I did not realize how much I needed Cher to sing the theme song to the Golden Girls.

Nor how much I needed to see this special celebrating the life of Betty White.

The recap of a master class of woman who lived her life on purpose while at the same time giving so heart-fully and making us laugh for so many years. Funny, passionate, caring, wholesome, politely ireverent, beautiful, flirtatious, classy, supportive, and so very human in the best ways …. her humor and remembrances hit right at the heart of the matter.

And of course, I am left with the task of watching every episode of the Golden Girls again as the last of that Fab 4 has now passed on. In this day of “political correctness” and “harms so easily felt” that show had a way of reminding us of the humor that we all share in our vulnerabilities and the healing that is possible when we are seen by true friends.

But this recap captured the Essence of a kind spirit that connects all of us through her love and dedication to animals and finding the simplest of joys of humor that bond us.

Not to mention that Loving and Giving is the best way to effectuate a meaningful life.

I also realize how Blessed I have been to have so many wonderful friends in my life. Kindred spirits that have helped (and do help) me to become the best me.

Thank you to all my friends, in the here and now, and to those that have passed on, for your gracious presence in my life.

As the Chinese New Year is upon us and I reflect on the qualities that will be at play in the year of the Water Tiger, I want to continue to tap into the deepest yin layers of the water element: devotion, will, caring, faith, flowing, humility, caring, surrender, faith, essence, and most of all Love. But also the deepest yang layers of the Tiger which corresponds to the beginning of a new cycle of Yang Qi: rhythm-maker, breath of life, resilience, sensitivity, radiance, reflection, beauty, the fine mist of caring, intensity, passion and Laughter.

The Water Tiger is like finding a community in your aloneness and sharing your strengths in a way that benefit the many and treading lightly as to harm the few. Yes, the Tiger connotes strength, resilience, aloneness, stealth, power, grace, fire, passion, survival, family, rarity, etc..But this is a power time of merging the Yin and Yang. To take the reflection and humility of Being Given This Amazing Life into the opportunity to Seize, Survive, and Thrive in this Beautiful Life.

Social Media is hard for me. Being an introvert and an empath, I prefer living more in real time than digital time… I guess I am more old school than I thought but I will keep trying to keep up with then times to the best of my ability. Through my own healing trials of the past 20 years, I have become quite different but also remain the same. This Leo wants to continue to laugh, shine, and share my heart with the world and help foster healing to best of my God-given abilities. I am living my calling and that is a Blessing.

Happy New Year everyone! May laughter and ease find its way into your hearts and cleanse the deepest pains and sorrows like Holy Water.

And in the wise words of Lao Tze “Be Like Water” and as Survivor sang, Keep the “Eye of the Tiger” but may survival be more Like Thriving and May healing always be at core of what drives you.