From Where I Sit ~ Creating Inner Space

I've been in Florida for two weeks now and I've had another big awakening.

Before we left, I thought I was pretty relaxed, centered, living with some degree of spaciousness. Though fairly busy from day-to-day, I did not feel out of sorts—at least most of the time. It has taken me arriving here to understand that there are degrees of spaciousness. I'm experiencing a new one ...

Spaciousness—I'll say it again. It's one of my favorite words in the English language. What does it mean?

To me, it speaks of having all kinds of room inside of me. It's a feeling that someone has opened all the doors and windows and warm tropic breezes are blowing through my mind and body. There is plenty of breathing space—Be-ing space—to allow what comes to come in, then move on to where it needs to go next.

That "someone" who opened the doors and windows was me—my truest self—achieved by making some new choices for myself.

I'm walking each day. 
Listening to the birds.
Sitting and watching nature unfold itself in early morning mists, mid-day sunshine, and cloud-striated sunsets.
Staying away from the computer (no TV, obviously)
Eating fresh, simply prepared foods.
Trips to the farmer's market.
Reading books from the library.
Keeping my eyes on water, whenever I can.
And an occasional drive to the ocean to walk the beach, gather shells, and ponder ...

As a result, my thinking is slowing down. There is a deeper stillness here than I've experienced in a long while ...

And because I am feeling more still and settled, a long awaited Guest has arrived. I was just biding my time ... waiting ... for it to show up and claim me. Who is this Guest? Not a he or a she, but a Spirit-led process—a slow and languorous form of writing that eventually becomes a real book.

I've been waiting two years for it to pay me a visit.

So this Guest and I are going to be spending the next two months together. It's a fairly private time so I'll be "undercover" so to speak. I have almost nothing on my calendar to crowd our days. There will be (by necessity) less "public writing" (blogging and visiting blogs) because time away from the computer is essential for us to maximize our time together. Long expanses of quiet and solitude are necessary to bring forth what wishes to be birthed. 

I'll be checking in here from time to time, as the spirit moves me, as time allows. I'll be "blogging without obligation." It's so important to honor this gentler rhythm of my days right now, so I hope you'll understand my absences. I'll pop in and give a progress report now and then, how's that?

In the meantime, I'll address comments as I can, and should you need to reach me, I'm still available. Just use the Contact form here. I'd love to hear from you.

One of my highest hopes is that each of us can walk through life fully honoring our truest selves. We do this by accessing our inner calm, which invites clarity and produces wisdom. It is vital that we listen, discern, and honor our inner rhythm—that we do what we are guided to do for our own well-being.

So today, as I write this post, sharing with you that I'm fully engaged in this process myself, I'm hoping that you will be too.

What is your spirit calling for?

Are you listening?

Are you able to answer this call and give yourself what you need to be calm, clear, and wise—to live as your truest self?

I pray that you will ...

May it be so. Amen.

~~~~~

What I'm listening to: "Inner Works" by Peter Kater

What I'm reading: First You Shave Your Head by Geri Larkin

From Where I Sit ~ A Big Lesson in Trust

Ah, Trust ...

As you may have read here previously, my beloved and I headed south—way south—from northern Michigan to southernmost Florida to set up a seasonal home as a result of his job.

We left our cozy nest without knowing where we'd land. It was an enormous leap of faith on our part that we would find a suitable place to live, in the right location, within our budget, all within a pretty tight time frame. We set up house temporarily with family and have been living in a spare bedroom, out of suitcases, complete with dog grandchildren. (Sorry, I have very little unconditional love for small barking, jumping dogs ... a growing edge, I know.)

After a week of staying in hotels and another week of spare bedroom living, I was more than ready to get settled in to a place of our own. A meeting with a realtor friend didn't turn up anything immediate. I could feel my trust level sinking. My husband buoyed me daily, reminding me that everything was in perfect order. All was well in the grander scheme of things.

Finally I stopping resisting. I stopped "looking" for the perfect place to live. I accepted this groundless feeling that had been gnawing at me for weeks. And I fell into the arms of complete Trust ...

The final push into "being in the nothing," as my husband fondly calls groundlessness, was a quote that came through my e-mail from a fellow blogger, Jenn (who's navigating her own quagmire of trust right now).

“Just stay in the center of the circle and let all things take their course.”  

~Lao Tzu

And to me this meant, stay in your center, where inner calm, faith, and trust naturally reside. Breathe ... So I did. Finally.

Guess what? I know you know what I am going to say next. 

On the same day that I did sink into complete trust, our realtor friend called and said she had a place for us. Turns out it was the same exact condo we had last year! It had not been available until NOW, as the previous tenants were having challenges and had to leave. This new little nest is ours—in a great location, for the exact dollar amount we needed, for as long as we want it. And it already feels like home because we spent part of last winter there. I love it. 

It also has most of the amenities that our Michigan nest has, though with Florida flair. Mucho peace and quiet. Sweet, considerate neighbors. It sits on a little pond full of wildlife visitors for me to watch while I sit on the lanai and write (including two alligators that swim by.) Access to a swimming pool and abundant trails to walk.

So today I am at peace after having navigated a quagmire of trust issues. Hallelujah!

How about you?

How adept are you at trusting the Universe to provide what you need? 

Do you clutch, moan, and gnash your teeth, or are you a smooth sailing chick who glides into the unknown with ease?

I'd love to hear!

P.S. This is a snapshot of our new nest. The photo above that is NOT of me, but I wish it was. I'm hoping it will be soon because it's been very chilly here. No beach or pool days yet. :-)

P.S.S. This quote came through my e-mail today from Gratefulness.org. It feels like the icing on the Trust cake. Enjoy!

Pray - period! Don't expect anything. Or better, expect nothing. 

Prayer cleanses us of expectations and allows holy will, providence, and life itself an entry. 

What could be more worth the effort -- or the noneffort?

~Thomas Moore

~~~~~

I'm heading "north" soon to Englewood, Florida. Join me at the Southwest Florida Women's Expo? I'll be speaking at 10:30 am, Sat. Feb. 20, on the topic of "Finding Your Courage, Speaking Your Truth." I'd love to meet you there! Learn more ...

From Where I Sit ~ Thoughts on Love

What's Love Got to Do With It?

From where I sit, Valentine's Day is right around the corner. I love this holiday of love ...

So before I headed south, I purchased all of my Valentine's cards and stamps because even though I was on the road I could not bear to miss this special day.

For me, it's never been about the gifts (though those can be nice). It's about the sentiment, and remembering to "officially" say 'I love you' to those I adore (though I do that all the time anyway).

I raised my three children with an abundance of love—especially verbally expressed love. Before falling off to sleep at night, it was 'I love you,' and they always answered back, 'Love you, Mom.' 

It started a lifelong habit.

Whenever we parted ways, especially when I dropped them off at school, it was 'Love you, Mom.' At the close of a phone call, 'Love you, Mom.'  It still is.

One of my proudest moments as a mother came when I realized that my absolutely pubescent, voice-changing son had no embarrassment about saying 'Love you, Mom,' in front of all of his gangly friends. He did not hesitate and didn't look one bit sheepish. He is now 26 and has never stopped saying it, no matter who he's with.

My beautiful daughters, too—now 20 and nearly 28. 'Love you, Mom,' is our ordinary sign-off and the highlight of my days.

When I thought of Valentine's Day and songs that reminded me of it, the lyrics of Tina Turner's song, "What's Love Got to Do with It?" popped into my head. In the 80s, I really liked that song, well, at least the way Tina sang and strutted it. I listened to her sing it again, today, this time on a You Tube video (here) and it struck me that she had it all wrong. Why hadn't I noticed this before?

Her answer to 'What's love got to do with it?' 

'Love's nothing but a second hand emotion.' And ...

'Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?' Wait a minute here!


True. Love can be difficult and painful. It can result in a broken heart. And I know that's what this song is all about. It's the tale of a woman who has been jilted by love and now she's protecting herself from being hurt again.

Like the woman singing the song, like you, I've suffered plenty of heartbreak in my life. Love lost. Love found. But I need to disagree with Tina (or the lyricist) about the answer to the question.

Love has everything to do with it. It's the only thing that matters. It's the only thing in this whole wide world that makes real sense—even when we've been hurt. It's the reason I get up in the morning and the reason I walk through my days the way I do.

It's all about love. Being the Love that we are sourced in, the Love to which we will return. 

No matter what is happening in our lives we are the human ambassadors of Divine Love. "God in skin," as I've been known to say.

I believe our essence is Love. This is what I taught my children, too. And that's why no matter what, no matter their age or who they are with—even if we are having a tense time—we still end with 'Love you.' Always. We are here to be the embodiment of Love to one another.

This Valentine's Day, let's rewrite the lyrics to Tina's song. 'What's love got to do with it?'

Our communal answer of 'Everything!' could rock the world. Cock-eyed optimist that I am, I believe that to be true.

And from where I sit, may I add, a big 'ole 'Love YOU!' to you for Valentine's Day? 



~~~~~

Calling all Floridians!

Just a reminder. While in Florida I am speaking at SW Florida's largest Women's Expo (Northport area), Saturday, February 20.

Also offering be workshops for women at Mystic See in Englewood, FL, beginning Thursday, February 18. I'd love to meet you there! Read more about these events ... 

From Where I Sit ~ Traveling Mercies

Traveling Mercies

The view from where I sit is changing today—from my perch overlooking the Bay to the landscape of the great Midwest as my husband and I travel south to warmer climes.

I look forward to this view. It is one of sitting and pondering and appreciating what passes by. Even though the pace of my life on a day-to-day basis is lived fairly slowly (by conscious choice), there is something very different about being a passenger in a car for hours on end just watching the scenery. 


When we did this trip last year I often felt like a child, seeing the terrain through eyes of wonder. The landscape would shift, from flat to hilly to mountainous—then to flat again—depending on what state we were in. When we got out of the car for rest stops the people had changed too. Their demeanor, the cadence of their voices withunique accents, all lent themselves to this wide-eyed wonder. 


I also experienced wonder about how different we are, yet how much the same, too. We all want the same things—creature comforts, happiness, love, good health, gainful employment, joy ... We want to be treated well, respected, appreciated.


So when we drive, I gobble up the scenery, and savor the trees, flowers, and creatures, all so different than those from where I usually sit. I try to purvey that open-hearted friendliness Midwesterners are known for. If you talk long enough to a Midwesterner, they're bound to find someone that you both know or who knows someone you know. We're funny that way. We keep talking until we make an intimate connection. Six degrees of separation ... 


I take a little notebook with me and jot down memorable things. Though I can't get too engrossed in  my ponderings because I am also the navigator (map reader) and the sentry for potholes and boulders, as my dear hubbie has sometimes missed those. Very expensive!


My growing edge is not to be a back seat driver. I sometimes do that. A bad habit, I think, from all my days as a single mom when I was always on the lookout for my children's safety. My beloved reminds me to sit back, relax, and enjoy. To trust his driving. For he is an excellent driver after all—never had an accident in 45 years of driving. But what about that boulder, I think to myself? 


There will always be boulders and potholes in life. You just can't get away from those. But why make such a big deal about them? You may hit them—or not. Why worry? Life seems like a crap shoot a lot of the time. What happens does, what doesn't doesn't.


Why not take his advice? Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Life from wherever we sit is pretty darn amazing. don't you agree?


Traveling mercies upon all of you, wherever you find yourself this week! I'll be in touch.