Better Days

Myrna Loy Vintage.es

With all the fuss of the holiday season, or perhaps for you personally, no fuss at all, but instead dread and loneliness – I want to say, give yourself something this year. Meant just for you. Kept close to your chest. 

Give yourself the gift of optimism. I know, it sounds whimsical. As if nothing more than fairy dust. Its not. You would be wise not to underestimate the magic inherent to this most special feeling. Because there is magic within optimism. Truly.

If you are bold, share it. But what matters most to me is that you feel it. You can keep it all to yourself if you like. And if that feels best, do only that. Feel it within. 

Humans possess these most peculiar things called feelings. For what purpose. I’ll tell you. They represent where you are in the moment, and represent your vibration; emitted to the world around you and far beyond. The Universe responds to your feelings. You respond to your feelings. Your feelings – vibration – sets the wheels into motion. The essence of what you feel is then repeated in your life, over and over. So as you let go of this past year, and turn to face the one before you – give yourself the gift of optimism. 

I want you to actually, deliberately give it to yourself. You deserve it. And no one is going to give you this gift, except you. I don’t know what is before you. I don’t know what has happened over the past year, two years, or decade – or for some – your whole life. I do know that many have endured hardships that’ve made it hard to find the joy in life. I know this feeling. Oh dear reader, I know it well. And I would be lying if I said I don’t still struggle to find the joy, every now and again. It happens to us all.

Joy exists. It’s on the path. Getting there starts with optimism. It starts with hope. It starts small. Its the first step. Take it. Within everything, find something that is going well. And if not well, then not horrible. And if that’s not doable, if what’s before you is void of any hope – shift your gaze. Please. 

Look to nature. It always possesses optimism. It never fails to show what can be. It never fails to show the promise of change. Out of tough times, buried under the cold hard ground, can spring life. How a magnificent flower can possibly push through the dirt is beyond me, but it does. And so can you. 

I like to think that little seed buried under all that weight, is optimist. It wants to see what rests ahead. It is hopeful that if it follows the urge to move forward it will, one day, see the sun. Often, I feel like that seed. Buried. But, I’m moving. And eventually I will see the sun. And more often than not, I have and do and will. 

So together, let’s let go of this last year. Regardless of what went down, let’s send it off with love and light. And together, give ourselves the gift of optimism. And with that, turn our gaze upward – to better days. 

Sane

Gifting

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If I could give you one gift this Christmas, it would be to strengthen you so that you never give up on your dreams. I would keep your resolve deep and strong, so that you never grow weak and set aside your desires.

All I can give you are my words, however. So please pull from these simple sentiments the strength you need to realize there is room in this world for you to flourish; there is room for you to assist others while assisting yourself. Please know this post comes from a very tender place within me; as setting myself and my desires aside is something I so often do. It is times like these when I’m alone, when my gaze shifts onto the snow as it cascades slowly from the sky, when my music plays softly in the background, and the voice of God whispers unfettered into my ear, that I listen with the most clarity.

There is nothing more challenging to me, than giving unto myself. I love to watch those around me flourish. I love to watch their soul burst free like a seedling pushing toward the sun. In a large part, that is why I feel I am here – to be that oak upon which others lean, to be that safe harbor from the storm; to be somewhere soft upon which to land. And then I sit alone, watching the snow. I smile inside, while a tear cascades down my face. And the voice whispers into my ear, “You, dear child, need these things too. Find your oak, find your lighthouse, find a soft place to rest.”

This Christmas, dear reader, I ask that you find these things too. Reach far. Reach deep. Go where you’ve never gone before. Never forget that if  you have a dream within you, it has purpose. It would not have been conjured otherwise. And it would not be infused with that stirring feeling if the Universe wasn’t there backing your desire. Go, and give this gift to yourself. You are not taking from anyone, when you give unto yourself in this way. If anything, you will teach, and therefore help, by example. Give yourself those things that empower you. Then you can help empower the world. Give to yourself that which fills you with joy. Just because these things have not manifested or easily fallen into place does not mean they are not real. They are real by virtue of being within you. It all starts within. It all starts with a stirring. Creation starts with a simple thought. Then you cause it to grow by your desire, dedication and action.

Never let go of your dreams. They are the gift you give yourself.

Merry Christmas, dear reader, Merry Christmas.

Sane

Picture Perfect

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Christmas will soon be here. Before long children who have plenty will be getting more. And many children who, despite being good all year, just as Santa required of them, will get little. I don’t much care for the myth of Santa Claus. I feel this holiday, that sits right after winter solstice, should be a time of remembrance, a time of gratefulness, a time of giving to those beyond one’s own. Even I have had to look at my own life, and realize I was not teaching my children these things.

Some of us fall into this by way of getting caught up in the flurry of marketing, or keeping up with the Jones’s. Some of us fall prey to it by way of guilt, due to upheaval that we feel convinced has robbed our children of the Normal Rockwell life with which we’d hoped to provide them. My life has never fit the one’s so perfectly represented in those paintings; never has, even when young. The dissonance between my life and those representing the norm in movies, cards and in the media, always filled me with sadness. And in time I came to loathe the little Christmas villages people would set up in their homes. I didn’t like the perfection, as it was surely nothing I’d ever known. I wanted to know it, though.

Through years of study, I’ve come to realize that we often cling to or turn away from, that which we don’t have. For a moment in time we want to control our world. And if we can’t control it as a whole, we will for a few days, or by arranging beautiful little houses, cathedrals and people who sit upon glass on a table in our home. And that’s okay. We all need our moments. We all need our own personal mechanisms. I do wish though, that we as a collective whole, put as much effort into trying to create a perfect world. That we expanded our reach so that it touched not just our own, but those who have no one. I’m quite certain that is how Jesus would have approached the celebration of Christmas. I think he would have taken the gifts given to him, and handed them to another. There is perfection in that act.

Due to such, a few days ago, I told both my children that I had failed to teach them the most important  aspect of the Christmas celebration – giving. Giving not money, but the gift of their time, effort and compassion towards another. So with that, the biggest part of Christmas for us this year, will be giving of ourselves to the local Humane Society.

I’m the kind that would much rather celebrate winter solstice. I like that its untouched by the masses. And yet, it’s when nature says, “It is time to shift. It is time for us to move in another direction.” We all need to stop, take notice of where we are, what we are doing, what we are teaching and what we are giving – then shift in a new direction. So as we slowly creep away from darkness, and back toward longer days of full light, I’m also shifting into teaching my children one of the most important life lesson’s one can teach their child – give of yourself – when you do, you give back to you; you give back to the world. And something about that, represents the picture perfect Christmas to me.

Sane

And So This Is Christmas

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So here we are, Christmas Eve. I tend to observe the holidays more than anything else. I find them to be an excellent snapshot into human behavior. Not that I’m judging the behavior. More so, I find it interesting.

It is a time when so many scurry to sit in church, even though they strive to have no communion with God on a daily basis. There must be something about the ritual though that soothes them. And that is good. A good glass of wine soothes me. Whereas, I tend to commune with God daily. Some might find my method a bit odd too. I’ll give them that.

If I could stop the clock and recreate this most unique of holidays, I would rearrange a few things. I would say the thing we do with unbridled enthusiasm isn’t to give to our children more and more objects. But instead, to take our children’s hands and help them wrap presents for those in need. I would say that instead of indulging in gluttony at the dinner table, that we give such a feast to those who would never have it otherwise. And I would say that when we want to carve out a moment to sit in the presence of God that we do so not where anyone can see us. But instead, we sit in the silence of the woods or by a stream. A place where God’s voice is whispered through the trees, not by man.

It’s an odd thing watching this holiday diminish before my eyes. As a child of the seventies, it had already taken a good hit by the time I had formed my first memory.

As I sit here, my house quiet; my dog asleep; candles lighting this sacred space I call my own; I have to wonder about the way in which so many celebrate the birth of Christ. This magnificent teacher gave his life for others, and yet more often than not we use this time to give no further than those under our roof. Am I the only one that notices the irony? Does our society need yet another reason to give to ourselves? Christ gave to others. He gave his life – if I remember correctly. And in his honor, in celebration of him, the masses give to those who already have so much – for the most part, ignoring those who are most in need.

I always cringe when I know my words are like that of a wet blanket. I too love giving to those I adore. But what if when we did, out of honor for Christ who’s birthday we are celebrating, we also gave to those that Christ would have helped?

I realize these are just the ramblings of one writer, but these thoughts rest behind every moment of recognition I have regarding this holiday. There is something divine when giving to someone in need; even when what we give is only that of a gesture or act of kindness. In those moments the air is infused with love – even if only briefly. What if on this most special of days, the only gift we gave was love? Save the expensive gifts and gadgetry for another day. But in honor of the one that wanted only to teach of the importance of walking daily with love, we gave love. That, dear reader, would make for a very Merry Christmas.

So, on that note, I give you a piece of my love. Know that in each of these posts, I am considering your feelings, your struggles and your deeper truths. I value you, and feel you deserve what love I can give. I hope you feel the purity of my love, and find peace this holiday, within yourself – because once found there – its found everywhere.

Sane

John Lennon – Happy Xmas (War Is Over)