Reflections | Sheilaclapkin's Blog;

The Furcula:

25 Jan 2014 9 Comments

“The Furcula (“little fork” in Latin) or wishbone is a forked bone found in birds and some other animals, and is formed by the fusion of the two clavicles. In birds, its primary function is in the strengthening of the thoracic skeleton to withstand the rigors of flight.”

I have a collection of furculae or wishbones and never knew that “the furcula works as a strut between a bird’s shoulders, and articulates to each of the bird’s scapulae. In conjunction with the coracoid and the scapula, it forms a unique structure called the triosseal canal, which houses a strong tendon that connects the supracoracoideus muscles to the humerus. This system is responsible for lifting the wings during the recovery stroke.”

What an important bone. Did I collect so many because I knew the importance of this little bone? No, I collected them as a memory of the bird we used in a celebratory manner. Each chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, pheasant and quail is represented. If we were worldlier in our bird eating, there may be more varied furculae. As it is, everyone notices and asks about the collection. Until now I did not know why I saved them so carefully. Simply stated, my collection of furculae honors and is responsible for the airborne abilities of birds. I honor the bird and the advantage to see the other side of the mountain. I honor the meal gathering the bird offered and the elegance of its form, cooked upon the table. I honor the sustenance given. I honor my ability and wisdom to save the essence of flight. I honor flight in literature that may represent or signify a metaphor for escape or freedom. Who as a child has not wanted the ability to fly? As a child, who did not want escape and freedom from whatever was evidently distressing at that moment? I had grand moments with desires to escape, but I never wanted to fly. My escape and freedom was running, climbing and hiding. What were yours?

If I could fly, I would use flight to see what I cannot see in my present spot. To be elevated to a new vista would give me an advantage and perhaps this elevation would give me courage not to flee, but to stay and discover what is available. I assume it would do the same for you.

What do you collect? Furculae anyone?

A Feather for Anna

14 Jan 2014 6 Comments

by Sheila Clapkin in Family Activities, Reflections

If you have a grandmother or grandfather, go and visit him, her, or both of them right now before you read this, or after if you like, but I warn you not to wait too long.

My grandmother’s name is Anna. She asked me to drop a feather into her grave after they lowered her casket into the ground. I said I would even though I was hoping to split from the scene just before the painful lowering of grandma into the ground for eternity. I waited as promised and dropped the feather into her grave. When I let the feather go, the wind blew it in a soft floating way and then in a downward spiral where it landed on the side of the coffin where I imagined her heart to lie.

I want to tell you this.

Before she passed she said the she has had some gloriously golden moments in her lifetime and was happy for most of her days. She was happy even when she was waiting she said.

“Waiting?” I asked, “waiting for what grandma?”

“Not waiting for what, waiting for whom,” she answered.

“ Whom were you waiting for? I asked.

“You,” she answered.

“For me?”

‘Yes dear, I always waited for you to come and visit and when you did I jumped for joy.”

To Have or Not to Have Elongated and Ears on a Swivel

09 Jan 2014 11 Comments

by Sheila Clapkin in Reflections

Oh, you would love to hear conversations just out of your range hearing wouldn’t you? Maybe you would rather not.

Behind you, they may be saying things you want to hear. Maybe they are about YOU! Maybe you would be happy or how about unhappy? Maybe if you heard them, they would be nothing regarding your line of interest, maybe they would be very much on the cusp of something you are not privy to know. Now you are so to speak ahead of the game, or are you? Maybe you will gain riches or stop your losses with this information. You could be delighted or destroyed by the newly heard talk at the table three doors down from you in the newly established posh restaurant in town. Who knows what you will hear when you poke your newly elongated ears in swiveled directions. I know because I heard things I didn’t want to hear when I elongated and swiveled.

So am I selling newly elongated ears on a swivel? Gosh no, I would not be a party to that, because, I don’t think you want to hear what goes on out of range. Your physical capabilities and mental faculties are set up and calibrated to your degree of necessity at the moment.

Even though, I know it is not right to carry on about hearing out of range information, I am intrigued with swiveling, elongated ears. I have been practicing all day. It is hard to swivel and elongate, headaches arise, face contorts and you look ridiculous.

To date I have heard:

“Hate their bushes in front of their house. You would think they would take them down and plant some flowers. They are so unsightly.”

“If my legs were as bad as hers, I would never wear shorts.”

”I haven’t showered in days.”

The guy on the cell phone next to our table was breaking up with his girlfriend and while it was interesting, jaw dropping, hand over mouth, eyes rolling stuff, it got annoying after awhile. He just didn’t stop.

Inappropriate comments about bowel movements are unwanted, but can be funny!

“I’m not mad at you. It just, like, made me so sad.”

I hate my job. Mr. F. always looks at me like he is going to bite me. He is disgusting.”

If you would like to add elongated, swiveled, out of range news, please share in the comment section of this blog.

Looking Deeply From the Inside Out.

03 Jan 2014 9 Comments

by Sheila Clapkin in Reflections

If you look to your left and then to your right, what do you see? Do you see relatively the same photo image, but from one side and then other? Or does this way of looking cause an imbalance? Or perhaps when you look straight ahead does periphery vision play a part and make the visible scene perfectly balanced? Do the eyes work in unison to make certain there is no misinformation? Do you perform symmetry as well as asymmetry? Eyes work both ways to give you the balance and the power of your eyes. Do you see distance well? Can you see minute details? How do you see the world?

When your delicate and intricate eyes open, deep through the eye lids, past the fluid produced by tear glands, past the cornea and the lens, over the iris into the pupil allowing the light to pass though the eye bringing you to connect with the eye mechanism also known as the inner eye, what do you see?

Look closely at the photograph at the beginning of this blog. It is a photograph of my inner eye. The Macula and Retina work in cooperation and if not, I will need help. The Optic Nerve is my good friend bringing all of the outside sights to my brain, which begins to work the very moment it receives it to translate

On being nearsighted and seeing the world differently: They say youngsters suffer socially and educationally by not being able to see well at a distance. They do, take it from an expert, but that is another issue for another time. There is a gift and the bright side of seeing magnification. I am severely myopic and my expertise comes from seeing the world up close and totally personal. My eyes serve as a full time magnifying glass. Imagine what you would see with the world at full speed magnification. You might sit all day and watch ants working in and out of their hill. The workers carry twice and three times their weight. They are tireless little insects. You might see the bee unfolding its proboscis to suck out the nectar and stores it in a sack until it returns to the hive. Seeing the proboscis unfold is dramatic. All of the sights up close are so mind spinning, it is being jet propelled continuously. It moves your heart and soul in ways distance seeing cannot. You become attuned to everything in magnification. How blessed is this type of seeing, as things take on a holiness. So elevated in knowledge, so clean and pure. Each day you enter a whole new world at an elevated and a deep level at the same time. You cannot share this profound world through any type of explanations, it is yours and you have been given a gift. How much of life do most of us get to see on this magnified level? What should we hope to accomplish with this deeper level of understanding?

I have used my gift to enhance my productivity. Many times I have not been understood, but that is only because those who have misunderstood have not seen the magnification and the pure holiness of seeing deeply.

I would like to suggest, perhaps you carry around a small magnifying glass and see what you see more deeply. I hope you enjoy the magnified world and decide to carry a magnifying glass on a permanent basis. Let me know.

Who is this Johnny Come Lately Flower Child: ME?

21 Dec 2013 8 Comments

by Sheila Clapkin in Quotes, Reflections, Trials and Tribulations

First of all, you ask, what is a Johnny Come Lately Flower Child? In the late sixties in the San Francisco area of Haight-Ashbury, the epicenter of the Hippie culture, young people gathered and wore flowers or floral decorations symbolic of a movement gathering belonging to peace and love. Also, flower children were associated with “flower power” politics. Somewhere in the mix you had hippies, love beads, Summer of Love, a counterculture of the 1960’s, and earlier movements can be attributed to beatniks. Closer to what I may have been. But an answer to a Johnny Come Lately like me is one who is too old in age, but held fast to the philosophies, poetry, writers and music of the times.

The answer stuns me. It makes me think about all of the philosophies floating around in those days. I was married with five children, a perfect husband who lent himself to the task and had a good wholesome job. This was the end of the 60’s to mid 70’s and there were now people who lived for psychedelic hallucinations, drug use, just flower trippers who backed into the trendy images of the youth culture. I was too young to be out of it and too old to be in it. What is it? What was it? It was and still is a product of thought and sharing ideas of the big purple book “Be Here Now.” I personally never went past the social science stage, but enjoyed some of the relationships that came during the process. Drug use was prevalent, but we knew not to get into that stage, the psychedelic stage. We had responsibilities we cherished.

I remember a fellow I heretofore trusted for many years who asked me why I would not partake of the lines he had crafted. I told him I didn’t want to and he was not satisfied with that answer. He stuck a finger full of cocaine in my mouth. Just a tiny bit made me realize that this would be something from which I would not escape whole. I spit and chocked my way to the realization, NEVER AGAIN. So, I enjoyed the hippie heart, the cultural thoughts and ideas, the music and the dress up without any of the trappings besides as you can see, the look and the Johnny come lately heart.

Why write about this Johnny Come Lately mind set? I have learned more than if I were in a closed set of rules. I learned how to identify the state of Metamorphosis and emerging as a butterfly. Why did this matter? What are the advantages? At the time of Metamorphosis you experience the total feeling of fulfillment. You can build from there on past knowledge and fill in the rest with new visions. It is just the process it just happens. It is up to you to realize it and take its value for your own use.

There are no accidents, no miracles. Always looking for accidences, miracles, well, stop. Things just are. The minute you want power, you will not have it, but the minute you do not want power you will have more than you ever wanted. How does this work Johnny Come Lately? Once you understand the possibilities, you will get it. You are pretty much your own helper. Getting into reality is and was a good teacher.

Well then what is reality? Good old Wikipedia states: “Reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined.[1] In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible. A still more broad definition includes everything that has existed, exists, or will exist.”

But then, what about thought as a reality? This is a bit more difficult to define. Do you want your thoughts to turn into your reality? I personally do not because that is the side I want to hide, stop, re-create. Some of those thoughts are such delusions, such figments, and such trash much of the time. My truth mixes with other thoughts and realities. Do you notice yours mix, too?

There was a great surge towards compassion at this Johnny Come Lately stage. Make a difference. Help someone or some ideology. This compassion movement still exists in the Hippie Flower child movement today in all of us who were there, in thought and actions, who are there, who want to be there in different costumes, and disguises of the present day. We can recognize one another by listening and hearing the philosophy of those days gone by come out in so many aspects of our lives and thought. If you were not there and just realizing the truths of this movement, join us, we will teach you as much as we know and as much as we can remember. You will teach us your reality and a sharing and mixing of truths, as we know them will create and welcome a new whole existence. The seed was planted long enough ago to have lost the spirit, but it never died. It is still on a bridge waiting for us to join one again, to remember our union or to begin anew.

LEARNING TO RIDE THE WAVES

17 Dec 2013 7 Comments

by Sheila Clapkin in Life Events, Reflections

Recently there was a newsworthy video for television shown on an early summer morning. For a summer morning it was dull with a surprising inland fog. Instead of turning my chair to our buff side garden, I turned it to the television. It was lucky for me to be tuned in because at that moment, I saw a man riding the biggest wave in history.

As one ages, at any stage, there are ruts and pitfalls. You want to be able to help yourself out of the rut and avoid the pitfalls. I think if I learned how to ride a wave, the philosophies gaining that skill would move me up and out again. I would like your comments as well, but here is how I see it with my limited experience, no Internet and a blank page.

Certainly a pre-requisite to riding a wave would have to be learning or knowing how to swim. Got that covered. Then, I assume you would have to learn how to approach the wave, a strategy you would employ each time you rode any wave. I say any wave because not all waves are the same or come from the same direction. You would have to begin an observation program and in observing you would understand and be better able to predict wave behavior. Predicting wave behavior, or any behavior is paramount to success anytime in your life.

In learning to ride a wave, technique is something to ponder. Here is where you will use your observation skills and watch other surfers. You will learn the art of observation and technique. You will spend much time reading about the waves, talking about the waves, learning where to be when the wave comes, how to use your eyes to help your position on the board and learning which side right or left depending on the kind of wave you will be encountering. All of this observing, reading, talking, and predicting will prepare you with skills you will need to accomplish any task you set. Riding a wave is not the only task that requires the aforementioned skills, but rather life is a combination of skills and I do believe once you learn to ride a wave you will be more equipped to enter all phases of life.

I approached the learning how to ride waves topic because I think it will give me strategies for understanding, observation skills, balance, and the technique required will give most of us the confidence to face much of our life issues. I think it will offer awareness, an acceptance, and a faith in gathering a new view. I know I will gain the love of truth and forgiveness for my inadequacies and this knowledge will help to fill in the holes. Studying how to ride a wave will gather a rectification for righteousness because of its purity, and its reality with nature. Realizing its fluidity will add grace. My study will be purposeful and add a justification for existing.

Can I now ride a wave? Maybe or maybe not, but through the study of riding waves you and I can approach life with more self-reliance. Whether you or I ever ride a wave, is not the question or the answer. It is the skills we gain on the way, which is the art of essence.

THE POTLUCK DINNER AND THE HUMDINGER CASSEROLE

03 Dec 2013 8 Comments

by Sheila Clapkin in Entertaining, Reflections

We were invited to a potluck dinner party in a lovely home overlooking the sea. All of the participants were asked to bring something to grace the dinner table. I wondered for days what to bring. I thought about going to the chic market down the road with an assortment of ready-made items of elegance that looked perfect for a Pot Luck Dinner Party at the home with the sea view. The days rolled along, and I did nothing to decide. The day of the party, I knew there was the market food option, but I also knew I had all of the ingredients to make one of my Humdinger Casseroles, so I did.

WE arrived at the lovely home, casserole in hand. We were ushered into the home and told to put the offering on the table. So we did. We joined the festivities and enjoyed the conversations. As you may remember, I am training myself to look behind me as well as in front to gain access to more information about the surroundings, therefore, hopefully gain twice the knowledge.

There was a mirror behind me and I turned to face it fully. I gasped at the table image presented and all of the most elegant offerings. I gasped again when I spotted my dingy looking, well-baked casserole among the stately offerings on the potluck table. My face turned red and I wanted to hide. Oh frickin’ “mirror, mirror on the wall”, how do I get out of this one? I would not be able to eat anything. My life was over for the moment.

The eating began with standing in line for the offerings. Time went by; I mustered all of my nerve and went up to the table late in the eating game. Nothing looked so elegant anymore after the birds had picked through it. My Humdinger Casserole was gone. No the dish was not gone, all of the food in it was gone and everyone was raving about the Humdinger, wanting the recipe, wanting to know how long to cook it to get the well-baked look. Oh happy me. So you see, sometimes in your difference you do shine.

The blessing here is, do not fear your difference and your independence; embrace it for it may be the next Humdinger Casserole!

I Will See You Along the Lighted Way

28 Nov 2013 4 Comments

by Sheila Clapkin in Reflections

We were talking about patience and I asked of one of our guides on our most recent trip, “How do you get patience? He said, “ You don’t GET patience, it comes to you.” So, I asked, “How does it come to you?” He answered: Finger up to his lips, he said, “Shh, stand quietly and wait.” So I did.

The first image to come to me was a Mandala, a tool for gaining wisdom. I am hoping to include awareness, wholeness, compassion and balance. My vision was a red ornately designed circle with four major points, together with four smaller points perfectly placed within the original four. I am to assume that these 8 points direct the earth forward. Then, I noticed concentric circles, perhaps family, friends, and communities within a unifying center. Soon the image began to fade and I was left alone to ponder patience. (The above photo is my painting of the Mandala)

I am still standing alone waiting for patience. My hand is over my heart, I frown, I smile, I roll my eyes, and I fidget. In the state of waiting, I wonder will I know patience, will I recognize it? Will it produce additions in my life? If patience recognizes me, will it be a blessing? Will I accept it? I am an open target Patience; I am waiting for you.

In my quietness, I realize that ultimately what I am looking for is the light. I notice people need light in all forms of living. In the openness of light, questions and answers will parade. Now that my way is lit, I will understand and bathe in this solitude, move into it to gather patience and see my own importance and destiny. I will see you along the lighted way.

P’s Comment on the See Me Now Blog made me think!

24 Nov 2013 4 Comments

by Sheila Clapkin in Life Events, Reflections

(If you wish to refresh your memory scroll down and read the See Me Now posting and the comment from “P’)

The comment made by “P’ is this: “When you are behind a rock, what happens if you look behind you and a whole new aspect greets you? Are you still hiding or do you use the rock as a backdrop for something more exciting?”

My answer will take years of looking at the rock as a backdrop for something more exciting, but here is what I have seen so far:

I thought you would be interested in this morning and how “P’s” words created something special for me. I went out early before we went to work 6:40 a.m. to be exact to give the quail some left over popcorn. I looked up to see a full moon hanging in the sky (facing west) I am all caught up in the hanging moon that forgot its timing, then, I remembered what “P” said and turned around behind the backdrop of the moon and towards the east. Oh my wonder, there was the sun coming up, of course. So, I think I was one of a few, maybe the only one in my area to witness a full moon and the sun together this morning. Perhaps there are many places in the world where this occurs, but not here. What a treasure. So again, I thank “P” for his astute Blog comment.

More kudos for “P.”

This afternoon I was on my way to a luncheon at Mimi’s Café, 7.0 miles, about a 20-minute ride. Shortly after leaving my house and entering the roadway, a car turned in front of me and I slowed to let a car turn into a side street. Then, a little further, there is an alley way and another car turned in front of me. I slowed once again. If I would have taken “P’s” advice I would have seen the rather aggravated blond bombshell shaking her fists and moving out and around me on the left, passing through double yellow lines dictating no passing. She was trying to make the go signal. Even though she drove fearlessly and tried her best, she was not successful and I pulled up right in back of her. She was flailing her arms and hands. She had broken the law, put my life and hers in jeopardy and caused me quite a scare, but I pleasantly waved and smiled.

The blonde wild-haired woman turned left, I turned left, right on her tail. She drove to Corbin Ave in a rush and turned right. I was right behind her. We drove on in semi tandem for 7.0 miles. She wove in and out of lanes, trying to shake me loose. No, no Blondie, I’m still in back of you. She stopped at the first red light, glanced in her rear view mirror to find me there smiling and waving. I can feel this woman beginning to worry. The next light that stopped us found her right across from me in the adjoining lane. Blondie is shrinking and sweating in her seat. I know she is wondering why I am following her. I am not following her; I am going to my appointment at Mimi’s. I am still smiling and waving.

Actually, I am very proud of myself. I am driving properly, within the speed limit, have not changed lanes every few minutes, yet I am stuck to this wild sweating woman driving a silver bullet with the emblem to let me know it is a Mercedes. I thought to myself, don’t care what you are driving, I am right here in your sights, smiling and waving. You are sweating and worried.

About five miles have been covered and I have not lost any ground. She has worked herself into a bit of frenzy by changing lanes and dodging cars, still trying to shake me. I am enjoying myself and my realization that I am driving like a law biding hot-rod driver is thrilling. I am up on her and nearly miss my turn into Mimi’s parking lot. I turn my way, go on my appointed rounds and know that wild Blondie, the miserable law breaking, dangerous driver, is still looking in her rear view mirror wondering when I will show up.

So, this is not about me seeing in back of me, it is about someone seeing me when they look back. Glory today is performing a job well done in someone’s rear view mirror.

More of Wonderful Cappadocia #3

02 Oct 2013 1 Comment

by Sheila Clapkin in Reflections, travel

Three volcanoes in this area erupted over the years and laid down volcanic ash rock. Over the years wind and rain have eroded the soft volcanic rock and has formed rock cones, capped pinnacles, plus the colors red, gold, greens and grays that came from the three volcanoes having different colors of volcanic material. These rocks were soft enough for people hiding from marauding armies to dig down and create complete underground cities. They had it all planned out so that there was ventilation, living quarters and large storage areas to last many months, even years, until the armies left of their own starvation.

There is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy Hot Air Balloon ride up over these wonderful rock formations. This is a balloon ride not taken by us. We are happy with what we have seen.

Can you see sisters holding hands, families enjoying an afternoon in the park, chickens and hens, the bride, people kissing, the camel, penguins swaying and so much more to imagine from these rock structures. Take a look, what do you see?