“KITTING AROUND”
BLOG 277—YOU are a survivor!
Don’t sleepwalk through life.
I hope to illuminate your Life with my Words.
The Wanderings of Kit (Do you wander or just wonder?)
I WANT TO INSPIRE YOU TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY OR BETTER!
THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT IS OF A JUGGLING WORKSHOP I
PRESENTED IN JAPAN >>
*** This blog looks best when viewed on a laptop or desktop computer.
*** The joy I experience in life is a wondrous thing!
*** I was hit by two trucks, but I remain happy.
*** Going through a 37-day coma–Yikes!
*** I want to help you to get the most out of life before you die.
*** If you read this through Facebook, see kitsummers.com/blog
*** I lived in my van for six years, visited all US national parks, and met Beth.
*** Beth and I married on 2/22/22 at 2:22.
*** Thanks, Beth, for editing and adding to each weekly blog.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** You will find secrets to unfold and good news!
*** What are you passionate about?
BE TAKEN AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!
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WHY I WRITE THIS BLOG
You will have many in your life who assist and teach; I hope I am helping to guide you. Coaches like me wish to lighten your path toward excellence. Remember that it is up to you to generate your journey toward merit. I’m not trying to show you “the way”; I am trying to help you find “your way.” Writing this blog each week is new and different for me—I love it!
I WANT TO INSPIRE YOU WITH MY WORDS –
WORDS HAVE POWER!
Are you accomplishing what you want before your eventual death?
You can (and should) make changes to improve your life–at any age.
Start today, and you can build the life you desire.
YOU ALREADY KNOW
You already know much about what I write, and I want to remind you of these ideas and show that my views can provide additional thoughts, along with yours, to help you.
MY EXPERIENCES
Much of what I write about is taken from my experiences.
I have gone through much.
I hope to spread ideas so that you can live a better life.
Remember, only you know what is best for you.
EVEN IF YOU START LATE,
ARE UNCERTAIN OR DIFFERENT ––
YOU CAN STILL FIND SUCCESS!
Don’t forget–you are only as young
as the last time you changed your mind!
HAVE FUN!
Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive, and always reach for more advancement.
VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED TO MAKE A GREAT LIFE!
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TOPIC FOR THIS WEEK — SURVIVING TRAGEDY
As we all have, you’ve gone through significant changes in your life. In a time of change, do something, anything, to move forward and away from, or along with, the change.
Surviving tragedy is never easy for me, and perhaps you too. Whether it’s a catastrophic event that affects thousands of us or something we experience on a personal scale, as I have a few times. Our residual feelings of fear, grief, and resentment often far outlast the tragedy itself, and it can be challenging to carry on while they plague our lives.
You are not alone in going through these changes. And whatever you are going through, you are never alone. We all go through something or another. Sometimes, it brings us tremendous pain, but we have to get back on that unicycle no matter what the pain costs us.
The many lessons you learn can enlighten those who overcome tragedy. Many of you can pass on these lessons to others to spread messages of inspiration and hope. My weekly blog inspires you to always reach for more and improve your life.
Yes, it’s hard to fathom that a tragic event could transform our world into a new place we may not recognize. Many of us take time to adapt to this new normal, which may be difficult and deeply uncomfortable at first. My changes have taught me a lot, so look for lessons to learn as you go through difficulties.
Sometimes, we may even feel like strangers to ourselves during this process. But during this personal journey, embracing acceptance and forgiveness is crucial, as it can help us move on and grow in the wake of such challenging events.
I’ve found that when I get down and depressed about significant changes I have gone through, I find that when I help or inspire others, it will help me. Help others as you can, and it will get you through.
HOW TO KNOW YOU ARE A SURVIVOR >>
1–You keep getting back up every time life knocks you down.
2–You do what should be done no matter how you feel.
3–You are the kind of person who would help a friend at any time.
4–You can read a room within seconds of walking in.
5–You automatically know when you can trust someone.
6–You can tell when someone is upset; you change to calm them.
7–You somehow know when someone is not telling you the truth.
8–You are the first to show up where you work and the last to leave.
9–You see and offer to help out before being asked.
10–You see what needs to be done and take care of it.
11–You cannot stand by and watch anyone be mistreated.
12–You often go above and beyond what is expected.
13–You give second and third chances to people.
14–You protect the people who are weaker and more vulnerable.
15–You often overcommit, saying yes to just about everything.
16–You refuse to let fear stop you from doing what you must do.
17–You’ve been broken open in the past to the point that your goodness pours out to others.
18–You see opportunity in every challenge and make things happen.
19–You notice the people or services that go unnoticed.
20–You are resourceful and creative because you have to be.
21–You see the obvious choice in complicated matters.
22–You focus on a person’s behavior beyond their words.
23–You are the best promoter for something you are passionate about.
24–You run toward difficulties rather than away from them.
25–You are the strongest person you know by far.
Many have told me I should be thankful to God for helping me through what I have had to endure. I could not have gone down this path because I had never believed in any of the gods humans have developed. So, who am I to thank for allowing my accidents to occur in the first place?
YES, YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO FIND YOUR SUCCESS!
THINK — AND THEN THINK AGAIN.
WHAT NEW STORIES ARE YOU READY TO WRITE?
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WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU!
Inspirational quotes and sayings have a unique ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thoughts. They are attractive, challenging, and essential on our path to joy and happiness and finding ways to inspire ourselves and others.
THE BURST!
Inspirational quotes and ideas give us a quick and timely burst of wisdom to regain our focus, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion. I hope the words below bring a smile to your face and drive you to make this day and every day a fantastic event.
BE POSITIVE!
Just as positive words can make someone smile, and a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your thoughts react to the world in real-time. You have this control! You have complete control over only one thing in the universe—YOUR THINKING!—and that’s where motivational quotes come in!
“YOU”
How you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible, determines everything in your life, and it all derives from your quality of thinking. Use quotes to move ahead in your life.
SELF-TALK IS SO ESSENTIAL—THINK RIGHT!
To stay motivated, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve and get closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it! Motivational words, yes, are just words. But they are positive words; they will keep you on track.
QUOTES WILL BENEFIT YOU!
Positive and inspiring quotes can be like beams of sunshine on a cloudy day. They inject optimism into our thoughts, brighten our mood, and help us focus on the good in life. They remind us that even in the face of adversity, we can see the silver lining and embrace a positive attitude.
PEARLS OF WISDOM
In a world filled with challenges and indecisiveness, the power of inspirational quotes cannot be exaggerated. These pearls of wisdom uniquely uplift our spirits, can spark positive change, and fuel our motivation often when we need it most.
I HOPE THE FOLLOWING WORDS ADD TO YOUR LIFE >>
“We must always take sides.
Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel was a Holocaust survivor whose parents and sister tragically died in Nazi concentration camps, though he was liberated in 1945. Upon being freed, Wiesel became an inspirational political activist and author, detailing his harrowing experiences in the critically acclaimed 1956 memoir Night. For many decades after, Wiesel made it his life’s mission to travel the globe and deliver speeches defending human rights and the Jewish people.
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“We are imperfect mortal beings, aware of that mortality even as we push it away, failed by our very complication, so wired that when we mourn our losses, we also mourn ourselves, for better or worse as we were. As we are no longer.”
Joan Didion
Author Joan Didion endured profound personal tragedy in 2003 when her husband died suddenly of a heart attack just days after her only child was hospitalized in a comatose state. Part of Didion’s emotional recovery came through writing when she penned her monumental 2005 work The Year of Magical Thinking as her account of these tragic events and the following year. This work is considered a literary masterpiece that deals with loss and mourning.
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“Saying farewell is also a bold and powerful beginning.”
Aron Ralston
Aron Ralston is a motivational speaker whose arm became trapped under a heavy boulder during a climbing expedition 2003. Ralston was left with no choice but to personally amputate his arm to escape, enduring unimaginable pain in the process. However, Ralston still managed to hike to safety successfully, and his perseverance and courage inspired countless others in the forms of his 2004 book Between a Rock and a Hard Place and the Oscar-nominated movie 127 Hours.
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“I raise my voice — not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.”
Malala Yousafzai
At the age of just 15, a young Malala Yousafzai was shot on her way home from school by Taliban extremists in her home country of Pakistan. She was targeted as an outspoken advocate for girls living under the oppressive Taliban regime. However, the attack failed and only emboldened Malala to grow into an even more inspirational force. Yousafzai overcame this great personal tragedy en route to becoming the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, earning the distinction in 2014 at 17.
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“When Americans lend a hand to one another, nothing is impossible. We’re not about what happened on 9/11. We’re about what happened on 9/12.”
Jeff Parness
Jeff Parness was a software venture capitalist in Manhattan on September 11, 2001. Though Parness was lucky enough to survive the cataclysmic terrorist attacks that day, thousands of other Americans were less fortunate. In the wake of these tragic events, Parness — who started the “New York Says Thank You” foundation — noted how inspiring it was to see Americans come together as a community
to support one another.
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“Many brave things were done that night, but none braver than by those few men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea … the music they played serving alike as their immortal requiem and their right to be recorded on the rulls of undying fame.”
Lawrence Beesley
Beesley was an Englishman who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. The event was among the most shocking catastrophes of the early 20th century, as the “unsinkable” ship suddenly descended to the ocean floor mere hours after colliding with an iceberg. Beesley and the many others who survived the event always acknowledged the courage of those who didn’t.
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“I wish to preach … that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph.”
Theodore Roosevelt
Long before he became President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt suffered two incredible losses on February 14, 1884. He lost both his mother, Mittie, and his wife, Alice. Roosevelt wrote in his diary that day, “The light has gone out of my life.” Despite these incredible losses, Roosevelt overcame adversity and went on to achieve the highest of highs in the world of American politics.
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“Forgiveness has to be complete. If you hate somebody, it’s like a boomerang that misses its target and comes back and hits you in the head. The one who hates is the one who hurts.”
Louis Zamperini
Zamperini was a veteran of World War II whose plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 1943 while searching for a downed aircraft. He then drifted on a life raft for 47 days before being captured and taken to a Japanese POW camp. Upon his release, Zamperini cast aside resentment and embraced the idea of forgiveness, even for his captors. Zamperini went on to preach this message for the rest of his life.
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“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”
Wilma Rudolph
Rudolph was a four-time Olympic medalist, winning three gold medals in track and field at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. But it took a long time for Rudolph to reach that moment, as she suffered from pneumonia, scarlet fever, and infantile paralysis as the result of polio in her childhood. Rudolph even wore a leg brace until she was 12, as her family — like many other Black residents — struggled to receive health care in rural Tennessee. After years of treatment and with a determined attitude, Rudolph overcame these early ailments to become one of the greatest athletes in history.
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YOU IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR THINKING,
YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE’S DIFFERENTIA—SOMETIMES INSTANTLY!
COMPOSE A NOBLE BOOK AND WRITE A BEST-SELLER.
YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!
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MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>
Each week goes by so quickly, don’t you think?
It seems like time is going by faster and faster.
You must live joyfully, daily, for each day!
Do you know what you did last Monday?
Do you remember what you ate for dinner last Thursday?
Keep track of your doings for a few weeks; you will see your time differently.
Remember, the quality of your life depends on what you do each day.
6/15–I woke up at about 1 a.m. and could not get back to sleep. Yet, I was tired while at the computer. With Beth away, I was able to lay back down at about 3 a.m. and awoke at about 6 a.m. I am happy I could get back to sleep, as sleep often avoids me (or me, it). Jemma dog was with me from room to room and did not sleep well.
The area where my teeth were extracted hurts much today. I guess when the area is healed, the pain will go away. It’s too late now, but I wonder whether I should have removed these teeth. I had no pain, but I was told by Dr. Cook I would have pain eventually.
Do I regret having my teeth pulled? Well, I am glad about the two that had already crumbled. I was told the tooth toward the back might have pain one day, so I had it pulled. Dr. Cook only did what I wanted, but I wish I had that tooth. The extraction of the tooth was my decision. Regrets, regrets.
ME AND DR. COOK
6/16–Today, Father’s Day, I heard from my daughters, Jasmine and April, which made me happy. April is currently in Puerto Rico with her husband, Jake. I had a great talk with Jasmine today. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard from Leah, and I don’t expect to hear from this daughter of mine ever.
Our bathroom was done and turned out great. Yet, the floor needed to be finished. I checked, and we had black paint and a clear coating for the top, which was taken care of. In the future, we will install a new floor. Take a look at the photo and let me know what you think.
6/17–Awakening with a smile, I like my life.
Yet, see directly below and learn of my pain.
6-18–When I went to see Gary at his Camp Paradise (I came up with the name, Gary likes it). I went to a food bank earlier in the day, and one of the things I got was a frozen meatloaf. I gave him that and several other items, too.
Having been a chef for part of his life, Gary knows how to cook things well; they taste superb. To cook the meatloaf, he boiled it in French Onion Soup, then added sauteed onions and a few other things to the mix. The meatloaf tasted excellent and could never be duplicated how it was.
6/19–Beth will return from seeing her parents later in the day. I cleaned the house well and mowed the lawn. When Beth returns, she will find that everything looks very nice here, and it will be great to have her back.
I even got out there and mowed the lawn. The temperature is up there–a hot one today. From what I hear, it will be even hotter this weekend. You will read about that later.
6/20–The house continues to improve. I do a few things daily to enhance our home. Do you do this at the place where you spend most of your time?
Before, it was a pain in the elbow; today, it is a pain in the knees (why does that word have a “K” in it?). I guess it is age that brings on various pains. Having various pains throughout the day has opened my eyes to others who have constant pain. I hope it is not you who has much pain; if it is, I hope my words help your life.
6/21–Garden, bathroom, backyard>>
Always work on the horizon.
Currently, I hear an Eagle out in the trees; what a pleasant sound it is.
I’m heading to Gary’s Camp Paradise tonight; Aaron will be there, so it should be a good time.
THIS IS YOUR LIFE — MAKE YOUR LEGACY HAPPEN!
DO SOMETHING NEW–DAILY!
THEN, KEEP DOING IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
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THE GARDEN THIS WEEK
A self-supportive life can be a better life.
A garden would be a part of that life.
You must look into it. 
Jerusalem Artichokes Blooming
People often say I have a Green Thumb.
Yes, I do gardening, and I am good at that.
Yet, no need to rush me, your green-thumbed friend, to the doctor — the expression simply means that I am excellent at growing plants. The term was first recorded in the Ironwood Daily Globe as “horticultural slang” in 1937.
LOOK AT THE TOMATOES, WHAT A SURPRISE!
Things are starting to mature and become edible. We are enjoying lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, and soon tomatoes, which will be a bumper crop (whoever thought of the word bumper to mean many, hmm.).
I look out my office window, where I do most of my typing and blog work.
All I see is nature, the garden, and growing things.
What a lovely view every time I am on my computer. 
START YOUR GARDEN TODAY!
IT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR YOUR LIFE!
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YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK >>
This week, look at your life differently. Remember the difficulties you have gone through and see them differently—as a learning experience. Then, with a smile on your face, go forward, ready to confront any problem or difficulty.
ALL OUR LIFE, WE MUST CHALLENGE OURSELVES!
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NEXT BLOG >>
It’s so fun to use words and get your thoughts across.
I hope I am adding to your life.
Next week, I will write about words and how they can add to your life.
AND WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING FOR YOUR UPCOMING WEEK?
