Meet the Neighbor

My neighbor in New Port Richey.  Isn't he handsome?  Christmas colors!

Keeping Faith

We're in the second week of Advent, and I want to share this wonderful little essay by James Dillet Freeman on Keeping Faith. Upon reading it, I was inspired me and strengthened, and I hope it will do the same for you.

"Christmas is a way of keeping faith in the power and love of God and the goodness of things, even when we see only small evidence of their presence in the world around us. Christmas is more than just a festive celebration, a tinsel time for getting gifts and having parties. It is a declaration that there is an element---divine, isn't it?----in us human beings which is stronger than all our weaknesses, braver than all our fears, surer than all our doubts---something which in the darkest days proclaims its faith in the advancing light and, even through the worst of winter lies yet ahead, keeps confident that spring is on its way.

Let the snow fall as it may, and let the short days hang on dark and cold; there is that in us which refuses to submit to icy season or gloomy reason, but stops forth into the wind and snow and says in a cheery voice to the world and every passerby, 'Merry Christmas!'"

I Pray You Enough

A friend passed on this story.

Overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport.. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged, and the mother said, 'I love you, and I pray you enough.'

The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I pray you enough, too, Mom.'

They kissed, and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'

Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?'

'Well...I'm not as young as I once was; she lives so far away & has her own busy life. I have some challenges ahead, and the reality is - her next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said.

'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I pray you enough.' May I ask what that means?'

She began to smile. 'That's a prayer that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I pray you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'

Then, turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear..

I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Then, she began to cry, and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE.......

To all my readers, I PRAY YOU ENOUGH.......

Sending Super-Powered Christmas Cards

A dear friend asked me if I knew of any reliable websites selling Christmas cards that benefit good causes. What a great question!

My answer is yes, and here they are. I welcome any other ideas from readers...let's encourage one another to support good works, in the name of Jesus.

Here's a great place to start: http://www.cardsthatgive.org/

And few personal favorites: the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the oldest Peace promoting organization: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2507/t/12047/shop/shop.jsp?storefront_KEY=943

Another remarkable group is the mouth and foot painters association. Yes, these folks paint the art for cards, holding a brush in their mouth or foot:

http://www.mfpausa.com/

If you are interested in preserving endangered species...how about Florida's manatees?

http://shopsavethemanatee.org/holiday-items/2011-holiday-cards/

You can never go wrong with the sweet drawings made by the world's children, published as cards by UNICEF:

https://www.shopcardsandgifts.unicefusa.org/group.aspx?grp=7F9C1F03-EFCA-4372-B568-879AD07940C7

MAY YOU FIND GREAT JOY IN WISHING EACH OTHER HOLIDAY JOY!

Letting Go Creates Space for the Unknown

Even God cannot make two mountains without a valley in between.
— Gaelic saying

Taking time between....what a lovely concept. Autumn provides such a break in the calendar year...between our Vermont summer and Florida winter.

October has become a valley, by choice. I am enjoying the time to deepen down into my yoga and meditation practices.

This weekend, I grounded myself with a welcome stay at the Sivananda International Ashram and Yoga Camp in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. The fall colors were as healing and beautiful as the yoga classes, satsangs and talks by a visiting Tibetan monk, Lama Tenzin Yignyen, instructor of Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Hobart and William Smith College in New York. What a grand time to visit the Ashram...Thanksgiving weekend in Canada!

Yes, I gave thanks. And will continue to for this valley of earthly delight.

Season Changes...Take Good Care

We in the northern hemisphere have welcomed autumn. We find our days marked by less and less sunlight.

This week, I am launching a five week yoga course on "winterproofing" ourselves against the pitfalls of cold weather life.

Beyond the physical challenges of frostbite, head colds and falling on the ice...we Yankees face great challenges to our mental health with this seasonal change. Depression leaks in through the drafty windows. Seasonal Affective Depression Disorder (perfectly nicknamed SADD) can claim whole families.

While preparing for this special yoga series, I received the information on a Harvard study (below) from a friend. I thought the results were worth posting, as we all need to see the value of Self Care and the importance of working hard to Prevent Depression from gaining any ground in our lives.

Self Care is not selfish! Practicing yoga or other healthy pastimes benefits everyone in our lives. My wish for all this fall and winter is that we remember to love ourselves daily. As Swami Sivananda taught, "Health is wealth. Peace of mind is happiness and yoga shows the way."

Study: Depression associated with increased risk of stroke
September 26 2011

People who suffer from depression have a 45% increased risk of stroke and a 55% higher risk of having a fatal stroke, according to a new study.

In an analysis of almost 318,000 people and 8,478 stroke cases, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health also found that depression is associated with a 25% higher risk for the less deadly ischemic strokes.

The relationship between depression and stroke is important to public health, researchers note, because stroke is the leading cause of disability. Lifestyle factors that might explain the link between depression and stroke include having poor health habits, such as drinking, smoking and not exercising. Depression also is correlated to conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and other inflammatory diseases.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

What's a July Pie? Raspberry!

We picked fresh ripe raspberries in our backyard today...and tonight, in anticipation of our dear Sujata's arrival tomorrow....made a Vermont Raspberry Pie...whole wheat crust...topped with a Georgia peach. Yum!

Good King Wenceslas On My Mind

A day off in the hot Northeast. Cindy, our Havanese, and I floated in the pond. Bliss. I dozed, and, again, I heard the Christmas hymn, Good King Wenceslas, buzzing in my brain.

What? Christmas is five months away (and our first grandson's first birthday!), so why do I hear the Good King's story? Truthfully, it has been going on for years...the song is often what I wake up to in the early morning. Until I looked up the full set of lyrics, I couldn't figure out why my unconscious was reminding me of the carol. The last two lines are the message I need to hear:

Ye who now will bless the poor,
Shall yourselves find blessing.

The story is of a wealthy man who, with one of his servants, provides a fine meal on a cold winter's night to a poor man.

Good King Wenceslas looked out,
On the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
Deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night,
Tho' the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gath'ring winter fuel.

"Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence,
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine,
Bring me pine logs hither:
Thou and I will see him dine,
When we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went,
Forth they went together;
Thro' the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather.

"Sire, the night is darker now,
And the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
Mark my footsteps, good my page;
Tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod,
Where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod
Which the saint had printed.

Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor,
Shall yourselves find blessing.

I agree! Shall we all bless the poor?

Check Out My First Novel

ON THE EDGE OF TICKLE by Bethany Knight
available for just $1.99 at Smashwords

When we live to please others instead of our selves, sorrow flows. Young Ronny Wickerd suffers a heart attack, and suddenly, no one can pretend any more. The doctor prescribes a summer cottage, which the Wickerd family buys on Tickle Naked Pond.

Wife Arlene punches through her fog, wondering if she would be happier loving a woman. With no sense of her worth, Arlene takes a low level mental health job and finds her wobbly voice as a human rights advocate.

Leaving the granite sheds for nursing school, Ronny falls for poetry and the widowed town clerk. The Wickerd’s quirky daughter Teresa-Sarabelle lands them in family counseling, where more surprises await. Is she psychic or nuts? How does she determine the cause of death by analyzing handwriting? Can she actually “read” the history of an heirloom quilt by simply touching it?

Against the backdrop of a failing family dairy farm, Arlene’s parents try to make sense of it all, as senile dementia bangs at the door. Readers follow their lead; sometimes, it is better to laugh than cry.Set in the beautiful lake country of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, On the Edge of Tickle celebrates true love, authentic living and all that is unseen.
P.S. My husband, Thurmond Knight, painted the cover for the book! How sweet is that??

Springtime Yoga in the Green Mountains!

In just about 12 days, we will be back in our Vermont home, watching the Spring make its glorious return. Our Florida winter is over. We say goodbye to all that Florida has lovingly provided....great neighbors, grand weather, fresh fruits and vegetables, a wonderful church life, Jazzercise and painting classes. Plus the beach, roller skating, walks and biking.


Back in Vermont, we will busy ourselves with sailing, music, swimming, walks in the woods, sleeping in a tent, being with friends and teaching yoga. I dearly love introducing yoga to new students, as well as helping experienced yogis maintain their practice.


Our dogs are excited....they only need leashes in Florida! While we love our warm winter life, the privacy and quiet and 160 acres of Vermont are pretty amazing.

Two sweet poems, I'll dedicate to Vermont and Florida, written by Helen Lowrie Marshall:

Morning Prayer
Good morning, Lord,
Another lovely day---
Help me to keep it so,
Dear Lord, I pray.
May no small, careless word
Or deed of mine
Let fall a shadow there
To spoil the shine;
No act of kindness,
Thoughtlessly undone,
Make dim this lovely morning’s
Bright, clean sun.
Help me to keep this day
As good as new.
Till at its close I give
It back to you.

Living Prayer
Prayer has many forms, I think.
In ways, for more than words, we link
Our hearts and souls to God. Perhaps
But just some simple deed man taps
That reservoir of strength. No need
For words---his prayer lies in his deed.
Contrition, adoration, love
Devotion to his God above---
All praise, all glory, all thanksgiving
All manifest in daily living.
Words are as empty as the air
Unless we truly live our prayers.

Young and Mature?

The Ruby Red Grapefruit tree in the backyard is teaching huge lessons these days.

Her waxy flowers, heavy with an intoxicating fragrance, hang beside, above, below and behind her sweet, ripe fruit.

How is this possible? How does a tree flower and fruit simultaneously?

As a Northern girl, I am accustomed to the apple trees showering us with blossoms in May, and many months later, serving up baskets of yummy, firm apples.

The life journey of the apple makes sense to me: born as a delicate flower, it matures and grows until it becomes the tart fruit. Such development mirrors how we think of our own lives...from the baby evolves the adult.

But what is the Grapefruit suggesting to me? "You can be young and mature in this moment!"

Can I live today as a fresh new being?

And when necessary, am I able to call upon

the life experience and wisdom of days gone by?

Thank you, Princess Ruby, for your lovely lesson...flooding the senses with delight. Your heavenly flowers remind me of Jasmine or Gardenia scents....and your fruit defies comparisons.

But more than these sensory treats, dear Florida Beauty Queen, I thank for demonstrating what my yoga teachers have always taught: be open and flexible like a girl, while strong and able as a woman.

Live Every Day As Valentine's Day

Being out of the country for three months, I didn’t miss US television (just American Idol!) When I did get a chance to watch a few shows here, I noticed something that really bugs me. So many programs feature people judging each other, and judging each other horribly!

On Biggest Loser, I saw people vote their friends off the show. On the political talk shows, I listened to politicians bash each other. Even on Idol, it is painful to see young singers crushed by criticism.

Somehow, we Americans have decided it is okay to publicly put each other down. What happened to the Golden Rule, “Treat others as you would like to be treated”? Or “Love one another, as you love yourself?”

Of all my Valentine wishes, I pray we continue to support each other, praise each other, thank each other, count on each other. Our lives are too short to be divided or in conflict. I think we all agree, that whether at work or home or at the store, being kind to one another is the best practice.

I believe we are here to love. Love ourselves, our families, our friends and in fact, love everyone who shares our day. Love shows up as kindness, courtesy, honesty, respect and positive energy. May your every day be Valentine’s Day. (Pictured here with a friend on my birthday.)

Forgiving and Loving

In 2001, the Dalai Lama answered a question during a Peace Pilgrimage in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As one of the participants in the multi-nation, multi-faith event, I was curious how he would respond.

An American woman said, “I have studied Buddhism, and think it is such a wonderful philosophy. So reasonable, so peace making. I think I should become a Buddhist. Do you recommend conversion?”

True to his easy manner, the Dalai Lama first smiled and chuckled.

“Where do you live? Is there a Buddhist community near you?

The questioner replied, sadly, that her Illinois city had no Buddhist center or community.

His Holiness asked, “What places of worship are near you?”

“The closest church is Episcopalian,” she replied.

“Well, then,” he smiled, “Go be the best Episcopalian you can!”

Vividly remembering this wise advice, when traveling, I typically worship with whatever religious group is nearby. On Sunday, this meant I prayed with a United Methodist Church in Yalesville, Connecticut.

Here are two of the prayers we read together, which I feel are most worthy of sharing.

Prayer of Confession
Almighty God, we enter your presence confessing the things we try to conceal from you and the things we try to conceal from others. We confess the heartbreak, worry and sorrow we have caused, that make it difficult for others to forgive us, the times we have made it easy for others to do wrong, the harm we have done that it makes it hard for us to forgive ourselves. Lord forgive us through Jesus Christ.

Prayer of Dedication of Tithes
God of surprises, you grab our attention in the midst of life’s crises and reversals. As we return to you these gifts for your work in the world, we covenant with you to live as part of your blessing on others, as a manifestation of your love. We pray this through your grace shown us in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Whoever your guru is…Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Mother Nature….it seems forgiving and loving others is a Universal Practice we all can follow.

Celebrating 31 Years and 35 Days

Papa Elliot is 31 on the 31st.....and Malcolm just turned 35 (five precious weeks) so we had a party to celebrate these milestones. Here's (forgive me...) "Malcolm In The Middle!"

Mama Ali bravely took her first outing alone since the birthday...to the beauty parlor. Somehow, she looks even more beautiful!

When I was a baby, all the father's wore hats. I called them "Frank Sinatra Hats." Seeing this hat at at Marshall's, I couldn't resist. Elliot loves his Father Hat.

Kissing Malcolm is something his parents do all day (and sometimes much of the night!) long. What a kissable boy. Here, Mally is kissed by Mama, while Papa reads him some Dr. Seuss.

For our Birthday Luncheon, Grammie Pat, Ali's Mom, made her mother's famous and delicious Danish Kringle...poppyseed and raspberry...for the birthday cake. Grammie Yogie (me) brought special candles from India, as well as the tablecloth.

We spent much of Saturday as a family, sitting in the cozy house, watching Malcolm, listening to Malcolm, smiling about Malcolm, loving Malcolm. What a life!

Inevitable Inpermanence...thank you!

My first memory of wishing so hard something would not end was the Fourth of July fireworks. The Kiwanis Club of Kalamazoo (Michigan) my hometown, sponsored the show, which to a girl of 6 or a bit older, was as magnificent as this New Year's display over Helsinki.

What I recall so vividly is around the half way point of the show, I began to feel a rising sense in my belly that "The Big K" was going to light up.

The fiery capital letter signified the generous Kalamazoo Kiwanis July 4 Celebration had ended. How I wanted to postpone the Big K.