The Object Of Life

August 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I think the object of life is to live. Live fully, in this moment, and in the next moment.

Plan to make every day a good day, a memorable day.

Be kind and compassionate to yourself and to others. You have to stand in someone’s shoes before you can judge them.

That’s why I published my book, Behind The Mask. Stand in my caregivers shoes for a little bit, and know the emotions and thoughts that go through someone’s mind who is a new caregiver.

I believe in supporting caregivers. All you have to do is look around your neighborhood. Write an email, become a friend. Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Gifts

August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I think we all have a gift. A gift for something. It could be something you deem small, or it may be huge gift and the whole world knows about it.

Some of us have a gift and don’t use it for one reason or another. Some of us think our hobbies are our gifts. Maybe. That is a possibility.

But what about our gift; if we don’t use it, treasure it, nurture it. Why? Are we afraid of what? Being laughed at, being successful, or failing. Giving up our gift is giving up our dreams and our hopes.

Don’t do it. Figure it out, write about your fears, think about it, and then tear up what you wrote, get that critic off your shoulder, tell him/her to take a hike, a vacation and you’ll let him know when to come back. Write your hopes, your expectations, your ideas, use your mind, think who you are and who you could be.

Dare to dream. Dare to use your gift. Remember, the only thing to fear is fear itself.

Write your affirmations, your grateful list, be proud of who you are. Know yourself. Be the best you can be, and to do that you need to use your gift. You know what is is. Give yourself permission; just do it.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Looking Forward to Weekend

August 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I’m looking forward to the week-end, but don’t know why. I’m always doing something. I can’t pass a bookstore with going in to buy something. And I just discovered I can’t go into a knitting store without buying something..

I had to go to the yarn store today. I make a mistake in my knitting, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it..of course I had to take out four rows, one stitch at a time. (129 stitches to a row) That took a while..

Yesterday I met my writing friend. I was a little bit early and I was already in the bookstore where we were meeting, so I wandered around. It’s not like I wasn’t in the bookstore already once this week. I ended up buying three books. I think it’s time for me to start going to the library.

As for the knitting, I’m loving it. I’m making a blanket for my future new great granddaughter, who is due on November 29th. And I’m making a baby sweater. I already made one, but I made it for a newborn, this sweater will be for a year old child.

It’s so exciting. Four generations of women. My husband says we need lots of pictures of that. Okay with me.

Makes me feel young. I love it.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Questions

August 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Today I have been thinking about questions. Going back to write some of my memoirs, and the questions keep popping up. Why did this happen, why didn’t I ask my parents why they cared, why they reacted the way they did, and what were their lives like and their parents?

I’m writing a short story and met with a friend today, she asked questions, and the short story could go in three different directions. Why should it go this way and not the other way? Why was the reaction to the action right or wrong? Why, what if, why not, is it possible? So many questions, and surely there are more than one answer to all the questions.

It makes me think! It should make me want to know more. That’s what writing does. It sparks my imagination and make me think. I wish I could think of more questions to ask myself about my story, but it’s my story, so I will have to make do with what I have. With the help of my friend.

Think about your own questions, you must have some. Why did you turn this way, or walk down that road? What would your past have been if you have done something else? Is it too late to ask more questions?

Think and write down your grateful list for today.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Count Your Blessings

August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

You never know what the day will bring. A phone call from an old friend, an email from someone you knew years ago. Someone might send you a plant, for no reason, you might get an invitation you’ve been waiting for.

You might get a dreaded diagnosis, or like some old friends, they received a phone call that their son was murdered.

Count your blessings! Get out that grateful list. Be thankful for everything you have, from the roof over your head, and the food on your table to your family and friends, people who care about you. Be thankful you are alive and that the universe is all around us, sending it’s energy to us.

Be aware of your surroundings, smile, say thank you, and hold that door open for those older folks. A smile can be worth everything to someone. Have compassion for those around you who are less fortunate.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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The Power Of One

August 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Who says one person can’t make a difference? People who don’t believe in themselves, or don’t believe in a cause, maybe they don’t think one person can make a difference.

I believe one person can make a heck of a difference. I’m trying to make a difference in caregiver’s lives. In my heart I know I can do it. Even if it’s only one person at a time. How? Mostly by compassion, by standing in a caregivers shoes for a little while, think what they are going through, and who is helping them?

You can help, you can make a difference, all you have to do is be a caregivers friend. There are caregivers in every community, where you live, work, play, go to school, church or synagogue. Listen, don’t judge, send an email offer to be a friend, stay in touch and most of all give them a lift to their day.

Yes, I believe one person can make a difference I can make a difference, and you surely can make a difference. Try it.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

The power of one in within you, me, all of us. Use it.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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I Am Grateful

August 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I like to include some of my grateful list every so often. This time I’d like to include some things that others don’t often think about.

For instance, I’m grateful that I’ve made a commitment to Adopt A Caregiver. See www.adoptacaregiver.org, and that I’ve kept in touch with many of my caregiver friends. This is not a chore, it’s a commitment that I chose to make.

I’m making new affirmations, new friends, and some new ideas. Ideas are good, even if they are rolling around in my head. Writing ideas, things to knit, more organization to my writing, and keeping in touch with all my friends, both far and near.

I’ve been to the knitting store, as some of you know, I’ve been trying to get there for about three weeks, well, I finally made it. It was great. I can’t wait to go back. I might start knitting tonight as I watch tv. with my husband. Our time together, even though we were together all day today.

I’m grateful that my husband writes me a love note every morning. It’s a wonderful way to wake up every day knowing he wrote me a note and made me coffee.

Thank all of you for all you do, for yourself and for each other.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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An Article I Wrote

August 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Here is an excerpt from an article I wrote and never sent out. I wrote it for Chicken Soup: Not Really Retired.

Retired, I thought I was retired, but no, at age 77 I published a book, Behind The Mask by Helene Moore, and started a Non Profit Foundation. Adopt A Caregiver. I’m no longer retired.

It happened after I wrote in a secret journal when my husband was suddenly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. I needed to smile for him, and keep my sanity. Seven long hard years later when the doctor changed his diagnosis to Age Associated Memory Impairment, I showed my husband my journal. He said to publish it, it was our love story and it might help someone.

On February 28, 2008 I received my boxes of books. No what, I thought?  As soon as the initial excitement settled down, I realized my book had a purpose and that was to help support caregivers.

And so, Adopt A Caregiver was born. After reading my book, and understanding what it’s like to stand in a caregiver’s shoes, I knew people I talked to and people who read my book would understand my ideas.

It’s the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life.  Helene

P.S. This is only a portion of the article.

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Focus, Feelings, Fulfillment

August 18, 2009 By 1 Comment

Focus on your feelings and bring fulfillment to your life. I believe that can be done. Focus on doing something good for someone today, then focus on doing something for yourself.. That is fulfilling.

I talked to a friend from back East today, that was a nice focus.

We are having dinner tonight with our daughter and granddaughter, and hopefully her husband, if he isn’t working. That is most fulfilling.

My grateful list overflows with little things. Sunshine, connecting with an old friend, writing a note, seeing my orchid plant doing so well on my desk, writing one page today for a story, doing some errands with my husband.

Today is my husband’s birthday and we have spent the day together. I love it, now is is older than me. The weather is gorgeous, we are feeling okay, and life is what it is.

Have a wonderful day tomorrow, and try to focus on your feelings. Do something wonderful for someone and then for yourself.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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A-Z Feelings About Alzheimer's Disease

August 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

When my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease I sat down and did an a-z buzzword page on my feelings. I want to share them with you so that you can help support caregivers. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you. Give a gift that lasts forever and costs nothing.

A=alone, agonizing, abandoned, affecting

B=burden, bereft, blessed

C=cope, cry, chronic fatigue, courage, compassion, community, cliches

D=depression, death sentence, dreams, dignity, denial

E=effort, exercise, eulogy, essence, excrutiating

F=family, face the fear, frustration, feelings,

G=good days, grateful, guts, God

H=hope, hopeless, helpless, heartwrenching, humor, hold me

I=I got us on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

J=job, journal, jeopodize

K=kisses, killer, knowledge, knife

L=love, letters to kids, label

M=movies, meds

N=notes every day, it’s not him, it’s the disease

O= obesity; we beat it, bankruptcy: we beat it

P=prisoner of the mind and soul, pity, pain, poignant, power of attorney

Q=quality of life

R=robs you of yourself, raw

S=secret, smile, slow death, spokesperson, soul, strong, spirit

T=time, Thanksgiving, thorough

U= ultimate,

V=victim, void, victory

W= where are you, I know you are in there, wallow in pity

X=x-rated, x ray

Y=yell, yearn, yoke yanked

Z=zombie, zap, zero

We were the lucky ones, they changed the diagnosis from Alzheimer’s Disease to Age Associated Memory Impairment, but those seven years were hell. And that’s why I published my book, Behind The Mask.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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