Walking the Labyrinth--
We turned off the main road and began the ten mile drive up the mountainside. Eventually we left the paved road and continued our journey on gravel. Tall evergreen trees lined both sides of the roadway. Fog encircled the mountain top. It had not yet been burned away by the heat of the sun. Blue sky showed through small patches of fog announcing that soon it would overtake the whole expanse of the heavens. The day was crisp and sweet. Our destination was a lovely retreat center.
Many years ago we discovered this special place while exploring new countryside. Those who dreamed it and then built it desired that it be a place for people to meditate. To reconnect with themselves. To perhaps engage in conversation about life and its meaning. Classes are offered during the summer. It is a place for thinking. For touching that quiet place within us that often becomes lost in the busy of life. Paths meander through the tall evergreens gently whispering to us that nature welcomes us into her arms. Ferns flourish on the forest floor. Wild flowers decorate the woods. It is a place like no other.
On this particular trip up the mountainside we came upon a welcoming center. Inside were two people who greeted me with genuine kindness. Since our last visit years ago when one could drive into the center, changes had taken place. Now reservations were required to enter. Did I have a reservation? No, I didn't.
During our conversation I mentioned that we were visiting from Illinois. Our trip was almost at its end. And then I mentioned the real reason I wished permission to enter.
Several years ago I had the opportunity to walk a labyrinth. A labyrinth is a circular path that has a beginning point. One enters at this point and continues along a path toward the center. The path through the labyrinth is often outlined with stones set into the ground providing direction to the walker. It winds inward toward the center. After reaching the center one retraces the steps until the beginning point is again reached. It is an ancient tool for meditation. Walking a labyrinth is a spiritual experience.
This center built a labyrinth in a clearing beside a beautiful stream. It was set with stones. It was quite large with a winding path. I knew this because I saw pictures in a magazine of this particular one.
I was disappointed that I would not be allowed to enter the grounds and make my way to the labyrinth, but I understood that rules were rules. So, I thanked them for their kindness and turned to leave. The woman who was answering my questions stopped me. She said she was going to do something she seldom did. She was going to give me an hour to visit the labyrinth. One hour. I asked if my husband could join me. She took both our names and directed me to the path that led to the river.
We hurried down the path and across the grounds searching for this most special spot. Eventually we located it. So simple. Rocks formed a path placed by someone who understood the significance of this activity. Someone who brought hundreds of stones and carefully laid them out in a specific pattern forming an exact circle. I entered.
Sometimes people carry a stone while they walk. Others might repeat a mantra. Still others walk with folded hands. That is what I did. I folded my hands and began my journey. And it is truly a journey. With each step my mind journeyed inward. What was left for me to learn? What could I do that would move myself and others to a more peaceful place? Even the question of who God is entered my mind. Eventually I quieted all the voices in my head-well, almost all of them. And I simply was. I felt such peace. All the beauty of the earth was right there within my sight. It was overwhelming. Tears made their way down my cheeks. Tears that expressed my deep love of nature. And my awareness of the spirit indwelling.
The hour passed quickly. Leaving was difficult. Connecting with our spirit is a precious time. I knew once I left, I would return to life. But, I also knew that part of me would be changed forever. I would have the memory to take with me. We hurried back to the welcoming center.
I walked inside to thank her for allowing me this time. I told her what it meant to me through those same tears. She replied that she never does that for people without reservations, but that she felt a connection with me and knew it was the right thing to do.
The fog had lifted during the time we were at the center. The sky was beautiful. All blue and bright. The tall evergreens stood guard over the road, and the river continued its rush to its destination. All as it should be on this most beautiful day.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Monday, April 4, 2016
Treasures of the Ocean
Treasures of the Ocean--
One of our favorite things to do is walk the Oregon coast searching for agates. We read the tide charts because the best time to go is when the tide is out. All the rocks and treasures that the ocean gives up are found when it is low tide. We have spent the past five weeks in high rubber boots and jackets doing that. It is easy to spot people who hunt for agates. They walk slowly along the edge of the ocean or perhaps wade a little into it. Their heads are down. In their pocket is a zip lock plastic bag or a bag from a grocery store to hold found objects. Agates are usually found where rocks abound. They come in all sizes and several colors. Agates are little rocky nuggets of silica that formed inside ancient rocks or shells millions of years ago and as the outer layer wears away, the agate remains. They come in varied colors ranging from orange to red or pink to lavender-even black.
Another treasure the Northwest ocean gives up is sea glass. Sea glass is glass from bottles that have found their way in the ocean. After being tumbled and tossed by the waves, the edges of the glass are rounded and smooth. Often the glass has a cloudy appearance. The usual colors are blue, green, white and clear. People who hunt for sea glass use it for jewelry and art objects. If the edges are not rounded, it is considered new to the ocean and not desirable.
People who collect agates often place them in tumblers. After three weeks of tumbling, the rocks are smooth and shiny. They are also used in jewelry or placed in bowls as found objects from the sea.
We are leaving soon so we decided to spend today searching. The best times to search are low tide after a storm. The ocean deposits treasures everywhere after high waves. As there was no storm, pickings were a little slim.
I was walking along the edge of the ocean with my head down when someone spoke to me. A young man walked beside me and told me I had missed two agates. He opened his hand and there they were. Before I could say anything, he handed them to me. People don't usually share agates. Yet, here he was offering me two beautiful ones. After I thanked him, he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out two large agates that had been tumbled. As he held them out for me to see, he told me to select one to keep. I was shocked. He was offering me something wonderfully beautiful. He held them up to the sun so I could see the designs inside the stones. I asked him which one he would like for me to have. He selected the most beautiful of the two and placed it in my hand. At that point I told him I was visiting from Illinois. He told me to tell my friends that I found it. He said he finds them all the time. It was such a lovely moment in time.
A little later we were making our way toward our car. I was walking slower with my head down still searching for a few more for our collection. Looking up, I saw a man approaching. As he came closer, he asked me if I was having any luck finding agates. I told him not much. He stopped, opened his hand and showed me four he had found. Then he handed them to me. Surprised, I mumbled a thank you and told him we live in Illinois. His response was awesome. He said, "God bless you in Illinois." And he continued his walk along the edge of the water.
These are only two of the experiences I have had with gracious people. People who were searching just like I was and were willing to give up treasures to a stranger. When one woman learned where I live, she placed a beautiful agate in my hand and gently closed my fingers over it. She said she lives here and can look anytime. That she wanted me to have what she found.
A moment in time. A treasure far greater than a found agate. One person touching another with grace and kindness. Never to meet again yet leaving a lasting impression.
That's what it's about, isn't it? Touching others with gentle spirits. With a giving attitude. Giving up something you desire so that another can experience the same joy. Spending a moment connecting with a fellow walker on the planet. Makes me wonder how many times I could have shared yet didn't. The good thing is this. There is another day waiting for me to give of myself to others. Strangers, family, friends. And I shall.
One of our favorite things to do is walk the Oregon coast searching for agates. We read the tide charts because the best time to go is when the tide is out. All the rocks and treasures that the ocean gives up are found when it is low tide. We have spent the past five weeks in high rubber boots and jackets doing that. It is easy to spot people who hunt for agates. They walk slowly along the edge of the ocean or perhaps wade a little into it. Their heads are down. In their pocket is a zip lock plastic bag or a bag from a grocery store to hold found objects. Agates are usually found where rocks abound. They come in all sizes and several colors. Agates are little rocky nuggets of silica that formed inside ancient rocks or shells millions of years ago and as the outer layer wears away, the agate remains. They come in varied colors ranging from orange to red or pink to lavender-even black.
Another treasure the Northwest ocean gives up is sea glass. Sea glass is glass from bottles that have found their way in the ocean. After being tumbled and tossed by the waves, the edges of the glass are rounded and smooth. Often the glass has a cloudy appearance. The usual colors are blue, green, white and clear. People who hunt for sea glass use it for jewelry and art objects. If the edges are not rounded, it is considered new to the ocean and not desirable.
People who collect agates often place them in tumblers. After three weeks of tumbling, the rocks are smooth and shiny. They are also used in jewelry or placed in bowls as found objects from the sea.
We are leaving soon so we decided to spend today searching. The best times to search are low tide after a storm. The ocean deposits treasures everywhere after high waves. As there was no storm, pickings were a little slim.
I was walking along the edge of the ocean with my head down when someone spoke to me. A young man walked beside me and told me I had missed two agates. He opened his hand and there they were. Before I could say anything, he handed them to me. People don't usually share agates. Yet, here he was offering me two beautiful ones. After I thanked him, he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out two large agates that had been tumbled. As he held them out for me to see, he told me to select one to keep. I was shocked. He was offering me something wonderfully beautiful. He held them up to the sun so I could see the designs inside the stones. I asked him which one he would like for me to have. He selected the most beautiful of the two and placed it in my hand. At that point I told him I was visiting from Illinois. He told me to tell my friends that I found it. He said he finds them all the time. It was such a lovely moment in time.
A little later we were making our way toward our car. I was walking slower with my head down still searching for a few more for our collection. Looking up, I saw a man approaching. As he came closer, he asked me if I was having any luck finding agates. I told him not much. He stopped, opened his hand and showed me four he had found. Then he handed them to me. Surprised, I mumbled a thank you and told him we live in Illinois. His response was awesome. He said, "God bless you in Illinois." And he continued his walk along the edge of the water.
These are only two of the experiences I have had with gracious people. People who were searching just like I was and were willing to give up treasures to a stranger. When one woman learned where I live, she placed a beautiful agate in my hand and gently closed my fingers over it. She said she lives here and can look anytime. That she wanted me to have what she found.
A moment in time. A treasure far greater than a found agate. One person touching another with grace and kindness. Never to meet again yet leaving a lasting impression.
That's what it's about, isn't it? Touching others with gentle spirits. With a giving attitude. Giving up something you desire so that another can experience the same joy. Spending a moment connecting with a fellow walker on the planet. Makes me wonder how many times I could have shared yet didn't. The good thing is this. There is another day waiting for me to give of myself to others. Strangers, family, friends. And I shall.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
A New Venture
A New Venture--
Life presents new challenges almost on a daily basis. Recently I accepted a new challenge. You are the first to know.
Soon I will be opening a little shop. Its name is Daffodil Lane. The shop will be all about the home. New and refurbished furniture, lamps, rugs, original paintings and many other items will be available for browsing and purchase. In addition, I will be happy to assist anyone who wants a few suggestions about room arrangement and such.
The plan is to open by May 1. But, much has to happen before that can become a reality. Soon there will be a Facebook page to like. Please do so.
Lexington is the home of my new shop.
It is never too late to start something new that brings joy and fun into our lives and the lives of others!!
Hope to see you at Daffodil Lane.
Life presents new challenges almost on a daily basis. Recently I accepted a new challenge. You are the first to know.
Soon I will be opening a little shop. Its name is Daffodil Lane. The shop will be all about the home. New and refurbished furniture, lamps, rugs, original paintings and many other items will be available for browsing and purchase. In addition, I will be happy to assist anyone who wants a few suggestions about room arrangement and such.
The plan is to open by May 1. But, much has to happen before that can become a reality. Soon there will be a Facebook page to like. Please do so.
Lexington is the home of my new shop.
It is never too late to start something new that brings joy and fun into our lives and the lives of others!!
Hope to see you at Daffodil Lane.
There Is Time
There Is Time--
Life is filled with thoughtful moments. Moments when we stop for a bit and reflect. Moments that take us to another place and time in our lives. Thoughtful moments that slow us down. We think differently if only for a moment.
One of those thoughtful moments crashed in on me recently. You know how this happens because it has probably happened to you, too. These moments can be brought on by something we see, something someone says. Or we might find ourselves witnessing an event through new eyes. However they happen, they do happen.
It was a busy day. Traffic was crazy. People were hurrying in all directions with destinations heavy on their minds. It seemed to me that everyone but me had somewhere specific to be at a designated time. No leisurely driving around for fun. Driving with a purpose. And then I saw it.
Just ahead and on my left was a funeral home. That funeral home has been there for years and years. In fact, I don't remember a time when the building was anything but a funeral home. On this particular day the parking lot was empty. I remember being thankful for that. A brief moment in a day. A quick look while driving past.
Usually when something comes into my sight line or my mind, it remains for a short period of time. I acknowledge it and move on. But this day was different. New thoughts flooded my mind. And for some reason, I could not allow them to quickly pass through. I was stuck with them. It was as if they arrived to help me understand a new truth or an old truth that was neatly tucked away. Whatever the reason, these thoughts brought me to a new and better place in life.
My first thought was one day I would be there. Maybe not in that particular location but definitely inside a facility quite like this one. I would not be attending to show respect or celebrate the life of someone I knew and cared about. It would be me. My name on the remembrance envelopes. My family saying goodbye. My friends laughing about times shared.
While that may seem morbid to some, it served as a wake-up call to me. Thoughts crashed into my mind. The lessons I saw from this were all about the time left. What would I make of it? How would I spend it? How would my being alive on this planet help others? What habits were destructive and in need of change? Was an attitude adjustment necessary? Am I living a life from a place of love or a place of complacency?
Eventually I arrived at a traffic light. Everyone moved together in the direction of their destination. So did I. It was time to move forward with the day. My mind centered on finding a parking space. Getting to the coffee shop in time to locate an empty table and two chairs for my friend and me. We meet often to discuss the important events of life. OK.. Maybe not the world's important challenges. Mostly the challenges and joys of our lives.
I locked the earlier thoughts of the day in a safe place to be revisited another time. So, here we are discussing them. It has been a few months since that morning. I will share with you that I have thought about them often. Somewhere deep inside I feel they might be guiding me to a more peaceful place. Sanding off the edges. Removing pieces that must be thrown away. Taking me to a higher level. Causing me to stop and think before passing judgement or being critical. A lesson in love.
Isn't it wonderful how we can be caught off guard by the simplest things? How a flowering tree or shrub or the first daffodil of spring can cause us to catch our breath? It is all about the little things. The things that bring us the greatest joy are those things that do not come wrapped in lovely packages with big bows. They are those words we spoke that made others laugh. The holidays we celebrated with a meal and rememberances. The walks when we shared our deepest hurts and disappointments. Those and many others are the simple things in life that make us who we are.
Here is one thing I know. Between this moment and that day there is time.
Life is filled with thoughtful moments. Moments when we stop for a bit and reflect. Moments that take us to another place and time in our lives. Thoughtful moments that slow us down. We think differently if only for a moment.
One of those thoughtful moments crashed in on me recently. You know how this happens because it has probably happened to you, too. These moments can be brought on by something we see, something someone says. Or we might find ourselves witnessing an event through new eyes. However they happen, they do happen.
It was a busy day. Traffic was crazy. People were hurrying in all directions with destinations heavy on their minds. It seemed to me that everyone but me had somewhere specific to be at a designated time. No leisurely driving around for fun. Driving with a purpose. And then I saw it.
Just ahead and on my left was a funeral home. That funeral home has been there for years and years. In fact, I don't remember a time when the building was anything but a funeral home. On this particular day the parking lot was empty. I remember being thankful for that. A brief moment in a day. A quick look while driving past.
Usually when something comes into my sight line or my mind, it remains for a short period of time. I acknowledge it and move on. But this day was different. New thoughts flooded my mind. And for some reason, I could not allow them to quickly pass through. I was stuck with them. It was as if they arrived to help me understand a new truth or an old truth that was neatly tucked away. Whatever the reason, these thoughts brought me to a new and better place in life.
My first thought was one day I would be there. Maybe not in that particular location but definitely inside a facility quite like this one. I would not be attending to show respect or celebrate the life of someone I knew and cared about. It would be me. My name on the remembrance envelopes. My family saying goodbye. My friends laughing about times shared.
While that may seem morbid to some, it served as a wake-up call to me. Thoughts crashed into my mind. The lessons I saw from this were all about the time left. What would I make of it? How would I spend it? How would my being alive on this planet help others? What habits were destructive and in need of change? Was an attitude adjustment necessary? Am I living a life from a place of love or a place of complacency?
Eventually I arrived at a traffic light. Everyone moved together in the direction of their destination. So did I. It was time to move forward with the day. My mind centered on finding a parking space. Getting to the coffee shop in time to locate an empty table and two chairs for my friend and me. We meet often to discuss the important events of life. OK.. Maybe not the world's important challenges. Mostly the challenges and joys of our lives.
I locked the earlier thoughts of the day in a safe place to be revisited another time. So, here we are discussing them. It has been a few months since that morning. I will share with you that I have thought about them often. Somewhere deep inside I feel they might be guiding me to a more peaceful place. Sanding off the edges. Removing pieces that must be thrown away. Taking me to a higher level. Causing me to stop and think before passing judgement or being critical. A lesson in love.
Isn't it wonderful how we can be caught off guard by the simplest things? How a flowering tree or shrub or the first daffodil of spring can cause us to catch our breath? It is all about the little things. The things that bring us the greatest joy are those things that do not come wrapped in lovely packages with big bows. They are those words we spoke that made others laugh. The holidays we celebrated with a meal and rememberances. The walks when we shared our deepest hurts and disappointments. Those and many others are the simple things in life that make us who we are.
Here is one thing I know. Between this moment and that day there is time.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Another Year
Another Year--
Seeing excitement on the faces of children and teens is all most of us need to say it was a good time-a great time. Watching faces as gifts are unwrapped is one of the joys of life. What is inside? How did the giver know that this was what we wanted most? The wonder of it all.
A year has passed since we last opened gifts together. An entire year. All those days, weeks and months of living. Watching one season melt into another. Laughing with one another over some goofy thing that was said or done. A memory made. Crying about a hurt or disappointment. Vowing to learn lessons so that we don't repeat past errors. Accepting that good and bad are the stuff of life. It is how we deal with it all that makes us who we are.
Walking through gardens on an early spring day in anticipation of the beauty that will suddenly appear. Summer with flowers and plants full grown make us smile and remember what they looked like the year before. Not quite as large or full. Fall arrives. Colors fill the air. The sun comes at us from a new angle Blue skies seem bluer. Everything begins the transition. Rest. Wait. Refresh. Winter brings its own beauty. Bare tree trunks against a gray sky. Cold winds bring shivers. Scarves decorate necks. And the cycle continues.
During those seasons some have experienced loss. The kind of loss that tears at the heart and soul. A place at the table and in the heart that will not be filled. Memories everywhere. Yet, just as the seasons of the earth, humans have seasons. We are born, we grow and learn, we reach adulthood, we work, we retire, we return to that from which we came. It is the process that we all will experience. Some sooner than others. Memories.
Joy arrives with babies, weddings, new jobs, new friends, something wished for gained. Joy washes over us like beautiful snow flakes falling on a winter's night. We see it. We feel it. We taste it. It takes our breath away. We are encouraged. Joy has come. We will never be quite the same. Joy is that part of us that starts at our toes and leaps from our eyes as we enter its presence. That thing we long for every day of our lives.
Lessons learned fill the seasons. Learning when to move forward or when to turn away helps us enjoy a more satisfying life. We all have choice. There are those times when flowers planted do not grow. Do not bloom. Plants may be planted in the wrong spot. Too much sun. Too much shade. Not enough water. When we observe a plant or flower struggling to stay alive, we have a choice. Either we allow it to struggle or we move it to a better location. The same is true of life. We may find ourselves in situations that are challenging. What to do? Where to go for help? If we are to bloom and grow to our fullest, it maybe necessary to make some changes. Easy? No. But then, many things in life are not easy.
Memories fill our hearts. Remember? Remember when we stayed up late and drank a couple of bottles of wine together? Remember when we sat around a table and enjoyed a meal and good conversation? Or played cards and knew the person next to us was cheating? And we didn't care? Remember when we took a short trip on the spur of the moment and had a marvelous time? Remember when we looked at old photographs of our families and felt their closeness? Remember...These are also the seasons of our lives. We will talk about them always. Remember the day we took that trip to Chicago on the busiest shopping day of the year? Remember when we were stranded at an airport? Remember when our sweet dog left us? Hopefully, memories are mostly happy. Happy times shared.
Now we have made the cycle once again. We are grateful that we are still around. Grateful that we can enjoy one more Christmas season. One more opportunity to love on one another. To make sweet memories that will hold us through the cold winter days and nights.
Soon gifts will be opened. Eyes will light up with joy. Thanks will echo in rooms. Laughter will fill the air. Another year. Another chance to get it right. Another opportunity to tell someone you love them. To fill life with love and joy. To say I am sorry and make things better. To forgive. To seek love and peace. Don't let it pass you by.
Merry Christmas.
Seeing excitement on the faces of children and teens is all most of us need to say it was a good time-a great time. Watching faces as gifts are unwrapped is one of the joys of life. What is inside? How did the giver know that this was what we wanted most? The wonder of it all.
A year has passed since we last opened gifts together. An entire year. All those days, weeks and months of living. Watching one season melt into another. Laughing with one another over some goofy thing that was said or done. A memory made. Crying about a hurt or disappointment. Vowing to learn lessons so that we don't repeat past errors. Accepting that good and bad are the stuff of life. It is how we deal with it all that makes us who we are.
Walking through gardens on an early spring day in anticipation of the beauty that will suddenly appear. Summer with flowers and plants full grown make us smile and remember what they looked like the year before. Not quite as large or full. Fall arrives. Colors fill the air. The sun comes at us from a new angle Blue skies seem bluer. Everything begins the transition. Rest. Wait. Refresh. Winter brings its own beauty. Bare tree trunks against a gray sky. Cold winds bring shivers. Scarves decorate necks. And the cycle continues.
During those seasons some have experienced loss. The kind of loss that tears at the heart and soul. A place at the table and in the heart that will not be filled. Memories everywhere. Yet, just as the seasons of the earth, humans have seasons. We are born, we grow and learn, we reach adulthood, we work, we retire, we return to that from which we came. It is the process that we all will experience. Some sooner than others. Memories.
Joy arrives with babies, weddings, new jobs, new friends, something wished for gained. Joy washes over us like beautiful snow flakes falling on a winter's night. We see it. We feel it. We taste it. It takes our breath away. We are encouraged. Joy has come. We will never be quite the same. Joy is that part of us that starts at our toes and leaps from our eyes as we enter its presence. That thing we long for every day of our lives.
Lessons learned fill the seasons. Learning when to move forward or when to turn away helps us enjoy a more satisfying life. We all have choice. There are those times when flowers planted do not grow. Do not bloom. Plants may be planted in the wrong spot. Too much sun. Too much shade. Not enough water. When we observe a plant or flower struggling to stay alive, we have a choice. Either we allow it to struggle or we move it to a better location. The same is true of life. We may find ourselves in situations that are challenging. What to do? Where to go for help? If we are to bloom and grow to our fullest, it maybe necessary to make some changes. Easy? No. But then, many things in life are not easy.
Memories fill our hearts. Remember? Remember when we stayed up late and drank a couple of bottles of wine together? Remember when we sat around a table and enjoyed a meal and good conversation? Or played cards and knew the person next to us was cheating? And we didn't care? Remember when we took a short trip on the spur of the moment and had a marvelous time? Remember when we looked at old photographs of our families and felt their closeness? Remember...These are also the seasons of our lives. We will talk about them always. Remember the day we took that trip to Chicago on the busiest shopping day of the year? Remember when we were stranded at an airport? Remember when our sweet dog left us? Hopefully, memories are mostly happy. Happy times shared.
Now we have made the cycle once again. We are grateful that we are still around. Grateful that we can enjoy one more Christmas season. One more opportunity to love on one another. To make sweet memories that will hold us through the cold winter days and nights.
Soon gifts will be opened. Eyes will light up with joy. Thanks will echo in rooms. Laughter will fill the air. Another year. Another chance to get it right. Another opportunity to tell someone you love them. To fill life with love and joy. To say I am sorry and make things better. To forgive. To seek love and peace. Don't let it pass you by.
Merry Christmas.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Expectations
Expectations--
What are my expectations? Should I even have any? Are expectations good? Are they bad? Are they neutral? What if my expectations miss a mark? Is it possible to go beyond expectations?
Absolutely I have expectations about certain things. I expect my car to start when I get in it. I expect my house to be standing when I return from a trip. I expect my retirement check to arrive in the mail so I can pay those bills that demand payment. These are only a few of the things I hope and expect to be in place in my life. If any of these expectations cease, my life will be a little more challenged. So, yes, there are some expectations that I do have.
There are many things I do not expect. When I purchase a lottery ticket, I really do not expect my numbers to be the winning ones. But, boy I can dream! Owning a second or third home is another expectation I do not have. Add to that the latest sports car or the biggest diamond. There is no expectation that I will be the next governor or president. Being a gourmet cook is another skill that is lacking from my abilities. This list is very long.
Would I say that having expectations is good or bad? Some of both. The thing about expectations is this. If we set the mark so high that no one can ever reach it, then we are the ones who suffer. When we have a view of how things should be and are dissappointed when those expectations are not met, we feel let down. It's almost as if we have a hidden set of rules that we don't share with others. We keep them deep inside. Actually, we are playing with a stacked deck. Since others are not in on our set of expectations, they have no opportunity to even have a discussion with us. They are in the dark. In that case, expectations become negative.
They are good when we set our hearts toward our personal goals. When we want to go to a certain location and set goals toward reaching that expectation, that is a good thing. Or when we work hard at achieving something personal. Maybe winning a race or getting that hit to drive the runner on third home for the big win. Personal goals do not negatively impact others. They are set for ourselves. Certainly we can set them too high, but they are always adjustable. These types of expectations drive us forward to being better for ourselves and others.
What about Christmas? Are there expectations that are positive? Negative? The positive ones include time with family and friends. Time to celebrate whatever religious tradition we observe. Time to give a gift to someone we love. Time to listen to beautiful music prepared especially for this season. Time to hug people and say Merry Christmas. Time to embrace the season and let it move us to a place of love and peace.
Negative? Yes, that is possible. When we expect certain things or actions, and they do not show up, our feelings are hurt. We might feel that others don't love us. Or we see what others have and become aware once again that we don't have those things. Christmas can be a dreaded season when life has dealt us challenges. When we feel alone or lonely. And we all know it is possible to be lonely in a crowd of people. Or when we want to give a gift but lack the funds to do so. Especially during this season it is easy to slip into despair. Why can't our lives be like all the others we are observing?
This is what I think. Let go of expectations. Learn to love others for who they are. Not for what we think they want. Enjoy diverse personalities. Welcome unique ways of doing things. Laugh more. Smile more. Be delighted when those unexpected things occur. They are truly gifts. Give people a little space. Allow them to live their life without judgment. Simply welcome all. We don't have to be alike to have fun together. We don't have to believe the exact same things to share moments. The less we expect the happier we will be. You see, when we set expectations of others, we are making it all about us. We need to think about that a bit. Mull it over in our minds.
Life is short. Let's concentrate on the joy others bring into our lives. Let's celebrate the fact that we have the opportunity to share moments on this planet. Let's find the absolute good.
Back off expectations. Move toward love.
What are my expectations? Should I even have any? Are expectations good? Are they bad? Are they neutral? What if my expectations miss a mark? Is it possible to go beyond expectations?
Absolutely I have expectations about certain things. I expect my car to start when I get in it. I expect my house to be standing when I return from a trip. I expect my retirement check to arrive in the mail so I can pay those bills that demand payment. These are only a few of the things I hope and expect to be in place in my life. If any of these expectations cease, my life will be a little more challenged. So, yes, there are some expectations that I do have.
There are many things I do not expect. When I purchase a lottery ticket, I really do not expect my numbers to be the winning ones. But, boy I can dream! Owning a second or third home is another expectation I do not have. Add to that the latest sports car or the biggest diamond. There is no expectation that I will be the next governor or president. Being a gourmet cook is another skill that is lacking from my abilities. This list is very long.
Would I say that having expectations is good or bad? Some of both. The thing about expectations is this. If we set the mark so high that no one can ever reach it, then we are the ones who suffer. When we have a view of how things should be and are dissappointed when those expectations are not met, we feel let down. It's almost as if we have a hidden set of rules that we don't share with others. We keep them deep inside. Actually, we are playing with a stacked deck. Since others are not in on our set of expectations, they have no opportunity to even have a discussion with us. They are in the dark. In that case, expectations become negative.
They are good when we set our hearts toward our personal goals. When we want to go to a certain location and set goals toward reaching that expectation, that is a good thing. Or when we work hard at achieving something personal. Maybe winning a race or getting that hit to drive the runner on third home for the big win. Personal goals do not negatively impact others. They are set for ourselves. Certainly we can set them too high, but they are always adjustable. These types of expectations drive us forward to being better for ourselves and others.
What about Christmas? Are there expectations that are positive? Negative? The positive ones include time with family and friends. Time to celebrate whatever religious tradition we observe. Time to give a gift to someone we love. Time to listen to beautiful music prepared especially for this season. Time to hug people and say Merry Christmas. Time to embrace the season and let it move us to a place of love and peace.
Negative? Yes, that is possible. When we expect certain things or actions, and they do not show up, our feelings are hurt. We might feel that others don't love us. Or we see what others have and become aware once again that we don't have those things. Christmas can be a dreaded season when life has dealt us challenges. When we feel alone or lonely. And we all know it is possible to be lonely in a crowd of people. Or when we want to give a gift but lack the funds to do so. Especially during this season it is easy to slip into despair. Why can't our lives be like all the others we are observing?
This is what I think. Let go of expectations. Learn to love others for who they are. Not for what we think they want. Enjoy diverse personalities. Welcome unique ways of doing things. Laugh more. Smile more. Be delighted when those unexpected things occur. They are truly gifts. Give people a little space. Allow them to live their life without judgment. Simply welcome all. We don't have to be alike to have fun together. We don't have to believe the exact same things to share moments. The less we expect the happier we will be. You see, when we set expectations of others, we are making it all about us. We need to think about that a bit. Mull it over in our minds.
Life is short. Let's concentrate on the joy others bring into our lives. Let's celebrate the fact that we have the opportunity to share moments on this planet. Let's find the absolute good.
Back off expectations. Move toward love.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
I Looked
I Looked--
I looked at all the beauty in this world. I saw the kindness of people, the beauty of friendship, the wonder of this planet and all she gives, the love of family, the examples of grace in so many lives.
What I saw filled my spirit with thankfulness. May I always see others through eyes of grace and care. Always and forever.
I looked at all the beauty in this world. I saw the kindness of people, the beauty of friendship, the wonder of this planet and all she gives, the love of family, the examples of grace in so many lives.
What I saw filled my spirit with thankfulness. May I always see others through eyes of grace and care. Always and forever.
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