rising above it all

Easter… over. It was a good day, a blessed day...

 Church, a place I had not seen the inside of in several months. It was good, I spoke to God and He was there. I fall short, however - I continue to notice the hypocrisy - it is so pervasive for me, however and it is challenging to rise above it. It is my inability. I know God; I just don’t know about this “organized” religion thing (for me).

 Family – always great to reconnect with them. Of course, there is the aching absence of grandparents that somewhat prevails but, so goes the circle of life – round and round, picking up and dropping off.

 Bunnies – chocolate ones with hollow ears that take me back and make me fat (corny collection of words, but I had to), a faint memory of 5 live bunnies for each of my children from an foggy (literally) Easter morning long ago  , and a make believe bunny that showed up yesterday – fun.

All and all, it was a good day – a day directed by the right intention.

b u

p s

freedom

‘It is preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents men from living freely and nobly.’

 ~Bertrand Russell

…this tiptoed into my radar this morning, something I want to think about, to put in my subconscious.

Something I have thought of that may lessen my emotional load is to not place judgment on occurrences, perhaps I will think in terms of it “is what it is”. I think it will take an emotional break from trying to decide if something that happens to me is “good” or “bad” – sounds tremendously freeing…I think I will couple this exercise with not making TO DO LISTS and I may find myself in a more peaceful place.

“When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.”~Lao Tzu

b u

p s

goodness

The day is over, the nearly full moon is illuminating the woods and drenching the field with light and for some reason I find myself at peace for this brief and curious moment. Is it the gravity of the moon or the proximity to summer or is it just a choice I made. Hmmmm I think it is the latter – a choice. I experienced goodness today, goodness in people and that has made me rise above this entire tangled and unending web of earthly snags and see what matters. For the most part, I am able to maintain that awareness but every now and then it is so rousing to meet with it face to face and declare an undoubtable bout with pure goodness. I am in search of yet another manifestation tomorrow.

b u

p s

accidents?

Whenever two people meet, there are really six people present. There is each man as he sees himself, each man as the other person sees him, and each man as he really is. William James

Okay, how haunting is this? I remember being a kid and recording my voice on a little tape recorder we had and when I listened to it, I did not recognize it as my voice. I sounded different than I thought. That moment really impacted me and my perception of myself. William James takes it a giant step more and proclaims that the way people perceive us is not the way we see ourselves and then questions whether we even see ourselves correctly.I am uncomfortable with this lack of control, this randomness. I will try harder not only to be the personI am but to project the reality. I suppose much of life is accidental and subjective. This is why the arts are so important - it allows you to express what is really inside, to tell the truth - to yourself and to the world. we only have one chance to "be real" - we have to take it. I close with a photo of an "accident" in my yard - climbing roses planted too close to a mimosa tree and a St. Joseph lily surviving amongst the tangle of jasmine. accident or serendipity?

b u

p s



beacons

just a quick little copy paste entry from og mandino.

Scroll I - Today I begin a new life.

Scroll II - I will greet this day with love in my heart.

Scroll III - I will persist until I succeed.

Scroll IV - I am nature's greatest miracle.

Scroll V - I will live this day as if it is my last.

Scroll VI - Today I will be master of my emotions.

Scroll VII - I will laugh at the world (Keep perspective)

Scroll VIII - Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

Scroll IX - I will act now, I will act now, I will act now.

Scroll X - I will pray for guidance.

b u

p s

perspectives

We have a hammock now. It says summer to me. I tried it out one afternoon late and it took me to another place. There is something eccentric about looking at your physical world while lying in a hammock – the perspective changes not only physically but spiritually also. The sky and its infinity become your vantage point and all of the worldly sort of things disappear – traffic signals, roof tops, wires, steel; all you see is what nature has created – the perspective is uplifting. Then there is the comfort of being snuggly suspended a little ways off the ground and the wind giving you a gentle push now and then. I recommend hammock therapy for everyone this summer – the view is out of this world.

b u

p s