Judy Howard's Blog

 

December 31, 2021

Letting go and New beginnings!

What a year ! But then I looked back at the previous five years! What a  ride I have been on! But for today. I am reviewing 2021.

Every New Year is pivotal yet always the same. A time of letting go. And in contrast,  a time of Grabbing the ring on the Carousel! But for me, this year has been the most  intense of the past five years.

I began 2021 as I had  done for the last  twenty years  traveling to Quartzite  to reunite with friends. This year I reunited  with a  unique group  I had met the year before – my man group!

I had sold my house in California, and as the Universe has its way of lining up events,  this eclectic and  goodhearted group of  guys became the angels in my life when “complications” developed at end of escrow leading to the eviction of the  tenant. My property manager and real estate agent called my man group “ Judy’s Henchmen” but I called them Angels. Because with their help I closed escrow and the eager new owner  could start his own new  life chapter  as did the tenant.  (No tenant was injured in this event.)

The sale of my home  cut my  last ties  to California where I had lived the last  fifty years.(except the last six when I lived full-time in my motorhome traveling the country writing my books and presenting my writing and motivational seminars.)  A Big Change in the making. I had decided to move to a small town on  the southern Oregon coast, Brookings, Oregon. I bought my home in Curry County in which the slogan here is, “There’s no hurry in Curry.”  And so, as I learned to release the  hustle and bustle  life of California my lessons of patience  and trusting the process of life as it is began.

On April 1st  I laid down my California money on a home  I couldn’t  believe I was buying but knew in my heart was the right one for me.

Four months later I have  settled into my perfect fit for a home. As I write this,  I am looking out my window  upon a mountain of green trees  and a light rain  that seems to  dampen  my entire world. The gift of a thin layer  of snow at Christmas  has melted from an occasional sunny day In this  place I have decided is a vortex  of ocean, river, and rain to create a circle of good will  that I have only found a few other places in my travels.

Now as I gather the hard and easy  lessons I’ve learned from 2021, and    mold them  into the massive  bundle  of other incredible gifts of years past, I am ready to meet 2022  head on, as the newest updated version of Judy!

 I leave behind one of the most beloved influencers  of my life. The one who lived the biggest life of all and might be the most influential ... my dearlest, beloved cat, Sportster. May his next cat life rock the world like he did mine. 

i

I wish you all  a wonderful and  bountiful new year. May your cup of kindness and good will overflow that the entire world will notice.

I am sending my wishes of love and good will to every one of you … because all of you … guaranteed … every one of  you …

have  changed my life!

I am eternally grateful!

Happy New Year!

 With love,

Judy Howard  

(And Sportster in spirit)

  

 Once upon a time  Everyone was happy. There were no potholes in the road and a  Starbucks at every corner on the way home from work, and a game or a good movie waited for us on tv after a good dinner with family.

 And then....

 Everyone was  talking about  IT. 

The whole country and soon the world was a-buzz. I would find  the trend amusing, I am sorry to say.  if it were not so scary.  It is as if NO ONE  knew of  IT  before. But no matter if we had ignored it, we could not any longer.  Because everyone was talking about IT and we became very afraid.

We began to blame and hate. Everything was wrong. It was  as if  only yesterday, before IT,  no one was being murdered in our inner cities, our children were not being neglected in foster homes or abandoned or kidnapped by traffickers, no one was dying prematurely and at increasingly alarming rates  from diabetes, obesity, suicide and  from so many other stress related  illnesses. We were not concerned that our children did not play outside any more,  nor did they know  the history of their own family or town. But of course, not only had  all that existed, but these issues had been growing globally and at unprecedented  rates.  

 And then IT arrived. And overnight we became an enlightened population to everything  that was wrong. We were enraged and wanted change. We were now  wishing and hoping  and waiting  for someone and  something,  outside ourselves to fix all that is wrong with us, our country and the world. 

Everyone is still  talking about IT. 
….  as if there is nothing else.

What if....?

You never mentioned IT  for 24 hours?  for 48 hours? 

How long can you go without talking about IT? 

 We  began talking about  A NEW  IT!? 

   A PERSONAL  VISION? A NEW PERSPECTIVE?

Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon

Oh, and don’t forget!! Readers’ reviews  keep writers motivated.
USEFUL LINKS 
Other books by Judy Howard: JUDY’S AMAZON  AUTHOR  PAGE
Judy's Blog: The Adventures Of An RV Widow JUDY'S WEBSITE
Sportster's Blog: The Cat's Perspective Of Reading, Writing And Life
Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Safe travels!

 

 

Look Away

 

What have we become? How did this happen?
The discontent has  been brewing  for quite some time or maybe it began when Europe thought the solution to solving what was wrong in their country would be to send their condemned  criminals and misfits to live far, far away in the wilds of the new world.

What is happening is as old as time. As government takes over more and more, we become less involved and less invested with one another. We become separated. We see only the differences in one another. And we are afraid.

When we live in fear, we cannot be loving. We lose our perspective that we are all a part of the whole, that we are connected.

When we distrust  the man across the street who doesn’t drive, but rides the bus  --- when we become suspicious of the apartment dwellers across the tracks, and those who reside in the small little town huddled in the woods who keep to themselves   --- when we  compare those who live in the southern part of the state to the northerners, the east coast to the west coast ---  

We see only an endless list of  differences.

In nature, differences abound, but when united they create a rash and intrepid life force!  Every river contributes to the ocean’s mighty tides.  What happens when one tree joins together with the myriad of others and share their space? An eight hundred-billion-acre canopy of shelter and a cornucopia of nourishment is born for the various herds, nests, dens and packs of animals and species.

And what happens when we cease to experience and understand nature’s endless and herculean demonstrations of strength in unity?  We disgrace ourselves; we ignore her message and we look away. We find ourselves  focusing only on the  six inches of blue light of our phones, the seventy-two inches of our TV screen and the print on our Kindles which tell us what  we should want and what we shouldn’t do, what we should love and what we must fear. And because we see nothing else, we believe that is our reality.    

What happens? There is no imagination. No wonder. Nothing left to debate.

 

What remains? Only argument, accusations, denouncing, and denial.  And we are left to believe our safety, our security and our faith are in the hands of only  two blatant and embarrassing examples of our humanity,  vying for control of what is the largest and most powerful economy on the globe.

When we lose our focus, only fear remains which takes of down the path of anger, distrust, and depression. None of those whom we have looked to have restored our confidence or our faith, nor have they have acted as leaders.   None have built trust or hope. The world only saw two fighting dogs in a small ring behind the barn.

When we believe only two can make us strong, when we believe billions of dollars will unite us and create a safe and secure future, we have forgotten or never known that the only  real and lasting power is in unity. Billions of energies coming together.   

It is time to look away, to learn  from the raindrops which formed the endless seas, to learn from the plush and bountiful forests which give, you and me, and all earthly creatures, the air that we  breathe, the food for our families, and shelter from the storms.

 We only need to look away from   our screens – look away from the fake chaos paid and produced to steal our attention from the non-profitable but peaceful and caring reality that still exits -- if only we look away.

 We  need to be accountablefor  only our small part in this world’s big picture. Be the raindrop, be the tree. Reach out. Become a part of the whole, like the raindrop is to the ocean, and like the tree is the forest.  And then we can become as the universe is mighty.

What happens  if  you and I  face our obligation to the whole?  What remains when we walk across the proverbial street and shake the hand of a stranger?

 All of us, not just two, but  all of us, and the strangers whom we have not yet met, become a unit of strength mightier than all of the oceans and more nourishing than all of the forests.

United we become like the Almighty.

 Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon

Oh, and don’t forget!! Readers’ reviews  keep writers motivated.
USEFUL LINKS 
Other books by Judy Howard: JUDY’S AMAZON  AUTHOR  PAGE
Judy's Blog: The Adventures Of An RV Widow JUDY'S WEBSITE
Sportster's Blog: The Cat's Perspective Of Reading, Writing And Life
Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Safe travels!

 

 

  Today was your future, yesterday.

Welcome September! Growing up in Illinois, fall became my favorite time of the year.  I welcomed the brisk, crisp air after   the long, hot and humid summer,  a season when my sis and I would rake up the musky leaves, amassing their shades of red and gold and earthen browns into towering heaps that  made the most  perfect of world of tunnels.  

And when the afternoon shadows stretched across the lawn,  the fresh fallen leaves crunched as we fell backwards onto their bed. And then we wasted  the  afternoon away while we studied  the magical clouds as they  painted kittens and puppies and  lions across the backdrop of  a perfectly blue sky.

For the past four years, I have planned my road trips so that I would arrive in Illinois to enjoy fall’s rapture.

But today, as fortunate as I am to be savoring the sound of the crashing coastal waves of the Pacific as I write to you, I am saddened  that this 2020 fall season  I will be  missing  the experience of reliving my childhood memories … and also regretting  that I never packed a rake on one of those visits.

Missed opportunities.  I vow here and now! Next year I'm bring a rake!

During today's  trying times, when I've  considered the adventures that  I believe I am missing,  I have become  engaged in a brawl between clinging to my optimism, or joining the vast crowds of the bitter and blaming.

This girl, whom you all have called inspirational, a firecracker, and an adrenaline junkie, feels as if she’s been at war with her soul.

At first, in March, I relished the chance to waste my days away, dreaming of tomorrow when things would go back to normal.  I treated the stay-in-place order like I had the long, humid Illinois summers.  I waited for the misery to pass. I made the best of it.
 Through the month of  April I grabbed hold of the opportunity to write  day and night undisturbed. April became my adult version of lying in a bed of fresh fallen leaves and getting lost in the journey of the clouds.

But soon my patience waned and the thunderous clouds of anger, hate, negativity and fear shadowed me everywhere I went. The new limiting circumstances made it impossible to escape.  It seemed as if there was nowhere to go.

And now it is September, and even though I am enjoying fall in Oregon, my heart yearns for the classical season of an Illinois fall.

 What to do?

 With only four months left of this  unusual year, I am ready to rake up the last six months of claustrophobia, loneliness, anger and regret,  gather up the multitude of mixed emotions into a heap,

 and then, 

like my childhood pile of old musky dead leaves …

Jump in!

This novel experience that we all are sharing?   I say, it is like Bette Midler’s, song, The Rose. This untried and unfamiliar encounter is not a river made to drown us, nor a razor leaving us to bleed, nor does it have the power to fill us with a hunger or aching need.  Instead, it is  a season of transformation, like the fall.

Perhaps we are experiencing is an audition, a shakedown, a prelude for a   glory even more spectacular than Bette Midler’s The Rose.

When the trees bare their leaves, I do not see the leaf’s demise as a death, or the  forest’s appearance as stark.  Instead I choose to see the trees  have offered up a gift of gratefulness, for the summers’ nurturing heat that contributed to their abundance of fruit … and thus, their seeds to be strewn upon the ground. 

 Do they know that through their sacrifice, they will become heroes in the spring? Do they know their blanket of warmth across the cold barren ground offers an opportunity in the spring for The Rose to perform its miracle?  

I look back upon the big picture of my life, and the struggles I thought I would never be able to endure, and yet somehow, I did.  

All of those troubles and tragedies brought me here, to this life I am living, a life I love. A life  created out of the  ashes  of my troubles that  I could never have imagined.

So, I will confront this novel  unknown  as I have always done. I will refuse to be afraid of a heartache, or to learn to dance, or to take a chance. I will not be so afraid of dying that I forget to live. 

So who's with me?  I say, “Bring it on! Show me what you’ve got!”

Oh, the new friends you will make!
Oh, the people we will meet and the miracles we will create! 

 We are all under the same blanket of fear. Let's not see it only as dead smelly leaves.  For me, I’m changing my perspective.  This season, which yesterday seemed dire, I now see as a promise and we are the seeds. 

And if we are the seeds, then we are also the future. We are full of tomorrows which are offering us  unlimited opportunities. And through these opportunities we will be  transformed into someone  more amazing  than we were yesterday.

Making Friends while riding the rails in Ione, Washington.

Sportster is winning friends (meet Tadd) and influencing people in Kalispell, Montana while our new refrigerator is being installed at Gardner's RV .
.

How long will it take? Who knows?  But the journey is an exciting challenge and the makeover will be spectacular! 

Today is the first day of your future.

 

                                    The Rose

Bette Midler

Some say love, it is a river, that drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor, that leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower, and you, its only seed

It's the heart afraid of breaking, that never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking, that never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying, that never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter, far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose.

Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon

Oh, and don’t forget!! Readers’ reviews  keep writers motivated.
USEFUL LINKS 
Other books by Judy Howard: JUDY’S AMAZON  AUTHOR  PAGE
Judy's Blog: The Adventures Of An RV Widow JUDY'S WEBSITE
Sportster's Blog: The Cat's Perspective Of Reading, Writing And Life
Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Safe travels!

 

Isolation can fill you up with awe and  appreciation.
. 

I hope your month has been productive and rewarding. I hope you have found the spiritual strength to reach out to at least four strangers. Not someone like yourself, but different. Someone you normally would not talk to. Perhaps the person waiting for a bus or in the pharmacy, or the person enjoying the outdoors at your local park.  

 Did you make an effort to get to know them -- not their politics, not their religion – but deeper? 

Perhaps you told them something your mother always said to you about patience or being kind to one another, and then asked them what their mother always preached to them?  Who was their best friend in high school?  I hope you shared with them about what you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done yet, or what your perfect day would be like. The only rule: Don’t talk politics, religion, or about the mainstream news. Just like your mother told you.

This month during my travels, I have had many wonderfully pleasant conversations with strangers.  But two separated incidents stand out in my mind because they surprised me so much.  The two separate interchanges that happened, not with strangers, but while having lunch with two different friends.

 

 At each lunch, as much as I make an effort to avoid discussing trending controversial issues, the ugly issues came up.  In an instant, it was like rounding the corner and bumping into a vicious dog. Their pleasant moods vanished, their composures tensed, their mouths straight-lined and their brows furrowed when controversial subject came up.  It is of no matter which debatable subject instilled their reactions; they reacted the same.  Each friend became an entirely different person -- an angry, hateful person. If I had been the target of their hate, I would have been frightened and reacted with anger of my own.

I call these people my friends. They are good people.  And yet in a flash, they became someone scary and antagonistic. How can that happen?

For the first time in my life I did something I have never done before.

I asked why they felt so angry. And then I listened.

Some see clouds and worry about  rain. Some see mountains while others see only that the view is blocked.  Some see cold water, others see a day of sailing. Some see trees and others see weeds.

They spewed forth their reasons for their hatred. From their perspectives:  the   hated groups had misguided beliefs, selfish desires, and imposing agendas -- all which were different than my friends.’

 

I did not shut down.  I did not react with anger or become defensive because they did not grasp up my differing perspectives. I did not try to shove my views down my friends’ throats.

I continued to listen …  and understand.

I began to realize my friends’ anger was based on their personal perceptions, viewpoints which they believed to be true. We all form our beliefs, from personal experiences, or from information we’ve gleaned from the news, or  seen on TV, or the internet. And most often, it will be a cold day in hell before we are willing to admit that the conclusions, we’ve made may be wrong.

Years ago, at my business, I and two of my employees were robbed at gunpoint.  When questioned by the police, I was amazed how each employee described the robber’s race differently. One said he was black, one described him as Mexican and I believed he was of Iranian.  And of course, I believed my description was the only correct one. Surprise.  We were all wrong. He was Puerto Rican. And yet even with that knowledge, years after the robbery, even though I knew the man was Puerto Rican, I still became extremely fearful  of anyone with a mid-eastern background.

 

Tomorrow is your future. Imagine it!

Knowing that both of my luncheon friends lived a comfortable life, I asked   one of them, “How has your life changed for the worse that has made you so angry?”

My friend thought for a long while. She seemed surprised that she could think of nothing dramatically wrong with her life to justify her anger. And then she said, “I’m afraid of what might happen.”

Almost always, our fears are unfounded and yet we are afraid. We are focusing on what could happen, or what might happen.

I face fear every time I drive either my car or my motorhome.   I could be in an accident and die, I could be shot in a robbery and die, I could have a heart attack, or the flu, or cancer and die. None of those things would be a pleasant way to go.

 Three-quarters of a century have passed. Nearly 27,375 days. That’s 657,000 hours. I have survived three civil unrest movements, I survived the Polio epidemic, the Swine flu, the Asian Flu and the Hong Kong flu. I lived through a robbery at gunpoint and an abusive marriage, and I smoked.

I have embraced the art of living, which is just that … living.

Not waiting, not hiding, and not hating. Just living.

Be afraid!   

I read a post by a veteran today that inspired the subject of this blog. He was a a fulltime RVer and suffered from PTSD. He had come to the realization that he would never be the Joe Civilian that he once was before he went to war. Now, he would always be a veteran, always feeling locked and loaded and ready to fight for his country.  Such a simple realization, but for him, it had been a difficult concept to accept. So, he said, “I’ll just crawl back into my case. And you can break the glass in case of emergency.”

And the veteran’s attitude resonates with me. This world is never going to be what it was. I mourn at the loss and am full of grief. Everywhere I look people are suffering but not from the virus. They are wrought with fear and stress. Yet I want to believe it will be better -- gloriously better. But like all trauma we are going to have to trudge down a long road of recovery. And we have so much to learn and change before we reach the other side of this. We all do. But I don’t believe we can accomplish this in isolation. 

We need each other.

I hope we all get a chance to walk in a stranger’s shoes to understand and be compassionate.  Communication and experiential knowledge is the prescription for healing.

  Reach out. Talk to a stranger.

Dare to see what others do not.

Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Oh, and don’t forget!! Readers’ reviews  keep writers motivated.
USEFUL LINKS 
Other books by Judy Howard: JUDY’S AMAZON  AUTHOR  PAGE
Judy's Blog: The Adventures Of An RV Widow JUDY'S WEBSITE
Sportster's Blog: The Cat's Perspective Of Reading, Writing And Life
Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Safe travels!                   

 

                                                                                                                      

.
“I was livin’ high in April ...." (That’s Life sung by Frank Sinatra)

I love new beginnings! 
Six months ago when I turned the calendar page to January 2020 my month was already dotted with all that I love! Numerous book signings and seminars interlaced in the scenic environment of the southwestern desert promised a prosperous and exciting new year. And most important, I looked forward to sharing my experiences, strength and hope along the way with hundreds of new and old friends.
 Life promised to be as good as it gets for a wandering author like me.  I was off and running, meeting new readers, encouraging new writers, and inciting those of you with an unrequited wanderlust.
 In March, when the world screeched to halt.  My book signings and my first ever motivational seminar were canceled. Life is simpler for me if I accept what I cannot change. So, new mantra became,” Love The Obstacle.”
 As an author, I welcomed the isolation. Mother Nature had delivered spring in the Arizona desert, which as intended the season energized my soul with spectacular cool morning sunrises and even cooler yet fiery sunsets. I soaked up the open-air vastness, discovered walking trails, and wild burros. Mother Nature wrapped me in her powerful arms. I was grateful for her tolerance.
I was safe in the middle of nowhere in Why, Arizona.  I wrote, walked, and wondered about the new normal. Isolation released me of any distractions and offered me endless days and nights to do what I love … to write.  I envisioned a bright future for our country after the waters of fear receded. Life never stays the same and it comes at you fast. I would die of boredom if it were any other way.  Energy is cyclical, claiming its own rhythm, always challenging, always testing.
“…Shot down in May…
Outside of my desert cocoon, the world population scurried back and forth across the internet and TV channels, hungering for any crumb of information which might make sense of the raw, unchallenged threat it faced.  The universal new slogan became, “Be kind to one another. We are in this together”. We gorged ourselves with others’ opinions, unverified news, and sometimes even the truth, but it was all illusive and impossible to differentiate. . No one ever looked within for answers.Isolated, our only information was what we were told. Fear ruled. It had a hold on us and was not going to let go anytime soon.
Apprehension increased, like a tsunami racing for shore, Invisible waves charged up and over the surrounding mountains and invaded the small town of Why, Arizona. Like a blinding cloud of radiation, it smothered the desert’s spirit, it’s majestic Saguaros, the delicate shade of the Palo Verdes. Like a drug, fear sedated the wild independence of the tiny community of Why, Arizona, a town which most have never even known existed.
We all wondered, “Why is this happening?”
We relied on the dire statistics fed to us. This powerful new consciousness saturated the sand, the sky and the air.! It clouded everything, It took over our minds, our hearts. We spoke of nothing else. I found it hard to breathe, to think, TO LIVE!
Tension and fear did not recede. It thrived. Anxiety and rigidity became the new normal, a choking bacterium in a stagnant pond from which everyone continued to drink.  
Now, the biggest killer of all …bigger than any tsunami  or deadly virus…unrest and discord seized me, threatening  to hack away at my immune system as it paved  an easy path for heart disease, cancer and all other ailments from the common cold to depression and suicide.   And yet still, the world focused on nothing else. We nurtured our anxieties  as we drink from the same mucky negatively charged pond. Fear and tension mutated into a ferocious controlling plague with all its symptoms – a weakness of spirit, headaches, shortness of breath coughing and chest pain.
I thought about quitting but my heart ain’t going to buy it….”
Poisoned by debilitating fear and hoping to find clean and positive ideas, I abandoned the little town of Why, Arizona, but apprehension was everywhere. There was no place to go. The year which had begun with promise of positivity and good will became dark with suspicion and accusations from every faction.
Was this the new norm?   All my life I struggled to overcome the spirit killing expectations and judgements made by others, the “him or me” mind-set, and the hundreds of labels society has tossed around to categorize us.  I refused to surrender to fear.
Love the obstacle. Allow it to fulfill its purpose.
I took advantage of the precious commodity which the obstacle offered. Time.  I re-evaluated my goals, did a lot of soul searching, regrouped …and had back surgery.
“Each time I find myself flat on my face, I pick myself up and get back in the race.”
 Today I refuse to watch the news, a habit I began four years ago. And I refuse to discuss the obstacle and all its aspects and complications.  Because when I look past all the negativity, I can see this is my opportunity to do something great.
 I am going to reach out and tell someone, “It’s going to be alright. Others before us have survived so much in this country and the world , and we will, too.  We will come out the other side even better. This is my chance  and yours, too. 



Step up to the plate and do everything possible to hit a home run for the team.  If you look closely, we are all on the same team. We all want the same thing.  Reach out.  

“A coward dies a thousand times, but the valiant tastes death only once.”

Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Oh, and don’t forget!! Readers’ reviews  keep writers motivated.
USEFUL LINKS 
Other books by Judy Howard: JUDY’S AMAZON  AUTHOR  PAGE
Judy's Blog: The Adventures Of An RV Widow JUDY'S WEBSITE
Sportster's Blog: The Cat's Perspective Of Reading, Writing And Life
Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Safe travels!                   

Your most authentic self is not who you currently are, but rather, who you desire to become. You are the author of your life’s narrative. You have power to determine the stages of life you will be on and the characters you will play.




Today is my birthday.
I have favorite days of the year. Thanksgiving - for the food and the sentiment behind the holiday. New Year’s Eve, a time for reflecting and looking forward. And my birthday, a time to say goodbye to who I was yesterday and to plan for a new and improved version of me for tomorrow.




Yesterday I wanted the world we live in to be a better place.

I wanted us to disconnect from everything and connect more with one another.

 I wanted us to find a universal commonality that would show us we are all in this together.

I wanted to us to discover that the answer to longevity and health is not to focus on what is wrong with us and our world, but instead to envision the future and the life we want.

Yesterday I embraced the belief that change is as simple as a new idea going viral.

Yesterday I hoped everyone would grab ahold of an innovative concept, a new life design and take it to heart.  



Yesterday I believed this new outlook, this conjecture would be a novelty, a miracle cure, and yet as old as dirt which had always been here, right under our noses. but just overlooked as insignificant.

 Yesterday I wanted us to keep an eye on the prize. Not the problem. Because when you decide what you want, the universe conspires to make it happen.


Yesterday my aspiration was to help those who only saw guilt and anger, and sadness remorse when they looked at their journey through their past.

Yesterday I wanted to show those who were in despair, believing their life was a stagnant pond, that if they continued on their path, they would be like  the raindrop which believed it did  not make a difference in the flood or in the drought. Where would we be then?  







We are all connected.














Today, my birthday present to myself?

I am looking forward to tomorrow and engaging my newest  improved plan in hopes of inspiring others to follow their  star, connect with those unlikely  others  who will become  the wind beneath their wings and to soar into their future in which they have envisioned.





Because we all know you go where your eyes go.
You may think it is difficult to plan for tomorrow during these life changing times. You ask, “How can we plan when we don’t know what tomorrow brings?’

 Did any of us ever have a crystal ball? Could any of us see the big picture?  No. We only thought we could. The illusion of being in control is just that, -- an illusion.

  Self-distancing?  Sure!

You may think it is difficult to plan for tomorrow during these life changing times. You ask, “How can we plan when we don’t know what tomorrow brings?’



 Did any of us ever have a crystal ball? Could any of us see the big picture?  No. We only thought we could. The illusion of being in control is just that, -- an illusion.

  Self-distancing?  Sure!

 But we can no longer distance ourselves from our problems and the struggles of others.  We cannot sit back on our haunches and throw money at our degrading lifestyle and culture in order to fix it.  

Money will not repair the world consciousness in which at this moment 80 % of the global population suffers from depression and stress. And that rate was rising at an alarming rate before COVID19 struck.

Neither can we continue to look to our government for solutions.

We must cease looking outside of ourselves for the answers.

We need to disconnect from the noise, be quiet and look within.

From the bottom of my heart, more than words can say it is my wish to save our planet. Overly ambitious? I think not.

We have been so focused on the tragedy of the COVID19 pandemic we have forgotten to see the heroes.  Those who have succumbed to this devasting illness are our heroes! Their sacrifices have made way for a new enriched future.

Our skies are bluer our hearts are bigger, and our compassion is stronger. We are connected with one another.

We’ve been afraid far too long even before this virus came into being, but we are not born to be a fearful people. It was killing us.

And now look how far we have come!!

 we are coming together We are slowing down and going within for our solutions. Each of us is listening to an  answer  that is  unique only to us. We are coming together. We’re believing in miracles, loving our heroes, and giving, not money but ourselves, our time and our hearts in order to make someone’s life better.  
My plan for tomorrow?  As only one raindrop, I hope to continue sprinkling inspiration and faith to convince you that anything is possible if you…..

Be still.

Go within

Listen

And believe that what you hear is your way.  







Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Oh, and don’t forget!! Readers’ reviews  keep writers motivated.
USEFUL LINKS 
Other books by Judy Howard: JUDY’S AMAZON  AUTHOR  PAGE
Judy's Blog: The Adventures Of An RV Widow JUDY'S WEBSITE
Sportster's Blog: The Cat's Perspective Of Reading, Writing And Life
Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Safe travels!                   

Are you an RVer, or a wanna be RVer?  to the Family Motor Coach Association Rally at the Indio fairgrounds in California January 7th through the 11th .The rally is open to the public.  Everything for and about RVs and the RV lifestyle will be available at this rally. It is one of the largest rallies in the southwest region. It is not a sales lot, though there will be plenty of RVs to drool over. Attend the many  seminars and demonstrations covering recreational vehicles and the RV lifestyle and many other subjects. I will be presenting two of my most popular seminars about how to pursue your inspirations and dreams of writing a book, blog or memoir.
Have you ever thought about writing?  What Makes A Good Story? 
Where's The Inspiration? 

Bring your questions  to  the  seminars.  I’ll be presenting at the rally on Thursday January 19th at 2:15 pm-3:15 pm, Friday the 10th  at 8:30 am - 9:30 am and Saturday January 11th at 12:45 pm - 1:45 pm. Did you know that 80% of the population has thought about writing?  I’ll cover the basics of how I began in this career and became a top ranking Amazon author, earning money on the road. Come early seating fills up fast. I hope to see you there!EXTRA - EXTRA -  EXTRA !!!This year I have a surprise !!I will be offering what we writers call a PIRATE WORKSHOP in which ALL LEVELS  of writers gather  together and critique  one another's writing.  If you want to meet other like-minded folks who are just starting out on their writing journey or who are seasoned this will be an informal and fun get-together. Bring a cup of coffee and a sample of your writing (no more than two pages).For Details and questions contact me:
Judy Howardjhoward1935@gmail.com  
And if you miss my workshops in Indio, I have FREE TICKETS  to the International FMCA Rally in Tucson, Az. March 26th  through March 29th. I will be presenting these three seminars and maybe a surprise fourth seminar!  

And finally, whether or not you have the RV fever, come to Quartzite, Arizona after Indio. Quartzite, Arizona is the RVer’s mecca. Once a year, the little town whose population is less than 2000, becomes a BIG, little town during January boasting  a temporary population of over a  quarter of a million, mostly RVers.
Look for me at the  Authors' Book Fair  at Readers' Oasis Book Store  on Main Street.    I will have FREE TICKETS TO THE FMCA RALLY IN MARCH AT TUCSON!!



Find out more than could ever want to know about me by clicking on the link below !!

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon


Oh, and don’t forget!! Readers’ reviews  keep writers motivated.
USEFUL LINKS 
Other books by Judy Howard: JUDY’S AMAZON  AUTHOR  PAGE
Judy's Blog: The Adventures Of An RV Widow JUDY'S WEBSITE
Sportster's Blog: The Cat's Perspective Of Reading, Writing And Life
Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Safe travels!                   

No failures in 2019. Feedback Only!Welcome to January 1st! 
The first day of 2020 and  the rest of our lives!  Let’s hit the deck running! Who's game?

I  LOVE January!

It’s a time for new beginnings and new habits.  It’s a time to review last year’s feedback. (Notice, I did not say “failures.”)


It’s time to get real.What was your average day like last year?How does it differ from your IDEAL DAY?What's my ideal day? Here’s what I imagine….
A Day In The Life Of Judy Howard .
2018 marked one year of recovery since my hip replacement surgery in 2017. Before surgery, I focused only on being healthy again. I wanted to be able to put my shoes on, to walk and to sleep without pain. I wanted to get back on a productive writing schedule.  But the  five painful months waiting for a surgery date led to bouts of depression.  I belabored my future, wondering if it was downhill from here on out.
Now, with surgery a distant memory,  I am once again excited about the new year. I  am living my life, traveling  fulltime in my motorhome with my cat, Sportster. The two of us visit awe-inspiring places and meet the nicest people on earth!

Life is good. There is  no room for excuses and procrastination. So why do I have trouble reaching my goals? 
Science research has proven our  mind duty is to keep us safe ….  and comfortable.  So, it is understandable that it urges me to sleep in, eat that sugar loaded cinnamon roll, and to zone out, marathoning on the latest Netflix series.

But there is the soul, which is always  longing and seeking. Like the river's force, our spirit pushes past the obstacles in our  path so that we  may thrive and use our talents to create  the best version of ourselves .…. whoever that is.




 Every new year I look back on the past year and say, “I can do better.”

I imagine my ideal day in 2020 which supports a schedule and will include blocks of time to write a blog to keep in touch with my family and you, my friends and fans once a week.

 I envision eating healthier and dropping that last fifteen pounds I’ve been trying to lose for so long.

I want to acquire a new habit of hiking two to three miles a day. Last year, my average hike was one mile a day.

And finally, I want to support to write a new book every year that will excite my readers.

Other resolutions which make the top ten list for most folks every year include   the categories of healthier eating and cooking, traveling, and always, always, always -- more time and more money. And I am an American so, they are on my list too.

How do you envision your ideal day?  HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!
And my wishes go out to those of you whom I met along my journey through 2019 and all the years before.You were like a cozy fire on a cold night and a refreshing  icy brook on a hot day. I love you all.

Use your time and journey to their fullest!!  
Magic will happen!

Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon

   I want to tell you about a friend I met during my travels. He is representative of so very many of us who cling to a secret dream which we keep hidden, coveting it like a forbidden lover, allowing it to tug at our heartstrings since our earliest memories.
My friend, whom I will call The Dreamer, revealed to me in an email his passion to travel. The Dreamer’s words resounded with me. His voice echoed that of the majority of folks  whom I’ve encountered over the years.

 “You impress the ever-lovin daylights out of me.  At some point in whatever life I have left I would love to do what you are doing…There’s something about staying in place and traveling out on occasion …but then there’s the hitting the road thing that you’re doing which is pretty amazing.”


Many have confessed to me the dreams they’ve nourished, but none as poignantly as my Dreamer friend.

 Traveling exposes the beauty of the universe and the goodness of people. Traveling inspires the spirit. Experiencing new perspectives allows us to connect with our world and humanity in a magical and delightful way.

Through the bit of life that I have left , I yearn to be a beacon of hope for others and a tantalizing example of the possibilities lying ahead. 

 Whatever your unique dream may be, no matter how unreachable it may seem, I hope my words and my experiences will light up your courage and inspire you to take the leap and …

 LIVE YOUR LIFE WHOLEHEARTEDLY!

Afraid you will fail?  Afraid someone will break your heart? Are you scared and sweating bullets? Are friends and family begging you to play it safe? Should you settle for less and travel their journey instead of your own?

In life there will always be risks and detours, but for me, I would rather die from the fear of reaching for my dream than die from a slow and imminent death forever  wondering, “What if?”  

 Oh the joy and the rapture you will experience ….

….  if my Dreamer friend, you  venture out of the parking lot!
Use your time and journey to their fullest!!  

Magic will happen!


Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon


Oh, and don’t forget!! Readers’ reviews  keep writers motivated.
USEFUL LINKS 
Other books by Judy Howard: JUDY’S AMAZON  AUTHOR  PAGE
Judy's Blog: The Adventures Of An RV Widow JUDY'S WEBSITE
Sportster's Blog: The Cat's Perspective Of Reading, Writing And Life
Click on the link below to find out more about Judy's books.

Go to Judy Howard's Author Page on Amazon



Safe travels!