Some Fats are Good

Fats--Good fats and bad fats.  What a misunderstood topic.
POLYunsaturated (emphasis mine) are very fragile, very
sensitive to heat, light, oxygen, etc.
MONOunsaturated fats are tough and can take it--all of the
above conditions--without becoming damaged and disease-
causing (virgin olive oil), as are ALL saturated fats-butter,
coconut, etc.  Surprise?
It's not what people have been taught by the interests
with big pockets who have the $ to tell us, first of all,
and secondly, stand to gain the most from sale of their
products--all processed vegetable oils and products
containing them (canola, soy, safflower, corn,
sunflower--all of them).
These are all mutilated into trans fats in the process of
production. They're damaged goods right out of the
bottle or package containing them.
Find out which fats are good and which are not.  We need
fat in out diets to absorb and use fat soluble vitamins.
Your brain in mostly fat and uses 20% of your body's
supply of fuel.  If you don't eat lots of GOOD fats,
guess what suffers most?


Copyright © 2013 Gary Frates
Photograph © Dennis Frates

Fredom from Rules

If you're going to fall, fall forward, I guess.
You pick yourself up, dust off and continue.
I kind of like rules in a way, if I'm strong
enough to follow them.  Guilt can presumably
be avoided if you follow all the rules
/commandments, flawlessly, forever.  Does that
leave anybody out?  I'm out.  (Thrown out at first)
At least you know where you stand if "you're doing
the right thing" by being "good" and "fitting in", trying
to please so you don't ruffle feathers or rock boats.
I do like the freedom to risk making my own rules
at times, though, when I'm feeling brave.  Restrictions
always seem to me, like a stop sign on a trafficless road.
Look both ways before running it--if you have to.
Too bad I got a quite a bit of guilt programmed into
my pea brain way back when. It's all got to be undone,
if I'm going to move forward unhampered by trying
not to break all the conflicting rules I've ever learned.
Or, I could start chiseling out my own 10 commandments
or throw all of it

out and trust myself to make the wisest
decisions for myself and my happiness thus affecting all
others with the same good feelings as I have staying true
to me.


Copyright © 2013 Gary Frates
Photo © Dennis Frates

Deer Me

One wonders where the world is going
in such a hurry?
I like a slower pace to my life, actually.
Move to a place that is more in the flow
of nature's pace.
Animals may be affected by the worlds'
vibrations of frenetic activity,
but for the most part when they're in
nature, mostly away from humans,
their pace is relaxed and peaceful.
I want to walk with them, sit with them,
in the wild bringing me back, I'm sure,
more to my real nature--one wholly
uninfluenced by the general madness
of the world!
Two buck 3 pointers wandered into the
nature area where I run, recently.
A bike sped by me and them, and they
just lay in the grass looking at it go by.
Me, on the other hand, walked slowly
by them and they promptly stood up,
walked back a few paces half behind
a tree watching me pass.  Wild they
were but not daft.  They may have come
in under darkness but they stood out like
the beauties they were in the bright
sunlight of midday.
I want to hang out with them.  If they
would trust me to come close enough.
As it were, they were pretty shy and
skittish and it may take some doing
to develop a more accepting relationship.
My eye is still on the hills where the
pace is slower and the animals are more
relaxed and come to meet you halfway
in your acknowledgment to get acquainted.


Copyright  © 2013 Gary Frates
Photography © Dennis Frates

Healing Our World

Giving yourself
permission
to have a mission,
a purpose
greater than yourself,
can be...so healing.
The bigger the purpose
the better--one that
keeps you going,
working at it, expanding
endlessly creative
solutions along the way. 

Many people have
the same purpose
but contribute in
their own unique way.
A big mission
needs us all
pitching in
with what we have
to offer to succeed.
Each person
becoming
green and shining
enables the
whole forest
to be as we are.



Copyright © 2013 Gary Frates
Photography © Dennis Frates

Unceasing Joy

Back to back joy
Sunrise to sunset--and beyond!
Better we actually lay
down for rest for the night
when the sun does!
It knows.  It's sensible.
It doesn't stay up
like we're tempted to do
with our energy sources
to light the way, while
the sun has gone to bed
way before our extended
hour of ceasing activity.
So a few more lines and
I'm cutting off all power
to this machine and chase
the sun in my dreams
and it can meet me at
the other end tomorrow
morning for another shot
at a precious day of doing
what I love--back to back,

unceasing joy--all day long.


Copyright © 2013 Gary Frates
Photograph © Dennis Frates

Choose Your Path

Sometimes our path
winds and winds,
leading us through
some pretty
rocky terrain.
We may miss
the beautiful views
along the way
while trying to stay on it.
We want to get where
we're going in life
as soon as possible--
to our delicious goals!
A straight shot may
prove to be slippery, 
on the mountain.
Though intoxicated
with eager anticipation,
we may choose to take
a more relaxed,
scenic, winding route
smelling the flowers
in such a heavenly
scented decor--
God's gift for our vision.
So set out.
Accept there is a path.
You see you how
others have gone.
You may also want
to get off the beaten path
and create your own way,
as you traverse the
enchanted mountainside.
Your choice.
There's a purpose for
having this power
to choose over most, 
if not all,
areas of your life trip--
your happiness
may depend
greatly upon it.
So, you are...
free to choose.


Copyright © 2013 Gary Frates
Photograph © Dennis Frates

On my way

I'm finding my way in life
groping forward
on my hands and knees,
as it were,

in the dark.
Oh, this thing works that I 
didn't know about before! 
I can rely on that to refuel me
on my path to wellness.
Such a comfort to know that
something works!  It's just a
small refueling point among
the many that uplift my spirit,
renew my body, and make
me ready to receive

nourishment
that wasn't there before.
Do this, go here, rest, be active--
it's all interwoven effortlessly for us
to follow--a synchronistic trail
throughout the day.  By listening

within, we're directed, staying
on the path, always in the now.
Thankful for finding these points
of renewal, on a path leading to where
I want to go, even if I don't know
where that is yet, I know and feel
I'm on a good path leading me
somewhere and not circling
the wagons, endlessly.



Copyright © 2013 Gary Frates
Photography © Dennis Frates