" Rock Bottom ... "

“ ... I feel like I'm walking a tight rope, without a circus net

I pray that god answers, maybe I'll ask nicer

That's Rock Bottom

When you feel like you've had it up to here

'Cause you're mad enough to scream but you're sad enough to tear ... “

~ Eminem ~ Rock Bottom ~

***

You are walking into the ocean and big wave comes and knocks you over.  You find yourself lying on the bottom, with sand in your face. Gasping, drowning, searching for a way.  And you have a choice ... you keep lying on the bottom or stand up and start to keep walking out to sea.

It is easier to keep lying on the bottom because you know that there is another big wave approaching, possibly to knock you down further. And so you ask yourself, do you want to live?  There is something within you, that answers YES ... and in that moment when you decide to cultivate courage and bravery ... humour arises.  Because you realize that the waves never stop coming but they may seem to get smaller.  You realize that you may just need float on your back rather than swim against the current. 

There is a softness and vulnerability that emerges during this time, with your best qualities come out of suffering.  When these things happen in our life, and we choose to get up, and keep walking out to the sea, we are not shielding ourselves.  We are not guarding ourselves.  We are real.

And so ... walking out to sea, that same wave keeps knocking me down.  Falling face forward, with sand in my mouth, I get up, again ... I realize how tired I am but also that the waves may not be smaller, but my ability to swim or ride gets better.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Hope ... "

“ .. I hope that the world stops raining

Stops turning it’s back on the young

See nobody here is blameless

I hope that we can fix all that we’ve done ... 

I hope we start seeing forever

Instead of what we can gain in a day ... 

I hope we stop taking for granted

All of the land and all of the sea

I’m taking a chance on loving

I hope that you take it with me

I just hope I’m not the only one

I just hope I’m not the only one

I just hope I’m not the only one ... “

~ Emeli Sande ~ Hope ~ 

***

Some days, it is hard to navigate hope.  Some days, it is hard to look forward to the future and believe that the best is waiting for you ... some days.

... keeping the belief 

that your higher power 

has your best interest at heart ... 

asking you 

to trust in your divine source 

for guidance ... 

Being hopeful and believing that the future can be brighter is a positive step, but the unwillingness to accept the past or present as it is and using it as an escape, isn’t.  Once you learn to accept the realities of your experiences without denying them, you can have real hope.  It’s just getting there which is the tough part ... some days.

It is a process ... relying on your faith to keep hope alive and accepting what is.  It is possible to find inner strength to support your struggle ... and intend for a encompassing recovery.  But it is just that ... an intention knowing that attachment to a certain outcome is suffering.

And when it comes to hope, it doesn’t need to be defended, it just needs to be supported.  Perhaps others call it blind faith.  Whatever it may be, it comes from within.  And some days, it is all you got ... and it is just so hard to find it.  So you do the next best thing ... express gratitude.  

Gratitude for all that is and available to you in this moment.  It may not be what you wished for, it may not be what you wanted ... but you still have a choice.  A choice to move forward and serve.  Turning life's challenges into opportunities for transformation.  But you have to dig deep, real deep.  So deep that you never thought you could.  Every single part of you has to want it.  

And it is hard ... some days.

But I am realizing that the navigating hope is really a coping mechanism ... some days are stronger, others not so much.  And those days, I appreciate the impermanence of the moment.  Precious moments of life can be lost to discouragement.  It is about re framing your thoughts and reworking your perspective.  It is about setting your intentions and putting your attention to it ... It is about staying focused, staying thankful and staying hopeful ... some days.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Charity Case ... "

Give, give, give it away now ...

I don't know what matters to you at this moment

But that's all that matters to me

How are you? (How are you?)

Knock on wood ...

Oh can't you see, oh can't you see

If I help somebody, baby there's mercy for me 

Ahhh charity! 

Charity!! You better give it to somebody

~ Gnarls Barkley ~ Charity Case ~

***

With the recent ALS Ice Bucket Challenge fad, you can’t seem to get away from someone throwing a bucket somewhere.  Thanks to the ALS Association, who had their first press release on August 13 about the phenomenon, by August 24, $70.2 million dollars has been raised, amazing.  So it seems that this fad has outlasted all expectations.  I imagine the celebrity endorsements doesn’t hurt.  And even if you think it is silly or dangerous, or both, and you don’t want to pour ice water all over yourself, you can still donate to ALS.

Just a simple question ... how will the money be spent? 

(ALS association ... no comment, yet)

With that in mind, I will not be participating in the challenge and those that know me, know why.  As my friend Marcia said, “I am more than happy to write a check, which is what I am doing, to individuals, or families of individuals, but also continuing to help people understand it isn't the amount of years that matter, it's what we do in those years that matter.”

With my own personal health journey, I have not benefited from ANY Cancer foundation and nor will I.  Why?  Because my treatment of choice is not the “approved” protocol.  Bottom line:  unless you follow the standard, approved protocol, regardless of lethal side effects, your treatment will not be approved ... therefore NO MONEY avail ... gulp!!  PLUS: I have volunteered for a specific cancer foundation in the past and from what I’ve learned, I cannot, in good faith, donate.  Sadly, I am suspicious of most large charitable foundations who are not transparent ...

So where does that all leave all the millions of people we see, including family and friends who are participating?  With a good sense of charity.  This marketing scheme is brilliant considering the number of cases every year that are diagnosed ... in comparison to heart disease, cancer, MS.

It is in us to give ... and when we give, we get so much more in return.  So many may not care about the money that is raised, or the celebrity that is soaked, or the way the challenge is done.  They may only care about raising awareness.  Awareness to a dis-ease that has either effected them, or someone they love.  And for that, I humbly applaud them ... all while staying warm, dry and fully aware of the challenge any one of us may face, any day.

www.walkstrong.ca