Nancy Ping Living with Zen

  I am thankful for the extra hour of sleep that we all had this morning. I enjoyed it so much that I felt it was noteworthy.  I know many would like to stay one way or another, but honestly, as long as we are springing forward and falling back, I LOVE falling back.  Something about that extra hour of time snuggled under soft blankets brings a smile to my face. The only time that I didn't enjoy falling back was when I was a cocktail waitress in college. We repeated the 2 am hour which was not my happy hour. Patrons were already happy enough and needed to go home. For the most part, falling back is fantastic and I am always on time not fashionably late.  Luna Pearl and Maui love that extra hour of snuggles too.  Do you like springing forward or falling backward? 

I am thankful for my family.  Family is like a tree with roots that are deeper than others.  Some families are blood-related, while others are not. Some families go back many generations, while others comprise a network of close friends who are closer than blood relatives.   I am thankful for my family.  I have deep roots and many  branches of relatives and close-knit groups of friends who watch out for me and Maui. Whether family is blood-related or not, all families share special moments that become time-honored traditions passed down through the seasons and the years. Family creates that sense of belonging. November is the birth month of two close family members who have passed away.    Nonetheless , their role in my upbringing helped to shape part of who I am today.   Generations pass on in all families, and it is up to the next generation to "carry the torch" of tradition and wisdom. One tradition in my family is the Bad Santa game at the end...

Thankful for Stolen Moments Today was the first day of the month of Thankfulness. I invite you to join me in your "Journey of Thankfulness" as we take a moment each day to reflect on what we appreciate. I am "Thankful for Stolen Moments." As many of you know, I have been sharing my transition in life as my not-so-wee one prepares to graduate high school. I realized that he and I are both going through transition. We are knee-deep in the school year with the usual full load of academics and lacrosse. He added football to the mix a couple of months ago, and of course, we're sending out the college applications and communicating with coaches for the next chapter of his life. Since I last wrote to you, we have been in our usual whirlwind, with the added bonus of two hurricanes. Maui and I hunkered down during Helene with special hurricane treats and food and were blessed not to lose power. We watched movies, worked on the computer, and sat on our wall of couches f...

Many of you are sharing the journey of a huge transition with me. I've been open about how my journey started three years ago in preparation for what's ahead of me this   year. My only wee one graduates from high school then prepares to go away to college.  It's funny how .that saying "in the blink of an eye" is so true. I can remember my life before Maui, when he was born, and all the seventeen fabulous years that lead us to this moment.  As an older parent, I chose to step back from my business career and face mommy hood head on. I have no regrets because I had deal with God. For years, I travelled overseas alone and worked my business. I flew so much that I was a medallion member with two airlines and the flight attendants knew me. I prayed for years to have one child and I told God that if I could have one healthy, smart, kind at heart beautiful child I would raise it to know God and I would help it realize the gifts and talents that it was given.  Both God...

Starting Over   Welcome to my first blog post , "Living with Zen." Actually, this is my second time to the rodeo as my previous site went POOF out into cyberspace. Seventeen years of stories and pictures are all floating out in the black abyss. I couldn't believe everything was gone like a vaper when it first happened. Seventeen years is a long time to chronicle. I started "Living with Zen" as a venue for finding balance and harmony in my life and found that it inspired others positively. I felt my work was unfinished, so  starting over  seemed the only thing I could do.   Believe it or not, not only did I lose my blog, but I recently lost both my FaceBook and Instagram accounts.  This is truly a fresh start. It's just like life. Each day is a "do-over," and we get to write a new chapter on our pages of life.   I have been in transition for the past three years, as I have shared with many who are going through their transition. For some, the tra...