" The Hurry and The Harm ... "

“ But why are we so worried more about the hurry 

and less about the harm?

Always trying to conquer that which does not offer 

anything more than a broken heart.

Oh what a cost for love ...

Only want oh simple things, 

mourning the loss and what could have been.

When did I let go to all that I use to know 

this grave mistake has left an absence of hope.

I'm going back to the start “

~ City And Colour ~ The Hurry And The Harm ~

***

We all have it in us to behave in the ways we judge others.  That is why we judge, because we are judging a part of us.  A dark part of us that we keep hidden.  That no one sees.  But it is still there.  Lurking.  Waiting.  Wondering what will be the trigger. 

Recently, we watched a great movie, The Dhamma Brothers, in our weekly meditation crew.  Highly recommended, we had an opportunity to see transformations occur within people who had been written off by society.  Truly a powerful movie.

And it made me think ... is someone bad or did they behave badly?  Do we shame people in our lives, for what they did, by labelling them rather than the act?  There are always consequences to our actions as the actions themselves carry power.  What we do and say has this power, meaning and purpose.  

And sometimes ... we just make 

really. poor. choices.

But as it is being explained to me ... to harm another individual, you have to experience harm personally.  That is how you know the difference.  A terrorist has been terrorized.  A rapist has been violated.  It is learned, taught, shown, explained ... it is EXPERIENCED first ... that is if you believe this way.  Some don’t so whatever floats your boat.

Yet, we are judged very quickly on what we do wrong, rather than all the things we do right.  And many don’t want to believe or accept that someone can change.  I have heard many times ... “A leopard doesn’t change it’s spots” ... but isn't that because he was born with them on his skin?  Rather, we can change our behaviour ... how we respond, act and do.

We learn that nothing out “there” will make us happy ... chasing after something that doesn't last.  All is temporary.  All is impermanent.  And this can provide a sense of chaos or relief in your life ... depending on where you are in your journey.  

The bad news is, all things are temporary

The good news is, all things are temporary

Perspective is what will give you a chance to consider another possibility.  Another way because maybe your road can be less bumpy.  And really that is where I am at.  When cancer lives with you, there is a shit of stuff that comes to the surface.  And you have sift through, process and let it go.  In the beginning, you are venturing into unknown territory.  But when the fear of the unknown turns into curiosity for what is, the dark parts don’t seem as ... dark.  When the time is as it should be, a crack appears, which allows the light to shine out.  The light that was and always is within all of us.

If you took a selfie of your soul, 

you’d see how beautiful you really are ...

We forget to practice the most important practice ... loving kindness towards ourselves.  It is time to believe in yourself.  It is time to listen within.  

BE in stillness ... the answers are all there.

www.walkstrong.ca

" The Walk Home ...

The walk home
Was cold
But I'm wrapped in a soft blanket of self-satisfaction ...
Take note
Renewed hopes
Catch myself smiling at the people passing by as I pass em by

How did time pass me by
It's not that I was wasn't breathing just not living ...

And well just let time go by
Enjoy the feelings of each other breathing
Never compromise
Find that one love
The one you dream of and never let go

~ Stephen Covell ~ The Walk Home ~

***

Ram Dass said “we are all just walking each other home” ... a good reminder.  Why?  ... because it is so easy to feel disheartened by those who cause issues in our lives, whether purposely or otherwise.  Yet, these people actually have so much to offer us.  It is a reminder that they too are fighting a hard battle.

We all want to be loved, supported and free to be who we really are.  So focus on how alike we are to one another rather than being right about the idea that we are so different.  Wonderful in theory but oh so difficult to practice.

Another way to reflect on this is we are all just here to help each other find our way back to our heart, our authentic self and to live the life we were born to live.  And thankfully we can learn from children.  Children don’t wonder who they are, they just are.  It is when we grow up and learn to lead socially acceptable lives we part away from simple and effortless knowing.  The connection is lost.  We then yearn from within, to find ourselves and find our way back to our soul.  A time of crisis ... similar to a mid-life one.

who am I ... why am I here ... what is my purpose ...

Family, friends and even adversaries are either meant to be with us for life or rather a finite period of time, fulfilling very specific purposes, before our paths diverge again.  As we are all to familiar with people come in our lives for a blessing, purpose or lesson.

I have learned that there are no coincidences, detours or accidents in this life.  Instead they are very much a part of our path, even if the experiences while going through them are painful.  Yes painful ... experiencing hardship is by virtue a walk for us to gain clarity about who we are and what we want even if it’s through the contrast of reflecting back to us who we are not or do not want to become, and what we do not want to experience.

You begin to recognize your intelligence, your potential, your strength, your beauty, your perfection ... 

So now a moment to ponder who has walked you home, professionally and personally, currently and previously.  Some may make you happy, others sad, but each and everyone of them deserves a thank-you.  Massive gratitude because they helped you pull back the layers and find YOU ... and yes, a work in progress because every one you meet has the opportunity to do just that.

Ultimately the challenge is to forgive those who hurt you and allow yourself to heal.  Their gift to assist you in your transformation would not have occurred unless you endure the experience ... a blessing, purpose and lesson.

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light“ 

~ Helen Keller

thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you* thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you* thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you* thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you * thank-you* 

" Like You ... "

Grieving for you,

I'm not grieving for you.

Nothing real love can't undo,

And though I may have lost my way,

All paths lead straight to you ...

You're not alone,

No matter what they told you, you're not alone.

I'll be right beside you forevermore ...

And as we lay in silent bliss,

I know you remember me.

~ Evanescence ~ Like You ~

***

Have you ever asked yourself, “would you like you if you met you?” ... or “what kind of vibe do you give off?” .. or “what am I giving back to those around me?”

You see we all want positive influences in our lives.  We search and search in hopes to forage friendships that inspire us ... yet often we forget to ask ourselves if we are positive influences.  

So back to the questions, can you honestly say you are happy with the answers?  Just think about the times you are just plain not fun to be around ... you are in a rush, stressed, or impatient.  Because who wants to be around someone who isn’t enjoying the moment.

Believe that if you want to be around a certain type of person, you need to be that type of person ...

At our very core we have certain attributes and characteristics that make us who we are ... so this isn’t about changing ourselves, it is about being true to ourselves.  Your authenticity will inspire others to be comfortable with who they are.  

I study those I admire, their behaviours and traits ... and found that they are:

• present ~ here = now ... enjoy this very moment, which is all we truly have.
• open ... receptive and encouraging ... willing to hear what others have to say
• good listeners ... instead of reacting immediate they take a moment to absorb what they hear
• flexible ... break out of their comfort zones and compromise
• focus on the positive ... bring good energy and focus on blessings
• interested and interesting ... believe that where ever they are and whatever they are doing, something interesting is going on.
• 
  

So would you like you if you met you?

Assessing ways to become more enjoyable breeds more joy in our lives.  We attract the same type of people and events while staying true to ourselves ... supporting you being the kind of person you’d like if you met you.

" So-Called Chaos ... "

Heartburn and headaches and soon-to-be ulcers

Compulsive yearnings non-stop to please others ...

Line towing, and helping, expectations up to living

Inside box obeying, inside line coloring ...

I want to invite this so called chaos, 

that you'd think I dare not be

I want to be weightless, 

flying through the air

I want to drop all these limitations and 

return to what I was born to be

~ Alanis Morissette ~ So-Called Chaos ~

***

Everyday Chaos.  I use to think that is what described life and how it was spent.  The real world going in and out of focus, entirely affected by my emotions, senses and desires.  Thinking I could cope, thinking I could manage ... and then feeling overwhelmed, disenchanted and disconnected from my actual experience of living.  

Limbo land and the paralysis it brings by what you perceive as a complication, an uncertainty, unpredictable in nature and full of shock and surprises.  Personally, at times the more I thought about trying to plan my future, the more stressed and anxious I would become.  Stress had become the new norm and anxiety my new best friend.  

Everyday chaos is unsettling so it is natural to want to do something, anything  to ease the pain or escape the discomfort.  Yet when your thoughts are muddled and your emotions control you, your decisions don’t reflect the rational thinking you are capable of.  And so you are driven by chaos.

And what brings chaos ... the turbulence of change.  It is a state of foggy thinking, out of focus, physical stress and emotions that are different from what is considered typical.

Only when I allowed faith and knowledge of my authentic self to clear the way, 

I moved through this physical experience ...

In the midst of chaos, I learned a strategy that seems to work ... not to do anything that I couldn’t undo ... not to make any irreversible decisions I might regret later.  Some view it as denial, others as insanity.  But for me, it is far preferable to wait till the chaos diminishes before taking action.

I have learned that no matter how bad chaos is in the moment, I feel better once I stop and live in the gap ... the gap between what has happened and what I am going to do about it.  I need to put off doing “something” about it to avoid having serious repercussions.  In the past, my reaction to chaos has had consequences I regret. 

Now I consciously scatter fragments of anxiety and fear.  Now I consciously give no power to the chaos outside of me.  Now I consciously remind myself that the present moment is all that is, all that will ever be.  Now I consciously embrace the NOW and just be.

You control you mind, your mind does not control you.  Knowing how to deal with uncertainty is fully realizing that life has always been unpredictable and full of chaos.  Life can be complicated and fast.   Life is impermanence and imperfect.  My life is no more or less than anyone elses and things have a way of working out in the end ... and so it is.

live in divine chaos, 

embrace it, 

forgive yourself, 

breathe, and enjoy the ride