I live in a 55+ mobile home community. Last week, at the Women’s Morning Coffee Hour at our clubhouse, I was expressing my frustration with the office manager staff and their lack of communication with the ‘old folks’ in our community.

One of the women told me that companies don’t have to communicate with their customers (or residents), they can do as they please without letting us know what is going on. I was taken back by this comment. In reflection, I really believe that ‘Good companies do have good communications with their customers, clients or residents.’ I would be very interested in reading your book ‘Treat Your Customers.’

But in the meantime, this is a very timely article for me – to embrace the chaos and clarify what is important. I have learned to let things go, and to be grateful for what I do have. Thanks for this article and its wise words.

I can get up early in the morning and go for a walk – that is enough. Although I enjoy walking partners, I also appreciate walking by myself. I can reflect and meditate and enjoy the nature around me.

I live in a 55+ mobile home park with trees – there’s always room for more trees – but I am so grateful for the trees I see out my windows. That is enough.

The houses, telephone poles, etc. and the trees don’t get in the way when I look up at the sky and clouds. I can see and enjoy the sunsets from my backyard and the sunrises from my front yard.

A couple of evenings ago, my husband and I went for a walk around our community – just as the sun was setting. There were clouds everywhere in the sky, all lit up in gorgeous pinks and oranges. As we went around our neighborhood and gazed up in the sky, we had a 360% panorama view of the sky, clouds and this amazing sunset. I was able to capture three good photos of this sunset. That was enough.

I have supportive neighbors, I live in a safe community and I can see the sunrises and sunsets. I can go for early morning walks. I can take deep breaths – both physically and spiritually. That is plenty, that is enough.

My family would say that I am a loving person and that I never will give up on my children. I prayed for and loved my daughter even when she was rebellious as a teenager and young adult.

Now that she is married to a wonderful man and they have a baby, my daughter thanks me for caring about her – with unconditional love.

I know that my son-in-law and daughter will love their daughter (my grand-daughter) with unconditional love.

I know I was able to pass on this motherly love, because I learned this unconditional love from my mother.

What did I learn – never give up on your children and love them unconditionally.

It’s my son-in-law’s first Father’s Day and he is such a wonderful husband and dad.

When I was young, I hoped to be both a teacher and an artist.

So, I fulfilled my hopes of being a teacher when I was a homeschool mom and it was such a joy to teach my own children. Now, I am photograph and photo edit flowers in an artistic style. But my next hopes and aspirations is to become a professional flower photographer.

I really enjoy capturing the beauty and character of flowers outdoors in nature and in my garden. It is indeed a ‘Zen’ experience for me and I feel so at peace when I am with the flowers.

What I am dealing with is the limitations of others. I was trying to push someone to have a greater understanding of a situation that I am dealing with, but have been told by others that this not going to happen.

I need to realize that by understanding the limitations of others, I can find ways to ‘move beyond’ for a situation, even with the limitations of others involved in this situation.

What might help me ‘move beyond’ – Letting go and Letting God..

Everyone has limitations and instead of trying to push others and myself beyond our limitations – to release the situation (and our limitations) to the universe and to the Divine and to let go.

I am learning photography and enjoy taking photos of flowers. As I develop this skill and talent, my style is indeed unique as I edit my photos to look like paintings and I think they are are quite artistic. I would like to find a way to share my flower photo/art expressions with others.

For those (like myself) who are artistic and creative, this is ‘who I am’ and what can be shared and enjoyed by other people.

This is a very timely question as I have been pondering and searching for a way to share my nature visual art with others. Perhaps it is time to pray and meditate to allow God, the Creator, to show me the way in which I can share my unique artistic flower art with others.

I can find a way, with God’s insight, to ‘bow out gracefully’. I have been walking (for exercise) every morning with a neighbor but she is so negative and judgmental and it is hard for me to keep our conversations positive and uplifting.

I appreciate the exercise and fresh air and being able to have a ‘walking partner’ but I no longer feel comfortable around her. So, I am grateful for the past 6 months in which we walked together every morning, and now, I am seeking a way (which I know God will reveal to me) to be graceful in bowing out of this ‘crisis’, so that I can exercise in a positive and enlightening atmosphere. And hopefully, she will find her own way to exercise that brings her peace as well.

I am grateful that an arrogant Pastor is teaching me to be humble. I am glad I am not in his position – a pastor of a large, mega church but instead in a position where I am part of the cleaning crew for here is where I am learning to be humble. I am grateful for my humble position and that I can turn to God and know that God cares about all of us. And God listens to each of us as I can have a direct and personal relationship with God and listen to God without intervention nor being influenced by anyone.

When I lived near an elementary school, during the school year, I try to go for my morning walk after the children are in school. One morning I was walking about 20 minutes after my local elementary school has started, I saw a young boy, who was heading to school, he was very late but just taking his time heading to school. He had a clear drinking cup and was looking through it at everything in his pathway – a post, leaves, the sky, trees, the sidewalk, grass, etc. He was using this clear plastic cup like a magnifying glass or a kaleidoscope and he was learning so much as he discovered the world along his way to school.

I am sure he would be scolded at school by his teacher for being late to school, but I was so tempted to tell the principal that this young boy was already learning and discovering, even before he entered his classroom. I hope this boy will always continue to find ways to explore this amazing world we live in.

Kevin, I am an amateur photographer and really enjoy capturing the beauty of flowers in my garden and in nature. I came across this photographer’s blog and he encourages travel photographers to purchase Luci Lights to give to those living in poor countries, in huts with no electricity.

Here’s the link: http://www.davidmiddletonphoto.com/the-magical-luci-light/

On a photography forum, I included this link in one of my comments. One of the photographers had posted his photo of a beggar when he traveled to a poor country.

So I shared that I am so inspired about this professional photographer (link above) who wants to give back by giving away Luci Lights to the poor, when he travels to Third World countries. And I do think that if you take a photo of a beggar, street person, or homeless person, give them something for taking their photo – a meal, socks, warm hat or a Luci Light, etc.

But the other photographers on this forum told me that the photography forum was not the place for ‘shoving your morals at others’ and told me to delete the above link in my comments. I just left that forum.

But shouldn’t we give back when we take? Especially someone in need.

So inspired to know that you want to find ways to put your photography to use in ways that serves others.

I want to find a way for my photography to support nature programs and charities that help clean up the environment.

I too have struggled with money and how to earn and save money. I have read books such as ‘Think and Grow Rich’ and watched the movie, ‘Secret’ which is based on a book (written at the beginning of the last century) titled ‘The Science of Getting Rich’.

What these books teach us is not to get ‘filthy rich or greedy’ but that we are entitled to live in comfort with all our needs and even, our wants (considerate wants) provided for. And also, to be ‘rich’ enough to generously give back. I am still struggling to get to this level of being ‘rich’ because I do want to give back. Instead of just buying a few groceries for my local food bank, I would love to have the money to build a homeless shelter. This is the kind of ‘rich’ that these books teach others.

A ‘crisis’ doesn’t have to be a big situation. I do not like grocery shopping when the store is crowded but sometimes, I find that on a weekend is my only opportunity to shop that week. When I remember, I practice being centered and ‘grounded’ and find inner peace and calmness, when I am in a hectic and crowded situation, even at a grocery store. And then, instead of driving on the highway, I find myself taking the back road home, which is slower but more relaxing for me, and I can enjoy the beautiful, peaceful scenery.

Mary Anne, it seems we have even more in common that you realize. I was born and raised in Canada. Vancouver Island. I met and fell in love with a Texan, yep, a Texan. I know Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors but He didn’t say anything about marrying a neighbor but I did anyways. And I am still happily married to this Texan, who is as crazy as I am. I feel like I live in twilight zone at times, as I am not very patriotic towards any country. But I do have somewhat of a perspective of both borders of the USA. And my concern is world peace and that, throughout the world, all leaders and all people – world peace should be our concern. How do we make this a safe place, safe from corruption and crime, for all people throughout the world? There are easy answers, we just put down our weapons and stop attacking each other – verbally and physically. But easier said than done. The thought that came to my mind is not just to light a candle in my own retreat corner of my house, but to light a candle for others, in other lands and places.