Happy Birthday Andy


Today March 24th, Andy Zorn would be 32… Happy Birthday, son.

A few images that are great memories of him. Love you kiddo.

He was the life of the party, red headed, green eyed and always into something. A fabulous fisherman, he could out fish the lot. He was a wonderful son and a great friend. Missing you on your day.

You are gone, never forgotten.
Life goes on, so live it well, it could end at any time.
Go for the gusto, travel, meet new people, listen and help others.
Be KIND.

Wish you were here I’d take you out to the Great Barrier Reef and let you snorkel and eat a lobster.

The Path of “Boring”

When you start a new relationship everything is fresh and wonderful, you are all “gaga.” As the novelty wears off you have to face the real you, your inner personality and the issues or demons that you hide. I think not only with new romantic relationships but with with all people you meet, you set boundaries and begin dialogue.

In each relationship we can revert back to old stereotypical roles we may have played in childhood, with boyfriends, girlfriends, or with past husbands or wives. I am breaking out of these old roles with toxic dialogues into a healthy role of an adult with a nice calm dialogue. I recall my attractions were to troubled, distant, moody men, usually emotionally unavailable and addicted to alcohol. Roles we played were rescuer “trying to help”; or persecutor “trying to blame”; or role of victim “the one who is helpless and blameless.” This becomes a game and you can act out any of these roles at any time you please. To step away from this and work in a healthy role is challenging for some one who has had a dysfunctional life.

Working on a healthy relationship is what I call “different, virgin territory and sometimes boring.” You would wonder why boring, because there is no drama or chaos. I have loved that “high” in my relationships but no more. I am finding when there is no action, I honestly don’t know what to do with myself. I am not sure how to act, how to cultivate a continually nice relationship, where someone actually cares about me, and my welfare. Having found someone who loves me, just the way I am and is there for me is so amazingly different. Finding mutual interests is more fun than commiserating endlessly over obsessed and unhealthy conversation.

As I walk a path to a new way of living I am hoping to be joined by new friends in a more peaceful world. I sometimes catch myself looking for or about to step into a toxic dilemma. I have a fear that the calm life is not working. I am curious has anyone else noticed once you have changed into a healthy lifestyle what do you do with yourself when you seem to want to fall back into the stimulation of chaotic drama instead of enjoying the “boring” life? Any helpful ideas would be appreciated.

What is the meaning of life?

Ever really wonder what the meaning of life is?  Why was I put here in the first place?  Where did I come from?  What is the purpose in my life?  Maybe I was hatched in a nest?  Oops, that is a thought a chicken has.  For that matter can chickens think?  And what really came first the chicken or that darn egg?

In reality,  the reason we are here revolves around our beliefs or dogmas.  It could be our belief in God, our Christ-self, the universal consciousness, our Buddha nature, a supreme being or deity, maybe a supernatural being or simply a creator.  We are taught about a higher being by our parents through our upbringing.  We each have different beliefs.  Ever get in a discussion about God with someone who thinks differently?  Ding-dong  Jehovah Witness calling!  Quite a contest to see who has the better God, isn’t it?

During the past two weeks, while I was sick, I realized how very alone I am.  Being ill puts a whole new perspective on the meaning of life.  When I was in bed for days I began to understand true aloneness.  No one was here to help me, care for me, or just chat with me.  It was just me and myself.  I began to ponder how did I get to China.  Last year at this time I was in Allen, Texas teaching school, living by myself, and wondering what had happened to my life.   It was like a volcano had erupted in my life and just devastated every part of my daily living.  What could I do to stop the continuous magma flow?  I came to China to remove all the horrific events from my mind.  Did it work?  Yes, I would say I was just picked up from one side of the earth and sat on the other side.  In China nothing is the same and everything must be thought out completely.  The process of living here has kept my mind busy and in a way it plugged up my volcano, like a wine cork in a bottle.   Moving here stripped me of all my material possessions and the people in my life.  I now must look at myself and really see who I am.

I think about my “issues” of caring for people and why I throw myself into obsessive relationships with men, teaching long hours, and multi-tasking  where I need to be in control and stay so busy.  My friend Patti told me the time here with my aloneness would make me look at me.  As if removing all the extraneous stuff from my periphery and viewing the raw me.  It  is the time and the place to find out who I am.

The emerging of the real Susan is coming to light.  Always a kind person and one who would do everything for you, she is one not  in-charge of everyone’s everything, anymore!  Still generous, she now allows others to pay her way, pick up things for her and take care of her without always doing it herself.  She listens to advice from friends when things get difficult and actually uses their advice.  She has even been known to write it down and save the wisdom for later.  She still has a tendency to want to be first, something she has always done, but now she will stand back and let someone answer first, just listen and follow behind.  It is a new sensation.  A different, sometimes uncomfortable feeling.   It is like changing your karma, making a different path, trying to correct a crazy wrong that always seemed right.  She likes the new sweet soul shining through a delicate soft gossamer aura.

Life works if you let it.  May you in your aloneness see who you really are.   Above all, may you love that sweet breath of  life the great creator blew into your being.  Yes, you wonderful you.