Then and Now

I went to pick up Elvis last night after work and he looked l-o-v-e-l-y!  Wow!  His snappers are gleaming white, his nails clipped, quite dazzling...BUT he was not very happy about all he went through.  He was still woozy from the effects of the anesthesia and he complained about it all the way home.  Plus he did not wake me up all hours of the night!  He's much better this morning and I'm grateful.  When I was a child I NEVER heard about a dog going to get an annual, dental work, etc.  Actually, even for any of us children to go see a doctor was a very big deal, avoided at all cost.  Something had to be desperately wrong.

Most physical, mental, medical, etc. problems were either denied, minimized, rationalized.  My mom swore by BC powder, my dad by Mycitracin (a forerunner of Neosporin) and any other ills the local curandera would advise on how to proceed or perhaps a quick visit to a neighborhood store, El Porvenir, where a vast assortment of salves, perfumes, tonics, spices and exotic cures were available.  The smells of pan dulce more than wafted, they dominated.  The perfect freshly baked yellow cakes with pink icing, empanadas with apple, pineapple or pumpkin fillings, multicolored sugar cookies, and pig shaped gingerbread. Even the ceiling was full of merchandise like festive colored pinatas, long streamers of crepe paper that a large electric fan blew into a slow dance of peace and in the background a radio softly playing songs of Tejano music.  Quite an experience.

Now, in these times, prevention and wellness checks are a big part of self-care.  No pinatas swinging at the doctor's office and no music either.  Clinical sterility.  Any form of entertainment is provided by moi when I take the Kindle or listen to mp3s on the cellphone, except for maybe magazines.  I'm merely pointing out how different it is today.  It's not bad, just different.

Working the 12 Step program is different than having no program.  Whereas my life had become a black and white motif of nothing changes if nothing changes it all changed when I arrived into these rooms.  When I came to the 12 Steps, went to meetings, practiced these principles (H.O.W.) in all my affairs, prayed and meditated, connected to my Higher Power to start or re-start the day, read the literature, reached out to others, etc. my life changed into a brilliantly colorful array of infinite possibilities.  Quite an experience to know the difference.  For the grace of GOD I'm deeply grateful.

Dear Sweet Higher Power, thank YOU for all.  Please help me stay in the Sunlight of YOUR Spirit and to be of service to YOU and YOUR Creation.  As YOU Will.  Love, Carol xoxox