ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER

"With arms outstretched I thank...

With spirit full I live." 

~ Terri Guillemets ~

I love to learn. I love educating myself about all kinds of subjects that interest me. I love expanding my horizons, exploring the world, and opening my mind. I love opening my heart as well. I love the swell of compassion, the tender touch of kindness, the look of empathetic understanding, and the way it feels to do right by others.
     I love sunshine, moonlight, stars, and foggy mist. I love movement and being still. I love the variability of life and the fact that I never really know what unexpected happening might come my way. I love friendship and generosity. I love courtesy, enthusiasm, intellect, courage, passion, and feeling blessed.

When I consider the things that I love in my life, I feel full-up and super-grateful. 

FREE FROM TRAPPINGS

"You are the sky." 

~ Pema Chodron ~

Who are we without our trappings? Without our jobs, our income, our possessions, and all of our identifying stuff? What gives us value? Is it what we produce or who we are? And if it's who we are, then who are we?
     Reduced in this way, in my opinion, we are pure potential, clear light, and everlasting love. So the goal, and the purpose of our being here at all, also in my opinion, is to be these things in spite of our trappings, and not because of them.

I am more than what I do and the things that I own. I open my heart to embrace my true nature.

THE SNOW EFFECT

"The simplicity of winter has a deep moral. The return of Nature, after such a career of splendor and prodigality, to habits so simple and austere, is not lost either upon the head or the heart. It is the philosopher coming back from the banquet and the wine to a cup of water and a crust of bread." 

~ John Burroughs ~

One thing about the snow- it's quiet. It softens the earth and stills the noise that whirs around us all of the time that we don't even notice until it's gone. Ours is a loud world. We are busy, active, and ever on the move.
     But the snow falls and accumulates and snugs people up inside together. It keeps us off the roads and slows us down. Sure, we burst out into it for shoveling and romping- the mere experience of going outdoors being a new kind of adventure all its own- but we return to shelter, and warmth. It's a return to what's essential really, and refreshing in that way: survival.
     As we buzz about our lives, we so readily lose track of what matters. We tend to be reckless with ourselves. As human beings, we are resilient, yet fragile, but we forget our vulnerability in the day to day action of our lives and convince ourselves that we have more control than we think. The snow is a great equalizer. Ultimately, it restores us to grace.

I remember how small I am in the face of Nature, and feel grateful for my home to keep me safe and warm.

MAYBE YES, MAYBE NO

"I dwell in possibility." 

~Emily Dickinson ~

I think we never know for sure what's going to be hardship and what's going to be blessing in our lives. We think we do, and respond accordingly when new information comes our way, but so often, we are wrong. A prospective life partner might turn out to be a thief, or worse, and a diagnosis of cancer could lead us to spiritual awakening. So rather than always being so certain about what things mean, let's live in the space of "don't know," and allow things to come and go as they will.

I catch myself making assumptions about the way things are going to be- whether for the good or bad- and remain curious and hopeful instead. I am often blessed by the very thing that I thought had come to curse me.

THINK BEFORE TOSSING

"Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." 

~ American Idiom ~

When something needs fixing beyond our current level of understanding, it's tempting to throw up our hands and abandon the whole project rather than wait patiently for the keys to correction and resolution. Wanting to force a solution before a solution presents itself, and blinded by our frustration, we become unable to clearly see the value of what remains, and we would sooner start over than recover what we can. Ours is a disposable society, and we leave a trail of wreckage and frantic, agitated energy behind us, rather than calmly addressing whatever challenges and situations arise.

I properly value the useful life of all projects, gadgets, relationships, and life experiences.

   

ADAPTABILITY

"You must welcome change as the rule but not as your ruler." 

~ Denis Waitley ~

Being adaptable comes easier sometimes than others. If we liked the way things were and they suddenly change, the adjustment can be jarring. But it doesn't have to be without advantages. Anything is workable if we will only look at it in the right way.

I am open to change, even if it doesn't seem to initially suit me. 

UNDERSTANDING OTHERS

"Live in the draft of an open mind." 

~American Proverb ~

Without a willingness to understand where other people are coming from, we are bound to find ourselves at odds with those around us on a regular basis. If we have to win and want others to lose, if we insist on being right, if we are unbending and inflexible, then we will suffer.
     Living with compassion and courtesy is so much more comfortable than contempt and confrontation, and yet, so many of us so frequently bang against others with our stubborn refusal to hear and understand. But there's room for us all, and validity to more than just our own isolated perspective, so it would benefit us greatly to learn how to consciously listen.

I listen with care and make a sincere effort to understand what's actually being said. I am open and receptive to other people's point-of-view.