Last night I sat in my living room with my computer on my lap listening and watching the Grammy's while simultaneously catching up on my fellow boggers, latest blogs. I multi task, a lot. So there I sat, my ears WOW-ed by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Jagger, Arcade Fire when my attention was intrigued to read more about scaffolding spaghetti. So I followed the link on Sam's blog. Little did I know this would change the course of my thoughts and my evening. The web site I landed on was Fast Company, a magazine I enjoy, I smiled, that Sam he's got his finger on the pulse. As I bookmarked the site for future review I checked out the home page and there it was, my shift.

It might interest you to know that the new energy paradigm we are all playing in, right now, has a major theme of community. “When you break up the individuals from a community into individual units, they become disempowered because it's the collective consciousness and the collective energy of the group from which power comes. The principal driving force that lies before us, is that we have to recognize the nature of community as the next evolutionary step” Bruce Lipton, cell biologist. The Biology of Belief.

Why do I tell you this, you say? It does seem so random, but it's not. It's all about the shift. On the Fast Company home page was yet another article grabbing my attention. Re-Booting Valentines Day for good, making it Generosity Day. This February 14th instead of focusing on the “one” focus on the “many.” Get it; we create connectedness and community by being generous. Shifting from a place of lack and isolation to a place of abundance and connection with kindness and generosity is how we create community. Well it's one really sweet  heart based way.

Once I read the above article and followed the other links to Sasha's blog (this is his love child idea) and Katya's blog. I was so in. I posted this on my Facebook, tweeted it and now here it is on my blog. I love this! No, really I love this. It fits my purpose, perfectly. I'm all about creating connection in a community that is isolated due to limited access. Well open the door and come on in, it's generosity day.

Here’s the deal for the day if you want to play. Say “Yes” to every possibility for kindness, to open a door, let someone in during busy traffic, carry a package, pay a toll of the car behind you, look someone in the eyes and smile, offer assistance and if your asked for assistance you must say Yes. Come up with your own ideas and tell me about them in a comment here or on Face book or Tweet them with #generosityday. Hey it’s only one day, you can do this for one day, right?

Pretend this is a science experiment in love and you’re on a mission, for one day, to beam out as much love as possible. When you’re waiting, just looking around, you know what I mean, like in an elevator, look at a person and think, “I send you love.” Now it doesn’t get much easier then that, people. ”The greatest science in the world, in heaven and on earth, is love.” —Mother Teresa

While you’re taking part in this science experiment, hey you’re a scientist now, pay attention to how you feel before you decide to give some love, how you feel giving it and what the after glow feels like. When I did my daily rampage of appreciation on someone everyday from Thanksgiving to Christmas last year, I went through a cascading waterfall of feelings. The feelings I had ranged from this is stupid to overwhelming happiness, so don’t judge or be daunted by your feeling, only pay attention to your feeling and nothing more, said the Raven.

Remember, this day is heart shaped and you can make it filled with love, too! Now get out there and rock the world!
  I'm feeling the love. Blessings to all, in joy Candace

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Copyright 2011 Candace Cable

I don't know about you but walking is not at the top of my list of actions I'd like to have back from BTCASCI (before the crash and spinal cord injury). I bring up this subject due to a conversation I had with a colleague about a SCI research symposium he attended. This conference was full of scientist expounding on the strides made in the search to get us SCI folks walking. When he spoke of the progress, I took umbrage and got irritated with the idea that they, “the researchers” were making the assumption that walking was at the top of my, to do list, when the cure comes on down the pike.

I don’t remember a survey asking me what I wanted from the cure research. I believe that huge, exhaustive, and vast assumptions have been made that my number one wanting must be walking. It’s what the majority of humans do so I must want to walk, right? Or that my life is missing something because I don’t walk? Few can imagine how someone would not care if they walked? Well, I don’t care. And honestly, if the world would get on board with universal design much a do about walking would be a mute point and what really matters, prefect indoor plumbing, would be the focal point. Opps, I’m of f my point a bit.

I am so greedy; I have two wants from this cure, miles before I walk. My top two are, drum roll please, pee & poop (P&P), to feel it, fully, do it on command and do it without accoutrements. I want to take a seat on the throne, with complete control to go or slow or stop without sticking something somewhere. Yep, that’s right; I’m talking about P&P. Oh I heard that Groan, too gross for you. Well life is gross, so get over it. I know, I know too much information, let’s not talk about these bodily functions we all have. People living with SCI can’t talk enough about P&P and those living without don’t want to hear about, except maybe my grandparents. Maybe that’s it, walking is glamour while P&P is so mundane. 

It’s not just me, that dreams of full throttle P&P. Most folks I know living with a SCI say their quality of life would vastly improve if they could tell, without a doubt that it’s time for it to come out. Our lives are scheduled around this act that so many give so little mindfulness to. The other day, I completed another spectacular ski when two of my SCI-ed friends I sit ski with were finishing also. Literally within three minutes the subject turned to a loose deuce and all its ramifications. We did NOT once in the twenty minutes of conversing speak about walking and how much we want it. Pretty much if two or more individuals with a SCI are in the room, the P&P subject is coming up, discussed in detail.

Involuntary. Now there’s a cute word that’s synonymous, within the club, with SCI that has me cringing when I hear it. It means I pissed or pooped myself, there you go I said it again. It’s a usual occurrence in the SCI community. My sister granted a wish I had to swing on a swing just after my release from the internment camp of rehabilitation. As we began to swing higher and higher we laughed harder and harder, know what happened next? Yep, I involuntarily peed all over her. We laughed cuz what else is there do, but really, yuck!

Even my dear family has scant notion of what it takes to eliminate waste products from my body. Of course the've seen the catheters and gloves I drag around. But that’s where the story ends.  Lately I have been fantasizing about being a vampire from the Twilight series of books, for several reasons, but among their attribute I covet, yes I said attributes, is they don’t P&P. Heck, I’m well on my way to vampire-ness already; my body is cold all the time.

And the stuff! Oh, please get me started on the land fills I must be filling with all my evacuation instruments. Traveling I fill a second suitcase full of catheters, gloves, pads, wipes, gels, etc, gosh TSA must think I’m a rolling mash unit. Most of my SCI friends have heard my plea for biodegradable materials and packaging for my P&P toys. This concept could make someone millions, are you listening research scientists? If the P&P accessory industry just went green, without the cure, oh, the good I could do for my home, planet earth. Walking does nothing to better my home, this planet, but giving me back my P&P now there’s a step in the right direction.

If you ask me, science guys and gals, I want to feel the urge to purge poop and pee. I want to control the urge and do it without touching it. Once that’s taken care of than I’ll talk the walk, if your ask’n. I’m just say’n.

Blessings to all, In Joy, Candace

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Find out more about Bladder Management on the Paralysis Resource Center.

Copyright 2011 Candace Cable