Today I enjoyed listening to Johnny Reid's song Johnny Reid -"Today I'm going to try to change the world". That is one amazing song and I love the line that says "See myself through someone else's eyes". That isn't as easy as it sounds but I think it's worth trying. I wonder what we would see?

June's newsletter is coming out tomorrow. Theme is about memories with tips and advise.
http://ping.fm/U8mCX

It's true we can't control what others think, but we can control what we think. Sometimes we just have to forgive ourselves and move on.

I was planning on staying home all Sunday in my PJ’s to just relax. I found that home alone is not much fun and the walls were starting to scream at me. It’s funny how we crave one thing only to find out it isn’t what we thought it would be. I guess I’m more of a people person then I thought.

In June’s free newsletter (A Shared Journey) the focus is on memories. A professional landscaper does an article about keeping your memories alive in the garden with a memory tree or special plant. Go to http://ping.fm/xDxJ7

A widow explains how she took her husband’s old T-Shirts and made a memory blanket from them for her daughter. Her daughter calls it her “most treasured possession”. Go to http://ping.fm/Cnr7c

I lost an old and treasured friend because I expressed my opinion without thinking of how she would feel. My words hurt her deeply and our lifetime friendship came to an end. It was a hard lesson learned – watch your words because once spoken they can never be recovered.

The price of my bad judgement was a valuable friendship and that price was too high.

What kind of person do you want to be in the future? What additional knowledge and skills do you want to acquire? Take a look at your answers and think about how you are going to get from where you are to where you want to go.

I want to thank my University student, Jason Brown, for all the work on my website. Jason also did my second site www.themaryfrancis.com. Thanks also to Cindy Kohler for supporting us during the upgrade.

Websites are easy to do in Wordpress, so think about doing one for your own personal use.

I want to thank Telegraph-Journal for asking me to write an article for their special “Thinking Ahead” insert on Saturday, May 21,2011.

With the help of friends and family we can all grieve and heal when we lose a loved one.

I have been blessed with lots of support and encouragement from people that believe in my message. You just don’t know where life will take you, but make the journey anyways and have no regrets.

Donnie’s John Deere tractor is only 3 years old but all last year I had to boost it every time to get it going. This weekend it didn’t start and I had enough. I went and bought a new battery. It started like a charm and I asked myself why I waited so long. That tractor frustrated me every time I used it but I didn’t want to change anything about it. It was Donnie’s and he loved it but it was crazy to not fix it. Sometimes there is no logic in my thinking!!

Saint John Marina - Friendship Games for people 50+ from June 5th to 10th for only $25.00. Registration deadline is Friday May 27th, 2011. Lots to do and see plus a great opportunity to meet some new friends. Call Helen Bridgeo at 658-2909 for more information.

Don’t let your enjoyment of life be diminished by anxiety and worry over “what ifs” and “maybes.” Be strong and accept that there are some things you cannot predict or change.

After an emotional upheaval do you feel guilty about being happy or do you surround yourself with friends and family? Do you live in the moment and appreciate life or do you retreat thinking that life will never be normal again? Think about it.

The new O Dream Board is a free web-based application available off Oprah's website. So dream it. See it. Share it. Achieve it. Start living you best life now! Create your own Dream Board to serve as a daily reminder of your aspirations and what you want your life to be. You can make the connection to turn your dreams into reality.

Another year older and I'm learning that with each passing year I value my time more. My time passes faster as I get older and I often think about where I spend it. I still waste it more than I should, but I'm getting better at using it.

Time can never be replaced or purchased and yet it is not valued as much as money. Why is that?

I was paying my respect at the Funeral Home tonight for a much loved man. The place was packed with people who came to share their memories and love for this man. In the end we will all die, but will we all have lived? Could it be as simple as surrounding yourself with people you care about and who care about you? Life isn't about "things" - "things" don't come to your funeral.

Most people make the mistake of thinking that "time" will heal your pain. They are wronge because it's not the passing of time that counts, but what you do with that time.

Time Magazine says that it can take an average of 5-8 years to get your balance back after the loss of a loved one. It's hard to be on your own when there is an empty hole in your heart. But life does go on and although it will never be the same, you have to get your balance back. Enjoy your friends and family, because time spent with them will help you to heal.

Protect yourself from intenet fraud:
1. Password should have both upper and lower case numbers, letters and symbols.
2. Never use an automatic log-in that saves your username and password.
3. Always click on "sign off" or "log off" when you're finished.
4. Use anti-virus software.
5. Do not open email attachments sent by unknown people.
6. Forward spam to "spam@uce.gov" and to the company they are impersonating.

Internet identity fraud is equal to emotionally being a victim of a violent crime. Protect yourself and be safe

Email about the book – “Even though the stories are different, we all share some of the common thread of feelings. A couple of the ladies, and I believe, you referred to it yourself – “the emptiness” A few years ago, I learned this and thought I would share this with you. In the original Greek, from which many of our English words derive, the word “widow” literally meant “empty”. When I learned this, it was almost a relief, because that was how I was feeling, but did not have the proper description of it. Sincerely, Irma”

Thank you Eldon for the following reference - "Mary did a breakout session at our NBAEAP conf. on Monday. She did an excellent job. She captured the audience like a pro, which has a lot to be said for a women that is relatively new to public speaking. I have looked at her evaluation sheets that the delegates fill out and they all gave very positive feedback. I am highly recommending her for a lunch and learn or health and wellness session. Please visit her web site and really highly consider reading her book.
Thank You Mary for helping us make our annual conf. another success. You were truly an inspiration."

Memory Quilt - One of the ladies brought a quilt to our monthly meeting that she had made out of her late husbands T-Shirts. It was beautiful and each square was a T-Shirt that he had worn. It gave her comfort and kept her memories alive.

There are many ways to celebrate and cherish the lives of our loved ones and I thank her for sharing her memories with us.

Thank you everyone for your comments and encouragement about my journal entries. I've come a long way since Donnie's death thanks to my family and friends. I truly believe that healing comes from sharing your life with others. The more you stay in and focus on your pain the harder it will be to grieve and heal.

This Wednesday night is another "Chicks Night Out" at Brenan's Westside from 5 to 8. Please bring a plate to share and come prepared to also share some laughs. See you there. Mary

Back From Europe. I had the trip of a lifetime visiting Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Malta. I enjoyed the history of Europe and they have beautiful monuments and churches. They have alot to be proud of and we are certainly a new world compared to their history.

You appreciate home when you have travelled abroad and seen life from another point of view. We have it good compared to some countries in our education, health and social freedoms. Home is home no matter where you live, but its good to get an understanding of how other parts of the world live.