The-Atlantic-thefemalesurvivalist

Many of the articles in this great magazine deal with mind over matter. The positive mindset can over come so many obstacles.

The color photos and stories of the battles our men have seen overseas, both in Iraq and Afganistan is mind boggling. These same men must come home and  find civilian jobs and operate in a "civilized" society. Unless you've been there, done that, I imagine the task is difficult at best.

The articles can help the rest of us going through tramatic experiences. One article I'll keep is entitled, Inner Strenth-Its all about your attitude.

Written by Chaplain  Mark D. Philips, he delves into the idea of embracing the chaos. If we can realize that disappointments are as common as success, we can establish realistic expectations. This seems hard, because we want to control our world, and all the disappointments are hard to accept. Yet if we can, the Chaplain says, it will help us not to feel overwhelmed by things we can't control.

He talks about growth, looking toward the future with the attitude that This Too Shall Pass. He says it like this "And it came to pass" as though the current crisis is part of a time line, a story, just one minor event. The event could change our path. It doesn't have to completely.

I really liked how he incorporated Michael Jordon's quote into the final statement: never quit.

MJ said " I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost more than 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot and  I missed. I have failed over and over again in my life. And that's precisely why I succeed."

Shout out to my dear friend, Matt, who has learned to e-mail. I look forward to his daily musings, and chuckle at past references to Saffron robes and such.

We worked together in Yellowstone a couple years back. Both of us cooks, we had lots of common ground. I do miss it.

Part of the deal with e-mails is the necessity of remembering all words can be read a couple different ways, like tone of voice.

How many times have you ever told your friend, "You're Brilliant!"

That could sound so many different ways in real life. Practice saying it out loud. It could leave a person feeling stupid, smart, or confused.
I try to be careful writing an e-mail. My friend seems to have a knack for it. I'm so glad, cause a person can go back and enjoy the same message a couple times over.

The choice of words, tone of voice, and punctuation of electronic communications is something to consider before hitting the send. I've made those oopseys before, and try harder to take the moments necessary to think, if I send this message to my mom, might she think I'm complaining? Humm

Love reading all your comments, readers. Please keep following these survivalist posts as we work our way through the life changes brought on by my lastest adventures. Looks like I'll be living near a bigger town, working full time in Food and Beverage, grabbing Sawtooth wilderness escapades, fishing in the Samon River as needed.

There's five chickens running loose in the yard, five young Angus being raised next door, a great breeze turning my bouquets into dried flowers. One thing about Idaho, its windy and dry.