Being Thankful

On this Thanksgiving Day we all pause and reflect what to give thanks for and I know that for many of us the last few years has been difficult. Let’s not forget that ultimately it is blessing that we are still here and even more if we are with our families. Let’s be thankful for simple things and moments in our life, for the love we feel or felt along the way and most of all for our life. May it be a good and lasting one and may we enjoy the gifts that life gives us even though they may not last forever.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!!

The Choice is Mine

Today I am sharing with you a beautiful message from Alexandra Starr, it made my day and I am planning to commit it to memory. Let me know what it does to you. Have a blessed Sunday.

THE CHOICE IS MINE

I choose to live by choice, not chance.

I choose to make changes, not excuses.

I choose to be motivated, not manipulated.

I choose to be useful, not used.

I choose self-esteem, not self-pity.

I choose to excel, not compete.

I choose to listen to the inner voice, not the random opinion of the crowds.

The choice is mine, and I choose to surrender to the will of the Divine Mind, for in surrender to the will of the Divine Mind, for in surrendering I am Victorious.

~Alexandra Starr.

And What About Grandma

Time have changed so many things, one of them I believe is the way we see our grandmas. I remembered when visiting or receiving grandma at our home it was always a joyous occasion. I loved the way she listened to me and the special little things she would sometimes bring me, most of them were little and very inexpensive but just to know she thought of me was enough.

Life has become a place where you live where you can survive and not where you want to be. Families used to live closed to each other throughout their life and in that process they saw each other grow up and helped one another when needed. I won’t paint a rosie picture of the whole experience because sometimes there were moments you wished they were far away but grandmas somehow made things alright.

It breaks my heart to hear of grandmas being placed in nursing homes and then forgotten by their families. I realize that life moves so rapidly that before you know it your day is all gone; between work, house work, the kids, your spouse and all the activities you are lucky to have time for yourself. The days go by and grandma waits lonely in a cold room far away from all she holds dear, thinking that today maybe is the day she gets that visit, that call and nights fall down. Another day without you. She wonders why, how and for how long she will have to endure the pain and sorrow in her heart. Better days come to mind as her tears roll down her cheeks and wonder… If the grandma happens to be Hispanic and her kids moved to the United States now she has another barrier that keeps her faraway from her family, the language. It is so sad to see parents who replace their native language for the one they are living around now and don’t take the time and effort to teach their language to their kids. When grandma comes they can’t even talk anymore and they long to get to know them.

I thank God I lived in a generation that had the blessing to enjoy grandmas and that I had the chance to be with them a lot, I knew them and they knew me. They taught me their favorite dishes and made me my favorite food. I called them when I was far away and told them how much I missed and loved them. I also wrote letters to them. I played, I cried, I laughed and I grew to be who I am because of them. I learned by their mistakes and by their advice, and I was in awe when I heard all they went through. There is not a moment I did not want to be with them, even on their death bed and I will forever love and carry them in my heart.

So what about your grandma? Your kids’ grandma? Have you taken the time to talk or visit them today? Do you know she is waiting for you and no matter how long it has been she will still love you just the same as if you were there yesterday, even though you were not?

Crashing

Have you seen the tides in action? It looks like a gigantic washer that moves in all different directions at the same time. Dangerous, powerful, capable to change the landscape where it lands. It is the same that happens to us in life when we encounter unexpected situations after navigating in tranquil waters for a very long time. Weather is unpredictable and so is our life, that is why we should be prepared and not blindsided that all is rosy and perfect on this earth. I am always amazed to see how we manage situations that throw us out of balance; some of us manage to remain, others fall and get up, and others fall and never get up again.

In this fast changing world, especially after this horrible recession, that seems to cut deeper and deeper into people’s life and well being I can see a glim of hope. Anything is bearable with love because it helps us to see the good and it gives us hope when we have those we love around to support us. We can quickly see who is a true friend and who is just with us when we are on the top to have some fun.

How hard is it to recreate ourselves? As long as we continue to fight our instinct it will be almost impossible to recreate and to find the way out to many of our life ordeals. Today I heard about a friend who in desperation to generate income followed her instinct and in a few short weeks found herself in a very new terrain, full of excitement and support. The one who felt lost just a few weeks ago is now trying to catch up with all the massive action she should take in order to make her dream come true, because by taking action a lot of doors opened at once!

It is hard to stay focused when all the crashing, moving and changing is going around us but we must try our hardest to do so. Keep in mind the ideal and not the path because at this point the logical path will have nothing to do with the one you should take. I believe that at this point in time many new paths will present itself and we will have to make the decision to take one even if we have no idea what to expect. This is a big shifting time in history where new orders are establishing themselves and we can’t resist to it or we won’t survive. Open up your mind and senses and most of all utilize your talents to move forward. I will tell you right now that it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it!!

Esoteric Realms

I yearn for silence, for solitude, for those moments when my mind is detached in such a way that is able to fly and go places I have never being and I understand in ways it was impossible before. It is a ray of light illuminating my mind, my heart and soul and then the thoughts, emotions, and words are free to flow easily. It hasn’t been the case for a long time now, I lost track of time in the middle of turmoil, noise and pain. I need to get it back somehow. I’m coming back to the original place where all seem to be so right and creativity flourished almost effortlessly. It is never in total isolation but in the sharing of like minds and thoughts that somehow sustain and inspire to create even more. It is to find that connection of the seen and unseen that completes the picture many times. I am not sure who would understand, perhaps only those who have experience or yearn to experience the same. I don’t believe it is a unique gift but it is something few touch upon because those few are the ones with enough courage to claim the space they need to experience it. It is not easy sometimes, especially when there are so many other things out of control and most of the time we want to control them. In the end the one who suffer is the one with their wings tied up.

Words are like the air I breathe, without them flowing I feel like dying. There are integral to my well being and my health, it is not good to bottle up emotions, anger and hate. A volcano can not be contained. I am afraid that is what I have done as the tremors shook deep within loosing up the soil and fragmenting what used to be solid. It is new terrain, one that I am sure in time can be even better than it was. Dreaming gives hope and refreshes the soul, it is something to look forward to even though we don’t know the way. It is taking one step at a time expecting to succeed. Not everything fall on a straight line, and everything that does not works out fine all the time, the more delightful rides sometimes are the ones on a scenic route even though it takes longer. I can’t keep starring at the many curves, turns and crossroads while I miss the view around me. I need to stop and walk slowly in order not to miss the details of what is trying to touch me and transform me.

I see an open gate, a cool fresh dawn before me and a inspiring breeze letting me know I am still alive. I close my physical eyes and open my inner vision, then I breathe in. The tension goes away and rushing through comes my long forgotten friend, inspiration. Where has it been? Why it took so long? Why did I let it go? Who said I could control my fate, or what others decide to do in the end? Who said I would never get hurt again? It was a really good try, a good run, one I thought I won but found myself instead with an empty shell. There is an ideal but never an absolute, there is always a way to find the way.

Your Light

Life has its ways to take us to places we never thought, to foreign lands and uncertain future. There is only one way to face to odds against us, with faith and hope. There is always a light somewhere even if it is far away from us, the ones who loves us provide that shine and we move onto the new path with support, with hope even with some of our dreams hanging from our hearts. Anything is possible when the slate has been cleaned, we have a chance to recreate our world, to dig deep and see what it is will take us there this time around and who are the ones that remain beside us. It is at that moment when sentiments dingle or are strengthen, when the love dies or grow, when hope flourish or dry out. What is true remains as we continue to look for that light while walking in the darkness.

Calming Down

There is so much pressure, worries and disappointments around us. Looking for ways to come to the center of all, where the spirit of God lies deep within if we let it helps to calm us and most of all gives us strength. I use prayer, meditation and music to help me get there, without it there is the possibility that I may go mad with all that goes on around me sometimes. Native music with flute is one of my favorites ever since I visited New Mexico seven years ago. Today I want to share some with you. I hope you enjoy it and begin your day relaxed and hopeful.

Life Lessons on Letting Go

It was a long time coming, the years go by and before you know it your kids are no kids anymore. At first one refuse to see it or accept and we try to hold on, one more year, one more month, one more day, one more hour but as the time goes by the tension grows greater as we try to hold on. The moment comes and the pressure is such that you just have to let go. It is painful, at first I felt lost and unneeded, sometimes even unwanted, but it has been almost couple of weeks and it is a relief not to have to be after anyone. Everyone is responsible for their own schedule and work. It is tempting not to try to help or ask too many questions but at the same time it is liberating.

This is the time to begin to recreate my life in so many ways; emotionally, physically and spirituality. It is a time to open doors and windows and see what is out there that I could not see, hear and experience for so long. My focus is slowly changing from raising and caring to the spontaneity of each and every day. It is not easy sometimes when you are used to structure and routine but at the same time is exciting. Time will pass until I am completely accustomed to this new way of living and new role in my life. I love to direct and guide and now all I will have to do (hope so) is assist. Watching how the decisions are made, right or wrong, while standing on the sidelines in not an easy task. I want to jump right in and make it alright. I guess every mom wants to do the same but it is time to let go.

As another day begins all I can say is that I am thankful for the years past no matter how hard they were, and that I look forward for the years to come which will come with new and unknown experiences. May they be as memorable and fulfilling as the time when we as a family laid a strong foundation.

Advice for Living

Today I want to share with you wise word from a friend of mine, and in his blog he talks about living something many of us forget to do so many times. It is interesting to read that at times we have no control over our situation and we make our life miserable either thinking about the future or the past forgetting our present. Here is the song that inspired his blog entry.

I could identify with what he wrote, I guess we all can at different levels. To be wise is not to know it all, but to know how to deal with the majority of our earthly existence situations and to transcend what should have no power over us. Thank you Bill for those wise words.

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Clary Lopez, author of Simplicity Richness of Life
http://clarylopez.com

Unspoken Words

If only Michael knew…
I was listening to the radio the other day and they were playing a few of Michael Jackson’s songs, all the sudden a fan got on the line and express what Michael and his music meant to him. It was moving, it was profound, such beautiful sentiments and words to transmit something I wished Michael heard while he was alive. Who knows if he would have listened to those words, all those words spoken at the time of his death if that who have had some impact on how he view his life and help him in some way. They were the same words that went unspoken for so long for him.

I guess we can take that lesson and if someone has impacted our life in such a profound and meaningful way we should express it loudly, so that the world will hear it somehow. I am guilty to think that the ones I love will live forever and that somehow, by the way I act and the things I do, they know how I truly feel but the truth is that they need to hear the words while I look deep into their eyes. I am having the time to reflect upon many things now and while I do I try to see what could be changed for the better. It might be unfamiliar ground but the reward will be strength, strength I did not know I had and the power of words to express what is in my heart.

There is way more to come, I know and yet I am okay with it. I guess I will try to let go of the tight route I had in mind and for once explore and be surprised with new discoveries. It is not always fine to live life knowing exactly (or trying) what comes next. It will be best to be really good at navigating our vessel in order to face whatever comes our way and at the same time make sure we speak the words straight from the heart not waiting til tomorrow.

What is your experience with unspoken words?