garage. I sat on the couch. I watched some of my shows I had DVR’d. I just was.

Today I returned to work feeling a little off kilter. I was pleased with the award I carried into the office in my bag. I was happy to share some ideas and talk about next steps on a few projects. I had a great meeting where I didn’t even take notes, my great new outreach specialist did the honors. And… we just laughed. It was a work day very unlike some. It was full of email and things to do but nothing on fire and nothing near death.

I’m home now. My feet are up. My kids are all just being. My daughter is showing me how a heart works using a balloon filled with a small bit of air. I have found my way back to my blog and celebrating just being.

I found a Dixie Chicks CD in the car on the way home and belted out a few of my favorites. It felt good. The sunset was typical Arizona beautiful and Venus was just appearing in the twilight. The springtime air is full of delicious smells and as I pull into the driveway I find the windows open… breathing in… enjoying what is to be had of glorious March in Arizona. The desert can be so beautiful. The world can sometimes all seem so right.

Cycles of life continue on and I find myself just savoring all that is. Decompression is a good thing. Sometimes you just run out of the stress that makes you tick faster and faster. Once that source is gone… you find out what is at the core and what really matters. I know where I’m going. I love what I’m doing. Breathe deeply… decompress… and see if you might find there are answers in that breeze and that silence and in that incredible springtime air.

Greeters, Docent and Tour Guide overview session Saturday February 27 at 4 pm SLT. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Rockcliffe%20I/15/175/23

Volunteer Opportunities for New Resident Orientation and Socials

New Resident Orientation – this is helping out at the Rockcliffe Gateway with first time users of SL.

Social Sim Greeter – this is a VWBPE Central greeting, giving info on sessions and resources on conference and basic SL questions.

SWAG Docent – helping newer residents use resources, tools and objects in their swag bags.We have a sim set aside on Social to do this.

Social Event Greeters – A number of our social events have requested greeters. These are at designated social times.

We’ll be doing an overview of how these volunteer positions will work and do sign-ups. We’ll also sending out an email to anyone who signed up on the volunteer survey to make sure that they can still do the hours they signed up for earlier.

Virtual World tours guides and Docents will meet at a later date. If you are interested in helping with developing the material, assisting people to get inworld or doing the tours please email que.jinn@gmail.com

Reaction Grid
Forbidden City
Quest Atlantis
World of Warcraft
Club Penguin
Habbo Hotel
Runescape
City of Heroes

Sometimes there are things in Second Life that just take your breath away. This, was one of them. Kimmer got the announcement as an optional event to attend as part of Virtual Pioneers. Incredible find. Thank you to Spiff Whitfield, my afternoon improved for the better.

Elektra joined me and even knew how to cheer in Chinese! Nothing better than attending a worldly celebration with your wolf-friend from Italy!

Moira joined us then and captured things on film with me. She has a fancier computer than me so I have to envy her graphics. Either way… it is always fun to have a New Zealand photographer/minister join in the occaision!

Good afternoon? How can it not! It is the year of the Tiger!

*shakes fist at WordPress*

A fun thing… to see where you spend your time. I already sent them a note to ask when Second Life was going to be added. Maybe we need multiple usernames for different programs as well. Either way… a pie chart is always a good thing! And speaking of pie… that leads to needing something to drink. Why not consider milk?

I couldn’t sleep after 3 am today and found the most interesting things online. Monster Milktruck? When will THAT get added to Geekchart 🙂

In a stunning combination of GoogleEarth and a milk truck that seemed to have driven itself right out of Second Life, I was able to explore some of my day to day “Real” life. The only criticism I have to share is that my building still shows under construction even though we have been moved in for over a year. Come on Google!

Ok… I will now drag my sleep deprived self back to bed to catch a few more zzzzzz’s.

I am currently teaching a few courses online and found this today. I just loved it. I think it applies to any life you live in – first or second. See what you think:

A value is the worth that you place on something.
Your values are what you believe in or consider to be important.

Re-thinking your values is important to strengthening self-esteem because they help you decide what is right and wise for you.

Your values help determine the guiding principles by which you live. They influence your decisions and the goals you set.

For many situations in life, there aren’t clear cut answers… including this effort to explore values.

I especially appreciate the last point. I think so often when we are in conversations with others we are implying or imposing our values on someone else. It is extremely difficult to step outside those and go to a neutral place to consider the values of someone else.

No matter what though — I still love that blogger’s thoughts on profile quotes 🙂 I’m digging the value set he imposes as he reads others profiles in SecondLife! If only first were that easy 🙂

I hope you will join me!

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