The Little Prince - Part 2 (Sing the Song You Keep Inside)

Do you remember the games you played as a child?  I remember playing pretend with my dolls, siblings, cousins or friends.  Those were fun times, when I could be anything I wanted ... and most anything was possible.  "And in that moment, I swear we were infinite".

And then "I have had to grow old" and became "concerned with matters of consequence."  I saw myself in the army of grey people walking around the city mechanically, functioning as designed, but devoid of life or purpose.

"Growing up is not the problem.  Forgetting is." I had forgotten the dreams I dreamed, the song I kept inside me.  I did so the minute I found it a waste of time to ponder the stars - "Little golden objects that set lazy men to idle dreaming."  Instead I worked at becoming successful - by society's standards.
"And what good does it do you to own the stars?"  What, indeed?  I can't remember why or when it had become so important.

Those dreams I had forgotten ... I realize, they are 'ephemeral' - that 'which is in danger of speedy disappearance.' I had set them aside too long, and for what?

When dreams die, that's when it feels like the very life is sucked out of you.  You plunge into the monotonous drone of daily life in the same way a zombie walks.

"Only the children know what they are looking for."

In a sense, re-reading "The Little Prince" and watching the movie (and going to the 9-day Misa De Gallo) saved me.  "Yet through the silence something throbs and gleams ..." These brought back the right perspective. I had to take the journey back to being a child, brimming with hope that comes only from staunch faith in a God who loves faithfully.

Faith that enables us to take that leap ... when the time is right.  Yes.  I believe all of these had been orchestrated meticulously to prod me towards the right direction at the perfect time.  "When you need it most, help will come."

" I’m not hopeless. I’m hopeful.  That’s right. I’m full of hope.  I love a rose and she loves me."  

And I'm going back to her and tend to her faithfully.

Turnaround

Far, happiness isn't far
Not far from where you are
Watching your life go by

Now, why don't you sing out loud
To the tune you keep inside?

Turn around and put your pen down
Turn around, your feet off the ground
Turn around, and your head in the clouds

Hi, don't say hello, say hi
Hi to a higher sky
Hi to a higher ground

The Little Prince - Part 1 Addendum (Crucial Conversations)

Catholic Filipino Academy hosted a Parenting Talk session called "Crucial Conversations" (By:  Michele Alignay - author of "Growing up WIRED") last November.  It dealt on the communication dynamics between parents and children, but a lot of it applies to all kinds of relationships.

I realized, that, in order for me to enable my son to find and work at his own destiny, we first need to have a proper conversation.  That means, I need to learn how to listen to him and not just talk to him.

These are the salient points I was able to take note of. I'm still working at a lot of them.  So far, what I have learned is, it is a challenge to unlearn some behaviors and habits. But these relationships are worth the change.

"A relationship is only as good as its level of communication."

Levels:

Level 5 - Cliche: This is the superficial kind mostly shared between mere acquaintances.

Level 4 - Reporting on Facts:  This is a simple improvement from the Cliche level with people talking about simple, general and benign facts.

Level 3 - Ideas & Judgments:  Parties start talking about ideas, but the sharing is very guarded, proceeding based on how the other person receives the idea.  Between parent and child, the communication is under strict censorship from child to parent.  The child only talks about what pleases the parents; or vice versa.

Level 2 - My Feelings "Gut Level":  This is when both are able to communicate their "inner self" through feelings, emotions and honest opinion.  Both are able to articulate the rationale behind the feeling; talk about how each person reacts to the feelings.

Level 1 - Peak Communication:  This is achieved once both are attuned to the other person, having the complete and personal connection.  This is characterized by an almost perfect and mutual empathy with someone.  At this level, the emotional investment becomes the backbone of the relationship.

Checklist for a successful communication:

1. Accept them as they are.
2. Check your motives. 
3. Go to where they are.  How?  Be present in the moment and speak their language.
4. Relationship first before the issue.  Above all else, safeguard the relationship.  I cannot stress this more.
5. Emotional connection is the invisible thread directly connecting us with each other.
6. NOW, not later. Important talks start losing their efficacy the longer it is delayed.  Afterall, anything important cannot wait for later.  Strike while the iron is hot and the issue is fresh.  It is much easier to discuss when the details are still fresh for both parties.

Important communication skills:

1. Listening Skills - Good listening skills are characterized by emphatic understanding, listening with 100% focus (mind and body) and feedback that is devoid of judgment.
2. Speaking Skills - Speak for yourself, not for others.  Instead of embarking on a long sermon, ask.  Remember that speaking is not only represented by what you say, but how it is delivered.  The non-verbal language weighs in just as heavily, if not more, as the verbal language.
3. Self-disclosure - This includes sharing of personal ideas, feelings and experiences.  This entails humility, especially for parents.
4. Clarity - Make sure your message is clear by verifying the other person's understanding. In some cases, the context may be taken differently.  Remember: "Assumptions make an ASS of U and ME"  (Cool, huh?  I thought so, too).
5. Continuity Tracking - Stay on topic.  Focus on the current issue being tackled, allowing all facets and concerns to be confronted.  (I am guilty of this.  I sometimes bring up past "sins" whenever I see an opportunity to connect it to the current issue).
6. Respect and Regard - It is important to accept each other's differences and to recognize the other person's ideas and feelings.  Keep the communication positive.

"The strongest connections are at Home." (2 John 1:12)

"We are their Home."

Michele Alignay closed with Credo for Relationships.  I wasn't able to catch all of it, so I searched on the internet and found this (Bless Google!). I'm not sure if this is what she shared, but I think it's worth sharing, regardless.

Credo for Relationships 

Dr. Thomas Gordon

You and I are in a relationship which I value and want to keep. Yet each of us is a separate person with unique needs and the right to meet those needs.

When you are having problems meeting your needs, I will try to listen with genuine acceptance. In order to facilitate your finding your own solutions instead of depending on mine, I also will try to respect your right to choose your own beliefs and develop your own values, different though they may be from mine.

However, when your behavior interferes with what I must do to get my own needs met, I will tell you openly and honestly how your behavior affects me, trusting that you respect my needs and feelings enough to try to change the behavior that is unacceptable to me. Also, whenever some behavior of mine is unacceptable to you, I hope you will tell me openly and honestly so I can try to change my behavior.

At those times when we find that either of us cannot change to meet the other's needs, let us acknowledge that we have a conflict and commit ourselves to resolve each conflict without either of us resorting to the use of power or authority to win at the expense of the other's losing. I respect your needs, but I also must respect my own. So let us always strive to search for a solution that will be acceptable to both of us. Your needs will be met, and so will mine - neither will lose, both will win.

In this way, you can continue to develop as a person through satisfying your needs, and so can I. Thus, ours can be a healthy relationship in which both of us can strive to become what we are capable of being. And we can continue to relate to each other with mutual respect, love, and peace.

The Little Prince - Part I (Will I Be A Good Grown-Up)

"The Little Prince" gnawed at me from the very first time I stumbled upon it as a child.  I did not know then, but it will serve as my North Star at various points in my life.

The movie - from the time the teasers came out - could not have come at the most opportune time.  It prompted me to blow the dusts off the book (I bought a new copy a few years back since I did not have my own copy ... and then immediately forgot about it) and started me off on my journey back and forwards.

Where I stand now in my life's journey, the stirrings were nerve-wracking, to say the least. I needed time to properly digest and organize them in my ever-crowding head. (Sometimes I feel I'm crazy ... but that's a musing for another day). After much thought, I am ready to break them down into three learnings:

• I do not control my son's destiny ... and I shouldn't.
• I have control over mine, especially my dreams.
• Love, for the most part, is untamed.  Instead, it tames you.

I.  Will I Be A Good Grown-Up

One of the first scenes open up to the mother and the little girl lined up for the Werth Academie interview. The mother practices her daughter, but she fails the interview, being too focused on her practiced script that she did not "hear" the question. The girl apologized.

I realize that, as my son grew up, I dictated too much how he thought, spoke and acted.  I did not really allow him to make mistakes.  A word is barely out of his mouth before I interrupt him with my more important ideas and thoughts.  The times I stopped to listen and understand his thoughts were too few and far in between. I never really gained much insight to the bundle of possibilities hidden underneath.

I tried to maneuver him towards the path I knew was good for him, deliriously working through a plan to get him to his destiny.  Afterall, it is every parent's duty to equip their children to be successful for the big world. "Because, let's face it, you [they] will be all alone out there.  All. Alone." While the Life Plan organized by the mother is over the top, I must admit, it resembles our daily schedule (Cringe). 

But who was I to know what his destiny is?   Or what is the right direction to stir him to? "That's your version of my life.  Not mine." 

I did not content myself with that and continued on to define for him what are the essential things. But who was I to say what are the essential things he will need to get to his destiny? 

What it comes down to, really, is "like the grown-ups [I am] no longer interested in anything but figures ... Perhaps I am a little like the grown-ups.  I have had to grow old." I stopped asking "questions about essential matters." Instead, I was quick to point out what he was doing wrong and force him to fix it as I deem fit.

I see now how he has grown into someone who constantly requires affirmation, rarely confident to speak his true thoughts lest it displeases the grown-ups.  He has lost much of his self-confidence, always second guessing himself.  He cowers at trying anything remotely difficult lest he fails at it and gains the disapproval of grown-ups.  

One of the movie's song "Equation" was spot on ... and it broke my heart.

Have I made you cross 
Have I made you sad 
Have I made you proud
Mom 

Are you going to school 
Are you far from home 
Are you well alone
Dad 
Will I be a brave 
Will I be a bright 
Will I be a good grown up

He has learned to define "success" based on how the grown-ups around him reacted.

I need to trust that "Only [he] the children know what they are looking for" and that he will find it. I need to allow him to forge his own path and make mistakes along the way.

My greatest gift would be to teach him not to measure himself against the world's definition of success; to allow him to define it himself and go after it.  I need to teach him not to lose sight of the true essentials of being a good grown up and to understand, that being good does not make one weak.  And I need to teach him by modelling it.

Poetic Dose

... because when beautiful things end  ... or never begin ... the heart deserves to mourn appropriately.

Contemplating Up Dharma Down's "Oo" (Yes)

'Di mo lang alam, naiisip kita

You do not know, but I think of you
Baka sakali lang maisip mo ako

Hopefully, you think of me too
'Di mo lang alam, hanggang sa gabi

You do not know, but through the night
Inaasam makita ka muli

I crave to see you once again

Nagtapos ang lahat sa 'di inaasahang

All of a sudden, everything ended
Panahon at ngayon ako'y iyong iniwang

And now I am left
Luhaan, sugatan, 'di mapakinabangan

In tears, wounded, useless
Sana nagtanong ka lang kung 'di mo lang alam

I wish you had just asked, if you only knew
Sana'y nagtanong ka lang kung 'di mo lang alam
I wish you had just asked, if you only knew

Ako'y iyong nasakatan

You have hurt me
Baka sakali lang maisip mo naman

Perhaps somehow you would realize
Hindi mo lang alam kay tagal na panahon

If you only knew, for so long
Ako'y nandirito pa rin hanggang ngayon para sa 'yo

I am still here for you

Lumipas mga araw na ubod nang saya

Days passed full of bliss
'Di pa rin nagbabago ang aking pagsinta

My feelings have not changed
Kung ako'y nagkasala, patawad na sana

If I had done something wrong, forgive me
Ang puso kong pagal ngayon lang nagmahal

My weary heart has loved only now

Oh, 'di mo lang alam ako'y iyong nasaktan

If you only knew you hurt me
O baka sakali lang maisip mo naman

Perhaps somehow you would realize
Puro siya na lang, sana'y ako naman

It’s all about her, I wish it were me
'Di mo lang alam, ika'y minamasdan

If you only knew how I gaze at you
Sana'y iyong mamalayan

Perhaps somehow you would realize
Hindi mo lang pala alam, 'di mo lang alam
You don’t know, if you only knew

Kahit tayo'y magkaibigan lang

Though we are just friends
Bumabalik lahat sa t'wing nagkukulitan

I keep going back to our fun teasing
Baka sakali lang maisip mo naman

Perhaps you would realize
Ako'y nandito lang, hindi mo lang alam

I am here, if you only knew
Matalino ka naman

You’re smart anyway

Kung ikaw at ako ay tunay na bigo

If you and I truly won’t work
Sa laro na ito ay dapat bang sumuko?

In this game, must we give up?
Sana 'di ka na lang pala aking nakilala

I wish I had never known you
Kung alam ko lang ako'y iyong masasaktan

If I only knew how much I would hurt
Nang ganito, sana'y nakinig na lang ako sa nanay ko

I wish I listened to my mother

Malas mo

Unlucky you
Ikaw ang natipuhan ko

You’re the one I fell for
'Di mo lang alam ako'y iyong nasaktan

If you only knew, you hurt me

Poetic Doses

Off to dreamland
to catch the precious zzzz's
while still well within reach

Reset the clock
to the proper timetable
while the mind is free and untroubled


*****

Filipino is such a beautifully poetic and feeling language ... No English translation does it justice!

Contemplating Up Dharma Down's "Tadhana" (Destiny)

Sa hindi inaasahang
In an unexpected
Pagtatagpo ng mga mundo
Meeting of worlds
May minsan lang na nagdugtong
Connecting but once
Damang dama na ang ugong nito
Already it is palpable, throbbing

Di pa ba sapat ang sakit at lahat
Is the pain and everything else not enough
Na hinding hindi ko ipararanas sa'yo
Something I will not allow you to go through
Ibinubunyag ka ng iyong mata
Your eyes betray you
Sumisigaw ng pag-sinta
Screaming passion

Ba't di pa patulan
Why not fulfill
Ang pagsuyong nagkulang
Unmet affections
Tayong umaasang
Us, who yearn
Hilaga't kanluran
North and West
Ikaw ang hantungan
You are the end
At bilang kanlungan mo
And, as your cradle,
Ako ang sasagip sa'yo
I will be the one that saves you

Saan nga ba patungo
Where does it lead
Nakayapak at nahiwagaan na
On foot and enchanted
Ang bagyo ng tadhana ay
The storm of destiny
Dinadala ako sa init ng bisig mo
Takes me to the warmth of your arms

Ba't di pa sabihin
Why not speak it
Ang hindi mo maamin
What you dare not admit
Ipauubaya na lang ba 'to sa hangin
Shall we leave it to the wind
Wag mo ikatakot
Fear not
Ang bulong ng damdamin mo
The whispers of your heart
Naririto ako't
I am here
Nakikinig sa'yo
Listening to you

(Adlib Lyrics from a UDD gig)

Ba't di salubungin
Why not face it
Ang puso ko ay kunin
Take my heart
Ang diwang malaya
A free thought
Wag na wag magpabaya pa
Should not neglect anymore
Ikaw ang pag-ibig
You are the love
Pakinggan ang himig ko
Listen to my voice
Wag ka na sanang lalayo
Stray no more

Kung ito ay hihinto ...
If this will end ...


(And then they play "Oo" - which I haven't the time to contemplate now. Hehehe!)

Reflection on Readings: Faith, Hope & Love

"or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;" - ee cummings

I know of waiting and believing ... with hope and in faith.  And it seems all I had been doing all these years.  Thus, it is only human that my heart should grow weary and shut - in quiet and final acceptance.  I had been moving towards this resolution slowly and painfully these past months.  When Advent rolled in, I raised the inevitable white flag in complete surrender to whatever He has in store for me.  No kicking or thrashing anymore.

Imagine my surprise when the response came back kicking and thrashing!

Saturday with the S-Crew. I will save everyone the boring details, but, suffice it to say that the general message - to me, specifically - was:  Believe!

Sunday Misa de Gallo:
"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." (Luke 1:45)

Monday Misa de Gallo:
"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." (Luke 1:45)

Wait! What?!

Yes, exactly the same Gospel for 2 days - in a row.  The priest likened this to parents who repeatedly tell their children to eat their vegetables.  We repeat things that are important but difficult to follow. (But can you blame me?!)

Tuesday Misa de Gallo: (my favorite - song of Mary!)
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.  For he has looked upon his lowly servant.  From this day all generations will call me blessed; the Almight has done great things for me, and holy is his Name." (Luke 1:46-49)

When the heart closes with absolute certainty, it takes more than simple repeated knocking to open it.

This verse did the trick.  For years, this has been my love song; a secret promise I hang on to for the fulfillment of my heart's deepest desires ... 3 in all.

It felt like He sang it to me, cooing ... and effectively persuaded the little girl to open the door once again to an onslaught of childhood and grownup monsters.

Wednesday 1st Reading:
"... and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.  Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3:1)

Since Sunday I had no other communion prayer except for the graces to believe in and be open to His love ... to find once again the reason to continue singing the Magnificat.

(And, as if to underline His message, Hillsong's "You'll Come" starts playing just as I complete the post!)

Poetic Dose

tic, toc, tic, toc
it's past 2 o' clock
hours after the sun has set
my mind remains unquiet,
chasing around snippets of you ...
hoping, somehow, i haunt your thoughts too -

now, at this very moment.

Bigger Bear Series: Que Sera Sera

For the APEC long weekend (Nov 18-22), the Sagada Crew planned to go on an island-hopping-food-tripping holiday in the neighboring provinces of Bohol-Dumaguete-Syquijor.  All necessary arrangements were made months before.

Then the government decided to cancel flights.

We weren't deterred.  We were able to book for the 19th.  What's one day?  But, then, that flight was cancelled as well.  A couple of days before the schedule.

But, because we all needed the break, we soldiered on and decided to drive all the way to Caramoan, Bicol. As Elmer said, "No one (and nothing) can stop us." Surprisingly and thankfully, all arrangements just fell into place ... at the last minute (Great work, Ina!).

Nothing happened as we originally planned.

But our holiday pulled through on time.  And it turned out much better than we ever planned and hoped for.  Significant personal milestones and memories unfolded for each one of us.  We all came out of it blessed ... and beautifully changed, somehow.

Que sera sera ... thank God!  (His will WILL happen. At the right time. ALWAYS.)

Bigger Bear Series: Schedules vs. Spontaneity

I like plans and schedules.  They keep my life in order with everything that needs to be accomplished in the different compartments of my life. They also cause me the most stress. When things don't go as planned, I feel my self-imposed pressure closing in on me. Heaven help the person next to me when the monster is unleashed. (A's typical response to that:  "Mom, I think you need coffee".  It works in much the same way as the Black Widow's lullaby to let the Hulk sleep and wake up Bruce).  I must admit, letting go is a lesson I continue to struggle with.

Last Friday A asked me what my plans were for the weekend.  I almost panicked at the realization that I had not planned anything at all ... until I realized it meant being able to catch-up on sleep and household chores ... finally!

Yesterday, after taking care of all the chores (well, most), we planned to have dinner and then catch a movie. We didn't get to watch a movie, but we did get to enjoy a long dinner and brainstorm on our life dreams over dessert and tea latte.  The past weeks had been a whirlwind with hardly room for breathing.  It was great to just sit together and talk without worrying about schedules.

Today we planned to go to the 5 pm Mass. That did not pan out, so we went to the 6:30 pm Mass instead.  I'm glad we did, because it was our friend priest who presided and his homily was beautiful.  God even threw in a couple of eye candies for me and my sister.

Overall, the schedule-free weekend turned out to be the best weekend I've had in the past couple of months.

Thinking about it now, I realized, that the schedules per se do not cause the stress.  It is how the schedules are organized.  In this day and age when technology allows us to do things a lot faster and more efficiently, you'd think we would have more time to do the important things.  But we don't. Instead of carving out time to spend with the people we love, we squeeze in more tasks. It has become an endless race to do more and achieve more.  

I am no stranger to this.  In fact, I am right smack in the middle of this swirl.  In my struggle to balance everything, I sometimes take for granted the most basic needs of my most critical partner:  myself.  

We are time-bound and we need to make full and good use of what little time we have.  True.  It is our duty to be the best of what God had intended us to be. True.  But "best version" does not necessarily mean to be "great" by current social definition.  It means making a positive difference in the lives (and the environment) God had entrusted us with - whether that's your immediate family, your community, your country or the world is between you and God.  But it's the lives (including yours) that matter, not the tasks.  And lives cannot be scheduled.  For one thing, nothing ever happens exactly as planned.  No.  Lives, I find, unfold more beautifully when spontaneous.

I Am Becoming Jane

I was finally able to watch "Becoming Jane", after almost a year in my hard drive (thanks, Robin!).  And, I realized, I am becoming Jane.

In the movie, having found out about Mr. Weasley's marriage proposal to Jane, Tom Lefroy asks her, "How can you dispose of yourself without affection?"  She replies, "How can I dispose myself with it?  You're leaving tomorrow."

She hang on to her ideals, I suppose.  Not finding, or unable to marry, the love of her life, she never married.

"I can see that you cannot bring yourself to marry without affection ... nor with it.  I respect you for that and share your opinion ... neither can I.  I'd always hoped to win your love in time. But I am vain enough to want to be loved myself rather than my money." (Mr. Weasley)

Whether reading her novels have molded me into becoming Jane; or we are merely very similar to begin with, that I could perfectly relate with her characters, I realized, Jane and her novels may very well have doomed me to a life of spinsterhood.

Looking at it more closely, while "Pride & Prejudice" is every woman's childhood fairytale (Oh, Mr. Darcy!), "Sense & Sensibility" hits closer to home. I find myself to be a mixture of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood - oftentimes sensible with painfully calculated displays of emotion, while passionately (perhaps even childishly) believing in the magic of "true love" that lasts forever.

In terms of Mr. Right, doesn't every woman, at one point, want the kind of passionate love Mr. Willoughby offers?  The kind of love that knows immediately, with certainty, and plunges recklessly head-on, in full-throttle. Sadly, it is also, often, the kind that proves unsustainable, running out of gas too soon.  After the initial high, it sputters to a grinding halt once reality sets in.

Then we realize, that what we truly need is the sensible, devoted kind of love that Colonel Brandon offers.  The kind of love that is founded on a true understanding of and respect for the other person. It steadily and quietly grows, unrushed, without prodding - sometimes, in secret; until it reveals itself, deliberately and firmly. By then, there is no question about it.  Love becomes a decision one makes with a peaceful, joyful and (fully-justified) hopeful heart.

"Sometimes affection is a shy flower that takes time to blossom." (Mr. Weasley)

If only we have the luxury of Time.  And, yet, Time is bendable ... and expandable.  Who has not experienced forever in a heartbeat?  Time, afterall, is what you make of it and who you spend it with.

Poetic Dose: My Faceless Series

You taunt me
Hidden behind a familiar smile
Take me through streets
Of cobblestone & old wood
Through a time
When history is birthed

You walk before me
A slight sideways glance
Nevermore
You remain a secret
Something almost within reach
But always never quite

Reach for my hand
Without looking
First the left
And then the right
A quickening of my pulse
I know you!

I tug at you
Turn
Just once - please
Turn!
But with both my hands in yours
You merely pull me firmly onwards

A split second
My eyes close
Then open
And I grasp your hands
Resolve to follow
Where - and when - you lead.







 

Bigger Bear Series: Taut and Counting Blessings

I saw this post on FB.

That's where I am right now, with everything coming at me from every aspect and facet of my life.  I feel pretty TAUT.  And it's an understatement ... so I screamed ... at least, my eyes did.

A didn't get all his Math exercises perfectly.  We covered only lesson 7, when the target was to cover up until Lesson 8.  He finished at 6:30 pm vs. 3:30 pm - so he could do some Art worksheets as destress activity.  No.  Things definitely didn't go as planned today.

BUT.

• He gave me a big, strong, solid hug when I needed it the most.
• He whispered, "I will make it better for you, Mom.  I promise."  And he did.
• He brought in little G, saying, "Mom, look who's here; who can always make you smile."
• He rallied my sisters, who took time out of their busy schedules to just let me rant.  I realized, I had been trying extra hard to keep a strong front, balancing everything because I didn't want to trouble others on the consequences of my decisions.  I forget that ranting and airing things out help a lot.  It does not always give me an epiphany, but articulating the frustrations somehow feels like unloading for awhile.
• "I will finish #9 and #10 by myself and I'll do it right." And he did.

When I stopped to refocus my heart's looking glass, I saw a lot more.

• Papa cooked Kare-Kare.
• Somebody brought a lusciously sweet giant grapefruit.  I'm betting it's from Davao!
• I can stand-up and do a little walking ... towards the refrigerator ... for:
• Yummy home-made ice-cream from my bestfriend
• Dark chocolates and choc-nut
• My sister assigned me to color the fox couple she doodled.  We both like foxes.  Foxes, especially red foxes, are elegant monogamous / faithful creatures.
• I am halfway thru Ransom Riggs' "Library of Souls" - a very good motivation to finish work quickly.
• My team had a very good review with our Global F&A sponsor.
• A teammate told a pushy internal customer who 'escalated', "She is "the man".  If anyone can get it done fastest, it's her." (Chill!)
• Both my teams are awesome!
• Adele is releasing a new album.  And it's a "make-up" (with herself), sort of self-healing journey kind of album.
• My sister came in with my replacement personalized bookmark (I lost the original).  Finally!

Then I resume my stance and I brace myself for the inevitable exhilarating release.

Poetic Doses

(For Minnie.  Happy birthday, Mommy! My oracle, my kindred soul ... my life was blessed the moment you were born.  I love you!)

The Wanderer

By:  Lang Leav

What is she like?

                I am told ---

                she is a

                melancholy soul.

She is like

                the sun to night;

                a momentary gold.

A star when dimmed

                by dawning light;

                the flicker of

                a candle blown.

A lonely kite

                lost in flight ---

                someone once

                had flown.

My Oracle

You come always

In the deepest of nights

Quietly

Gently

With hardly a show

A mere breath

A singular line

Wisdom

All at once

Thought-provoking

Heart-warming

Heartbreaking

Then leave

As suddenly as you came

A rogue wind

Unsettling

I am lost

I am found

I am loved

I love ... always.

Dating on the Spiritual Path (By: Lissa Rankin, MD)

A friend shared this with me.  It's a long read, but provides insights on a good and healthy relationship - whether you are searching or currently in one.

Lissa attempts to describe the ideal holistic relationship which touches on all areas:  spiritual, physical, mental and emotional.  This kind of relationship - the kind that breathes and expands - is possible between two people who are whole, self-aware, understand themselves and open. You are probably thinking it's too perfect.  There are no such persons.  At best, they are rare and close to extinction.  But, I believe, these individuals can be bred ... and two people can support and grow together into the ideal partners with the help of Mary and her Spouse.

Dating on the Spiritual Path

 

 

Except for a few short term bursts of relationship, I’ve been mostly single for two years after twelve years of marriage ended in divorce, and jeez, things have changed in my dating process since last time I was single. My old list of “What I Want in a Partner” has mostly dissolved. Gone are the “wears boxers,” “likes green,” “great legs,” “enjoys hiking and skiing,” and “financially secure” items on my wish list. I’ve had to add some terms I hadn’t thought it necessary to add when I was younger, like “Not gay, married, living internationally with no chance of a visa, or expecting me to conceive another child.” Having attracted every variety of unavailable man, I’m realizing I need to get specific. “No prison inmates, polygamists, or monks, please!” And living in Marin County, I’m also realizing that I need to qualify that, while I don’t judge anyone who chooses such a lifestyle and I can certainly see the appeal of it, polyamory isn’t my cup ‘o’ tea. Been there. Tried that. It just doesn’t feel safe or stable to me, and it’s a lot of emotional work. Perhaps I’m just not enlightened enough, but my polyamory experiment left me concluding that my heart is just too tender and needs the gentle nest of what I’ll call “open monogamy” in order to open up all the way to the levels of intimacy I desire and am capable of giving.
 
Time, marriage, and maturity have definitely shifted my priorities. But the most radically paradigm-shifting change is this big fat realization.
 
I am only interested in a relationship with someone as committed to the spiritual path as I am.
 
There. I said it out loud, and you can hold me to it.
 
The Perils of Dating
 
It’s almost laughable what tends to happen when two egos get together to try to impress each other. There’s posturing. There’s game-playing. There’s guarding of the heart and masturbation of the intellect. There’s bravado about what has accomplished what and who knows who. There’s false modesty that cloaks over genuine lightworking. There’s hiding of shadows and disguise of the authentic self.
 
The dating ego dance is so obvious that I don’t last ten minutes with this kind of interaction before I pull out my metaphoric scalpel and start digging for something truthful and real. On one first date, I made a reference to the movie The Matrix and asked my date, “Red pill or blue pill?” He said, “Red pill,” and the relationship lasted four great months. Blue pill dates don’t interest me very much. I’m more interested in someone brave enough to show me Who He Really Is.
 
What Is a Spiritual Relationship?
 
When I talk about someone on a spiritual path, I’m not talking about religious zealotism here. That’s just another form of intolerance and judgment that feeds the story of separation. I’m talking about a relationship that recognizes that we are more than two egos, coming together to fulfill the insatiable hungry ghost desires of the ego. We are two spirits in human bodies communing to help each other wake up to the magnificence of our true Divine nature and the Oneness of all of life, two spirits committed to serving the revolution of love in our own unique ways, with the relationship serving as a vehicle for helping us fulfill our role in this world-healing revolution.
 
I envision a relationship where two hearts are so raw, loving, courageous, transparent, and wide open that there is almost no boundary between the two beings, not because of co-dependence and a lack of individual wholeness, but because of a pure recognition of the Oneness that exists between all of us. Rather than two woundmates coming together to fill a hole in each other, two whole and complete spiritual beings who have learned how to heal their own wounds unite to uplift and commune with one another, the Divine within one honoring and mirroring back the Divine within the other, not out of need, but as an act of celebration and growth. The Godself loving the Godself, spiraling up with a high vibration of spiritual autonomy but also healthy interdependence, passionately drawn together with the intention of waking up together and enjoying and experiencing this human life in all the ways humans can commune, serve, and celebrate.
 
Own Your Part in Conflict
 
A relationship committed to the spiritual path includes doing the deep and sometimes confronting work that accompanies waking up together. I envision two humble and resilient beings getting out of their victim stories and owning their part when conflict and adversity arises, always aware that we are humans with egos and prone to error, but we are also infinite souls who are always growing, changing, and learning that which we came here to learn as part of our curriculum here at Earth School. This means avoiding the tendency to judge and blame others when things don’t go the way we wish they would, in recognition of how we co-create our lives, participating in all that manifests in our lives. I’m always asking myself, “Why did I write this into my movie script?” I envision a partner who does the same, with open curiosity and neither judgment of others or self-flagellation.
 
This doesn’t mean that you become a doormat in the name of unconditional love. On the spiritual path, we always recognize that every soul is entitled to its own journey, and we’re all doing the best we can, even those we might label as the “perpetrators.” Without a lick of judgment or criticism, we use discernment to protect the vulnerable, open heart, creating distance from those who can’t treat it tenderly, always opening ourselves to compassion and recognition of Oneness at all times. While the partnership may be almost extraordinarily boundary-less, boundaries are necessary for those who aren’t yet ready to be delicate with the vulnerability of the heart as it opens and awakens. Sometimes we have to dial down the intimacy dial as an act of self care, but that doesn’t mean we close the heart or judge others. We simply pull the Aikido move and step to the side, with love of others but also love of self.
 
Open Monogamy
 
In my kind of spiritual relationship (recognizing that others will have a very different path), I envision an extraordinary combination of unconditional love and total freedom within a very open construct of monogamy, where monogamy isn’t a prison based on fear that threatens to possess another or shame another if it is violated; it’s a daily choice between two individuals who choose to be only with one another, day after day after day. Every day, both parties are inspired to be the person their partner most wants to be with, even when there’s a whole big wide world of choice out there. If the day comes where one wants to be with another, there is no prison and no shame, no wrathful jealousy or possessiveness. Honesty is crucial to trust, so both partners promise to always tell the truth, even if it’s hard to admit. Communication is wide open and truth is shared gently and with great respect. The door is open and the other is free to communicate their desire to be with another, but not impulsively, without first examining whether there are areas of the relationship in need of repair which might make one party vulnerable to seeking physical connection or falling in love with someone else. If both parties are committed to healing that which can be healed and one partner still chooses to be with another, they are free to follow their heart. Some monogamous relationships have expiration dates, and that doesn’t have to equal failure. As souls, every relationship teaches us something.
 
A Commitment to Kindness
 
In a relationship committed to the spiritual path, love is a feeling, but kindness is an action. I envision a relationship where kindness to self is a primary value for both partners, so that kindness to the other is a natural byproduct of self-kindness and self care. Rather than giving until we’re depleted and then resenting the other, we give only what we have to give, from the open heart, not from fear that we won’t be loved if we don’t over-give. This is not a selfish act. It is a generous act of love to be gentle and loving and compassionate to self so there is bountiful overflow of loving kindness to the other. The actions of love that arise from care of the self can be extraordinary, but they rarely arise from the depleted, resentful, self-sacrificing being. When you treat yourself like the Divine being that you are, your heart opens and gives generously to others, almost effortlessly.
 
Sexuality as a Spiritual Path
 
In a spiritual partnership, sex becomes a gateway to communion with the Divine, rather than simply a mutual quest to get off. With love and tenderness holding the vulnerability of the heart safe in an ocean of trust, physical intimacy becomes a gateway to expanded states of consciousness, where you see the Divine in the eyes of your beloved, and you are seen as the embodiment of the Divine in the eyes of your beloved. As you share breath and heartbeats, you experience pleasure not just from the superficial level of genital orgasm, but from the deep heart connection and deep pleasure of full-bodied ecstatic union. As two people commune sexually as a gateway to spiritual connection, unhealed wounds can be cleared, conflicts between the partners can be healed, and Divine love can enter the union as a reminder of what is possible when unconditional love marries the flesh.
 
A Continuous Commitment to Growth
 
Because we are human, sometimes we go unconscious, and we need our partner to help illuminate our blind spots—gently and with love, but also fiercely, as someone who stands for the soul of the beloved. A spiritual relationship requires continuously being willing to shine light on the dark places, even when it gets uncomfortable. We have to be willing to see therapists or spiritual counselors or wise friends who can help us grow, especially when we grow blind. A humble commitment to a lifetime of growth is tantamount to a spiritual relationship. The minute we are arrogant enough to think we are “there,” we must insert a question mark and adopt the mantra my mentor Rachel Naomi Remen gave me—“Be curious.” This puts us into beginner’s mind, where we’re willing to not know, where we’re open to growth, even if it feels uncomfortable.
 
When two people are on a continuous journey to wake up to our true essence, to peel back the layers of ego to bring more of the soul’s light into the relationship and into the world, miraculous things can happen. I know. I have glimpsed such a relationship, though I’m still currently single. This kind of relationship can be extraordinarily intense, and if both partners aren’t ready, even the most intensely growth-enhancing spiritual relationship can flame out. But I have faith. I can feel this kind of partner coming closer, as I clear everything within me that would make me not yet ready for this kind of partnership.
 
Be the Partner You Desire
 
It all starts with becoming the kind of partner you would want to be with. If all of this resonates with you and ignites a deep longing for something you don’t yet have, surrender your desire to the Universe. Align your energy with that which your soul yearns for. Ask for Divine help co-creating what you desire, or ask that your longing lessen so you can relish life without a partner. Do your inner work. Unblock your blocks. Open your heart. Face your shadows without self-judgment. Let in as much light as you can stand. Then accept. Accept. Accept what is. Stop resisting. Let life flow through you. Radiate. Don’t grasp at what you want so desperately. Become magnetic instead, then let go again.
 
As Tosha Silver says, “The very act of grasping for the feather creates the wind current that pushes it away.” Let go. Let God. Trust. Enjoy life. Celebrate beauty. Be grateful for everything. You are worthy of love.
 
With love,
 
 
Lissa

33 Days to Morning Glory: Day 30

Fr. Michael summarizes St. Maximilian Kolbe's consecration principles into these 3 words:  (1) Mystery; (2) Militia; and (3) Love.

MYSTERY
St. Maximilian's greatest contribution to Marian theology is the unraveling of the mystery of the Immaculate Conception.
"The Holy Spirit is the uncreated Immaculate Conception, and Mary is the created Immaculate Conception.  She is perfectly united to the Holy Spirit, because she was conceived without sin, never sinned, and always does the will of God perfectly.  She allows the Holy Spirit to overshadow her, take possession of her soul, and bear fruit through her."

This is sound theology which has a parallelism in one of Christ's teachings/parables:
"Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill out, and the skins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved." (Matthew 9:17)

Jesus Christ, being pure and unblemished, had to be borne by a similarly pure and unblemished vessel.

MILITIA
Fr. Michael says:
"Kolbe recognized that the greatest way to give glory to God is to unite oneself to the creature who glorifies God most perfectly, Mary Immaculate.  He also realized that the way to give God the greatest glory is not to do so just as one person, but to have a whole army of people who give God the greatest glory."

Kolbe understood that, in order to build a militia, he needed to begin with himself and then inspire/infect others.

LOVE
"Kolbe was united to Mary through a dependence of love ...
By relying on her powerful intercession, experiencing her tender care, speaking to her from our hearts, letting ourselves be led by her, having recourse to her in all things, and trusting her completely."

Kolbe says:
"If you have the will to love, you already give a proof that you love.  What counts is the will to love.  External feeling is also a fruit of grace, but it does not always follow the will.  Sometimes, my dear ones, the thought, a sad longing, as if a plea or a complaint, may occur to you: 'Does the Immaculata still love me?'  Most beloved children!  I tell you all and each one individually, in her name, she loves every one of you.  She loves you very much and at every moment with no exception.  This ... I repeat for you in her name."

 

33 Days to Morning Glory: Day 29

This is the final stretch of the 33-day retreat.

To wrap-up on Louis de Montfort's consecration principles, Fr. Michael sums it up in 3 Words:  (1) Passion; (2) Baptism; and (3) Gift.

PASSION
St. Louis inherited his father's temper -"unholy anger", which Mary transformed into a "holy fire" (This is properly channeled passion.  They say passionate people are people who possess an excess of energy) through the grace of the Holy Spirit. According to him, when the Holy Spirit finds a soul united to Mary, "He flies there. He enters there in His fullness; He communicates Himself to that soul abundantly and to the full extent to which it makes room for His spouse."

BAPTISM
Fr. Michael says:
"At Baptism, we are transformed into members of the Body of Christ, made into "other Christs".
Baptism also has to do with the Holy Spirit ... because it was the Holy Spirit who first formed Christ, and it is the Holy Spirit who continues to form other Christs - the members of Christ's Body - at every Baptism.
Baptism isn't the end; it's a marvelous beginning, a gloriously new morning.
Mary's whole goal is to lead us to Christ and to bring us to the point where we can say with St. Paul, "It is no longer I that live but Christ." (Galatians 2:20).  The whole goal of true devotion to Mary is our ongoing, post-baptismal transformation in Christ."

GIFT
Once we are able to give ourselves completely to Mary, then the consecration is transformed into its full form - as a GIFT.

"We give her our sinful selves, and she gives us her Immaculate Heart.  We give her our own meager merits, and she not only augments and purifies them with her perfect love but gives us her infinitely greater merits and graces.  We become empty after having given her all, and she fills us with the Spirit of God.  She cares for our family, friends and loved ones on our behalf - even better than we ourselves can.  She anticipates our needs and orders every detail of our lives for the greater glory of God.  The path of holiness with her is 'a path of roses and honey' compared to walking it without being consecrated to her."

Reflection on Readings: May Forever (Forever Exists)

(Sunday Mass spoiler alert!)
We had a rare opportunity to attend Anticipated Mass today. The readings dealt with the sanctity and indissolubility (tongue-twister, I know, but it's the perfect term) of Marriage, and Christ's consecration - not an immediate perfect pairing, but it carries a subtle but powerful point.

The priest spent a sizable portion of his homily telling people the importance of thinking seriously about marriage - to the point of dissuading everyone.  He urged us to ask married couples, especially those living under the same roof but are no longer talking or sharing the same bed; etc.  I do understand.  His point was it is indissoluble and we should only get into it when we are absolutely positive that we will both be able to stick with it - through thick and thin.  Love has become a commodity and couples rush into marriage without fully understanding the responsibilities that come with it.  And an alarming number of them rush out of it as quickly as they come into it, both broken and damaged - their kids (if there are) along with them. 

From Sunday's Gospel: Mark 10:2-16
"He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

(Waiver:  I am not married and I am definitely NOT an expert.  I'm just reflecting on the readings.)

God designed marriages to last forever.  He believes in "happily ever after".  Most marriages fail because of "irreconcilable differences" = "the hardness of your hearts" + not being "one flesh".  The Sacrament of Marriage is meant to be both a physical and spiritual union.  This does not mean liking and doing the same things or always being together. No.  No one's meant to lose their identity in Marriage.  In fact, it should be the union of two identities - which means it should expand both of you. 
An important, but most of the time taken for granted, part is the spiritual union.  This means allowing the Holy Spirit to move in your lives and keep you both attuned to each other.  This enables the husband to recognize that his wife is tired from taking care of the kids and tending to household management; and gives him the inspiration and the grace to take the graveyard shift with the baby for two nights in a row.  Or this enables the wife to recognize that her husband cannot multitask, thus cannot immediately disengage from the stresses of work; and gives her the inspiration and the grace to give nagging a break for the night and bring out a cold glass of beer with chips to boot.

There is no "hardness of heart" to a couple who are "one flesh".

When a man and a woman enter into the Sacrament of Marriage, God gives them the ultimate wedding gift - the Holy Spirit.  And He blesses them, handing the blessing to the head of the family - of course!

From Sunday's Psalm 128:1-6
Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways! 2 For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored. (R) 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table. (R) 4 Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. 5 The Lord bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. (R) 6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel! (R)

May Forever!  (And I know several couples who embody the true essence of Marriage - not without struggles, mind you. But always with commitment, active love and a healthy dose of Holy Spirit)

And what about Christ's consecration?  Christ represents the husband, while the Church represents the wife.  Christ's immense love for the Church enabled Him to freely consecrate and offer Himself as sacrifice for the salvation of the Church.  He leads and the Church reciprocates with love and follows. That's marriage.

From Sunday's 2nd Reading:  Hebrews 2:9-11
9 Brothers and sisters: He “for a little while” was made “lower the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”
 

Reflection on Readings: Flatlining

Life is a series of peaks and valleys.  Peaks are easy.  They are happy and much to short.  But Valley chapters are another story.  They are never easy and seem to stretch on forever - as far as the eyes can see - without a sliver of hope.  Yet it is in the valleys and deserts where we truly build character and mature in our faith.  But, before we get to the looking-back-with-a-smile part, we often flatline first; that point of spiritual desolation which makes you feel like screaming to a God who is deaf.

During those times, keep these passages in mind and believe that sometimes we need to flatline to get a dose of God's defibrillator --- because, for all you know, you've been a walking dead (which was, incidentally, our dinner topic). Oh, and I imagine this line coming from Mama Mary.

From today's 1st Reading:  Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29
"Fear not, my children; call out to God! He who brought this upon you will remember you. As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek him; for he who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy."

From today's Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 69:33-35, 36-37
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive!"
 

Reflection on Readings: Like A Child

Happy Feast of Guardian Angels!

From today's Gospel:  Matthew 18:1-5, 10
 “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

We often talk about how we want to be kids again; how life was so much simpler when we were kids:  no stress, no worries, no problems.  We had no other preoccupation but playing and eating (and pooping!).  The thing is, life doesn't have to be as stressful or worrisome or problematic.  The same God who watched over us when we were kids is still watching over us as grown-ups.

But, whenever we have arguments, the common lines would be: "Why don't you just grow-up?" or "You're acting like a child!" or "You're so immature!". Yet here comes Jesus telling us that we need to be like a child.  All the qualities we associate with "acting like a child" are not really qualities of children:

• Selfish. Most children are more than willing to share, even food they are about to put into their mouths.  Most children are very perceptive about other people's needs and feelings.  I see that in my son, who constantly tries to hug my stress away these days.  I see that in my 3-year old nephew who strokes his cousin's arm, when I reprimand him.
• Narrow-minded.  Children are the most adorably open-minded people I know.  They look at everything with the eyes of wonder and awe.
• Materialistic.  Oh, they're happy with the simplest most inconsequential things, which they can imagine into awesome things.
• Distrustful.  On the contrary, children are so trusting, they are gullible most of the time.
• Lack of Faith.  Children's faith in other people, especially their parents, are rock-solid.  It's the kind of faith that truly moves mountains; the kind that keeps believing even when you've lost faith in yourself.
• Proud.  They're not proud at all. Who wants to be proud, when it's fun being silly ... and even more fun being silly together.

Jesus is definitely spot on when He urged us all to remain always like a child:  to see the world in the eyes of a child and to live life with the enthusiasm and spirit of a child.  It's actually a formula for happiness.


 

Live From The Core Of Your Being (By: Bo Sanchez)

I came across this last night.  Uncanny that something I had been mulling over was conveniently located after the day's readings.  Why am I not surprised that this seems so masterfully-planned --- unless everyone feels stressed this time of the year and this was a logical article to put there.

Live From The Core Of Your Being
 

It is not enough if you are busy.

The question is, What are you busy about?

—Henry David Thoreau

 

Happiness is not found outside of you.  It doesn’t come from cars, clothes, cash, or Caribbean cruises.  Happiness is found within.

But how can you find it if you don’t have the simplicity of time and space to discover the most important things in your life?  How can you search the depths of your soul if you are too busy impressing others, acquiring wealth, protecting your properties, and paying your debts?

Simplicity is NOT about the externals either: living in a doghouse, eating in a Hepatitis joint, wearing rags…

The best definition of simplicity I ever read comes from Janet Luhrs from her book, The Simple Living Guide.   There she says that simplicity is living from the core of your being.

I cannot agree more.

I believe that simplicity is having the time and space to embrace what is most important to you.  It is having the leisure to cherish them, having the freedom to glory in them, and having the power to live by them.

         Along the way, you’ll discover that the most important things in life aren’t things, but the persons that have been given to our lives.  But that’s something you’ll have to discover yourself.

         Give up shallowness.

         I repeat: Live from the core of your being.

Here’s my suggestion: Get a notebook and begin a journal for this book.  Write down your discoveries, insights, reflections.  What is your core?  What are the most important things in your life right now?  Do you allow your core to direct and empower your daily decisions and actions?

 

Live On Less & Delight In Them More

 

G.K. Chesterton said, There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more; The other is to desire less.

Let me clarify.  I’ll be the last person to tell you to stop trying to earn more.  Earn as much as you can and unleash your fullest potential, so that you can bless OTHERS.

But to protect yourself from greed, I urge you: Relish, taste, and immerse in the divine of the ordinary!  Because if you develop the capacity to suck all the joy that life has to offer, you don’t need expensive entertainment. 

I’m not ashamed to say that looking through an open window and seeing clouds drift by is Class A entertainment for me.  Doing that for just five minutes sets the tenor of my day.

         Some take their pleasure dining in classy restaurants, trips to Europe, and owning the latest home-theatre equipment.  Nothing wrong with those things, by the way.  Recently, I’ve been able to travel a lot with my family because God has blessed my businesses with abundance.  But I don’t depend on them for my core enjoyment.  For decades, I couldn’t do any of that, yet I was still very happy.  Why?  Because inwardly, I’ve chosen the simpler path: If I can simply be with my wife, or take a quiet stroll under a canopy of stars, or play with a child, or read a good book in my home, or laugh with friends over pizza, I consider myself richly blessed.

         Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t have.

         Because satisfaction doesn’t come from getting what you want, but wanting what you already have.

 

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

–Philippians 4:12-13

 

Think about it.

What do you have right now that you have been taking for granted?  List down in your journal fifty blessings you enjoy today.  Don’t stop until you reach fifty!

         Live on less and delight in them more.

 

 

May your dreams come true,

 Bo Sanchez