LIFE IS A WATER PARTY

i thought about it a lot today and it occurs to me that life... that we are like a day at the pool. imagine… our friend is throwing a mid-summer party. everyone knows she has a huge pool and everyone says they’re going. That’s life and everyone is invited to join in the adventure of living to the fullest. You and I… we are going to the party. We will be looking, watching, being present… being aware. We know this party is a reflection of life and how we face it.

You and I… we arrive first. We are excited to swim, and several follow right behind us - they are also eager to join the party and swim. Those who show up early to the party also show up early in life - urgent, eager, responsible, and more than ready to participate. Those who show up on time are also responsible in life - prepared for whatever comes. Those who show up late are casual about life. They probably show up late in other areas of their life as well. The people that don’t show up at all… well… they probably don’t show up in their lives either and they are also not in integrity with their lives as they did not honor their commitment to attend.

You and I… we sit and watch. As we look around, we notice some people are wearing just their bathing suits, some are wearing the suits beneath their clothes, and some are carrying their suits with them. Those wearing their bathing suits are the adventurers in life and happy to be that way. They came to swim and are ready to do just that. All-in is their middle name. Those with their bathing suit on beneath their clothes are explorers. They are ready to swim as well, but they are aware that there are other possibilities out there are prepared for that. Not just single focused nor filled with urgency, they are ready for life, and all its possibilities. Those with just their clothes on (their bathing suits are in a bag with them) are the evaluators, the analyzers, and watchers. They have probably come prepared to swim, but are not committed. They are prepared to swim, may even want to swim, but they are casual about it. They also like to be in control and are not impulsive. They will plan if they are going swimming, when they are swimming, and are confident that their looks and clothes will not be disturbed by the impulse to swim. They may go for adventure, but only in controlled environments.

Okay, we are the first in the pool. We jump in the middle. We don't worry about the temperature or how deep the water is. We go for it. Guaranteed we… and those like us are risk-takers in life. We trust our instincts and our guts. We are up for the challenge and if we mess up; we get up, dust ourselves off, and try again. We are a good way to be. We never miss opportunities, take chances and are ready when possibility calls. But we can be reckless.

While in the water we look around. A few others are slowly easing into the water. They want in but don’t want the temperature shock. They get in but it takes a minute. these are the people who give new things a try, but only after checking it out thoroughly, and then only at their pace. Not impulsive at all, these people are cautious but determined. They are admirable because they don’t give up. They get where they are going even if it takes a while. They don’t miss out either - they are willing to give things and they are less likely to be reckless.

We also notice the ones who sit on the sidelines without even testing the water. These are the people who never get in. These individuals are the ones who give up and walk away from life, they don't even take the time to find out if the water is right. They give up before they have even gotten started. They have been beaten down by life. They know what is out there and they want it, but life has sucked their hope from them. They are afraid, unwilling, or just no longer able. We just look at them and you shake your head. You feel sorry for them and the opportunities they miss - and you should.

Now let’s examine the people on the sidelines testing the water. the ones who just test and test. These individuals are just playing at life. They want to get in but they can’t - their fears have them stuck.  They have let their worries and fears overtake them and so they never achieve their dreams. The best thing about these people - some of them actually find the courage to give the water a try and are usually so happy for having done so.

My favorites however, are those who get in the water just enough to get their legs wet. They walk about and stroll throughout but never get themselves completely wet. I often find them to be spiritually enlightened. They are not adverse to getting in. they are not afraid nor worried. They have simply chosen not to get all the way in, instead they have chosen to enjoy the beauty, coolness, and delight of the water in a gentler fashion… acknowledging the possibility of getting soaked, prepared to be if it happens, yet trusting that it won’t. They see life as an adventure to be appreciated at a gentler level. They are in the midst and happy watching others enjoying the water at all levels and that can be just as delightful as jumping in the middle.

The point - life is a water party and the smartest people are out there getting wet. They get in the water; they don't just sit on the sidelines. They don’t worry if it’s cold, they know their body will adjust. Besides, the exhilaration is good… energizing. My suggestion - take advantage and go for it. after all.. today is really all you have. You might as well make the best of it.

Sometimes I Am So Greedy

Sometimes I Am So Greedy -

Sometimes I think i am so greedy - I want it all.

I want a serene life; one filled with moments of prayer, moments of meditation, moments of silent contemplation, and walks in nature. - where I actually hear my inner voice and feel at peace with myself, others, nature, and the world.

But that is not enough. I also want a life like a bottle of champagne on New Year’s Eve - a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud with joy at the unexpected tickle such pleasure brings.You know what I mean - all dressed up and looking and feeling good. I’m at or going someplace gorgeous, surrounded by lovely people whose company I enjoy the most, eating deliciously decadent foods off beautiful china and drinking luscious campagne from gorgeous cut and tinkling glasses, while laughing, listening to beautiful music, and dancing.

I also want a life filled with beautiful things - flowers, music, dance, art. I want to surround myself with beauty; that I might become beauty; that my heart, soul, and spirit might be filled with beauty; that the world might become a place of beauty. Imagine a world where we see the beauty in everything, appreciate the beauty of differences as well as similarities, where ugly is such a distant memory, the word no longer exists in dictionaries or vocabularies.

And yet I also need space. Space to let myself go, space to just be, space to feel free. Minimalists seem to need very little. To release my need to have things, to hold onto things - this I crave. I think my attachment to things correlates with my reluctance to let go of the past and my issues with change. I need things,however my need of things is diminishing. Nowadays, I seem to need things less and and am loving the concept of empty space more. However, I have yet to say I want to live in a minimalist interior.  I say I love the concept of minimalism. I think that is because minimalism, though lovely to look at, feels distancing and cold. Still the thought of minimalism does appeal to me. It provides space… space which allows the expansion of my soul.

What else do I want? At the end of each day, I want to be able to say I did more than just work to make money or that I just did the things I need to survive. I want my life to be more than a collection of events I did to get through each day. I want to go to bed thinking it was a great day and wake anticipating this new day is going to be at least as amazing.

Yes! I am greedy!

I want to be able to eat what i want, when I want…. within reason; to do what I want, when I want, so long as I hurt or harm no one. I want to sing out loud in the car with the windows open and stay up all night laughing. I want to paint my walls the exact color of the sky at the beach on a early autumn day and always wear the colors and outfits that reflect the strong, loving, sexy, confident, powerful woman I can be.. I want to fall asleep quickly and easily on clean. heated, soft sheets and wake to love. I want to eat cheesy omelettes with sweet tangerines, cold, thick, slices of tomato and slices of warm bacon. I want to throw avant garde parties where people get to know each other without talking. I want to listen to music so beautiful I cry, see and enjoy art so lovely I fill with emotion,  and read books so good they make me bubble over. I want to Iove and be loved by a man so deeply I give all of me with no thought and he shares with me all that he is. I want to commune with my soul, with the souls of those who get me. I want to see the magic and beauty in each moment and share the joy of living with others. I want to be so infectious with my joy and love, I make a difference I want to live in gratitude and light. I want my everyday to make The Great I AM smile, glad that he/she gave life to someone who loves the gift.

we live inside of relationships

Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about how we… as people do not realize that we live inside of relationships. it’s sounds great but just what does that mean… we live inside of relationships. i’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure that out. if we are constantly being told to love ourselves first, because the most important thing to know is that we spend more time with ourselves than we do with others, that means we live alone. alone is the opposite of relationships. If we are also told that we live inside of relationships than that means we are not alone and then perhaps we should love ourselves second. but that makes no sense at all. can we love ourselves first and still exist inside of relationships?

I think the answer stems from our understanding of love. love is the energy we live in. we are created from love, born to love, designed to spread and share love and we start first by loving ourselves. once we are able to love ourselves we can love others and that works because other than when we are alone, we are not.

We live in a universe filled with people. everything we do and everything we enjoy involves someone beyond ourselves.  the car we drive was created by someone. when we bought it we dealt with someone. the food we eat was raised by someone, farmed by someone, manufactured by someone, sold to us by someone. the bed we sleep on was made by someone, stored by someone, delivered to us by someone.and so we live inside of relationships, many different kinds of relationships, but still.. relationships. therefore, if we do not acknowledge this, we are missing a major part of life.

If we do not open up to and acknowledge that relationships shape our lives. we will miss out on many things, on many experiences. if we embrace the concept and become aware of the many relationships we experience daily, we realize we are not ever truly alone. once we realize we are not truly alone, we can begin to see how it is that we live inside of relationships. once we get that, we also get that the driving force behind this world is love. and once you open yourself to love, everything changes.

Once you really begin to love yourself, you love to overflowing. once your love overflows, loving yourself will not be enough. you will begin to share that love with others and that love will overflow. you will then want to share your love with the world. once you start to share your love with the world and your love still overflows, you will begin to change the world. once you become a source of overflowing love… your life will change. and we want that to happen because that is our purpose… to love. once we begin to be the source of love, life as we know it will change. The light of love will fill this world and all will be well.

And so, i get it. we live inside of relationships and with those relationships we can change the world. but it all starts with us… and with love.

Addicting Autumn

Addicting Autumn

Autumn can be addicting. You may act as though Autumn is just another month, but it calls to you. “Come, marvel at my colors, cavort in my leaves. Come, dance in my rain, surrender to my mist. Come, savor my petrichor, and sniff my pumpkins. Come and enjoy my season.

You walk around amid rain and changing leaves, amid cooling temperatures and lengthening days. The air is invigorating, the wind crisp. You leave your home in the dusky morning, return with the setting sun. And as the leaves begin to fall, you watch… fascinated… waiting for one to fall at your feet, or on you; as though it was the leaf’s choice, as thought it had moved there on its own, just to get your attention.

Autumn is claiming you. Calling you to pay attention. Now, it is saying; now is the time to let go of things no longer necessary to prepare yourself for the new things awaiting you. Clear out the cobwebs and debris in your life. Make space for the new and improved.

Many people find Autumn an unnecessary season. But I love it. Sometimes it's a comfort just knowing Autumn is around the corner. I marvel at her colors, rejoice in her fruits, even bask in her constantly changing moods. Ah, the delights of Autumn - it reminds me that nothing stays the same, nor should it. It reminds me that I am constantly changing, growing, transforming - inevitably as well as by choice. It helps me when others or things change unexpectedly. I say, "ah, this is their Autumn”, and I remember and understand.

Why do I love Autumn so much? People constantly ask me that question? I have no short, definitive answer. It’s like asking why I love? Because I do. Autumn, has changed me, is the season of change for my life, And Autumn, if you let it, will change your life too.

be present

art by Fred Matthews

When we were children, even though we didn’t realize it, we lived each day fully. We gave no care to yesterday or tomorrow. We were present to the moments and vitally aware of how fun life could be. We laughed and loved easily and constantly. Until our spirits were broken, if we were a child that had our spirit broken; we always got up, always recovered, always were willing to try again, to love again, to laugh again. We never second thought - things would work out, things would get better. We knew that, we trusted that, we expected that, and that was it. It was a good way to live.

When we were children, we had no concept of time. There was only now. We could not see to tomorrow, we never gave a thought to tomorrow. But we got older, we grew up. Life, people, events broke our spirits and taught us that things we wanted could not happen now, we had to wait for tomorrow. We learned that tomorrow was more important than today because that was when things happened. Sadly, now that we are older, we know that this is not the way to live.

As we have gotten older, life’s experiences have chipped away at our childhood innocence… our childhood beliefs. Now, as adults, many of us live lives of intense caution - afraid to trust people, to do too much, to not do enough, to make the wrong move, to make the wrong choice. We laugh less, ignore our perceptions and instincts, choose not to love, refuse to trust, and are afraid to live in the present. We don’t have time, don’t make time to smell the flowers, savor our coffee or tea, soak up the sun’s warming rays, or enjoy a cool fall breeze. We barely have time to appreciate good music, food, and drink, do the things that bring us joy - like spend time with people we care about. We definitely don’t see the humor in life.

Many of us choose to mistrust humankind, to hold our love in reserve, We laugh tight-lipped and smile with just our mouths. We glance so that we don’t have to look and see. We sniff rather than indulge in a full-on smell. We don;t give our all when only half-assed will do.

But limited living will lead to limited life - limited health, limited money, limited love, limited fun, limited happiness. We must stop! We must reconnect to our inner child! We must capture the childhood beliefs we abandoned by the curbside. In capturing the essence of our childhood, we will begin to see and be a part of the beauty of life. Seeing the beauty and joy of childhood will allow us the space to appreciate life in the now. Appreciation will facilitate feelings of trust and feelings of trust will help to open the doors of our hearts so we can begin to love freely and easily. A life full of love, joy, happiness, and beauty is a healthier life A healthier life in the now is a life free from limits and an unlimited life is a life of possibilities.

When do we begin? I say there is no time like NOW! How?

First, take a moment and breathe in… deeply. The air is sweeter and fresher when we breathe from a moment of appreciation rather than a rushed moment. So slowly inhale, hold and then exhale and release the stresses of the moment. All you have is now, enjoy it!

Find time to sing or dance or both. Do it easily, just because. Children love to dance and sing. They are not shy.

Share a joke a funny story. Laugh at yourself. Laugh at life. Laughing is good for the body and the spirit. It also burns calories. laugh every day. It changes your perspective. How bad can life be if you can laugh?

Hug someone, share a smile, do a kindness. It does wonders for you. In fact, it does as much for you the giver as it does for the receiver. It brightens a dark day, lightens a sad moment, enhances even the best of times - it doubles joy.

Do something that you love that you stopped because you thought you were too old. You are never too old to have fun, to smile, to be filled with happiness. Doing the things we love keeps us young and happy. A younger, happier you is a healthier you.

Love! Trust! Take a chance and love! Trust your instincts! Be open to the possibility of love! be available for love! The world is filled with opportunities to love - enjoy it.

Rest, relax, meditate, sit in solitude. Create a serenity space. You need a place within you where you can go to re-balance, re-energize, be in discovery without judgment, and find your creativity. You are after all, a creative being.

Ultimately, the way to live is to be present to life.

be present to the rain - the fat and heavy drops, the soft drops, the wetness and the mist.

be present to your pain so you can find its source, work it through, and let it go.

be present to the people you love - to the friends and family who make the difference in your life.

create moments to remember together

be present to endings - know that endings don’t have to mean wrong or right and are not judgments. Endings mean beginnings are right around the corner.

be present to everything.  be present without a reason other than to be present because NOW is all there is.. now.. and now… and now.

Back To School... Back To Work

It's been years since I have been in school and a few years since I have had to get a child ready for school. So, it was with some pleasure that I watched, on Facebook, parents preparing for a new school year and people preparing to go back to work. It made me think of the song by Soul ll Soul - “Back To Life”. The song says, “show me how/ decide what you want from me/tell me maybe I could be there for you/however do you want me/however do you need me”. I love that phrase.

For the last roughly eighteen months a phrase that has resonated with me has been “be what is wanted and needed”. I have begun to learn to trust that life has me and that things fall into place, even if I don’t understand how. Part of that learning process has been the realization that sometimes when I just show up, with no agenda, my “me-ness” has been what was wanted and needed. Being present to the moment, going with the flow, taking a  moment to just breathe, has… lately…  allowed me to look at things and life from a different perspective. It has worked out so well that now I choose to show up to places and events with no expectation other than to be what is wanted and needed when it is wanted and needed. That has served me well - sometimes I have gone to places only to discover that there is someone there who is wanted and needed by ME! So I am not only a blessing to others, sometimes someone is a blessing to me.

So, today is not a back to school day for me, nor is it a back to work day for me, but it is a “back to the present time” day for me. But it is a day to remember that I don’t live in the future ( although I do prepare for it) and I no longer live in the past (finally let that go). It is a day to remember I live in the present moment and when I find myself slipping back to old habits I remind myself to focus on the present, to be what is wanted and needed in my life as well as others. This is serving me.

For those of you dealing with back to school and back to work, remember to stop and breathe. Remember that you can be present to the moments of school and work. You can be what is wanted and needed in school, at work, and in your life. “Back to” can be a good thing. However do you want it? However do you need it? you can be it? Let’s all get back to it.

Everyone has the potential to be a SuPeRHeRo. You Can Be Your Own SuPeRHeRo

 As I continue to reflect on what it means to be my own Superhero, I share my reflections with you. As I share I begin to put my thoughts into practice. As I begin to practice being my own SuperHero, I step into my SuperPowers. Hopefully, you begin to practice as well and as you step into your SuperPowers, you become your own SuperHero as well.

what do Superheroes have in common? The fight for truth and justice. You can fight for truth and justice. They are dedicated to their own moral code which often includes a willingness to risk their safety in the service of good without expectation of reward.  You can create your own moral code and be dedicated to it. You can also be in the service of good and committed to protecting the public (without having to risk your safety) without expectation of payment or reward. Superheroes combat threats against humanity. You also can take a stand against threats against humanity.

SuperHeroes have a lot in common, but each has a different life story. Some come from money, some do not. Some have money, some do not, Some were born that way, some were created, and some were the result of accidents or experiments that worked (or ones that didn’t), They are each (sometimes reluctantly) learning to fill their own SuperHero shoes while living normal lives.

Superman, out of his costume, is a mild-mannered, working man living a life of contemplation. Captain America is an honorable man who always tries to do the right thing. The Hulk is working on controlling his temper in even the most volatile situations. Thor is learning to be humble and to think of others besides himself and Batman is a generous supporter of charities and mentors several young people who have had similar life experiences.

As you can see, even Superheros are trying to be the best they can be. They are learning about themselves, acknowledging the things they need to work on and perfecting their skills and talents.

We can each work on being humble and generous. We can each spend time in contemplation. We can learn to control our tempers, and think of others. We can each be in contribution or be of service - as in feeding the hungry, mentoring the young, reading to the elderly, creating life-sustaining gardens, or beautifying your neighborhoods.

We’ve learned we can each do the things SuperHeroes do while in costume. And now it is clear - we can each, in our own ways, and as we so choose, do the same things that SuperHeros do out of costume. The point is Superheros are simply people who have chosen to use their special, supernatural, superhuman, or science-created powers for good.  You have a gift or talent that makes you unique. You too can perfect it and then use it for the good of yourself, others, and humanity as well. And you can do it all while working on being the best you possible.

Now it may be true that none of us will ever leap tall buildings, scale walls, call forth storms, or wield Thor’s  hammer, but that does not mean we will not have the chance to make a difference in the world. We can brighten someone’s day with a smile, be a shoulder for someone who’s sad, share a meal with someone who’s hungry, build a home for someone who’s homeless, or teach someone to read. We can return a lost wallet, help someone with their groceries, be honest when it matters, walk away from a hostile situation, or do a kindness. Everyone has the potential to be a Hero. You can be your own SuPerHeRo.

How To Step Into Your SuPeRHeRo PoWeRS

So, I have been on a SuperHero kick. It is clear to me we all can be our own SuperHero. As such I have created a small SuperHero manual. Thinking about being my own SuperHero has helped me put some things in perspective. I hope it helps you as well.

The SuperHero’s Manual

or

How To Step Into Your SuPeRHeRo PoWeRS and Don Your Cape

1. The Power of Presence - Being Present to and Aware of…

You are here - alive, breathing. Now start living. Be present. Be connected to the moment. Focus on your senses.  Look at yourself. Notice the world around you. Observe life.  Smell the rain, the flowers, the scents of nature. Breathe in the aromas of man - the earthy, musky scents of individuals. Inhale your own natural, individual essence. Listen to the birds, the waves crashing against the shore, a child’s peals of laughter, two lovers exchanging vows. Enjoy the sounds of man - cars honking, singers, musicians, hands clapping, bells ringing. Harken to the voice inside you.  Catch raindrops on your tongue, sip champagne, taste the foods of different cultures. Feel the glide of silk, the solidness of wood, the softness of lambswool, the wetness of water, the heat of a summer’s day.

Being present is a Super Power. Once you understand that, you can connect to almost anything. Once you choose to be present to life, you can use it to work for you. Stare at a problem until you find a way through, over, under, or around it. Your full presence - being present and aware, is the only state in which you can accomplish anything worthwhile.

2. The Power of Choice.

Choice is the on/off button of your power. Every second of your life is really just a choice to live it one way or another. The belief that you have no choice is a choice. In fact, not choosing is a choice. Everything you do, everything you believe - it all stems from choice. Choice is a monumental Super Power. Change your choice and you can change your life. There is no ultimate reality. You choose our reality time and time again. Knowing you have the power of choice can change your world. You can choose the life you live. Really it is all up to you and the choices you make. So choose wisely.

3. The Power of Authenticity.

Whatever you do, “there’s no one you-er than you.” So take off the mask and have the courage to be yourself. Your ultimate power resides precisely in being faithful to who you are deep down - your authentic, original, unique, special essence. You can only touch the extraordinary from a place of honesty. Dare to be different by being true to who you are. Don’t compare yourself to other superheroes. Don’t try to be another Superhero. Be yourself. If you are here, it means there was a demand for you. You are the universe expressing itself as only it can. You haven’t happened before and you will never happen again. Don’t underestimate yourself - you are what is wanted and needed.

4. The Power of Intention.

“In that we intend, when we intend, we become the intention” - ergo - we are intention machines. You are an intention machine. You have the extraordinary ability to create intention from dreams and ideas.  Your intentions generate purpose. Purpose generates meaning, and meaning helps to make sense of life. Once you make sense of life, you realize your connection to the bigger picture - to the world and where and how you fit in the world. Having an intention gives you a goal to seek, a reason to act, a way to be. Intention is a light in the dark SuperPower. It guides your path, giving you a way out of the darkness. The more you intend, the more purpose, meaning and reasons to create, to act, to be.

5. The Power of Spirituality.

Spirituality is not religion. You don’t have to be religious to be spiritual. You also don’t have to be spiritual to be religious. However believing in something gives us a something to stand for, a reason to be. Find your holy ground. Seek and acknowledge the divine within you. Know that you are the part and parcel of the greater divine that exists. Know and be in awe of the divine. Know and realize that you’re great but small, and that your greatness comes from the divine. Realize that you exist because of the divine, and that you are a SuPeRHeRo with SuperPowers because of the divine within you…  running through your veins. Trust in the divine within you. When you do miracles happen.

6. The Power of Beauty

I won’t say that beauty is everything, but beauty is a quietly kept SuperPower. It is the best kept Superpower. The ability to see the beauty in yourself and others is life-changing. The ability to see the perfection in imperfection is a gift. I wish you understood that seeing, acknowledging. and appreciating the beauty of all things and all people  allows people the opportunity to feel comfortable in who they are. By allowing your beauty to shine through, you awaken beauty in others and allow them the freedom to let their beauty shine.  I wish everyone would  remove their masks and reveal themselves-  scars, wounds, successes,  glory, and all. There is just as much beauty in scars and wounds as there is in success and glory. Your beauty is enough.

7. The Power of Healing.

This is a seldom used Super Power. Maybe because healing others requires the ability to heal yourself and healing yourself requires courage. You can’t be the you that you want to be if you don’t know who you are, You can’t know who you are if you aren’t willing to take the hard look at yourself and face your own truths. You must be able to see yourself- the perfections and the imperfections, the success and failures, the joys and the sorrows, your light, and your darkness. Take a step back and pull out all your demons. Know that you have the courage to face them, you can figure out what to do with them. This is knowledge and knowledge is power that you can use use to your benefit.

Now, armed with knowledge, you can begin to heal yourself. Know that demons don’t happen by chance. If you have them, the first thing you should look for is the cause. You cannot kill the symptoms, you must kill the demon and you cannot kill the demon if you don't know it’s root. Your pain is a messenger. It will help you get to the cause, the root of the demon; so listen to it and you will begin to fix the real problem. Once you know what to do, give it space and the time necessary and your demons will be taken care of. Then let it go and move on. As you heal yourself you will be able to help others to heal themselves.

8. The Power of Creativity.

Creativity is your operating SuperPower. Creativity is how you navigate the highways of your life.  It is how you breathe life into a concept that originates in your mind’s eye. It helps you recognize your potential, brings your dreams to life, and makes the impossible possible. Creativity, while unique and personal to the individual, is a basic force of life. It bridges the space between the realities and the mysteries of life, and is second only to love in terms of its power. Creativity is how you face challenges, respond to uncertainties, and delve into possibilities. Creativity is how you use all of your other SuperPowers.

9. The Power of Perceptions

Resilience is the ability to maintain stability despite adversity. We are resilient. People are resilient. Whether you believe it or not, you are resilient. You bounce back. It is one of you best Super Powers. It is constantly being used. Granted some are more resilient than others but it is a Superpower. You must work with it.

Life happens - it ebbs and it flows; and fortunes and misfortunes come and go. But there are tools available to help you rally back and stay on track. Your best tool is your perception - how you see things. It is so powerful, it could be a SuperPower. It helps you to rally forth in spite of… it helps you rally because. How you see things determines how you respond and react. If you see the best, if you seek the best in every situation; you will rally  faster. Accepting responsibility and learning from the past will help you bounce back. Family, friends, being social, and doing things you love - those will help you to bounce back faster. Practice and Choice - those will also help you to bounce back faster. Either way, you do bounce back. Resilience allows you to maintain through whatever life throws at you and then come back even stronger from what you learned. Resilience can be a SuperHero’s most effective weapon. So… who’s up for a game of ball?

10. The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude. The ultimate SuPerPoWeR. It attracts what you want, improves your relationships, reduces negativity, lightens darkness, improves your problem-solving skills and helps you learn. Gratitude is an attitude, a choice, and a way of life. When practiced daily it can become a powerful habit. When you are grateful for the people. places, things, relationships, situations, and resources in your life, you begin to attract more… you begin to attract better.

When you exhibit and express gratitude you are happier, healthier, and more energetic. When you operate from a place of gratitude you are less lonely, stressed out, anxious and depressed. When you cultivate gratitude you feel better about your life,  you self esteem increases, feel greater joy and happiness, and are optimistic about the future. Living from a place of gratitude strengthens your heart and immune system, decreases your blood pressure, and gives you more enthusiasm, determination and focus so that you make greater progress toward achieving personal goals.

Gratitude unlocks the fulfillment of life. It turns what you have into enough and enough into more. It brings your attention to the present moment -  where miracles can unfold. The deeper your  appreciation, the more you see with the eyes of the soul and the more your life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.. Gratitude is a way to your other SuperPowers. Gratitude turns up all of your other SuperPowers - even love.

-- asd --

when i choose to love

When I Choose to Love

We are made from love… by love… to love. With love, we have everything. Without love we are without… just… without.

When I choose to love, I allow myself the opportunity to be open, to share my vulnerability, to trust myself and others, and to get connected

When I choose to love, I honor the light, love, beauty, and joy within you because it is also within me.

When I share my light, love, beauty, and joy, I honor all that I was created to be… I honor all that I am as I honor you.

When I choose to love, when I choose to share, and when I allow myself these opportunities, I begin to look at you and the world differently. I actually begin to see you.

In seeing you, I recognize there is no difference between us. We are one… and we are the same - in all our perfection and imperfections

When we become one, our light shines brighter, or love flows stronger, our beauty blossoms wildly, and our joy becomes vibrant.

When I choose love, I also choosing to act from a place of love.

When I choose to act from a place of love, I am choosing kindness - to do a kindness, to be kindness. Kindness is an active expression of love.

When I choose to be kind to myself, I am choosing to love myself. When I choose to be kind to others, I am choosing to love them.

When I choose to be kind, I am choosing love.

And so…  I choose to love. And when I love, my heart recognizes your heart and when I do a kindness, my soul honors your soul.

When we live in a world of love, when love is our first choice, when we see each other, and when we honor each other… our souls begin to recognize and touch each other. And in the end, isn’t that what we want? Your heart to recognize my heart… your soul to recognize my soul.

Maybe we are...

(photograph by The Hidden Garden)

A friend once asked me if i thought the world would be different if i had not be born.  it was an interesting concept and got me to wondering about people who bring special qualities or traits to the world. What about those who are known as strong or brave or wise or smart or talented? We admire those qualities and some of us long for those qualities… or to be those people. But, i wonder, are they always happy to be known for their quality? Do they always want to be their quality?  I think not - any label - good or bad, is limiting. We don’t know…

maybe the smart wish

they could be naive for a day and watch as

people look askance at what

being unaware looks like

and maybe the wise sometimes long to

give foolish responses that no one would notice…

right away

maybe the brave dream about hiding

from danger

and the happy long for a good, hard cry

maybe the truly independent

are lonely

and looking for

just one last word or glance

from someone… anyone

maybe the bad long to be good

and the evil crave the chance to be angelic

just as the right wish once to be wrong

maybe the lost really know where the path is

the confused know what lies ahead

and the committed long to act with reckless abandon

maybe yesterday knows what tomorrow will bring

as an infant remembers a heartbeat

and snow what it feels like to be rain

maybe we lose ourselves in the rhythm

only to find ourselves in the pages of a book

hoping the reader will get on with it…

and change the page

maybe daylight is waiting for the light to fade

as darkness awaits the stars

and maybe the trees have seen enough

and long one day to walk away..

either way, we are who we are

and what we are

…

but aren’t there moments when

we long to lose it for just a while

if for no other reason than to celebrate

when we return home

to who and what we are…

ahhh…  

-- asd --