Building dreams, friendships and memories.

Building dreams, friendships and memories was the theme of the Rose Parade of 2011.  I love the whole experience of the parade because I remember when I saw one "live and in person" the colors were extraordinary, fragrant, and the whole experience was overwhelming in beauty.

This is what I want my life to be.  For life to be amazing, what has to happen for me?  I know that I want adventure, beauty, excitement and fragrance to alert me to my awakening senses as life flows through me.  When I get to the end of my life, I want to be able to remember that it was an extraordinary experience because I paid attention to all of what was going on in the present moment.

In the process of it all, I do want to make new friends, build new dreams and create wonderful memories.  This is more than enough for me at the moment.

What is affordable luxury?

I saw that phrase recently and had to think about what that meant.  Affordable luxury.  Is it one of those catch phrases that the marketing people use to get your attention?

Ah!  I realized that when we bought our home here in San Antonio, when I first saw it, I was amazed. Then, I fell in love with all of the light coming in the windows.  I was stunned when I realized that we could afford the place easily!  Even better.

Then, to me, it was affordable luxury.  This was my first, ever, new house.  Bud had lived in one previous to meeting me.  But, he said, that it wasn't as nice is this one was.  Again, affordable luxury.  How wonderful is all of that?

Ouch!

I read a quote from Bhagwan Shree Rajineesh that says, "How much longer will you go on letting your energy sleep?  How much longer are you going to stay oblivious of the immensity of yourself?"  Ouch!

Recently, I remembered hearing a tape by Jean Houston where she said something about how all of us are talented beyond belief - even multi-talented.  All of us are hard wired with talent, skills and ability beyond what we have imagined for our lives.

Now I am in that time of my life where I am ready to experience my immensity.  I am ready to delve into my talent, skills and ability.  How much more of my talent can I develop and how can I use it to move me into a greater sense of what life is all about?  I am ready to experience more joy and laughter and satisfaction because of what I have created.

No more ouches!

New Year's Resolution

One of the resolutions I had for myself was to figure out a way to shrink into my normal, natural self.  I knew there had to be a simple way of releasing some weight and I finally found it.  Water.  I drink huge amounts of water during the day and I am finding that my weight is almost falling off.  I also eat whole foods and have released all desire for sugar, and for wanting to eat the whole refrigerator.  My cravings for anything is gone.  I can walk by chocolate and not be affected by it.  Yeah!

Actually, I have to thank my friend, Ellen, for telling me about this process.  She said it was easy.  It is.  I am finding that I have more energy, am sleeping better, and can move easier.  Who knew?

Uncertainty about the new!

Any time that I have done something new and different, I feel uncertain.  Every time I have had to make some changes, I feel uncertain.  These last several months have been filled with uncertainty.  I have had no choice except to get use to and move through uncertainty.

I know that there is nothing in my world that is certain.  Why, then, do I shy away from being in that state of mind and why do I hesitate about uncertain anything?

Is it possible to get excited and enthused about uncertainty?  Yes.  I just have to change my mind about what it is that I am feeling and thinking and get excited about it.  Experiencing a new restaurant is all about uncertainty. Yet, my feeling about that "new" is different from a feeling of a "new" career, "new" friend, "new" lifestyle.

A lot of this is confidence and trust - in myself.  Trust that life is always good.  Trust that the "new" can be as good as all the rest of the experiences I have in life.  Trust that uncertainty can be delightful and filled with good experiences.  Trust.

Sip. Savor. Repeat.

On the way to my office, there is a billboard sign that advertises an adult beverage with the words, "Sip. Savor. Repeat."

It got me to thinking that this is really the way life should be.  Recently, I caught myself thinking that I could hardly wait for the New Year.  Why am I wishing my life away?  I need to appreciate what is going on now and take advantage of all that is here for me.

Thinking about what has transpired this last year, I realize that life changes very quickly even when it seems like an eternity in the experience.  Sip, savor the eternity too.

Doing what's next.

Recently, two quotes have come to my attention:

1.  You owe it to all of us to get with what you're good at.  A. H. Auden

2.  Take care of yourself - you never know when the world will need you.  Rabbi Hillel

Okay, I got it.  I am amazing and it is time that I allowed my "amazingness" to show up in my world.  For a lot of years, I really tried to keep my light hidden under a bushel.  Is it bushel or bush?  My "childhood" mind remembers, "bushel."  Whatever it is, I am no longer going to keep from being "out there" in whatever form I need to take to be who I am.  Hiding no longer feels good.

Every year about this time, I begin to wonder, how close am I to what God intended me to be?  Since I was created in greatness, is that what I am experiencing?  What else needs to be done?

My pledge for the New Year is to get on with what I am good at, to explore new areas about myself, decide what new and different I want to experience, add some new people into my close circle of friends,  and to fill my life with love and joy.