This is a story about hair. My wife’s hair, of course, because the truth is, I don’t really have enough hair to be worth writing a story about.

JoAnn has been talking about this for a couple of weeks or so, but this morning, I started to really listen. The first thing I heard is that her hair is really important to her, and always has been, ever since she was a four- or five-year-old kid growing up in Kansas. “My cousin and I were neighbors, and we copied the Shirley Temple look,” said my wife. “We both had curls which our Moms pinned up for us every night.”

About 20 years ago, JoAnn found a new hairdresser and a new hairstyle that she really liked — so much that she used to travel 50 miles to get a new hairdo. I must say her hair really did look pretty good. Even I, a neophyte in these matters as I say, really loved how it looked… from the first time I met her.

But life changes, and you have to face your fear and trust the changes. And this is the point of this little story. A few months or so ago, JoAnn acknowledged to herself that, as she puts it, “My scalp actually hurts if I try to make my hair go the way it used to go. I told my hairdresser, and she agreed with me that we have no choice but to let it do what it wants to do.”

There was a little pause and she added poignantly, “It sounds crazy, but it’s been one of the hardest adjustments I’ve had to make.”

Letting life have its way critical to wellness

I can’t help thinking how important it is to wellness to let life move the way it wants to move. We always get into trouble if we try to fight life or force an arbitrary opinion or mindset into some situation.

Recently, for example, I had a wonderful conversation with a stranger who lives not too far away from where I live. We chatted for nearly an hour in a very spontaneous and easy way on a number of subjects of mutual interest and it was delightful. I thought to myself as I walked away, “I think I’ve found a real friend.”

Well, I hope so. But time will tell. Thus far there has been no response to a message I left on their answering machine. Should I try to influence the matter anymore? I don’t think so. I’m quite happy to let life decide what is the right thing in this situation.

How about you? What’s been your experience in this most important area of how we relate with life? Have you had similar experiences? Different experiences? I’d love to hear from you.

Wellness tips and resources:

Last week I mentioned a company I had come across named The Wholefood Farmacy that specializes in healthy, convenient, whole food-based meals and snacks along with non-toxic personal care items. I’d like to report on one of their products, Phi Plus, that I purchased.

To be brief, I like it. I really like it. It’s a substantial, interesting, tasty, rather remarkable blend of organic nuts, fruits, seeds, grains, legumes etc. etc. Putting it another way, it contains phyto-chemicals, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and fiber.

The list of ingredients is long – very long — from organic pumpkin seeds to organic freeze-dried strawberries, organic walnuts and organic Stevia leaf. A 2-oz serving has 4 grams of fiber and 5g protein. No added sugar. I munch some before heading out to the gym, for example, and take it on hikes or to the coffee shop.

I’m a tall, lean fellow with a high metabolism, and one of my problems has been finding something nutritious for my midmorning and midafternoon snacks. Phi Plus fits the bill very well in this regard. Another plus for me is that it’s synergistically prepared in such a way that it doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

Another company I found out about that may be of interest to you is a German eco clothing pioneer named Hessnatur. It was founded 35 years ago and makes over 1500 natural clothing products for women, men, kids and babies. JoAnn, who has skin sensitivities, only wears natural fibers like cotton or silk and I much prefer them too, so we intend to look into Hessnatur further.

I’m hoping that including concrete wellness resources and ideas such as these in my weekly post will add value to what I have to offer. Please note I will make a small commission on any sales.

Goodbye for now, and God bless.

Picture credit: Silverbluestar

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What does hair have to do with anything? is a post from: The Happy Seeker - Living with grace at any age

Is there any greater joy than finding a true friend?

When we do find a kindred spirit with whom we can share our thoughts and our lives—perhaps the burdens or joys of our heart — how it lifts our spirit.

One new friend who has appeared in my life since I started this adventure of blogging is Gail Brenner, Ph.D, of A Flourishing Life. A couple of days ago Gail honored me and four other bloggers with the Beautiful Blogger Award.

The award comes with two requests. I’m asked to tell you seven things about myself that you may not know, and then pass the Award on to five other bloggers. So here goes.

Seven things you may not know about me

 1. I’ve been working out at the gym for about eight years and find it a tremendous blessing in my life. I especially enjoy resistance training, which I do three times a week. Doing what I can to build or maintain some physical strength seems to have a positive effect on every other level of my experience.

 2. I love my coffee shop just as much as my gym. I enjoy the coffee — the only cup I have really during a day. But most of all I enjoy simply relaxing in a warm, comfortable environment where I can read a book and think my thoughts – all the while observing the people around me and loving the people around me.

3. I like going down to the creek at the back of our townhome complex and listening to the sound of running water.

4. I also love the sound of crickets in the evening, the cries of birds, and watching the ravens at our nearby shopping mall.

 5. I’m a walker. Maybe I inherited this from my Dad, who with a friend once walked all around the coast of Cornwall.

 6. I have a son named Durwin, and three grandchildren, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

 7. After spending much of my life trying to keep myself from getting drenched by rain in England or frozen by the cold winters in the interior of British Columbia – I give thanks every day for the sunshine in Colorado.

 And now I have the honor of presenting the Beautiful Blogger Award to the following bloggers, each of whom inspires me so much.

 1. Lori Franklin of Jane Be Nimble. “Striving for an agile body and mind.” I have not met a kinder, more determined, more generous-hearted soul.

   2. Keith Smith of Straight Up Living. “Life is now … don’t wait.” I love Keith’s compassion and strength. They belong together, don’t they?

  3. Patti Foy of Lightspirited Being. “Shine even brighter.” You’ll love Patti the moment you see her wise, smiling face on her site.

  4. Joe Wilner of Shake Off The Grind. “Advice for thriving, not just surviving.” Joe is totally dedicated to helping people stay strong and confident and motivated in these difficult times.

  5. Bill Gerlach of The New Pursuit. “One life. One planet. Live deeply.” Such a warm, positive, helpful spirit.

I wish I could mention some more blogs

I’m so sorry the rules say I can only name 5 “beautiful bloggers” in this post when there are so many more wonderful bloggers I would like to mention.

But I’m thinking of starting a monthly feature in November along the lines of “Top 5 bloggers for the month.” I’d really appreciate any help you could give me in this. If you have some favorite bloggers you’d like to honor do please pass them on to me.

A warm welcome to new subscribers

It’s time to go. But not before I offer best wishes and a warm welcome to the more than 300 new subscribers who have signed up for my blog (and downloaded my new ebook, The Wisdom of Serenity) in just the past 3 or 4 days.

A particular thank you to the bloggers and other friends who helped make this possible by encouraging me and publicizing the launch of my new book. I would especially mention my friend and mentor, Steven Aitchison, at Change Your Thoughts, Lori Franklin, at Janebenimble, and Jonathan Mead, at Illuminated Mind.

What a surprise it has been

The dramatic increase in subscribers has been one of the most exciting experiences of my life. I was practically glued to the computer. I’m still a minnow, of course, in blogging terms, up from 100 subscribers and now approaching the 500 mark.

But after a long haul I feel there’s a bit of wind in my sails at last. What a surprise it has been, oh yes. But that’s how life likes to work, isn’t it? That’s what it’s so good at.

Surely the seed of friendship and generosity is alive and flourishing even in these difficult times.

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Is there any greater joy than finding a true friend? is a post from: The Happy Seeker - Living with grace at any age

It has been a wild and woolly adventure getting this blog up and ready to go over the last few months. As happens any time we start something new, it has taken quite a bit of stretching — for the last thing I am is some kind of computer whiz. At the same time, it has been utterly magical. I still can hardly believe that it is possible to write a few words at my computer, and with a click of a button, release those words, and the spirit that is in them, to the entire world.

We live in a brave, utterly terrifying, and yet utterly beautiful and glorious time.I’m filled, in this moment, with a deep sense of gratitude for one of life’s most mysterious paradoxes. We can only navigate this life on our own. We are totally responsible, as an individual, for our choices in life — no one else can really tell us what to do. And yet on the other side of that, none of us could do anything if it were not for the abundance of kindness and encouragement and support that comes to us in so many different ways from other people.

I’m thinking, for example, in this moment, of a new friend named Easton Ellsworth, a computer geek (if he will forgive my use of that term) who recently started his own blog consulting business named www.visionaryblogging.com Easton lives in a small Colorado town quite close to Loveland, where I live. The simple truth is that I could not have penetrated the mysteries of blogging — to the extent I have penetrated them, which is not very much — without his wonderful encouragement and inspiration and support. Easton helped in every step of the process, particularly in the design of the blog, and of course continues to help me. He’s roughly the same age as my son Durwin, who lives in North Vancouver, B.C., and they both have three young children.

One of the books that really helped me in a difficult period of my life, after I had suddenly lost my first wife, was You Can Have It All, by Arnold Patent. He was speaking of the vital importance of mutual respect and cooperation if our lives are to be truly effective and fulfilling. The power, friendship and sheer pleasure that can be generated when we do find a creative partnership of some kind with another person or persons never ceases to amaze me. JoAnn and I were watching an NBC special the other day on life inside the Obama White House, and were so impressed with what seemed to us to be this same dynamic at work in those who are part of Obama’s team.

Another thing I want to mention, and gives thanks for, is the sudden appearance – like wildflowers in spring — of a few comments on this site. I’m so touched that people took time out of their busy day not only to visit the blog, but to drop off a few thoughts.

There is a vast pool of friendship, love and goodwill that covers the world and goes very deep. It does not get a lot of publicity compared to all the violence and mayhem that is going on. But it is there, and it is a beautiful thing when in the midst of our busy affairs — perhaps in as simple a way as stopping to chat with a neighbor — we are made more keenly aware of its existence.

We are here to nourish this “pool” of love, aren’t we? We are here to express our own particular unique spirit into this world to the fullest extent of our power, and what an adventure it is.

Anyone got their own story of “mutual respect and cooperation” at work in their life they’d like to share?

Thoughts on starting a blog — and on the giant pool of love in this world is a post from: The Happy Seeker - Living with grace at any age