AGING GRACEFULLY

"The years teach much which the days never knew."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

 

Aging has its benefits: among them are understanding, wisdom, patience, trust and easy laughter. We learn to take ourselves less seriously, and to let others do and be what they will. We learn to accept our limitations, diminish our egos, and loosen our overall grip on future outcomes and past regrets. We let go of all that no longer serves us and live richer, more meaningful lives.

     At least, this is one possible scenario. Another is to grouch-out and grow in bitterness and irritability, but why would any of us want to bother with that? Let's choose graceful aging instead. Let's choose spiritual evolution, and the embrace of all that our years may bring.

 

I accept that I am growing older, and enjoy the process however it comes.

WAKE-UP CALL

"We may outrun by violent swiftness and lose by over-running."

~William Shakespeare ~

 

It's humbling to feel less than 100%. Being at all under-the-weather reminds us that we have our limits, and that stopping points will be imposed on us if we do not behave with intelligence and moderation.

     We must rest and recover. It's as necessary for our well-being as the excitement of forward progress. Balance is what sustains us in the end.

 

I am grateful for any and every self-care wake-up call, and the friendly reminder that I have to take a break every now and then if I want to thrive. 

PROGRESS IN SMALL STEPS

"If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else."

~Lawrence J. Peter ~

 

Doing one thing every day in the direction of our dreams will eventually make our dreams come true. That's the way it works. Consistent, steady, forward progress always gets us there in the end. And time is not working against us, as we may think, but is actually and always on our side.

 

I move forward persistently, and trust each step to get me closer to my dream come true.

TAKING A BREAK

"Work is not always required. There is such a thing as sacred idleness."

~George MacDonald ~

I have a full life. It's full of goodness and productivity, lots of people, and hours on the road. It's full of love, uncertainty, willingness, courage, and gusto. And I am grateful for the fullness, but in spite of it, sometimes I just need to stop.

At times when it's necessary, I allow myself to do less than is humanly possible. I don't always have to be maxed to the hilt.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

"Men, like nails, lose their usefulness when they lose their direction and begin to bend."

~Walter Savage Lander

It's a challenge to articulate clearly and efficiently what we stand for- what matters most to us and what we are all about. It's one part action and one part dreams. It's love, courage, hope, and prayer. It's the culmination of our whole lives and the anticipation of what's possible. It's what we are and what we want to become.
     Defining our purpose is helpful though, in that it points a direction for us and paves a road to travel. And then we have only to pay attention and appreciate the journey as we make our way from here to there.

My calling is about a lot of things, but mostly it's about love.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE

"Nothing is so often irretrievably missed as a daily opportunity."

~Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach ~

 

We can help and be helped by varying degrees depending on our willingness. If we are stand-offish and skeptical, we are less likely to gain benefit than if we are open minded. And though nobody knows what's best for anybody else, the free exchange of ideas and opportunities is a glorious thing. Let's not miss it, or take it carelessly for granted.

 

I open my heart and mind to all perspectives, information, and options available, and I avail myself of whatever help I need.

AUTHENTICITY

"There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

~ Anais Nin ~

 

Authenticity in this day and age is somewhat of an endangered species. It needs our protection and care, and we must become willing to bring it back from where it's lost and hidden. Let's have the courage to be who we are Let's live free from posturing and posing and pretense. Let's embrace our authentic selves and live from the heart- in the clear, and fully disclosed.

 

I honor my true self.

SWEET AND SAVORY

"There aren't enough days in the weekend."

~ Rod Schmidt ~

 

I feel a little sad and nostalgic at the end of every weekend- that it has passed and we are all back to work yet again. Some of the action and momentum of Monday through Friday is energizing and ok, but much of it is exhausting and takes its toll. I go at it heartily and with mostly good humor, and understand the need for balance and productivity, but nonetheless, there is something sweet and delicious about the unstructured time of weekends.

 

I love to work, but I also love time off from working.

THE POWER OF CHOICE

"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live."

~Flora Whittemore ~

I choose fitness. I choose positivity. I choose love and kindness, encouragement and praise. I choose clean living, appreciation for small pleasures, self-discipline, persistence, courage, and faith. And what I choose defines my life. Our choices make us who we are.
     So as we rise each day and start to move about, let's raise our consciousness and improve the quality of our lives. Everyday, we have the gift of fresh choosing, and the opportunity to re-invent our lives.

I choose richness and goodness, courtesy, and grace.

HURRYING

"One can only see clearly

If one goes slowly

Quick motion creates a life-blur."

~Terri Guillemets ~

The hurrying mindset is a type of sickness. It robs us of pleasure and ease. It lacks trust in the natural rhythms of life. And yet, we live in a hurried, harried, rushing world- caffeinated, on edge, and rigid with nervous tension and fear.
     Let's make the decision not to participate. Let's slow down instead, and enjoy what's happening, and every moment of our precious lives.

I refuse to hurry, and make the decision to remain calm no matter what.

INTO SPRING!

"And spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on earth's dark breast

rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."

~ Percy Bysshe Shelley ~

 

Into spring is a transitional time with longer days, blooming crocuses, and emerging buds of all kinds. The air and light are more alive than the passing winter stillness, and our hearts and lungs feel the change. It's the season of renewal. Let's look for, and find, the ways and means to renew ourselves; to freshen up and open brightly like the very landscape we inhabit.

 

I am willing to grow and blossom like a spring bud.

UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERS

"The one charm of the past is that it is the past."

~ Oscar Wilde ~

It's unsettling to get confronted by someone from our past when we least expect it, especially if there was any kind of discomfort or dysfunction in our previous interactions. But such not-necessarily-welcome sightings can be instructive. They demonstrate how far we have come, give us an opportunity to make amends for any lingering sense of guilt we may carry, and allow us to take back the power we have left lodged in old stuff.

Sightings from my past give me the opportunity to clear away emotional cobwebs from the corners of my soul.

FORGIVENESS TO GO ROUND

"Forgiveness does not change the past but it does enlarge the future."

 ~Paul Brault ~

If we all got exactly what we deserved, our lives might be less blessed than they are. And what if we were judged by our thoughts instead of our actions? Thank God for grace and mercy and the forgiveness of our trespasses. Where would we be without them?
     And it seems only reasonable to me that we should be as gracious and merciful with others: as forgiving of their wrongdoings, as understanding of their misperceptions, and as tolerant of their flaws.

As I have been forgiven for all of my imperfections and mis-steps, let me be forgiving of others.

SAYING WHAT WE MEAN

"To be able to ask a question clearly is two-thirds of theway to getting it answered."

~ John Ruskin ~

Sometimes we think we are asking for what we want, but we do it so softly and inadvertently that it seems more like an apology than a request. Let's have the courage to state it plainly, and specifically. That way, we can be sure not to be misunderstood.
    

I stop beating around the bush with hints and innuendos and say what I mean.

BACK SEAT DRIVER

"The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers."

~Dave Barry ~

It's easy to be a backseat driver with the people we love. They are driving, but we are there beside them telling them to slow down, not to miss the coming turn, to watch out for other drivers, and be careful in the construction zone. We think we are being helpful, and that our input is necessary and useful, but it's not. For my part, I dislike anyone telling me how to drive.
     We would do better, I think, to get out of the car entirely, and let them tell us about their adventure when they choose to do so and the time is right.

I resist the urge to give instructions and let the people I love make their own way down the road without my pestering input.

THE NEED FOR PERSONAL FREEDOM

"It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us as it stands, knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts."

~ K.T. Jong ~

I require space- and freedom. I think we all do. Personal choice and time for ourselves are necessary facets of healthy living. And contrary to the opinion of some, these do not detract from our families and intimate others, but actually grow appreciation for them, and deepen our love.

I take time for solitude knowing that it ultimately strengthens every relationship that I have.

TO EACH HIS OWN

"Do not push."

~Back End of Dump Truck ~

Spiritual belief is personal business, and consequently, a bit dangerous to discuss. Politics are somewhat the same way. We tend to bait ourselves and others by wanting to impose our opinions, and we suffer on both sides for the imposition.
     If we can listen and share from a place of neutrality, that's one thing, but if we have an agenda and a desire to make ourselves "right" and someone else "wrong," we better look again, and consider silence instead.

I refrain from overwhelming others with my personal opinions.

LOVING DETACHMENT

"If you love something, set it free."

~ Sherrilyn Kenyon ~

 

Allowing those we love to make poor choices and bad decisions is hard work, but it's worth the difficulty, and ultimately, an act of not abandonment, but grace.

 

I stop giving unsolicited feedback and meddling in the lives of those I love.

DEATH DENIAL

"The fear of death follows from a fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."

~Mark Twain ~

We shrink from death. We recoil and pretend that it's not real, that it won't exist for us is we refuse to see it. But it does exist, and is as certain as our life itself. So let's find a way to make peace with it and come to terms- for ourselves, our family, and the world at large. We will all be better for it. Denial keeps us nothing but dysfunctional, desperate, and blind to the truth.

I courageously face the reality of death and surrender my fear of it for acceptance and deep, abiding peace.

 

FOR LYNDA :)

"We have met the enemy and he is us."

~Walt Kelly ~

 

We do wrong by ourselves and wonder why we suffer. We know better and push on cavalierly in spite of our knowledge. No matter how old or wise we become, we never seem to stop believing that we can escape the consequences of our poor choices.

 

I stop being my own worst enemy and accept the reality of cause and effect.

SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION

"What goes on on the inside will show on the outside."

~Third World ~

The spiritual journey takes us from "What will I get?" to "What can I give?" We may find ourselves suddenly looking for ways to be helpful and kind, avoiding manipulation and criticism. On this path, we have compassion and feel good. This is the way of peace and pleasure. It's not in things, but in us.

In every situation I consider how I can be of service, and adjust my behavior accordingly.

LEADERSHIP

"Leadership is action, not position."
~ Donald H. McGannon ~

If we open up and share stories from our past, it encourages others to do the same. If we are cheerful and full of light, it dispels darkness in a room. If we are steady we calm others, and if we are honest we clear away lies. We get what we give, what goes around comes around, and the way to lead is by leading.

I experience what I am willing to share.