Author: Karuna Poole

I am recently retired psychotherapist who now spends much of my time working as a forest and habitat restoration volunteer. For decades, I have focused much of my attention on watching for and learning the lessons life sends my way. I share my stories and reflections, both past and present, in my blog Living, Learning and Letting Go.

Laughing is Good for Me- Part 1

There are things that have happened since I’ve been here that have consistently made me laugh when I think about them. I will describe three of them.

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My room has a view of a tiny Greenbelt. People rarely walk by the window. I’ve seen a woman walking her dog go by numerous times but no more than once a day if that. Once a week the facility staff work out there but they use noisy tools so I always know when they are nearby.

I am using a walker all of the time now and I am staying in a studio apartment so if I forget to close the bathroom door or if it swings open because it was not shut fully there is a very remote chance I will be seen.

A friend was visiting about a month ago and I shared my concern. her response was: “Karuna, if someone saw your bum (butt) it would make their day.” I have thought of her statement many times since that day and I always laugh.

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I have had many medical tests over the last two years and recently had some that when I wrote about them to my son and daughter said “it sounds like i’m writing about a torture chamber”.

I have a friend that’s currently a patient in a hospital in India. When he described two procedures he had, they sounded like two of the three i had recently experienced. He called the equipment ancient medieval torture devices.

I couldn’t believe the words he used were so similar to the words I had used. I felt validated. I always laugh when I think about that memory too. (I got his permission to talk about him.)

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I have been getting a variety of services from a home health care agency. Last week one of those therapists was doing a cognitive test with me. Afterwords she wondered if having big letters would make it easier for me to read since my eyes tend to sting when I read… so i don’t read.

During the session, she had me read a 100 word story in a big print book. As I read the story, she became mortified. The story was about the death of a cat and the stories in that publication had apparently always been light. This one was pretty grim.

Towards the end of the story, the cat died and was buried. What happened next in the story surprised us both. There was a sound at the door and when the door was opened it was the cat that had died. The author speculated that either they had buried the wrong cat or that he should be renamed Lazarus, because he had come back to life. Whenever I think of the look on the therapist’s face or the sound of her voice as I read the story I laugh.

There are other things that have brought a smile to my face or full-blown laughter. Maybe I’ll write about them in a future post!

Update on Over or Under?

When I wrote Accepting Parkinson’s article in December 2020, I had no idea it would be be a very long time before I would write an update. I’m not going to do that update today either but I am going to write about a topic that has been on my mind, a topic that is completely irrelevant and unimportant.

in November 2015, I published a post on this blog called Over or Under? it is about the controversy about how to hang toilet paper. (https://livinglearningandlettinggo.com/2015/11/15/over-or-under/.)

I suggest you read the original post before you go on if you don’t remember it or have never read it.

I believed I had always been an under without knowing it. I had a client at the time I wrote the post who admitted that she changed the toilet paper from under to over whenever she came to my office.

I never dreamed that being sick would be the occasion that would cause me to change from being an under to an over.

But it has done just that! My hands are both weak but the left is weaker than the right. The toilet paper roll is now to my left which is also something I am not used to.

I have found that putting the toilet paper in the over position makes it much easier for me to break it off. So I have joined the overs!

I said this was to be a irrelevant and unimportant post. I think it was just that. I hope it is the first of many posts, some important and some not.

Surprise Visitors Update

On September 27, 2020 I wrote a post about two hens and two roosters who visited our neighborhood daily. I can’t believe it was that long ago.

For most of this year, the two roosters have made quite a ruckus; crowing endlessly at many times of the day. Then all of a sudden the crowing stopped. I didn’t think about it at the time but I wonder now if the roosters are still living. Had they been killed by a raccoon, or a dog or had somebody or several somebodies complained about the noise.

Since then only one hen has been visiting. But she’s been coming by almost every day for a while. I have tried to take her picture. But by the time I find my phone and get the camera ready she is walking away.

Three days ago, a young woman was outside my house when the hen came. She said there were still two hens but didn’t say what happened to the roosters, and for some reason I didn’t ask. I told her of my futile attempts to get a picture of her. She asked if I wanted her to hold the hen so I could take a photo.

It still took me too long to take the photo. And the hen wiggled free.

I asked if the hen would let her pick her up again and she said “Sure.” This time I was ready.

The next time the hen came I was outside walking. This time the other hen wasn’t far behind. I didn’t even attempt to get a photo!

Nessun Dorma

A friend sent me an America’s Got Talent YouTube video last week. It was from a year ago, so I may or may not have seen it before. Regardless, when I watched it I started crying. The child’s singing touched my heart as so often happens when I watch that show. I hope you enjoy it too.

Amma Quotes

Amma is an internationally known humanitarian and spiritual leader. I met her in June of 1989 and have spent time with her every year since then. From time to time, I share Amma quotes on my blog. This is one of those times.

In real prayer there is nothing to ask, nothing to demand, no suggestions. Real prayer is sincere surrender.

When going to bed recollect the day’s activities and try to discriminate between the good and bad.

Never be depressed seeing the obstacles on your path. You have the lamp of faith with you. Light it.

The attitude “I will only accept success” is wrong. Learn to also accept the responsibility of defeat.

If we look at the world with eyes of wisdom and give solace to the suffering through compassionate hands, we will surely reach the shore of peace and bliss.

Amma Quotes

Amma is an internationally known humanitarian and spiritual leader. I met her in June of 1989 and have spent time with her every year since then. (I was going to add except in 2020 but then I remembered I was with her in India in January 2020!) From time to time, I share Amma quotes on my blog. This is one of those times.

Traveling by bus, we see many things on the way and just let them pass by. Watch the thoughts of your minds in the same way.

Never forget God. Never forget your real Source. Never move away from the real center within you.

In times of tragedies, our duty is to lend a helping hand to those in grief and thus light lamps of kindness and compassion.

Grace is the factor that brings the right result to your actions, at the right time and in the right proportion.

Lessen the quantity of unnecessary thoughts and allow more space for the energy of love to flow within you.

Photo Source: Amma’s Facebook Page