In Like a Lion

Wow, did the month of February enter like a lion! The most snow fall that we’ve received in one day since 1932! Almost 14″ and we still haven’t shoveled it all. We have drifts that are 4′ tall and bird feeders that are level with the snow. Our neighbors have a drift 2/3s of the way up his patio door and other areas have 2 or 3 inches. Sounds horrid doesn’t it? It’s not though, there is a beautiful aspect to it that leaves me in wonder. Drifts of snow that cover everything and next to that, drifts of snow where its carved out to make way for a few top branches of a plant. Each snow flake perfectly placed to give the drift a smooth appearance. Sometimes, looking as though a wave had been caught and transformed into snow just as the wave was beginning to curl and all of this caused by winds that were gusting  40-50 miles per hour! Makes me think that if the wind can be that exacting with snow than perhaps its destiny that most of the fall leaves end up in my neighbor’s wide open yard. Kind of a karma thing!

So first, we had the snow and swirling winds and then the temperatures plummeted! Wind chill temperatures nearly reaching -30 degrees! Living in the Midwest we expect cold and snow. We’re not always happy about it and toward the end of winter we might whine a little bit but this was truly pushing it!

To put the topper on this entire time we still had to shovel, blow or plow all this white stuff in order to resume our normal lives. Neighbors helped each other with snow removal and stuck cars. Sometimes it was a snowball effect. My husband started shoveling our driveway and the man down the block came down and used his snow blower. Later that afternoon, another neighbor was shoveling out the end of the driveway, where the snow plow had made a major contribution and my husband went out and helped her. Usually, our street is filled with people that don’t interact with each other but on this day it was down right neighborly!

People seem to be at their best when there’s some adversity. They pitch in, not waiting to be asked, but volunteering, going out of their way to offer assistance. Imagine how great our street, city, country or world could be if we could only do that on a daily basis? Just a simple thing and it might just start with some thing as simple as a smile or helping your neighbor carry in groceries. Perhaps that’s the lesson to be learned from these daily struggles? People working together can accomplish anything! Don’t believe it? Think of the Chilean Miners. People worldwide pulled focused on getting them out. Teams drilled, planned and prayed and in the end, over a month later, each and everyone was rescued!

Favorite Times

Do you have a favorite time of the year? My favorite time is Christmas! Not just the actual day but the month leading up to the 25th. It’s strange, cause I’m not much into the cold. I’d rather sit by the fire and watch it snow than to try and catch snow flakes on my tongue. My fingers get cold and every year I buy new mittens that seem good in the store, but every year, I have to replace them. They just don’t get the job done! My car windows frost up and as I’m usually running late, of course, I don’t have time to scrape them, so I squirt washer fluid on them which only works for a minute. I do it every year and you would think I’d learn! See what I mean? I’m just not meant for the cold, snowy weather! But during December winter is magical!

Every December, my family, sometimes friends, go to William’s Tree Farm and cut down our Christmas tree. We ride out to the specific area on horse drawn wagons that are filled with people. Golden retrievers follow along, running in the snow or sometimes they’ll ride in the wagon. People are bundled up and excitement fills the air! My son teases my daughter and after we reach our destination, a few snow balls are usually thrown. Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a short (got to be at least 8′ tall) fat tree other times it has to be a tall (8′ tall) skinny tree. To make sure it’s tall enough we always make 6’4″ Kevin stand next to it and then he pulls out his battery operated saw out of Lizzie’s (his significant other) backpack and cuts it down. Now, that they have a house, we cut down 2 trees. The time is filled with teasing (will I fall? or when will I fall?) and laughter! We get back to the lodge and eat and then we go shopping. Each year, we buy one new ornament apiece. If the grandkids are with us, they pick one out too, but those ornaments stay at our house until they have a tree of their own. Each of those ornaments has their name and year and that we gave it to them. Hopefully, those will always be special to them! A time to remember! Love abounds on that day!

The second, most favorite time of the month? Is put on by the local country radio station, Q 98.5 and its called the “12 hours of salvation”. To say it’s a toy drive is like calling a limo, a car. A big tree is set up at the dealership by the mall. All day long, people, groups and businesses bring new and unwrapped toys for area children. The toys are placed under the tree for all to see. Santa, and sometimes Mrs. Clause, greet the children as the adults listen to carols and bands. The showroom looks like Santa’s toy shop and at the end of the time, local firemen come and load all the toys into a semi! I believe, last year they collected 13,000 toys and $3,000-4,000, in 12 hours. How wonderful is that? Alida and I have been doing this since she was 6months old. Every year, we go out after work and shop for the presents. Of course, I see all the things that she wants but her generosity amazes me! We both pick out some toys and then go drop them off. Every year, walking into the dealership, puts tears in my eyes. To see the tree surrounded by thousands of toys, from babies and legos to bicycles and coloring books and to watch the families walking around it, admiring it all. This will be our 14th year and it never grows old.

Well, those are 2 of my favorite times! I hope, that each and everyone of you, has special times like these! Times filled with laughter, good cheer and love!

Merry Christmas!

Reflections

I’m sitting at my kitchen table working and I look outside. What do I see? Snow has covered my deck and been shoveled off. The shovel is propped against the table waiting. I see my yard, mostly untouched, sparkling in the sunshine. I see the paths where my dogs have traveled. It’s funny, I never realized that they walked in the backyard like that, on paths. They don’t just travel that way in the winter but do it all year long. Down to the hill, across the yard by the pool, in front of the shed and back to the house. If I call them they will find the nearest path instead of traveling a straight line. Some days it drives me crazy and other days I merely smile and wonder why they do that.

I had an ethics instructor while I was studying massage. One day, we were discussing how our brain works, how habits form and how we place people and things in categories. Strange as it may seem, it comes down to the path of the least resistance. It may begin as a time saver. The first time through a situation, you spend a lot of thought “what should I say?” or “what should I do?” The second time, the situation happens you feel a little more confident, “I should probably do this or say that.” Third time? You’ve become an old hat at what to expect and how to respond. Placing people in categories…starts the same way. Don’t think that you do that? What about these examples? Men are strong, women are compassionate, red heads have a temper, Irishmen drink and brawl, Italians are dark haired and passionate and many people think blondes are dumb. The examples are endless. Someone says they’re Polish, a jock…see how fast that was?

Do you have other paths in your life? Are you going through your life on auto pilot? Is it just a series of connect the dots? If you hear a special “couple song” does it always make you yearn, ever so slightly, for the Bum? Do certain words make you react in certain ways? All paths, shortcuts, aren’t wrong but perhaps it’s time to evaluate them and begin to make conscious decisions.

Pondering Health

• Being a licensed massage therapist and a registered Jin Shin Do practitioner, I am involved in the health field. I go to Health Fairs, work sporting events, and attend classes, seminars and meetings. I meet people who are interested in their health, in the regular, ordinary way and I meet people who are interested in their health in ways outside the box.
• Lately, I have been hearing the same theme over and over. It seems to be very confrontational. I’ve heard the debates, on one side it seems to be all the statistics and on the other side its “I live in America”  and this is the way it’s always been. Can you guess what the topic is? It’s whether to eat meat or not. I have always had meat in my diet. I love grilled steak, pork chops and brats, cheeseburgers and fries and Italian beef sandwiches. I can’t imagine living  my life without them and yet….
• I  have been invited to have dinner with VIM (vegetarians in motion) friends and to attend the after dinner meeting. When both my kids, were 9 or 10, they spent the week-end attending Herbfest and eating meatless meals. Nobody complained and I really doubt that anybody noticed. There have been other meatless times, and after each event, I find myself a little more open to the idea. I’m being seduced by beans, veggies, and tasty recipes!

I’m not sure if I’ll ever be vegetarian, but I believe it’s more, likely the better choice, the healthier choice!

The Closing of the Year

Such a busy year! It was like riding a roller coaster, up the hill, down the hill with a few not so good words blowing in the wind behind you, followed by “Oh No” here comes the cork screw! Does that sound like your year?

Starting a business, from scratch when you have no business experience isn’t the easiest thing that I’ve ever done. I started down  paths only to find the way blocked or worse detoured. Some of my ideas never took off and usually that was due to not enough follow through on my part. Like purchasing 3 domain names 2 1/2  years ago and doing nothing with then. They expire in April. Lol

I’ve done many events during this year…so many chair massages! At least a quarter of them were done on children. Oh the fun I had with them! They are so open to body work unlike many of their parents. They just eat it up! To them it just feels good but hopefully as they get older they’ll realize how beneficial to their health it can be.

I became a registered practitioner in Jin Shin Do, Acupressure, started taking classes in essential oils and have incorporated them into my sessions when asked. I also took a class on the Raindrop technique which uses various essential oils, massage strokes on vita flex areas and warmed towels at the end. It leaves the recipient feeling wonderfully relaxed.

My newest endeavor, will be taking my practice and working in two other businesses, while still keeping my office at home. The first place of business is “Bodycraft Wellness and Massage Center”. It’s owner was one of my massage instructors. She has some really great ideas and we both believe that she will out grow her space before her 2 years lease is completed. The second business is well established. Blackman’s Family is a chiropractic business that offers much to the Roscoe area. Both of these women believe in educating the public and helping others.

Another endeavor, that I undertook earlier this year was doing events with my Jin Shin Do instructor and friend, Sue Michaelsen. Sandi Andresen is another Jin Shin Do friend. The three of us have been doing health fairs, events and holiday bazaars. We also did an hour episode of “Something to talk about” with Charlyne Blatcher Martin on the local Comcast channel.

Our first real snow of the season is falling and the Holidays are fast approaching, hope everybody is having a wonderful time. See you in the new year!

Pam Aarli Massage

Welcome to my World!

Welcome to my first blog!

I have been interested in health for a number of years. Not just my health or my family’s but also my neighborhood’s and when it comes down to it, the World’s! I have dabbled in some areas and studied in others. Different approaches to the same destination. Hopefully, you’ll be interested in things that I have done and want to follow along where I’m going!

My base at this moment is Massage. I’m a licensed massage therapist in northern Illinois and have been for almost a year. I am also registered to practice Jin Shin Do acupressure. My garden  and my yard are both chemical free. But those are just the starting points! I’m a mom, a wife and a student of life and I’ll be bring all of that and more to my blog!