The Elements of Spirit began several years ago on Yahoo Groups -- before there was a Groups feature; in fact, I think they were Clubs then -- as a predominantly spiritual discussion forum, open to people of all faiths and of none, of any belief systems, with the understanding that all views were welcome, as long as a sense of mutual respect was maintained. And so it went, with wonderful, insightful, intelligent, and spiritual people from a variety of backgrounds, discussing everything from specific religious topics to general philosophy, from the fun to the poignant, and as is a natural extension of a foundation like that, there was also a sense of personal connection.That group gave me more than a way to share my thoughts; I had the opportunity to peer into the minds of others and offer whatever research I found, either for their questions or my own curiosity. I went a long way in exploring my own perspective because of that group, and found a strong sense of balance as a result. Then, as often happens, my mind wandered.
A forceful, creative gust blew through me and I found myself doing image manipulation, creating email stationery and browser backgrounds, and creating websites to go with them. One became a sideline, appealing to the child in me -- and we all have one, who likes to come out and play once in a while -- and devoted to Eeyore. I've shown it to very few people, but I'm still pleased with the little site, and it'll probably get a proper mention here, later on.
Throughout all of this, one thing remained steady. I'd always held a deep love for music, some types more than others. I became involved with the official forum for one of my favorite musicians (you'll have to wait to learn about that, too), soon joining a huge fan site and eventually doing more image manipulation for the site, creating signature banners, assisting with page design, and making emoticons for the forum. That turned into a moderator spot, which I greatly enjoyed but couldn't continue for long. I was beginning to lose that sense of balance as I wandered away from the Elements of Spirit group, and I became very focused on earning money. I lost at least a year to playing an MMO (online multi-player game), though it was a lot of fun for a while. That was when I lost touch with a lot of things: music, friends, real calm, and my personal priorities. Now, I know what I had put behind me. Then, I couldn't see beyond my own vague dissatisfaction.
Around the beginning of this year, many things shifted. My health had gradually deteriorated until I developed hypertension and high cholesterol levels, and well as an extreme sensitivity to sodium. I adjusted my diet to reduce my meats substantially, raising my fruits and vegetables to 5-9 servings, every day. Nevertheless, we still cooked roasts and baked chicken, and my blood pressure level didn't change.
In March, the Big Thing happened, and this is the first time I've said anything about it, online. My husband had heart attack warning symptoms, and to be certain he wasn't having an attack, we went to the hospital. In fact, he had not had a heart attack, but it was imminent. His arteries were blocked, between 70-99%, in several places, and from what I saw of them, I was in complete agreement with the cardiologist; stents would have been a waste of time, and the only way out from this point was surgery. My husband had a five-point arterial bypass in mid-March. We are both 38.
A forceful, creative gust blew through me and I found myself doing image manipulation, creating email stationery and browser backgrounds, and creating websites to go with them. One became a sideline, appealing to the child in me -- and we all have one, who likes to come out and play once in a while -- and devoted to Eeyore. I've shown it to very few people, but I'm still pleased with the little site, and it'll probably get a proper mention here, later on.
Throughout all of this, one thing remained steady. I'd always held a deep love for music, some types more than others. I became involved with the official forum for one of my favorite musicians (you'll have to wait to learn about that, too), soon joining a huge fan site and eventually doing more image manipulation for the site, creating signature banners, assisting with page design, and making emoticons for the forum. That turned into a moderator spot, which I greatly enjoyed but couldn't continue for long. I was beginning to lose that sense of balance as I wandered away from the Elements of Spirit group, and I became very focused on earning money. I lost at least a year to playing an MMO (online multi-player game), though it was a lot of fun for a while. That was when I lost touch with a lot of things: music, friends, real calm, and my personal priorities. Now, I know what I had put behind me. Then, I couldn't see beyond my own vague dissatisfaction.
Around the beginning of this year, many things shifted. My health had gradually deteriorated until I developed hypertension and high cholesterol levels, and well as an extreme sensitivity to sodium. I adjusted my diet to reduce my meats substantially, raising my fruits and vegetables to 5-9 servings, every day. Nevertheless, we still cooked roasts and baked chicken, and my blood pressure level didn't change.
In March, the Big Thing happened, and this is the first time I've said anything about it, online. My husband had heart attack warning symptoms, and to be certain he wasn't having an attack, we went to the hospital. In fact, he had not had a heart attack, but it was imminent. His arteries were blocked, between 70-99%, in several places, and from what I saw of them, I was in complete agreement with the cardiologist; stents would have been a waste of time, and the only way out from this point was surgery. My husband had a five-point arterial bypass in mid-March. We are both 38.
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