Happy New Year

It is a pleasure today to complete and finish this year and bring it to a comfortable close.  I know that I am Divinely guided to my next new and different project because I am open to the possibility and am excited about what God has in store for me. 

This past year has brought about many changes for the better in my life.  I feel very blessed that all has been for my growth in spite of me digging in my heels and sometimes complaining all the way. 

I know that I need to relax, allow, accept, release and balance all in my life with grace and ease.  Life is just that much easier when I do.

Since in every end there is a new beginning, I invite all to thoroughly enjoy the process and create a spectacular new year.

  

Change

Right now I feel the uncertainty of my surroundings as I am living in a sea of packed boxes.  I am having to slow down to the speed of my life and it is very uncomfortable.  I am use to my nest being organized, available, and comfortable.  Right now it is none of these.

The house is “staged” and ready for the photographer to come in to take the pictures for the internet.  Living in a state of perfection is not the greatest.  Yes, it is clean and it looks nice but it doesn’t have the lived in feeling that I relish.    I guess this is all just part of what is necessary to release this house to some wonderful buyers that will allow me to move to Oklahoma.

Even the puppies I live with are feeling change and at times, stay very close and others, want nothing to do with me.  When I want snuggly, warm, furry bodies to hug, none are available. 

I am very grateful that I am able to pack up my treasurers and take them with me.  There were times in my life when that was not an option and it still makes me sad that I had to give up some very wonderful things. 

Every move allows us to get rid of and move on.  Granted, there is stuff in my life that is easy to recycle.  I sometimes wish it were as easy to recycle the baggage in mind as it is in reality. 

Life goes on and I am ready for a new adventure in sleet, snow and ice.  Winter will truly afford me the time to snuggle in, recharge, and maybe get some serious writing done. 

Either way, I am looking forward to the new and different, as I remember to stay present and realize that I have some things to complete and to close the book on 2013.  All is well and I feel thoroughly blessed in every way.  Happy New Year.

Waiting

I am in a waiting period.  Feels like a fallow time where everything is resting - getting ready for something big to happen.  I can feel the change in my bones but it’s not yet.   Alan is already out of state working in his new position.  I have been left here to get the house ready for sale.  I am in the process of staging it, making it look as though there is plenty of room of everything, except my craft room.  That is my “catch all” room and how I am going to “stage” it is still a mystery for me.  I don’t want to pack it because there are some projects that I want to continue and maybe finish before we move.  I know that I will virtually be “house bound” once the showings start as I need to be here to capture the puppies and get them out of the house before anyone shows up. 

It has been ten days since Alan left and I am not a happy camper being alone.  Even though we email, telephone and Skype, it is not the same as being in the same house at the same time.  I have had to take over some of his duties like taking out the garbage, etc.  As time goes on, I am finding other things that need to be done.  I know that eventually we will be together again because he left his “toys.” 

I think I have learned to sleep alone again.  The “noises” of the house no longer wake me up and I love having the whole bed to sprawl around.  Not as much fun as sharing a bed but it has its perks.

Deciding what to pack and what not to pack is a challenge.  I have decided that the kitchen is closed for the duration.  No major cooking or baking until we are settled into the new house.  I am also having to empty the freezer and eating up what is in there.  So far, it has claimed some interesting combinations. 

Today’s project is to pack up the “bottoms” of the closets, pantry and hall closets.  Then when they are opened up, and the floors are cleared, it gives the impression that there is a lot of open space.  Also, getting some extra bedding packed up and into the storage unit so that it is out of the way and vision of perspective buyers. 

Doesn’t this sound like a fun life?  I know, fallow!

More Bridges

P. S.

Today's paper had a blurb about a Kansas farmer that built 150-foot long replica of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge on this farm!  What is with the farmers who have bridges in the middle of their fields?  Wonder if he has the safety bar that keeps little kids from sliding from the bridge into the "earth" below!  Does he charge a fee to people to "see" and walk the bridge?

I guess all of us need hobbies and something to do.

Hotel Living

My Beloved and I spent some time in Oklahoma City and I was stunned at what passed for okay behavior in several venues. 

First, having dinner at a fairly up scale restaurant the first night, seeing the men wear their cowboy hats or baseball caps at dinner was a sight to behold.  As my sister would say, “they probably didn’t have a mother to teach them differently.” 

The next morning walking down the corridor to the elevator, I heard two doors open and people walked out and allowed their doors to slam.  I purposely walked slowly to give them time to get the elevator, as I knew I would not be able to keep my mouth shut if I had to spend anymore them with any of them.

Next, I am in the downstairs area for the complimentary breakfast and I see a guy walk by in his pajamas and socks.  Jamers?!  No sooner, had I gotten my mouth shut than a whole family came into the area and they are all in their jammers. 

I may be from the “old” school that says, dress appropriately when in public, but I guess this rule is only for me.  I couldn’t help but wonder if these people were “commando” too!  I could hear my mother’s voice in my head that said “be sure to wear underwear all the time because you never know…”  She never did explain the “never know” part of that sentence and I never thought to ask.  She use to make me wear underwear in my jammers because “you never know…”

Without slamming the Midwestern part of our country, I can’t help but feel that the farther you are from the big city, the more relaxed traditional behaviors become.  Considering that we are planning to move to OK City, it has to be a reminder for me to keep up my standards in order to maintain a “presence” in the city.  Spirit, help me to put away my judgment mind about all of this.

You, of course, don’t have a problem with any judgments, do you?

Road Trips

One of the things Alan and I did while dating, was taking road trips since he had just moved here from Memphis and wanted to see what the area around San Antonio had to offer.  The Hill Country nearby is without a doubt the most glorious scenic area second only to the island of Kauai and the Grand Canyon.

To encourage the road trips, we have a selection of vehicles in which our comfort is at a premium.  The latest addition is a 2004 XK8 Jaguar convertible.  After giving Alan static about getting a “gun metal gray” car, he very calmly looked at me and said that the color was “platinum.”  Okay! 

Yesterday, we took our platinum convertible on a road trip to Corpus Christi to see the gulf and then we headed north and east into Rockport and back to San Antonio.  One of the thrills of going south is looking for what I have termed “our bridge” which is a bridge just sitting in the middle of a field with a “for sale” sign on it.  This time, I wanted to get the phone number so I could call and get some information on it – like cost, weight, material, etc.

What promoted the inquiry was an article in the Saturday funnies that a bridge on the East Coast has been stolen.  How do you steal a bridge?  This is another one of those situations in which major planning has to take place.  The East Coast bridge weighed 40 tons.  How do you even move a 40 ton bridge and do you need a permit to do it if using a major road?  How long does it take to “break down” it into manageable pieces and do you need to be quiet about it?  Seems to me to be a very noisy process.

“Our bridge” wasn’t there or we missed it while talking about it so making a telephone call was needless.  It still keeps me thinking about who and why would you “sell” a bridge. 

The only thing useful about this blog is a reminder to “not burn your bridges,” as someone would probably call the fire department. 

Gratitude

This time of year always reminds me how blessed my life is and how wonderful it is to enjoy the standard of living that surrounds me.  One of the major influences I have had in my life early were books. 

Having been raised as an only child (my sister above me is nine years older and my oldest brother is twenty years older), the only friends I had growing up were books and my imagination.  So, I used books to communicate, to teach, to carry me away to wonderful places to meet wonderful people. 

Today, my favorite leisure time experience is curling up with a good book and it doesn’t matter if it is fiction or not.  My idea of a great vacation is, plopping down on a chaise lounge with a good book, and someone fairly young with just a few clothes serving me cool drinks as needed. 

When I look around my office, my walls are lined with bookcases and are filled with the experiences of people who were compelled to enlighten me with their wisdom in their books.  I find it to be an interesting area of thought to be able to put common sense into readable communication because common sense is not so common these days.

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am so grateful to all of the authors who had the courage to publish, who gave so much of themselves in print, to teach me what I am today.  When I look around the world I have created for myself, I am infinitely grateful to be so blessed. 

Allow the Great Substance of the Universe to be your expression and experience of life today.

Hotels

Having just spent a week at a plush hotel in Las Vegas, I had forgotten what it was like living with thousands of people all moving in their own worlds like they were living at home. 

I was stunned at the amount of doors that were slammed throughout the hotel at all hours of the day or night.  I realized that living behind closed doors amounted to being at home alone if one choose to do that. 

Once out of the room, everything changed.  The rules of etiquette and just good manners were lost.  I was again stunned at the rudeness, impatience and people just cutting in line like they were the only ones in the universe. 

I first encountered the line cutting in the sumptuous buffet that was offered at all hours of the day or night.  I was incredibly surprised at the quality of food available upon demand and in quantities that meant that there was more than enough for all no matter how many times you wanted to get more. 

I had heard my former husband refer to a “rube” but had never quite experienced what it meant first hand until Las Vegas.  I watched this man charge through the place, often just reaching in front of others without regard to courtesy or manners.  And I watched as many were so stunned by the actions, they didn’t say anything to him.  I am not sure what I would have said either.

For the rest of my stay, every time I was awakened by a door slamming shut, I just figured it was the rube.  Apparently, there were a lot of them staying on the same floor as I was.

Courage

During the time of my former husband’s, illness, I found a metal cutout of the word courage at one of the hobby stores.  I bought it thinking this was a good word for me and I placed it on my desk to see it often.

Little did I know at the time that I would need the reminder of courage as life continued for me.

Another note I have on my desk reads, “Write a happy ending to your story.”  I realized today that I needed to write a happy ending to every one of my days, weeks, months and years.  In order to write a happy ending, there needs to be activity and usually, it mean, “new” activity. 

It takes courage to have a daily event of new activity of any kind.  It takes courage to step out of a comfort zone and allow something new and different to be presented.  It takes courage to be positive about how wonderful life is and all that it means. 

Maybe courage is really a gift of grace - gift of possibility and greater rewards.  Courage isn’t needed when one is in a comfort zone.  But it is needed just to think about something new and different. 

The beauty of something new and different is that the reward of having the courage to step out results in fascinating and equally wondrous results.  I have discovered that the greater the risk, the greater the result. 

Writing a happy ending to “a” story is as easy now as imagining the biggest, greatest, most outrageous way that life can show up for me.  I want all of the benefits that life has including fun, easy ways, peace, love, and money. 

How much fun would it be to have all of our dreams fulfilled?

How We Influence Each Other

At the Asilomar Conference Center, located on the Pacific Rim in California, while attending a religious gathering, I remember having had a meal with a colleague and she introduced me to the wonders of a fountain pen for writing.  Rev. Jennie was using a Waterman Fountain Pen. 

I don’t remember how many years ago that has been but what reminded me of that experience is that I am still using my original Waterman I bought shortly after using her pen. 

Actually, I consider my Waterman “just broken in.”  It writes beautifully with a very smooth nib on all kinds of surfaces.  I didn’t know that the more you use the nib, the better it gets as it “gets” use to the way you write and the pressure you use, etc.

Since that time, I have learned how to turn my own pens.  What I really wanted was a Mont Blanc pen, but couldn’t afford it, so learned how to make my own as I could easily afford a “Cindy Flor.” 

Using what I have created is an experience in itself and wanted to give credit to Jennie for creating a new path for me in not only writing, but also journal writing all these years.  Now, I buy inks from all over and when the mood hits, I mix and match different shades to be able to experience more of what I have. 

Since that time, I received a Mont Blanc as a gift.  The joy of journal writing now is choosing which pen, what color ink, and not playing favorites with my collection of fountain pens. 

Thanks, Jennie, for opening a whole new experience for me.  I love my pen collection and the luxury of choice every day when I sit down to write. 

Allow Everything

Two quotes had me in a quandary this last week.  The first is from Ernest Holmes in which he tells us, “Just keep right on knocking at the doorway of your consciousness until every “no” becomes a “yes,” every negation an affirmation, every fear a faith.  You cannot fail if you remain steadfast.” 

Somewhere I read that life is a gift.  So, by saying “yes” to everything that shows up in our lives is accepting the gift in a greater, grander way.  No matter what happens, it is a gift. 

I didn’t reach a goal that I wanted this week and was very disappointed and have to really recoup from hearing three “no’s” to something that I think is really wonderful – the biggest advantage of it is to save money and have the product delivered to the front door.  Who wouldn’t want to save money?  I couldn’t get my mind wrapped around that? 

The sad thing about it is that I know the people were lying to me about the reasons for not buying from me.  That is another thing I couldn’t get wrapped in my head – why lie about something so insignificant.  Imagine the cause and effect set up around that?

What was the gift in the people saying “no?”  Well, had they consented, I would have had to work with them.  Now, I don’t.  Maybe in the wisdom of the Infinite, it saved me from some huge problems later on. 

The other quote is from Alan Cohen, who, says, “Denying the body is another from of indulging it.  What you fight, you empower.  What you allow, you release.”  The importance of that quote is the allow/release part.  Make it all okay and it is easier to accept, think about, and for me to “get my head wrapped” around a concept in order to let it go for the highest and best – usually for me.  Which tells me that I need to allow and release for the highest and best to all I come in contact with too. 

Okay, allow and release with ease.  Got it!

Writer's Block

This has been the week for having “nothing” to write about.  Nothing seems to be interesting to me this week.  I know that there is a lot going on, but not worth writing about.  This is one of the reasons why I am not on Facebook – the endless minutia of boring lives.

What I find fascinating is the process of writer’s block.  There are times when I am writing that I can’t keep my fingers flying fast enough across the keys to keep up with what is going on in my head.

The lesson for me is to write when I have the ideas and not, when I don’t.  Seems simple.  But somehow I don’t follow the lesson.  In other words, I don’t use what I know.

I am finding this to be more prevalent as time marches on.  It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just not worth doing.  And I am finding that trend to be with some of my clients too.

When thinking about it, it is a very dangerous way to be as it is easier not to do than to do the things that are basic and important for a fulfilling, satisfying way of life.  This is where habits can carry through until inspiration comes knocking at the door again. 

“Writer’s block” is a fallacy.  I am writing.  Instead of rambling on, I declare myself filled with wonderful ideas, the discipline of carrying them out and the wonder of seeing something new and different on my pages. 

Over and out!

Taking the Leading Part

Somewhere in the writings of Ernest Holmes, he tells us, “We must be careful and not get into ruts; always be doing something new and different, and you will find life becomes a great game in which you are taking the leading part.” 

Coming up with new and different ideas every day, or week or month can be challenging.  Who knew there were that many “new and different” things to be, do or have?  The idea being that we stay active in every area of life.

I love learning how to do new things that I am interested in.  My issue is always having the time to devote to those interests.  Learning how to speak and read Spanish is one of those interests.  I have done a lot of fits and starts over the years and when I have a chance to speak Spanish to someone, I stumble over what words are appropriate in the situation. 

Years ago, I wanted to learn shorthand.  It still interests me but again I rarely find the time to practice or do what they suggest, which is to take dictation from the evening news.  Do you know how fast newscasters talk?  I didn’t think so.  Believe me, it’s fast.

Now when I am in a conversation with someone on the phone, I go into my craft room and sit and use my foot - cycle just to get in some exercise.  Whenever did I find time to work full-time?

Staying active in life is easy.  Determining which part of the activity I want to participate in each day is my challenge.  I can remember a time in my life when I didn’t have choices.  How blessed I feel now to know that I am surrounded with a multitude of choices and having the freedom to walk away and start something completely new and different.

I am no longer retired; I am actively finding more and more fun things to do.  Join me?

Load'er up

Years ago, I took a weekend class from Jean Houston, where we studied the life of Jesus.  We reenacted several of the highlights from his life.  What I distinctly remember is after the trial of Jesus, he had to drag his cross (I doubt that it was a simple 4 x 4) to the area of his hanging.  In order to reenact it, we were to pick up our chairs and walk around the room with them on our back.  The instructions were to bend our knees, reach backwards and pick up the chair and pull it up onto our backs, straighten our knees and walk.

I am walking, walking, and walking.  Suddenly, I see a guy nearby carrying not just one but five, six or seven chairs on his back.  I was stunned with that picture and went into overwhelm with the implications of all it.

How many times do we carry the required load and stop to pick up more than is necessary?  Just to show that we can do it? Why do we think that what we do has to be hard or harder in order to succeed?  What are we trying to prove and to whom?

Since that time, I often remind myself that “easy does it, too.” I don’t have to complicate something that has an easy fix nor do I have to make something really hard in order to move forward.  And I remember not to take on someone else’s stuff in order for me to be successful, happy or whatever.

My motto is simple, fun and easy.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss.

Stunned is the only word that describes what I read in our local newspaper about a comment made on national television by one of our newly GOP Senate nominees from the state of Missouri.   Contraception and Pro-Choice have been “hot topics” by all of what I call the radical right or the left movements.  This man declared that, “legitimate rape rarely causes pregnancy.”  What!  What medical person declared that to be the truth of rape?

I am stunned that someone in his office didn’t just take a baseball bat to his head.  Where is this guy’s wife?  Doesn’t she know any better?  Or as my sister says, “That guy must not have had a mother.”

Pregnancy is not the issue.  The violence of rape is the issue and why didn’t this guy realize it.  Of course, when his fellow GOP got on his case, he issued a statement say that he misspoke.  I would say that he was miss-educated in the sex education classes in high school or his parents were remiss in clueing the guy into what was appropriate behavior. 

His running mates are quoted as saying that “the Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape.”  Why is there an opposition to abortion in the first place?

Women’s rights have not moved ahead at all, in my opinion.  Or we have regressed into the dark ages.  What is it going to take for the men to “wake up” and as my mother use to say, “fly right?”  Or maybe they don’t think they have to?  Or maybe not enough women think this is an issue we can win.  Is there anyone in the government that can dictate what I am going to do or not in this day and age?  How can they be so foolish to even think it let alone think they can legislate it?

Men, grow up.  You no longer have the power you think you have.  I pity the man whose female members of the family rise up against him.  Maybe they will have more “balls” in using the baseball bat!

Perfection Seeds

Ernest Holmes said, “This Original Life is Infinite.  It is good.  It is filled with peace.  It is of the essence of purity.  It is the ultimate of intelligence.  It is power.  It is Law.  It is Life.  It is in us.  In that inner sanctuary of our own nature, hidden perhaps from objective gaze, “nestles the seed, perfection.” 

Have you ever wondered what else you can contribute to life? I have read that God sees only the highest and best of us, so what is it that God sees in me that I don’t?  Often I have questioned whether or not I am doing what God intended for me to do and accomplish in my lifetime.  Or have I taken a giant U-turn somewhere along the line and diverted myself into something completely different.

Jean Houston tells us that we are not only talented but multi-talented.  Since I read that statement, I have been intrigued with what else or what hidden “perfect” talent I have that I am not even aware of as yet.  Since I am of a curious nature, I have explored and attempted many new endeavors and, yes, I have found that I am indeed multi-talented in many areas.  But what I really want to know, what else can I do?  What else can I learn that’s fun, interesting and will keep my attention, imagination and mind absorbed and functioning for years ahead?  What else is in the nestled perfection of who I am? 

“Our belief sets the limit to our demonstration of a Principle which, of Itself, is without limit,” Ernest Holmes goes on to tell us.  That means that I have set the limits of what I am capable of doing even if it means a whole new life for me, or greater success than I have ever dreamed of, or making more money than I ever thought I was capable of making. 

Walking through the limits I have set for myself, I am willing to see where and when I am in the resistance of moving forward.  But only I can do this, as much as I would love it if you would do it for me. 

I see this as an opportunity to see where I make my objections, what I don’t want to do, what I resist, or what I complain about.  All of this takes the place of taking positive action to move into something bigger, greater or better.  Since I know what the promise is, it seems to be it would be easier to take the action.  Put another way, now that I know what the positive results are in taking the action, this whole process is much easier. 

Making up new solutions or results or goals is really a fun way to live life.  Who wouldn’t want to be happier?  Who wouldn’t want a new adventure of possibility? 

Being willing to take the time to “see” new possibilities and set new intentions is well worth the effort it takes.  I now have affirmations all around me and I know that by seeing a new tomorrow, today becomes all that more exciting and vibrant resonant with great attainable achievements.

Join me in this great new adventure exploring and discovering the seeded possibilities within all of us.

Let's All Get Healthier

Years ago, my former husband, Bud, heard a story and the finishing line was, “How would God handle this?”  He used that line when faced with challenges, problems, dealing with customers and when he had to solve some major problems.  He placed that line on stickers and had them everywhere.  The bathroom mirror had one, the car dash, his company truck dash, one was discretely placed on the corner of my desk pad, and the refrigerator in the kitchen had one.

Later when he was experiencing his end of life challenges, I was dismayed and disappointed that I didn’t have the encouragement and support of my spiritual colleagues.  I know it is hard to find the words to comfort someone whose loved one is sick or in the transition of expelling the spirit into another dimension.  Sometimes just saying things like, “what do you need?” or “I am sorry” helps tremendously.

Right then and there, I decided that I wanted to change the line of, “How would God handle this,” to “How would an emotionally healthy person respond to something like this?”  Or even “How would a spiritually healthy person respond to something like this?”  

The experience with Bud promoted me on a quest to learn how to be healthier in all of my dealings.  I realized that I wanted to be a good example of someone who was not only supportive but who knew how to give the kudos when necessary.  It is called, “being a person of value.”  That means knowing when to uplift someone else. 

Recently, a good friend and colleague came out with a tremendous application for the iPhone and she expressed disappointment that none of the “higher ups” in our organization even spoke to her about it.  I realized that all of us are in our own stages of dysfunction and haven’t yet learned how to be emotionally or even spiritually healthy.

How sad for us to be associated with a large group of people who don’t know how to support or even congratulate someone else when they do a good deed.  How can we expect to be the best spiritual information network when we can’t even get out of ourselves long enough to pass on the information? 

Help me stop the madness!  Won’t you join with me in cheerfully telling others how wonderful they are, what a great job they did, or congratulating them on deeds done exceptionally well.  Not only does it make the other person feel good, it makes us feel great! 

A Place in the Choir

All God’s creatures got a place in the choir.  Do you know that song?  Tears streamed down my face when I heard it, because it reminded me that no matter what is going or, how lost I feel, or how hard it is to find something, I belong here.  I belong as much as the sun, moon, stars and planets.  I have a place in the choir.  I was created for greatness. 

I can sing low or high or just sit on a telephone wire and do my thing, which is whatever brings me happiness in that moment.  I am here to find ways to astonish myself, or maybe to startle myself into thinking about something new, or amaze myself with a new project, or remember how remarkable I am no matter what I do or what is going on in my life.  We all need to dazzle ourselves occasionally to remind us how fabulous life is and that there is yet more to experience.

There are times when I feel that new ideas are lost to me.  It is during those time that I need to remember that as many new songs there are or are still being written, that’s how many ideas are floating around the ethers for me to catch and use in my life.  Staying open to the exhilaration of life is all that is needed. 

You need to share in the extravaganza and the excitement of all that life has to offer so that I can remember to be more, do more and have more of all of the blessings in life.  So all of us can be more.  To be a part of the choir, go to http://worriersanonymous.org/Share/Godspeople.htm

and sing out loud like all of the creatures of the earth, remember that all of us are graced.  And so it is.

Let It Be Easy

Currently, I am reading a book on extreme spirituality, which focuses on radical approaches to awakening our own consciousness and for what is possible for us in order to break free of our own self-limiting boundaries.

Years ago, my teacher, Dr. Robert Scott, would always remind his students to keep it simple, or make it easy, to be sure to always make it fun.  Since then my mantra has been to keep it all, “simple, fun and easy.”

Tolly Burkan’s approach to some of the experiences he encountered was to, “Let it be easy.”

So many times because of our earlier training, we make things hard for ourselves when it isn’t necessary.  I know that while watching my parents do some things, I knew that life was hard and that it would be “hard work” for me to get whatever it was that I was wanting in my life.

I remember one class session, Dr. Scott asked us, “Who wrote that rule in your rule book?”  ERK?  Who WROTE what in MY rule book?  I keep thinking about that question every time I come up against something that I think I cannot do.

I also remember that question when I think that “something” is going to be hard.  Well, since then, I have learned that it is hard because I thought it was hard and that things are easy when I think they are simple, fun and easy. 

New rule:  Let it be eay.

Life

“Your thoughts do not create reality, but they do create your experience,” says Alan Cohen in his daily inspirational quote to me this morning.  I had to stop and think about that for a minute.  Reality is just what it is but my thinking about it makes it personal to me and thus creates my experience of it. 

There are times when I get caught up in wanting life to be more or less than what it is at the present time.  When I am super busy, I want it to be more routine, calm, peaceful and serene.  When I am relaxed, calm and peaceful, there are times when I crave more excitement. 

What I have to remember is that I can experience all of it at different times.  The secret for me is to stay in the present moment.  Right now, it is okay for me to be inspired to write this essay even in the midst of having lots of things on my needs-to-be-done list.  It is okay for me to sit back and contemplate my navel while waiting for the next thought to be written. 

What I am noticing about my life right now is that I have this need to fully enjoy and experience all of what is about me, around me and is still coming to me.  When I am in a stressful state of mind, I don’t seem to be in the present nor can I enjoy what is going on and when it is done and over, I have difficulty remembering what happened during that time.  I don’t like having gaps in my memory and not being able to remember what happened to me during those times. 

My intention is to think thoughts that create a wonderful experience for me in my reality in order for me to slow down to the speed of my life and to be able to savor all of it as it happens.  My life truly is blessed.

Slow Down

Recently I was admonished to slow down to the speed of my life.  What?  How do you do that?  I do know that when the aches and pains in the body show up, it is time to pay attention to what is going on and how I am processing that is going on in my life.

Since I am semi-retired, meaning that I am no longer active in pulpit ministry, but I am actively pursuing the writing life, it is difficult for me to slow down any more than I already am.

Then an idea came to me that I was not as relaxed as I should be and that I seem to be more strung out than is natural for me to be.  Strung out to me means being short tempered, taking more of what is going on personally, allowing my core to be affected instead of being strong, solid and aware.  When I am feeling good, nothing gets to my core.  I feel strong enough to temper what is going on with good humor, having the sensitivity to realize that it is “not all about me.”  But when I am strung out, it is all about me.

It is hard learning the lessons I have taught most of my adult life.  One is breathing deeply.  Taking the time to just breathe.  Sounds funny, I know.  But when we are in a hurry, we pant instead of taking the time to breathe deeply and purposefully.

Two is to pay attention to what is going on now…staying in the present.  It is easy to get caught up in the future and planning and thinking about what we are going to do tomorrow or next week or next month.  All of which keeps us out of the present time.  Or getting caught up in the past and pretending that it is more pleasant to live there instead of the present time.

Three is to think that what we are thinking is the truth of who we are.  That is the biggest joke of all to me.  When I am paying attention to what I am thinking I realize that most of it is fantasy and has nothing to do with my reality. 

So, breathing, staying present and getting real…major lessons for me this week.  When the aches and pains show up, take the time to drink some water and breathe.  Think and thank God for your blessed good. I am and I do.