In the midst of a seemingly impossible task, what's the intention sent out by my thoughts and emotions? How does that impact the challenge that lies before me and its resolution? Early one morning I looked down from my second story window and the opportunity to reflect on the answers to these questions appeared on the street below. A young woman was parallel parking...a skill she clearly had not yet mastered. Her initial attempts resulted in the car positioned almost perpendicular to the curb. From my perch above I sent positive thoughts and cheered her on but my passive "assistance" had little or no effect. She persevered but without changing her course of action and consequently each effort ended in failure until she pulled back into the street and turned the corner. Still in my pajamas, I quickly dressed with the intention of lending a more active form of support. If she returned, I would go down and offer a quick lesson in parallel parking. Dressed and back at the window, I saw that she had indeed returned. Applauding her tenacity, I hurried down to the street only to see that she had surrendered to failure and was driving away. As I wished her well, the car just in front of her intended parking space drove off leaving a huge space that would have guaranteed effortless success. A firm believer that many clues and opportunities to learn pass my way throughout each day, I stood there wondering why I had just witnessed this particular scene outside my literal and figurative window.
- When a daunting, not yet mastered task lies before me it's good to remember the wisdom of Henry Ford..."Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." - No matter how persistent, if I continue pursuing what does not work without changing my course of action, my efforts will end in failure. - Assistance, guidance and support -- in both seen and unseen forms -- are available in infinite supply and the only requirements to receiving it are to believe, to trust, to ask (as much by the thoughts I think as by the words I speak) and to allow. - It helps to remember that miraculous solutions often arrive in unexpected ways and in their own time...so be open to the how and when and don't give up. May this be a day of eyes and heart wide open looking for and finding opportunities to receive assistance, guidance and support...and to be a source of giving it to others. As the sun slowly rose and transformed the horizon from deep indigo...to lavender...to rose...and, finally to a magnificent peach, I received the perfectly-timed and powerful reminder that each new day brings the gift to see -- and to seize -- the opportunity to begin again. A few moments of reflection on the gift led me to a question. What does it really mean to begin again? I felt guided to begin my search for the answer by consulting a dictionary where one definition led me to another and another...and a theme of creative power was revealed.
begin (bi gin), v. 1. to commence; initiate; set into motion initiate (i nish e at), v. 1. the active, often ingenious first act in a new field active (ak tiv), adj. 1. capable of exerting influence ingenious (in jen yes), adj. 1. characterized by originality of invention first (furst), adj. 1. before others in time, rank, importance new (noo), adj. 1. appearing for the first time field (feld), n. 1. a region of space under the influence of some agent exerting (ig zur-ting), v. 1. to put forth as power influence (in floo ens), n. 1. the power to produce effects invention (in ven shen), n. 1. the exercise of creative power power (pou er), n. 1. the great ability to do or to act produce (pre doos), v. 1. to create; to bring forth; give birth to effect (i fekt), n. 1. the power to produce intended results intend (in tend), v. 1. to have in mind as something to bring about create (kre at) v. 1. to cause to come into being Looking back at the horizon and the golden glow that was inspiring me to create something vibrantly new, life-affirming and expansive with loving possibilities, I discovered another question rising to the surface of my awareness. What is it I intend to use my power to create? So MANY possibilities! I caught myself just before my "monkey mind" engaged to tell me what was and was not possible, what I can and cannot do with the gift of a new beginning. I paused. I closed my eyes. I breathed deeply. I reflected on, blessed and released everything that had brought me to this moment...letting go of the old, of what was and making room for the new, of what will now be. And what is that? The yappity-yap of my mind began making a long list and argued ridiculously for each to be the top priority. I breathed some more. I turned the volume of my mind down low and listened for the wisdom of my heart. "Go beyond all limitations and be willing to receive what is highest and most loving." OK.... My intention for this new beginning? With ease and grace, gratitude and joy, I am receiving the highest, most loving potential within every cell of my body...within every moment of my day...within every day of my life. With arms and heart wide open, I am ready to step into this day guided by the powerful alchemy of all new creations: intention, focus and choices. A new dawn...a new day...a new beginning. May this be a day of seeing -- and seizing -- a new beginning that is vibrant, life-affirming and expansive with the highest, most loving possibilities. I get a lot of reminders to focus my attention in ways that move me lovingly forward on my path, into my day, into the meaning of my life. I call them clues. I believe we all get them...we just need to pay attention. My clue today came in the form of the early morning sunlight shining through a single leaf on a peace lily. The light was shining in a way that made the leaf seem illuminated from within. That luminous green felt like a glorious invitation to pay attention. So, I did. I paused. I paid attention. And, I waited to see where the clue would lead me. Sometimes the clue simply leads me to be filled with appreciation and gratitude for the moment. Sometimes it leads me to a deeper awareness and understanding of an event occurring in my life...like today and the powerful crossroads I now stand before that is presenting me with the choice of two paths. One path feels familiar and I find that familiarity comforting. It will lead me to more of the same. It will lead me to doing more of what I already know how to do. And (this is the big "a-ha")...it will eventually circle me back to this very same crossroads. The other path feels unknown and unproven and I find that mystery challenging, not so comforting. It will lead me to something different. It will lead me to doing, not only what I have never done before, but to what I have not deeply, truly believed was possible...until now. Along comes another clue to guide me forward. It is this path, the path of mystery and new possibilities, that simultaneously terrifies and exhilarates me...a sign that I am ready to stretch and grow. I gaze back at the glowing green leaf and realize that I, too, feel illuminated from within...by a loving, new boldness and confidence. I step forward onto the less-traveled path, smile at the thought of Robert Frost's poem, and trust that this is the choice and the path that makes all the difference.
May today be a day of stepping boldly and confidently into all of the loving, new possibilities that are waiting for us to say, "Yes, I can!" I recently had the pleasure of dog-sitting for my friends while they were on a summer vacation. During a particularly hot, steamy day that kept us inside appreciating the AC, I did a little cleaning. Nothing extravagant... hardly noticeable. When my friends returned home, I got a call thanking me for the cleaning and I heard myself say, "I always hope to leave things just a little better than before I arrived." It was the first time I had ever spoken those words out loud and they stayed with me long after the phone conversation ended. What a great "Code of Conduct" to live by: to leave everything and everyone just a little better, just a little brighter...to raise the vibration just a bit...to add something positive and leave something good behind. It doesn't need to be extravagant. It might hardly be noticeable. Just something good, positive, loving left behind without thoughts or expectations for reciprocation or acknowledgement. A smile. A gentle touch. An acknowledgement that offers the gift of being seen and heard. A small kindness. A focused attention to what is being said or done. A warm greeting. A wee delight. A sincere wish for a day of ease and joyful resolutions. A gaze that communicates, "I am present with you in this moment." An empowering word of encouragement. A helping hand. An open door. An open heart. When the moment of opportunity arrives...and it truly does arrive each and every moment...with family members, friends, co-workers, store clerks, passing strangers, fellow rush-hour travelers...when that moment arrives, I intend to remember that I have the power and the choice to leave behind something good, something positive, something loving. I intend to remember that I also have the power and the choice to be open to, to be aware of, and to receive something good, something positive, something loving from those who are offering it to me. And then, we all become a little better...we all shine a little brighter...and the life we live and the world we live in becomes a better one.
May today be a day of saying "yes" to the infinite opportunities that lie before us to leave a wake of love behind us. I start most days with a little yoga. This morning while standing on one leg in tree pose, I was reminded of the power and importance of balance. Finding balance within the pose became an analogy for creating balance in my life. When I remembered to stay focused in the moment, to breathe, to trust and to relax, I felt centered -- not too far left or right, not too far forward or back. Balance seemed effortless. When I forgot to stay focused in the moment, when I held my breath, tensed, strained or struggled, I began to wobble -- left, right, forward, back. Balance seemed beyond me. That's true about my life, too. When I invest my energy in struggle and strain, I loose my balance. When I give too much energy out (lean to the right) or when I receive too little energy back in (lean to the left), I loose balance. When I direct my energy toward past regrets (lean back) or toward future worries (lean forward), I loose balance. Achieving and maintaining balance seems to be one of those very simple but not so easy choices that have the power to transform the quality of life...one moment at a time. So, whether finding my balance in tree pose or creating balance in my life, every day I practice and every day I make progress staying present to each moment and feeling this truth -- this balance -- to my core:
I am the loved...and I am the loving. I am the blessed...and I am the blessing. I am the healed...and I am the healing. I am...and so are you. May today be a day of balance. As Henry Ford so eloquently put it, "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." So, what do I believe I can create and experience today? What do I believe is possible? Do I want to create a day that is defined by boundaries and limitations? Or, do I want to expand, stretch and step beyond those boundaries and create a day of infinite possibilities, including those that may be considered impossible?
Today, I choose to stretch and expand. Today, I choose the window of opportunity that leads to the possibilities of mystery, magic and miracle. My "little brain"/mind/ego snickers at such a preposterous choice. But, my "big brain"/wisdom/spirit cheers and applauds my willingness to step into the mystery of the unknown and create something new. Why not me? Why not now? Expanding the boundaries of what's possible by stepping into the vast mystery of what's not yet known and not yet proven to be true has created "miracles", many of which we now take for granted: planting the very first acorn that transformed into a tree; sailing to the very edge of a flat world and then beyond; flying through the air on a 300 ton machine held together with nuts and bolts; exchanging, literally, a diseased heart for a healthy one; communicating with someone on the other side of the planet in the blink of an eye; changing the structure of a water molecule with a word or a thought; listening to hours of music on something no bigger than a matchbook. The list is infinite. The limitations are non-existent. The boundaries are an illusion. All it takes is one courageous person willing to step into the unknown and to believe it is, indeed, possible to transform the impossible into the possible. What "impossible" situation, what problem with no known solution can be transformed by expanding the boundaries of what I believe is possible? Once again, the list is infinite: things small to overwhelming; things relating to body, mind or spirit; things of a personal, national or global nature. Why not? Why not me? Why not now? Imagine the power of a room of such believers...a city...a nation...the entire planet. Imagine the possibilities, the magic, the miracles! May today be a day of believing one "impossible" thing and transforming it into the realm of the possible. P.S. Coming soon! Check back for the acorn blog "Quantum 101"...the science that proves what we choose to focus on/observe actually collapses infinite possibilities into the one we experience. WOW! I looked out my window one day and realized the truth of the saying, "My barn having burned down, I can now see the moon." The magnificent tree that brought me such deep peace, joy and healing during so many of my steps on the journey to now was marked for destruction. I grieved at the coming loss. I expressed my gratitude for her gift and I waited, knowing what was to come. It came. They took her beautiful limbs and carried them away, leaving a harsh skeleton of her former beauty. Each day I gazed upon her diminished presence. Finally, they came to cut her down. I said goodbye and one final thank you. Within just a few minutes, what had taken a life time to grow was gone. I now have a new view outside my window. In my beloved tree's absence, I can now see the many magnificent trees that had always been there. Waiting for me, just beyond the letting go of something held precious...was even more beauty, joy and healing.
May today be a day of letting go, with grace and gratitude, of what has served its purpose...and seeing, with heart and eyes wide open, the beauty of what lies waiting for us beyond. Not long ago, my brother reflected on our relationship...to each other and to life. He referred to himself as "mile wide and inch deep" and to me as "inch wide and mile deep." What a perfect analogy -- no right, no wrong, no judgment. Our differences serve us well. Acknowledging and honoring our differences makes it possible to learn from each other. A few days later, I saw a "Peanuts" cartoon. Charlie and Lucy were standing on the deck of a cruise ship. Ever the philosopher, Lucy was explaining that there are two types of people: those that sit at the back of the ship so they can see where they've been; and, those that sit at the front of the ship so they can see where they're headed. Charlie's response was that he seems to spend most of his time just trying to get his deck chair open. Those three approaches to life probably sum up the population of the planet. Oh...except for the "mile deep" folks. We spend quite a bit of the journey searching for wood from a sustainable forest, making our own deck chairs, and then miraculously maneuvering them up into the crow's nest for a panoramic view. It doesn't matter how wide we are or how deep. It doesn't matter if we're sitting at the back of the ship, at the front of the ship, still setting up our deck chair or are up in the crow's nest. We matter. We all matter. We all are different in such magnificent ways...each a unique piece of the puzzle that fits together to make the whole...world...better. May today be a day of acknowledging, honoring and learning from our differences. |