Things I learned in my first 50 years…

… Only I define myself.

… We don’t always get what we want or think we deserve… It doesn’t kill us.

… The worst of times lead to the best of times.

… Eventually we experience it all.

… I AM totally worth it all.

… I AM capable of accepting it all.

… I AM free to give it all.

… We know we’ve grown when we release judgment and embrace it all.

… When we embrace we experience Grace.

… Grace is a wonderful thing.

… Love and adoration cure a lot of ills.

… Overlook the irritating. Focus on the elevating.

… Look for the good and praise it.

… It is ALL about relationships.

… Give. Give more. Give again. Give all you’ve got. Totally worth it.

… Oh! The exception? NEVER Give Up!

Please tell me what you’ve learned!

Into The World 

Young Adulthood

Settling In

At Last

Thoughts?

~ Live consciously.

~ See clearly.

~ Seek clarity.

~ Simplicity.

~ Discover fears and limitations. Let them go. 

~ Understand motivation, the ‘why’ behind the goal.

~ Refuse to stand in judgment of another.

~ Love unconditionally.

~ Embrace The Light.

~ Open to Grace.

~ Connect.

~ Be, essentially.

     ~ Bliss! 

Live consciously… Seek clarity… Discover fears… Eradicate… Stand not in judgment… Love… Embrace The Light… Open to Grace… Connect… Experience bliss…

Clear?

Clear.

Clarity:

–noun

1. clearness or lucidity as to perception or understanding; freedom from indistinctness or ambiguity.

2. the state or quality of being clear.

—Synonyms

1.  intelligibility, exactness, simplicity.

Restless

And the truth is

That the day has just begun

Time to do it all remains

There’s much yet to be done

Opportunities present

Live,  love,  give

Soothe

Be balm

In the midst of chaos

Choose.

Create the calm.

Begin within.

I AM  Loving, Strong, Smart, Creative, Honest, Contented, Serene (most of the time ;-) )

What wonders reside within you?

Let me know!

When I first met The Good Husband nearly thirty-five years ago, I sensed something special.  Yeah, yeah, there was pure teenage attraction and unrestrained passion, but it was more than that.

As a 17-year old, he exuded an aura of calm and inner connection that I wanted to better understand. It took another year before we began dating and I had the opportunity to figure out how this guy ticked. Within a few months, after seeing him function  in the world and in his family home, I knew that the secret was integrity. The man has impeccable integrity, as did his father before him. Integrity is the essence that guides his every act, and has as long as I’ve known him.

Like many others over the years, I saw in this man, felt in his presence, a sense of wonder and possibility. I recognized an option to be a better version of myself. I wanted to learn that, be that, so that I could walk a similar path and emit that kind of light. It took some time, but for the most part, I succeeded.

Not long ago, I came across a related quote and am compelled to share it. It is, quite simply, an essential truth. It’s part of a philosophy, an outlook, and a lifestyle that can lead to only good things. And it correlates beautifully with another of my favorite quotes, gifted by Ghandi: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

Have a read, then let me know what you think: 

“People of integrity seem to have a kind of built-in ability to handle whatever comes up as they go toward success. You see, when you act from integrity, you don’t lie. When you don’t lie, you have no need to remember. When you don’t have anything to remember, you don’t have to save your energy for protection, in fear of being found out; then you have access to all your energy in the present. When you have your energy present, here and now, you are in a better position to handle whatever comes up. If you do that often enough, you’ll gain an enormous amount of self-confidence, a belief in yourself based on empirical evidence — your life.

When you live a life of integrity, your success may very well manifest as wealth in friendships, trust, admiration, respect, and the ability to inspire others.”

- John-Roger, American Author & Spiritual Leader

“Through all the world there goes one long cry from the heart of the artist: Give me leave to do my utmost.”

 ~Isak Dinesen

Oh, Isak, I get it!

I want to write, have to write, intend to write.

Then stuff gets in the way.

Internal. External. Stuff.

Circumstance, thought, diversion, onus…stuff.

Yet The Writing waits.

The Writing sits in the basement of my mind, peering up through the cracks in the floor. It waits for me to open the door, walk through the dark, down the steep, narrow stairs and bring it up. Bring it into the light. Bring The Writing into being.

The Writing waits ~for me~ to write.

Tell me…what is waiting for you? And what are you waiting for?

In poetry,

Truths emerge

That might otherwise

Require

Lubrication,

Stimulation,

Serious social manipulation.

2 Gin Rickeys

Good red wine

Or absinthe over a sugar cube ~

Fine.

But in poetry,

Unprovoked,

Façades fall away,

Barriers break,

Illusions fade to opaque;

And the truth

Jumps onto the page

Big, bold and unashamed

And it declares

I AM.

I am THAT I am.

Necessary words have been uttered.

Hidden untruths illuminated.

Deceptions disrobed.

Secrets unearthed.

Truths revealed.

And now?

And now?

Made my case.

Spoke my truth.

Stood my ground.

Conquered my tears

And my fears

Shame, denial and disappointment.

Finally said what needed to be said

What yearned to be heard.

Deeply embedded in love.

Creating balance at last.

It was not easy.

But I did it.

I set Truth free.

I will heal.

It will be.