“The 'gift' I offer is from heaven. I've opened up through my spirit and asked to receive pure energy, pure love, so that I may offer it to someone in need. What they receive is not 'from me,' but 'through me.' The same is true for them. If they accept the 'gift' of pure energy, it transforms their current 'troubled' energy, changing it into pure love. They have chosen to exchange a lesser energy for a greater energy.” – Claire, Little Buddha
I’ve had to radically shift my diet, so much so there are only a few treats I can eat.
I have a decision to make now.
Do I feel bad that so much has been taken from me OR do I give thanks for what I still have to savor?
Which do you think profits me the most?
Have you ever been in a rainstorm that was so hard you had to use your fastest wiper blade setting and even then, it was difficult to see?
I was in one of those recently. Usually, I’m not overly concerned but I found this storm a bit nerve wracking. And then I came upon a section of the road that had high walls on both sides. Despite the drainage built into the road, all of the water from the heavy downpour was trapped and flooding the highway.
There was nothing I could do except to keep going.
The car next to me hit a wall of water and splashed it up and over my minivan, burying me inside the wave. I couldn’t see anything but water cascading over me. One second, two, three. Nothing.
I held on to the steering wheel in hopes that I would come out the other side and still be in my lane. And that there wouldn’t be anyone there. And that the car behind me wouldn’t run into the back of me when it appeared. And that the car to my left, that began the shower, wouldn’t veer over into my lane.
I kept my eyes open and said, “Oh, my God!” three times before the wall of water fly off my windshield.
Surprisingly, no other cars were on the road anywhere near me. I drove along, hands on the wheel, eyes starring disbelieving ahead of me to a clear wide-open road, as if it was any other day.
Wow!
I’ve never experienced anything like that and frankly, I hope I never will again.
I continued on, expressing my gratitude for coming through that experience safely. I tried to slow my breathing and take it all in.
A question formed in my mind.
How was it possible for all of the cars to make it safely through that dangerous place?
I’m sure there are a host of ideas and explanations, but what I really wanted to know was, would that experience change me? Would I reflect on it as a turning point in my life? A dividing line of some sort? A second chance?
I’ve been thinking about that lately.
I know there have been other times in my life where I skirted death. Maybe the same thing has happened to you. Maybe more than once.
Did it change you? Did you step back and wonder?
After considering this for a little while I’ve come to the conclusion that I can change my outlook any time I want to. Any time I choose to. I don’t need a hugely significant frightening experience like this to prompt me into action.
I can give myself a second chance any moment of my life. And so can you.
No matter what is happening, you have the power to choose your attitude. You can take one step, and then another. You can build a new you.
Every time you wake up, you have one more day. You can make it count. You can let joy fill you and overflow, if you choose.
Seeing the open road in front of me after the water fell away reminded me that I have more time and that it’s up to me to decide what to do with it.
So, I’ll leave you with a question…what are you going to do with one more day?
I want to share something that I wrote for a dear friend of mine recently. It was intended to provide a spark to ignite a different way of viewing life. It was something that I needed. As with all of my posts, the thoughts and words arrive for me and then moved outward into the world.
The post is a dream in a way. Of a richer life. And of course, as it is in all cases, it depends on what we choose. I wonder to myself what will I choose, I wonder too, what will you choose?
What if today…
What if today…I choose to believe…to truly accept and embrace…that every single thing that happens to me is here to benefit me. What if I choose to see beyond appearances and all of the things that blind me. What if I give myself permission to believe that I am loved and cared for and know that everything I experience in my life is there to offer me something of value. That no matter what the world tells me, I can choose my own path. What if I embrace that my heart and spirit are the ones that set me free.
What if today I release any need to control the uncontrollable. What if I spruce up my ability to yield and let go of all the things that weigh me down…to set them aside and feel the precious liberation and the expansive freedom that choice creates.
What if today I collect all the most lovable parts of me and hug them and ask them to spread their joy throughout my body…my life.
What if today I allow every sorrow, pain, challenge, and concern to take the day off…to rest…what if I placed them all gently in the ocean of bliss that is my true home, where they can be washed clean.
What if, for one day, I give up needing to be in charge of anything and allow life to flow gently through me.
What if today…I breathe in peace and breathe out love.
What if today…is that day.
While away on a break from writing original posts I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you from the past three and a half years. In mid-March I’ll return with more original posts. Until then, please enjoy these.
Does anyone know how many diets plans are out there?
It’s likely to be a big number and there may be lots of folks who’ve tried several. It’s tempting to assume that if someone has tried more than one, it means the first one didn’t work. Naturally, there may be a host of reasons for this, with some completely outside our control.
I am personally not an advocate for any specific diet plan, so you won’t find that kind of advice here, but what I would like to share is a belief that a successful diet plan is far more than which types of food you do and don’t eat.
It’s also about more than how much or when you eat. Of course, those things matter. So does the amount of exercise you get and how much water you drink.
Here’s what I wonder.
What about all the other things we take in daily and their impact on our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies? What is the weight we carry from our continual exposure to a hurting world?
I’m curious about the effects created by our concerns, whether it’s our debts, relationships, jobs, money, health issues. Do they add weight?
I sense the answer is…yes, and in more ways than we suspect.
If you consider that we may work at a job that does not fulfill or reward us, have challenges managing our own or others physical issues, or are heavy laden with family responsibilities that don’t seem to end, it’s pretty clear why some diet plans fail.
Add to this that we often live in a fear-based world as reflected by our news and social media content.
Okay, let’s say we accept that the world can be a challenging place to live, especially if you’re adding the idea of losing weight to your to do list, isn’t our next question, what do we do about it?
I’d like to offer you a few ideas. Only you will know if any will work for you.
There are a lot of people in the world who would like to see you succeed in reaching your goals, whatever they might be. If you know who they are already, that’s wonderful news.
If you don’t have someone like that, perhaps right now is the time to find them. Whether it’s an existing or new friend, family member, counselor or another professional, you deserve to have support in your life. You are a unique and beautiful being and are meant to thrive in all ways. Sometimes for this to happen, you have to ask for help.
So, take a moment and consider, what do you want your life to be like? Are there some practical things you could change that would make it easier for you? Could it be as simple as beginning some new routines, like keeping a gratitude journal? Or maybe giving yourself five or ten minutes each day that’s just yours?
Perhaps your top concern is losing physical weight, but it might be helped along by losing the emotional or spiritual weight you are carrying. And maybe once you lose these, the physical weight can be released.
I confess, asking for help has always been difficult for me. Maybe it’s the same for you.
I am an eternal advocate for asking help from the divine. I know things can get a little messy here because there are so many names and concepts, but I ask only that you choose the one that feels most comfortable to you.
When I ask for help now, I offer my gratitude in advance because I know that the divine loves me and will always provide care and support, so I am thankful even before asking.
It’s a simple process…sitting quietly, closing my eyes, breathing slowly and evenly, and opening my mind and my heart, then asking for the help I need. If it feels right to you and you wish to try this, my profound hope is that you are able to release the weight of the world.
I confess, I look forward to any opportunity to increase my sense of happiness and joy. Perhaps you do to.
Well, I have a suggestion for you. But first I want to preface by saying that I received this idea one day via email at work. I was so impressed and excited, I decided to invite my coworkers to join me in giving it a try.
Here’s the email I received.
One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving space in between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers. That Saturday the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate piece of paper. And listed what everyone said about that individual. On Monday, she gave each student his or her list. Before long the entire class was smiling. “Really?”, she heard whispered. “I never knew I meant anything to anyone!” and “I didn’t know others liked me so much”, were most of the comments. No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn’t matter. The exercise accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and with one another. That group of students moved on. Several years later, one of the students was killed in Viet Nam and the teacher attended his funeral. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin. He looked so handsome and mature. The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a walk by his coffin. The teacher was the last to bless the coffin. As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as a pallbearer came up to her. “Were you Mark’s math teacher?” She nodded, “yes”. Then he said, “Mark talked about you a lot.” After the funeral, most of Mark’s former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark’s mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak to his teacher, “We want to show you something,” his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. “they found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.” Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded, and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things Mark’s classmates had said about him. “Thank you so much for doing that,” Mark’s mother said. “As you can see, Mark treasured it.” All of Marks’ former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, “I still have my list. It’s in the top drawer of my desk at home.” Chuck’s wife said, “Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.” “I have mine too,” Marilyn said, “It’s in my diary.” Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group, “I carry this with me at all times. Vicki said without batting an eyelash, “I think we all saved our lists.” That’s when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.
This story had such a profound impact on me that I decided to try it at work. I had no idea whether my coworkers would participate, but I hoped they would. I explained the idea and provided an employee list of everyone at our agency, leaving space for them to make positive comments and telling them they could use the back of the paper too, if they wanted. I gave them some time to complete it and return it to me and told them I would give each of them their custom list with everyone ese’s comments once I had a chance to write them out.
I wondered if there would be any crazy comments that I might feel compelled to edit but there weren’t. They were all wonderful and very complimentary. It was a joy to complete each employees list and to see what they all said about me.
I handed each person their list.
As with the teacher, I didn’t hear much feedback, only that it was a nice thing to do.
Personally, I love my list. There were so many complimentary things said about me. I immediately posted on my office bulletin board and often stood in front of it and reread them all, especially on some of my tougher days at work.
Many years later, I still have my list and every once in a while, I’ll run into a former coworker, and they’ll tell me they still have theirs too. So cool!
I want to paint you a picture, something vivid you can see instantly in your mind’s eye. I am restricted to using words, but I believe this will not interfere with your ability to create your own clear images.
Here we go.
Imagine your house or apartment with your car parked outside in the driveway or on the street. Inside, there are several rooms with a variety of furnishings. There are also people there, your family or friends.
Okay, got it?
Now imagine your kitchen sink is full of dirty dishes and pots and pans. You open your cupboards and refrigerator and discover they’re almost empty and need to be restocked. In the bedroom, some clothes are strewn about, while others are heaped on an unmade bed. Children’s toys are littered throughout the living room and your kids’ bedrooms. You check the mail and there are bills there you’re not sure how to pay, like the daycare and mortgage or rent. You look out the window and remember that your car won’t start and if you want to get somewhere, you’ll need someone’s help or you’ll have to ride your bike. While you’re walking around your house or apartment, you’re followed by your faithful dog, begging for a walk, some water, and a treat. You stop for a glass of water and wonder to yourself; how will you ever pay for college and still afford to retire?
You may not be able to identify with all of these. You may need to substitute your own things, things that are just as important to you and your family. But the point remains the same, the picture feels daunting and overwhelming.
Why would I bother to bring this up? Why remind you of how difficult things can be, because surely you know this already.
Well, the answer to that is the point of this post and something I often desperately need to remember.
Let’s take the list and break it down. Let’s see if it is possible to shift our mindsets and create beauty out of chaos.
Having a kitchen full of dirty dishes, pots and pans means you’ve eaten and are not hungry. Your cupboards and refrigerator can be restocked because you have access to grocery stores with food on their shelves.
A messy bedroom means a lot of things; you have clothes to wear, sheets and a blanket to stay warm in and a bed to lay comfortably on. The fact that there are toys everywhere means your children have something to play with, probably enough to share with their siblings or friends.
And sure, you have bills, but this suggests you are surrounded by opportunities. To own a house or be able to rent an apartment, to be able to send your children to daycare or school, where they are cared for, taught, and encouraged is a beautiful thing.
Seeing your car that won’t start could remind you that we take for granted all the times it does work, the places it takes us, the freedom it offers. Having a dog or other pet that waits for and greets us with loving attention as soon as you arrive home can remind us how precious a gift they are to us.
Still wondering how you’ll pay for all those important things yet to come in your life? No doubt you are and it’s very difficult to see clearly into the future. This is where hope, faith, and trust come in.
Every dream, aspiration, goal, and aim are based on our own personal belief system. Do we see the dirty dish or what it represents, a well-fed family? Do we see a messy bed or the beautiful place we sleep and recharge? Are the toys on the floor a source of displeasure or a cause for thanksgiving, that we are rich enough to generously offer our children the gift of play in their lives?
When I look around my house now, I see an entirely different scene. I see a beautiful messy life filled with activity, opportunity, and love. I’m going to keep somewhere intentionally messy to remind myself of how wonderful, fulfilling, and gorgeous my life is.
Care to join me?
An interesting thought came to me in the form of a question. If I chose people from my life to place on a ‘wall of fame’, so that I could honor them and their place in my life, who would they be?
I imagined this as a tribute to acknowledge their supportive or encouraging or inspiring connection to me. And I discovered that a deep sense of gratitude grew inside me as soon as I began making my choices.
I imagined a large outdoor wall with plenty of room for me to create using whatever materials I wanted.
If you joined me in this project and had your own wall of fame to build and decorate, who would appear there for you?
I decided to look outside my family for the names of those I would place on my wall, even though they were my first choices. I think I wanted to explore what outside influences have served to shape my life and so I allowed my mind to drift, inviting memories to flood in.
At first, some traditional groups came forward, starting with my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Hosey. I knew from the moment I met her that she would be one of my all-time favorites. There was something extra to her and I could tell she really liked me. This had to have been true because seventeen years after I left fourth grade, she made a special trip to open an account at a branch of a bank I worked for, just to see me. What a treasure!
Curiously, no other teacher made my list until I got to college. Elementary, Junior High (yes, I’m that old) and Senior High teachers are all a kind of blur in my mind.
College produced several ‘inductees’, Dr Keiter and Dr Setzer, both religion professors, and Dr Bocher, a science professor offered me freedom and form and demonstrated their belief in me as a student and as a person. In fact, I believe Dr Keiter saved my life, because had it not been for his courses, I probably would have failed out, been drafted and gone to Vietnam.
A solid string of others entered my mind, Mrs. Ruling, who gave me a job at Central Stores at college (where professors got their supplies) and referred me for my first job after graduating. And Bill Stropes, my supervisor at Holiday Inn, for promoting me to maintenance from my janitor position. What separated him from so many others though was that he treated me fairly, despite my incredibly long hair and goatee. He looked beyond his first impression and saw me for who I was. He was a very special man.
Others who I raised up onto my wall came from the ministry. They answered as many of my questions as they could, then watched over me as I steered my own course, even though it veered away from them. Later Jim and Crystal entered my life and enriched it beyond what I thought possible.
And there was a host of coworkers, bosses and customers who made my list. To have folks who love and support you, who challenge and engage you, who push and pull you, makes all of the difference. Several coworkers became my best friends: Doug, Dan, and Marty. Others endeared themselves to me through their efforts and deep connections: Sue, JoAnn, Cindy, Amy, Lyne, Carla, Lynn and San. And a few of my bosses opened their arms and hearts to me and treated me with respect and admiration; Gary, Margaret, Rita.
I’ve found over my life that special people can come from anywhere and appear at any time. They may be there for one special moment or stay throughout my life.
Name after name came to me from my present life, especially folks from Unity Church, Kripalu, and my spirit families. My wall filled up so quickly that I had to add more space. So many have walked next to me and touched my heart. More than I can name here.
I wonder, who would make it onto your wall? What criteria would you use? What sort of designs or decorations would you place next to their names?
I marvel at the wonderful sense of gratitude this created in me and I hope it does the same for you.
I wanted to wish you all a happy anniversary because this post marks the beginning of my third year of offering posts to you to contemplate. So, happy anniversary!
I never believed I would be able to stick with my original commitment of writing two posts per week for this long. It feels like an amazing thing to me and if you’ve been with me for the whole trip or just joined me recently, I want to thank you for journeying with me.
At first, I thought I was writing these posts for YOU, but I’ve come to discover that the truth is I’m writing them for ME. They are a way of speaking what feels like the ‘truth’ to me. Most of them help me see the world and my place in it more clearly. I want that for me, but I also want that for you. I am always aware that, once I’ve placed words on the page, they become your words too, if you want them.
I feel we are connected, and I treasure that you are here with me. I wanted you to know that, to hold that inside for a moment, and know that I care about you and celebrate you.
This day feels different to me from other days.
Do certain days feel different to you, perhaps because something special occurred, something unique in your world? When this happens, do you celebrate, or give gratitude for your blessed fortune?
I don’t always. I let some beautiful events and days slip past me. I am poorer for this and encourage myself to pay better attention, to broaden my awareness and let joy overwhelm me.
When is the last time you let joy overwhelm you, when you actually sat back and allowed love to move freely from the inside of you to the outside of you?
If it’s been a long time, perhaps you’re ready to jump start the process. Maybe today is a great day to celebrate, to make into an anniversary of joy. Do you want to give it a try?
Yes, I mean right now in this moment.
I’m going to ‘assume’ you said, ‘yes’! I’m hoping you said, ‘yes’.
Okay, if you’re ready, let’s begin with this…
Tell me, who do you love? You don’t have to shout it out loud but bring the person or animal to mind and let your love overflow. Really, let it pour out of you and feel the pleasure it creates.
And maybe it’s not a who. Maybe it’s a what or a where. A wonderful gift you love or a place that feels sacred to you. Allow the intensity to build and burst forth. It’s okay to let go of our normal day to day ways and give ourselves this treat.
Perhaps it is a feeling or a thought that creates a special sensation inside of you. If it is, go with that, let it move and grow and explode into wonder.
I have a friend, John, who taught me a lot about the gift of celebration. About seeing the value and worth in all things. After listening carefully to my story, he would find something in it to cherish and celebrate, even and sometimes, especially what I considered the ‘bad stuff’. Many of his observations passed right by me. I didn’t hear what he was really saying, until one day, it dawned on me. He saw the truth that everything in life ‘serves you’ if you put it into the ‘right’ perspective.
He showed me that I could learn to celebrate anything and everything, because it’s all important and valuable.
So, today, I encourage you to give yourself the chance to celebrate anything and everything in your life and see where it takes you.
I hope along the way, joy comes for a visit.
Is it possible to learn gratitude or does it come naturally?
Maybe, it’s both.
If I asked you, what do you think you’re likely to answer?
More and more I hear about gratitude as a practice, something you incorporate into your life, so when I read a book recently that focused some attention on this, I decided it was time to see what it meant to me.
While in Maine this past summer on vacation I came across an intriguing book. It’s written by Chris Gentry and is titled, The Little Book of Prosperity. It’s divided into twelve chapters, which I discovered were organized in a very thoughtful progression. It starts with goals and dreams, then taking action and growth. These chapters are followed by self-confidence, gratitude, and positive self-talk. The book escalates into a chapter on master mind (groups) and concludes with positivity, decision, perseverance and giving back. I dutifully read and did the encouraged exercises in order with one exception. I waited until the end to complete my dream collage.
I found each chapter provided a great deal of inspiration and support for my earth adventure. When I arrived at the section about gratitude I decided to proceed slowly.
At the end of the chapter, Chris recommended that readers commit to a daily practice of gratitude for ninety days. He suggested that each morning a journal be kept where you would record at least five things you were grateful for. The items could be anything, big or small, quick or long lasting, it didn’t matter as long as they were true for you.
I decided to embrace this practice and see what sort of change(s) it made in my life. I confess it was difficult to do every day because sometimes I got distracted or felt too busy. I had to remind myself of my commitment and that I would never know the worth of this if I didn’t give it my best shot.
So, in late September 2021 I began keeping track. I noticed that the ‘quality’ of the items I chose varied substantially and their range was extremely wide. As a sometimes overachiever I added some items in the evening and occasionally noted more than the suggested five items. Since I was doing this for me and not as an assignment to be handed in, I felt fine with setting up my own rules.
Several times through the first ninety days I lost steam and considered abandoning the challenge. That only lasted a day or two and I ended up sticking with the program and being very grateful that I did.
When the ninety days was up, it wasn’t even a consideration as to whether to continue or not. I found the practice to be so valuable that I incorporated it in my daily routine. When I’m too rushed, I give myself permission to record my five (or more) items when I get to it, as long as it’s the same day. It’s now been 146 days and I can foresee this continuing far into the future.
Why? And what could be in it for you, if you decide to embrace this as one of your practices?
My simple answer is…A LOT.
The most striking impact this had on me is the change it brought about in the way my day began. It helped set an extremely positive tone. It raised my conscious awareness of how many wonderful things I experience in my life. And although this was a morning practice, my attitudinal shift stayed with me throughout the day. I found myself feeling thankful for so many things I’d previously taken for granted, which added remarkably to my positive outlook on life. It also broadened what I considered valuable and worthwhile and helped make me more aware of expressing gratitude to others.
And I discovered that the changes in me were reflected in who and what I encountered during the day, which was a huge bonus.
If you decide to give this a try, I’d love to know what your experience is like. And if you know or ever stumble across Chris Gentry, please be sure to tell him how grateful I am for his contribution to me and the world.
PS- I did try to reach out to him but wasn’t successful.
Messages For Inspiration 