Over the past few weeks we’ve explored health, diet, exercise. But our bodies often fall prey to illness and disease anyway or because we’ve ignored basic healthy principles. This week I invite you to join me as we consider healing. There is hope after illness, after the breakup of a marriage or relationship, after the death of a loved one, in the wake of financial crises, or even during political turmoil.
“Life is so messy. It’s heartache and headaches and bedhead and tears. Then life is glorious. And then it’s messy all over again.”
Candy Leigh
Meaning of Healing
According to Miriam and other online dictionary sources, healing is the process of making whole and healthy again. It means patching a friendship or relationship, or even restoring someone or something to its original purity or integrity
Synonyms for Healing
We all know the need for healing the world has suffered with COVID 19 together, and many have shared their personal pathways to healing and coping with this time. Getting back into blogging – writing and photography helped me to heal.
Some Great Quotes
“Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn’t you – all of the expectations, all of the beliefs – and becoming who you are.” – Rachel Naomi Remen
“By far the strongest poison to the human spirit is the inability to forgive oneself or another person. Forgiveness is no longer an option but a necessity for healing.” – Caroline Myss
“Laughter is important, not only because it makes us happy, it also has actual health benefits. And that’s because laughter completely engages the body and releases the mind. It connects us to others, and that in itself has a healing effect.” – Marlo Thomas
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” – Kahlil Gibran
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Wounds are like water set to boil – they heal best left unwatched.” – Gabrielle Zevin
Restored to their Original Condition – or Better
Visalia Car Show #1.5
“It has been said that time heals all wounds. The truth is that time does not heal anything. It merely passes. It is what we do during the passing of time that helps or hinders the healing process.”
Jay Marshall
Just like people, cars have accidents, illnesses, suffer from neglect, and get old. Time does not heal them, but for various inexplicable reasons people adopt them and set about healing them one by one.
In my Sunday Stills: Grays post, I leaked one picture of a pristine gray and salmon Desoto. Today I’m going to share three or four more of my favorite healings from the May 15th Visalia Car Show.
#1 Volkswagen Beetle
You’ve seen plenty of these on the road, in your driveway, and in car shows over the years. This VW had a unique paint job. The owner loved the color he found in Home Depot for a house paint. He took the sample to the auto body restorer, and he magically recreated that color. Tell me if you don’t think this is better that the original. I was so excited when the owner invited me to sit inside and have Vince take my picture. I learned to drive on a VW just a few years ago! LOL
For my brother’s 60th birthday, Randy and I took our first healing trip. Our mother had passed away and we hadn’t been too close. We took a train trip back to the Midwest where we were born and raised. One of the places we visited was the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana.
Before that trip I had no idea how prominent Studebaker was in producing military vehicles as well as carriages for United States Presidents before cars were invented. Sadly, this iconic automobile plant closed on December 20, 1963. A plant in Ontario, Canada produced Studebakers until March 17, 1966, when the era of Studebakers ended. Car restorers today keep its memory alive.
This Studebaker at the show was a work of true love and dedication. In 1953 Studebaker considered making a station wagon. They made two prototypes. One ended up in a junk pile near the factory in South Bend. The other, after being stripped of parts ended up in this owner’s uncle’s garage until he died in 1987. The owner, and I didn’t get his name, restored this one of a kind car and we all felt privileged to see it.
This next car, rather 1948 red Ford F1 truck, also had a great story which I should have recorded. I fell in love with the color and the wooden bed. Of course it was a red Ford like my grandparent’s car. I included the registration because of the fabulous reflection on the truck’s shining hood.
This final picture for today was my friend Jean’s favorite restoration. For me it was just okay. However for an old Desoto, it looks better than most others that have driven down the highways over the years.
When I walked around to the back, I could see why the car was so popular at the time and now – the back fins. In the shade I could also tell that the paint job was factory perfect, no pits or streaks.
Now why is it that people restorers can’t do as magnificent of a job on us as they can on an old Desoto? (I’m showing my false reliance on the power of beauty – see last week’s #WQWWC.)
Since we were in downtown Visalia, I photographed one more act of healing that took place other than the cars. In 1999 a committee, The Friends of the Fox, got together and collected money to restore the Depression Era Fox Theatre.
The Fox Theatre “opened on February 27, 1930 with George O’Brien in “Lone Star Ranger” and Laurel & Hardy in “Night Owls”. It was equipped with a Robert Morton 2 Manual pipe organ, which came from a theatre in Los Angeles. …The beleaguered Visalia Fox Theatre shut its doors after sixty-six magical years, on November 7, 1996 (my birthday) with “A Long Kiss Goodbye.” Cinema Treasures
Thanks to Last Week’s Fabulous #WQWWC Participants
- Carol Mom New Participant
- Cee Beauty
- Frank Beauty
- Frank Mom
- KL Caley Limerick
- Kristin Beauty
- Lady Lee Mom
- Sadje Mom
- Susan Beauty New Participant
- Terri Beauty
It’s Your Turn Now!
the other requirement is to have fun. happy hump day!
Bloggers on the topic of Healing
- Cindy Covid Vaccination reaction and healing
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
Hi Marsh. I loved the Jay Marshall quote. And I enjoyed your vintage car pictures. It reminded me of when my husband and I went to the Barrett Jackson show in Arizona. Fascinating. 🙂 xx
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We love the Barrett Jackson Show. We’ve only watched it on television. We looked at a condo in Scottsdale yesterday to use as a rental for a few years and then possibly move there during the winter months. As you know, Prescott gets pretty cold.
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Yes I know! I do hope you get to see the show live. I believe it runs in January. At least that’s when it was on when we were there. I’m not much of a car person, but I was blown away at the venue. 🙂
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I think it might be in March. So next March when your weather stinks, you should come down to AZ and we could meet up at the car show. You’re welcome to stay in Prescott, but our March weather is a bit stinky, too as we found out this year.
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Thanks for the offer my friend. But I will be in Mexico then. 🙂
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Well that will be a wonderfully warm place to be. We should chat sometime when you’re up to it. I’ve missed you for a very long time.
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I miss everything and living. Between grieving and packing at the same time to move, I’m not really doing much talking to anyone these days 😦 Hopefully come summer I can catch up with the living 🙂
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I understand totally. I just want you to know I’m available if you ever need me. I hope you have a wonderful trip.
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That seems so far off right now, but thank you 🙂
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Hi Marsha, Such great quotes and beautiful car photos in your post. It’s wonderful that the theatre was restored and so history is kept alive. Thank you for linking with #weekendcoffeeshare.
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Thanks, Natalie. You always have such interesting historic walks.
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Back for more. I appreciate not only your wide approach to healing, but also how you fit the work around restoration – which perfectly fits with the old cars and trucks. I initially didn’t think that my Quiet post fits your theme, but now that you mentioned it, I I now see how it fits. https://beachwalkreflections.wordpress.com/2021/05/20/77-quiet/
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It definitely fits. I’m sitting in the noisiest restaurant I’ve ever been in. Ready for quiet!!!!
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LOL …. I don’t care for noisy restaurants.
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Me either.
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Hi Marsha, this invitation did bring a quote and a related story to mind, but I struggled (in a humorous way) to see healing in it. This actual memory actually scared the life out of me at the time, but the reaction I got from the dad involved – okay – that was healing to what was otherwise a professional near death situation. Now, years later, I’m able to laugh about it and hope you and your readers will cringe and laugh with me. Here it is:
https://garyawilsonstories.wordpress.com/suffer-not-the-children/
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Oh my gosh what a story! You’re lucky you didn’t fall and land on top of her while you were blinded! But your relationship was healed!
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I am here from Natalie’s weekend coffee share and the word healing sure caught my eye. As I recovered from cancer surgeries and later (in 2020) abdominal repair surgeries, I knew that I had to allow for HEALING. I am someone who liked to rush and get things done. Being seriously unwell…and needing to allow time for healing has taught me a great deal about being compassionate to myself. Liked thinking about this some more Marsha, thank you! Denyse
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Why don’t you add a link in the comment section of one of your stories. Or if you want to write a post that includes a quote or two, you could do that too. You have the perfect stories about healing, Denyse. 🙂
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Thank you kind friend
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You are welcome!
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Hi Marsha, here’s my post;
http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2021/05/20/wqwwc-25-healing/
Thanks
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Thanks, Sadje. I loved it. 🙂
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Thanks for the link, Lisa! 🙂 Thanks for all your help today. I feel great about the possibilities.
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Beautiful Car Show Pictures. We have a Car Show in our small town each Father’s Day (except for last year). Fingers crossed it happens this year!
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I hope it works out, Donna. Ours was super fun partly because we ran into friends we hadn’t expected to see while we were on vacation “back home.” That’s healing, too. 🙂
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Great topic Marsha! I should have combined last week’s and this week’s quotes in one post. They went together for me. I love the car show photos and restorations. I do love the color of that VW! 🙂
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I love that color, too. That’s my color. BTW, do you design business cards? I could really use them when I go to car shows like that. People love seeing their stuff online even if it’s a personal blog. When I tell people I blog, their eyes light up like they are going to be a star. In a way, they are.
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Yes, I design business cards. I can order them too. There are lots of options. Let’s get together on FT or phones and talk about what you want. Text me. 🙂 I need to design myself some cards too.
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OK. I have to run to the dentist then I’ll give you a call if you are free this afternoon.
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Whatever works for you. I’m home today. Tomorrow, we are going on a paddle so taking the day off. 🙂 Good luck at the dentist!
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That sounds super fun. Where are you going?
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Silver Springs. I think I told you that over the phone. My head is still throbbing and I was just seeing stars. Time to take some tylenol because I apparently have a migraine that is not going away. Don’t worry, you didn’t cause it and I enjoyed our chat. We made a lot of progress in our short time together. 🙂
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I’m sorry! I’m not into causing migraines, YIKES! When I get one I take Excedrin for Migraines and take a hot bath and drink lots of water. Mine are almost always cause by dehydration.
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You certainly didn’t cause it. I had another one this morning. Sometimes they happen like that. Usually from too much time at the computer and did overtime this week with getting bookkeeping done for the business. I got your email and will work on it sometime this weekend. 😊
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Yes, that happens to me. Eye drops and lots of water and Excedrin. and staying away from the computer for a while. I prescribe a nice paddle! 🙂
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The paddle was nice, but wait until I tell you what happened. I’ll save that for when we can talk. 🙂
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Can’t wait!
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Ooops forgot my link
https://troyerslovinglife.blogspot.com/2021/05/wqwwcmay-19th-themehealing.html
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Oh my gosh, don’t forget that! I’m coming to check it out right now, Kirsten. 🙂
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Hi Marsha. I loved your quotes, and the cars and your thought about people “healing them one by one”. Good food for thought right there. Do we allow ourselves to be restored, to be something that shines. Do we see our value when we look at ourselves, what we are capable of being.
My faves were the quote about time and the one about forgiveness and laughter. So good and so true.
Thank you for hosting
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Thank you so much Kirstin. I enjoy doing this challenge more and more as I deal with the topics and read how others respond to them. I loved your post, and left you a longish response on your blog. Your consistent responses to the challenge are part of what is making this challenge rewarding to me.
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I’m a first time participant and hope I did it right. The car show sounds so interesting.
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I’m sure you did Astrid. It would help if you also put the link to your post in your comment. That way if the gremlins mess up the ping back, we can still find you. Thanks so much for participating. I’m going to check out your blog right now. 🙂
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FYI: I’m visiting last week’s participants. Kristin’s link took me back to this post.
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You are awesome, Frank. With all the responses you have on your posts, I appreciate that you take the time to participate in forming community here. You are awesome. 🙂 Have a great weekend. 🙂
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Thank you, Marsha.
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What a great topic for WQW, Marsha! “Healing” is perfect timing for my Sunday Stills theme of vacation spot. We all can benefit and heal from the leisure time of a change of scenery or favorite place. Thanks for timing your topic and giving me added inspiration for my post.
Vehicle restoration is such a popular hobby! Bringing beauty and healing back to old classic cars is a worthy art embraced my countless folks, including my hubby. Great shots!
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Vacations what perfect timing. I can finish my Bellagio Gardens or my CA vacay. I love it!!!
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Great how things work out!
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Yes! We missed you this week, BTW!
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We’re having Hughesnet install a satellite dish for internet today. I ran out of hot spot data already. Can’t take it anymore. Rural living for you. Missed you guys too, I really wanted to say hi to Judy!
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I know. Rural living has its drawbacks. 🙂
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Maybe the rural lifestyle is telling us to get off our butts and go outside more 🤣
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LOL! We spent a lot of time outside when it was under 100. Now we’re going out a lot, too. Pickleball the last four mornings. Walking and riding our bikes, we are definitely second wind leisure people!
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Aww, what a nice reference, Marsha! You are! Enjoy pickleball. My knees don’t like the lateral movements so I’m not going to try.
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You would do fine. Both of our instructors are blind! One had failed cataract surgery (12), the other had shingles. They both had knee injuries. The older instructor with the failed cataract surgery is probably around 75-80 and limps around, but he is a good player and great teacher. Not that you have to give it a try, but you don’t need to be intimidated about it.
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That’s good to know, it looks really fun!
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It was. Wait till you come see us, and then you can watch and decide.
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I enjoyed your car show pictures, but really enjoyed the Beetle in its pretty colors. I’m a fan of the Beetle. I’m not sure why. I never drove one, but I did carpool in one for a while in high school. 🙂
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Thanks, Susan. I love that one too. We had three of them as I grew up: red, blue then green. I learned on the blue one that had a bad first gear.
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Very nice, so they’re special to you for a reason. I have a collection of interesting car photos on Pinterest. A good portion of them are Beetles with customized colors and patterns.
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How cool! We could do a car photos blog between the two of us!!!
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🙂 That might be fun.
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Vroom, vroom!
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Hee hee. 🙂
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🙂
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an interesting take on how attending a car show can be healing 🙂
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LOL, Jim! Basically the cars are healed, not me. But I do love blogging about them.
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somebody or thing was getting healed… 🙂
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Several pointed out how healing it was to break out of COVID lock-down and be at an event. It was wonderful to have that freedom again.
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yes, it is wonderful to be back out in society!
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Very healing! 🙂
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Great topic. Thanks for the mention!
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Of course you are welcome, Sadje. I’m loving the topics and how all of you are responding to them.
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Thanks 🙏
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Hi Marsha, the link to mine doesn’t seem to have worked. 😦 \
I’ll start working on this weeks. Great post. KL ❤
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I’m so sorry, KL. I’ll fix it. Right now!
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For some reason when I copied your link, wordpress.com was in parentheses behind the link. It works now. 🙂 Good lesson for me is to always check the links. Thanks for joining in, KL.
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Thank you Marsha, no problem at all. Those wordpress Gremlins get me from time to time too. Thank you for updating. KL<3
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They make themselves at home on my blog, for sure. I did a guest post for Hugh Roberts about Story Chat. I cut and pasted parts from my page and low and behold one quote had an incorrect link that he caught. I’d missed it entirely. It’s part of the proofreading process that we often miss. When we copy, sometimes our copy feature retains the data from the previous copy. We (I) paste thinking I have just inserted what I had just copied and it isn’t. Or it has some extra words or characters attached to it. Gremlins – I like that, KL.
Getting Rid of Blogging Gremlins
There once was a gremlin from …well,
He tried hard to ring bloggers’ bells.
But friends came along, and found what was wrong,
And the gremlin got lost in the dell. 🙂
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Haha! Brilliant (and quite true). KL ❤
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For sure! It was fun. You got me thinking, and that’s quite an accomplishment at 1:39 am. 🙂
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