“It’s over there. Can you see it?”
My little cousin was pointing at the sign post. I could not see it.
Then I shifted my stance slightly and there it was.
In the same way I realized we can expand the vision of our lives by noticing the thoughts that swirl through our minds, and watching the words that issue forth from our mouths. Rather than narrowly judging ideas of people, we can instead simply witness the words and observe the actions and then shift our consciousness. How we view or speak about events can look and feel very different depending on the mindfulness we bring to the situation.
So now in my everyday conversations, rather than re-broadcasting an archaic adage like “killing 2 birds with one stone,” to signify accomplishing 2 tasks as the same time, I’ll say “feeding 2 birds with one handful.” Same meaning, yet a whole-ly different vibrational tone.
I’ve learnt afew things the hard way – like having will always fall short of the wanting.
You’ve probably experienced it too. You want something you think you can’t have. Then when it becomes available you don’t want it. This is because your wanting is based on the premise that you don’t have the thing you think you want. When it’s offered to you, you realize that you don’t want that thing. You want something more. The possession of a material object is ephemeral – it is only an approximation of a spiritual ideal.
But you can have it all… whether or not you possess what you think you want.. because beauty, joy, harmony and love reside within your own consciousness.
So I am learning to appreciate the ephemeral while keeping my eye on the eternal… that resides within me, regardless of material possession. You may not get what you want but you can have it all.
Thank you for my mind that thinks and creates, my body that moves and bends, my arms that cradle a newborn or embrace a loved one, my feet that walk, jump, climb, and dance, my eyes that see the natural beauty of the world, my ears that rune in to the melodies of the universe, my nose that smells the fragrance of flowers or freshly baked cookies, my mouth that tastes and smiles, my voice that speaks and sings.
Thank you God for my heart that beats 24 hours a day, for my emotions that allow me to feel, my memory to recall joyful times and places where I have traveled. Thank you for my imagination that envisions places I have not yet visited.
Thank you God, for my weaknesses that teach me to become strong, for my intelligence to reason and my capacity to cry and laugh. Thank you for my willingness to forgive my sensitivity when I have been hurt and my capacity to remember all I need to know when I am tested.
Thank you God, for everything large or small – for the broom that sweeps my floor and the jet that sweeps me into another city, another country, for the key that unlocks the door, unlocks my heart, and the melodious keys of a piano. Thank you for my friends, for companionship, for the ring of the phone, for my family. Thank you for clocks that tell time, and especially for time that allows me to recover, refresh and renew. Above all God, thank s for my past to learn from, my present to experience and the future I brightly envision.
Two friends are discussing politics on Election Day, each trying to no avail to convince the other to switch sides.
Finally, one says to the other: “Look, it’s clear that we are unalterably opposed on every political issue. Our votes will surely cancel out. Why not save ourselves some time and both agree to not vote today?’’
The other agrees enthusiastically and they part.
Shortly after that, a friend of the first one who had heard the conversation says, “That was a sporting offer you made.’’
“Not really,’’ says the second. “This is the third time I’ve done this today.”
10.10.10 – it’s a day of new beginning so promise me you’ll wake up thinking of endless possibilities. It’s a day of New Beginnings – in your life and beyond! Strive to make a difference. Think of ways you can help to improve another persons life and take a small step in that direction.
It’s only the beginning now…
a pathway yet unknown
At times the sound of other steps…
sometimes we walk alone
The best beginnings of our lives
May sometimes end in sorrow
But even on our darkest days
The sun will shine tomorrow.
So we must do our very best
Whatever life may bring
And look beyond the winter chill
To smell the breath of spring.
Into each life will always come
A time to start anew
A new beginning for each heart
As fresh as morning dew.
Although the cares of life are great
And hands are bowed so low
The storms of life will leave behind
The wonder of a rainbow.
The years will never take away
Our chance to start a new
It’s only the beginning now
So dreams can still come true.
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So we have entered an age of recognizing we are spirit in a body. The spirit infuses our humanness. How liberating it is to allow love and all-inclusiveness to keep deepening this union.
So how do we love all the human voices in our head? If you are like me, you’ve probably often longed for an off-switch… a way to turn off the conflicting chatter in my mind. I’m trying to learn how to switch channels by tuning in to the deeper truth, but the voices do return, or hum beneath the surface, influencing my perceptions.
In the spirit of all-inclusiveness, should I lift those voices out of the shadows and into a field of light and love? Should I witness and acknowledge them – even give them a “working-title”? They are part of me.
I know that each time I tune in to a part of myself it gets to reveal its gifts. I’ve realized that when we feel blocked in our lives its probably because there are parts of me that are seriously at odds. If this is the part that wants to preserve the generations it might be busy demanding that we do things by the book – stay suspicious, play safe, be small so I’ll survive! And that’s in conflict with the visionary within that’s pulling me forward into higher visibility… demanding I take more risks.
It’s a gift to recognize that each part is fulfilling an intention to support the whole. Each part – though limited in itself – serves well as an ally, making it possible for me to be here today. Once I acknowledge the need to play it safe, the spirit might start downloading a new vibration for safety into every cell of my being, or I’ll find my own unique way to bring spirit into form. And so I give thanks for each part that is me… knowing there are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to me to learn from.
The most memorable section of Theodore Roosevelt’s “Citizenship in a Republic” speech.
It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
but who does actually strive to do the deeds;
who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who neither know victory nor defeat.
It’s easy to judge myself pretty harshly when I am having a hard time – especially when everyone else is full of gratitude and facebook is putting it in my face:)
So here is a powerful thing I’ve discovered. When I feel sadness, loneliness, anger, resentment or fear or I just want to pull the covers over my head I give myself permission to feel those feelings. I accept those feelings and recognize them as messengers and simply give them space within me.
If I pretend they do not exist, they simply go underground and ultimately I will act them out in some self-destructive way. However if I welcome them within, give them room, acknowledge them and ask them what they need – they gently become transformed into something else. They are guiding me to something important that I need to know, perhaps a new insight for healing, an opportunity to expand my capacity for loving myself and others. And now these feelings paradoxically become something I can authentically be grateful for. I must be willing to be honest, surrender without judgement and allow the miracle to unfold.
So I am learning to be grateful for everything… even these unpleasant moments.. for everything can be used to lift us into a higher place, to a higher ground, where the view is more expansive… to true joy, harmony, and happiness. It is gratitude that unlicks the fullness of life and turns what we have into more… it can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
Responsibility for all our actions can feel like a burden.
Up until a few years ago, I didn’t want to be fully awake in all my choices. Sometimes I still don’t. I wanted to be able to throw stones in the pond and ignore the ripples. Contemplating the ripples can be exhausting. Its so much easier to rebell against it.
But the more we are willing to take responsibility, the greater the quickening of our transformation. So today, I invite you to cultivate your response-ability. With dedication and devotion what initially feels daunting becomes a sweet balm of compassion. It gives peace and assurance. Trust and faith. It gives power and purpose to what we place into the pond everyday and share with our brothers and sisters.
I grew up
sometime between
yesterday and today.
I grew older
got stronger, ran faster
worked harder, played better
traveled further, lived longer
loved one more time
I grew up
sometime between
yesterday and today
But
I’m not done.