All Things Lavender
Lavender oil has been used for thousands of years, all the way back to the pharos in Egypt who insisted the oils extracted from the Lavandula angustifolia plant be incorporated into their massages and baths and it was also included in the mixes used during the mummification process. Legend claims that Cleopatra used lavender to seduce Julius Cesar and Mark Antony. During the middle ages it was used widely in Europe to fend off evil spirits and many royals would insist in having bouquets of lavender in their sleeping quarters as protection against harmful energy.
In addition to its amazing fragrance lavender offers many benefits such as improved sleep, moods and memory, pain relief, healing skin damage caused by burns and has also proven effective as an antiseptic and insecticide.
Whether you decide to grow it or procure it in one of its many forms such as essential oil, dried up in sachets, tea, candy and even ice cream I believe you will find that the pungent scent awakens all your senses and makes you come alive.
“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”
Winston Churchill
While still working it was always something I did when I had the chance and a lesser priority than professional and family obligations. I was able to volunteer at a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline because I could work the night shift on a weekend without letting this interfere with my other obligations.
Arriving in Mexico opened up a host of other opportunities to allow me to devote my time and energy to these efforts and it quickly became a passion. The challenge was to select which organization would be the best fit. Having a passion for children I was able to engage shortly after my arrival with Mision San Pablo, an orphanage in Cedros for children whose parents died of AIDS. My days at Mission San Pablo gave me a venue to not only work with the most vulnerable of children but to also become part of a group of volunteers who shared the same passion for giving back to the community we were now a part of.
It became clear from that experience that I would dedicate myself to working with organizations that help children and I have been fortunate to fulfill that goal by working with Niños Incapacitados, the School for Special Children and Villa Infantil.
While confronting the level of need can at times feel overwhelming, the satisfaction one feels from knowing that we make a small positive difference in the life of a child, the family and the community provides the fuel and motivation to keep at it. As an added bonus, the opportunity to work with a group of dedicated people who support each other through the lows and celebrates the highs makes me come alive and gives me purpose.
Grace
To find out more and to donate...
Dance has always been a great influence in my life, from taking dance lessons as a child and performing in every school function, to joining a community of former professional dancers, choreographers and musical directors after retiring and settling in Mexico. My spirit always comes alive when I hear the first notes of a familiar dance tune and the resulting surge of energy sets my body in motion.
I have always enjoyed dancing as an art expression, whether doing it socially by just letting the music and a partner guide my moves, to the more technical aspects which I have acquired through more dance classes offered by these wonderful instructors I now count among some of my dearest friends. This community of people united by their shared love of dancing has not only allowed me to continue indulging this life-long passion but has also provided new and creative opportunities to give back to the community by offering free dance lessons to children from low income Mexican families through The Turning Pointe Project and staging shows to raise funds for various causes.
The pure joy I experience from delivering a crisp performance, not to mention the excitement of the transformation that comes from donning costumes, putting on glittery make-up and wearing wigs, is addictive and gives me the motivation to continue to invest time and energy in perfecting my dancing skills. For me dance is not only what makes me come alive but an effective therapy to overcome life's challenges.
I could not live in a world without dance and will continue to do it as long as my body allows me to.
Grace
To find out more and to donate...
Programa Ninos Incapacitados: www.programaninos.com
The School for Special Children: www.schoolforspecialchildren.org
Villa Infantil: https://www.villainfantiliap.com/en/how-to-help.htm
WHAT MAKES ME COME ALIVE
Dance has always been a great influence in my life, from taking dance lessons as a child and performing in every school function, to joining a community of former professional dancers, choreographers and musical directors after retiring and settling in Mexico. My spirit always comes alive when I hear the first notes of a familiar dance tune and the resulting surge of energy sets my body in motion.
I have always enjoyed dancing as an art expression, whether doing it socially by just letting the music and a partner guide my moves, to the more technical aspects which I have acquired through more dance classes offered by these wonderful instructors I now count among some of my dearest friends. This community of people united by their shared love of dancing has not only allowed me to continue indulging this life-long passion but has also provided new and creative opportunities to give back to the community by offering free dance lessons to children from low income Mexican families through The Turning Pointe Project and staging shows to raise funds for various causes.
The pure joy I experience from delivering a crisp performance, not to mention the excitement of the transformation that comes from donning costumes, putting on glittery make-up and wearing wigs, is addictive and gives me the motivation to continue to invest time and energy in perfecting my dancing skills. For me dance is not only what makes me come alive but an effective therapy to overcome life's challenges.
I could not live in a world without dance and will continue to do it as long as my body allows me to.