New Year ~ New Beginnings ~ New Me?

We all know that with each New Year there are certain ‘expectations‘ that come with it.  ‘Standards of Excellence‘ if you will.  We’ve come to know them as ‘resolutions‘†.

Resolutions vary from the mundane to the extreme,  some are highly thought out,  others just a whim. There are the standards of losing weight,  quitting smoking, exercise more, spend more time with the family,  get that promotion,  become healthier, etc, and we all know these very well. I’m not negating any of these,  as they are, and will continue to be, valid, but what about those ‘out of the box’ resolutions?

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do,  yet now(for your own reasons and/or restraints)are held back from or does it require a bit of adaptive thought to yet BE accomplished?  Is there a fear that needs conquering?  Is there someone you need to reacquaint yourself with?  Is there forgiveness you seek or needs to be given? Do you know who you TRULY  are and do those around you know ‘you’ too? Have you ever asked another person to describe to you what they see you as,  and is theirs and your own self description, for the most part,  similar and in tandem? 

Everyone desires to be the ‘BEST’ ME they can be.  Everyone wants to reach the resolutions they’ve set for themselves.  Everyone considers becoming the ‘NEW ME’. I say a new me is in the view of others. Don’t be afraid to ask others who you are. You may just find your new me in the ‘YOU’ they see, but you haven’t,  until now.

Happy New Year

Willoweagle

Survivor ~ Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) & Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

†RESOLUTION:.
Dictionary. com ~ Resolution
noun
1. A formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club, or other group.
Compare concurrent resolution, joint resolution.
2. The act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action, method, procedure, etc.
3. A resolve; a decision or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
Her resolution to clear her parents’ name allowed her no other focus in life.
4. The mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose:
She showed her resolution by not attending the meeting.
5. The act or process of resolving or separating something into constituent or elementary parts.
6. The resulting state.
…

 

Survivors, Generations x 3

Willoweagle ©2014

First… I WAS:
The Child of ‘one’
Then….I BECAME:
The ‘One’
Now….I AM:
The Mom of ‘one’
Survivors,
Generations times three,
Blood thicker than water,
My family tree…

Willoweagle

Only 3 MORE DAYS!!!!!

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Thrombosis: World Thrombosis Day

WorldThrombosisDay.org

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Really Weird Place Names: Missouri

Although not a native, as I’m one of ‘those’ Yankees… Worse yet that even after 25+ years ‘here’ I’m still considered,. even on the rare occasion, to this day  being publicly proclaimed (albeit done in fun and only by those close enough to get away with it 😉 ), a ‘damned Yankee’: Because I stayed… Lol

Now to get back on point here…

I just came across this funny, yet true, blog post regarding Missouri which has several references back to the Bootheel (the topic originating my net-search)

Even though I could SO expound and expand on several of these not so secret ‘secrets’ of my Missouri Bootheel I’ve asked more than once myself. I was relocated here from the State of Illinois (by the way there is no ‘noise’ in Illinois…we are a quiet yet stealthy people taught in the ways of  Chief Illini) where I’d lived the majority of my accumulated 20 life years at that point. To say I experienced culture shock would be an understatement. As, I say this with complete sincerity and adoration when I say that, there is no other place so unique as My Bootheel.. anywhere.

This is absolutely delightful questioning of the obvious that just can’t be read without a smile, and just maybe even a bit of a chuckle, by ANYONE who has ever been both honored and blessed to have ever set foot in God’s Country.

A Citizen of the Bootheel of Missouri:
Where there’s ONLY one Hill and and you give directions for anywhere headed North with words ‘just go over “The Hill” ‘

Cliff Blogger since September 2011

Willoweagle ♥

#StrokeChat Event BTYB American Stroke Association/Power To End Stroke

#StrokeChat Event

                                #StrokeChat Event
                        August 28 ~ 2:00-3:00 p.m. CST

If you should happen to have the time available to you, this is something I DEFINITELY recommend ‘attending’ no matter whether you should participate or stalk. I only say this as it’s much better to be aware and have information that may (hopefully) NEVER be needed, then to be made INCREDIBLY aware through personal experience. Hope to see you there.

Operation “Royal’s Reign” ~ One Year Update

Royal’s Empire State Mind

Photography: Royal Yates @ Royal Creative Studios © 2013
Video Creator: Willoweagle @ Living ~ Not Just Surviving ©2013

Yeah…so proud I’m leaking out of my eyes!! He’s made it safely to NYC and I am now just waiting for the text/call letting me know he’s at the apartment that just so happened to open up two weeks early. So no couch hopping for the next 15 days either!! I gotta get a kleenex…THIRD GENERATION SURVIVOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

***************************

This was my exact post last year on August 23, 2013. I’d just attended his University commencement less than two weeks before. He’d still managed keep up his studies, work a full time job, complete all his therapies post-stroke and still graduate within a just a mere semester later than planned. Then he was on to the next phase of what I secretly refer to as “Royal’s Reign”.

In ‘celebration’ of the pivotal one year landmark post stroke, a much anticipated, hard earned, very much deserved trip was taken. As a media student, there was a definitive destination for this adventure: NYC!!! Within that one week, he feel totally in love with it. On returning home, he worked like a madman to obtain his next plan of action. He was going to go back to the city he had so desperately fallen in love with, make his presence known, and, in time, reign over ‘his’ Empire.

You see, his entire outlook had changed. Not just on one, but on so many levels. Dreams, aspirations, achievements, and Life as a whole became opportunities to be grasped with both hands. There was no time for regrets. Regrets, for him, became defined as opportunities not taken.

It’s now nearly a year since he left middle America for the largest city in the US. In this year, his accomplishments have been many, and his star has risen rapidly. Not that it’s been without it’s difficulties and sacrifices, but it has been amazing!

As a mom, he makes me more proud than words can express, he gives me more reasons to gush and brag than should (and probably is) be tolerated, but most of all, he continues to awe and inspire me daily. Operation “Royal’s Reign”, although still in progress, has, to date, been a completely and utterly successful undertaking and I’m confident it will continue to be until it’s fully achieved!

 

 

 

 

 ♦♥  Royal’s Related Links:  ♣♠

 

A Mother’s Story:
I reflect and share my son’s stroke experience from my point of view on the two year anniversary of the event.

Reflections ~ A Mother’s POV

A Dad’s Tribute Song To His Son
A Father puts pen to paper and composes this song in retrospect and reflection after his eldest son suffered a life threatening stroke.

Watch “I Am Here” written and performed by Bruce Yates ©2013

 

 

Royal Yates’ Profiles:

Royal Yates ~ IMDB Profile

Royal Yates ~ LinkedIn Profile

Royal Creative Studios ~ Royal Yates: Facebook

 

Two Down… One To Go!!!

As I lay here wide awake (I’ve now got my sleep schedule flipped, guess it’s bound to happen when you have no where to be) I couldn’t help but notice what date and time it is. Two down, one to go. At this time 11 months ago, I wasn’t asleep than either. Although, I WAS totally incoherent of my surroundings and the frenzied activities going on around me. I still don’t remember any of it. I’ve been told that I don’t want to, but there are several who will never forget.  I was a guest on not just one, but two med-evac helicopter flights which ended at Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis. For the third time in less then a year, I was again fighting for my life against my own body. Next month will be the last on of my one year clotting anniversaries, and yet it’s the most significant due to the fact there’s been no recurrences this time. A one year recovery mark is huge for any survivor. It’s as though you’ve held your breath just waiting.. hoping… praying… that when day 365 comes around you’ll be in the clear. Right now, it’s bittersweet… I’m happy to have made it clot free…. Yet, I also know that my recovery is still ongoing due to the circumstances those clots incited. I’ve made it quite the distance to get to this point, and even though I know there’s still so far to go, today I WILL NOT let that be my concern. Instead, I will just ~   BREATHE IN…. BREATHE OUT…. REPEAT and continue on with Living ~ Not Just Surviving!!!!

The Quadriplegic Rockstar | Gerald Christian

While having another one of what has now become a not so unusual occurrence of a restless night, I was again watching recorded shows from my DVR playlist. One of these, The Talk, is one that I watch religiously. On this particular airing, the guest of the day was John Stamos. During his interview, he mentioned meeting Gerald Christian during a recent Beach Boys concert and what an inspiration he was to him. Needless to say, when it comes to Greek yogurt and an inspirational story, John can’t be wrong… Right? Here is Gerald’s post referring to rockstar moment. Rock on Gerald!!!

Gerald Christian: The Quadriplegic Rock Star

Willoweagle

Butterflies, Faeries & Unicorns

 

You can either blame or credit my mother-in-law, Betty, for it. She could plant dirt and grow more dirt!! The Spring/Summer after she was diagnosed with cancer, shortly after completing a cycle of chemo/radiation, and so physically frail, she STILL would get out and garden a bit. After a couple of times having ‘caught’ her green thumbed, I decided that if I couldn’t stop her, might as well join, help when allowed, and be her extension when she was unable to do it herself. It was in doing this, that I learned to love dirt under my finger nails, the difference between perennials and annuals, nurseries in Spring and Fall, and more. She was the one who helped me plan out what i thought was a ‘small starter’ spot, (HA!!! What a joke!!!) which plants would be kind to a newbie, and a garden ‘theme’ (Butterflies were a shared favorite). She passed away the next July. Since then, some of the plants fell prey to my ignorance, but were changed out with new ones. Some are literally transplants from my Dad’s ‘yards’ as I may actually have at least one from each house they’ve lived in since then, some are from trips to Lowe’s for a few of my birthdays where the entire time I’m driving my stepmom nutty with all my inquiries and indecision, and last, but not least, those I was brave enough to start from seeds and they survived!! It’s been nearly 8 years since then. Each year I’m still amazed on seeing it come back, bigger and better than the year before. It’s definitely been an unexpected project that I totally love!! I like to think she would really like how it’s turned out…..so far..

 

For a retrospective look from the summer of 2011, click here to see an exported post from my first feeble attempt at blogging:

Angi’s Musing Mind: My Fairy-Tale Garden

 

This is NOT ‘The End’

Sometimes, my mind gets caught up in my feelings and emotions, as it can with most, or so I believe. I can’t always express them directly as or maybe as clearly as I’d like. One of the ways I’ve been able to let out and let go of these things is through poetry. There are times when the words overtake my brain so quickly I can barely get them on paper before they disappear, and others where they flow soft and gentle like a light summer breeze…

I thought I’d start sharing some of them with you too.  This is the most recent one.

This Is NOT ‘The End’
A Willoweagle™ Original
©2014

I try conversation.

You barely talk.

Why do you run?

While I barely walk.

Is it that I’m broken?

Is it something I did?

These thoughts I ponder

While you remain hid.

We’ve traveled too far

Too long this path as friends.

I’ve seen our whole story,

This is NOT ‘The End

Willoweagle

 

 

 

©2014

 

Please leave me your comments below if you’d like to see more posts like this or anything else in general… Even just to chat it up if you’d like….

 

Thanks for following and/or dropping by…

 

Will you? Do You? Did you?

 

Will you still love me though I’m broken?

Will you still care though I’m not whole?

Will you proclaim it like you once did?

Or from your heart am I now hid?

Did you ever really love me,  just a little..

Maybe not at all

Will you still love me though I’m broken?

Or from my pedestal did I now fall?

A Willoweagle™ Original
©2013

 

Will You? Do You? Did You?
A Willoweagle™ Original
©2013

 

 

Questions never vocalized but felt everyday by survivors like me…

 

Willoweagle