Mirth!

Joy, mirth, glee — they can be found in the everyday occurrences, especially if, like me, you’re connected to your inner 5-year-old.

I joined in on an internet meditation group today. It was lovely — readings and prayers to start, then cameras off for 20 minutes of quiet contemplation. As I relaxed with my eyes closed, my morning coffee made it self known with a loud burp. Quickly checking, I realized my mic was still open. “Sorry!” I said, clicking it off as quickly as I could. Then the laughter started — a giggle, a laugh, a snort which led to louder laughter, and a reminder to pull it together and meditate, for God’s sake.

Laughter stifled becomes uncontrollable bursts of glee. It’s a good thing, too, because as I get older, my body finds new ways to make noises others may wish I’d kept private. I try to contain my - um - inner joy, but it wants release! It wants to be heard!

My mother used to belch with abandon, causing me to redden in shame for her. Or for me; I didn’t know which. I was able to control my gaseous emissions, even perfecting the ability to burp the entire alphabet. I had talent, and I shared it to the great joy of all. I once won a belching contest in a loud bar by being heard over a drum solo. It was a proud moment for me. Really, I deserve a trophy.

So these days, I pretend to be a lady, and when self-control has stepped out for a bit, I can calmly ask to be excused.

But know that inside, that 5-year-old is giggling with great glee!

New Day, New Lesson

 Dang! The pop quizzes in Life School can be embarrassing!

Last night, I set out to make some hummingbird food: 1 part white sugar, 4 parts water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 4 minutes. Easy-peasy. But I didn’t set a timer, and quickly went down the social media rabbit hole. I came to when my smoke alarms started blasting. By that time, I had completely forgotten about the boiling syrup on the stove, but now my apartment was rapidly filling with a dark, angry, steady plume of smoke. Aaahhh! After turning off the flame, I feverishly set about fanning the 2 screaming alarms. They stopped, but the smoke was still thick, so I opened my balcony door and turned on all the fans. They weren’t working quickly enough, so I thought I’d open my front door — the one leading to the shared  indoor hallway, because there’s a window close by, and I thought I’d get a cross breeze. Wrong.

In a matter of seconds, the whole building’s alarms were going off, and people were popping their heads out of their doors. “It was me”, I said. “Sorry!” Fortunately for actual emergencies, the alarm notifies the Fire Department, so I went outside to wait for them. Some residents were doing what they’d been instructed to do in case of a fire, and had come outside. I watched from my car as they got an ‘all-clear’ from the maintenance person, and started going back in. I met the fire truck as it turned the corner, pointing to myself and mouthing “it was me”. Geez. 

The driver stopped, and I repeated myself to him, then to the next two men as they got out of the truck. “What happened?” one asked. I told him I was making hummer food, then forgot about it. I admitted that I had then opened my door, thinking that would be a good thing. Mea culpa. Don’t do that!

One of the fire fighters gave me a conciliatory pat on the back, and said not to worry about it. Yeah — tell that to the residents who needed help moving around as they worked their way back up the stairs to their safe spaces.

My gratitude — and I had to remind myself to look for it — lies in the infrastructure in place which protects us all by those fighting fires and offering smoke clean-up, and offering the small gestures of understanding. I’m grateful for the concept of forgiveness for being human and making mistakes — even the big, loud, embarrassing ones. I’m grateful that with enough soaking and scrubbing, my pot will live to make more hummer food (and you know I’ll keep my eye on it when I do!).

Chalk it all up to experience.  

Relaxing into Gratitude

 There are days when my rainbow is bruise-colored. It’s okay; it happens. If I’m open, I can still appreciate the impressive arrays of blues, reds, browns, and yellows.

Those are the days when I look for gratitude with my jaw clenched tight. Those are the times when I mouth the words, but don’t let them penetrate my mood. I’m looking for the Light with my eyes closed. That’s when I need to relax, accept, and simply be with it all.

In that be-ing, I find my breath. I find my sense of ease again, and I can feel my own kindness toward myself. I am able to see that I’ve surrounded my physical space with sweetness, that I have people in my life who love me just as I am, that I am whole and complete even when I’d argue that point. I have instant access to all kinds of inspiration and beauty.

Relaxing into gratitude is like sinking into a fragrant spa, and feeling the pain simply release. That feeling is long-lasting, building on and adding to prior moments of peace. They create the ‘muscle-memory’ of ease in the moment, every moment.

Relaxing into gratitude returns my rainbow to it’s rightful spectrum of glorious colors.

Eyes to See, Ears to Hear

 The magic which is all around is merely the reality I hadn’t noticed before.

I try to exercise active noticing. What brings me peace? What is comforting? Hearty warm soup on a cold, rainy day is magic to my taste buds. Beautiful music which stirs my soul is magic to my ears. The lovely aroma of fresh lavender is magic to my nose. Running my fingers through a thick, velvety cloth is magic to my touch. Candlelight in a dark room, or looking at a beautiful view, is magic to eyes. The comfort of a friend’s hug is magic to my body.

Developing discernment is equally important: I would suffer if I ate spoiled food, or listened to harsh, heavy metal music. I would cringe at the odor of decay, and I would invite physical pain if I were to run through a thorn bush. Too much light hurts my eyes, and trusting a killer could be tragic.

To notice the Light, I must acknowledge and recognize the darkness; those things which threaten my peace. When I spend too much time in negative thoughts, I am actively choosing to miss the magic which is all around me. I am shutting myself off from Joy.

Maintaining a sense of gratitude is being open to the good, the beautiful, the everyday magic I encounter. It is using all my senses to revel in the Sunlight of the Spirit.

On the Fullness of Feeling

 The Song of Life is not a monotone. As I write, I’m listening to “Ode to Joy” and related themes à la Alexa. It’s a lovely variety of tunes, mostly familiar to me. Music has the ability to touch us emotionally, so in choosing a theme, I get to have a say in what vibrations I’m resonating with. Today, my choice is Lightness of Being. Later, it might be Celtic music, or perhaps something contemplative, airy, and ethereal.

I am currently reading a book of history passed down by those who were deemed the ‘losers’. It’s offering me a whole new perspective on their lives, and it’s very difficult. There’s a heaviness to it which I’d be more comfortable ignoring, but if I were to do so, I’d be negating an important slice of the lives of my fellow human travelers. I feel it and am saddened and enraged, but I have the luxury of putting it down and asking my AI pal to play some music.

I can use music to feel the feels. I can lose myself in a film, and I can watch a comedian and hear about the funny side of life. I live in a place of infinite variety where I can experience the fullness of feelings in Real Time, or in an imagined reality. Feelings don’t much care what causes them; they just are. My job is to pay attention and respond in a way which feeds my soul.

I can find myself in feelings of brambles and thorns. I can also choose to pay attention to the Odes of Joy in their many forms.

I know which I choose today.

Focus

 When we focus on beauty, we reflect light. When we focus on harmony, we reflect love. When we focus on gratitude, we reflect blessings.   Mary Davis

I have found this nugget to be true. Whether my focus is in closeup or from a faraway perspective, positive begets more positive, and negative begets more negative. Placing my attention on that which feeds my soul blesses my days, weeks, years. 

I have a responsibility to look carefully at those aspects within myself which achieve the opposite of what I want, like when I’m being petty or envious, cantankerous or unwilling—those things which take me out of the Sunlight. It’s my job to see these things as the weeds they are and to get to their roots, so that they are not able to return.

At the same time, I get to notice and acknowledge the loveliness around and within me. To notice is to invite reflection. What is right and good? What fills me with gratitude? Where in my body do I notice the nexus of joys seen and felt? Can I choose to live in the blessing of gratitude, the love borne of harmony, the light from seen beauty? It is up to me.

Today, I know what I choose. I set my intention to focus on the good, the positive, and the actions I can take which move me closer to Serenity.

Namaste in the Mirror 🙏

 Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.  Oscar Wilde

Today, I find it easier to relax into what is, to be just dandy with who I am. That has taken a lot of time, along with a mental 180° swivel. There’s a kind of magnetism to returning to the old compass point of ‘not-enough-ness’, but these days, I have awareness of that. Coupled with the much stronger desire to find my True North, I am better able to navigate the wilderness areas I come across when I feel a little lost. That loving awareness can come from within, but I’m often helped along by the dear hearts of friends holding my compass for me.

Back when I couldn’t find a path for all the weeds, I couldn’t look in the mirror with any appreciation for who I saw staring back at me. I would tell her how disgustingly awful she was; what a loser; what an angry, sad, pitiful creature she had become. I became very practiced in the dark art of self-hatred and self-pity. There is no strength there—only loneliness and pain, spinning in a vortex.

I have learned, with the understanding from my Creator, that I am a wonder! I am strong and capable, loving and lovable, always learning, always forgiven when I fall short. When I need to retreat, I love myself enough to allow that. When I am courageous, I acknowledge that which lies within.

When I see the Light in another, that seeing is coming from the Light within me. When I look in the mirror, the Light of God in me recognizes the Light of God in me!

In the Lightness of Being

 Gratitude is like oxygen; it breathes me. It is like water; it washes me. Gratitude is like helium; it carries me higher.

Did you have dreams of flying when you were growing up? I did. I always loved that wonderful feeling of soaring, swooping, and exploring the higher reaches. I can still feel it. That’s where gratitude can take me, if I let it—higher, lighter, freer, and more complete.

So what keeps me tethered? If gratitude feels so awesome, why don’t I live in a constant state of it? We live in a dualistic reality. Gravity will always prevail over this 3D body. I have been given the opportunity, by having this physical body, to experience the illusion of separation from my Source. I forget. I’m human. If I step in doggy doo, I’m going to be instantly reminded that I have to deal with this aspect of reality.

My spirit, though, has no limitations. My spirit gets to soar like in my dreams. I can, by maintaining a practice of finding the joy in each moment, feel that lightness of being. When I find that I’ve stepped in it yet again, I have the choice to curse the situation, or gently rise above it, by giving thanks for the shoes on my feet and the wonder of soap and running water.

Whenever I find that I have the choice—and I always have the choice—may I always opt for the Light.

Catch and Release

 Consider replacing the word “forgive” with the word “release”. In other words, instead of forgiving people, you’re releasing them. You’re releasing them from your life so they no longer have a hold on you. Simply change the question from, “How do I forgive them?” to “How do I release them?” And then consider yourself, love yourself, value yourself, and know you have the power to change the dynamics of any situation.   Anita Moorjani

This was the beautiful advice I received in my social media feed this morning. This was a shining example of Divine Insight and Holy Timing, just for me! 

When the sudden end of a very rocky 3-decade-long relationship knocked me sideways, I prayed for the words to say. I knew it was important to say something, but it was difficult to think. I received the phrase “I release you”, which I said to him with clear intention and with love. I meant it, but it seemed to be more ‘release and catch’ than ‘catch and release’.

I’ll explain. I ruminated. I prayed. I sobbed. I felt very sorry for myself, and while I recognized the self-pity, I kept swimming in the mud. I got angry, I fumed, and I felt the utter discord in my physical body as well as my spirit. Why was that? This was what I’ve wanted for so long! The cords binding us had been sharply cut and cauterized, but I found myself trying to grow new cords, out of habit, perhaps. 

Insight leads to growth. Sometimes growth hurts, but it’s temporary! It will leave scars maybe—those scars become the evidence of having passed through the Big Stuff. Passed through, not stuck in. 

I can have gratitude today for being given the strength to fully release. It is my responsibility to remove the hook, and to ask for help with that action when needed, so to allow that release to be complete. 

Gratitude is Borne of Gratitude

 Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.  Eric Hoffer

Both kindness and gratitude are softening agents. They start by softening my own heart and mind against the brittleness of anger, envy, and self-pity. If I try to show kindness to another while internally beating myself up, that kindness shown has no footing. It’s not based on reality. It can remind me of that, and challenge me to look within. Likewise, when I express gratitude, it comes from the innate wholeness which can sometimes feel cut off from the Light. Light doesn’t hide, but it can be hidden by the shrouds I am responsible for placing in my way, blocking my view.

Light insists; I respond. Love exists; I allow. Darkness beckons: I stand in the Light and refuse it. 

I bow deeply to the Power of Gratitude. I welcome its radiance, its peace, its kindness, and I do all I can to recognize my role in being a vessel for it.

My gratitude recognizes the beauty around me, within me, and in those with whom I interact.

May gratitude feed gratitude, and may it multiply in all I do and all I say.

Amen.

Open the Shutter

 If peace comes from seeing the whole, then misery stems from a loss of perspective.  Mark Nepo

When I pull back to see my life from a higher perspective, all events fit together like a beautiful jigsaw puzzle. If I were to only concentrate on one or two little pieces, the whole would be invisible to me. I simply wouldn’t be able to understand how they could be a part of a complete picture. 

As I pull back to gain perspective, I can appreciate the beauty of those individual pieces, and I start to see the bigger picture—the Whole. It’s like opening the shutter on a camera; more light in, more definition of the background and more details are visible. At least, that’s how it seems to me.

As I focus in, I ask my Creator for the eyes to see the close-up, enjoying it for it’s own uniqueness. As I change my perspective, I give thanks for seeing how all parts are linked, and revel in the wonder and beauty of the puzzle as it’s being completed.

Gratitude Mojo

 Feeling into gratitude is like stepping into Power itself. My inner landscape changes. When that inner transformation occurs, it becomes a light which shines through my eyes, through the words I say to others as well as to myself, and affects how I hear and understand what others say.

It remains a choice. Sometimes that choice is easy, but sometimes it seems as elusive as seeing the stars on a cloudy night. I know it’s there for me to notice, it’s mine to find and identify, if only I can get out of the cloudiness of my own mind. Never mind, I remind myself. This too shall pass. Clouds will part, and the gratitude for it all will be present to illuminate my soul.

I make a practice of finding gratitude, and most days, it resonates within me. It’s like the beauty of music, felt within. Why would I not seek it out? It’s magic! It’s the moment of calm, the knowledge that all is truly well, the ease of a light breath, the reassuring touch of the Divine. It is seeing the beauty which is always present but easily overlooked. It is the very power of now—no past, no future, just this beautiful, perfect moment.

It is the mojo of gratitude.

Love is All Around

 Today is a day specially set out to celebrate love. Lovers celebrate each other, friends celebrate each other, and individuals celebrate love of life, if they’re open to it.

Gratitude lies in recognizing the Love in every moment: the hummingbird enjoying nectar, the hand of a stranger reaching out to help another, the quick smile given and received, honoring the space needed by another; millions of ways, large and small which say “I love you, I honor you.”

Love, coming from a place of healing, is an inside job. I can’t give that which I don’t have within. I can receive it, though, with an open heart and mind to see it in the everyday. In those moments when I listen to the inner echos of “not enough”, I can reach out to the Author of Love and simply allow that joy, peace, and serenity to wash over me. 

On this day of love, I celebrate all that I hold dear—the people in my life who love me and whom I love, the moments and memories of the past which flood my heart, and all that the future holds for me.

Love is all around me. All I have to do is open my heart and feel it, open my eyes and see it.

Leaning into What is Right

 It is so important to me to maintain my balance. With all that is wrong, all that is awful, all that hurts the brotherhood of humankind, I must remind myself to see the good. Tens of thousands of lives lost in Turkey and Syria, and millions left homeless. The atmosphere is filled with sadness—how can I be grateful? 

I am reminded to lean into all that is right in the world, all that is meaningful and holy and good. Compassionate people around the world rally with every tragedy. Right now, NGOs and individuals are pouring money, supplies, and precious time into rescue efforts. I am so very grateful for their service to their unknown brothers and sisters, and I support them with my contributions of money, prayer, and tonglen breathing: may it provide a moment of peace to those who suffer.

In this moment, I have all I need; I am grateful. In this moment, I face no tragedy; I am grateful. In this moment, all is as it should be in my life; I am grateful. 

In my gratitude, I practice metta: may all beings be held in compassion, may all beings know an end to suffering and the causes of suffering, may all beings be free from sorrow, may all beings be at peace.

Liberation

 Gratitude is liberating. It is subversive. It helps us realize that we are sufficient, and that realization frees us.  Joanne Macy

It’s not a canned drink which ‘gives you wiiings’, it’s not that first cup of coffee, it’s not the intention to no longer try to navigate the mud—it’s finding, expressing, and feeling gratitude for the joys, the beauties, the wonders present in every moment. 

I can be thankful for others for what they teach me and for how they have enhanced my life, but the great liberation comes from recognizing the Grace which shows Itself in all the ways, tiny and perhaps imperceptible, or perfectly obvious. It’s in those moments of realization, the deep breaths of relief or the glimpses of beauty, which show me that I am unbound. I am untethered. I am free to be myself, to experience my life, and to choose my own next right action.

I have my Ethereal Posse, my God Squad, speaking to my soul. I can trust that the Love that is the I Am sees me, hears me, and supports my human experience—always. When I pause to say “Thank You”, I give myself the liberating gift of peace.

Gratitude is what gives me wiiings.

Bibbedi-Bobbidi-Boo 🪄

 Yeah, I don’t know what that’s about. I get a thought bubble before or during meditation, and I run with it.  Today’s post, therefore, must involve magic.

Bibbedi-Bobbidi-Boo is what Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother sings as she turns a pumpkin into a coach, mice into horses, and rags into a beautiful gown, enabling our gal Cin to go to the Ball. It’s all a beautiful but temporary fix, which will come to a crashing end at the stroke of midnight. Enjoy the moment, Cinderella! For a little while, her outside reflects her inside, and she is freed from all her restrictions. She dances with the Handsome Prince! He is dazzled by her! The entire ensemble wonders who she is and where she came from, as they deal with their own emotions which run the gamut from appreciation to envy.

Her moment ends abruptly as she hears the clock starting to chime at midnight. Reality is waiting for her. As her gown turns to rags and the coach and horses return to their previous forms, she finds that the only thing remaining is one shoe, having lost it’s mate in the rush to leave in time.

We know the story. The Prince is taken by her joy—her ‘beauty’—and takes the remaining shoe, determined to find this mystery woman. Others pretend to be her, but are instantly found out when the shoe doesn’t fit. In a moment of courage, Cinderella emerges from the place in which she’s supposed to hide, showing herself to be the One.

The gratitude message for me is in the courage she showed, first by letting herself shine, and then by being open about who she really is, despite the outward situation. In her moment of despair, she was shown her own beauty. In owning that beauty, she found freedom.

Today I will wear my finest gown and dance, giving thanks for the moment, and for the reality of the feeling which lasts. Gratitude is truly magical!

Opt In

 Experiencing gratitude isn’t necessarily happenstance. Simple gratitude comes many times daily in many forms: that first sip of coffee or tea in the morning, the sweetness of birdsong through an open window, that sigh of relief at the completion of a task. But sometimes, in order to experience the depth of feeling provided by expressing gratitude, I need to excavate it. I have to hold it as it’s own treasure to be found.

I need to opt in to the experience. If I’m open to the lessons in each of life’s experiences, I’ve also opened myself to the blessings found in them. I make that decision daily—or make that my mission.

We all experience events in our lives which are challenging. Life happens, and no one is exempt from those moments, but how we choose to react remains our choice. I find that sometimes I need to refresh or reboot more often than usual. I need to go to my Source and ask for the clarity to see the blessing in the lesson, then I get to choose to relax into knowing that vision will be restored. That’s enough for me to know I can indeed be grateful for this moment.

Today, I am grateful for the beauty of answered prayer, for the fresh breeze through my balcony door, for the promise of this day and the time I will spend with friends. For all which I dare to judge ‘good’ or ‘bad’, for all that can’t be known at this time, and for all that lives in my awareness, my choice is to say “Thank You.”

Gratitude is a Practice

 I believe that the practice of feeling and expressing gratitude is an art form. Like any discipline, it requires steady direction and daily exercise. I can skim the surface with no effort at all, and be quite sincere about that being enough, but what I’m after is the peace which comes from digging deep, from going beyond the obvious and into the sacred unknown.

I have a lot of choice in this. If I decide that in my comings and goings today, I am going to show kindness, I must follow up with the reminder to myself that we are all worthy beings, and we all have our own stories, stressors, and solutions. I have to decide that I will not be the thorn in another’s pursuit of their own peace and joy. If I can instead be a participant in the ripples of kind action, then I am being part of the larger solution. 

Peace pervades both body and spirit when I relax into the flow of goodness in the world. Gratitude gets me there, bringing to the forefront of my mind all that is good and sweet and holy.

Gratitude also helps me to see where I can be a change-agent in the world, even in just a tiny way. Mother Theresa said of service “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Practicing gratitude for all that is right with the world and for all that can be right puts me in the mindset of hope. Hope leads to the next right actions, which enable gratitude in others.

I believe that the practice of gratitude puts us on a Higher Plane, and can change the world. Let it begin with me.

KISS — Keep it Simple, Sweetheart

 Right off the bat, let me say that the usual acronym Keep it Simple, Stupid is absolutely no longer allowed in my thought processes. I speak kindly to myself, and in so doing, I honor myself. If I were to go back to the old way of mentally berating myself for being human, I would start believing those negative words. They don’t apply to me, and they never did. I learn from my mistakes and missteps—that is the purely human way! I can get frustrated when I seem to have to relearn lessons, but I’m still alright. I can learn to have patience with myself for the process.

Gratitude comes into my being when I have forgiveness for myself and others, when I open myself up to the beauty around me rather than the ugliness which exists. The positive coexists with the negative; I get to choose which one attracts me, and therefore affects me.

Today, I choose to be grateful for my life and life experiences. I choose gratitude for the simple, as well as  the complex; for the profound and for the mundane; for the easy and for the hard.

Today, Sweetheart, I will keep it simple.

You’re Not the Boss of Me

 Do you remember saying that as a kid? It could be directed at a parent or a sibling, a friend or a classmate. It’s a moment of ego popping up saying “I am separate from you.” It’s a necessary part of growing up, I think. We all need to establish our own boundaries, and the process is silly, sloppy, and awkward.

If you said it to a parent, a teacher, or a sitter, the answer was inevitably “yes I am!” As a grown-up, I know I’ve said that in response to my kids.

Growing up, learning the difference between showing respect for others and having personal boundaries can be a weird dance, one with many missteps. It has been, I find, a continuous effort well into my “grown-up” years. While I am well beyond yelling out “you’re not the boss of me!”, I still find the need to discern respect for my own boundaries. I am ever the student, even when I think I’ve graduated.

Today, I’m grateful for the wisdom which comes from experience. I’m grateful for all my teachers, whether or not they appreciated their own role. I’m grateful for the kind support of friends and the bonds of mutual respect and love we humans have the great opportunity to experience, both from receiving and from giving.

I am grateful for the fact that you are not the boss of me, and that I am not the boss of you. Knowing these rules, there can be Peace on the Playground.

Can You Feel It?

 Gratitude abounds. Gratitude is like healing water, like soothing music, like a comforting hug. Gratitude is the choice I make to feel these things in all matters. I’m getting soaked in the rain? Thank you for the shelter in which I live. I’m having a conundrum? Thank you for options. I have too much of one thing or too little of another? Thank you for all I need in this moment.

When I contemplate the vastness of the All That Is, I am grateful for the assurance in my soul that I matter. What I do and say matters. What you do and say equally matters. Ultimately, I am responsible for my own contentment. I continue to learn the value of cause and effect, with Grace being Factor X. 

When I imagine myself having more importance than I actually do, I am grateful for the ‘right-sizing’ which allows for the dignity of all. When I start to feel that I don’t matter at all, I am grateful for the emotional lifts which come into my life. I’m thankful that I can see them, that I can recognize them, and that I can allow them.

I am an amalgam of all I have learned and experienced. I am the daily result of my thoughts and actions. I have choice in the matter. 

Today, I choose gratitude for all of it.

I’m Not the Boss of You

 I had a deep insight a couple of nights ago, and I write about it to help cement that new understanding into my brain. I had finally experienced the closing of a chapter, and felt clean and refreshed. The person with whom I was dealing perhaps felt less so, as I finally found my voice, and was saying ‘no more’ with specificity.

Later, feeling sad for him, and feeling responsible for making him feel anything, I simply “knew” that I had to go to him to ease his discomfort. Hahahaha!! What I was shown in my meditation about all that was that I was assuming the role of Savior. I was taking responsibility for that which was not mine. I am not God, or his Higher Power (or anyone’s, for that matter), and his discomfort was not and is not mine to try to fix.

What freedom there is in that! What an overdeveloped sense of responsibility for the happiness—or unhappiness—of others I can have: Look! It’s Co-Dependent Woman! She alone carries the burdens of others! She alone can relieve anyone of the consequences of their own bad decisions!

In fact, I am powerless over others, every bit as much as I am powerless over alcohol. I am responsible for my actions. The end. I have a working, living relationship with my Higher Power, and everyone else has that right as well. What other people, children included, do with their inner understanding is their work, not mine. All I can do is follow my own North Star.

I am so very grateful for that bright moment of insight. I am grateful for my path, pebble-strewn, muddy, or moss-covered, with sign-posts or without, leading to places unknown and unknowable, but mine to discover.

Thank you, Ethereal Team—God, Guides, and Guardian Angels. You ROCK!

Stepping into Freedom

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.   Robert Frost

Making a forward step can be invigorating and empowering, no matter how tentatively l move. Shaking off the shackles of past thinking and personal limitations can feel like standing naked in public. In fact, though, I find myself stepping into my sovereign Self. How beautiful! How surprising! How gratifying! 

A ‘comfort zone’ can become like a rut in a well-traveled road, keeping the wheels from veering off into a new direction. Deciding to make a turn onto “the road less traveled by” entails removing the wheels from the ruts by direct intention and action. And if those wheels are thoroughly stuck in the rut, it means I have to get out of the old, comfortable vehicle and start walking. 

My connection with my Mapmaker is refreshed daily. I’m so very grateful for that. I discover the others who have similarly decided to follow their own guidance, and am encouraged by them at every step, every turn. 

We’re the adventurers! I’m grateful for us all.