philosophy #1

I decided that I need to include a short explanation for each of my 'discoveries' that I comprised in (GramScilla's) Mom's Philosophies...

Since I will do this one at a time, I am adding a new category in my Label list, so if the time ever comes, I can access these 'explanations' in an organized fashion...of course...these will also have the 'Reality Check' label since my perception of reality is the impetus for any philosphies I discover...

So here goes........

Lesson:

1. It is a smart man who learns from his mistakes….it is a wise man who learns from the mistakes of others…

Explanation:

I always thought I was being really smart

because I tried to learn from my mistakes...

I finally started to figure out, however, that it was alot less painful

(not to mention, less humiliating)

to learn from observing the faux pas of another

while I looked on, totally unscathed and unridiculed

by the jeering crowd(s)...

This is a good theory to practice while you are in your younger years so you don't think you have to make every mistake in the book for yourself...but as we grow older and somewhat more experienced, it can be a bit self-serving which takes me to philosophy #2.....

(ignore 'the new look' link...again...)

GramScilla's philosophies...

This is an on-going list of

'lessons learned'

that I like to contemplate and discuss with Hub and whoever else will get in the mix...

...my kids will attest to this...

Enjoy... :)

(GramScilla’s) Mom’s 22 Philosophies (or things to think about):

I realize most of the ideas and concepts found here are not original in nature but they are simply a compilation of my words & thoughts of 'things I have learned' over the years (and am still learning) that I hope have helped me ‘progress’ in my life.

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1. It is a smart man who learns from his mistakes….it is a wise man who learns from the mistakes of others…

2. It is a good principle to control the impulse to do what comes naturally to us and do what is right instead…

3. A wise man opts to apply self-discipline rather than waiting until the consequences of his choices are thrust upon him…

4. It is not enough to want to become something—we must realize that it is necessary to do what it takes to become that something…

5. We must carefully set our boundaries & priorities that are self-serving; but when it comes to serving others, there should be no limit…

6. A principle is just a ‘good idea’ until it is put into practice…

7. Do I live my life ‘acting’ the way I want to act, or simple ‘reacting’ to situations & people around me?

8. As we go through life, there is infinite more satisfactiion in being a 'doer' than in being a 'watcher'...

9. The choice to truly love is not the emotional bond created with another but the charity that is shared with another...

10. The possibility of romantic love is not in the presence of instant atttraction but in the absence of instant repulsion…

11. Patience and complacency are not synonyms—to be patient is a virtue—to be complacent is a sin…

12. Do I follow my opinion and justify it as compassion or do I live with compassion and allow it to become my opinion?

13. Organizing your life is the same process as mastering your thoughts…

14. Circumstances should never govern your actions--rather, let your actions govern what your circumstances will be…

15. Young people tend to abuse their bodies--not because they don’t care about them, but because they think that when they are old, they won’t care about them…

16. Patience in life is not merely waiting or suffering in silence. To be patient & kind, we must set boundaries and negotiate with empathy, love, and compassion.

17. The goal is not to control others…but to allow & exhibit self-control. Marriage & parenting teach this principle like no other.

18. Why is it that the natural care and self-reliance of our health is called ‘alternative medicine’?

19. Scientists are merely man-educated people trying to discover unnatural ways to eliminate the symptoms, results & natural consequences of our weaknesses and choices we have already made throughout our lives.

(I admit that this is a controversial statement and probably alludes to the fact that I ‘bite the hand that feeds me’…none the less, I am grateful for that ‘hand’ and realize the necessity of it…)
20. It's not what you do...it's why/how you do it...

21. Habits that aren't based on true principles are just comfortable excuses...

22. True principles and logical opinions are not the same thing...

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CHANGE is required in order to PROGRESS…both are processes of continual ‘tweaking - refining & strengthening’ the weaknesses and choices we encounter every minute of every day.

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I don't consider myself to have found all the answers...but I still wanted to have my 'personal discoveries' somewhere on 'GramScilla's Cherished Life'...

...so there you have it...

...now if I would only apply them in my life...sigh...

...things I am learning...

I am definitely a believer of

"...all these things shall give thee experience,

and shall be for thy good."

D&C 122:7

...although my trial(s) are not as devastating as those of many loved ones right now, I think I am getting some 'experience' from having my 'calcaneous fractures'...

I hope I am learning from this experience so I can use it to make me a better person...

Here is some of what I have observed thus far:

I am way too old to be jumping off ladders...

(I always feel compelled to state the obvious...)

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"The Lord is good to all:

and his tender mercies are over all his works."

Psalms 145:9

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...knee caddies are much easier to use than crutches...
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...the Lord blesses us even if we aren't aware of the blessings...

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I need to be way more patient and grateful to those who are just 'trying to help'.....

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I need to be more patient with the healing process and accepting of what I can and cannot do...

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"Everything will be okay in the end...

...if it's not okay...it's not the end."

(...this is my 'monthly quote' for February...but I need it now...)

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Life is Good

...update...

...so it's been 10 days since the big 'accident'...

...on Wednesday (a week after) we went to Dr. Hale's (podiatrist) where he adjusted the splint, rewrapped and said,

"...see ya in 5 weeks..."

I got some 'colorful' photos before I went...

...the bruising & swelling are greatly diminished...

and the pain is minimal...

...but the trek to the garden still seems long...

...good thing we're not still living in the 'big' house... :)

(I don't think I'll ever take my mobility for granted again...)

I still feel somewhat of a 'beached whale'

when I try to take a bath

but I've almost caught up on my posts so I hope to get on to more projects in the near future...

It has been fun to have so many visitors and calls and emails...

(and 'comments' on my blog...)

Even Kenny came by to see me...

and thanks Pam, for the yummy pecan rolls...

(what I won't do to get attention & treats... :)

Thanks to VT and family and Hub & Angi for all their constant service...

(it has been kinda fun getting breakfast-in-bed every morning...

I assume that will have to stop at some point...sigh...)

We are going to pick up a knee-caddy today...

I am so excited...

and so blessed...

(I can't seem to get rid of 'the new look' link however many times I try to delete it...so don't click on it...it is obsolete...)

...muy escusa...

Calcaneous Fracture(s)...

Due to the information found in the following post, I will finally be adding my December posts although somewhat retroactively...

(if you are interested in following those experiences, you will need to scroll down from time to time since I will be pre-dating those happenings of December...)

So...back to the current post:

I must have a sub-conscious aversion to taking down my holiday decor...

I remember the January I was pregnant with Angela (who was born in August), I was feeling quite poorly so my sisters, Marci & Lisa showed up and proceeded to take down my Christmas decorations, box them, and put them away...

(I think it was close to January 30th)

I must say...I was never so organized...

...thanks guys...

I think I still use some of the apple boxes that they wrote "Christmas" on...

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well....this year in January (at least it was on the 5th)

...actually it was last Wednesday...

(here-to-forth known as 'black Wednesday')

I was getting towards the end of de-decorating by retrieving boxes from the top shelf of my closet...which is about 12 ft. high...

...after handing 'the big blue tub' (note it is no longer on the top shelf) down to Hub, I decided to 'hop' down and found myself... jumping.....no...leaping.....no... fa-a-alling to the floor.....

...agile creature that I am (not), I landed on my feet (left heel) and promptly fell to the floor, writhing in agonizing pain...

...fortunately, Hub did not laugh and tried to help me crawl to the bed...

...after about an hour of icing (along with alot of moaning & groaning) I agreed to go to Gilbert Emergency Hospital where x-rays & CT scans were taken...

I was silently praying that I wouldn't need surgery and so Hub gave me a blessing...almost immediately the E-doc came in and announced that while indeed I had multiple fractures in my left calcaneous (heel bone) I would not have to have surgery whereas 9/10 breaks of the calcaneous requires it...

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I had taken ibuprofen before leaving for the hospital and was feeling alot better by this time...we were given some pain scripts and instructed to go to a podiatrist asap...Dr. Tom Hale, a long-time friend who had also helped with my toe (another blog...another day) took more x-rays and discussed the prognosis... He kept shaking his head and saying, "...it's a miracle...so much trauma and no displacement..." After showing us about 8 fractures, we stopped counting breaks and started counting blessings instead...

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As you can see, there were numerous 'tender mercies' extended to us (specifically me) that day and in the ensuing days...not the least of which is a strong bladder...

...the 10 ft. bathroom trek is quite a challenge...hee

(thanks, mom, for teaching me to drink lots of water)

...I never needed to fill the prescriptions and am still praying for

'no cast necessary'...

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Hub and Angie have been so attentive and helped so much in my care and keeping the house running smoothly...not to mention putting those 'dratted' decorations away...

...all the kids (and grandkids -Ethan & Lydia) have been so thoughtful with cards and visits...

...and family near & far with visits, calls and 'well wishes'...

...check out the cool desk/table Hub got for me...

I am a blessed woman and this is yet another week

in 'GramScilla's Cherished Life'...