Dear amazing people -
You all mean so much to me, even if we've ever met or spoken or had any contact. To those of you who wrote to me after hearing of the death of my young stepson James, there is no way to thank you enough. Your emails, cards, prayers, and donations in his memory to the Social Justice Fund at James's school mean the world to my husband and to me. Thank you from my heart. I would much appreciate continued prayers that I get the strength every day to support William as he goes through the grieving process. I sense it will take a very long time.
Some of you asked the name of the song in which James's favorite line, "I am heaven-sent, don't you dare forget" comes from. It is from a song called "Okay I Believe You, but My Tommy Gun Don't" on the Deja Entendu album of a group called Brand New. One caveat: despite the mystical significance of this lyric and some of the others, it is a teen CD, kind of Alternative/Punk, so don't expect a hymn or a folk song or something like that.
Friends I admire are telling me that I'm supposed to be taking care of myself, so I'm following instructions. On Thursday I got a manicure and Friday I went back to the gym, and I've seen my first couple of life-coaching clients since getting back from Toronto. Doing these things reminds of the wise admonition, "It is easier to act yourself into thinking differently that to think yourself into acting differently."
| On Saturday, I took the train - I adore trains - to Providence, RI, to speak at Community Church (American Baptist) there. The minister, Evan Howard, found me through my books and has become a friend. He is the author of the novel, The Lost Epistle of Jesus. Everyone there took such good care of me. As soon as I have a free day, I'm going to rent a car and go the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. I'm just feeling that hanging out with a friendly pig or two would be incredibly nurturing.
Thanks again for being so special.
Victoria
Radio show starts Wednesday the 26th -
My monthly show, A Charmed Life, on healthylife.net, starts this week. My guests will be Chris Michaels (Your Life's Assignment) and Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D., The Healing Power of Nature Foods. Please tune in at high noon Eastern time. You can even call in: 954-564-3278. If you're not free when the show is live, it will be archived on the site a few days later so you can listen at your convenience.
| |
| Garret wanted -
Well, not exactly: it's just that they're closing the Starbucks where I write. My neighborhood Starbucks at 54th & First Avenue closed for good yesterday. The co-op building where it was the first floor tenant has wanted it out for a long time. I heard that some of the people who lived there felt the Starbucks encouraged homeless people to come in and get out of the cold. To my mind, any big corporate entity that is willing to help somebody keep from freezing to death is a good thing. Whatever, I will be "moving" my mornings to a smaller Starbucks six blocks away. (The independent coffee house in our neighborhood closed this year too. I loved going there, although they didn't encourage lengthy stays for writing books.) I know that everything changes. I accept that everything changes. I just don't like that everything changes. A great nutrition resource -
Someone I've long admired and would like to introduce you to is Jeff Novick, MS, RD, of the Pritikin Institute. He is treasure trove of information about health and a terrific speaker -- funny and informative. You can read his current newsletter (which includes a link to a free online video of his "Health Food vs Healthy Food" presentation) and subscribe if you'd like by going here.
| |
 |
 | Is this the same girl? -
I thought you might get a kick out of seeing my daughter Adair in two guises. In the first one, she's a stunt double for a little boy in the upcoming Eddie Murphy flick, Starship Dave. The glamour shot was for the "high school prom" on "One Life to Live." Lovely quotation -
This quotation from The Upanishads, an Indian holy book, came on one of the condolences card we received. I think it sums up life succinctly and beautifully:
From joy all things are born,
By joy they are sustained,
And into joy they again return.
Coming next time --
Book review, Living an Uncommon Life, by radio legend John St. Augustine.
| |
WHERE I'LL BE...
-New York, NY: Getting to Next seminar, Sept. 28. Luncheon speaker.
-New York, NY: Law of Attraction seminar, Sept. 29. Contact theoroca@gmail.com for more information.
-Wichita, KS: KS Book Festival, Oct. 5-6
-New York, NY: 92nd St. Y Expert Series, "Fat, Broke & Lonely No More" seminar (This is the creme de la creme... Don't miss this one!)
-Lake George, NY: TOPS conference, Sept. 13 (518-438-8928)
-Hamilton, Bermuda: Girls' Getaway Weekend, Oct. 18-21
-New York, NY: Learning Annex, "How to Live a More Spiritual Life." October 25, 6:45pm.
