Planting Poison Ivy

Now that I have gotten your attention, I want to point out that most people in their right mind would not intentionally set out to plant poison ivy (the exceptions being serious botanists or other scientists who are doing research). We know poison ivy to be a highly toxic allergen whose volatile plant oils can make you itch so intensely you want to crawl out of your skin. Still, for all its known hazards, poison ivy can be a good thing.

Poison ivy is actually a very attractive plant. It's leaves growing in sets of three often contain a hint of red in their veining--leaving an extra bit of color on the forest floor. In fall when the leaves change, I have seen poison ivy growing up the side of a trees contain beautiful rainbow colors that took my breath away with their beauty. Equally pretty flowers pop up in spring and early summer, which also contribute to the plant's attractiveness.

The poison ivy plant contributes to the well being of many birds. The white berries of winter are often a favorite food for our feathered friends during the cold. There are also certain birds that like to use the hairy growth of thick poison ivy vines to build their nests. I appreciate anything that provides for the well-being of my winged friends.

The other benefit of poison ivy is what it can teach us. Coming into direct contact with it and having a reaction to it can give a person a greater respect for nature. Such an experience will cause you to walk gently and not take the world for granted. While we may not intentionally walk into such a painful experience, the lessons are invaluable and may be transferred to many other aspects of life.

Poison ivy is a great way to understand that everything in the world is not necessarily black or white. While it may contain pain, it also contains life. When we learn to appreciate both sides, the Universe opens up new levels of understanding. We are never the same, and abundance flows.

~CSE

Laughter Is Good For the Soul!!!

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Don't forget to SMILE!!!

What Your Body Knows About Food (That Your Mind Forgot)

Every good pediatrician knows not to panic if your child is only eating bananas (to the exclusion of everything else). Doctors know there are mechanisms at work in a toddler's body that make her/him crave those nutrients the body needs. Still, it's enough to make attentive parents nervous. After all, how can a child get all the nutrition they need if they limit what they eat? I believe the problem has much more to do with our programming than it has to do with our instincts.

I look back at all the food messages I was given as I grew up. Eat everything on your plate. You need a good balance of fruits, veggies, proteins, fats and starches at every meal in order to get all the nutrition you need. Don't waste food--there are starving children in the world. No "treats" until your plate is clean. You will sit at the table until you are done. And on. And on. Ad nauseam!!! Does this sound healthy to you?

What exactly is accomplished by all this programming? The result is a whole society of people who have forgotten how to hear what their bodies are telling them about what they need and instead rely on the thoughts they acquired from well-meaning but misled authority figures.

What if we were to consciously become aware of what our bodies were trying to tell us once again? We might hear them say, "I'm full now" after only a few bites. We might hear them say, "I would like some salad today," or, "drinking that Coke would make me feel tired and bloated," or "I need to stay away from fried foods today." The point is, most of us would probably eat much differently. We would probably look and feel much differently as well. We would age better and not get sick as often. We would have more energy.

Take a few minutes to sit back, feel yourself inside your heart, and ask serious questions about what you eat. Tell your body you are ready to listen to its advice and begin eating what it tells you. Your body will thank you by serving you with a clear head and much greater energy.

There is wisdom in your body if you take the time to listen to what it says!!!

~CSE