UPBEAT


TIMES


Santa Rosa, CA. ~ I’d slept errati- cally, waking up on that Saturday morning a bit off kilter. Tank- fully, I had the day off to repair. I’d gone for a wonderful hike on Friday morning, nearly having Riv- erfront Regional Park to myself.


I’d also had


an “Aha!” as I like to work on my personal problems sometimes while I stroll.


I was


feeling stale at some of my singing gigs: what was missing? What would something new and fresh feel like? Swinging my arms and speeding up my gait in the gentle morning sunshine, I wondered what I was missing, what was I wanting to feel again?


Suddenly I knew: “Sponta-


neous!” I hooted out loud. Being with others creatively in a heart-felt, freely expressing way. Connecting, ideas flowing, reveling in the play of shared moments. Apparently, I was sitting on my


spontaneity during some of my gigs. So I woke up Saturday remember- ing my revelation from the previous day. A feeling of renewal, alertness, promise, good fortune was again on my mind, even as I felt a bit dulled by insomnia. I headed to Foothill Regional; it’s closer. I parked, and started for the trailheads.


Near


the street were three adults with a dozen enthusiastic children, all shouting over one another. I de-


From all of us at Upbeat Times:


May your


holidays be filled with Love, Good Health, Laughter and Happiness!


“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” ~ Steve Maraboli UPBEAT TIMES, INC. • DECEMBER 2019 • Pg 23


BIG HOLIDAYGUIDE #2


SPONTANEITY [spon-tah-nay-ih-tee] Living the Upbeat Life by Marcia Singer of Santa Rosa, CA. ~ www.lovearts.info ~ lovearts@att.net


cided to head out in the opposite direction, LOL. I wanted quiet, if Saturdays could offer that at all, to continue listening to my inner places.


I walked for 45 minutes, zig- zagging down the hillsides,


keeping to


myself mostly, avoid- ing other hikers. But now, getting close to the trail’s end, in front of me, walking in the opposite direction on a single, very narrow, shared pathway, were two young moms with


kids. One had a babe tucked close to her in a harness. Te other was carrying a little girl, maybe 3 or 4 years old. Tey didn’t see me at first. As they were drawing very close, I called out from behind the border- ing trees: “A grandma-type person is approaching!” Soon we all were standing together in a small area of the woodland, near a pond. Gosh they were lovely --like encounter- ing deer. Te little girl fastened on me: “What’s your name,” she coaxed with inquisitive eyes. “Marcia,“ I said, What’s your name?” “Mel- ody,” she chimed, with clear delight. I teased whether “Melody” was like singing a song? I asked in a sing- song-y voice, which made everyone giggle. I wasn’t expecting –or prepared—


for what happened next. Tis lovely little angel reached out and placed a


From P.A.D.


small hand squarely, gently, on my leſt cheek, while she gazed into my eyes. I was transfixed in the sweet giſt of the moment.


She was the


old soul, I the newbie. We simply eye-gazed for a long few seconds, with the others holding the space. Melody gently took her hand away. Still gazing at me, she announced her name again, three names actu- ally, in three parts. Her mother let me know I’d just been giſted with a revelation of her daughter’s full name… I was now family of some sort.


Melody’s mom then asked


her daughter if she remembered what song they’d been singing at the Farmer’s Market earlier? Soon everyone but the baby was sing-


ing a chorus of “Tis Land Is Your Land.” And soon too, it was time to part. As we waved our goodbyes, I had another ‘aha.’ I’d just shared a spontaneous, free-spirited, impro- vised Moment To Remember in the gig called my life. A lesson in the Zen practice of Beginner’s Mind, in a fresh, innocent, non-judgmental, curious, kind way to Be. Tank you Melody, in


a word, for the shared spontane- ity. And I say yes to much more of this in 2020. Happy Holidays!


Shining deLight,


DECEMBER 2019 Weird Facts &


Fun Trivia - 4


Igneous rocks are formed by volcanoes. When a volcano erupts, it spews out hot molten rock called magma or lava. Eventually the magma will cool down and harden, either when it reaches the Earth's surface or somewhere within the crust. This hardened magma or lava is called igneous rock.


Examples of igneous rocks include basalt and granite.


The word "igneous" comes from the Latin word "ignis" which means "of fire."


A biome is way to describe a large group of similar ecosystems. Biomes have similar weather, rainfall, animals, and plants. There


Marcia


are a number of biomes on planet Earth.


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