I love synchronicities. They feel like signs from God/the Universe that are saying "Hey, I'm listening to the very thoughts of your heart."
In case you're not familiar with the term, synchronicity is a concept first coined by psychiatrist Carl Jung to describe events that seem meaningfully related yet have no causal relationship. For example, you're thinking of a song you haven't heard in eons, and moments later when you jump in the car and turn on your radio, that exact song is playing.
Well, just yesterday I was thinking about the poem "Don't Quit," which I read for the first time about 15 years ago. I was actually going to search for it to post on my blog, but then became distracted by other things I needed to do.
Today I'm reading an online article about some new scientific breakthrough that promises to change lives, and in the related posts section at the very end of the article there's a link to the "Don't Quit" poem. How very cool. Especially, since I'm not all certain how it ranked as being related to the article I was reading. Even cooler... I click on the link and it takes me to a beautifully produced video featuring the poem. Every image and the music seem to perfectly represent the poet's intent.
So, if by chance 2016 isn't starting off quite as you had hoped, or maybe you just need a little extra push to keep those resolutions, watch this video and be inspired. Keep tissue handy.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Monday, January 4, 2016
Fighting to Hold On
I'm pretty sure I may have mentioned at least once on this blog that my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's like dementia a few years ago. I'm pretty certain that I've also noted that he was an ordained minister and the pastor of a church for nearly 50 years. Well on last night at about 12:22 a.m.—technically this morning—for reasons I'm not certain, my father began preaching a sermon in his sleep. I heard this as I sat in the guest bedroom of my parents' home working on yesterday's post, and suddenly I was inspired to write another.
The theme of my father's sermon seemed to be "Hold on, pay day is coming after a while," as those words came across quite clearly from across the hall.
Given the recent events of my own life about which I was still feeling some anxiety, the message was duly appreciated and received. For those not familiar with Pentecostal, Charismatic or Evangelical traditions, "pay day is coming after a while" was a common teaching among these branches of Christianity during my father's early years as a minister, I'm told. The idea is that if you keep the faith and continue in your good works, you will be richly rewarded someday while here on earth, or at least in the "sweet by-and-by." While my understanding of God has evolved as to no longer believe in a God who rewards and punishes us along the level of Santa Claus, which I believe speaks more to how we treat ourselves and each other, the idea of imminent blessings sounded very reassuring to me.
The entire moment lasted only about 20 minutes, which is about an eighth of the time that one of my father's sermons would have typically lasted during his peak years. I can't begin to know what prompted his midnight mini sermon. Perhaps, he was speaking out of a dream. Yet I would have to say it was a very powerfully delivered message. I heard in his voice the same force, the same strength of conviction, the same cadence that I'd come to expect on a Sunday morning. It was all so curious and strange and bittersweet.
Just six years ago, I remember thinking as I watched my father speak one Sunday that he may very well leave here like Moses—full of strength and days. Already in his mid-80s then, he preached as hard that day as I had seen him preach 20 years prior, still with handkerchief in hand to wipe the sweat dripping from his brow. And then slowly at first, and then more and more rapidly, his mind begin to deteriorate. The Bible verses that once came to him so easily, even the most obscure of passages, he struggled to recall. In fact, he fights now to hold on to the memory of the names of his children and grandchildren, the place where he grew up and where he now lives, what he ate for breakfast or dinner, or how to fasten the belt on his pants (my father was also once a licensed tailor). He fights most, with all he has in him, to hold onto to the memory of his own name—his sense of self and beingness, his "I am."
It's ironic and heartbreaking that after years of instilling in me and my siblings the absolute necessity of pursuing knowledge for it's own sake because "no one can ever take from you what you have in your mind," it is exactly that he fights to hold onto: the lifetime of knowledge in his mind of all he has experienced, learned, discovered, and accomplished.
Perhaps that is what prompted my father's mini sermon after midnight—it was a message to himself to "hold on."
Keep fighting dad! I believe that we are all stronger than we know. While you may not leave here like Moses, at the very least you'll be able to say like Paul: "I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith."
The theme of my father's sermon seemed to be "Hold on, pay day is coming after a while," as those words came across quite clearly from across the hall.
Given the recent events of my own life about which I was still feeling some anxiety, the message was duly appreciated and received. For those not familiar with Pentecostal, Charismatic or Evangelical traditions, "pay day is coming after a while" was a common teaching among these branches of Christianity during my father's early years as a minister, I'm told. The idea is that if you keep the faith and continue in your good works, you will be richly rewarded someday while here on earth, or at least in the "sweet by-and-by." While my understanding of God has evolved as to no longer believe in a God who rewards and punishes us along the level of Santa Claus, which I believe speaks more to how we treat ourselves and each other, the idea of imminent blessings sounded very reassuring to me.
The entire moment lasted only about 20 minutes, which is about an eighth of the time that one of my father's sermons would have typically lasted during his peak years. I can't begin to know what prompted his midnight mini sermon. Perhaps, he was speaking out of a dream. Yet I would have to say it was a very powerfully delivered message. I heard in his voice the same force, the same strength of conviction, the same cadence that I'd come to expect on a Sunday morning. It was all so curious and strange and bittersweet.
Just six years ago, I remember thinking as I watched my father speak one Sunday that he may very well leave here like Moses—full of strength and days. Already in his mid-80s then, he preached as hard that day as I had seen him preach 20 years prior, still with handkerchief in hand to wipe the sweat dripping from his brow. And then slowly at first, and then more and more rapidly, his mind begin to deteriorate. The Bible verses that once came to him so easily, even the most obscure of passages, he struggled to recall. In fact, he fights now to hold on to the memory of the names of his children and grandchildren, the place where he grew up and where he now lives, what he ate for breakfast or dinner, or how to fasten the belt on his pants (my father was also once a licensed tailor). He fights most, with all he has in him, to hold onto to the memory of his own name—his sense of self and beingness, his "I am."
It's ironic and heartbreaking that after years of instilling in me and my siblings the absolute necessity of pursuing knowledge for it's own sake because "no one can ever take from you what you have in your mind," it is exactly that he fights to hold onto: the lifetime of knowledge in his mind of all he has experienced, learned, discovered, and accomplished.
Perhaps that is what prompted my father's mini sermon after midnight—it was a message to himself to "hold on."
Keep fighting dad! I believe that we are all stronger than we know. While you may not leave here like Moses, at the very least you'll be able to say like Paul: "I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith."
Universe Show Me a Model T?
During the last few weeks of 2015, I was dealing with some family, health, and financial challenges that at times felt difficult to overcome. In fact, if you had been a fly on the wall in my home, you would have seen me on some nights curled up in bed in the fetal position, sobbing.
I prayed and meditated and went inward as much as possible desperate to find some vestige of inner strength and faith that I was certain was still in me. Some days, I just plain shouted at the universe, God, the angels. When none of this seemed to get me back to calm, I decided to seek out some external motivation, something to push me to keep going. Well, I found it in a YouTube video posted by a motivational speaker I never heard of before who suggested that if you simply ask the universe to show you something beautiful, it will. First, as a reminder that you are not alone as the universe always hears and supports you. Second, as a way to reset your focus on the beauty that is around you.
Every morning, beginning just a few days before Christmas, I've asked the universe to show me something beautiful and unexpected. Every day, it's delivered: A treetop angel with multi-colored wings, a lovely picture of an angel a friend painted for her mother, yellow tulips in winter, a rainbow outside the window of the bus I was riding. There were so many things, I wish I'd written them down.
So, on the first day of 2016, I decided to up the ante and ask to see something extraordinary and unexpected—something that I would know without a doubt the universe sent for me—because, quite frankly, I still really needed the boost. I never would have guessed an ordinary trip to the 7-Eleven for coffee would be the place where I'd find my extraordinary surprise. Yet, there it sat in the little parking lot right in front of me and several equally startled onlookers—A Model T Ford. How wonderfully awesome!
And why do I think the universe delivered this "just for me?" First, it was my second trip to the 7-Eleven that day when I had only intended to go once. Second, seeing a functioning Model T in my neighborhood is not an every day occurrence (seeing a broken down one is not even an every day occurrence). In fact, I can't recall the last time I spotted an authentic Model T being driven along the streets. Third, I used to collect miniatures of old cars—among them a Model T, of course—that I hoped to give to my son one day. I gave part of the collection to my dad; the other to my grand nephew. Finally, one of the first things I see every morning when I awake is a quote by Henry Ford, the Model T's creator, posted on my closet door: "I want it; I'll have it." (Maybe this should be my mantra for 2016.)
While I don't agree with his politics or personal prejudices, I do appreciate Ford's "never give up" spirit after having read a number of biographies about him. Despite the failure of his first two companies, Ford remained determined to follow his passion to create an automobile that would transform the then very new industry, and he did exactly that. More than a century later, the company he founded is still thriving and he is considered one of America's foremost industrialists.
In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill tells the story of how the Ford Motor Company created the V8 engine. When Ford presented his idea for the new engine to his engineers, they informed him it would be impossible to build. After he told them to "produce it anyway," they worked on making the engine for a year and were still not able to produce what Ford wanted. When informed of their failed efforts, his response was, "Go right ahead. I want it; I'll have it." So the engineers continued with their work and, as if by magic, the V8 engine was born.
“Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again; this time more intelligently,” Ford is quoted as having once said.
Begin again, more intelligently. Sounds like the perfect plan for moving forward into 2016—more determined and more focused to follow my own bliss and live the life of my dreams even if it requires me to shed a few more tears. After all, if Henry Ford had given up, I might never have experienced the joy of riding around in my SUV singing "I'm in love with car, oh yeah."
Here are a few more of my favorite quotes from Henry Ford:
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty." (This deserves its own blog post!)
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right. Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right."
_______________
Remember, whatever it is you are seeking is seeking you. Keep moving forward and you're sure to meet somewhere in the middle.
I prayed and meditated and went inward as much as possible desperate to find some vestige of inner strength and faith that I was certain was still in me. Some days, I just plain shouted at the universe, God, the angels. When none of this seemed to get me back to calm, I decided to seek out some external motivation, something to push me to keep going. Well, I found it in a YouTube video posted by a motivational speaker I never heard of before who suggested that if you simply ask the universe to show you something beautiful, it will. First, as a reminder that you are not alone as the universe always hears and supports you. Second, as a way to reset your focus on the beauty that is around you.
Every morning, beginning just a few days before Christmas, I've asked the universe to show me something beautiful and unexpected. Every day, it's delivered: A treetop angel with multi-colored wings, a lovely picture of an angel a friend painted for her mother, yellow tulips in winter, a rainbow outside the window of the bus I was riding. There were so many things, I wish I'd written them down.
 |
| My New Year's Day Model T Sighting |
And why do I think the universe delivered this "just for me?" First, it was my second trip to the 7-Eleven that day when I had only intended to go once. Second, seeing a functioning Model T in my neighborhood is not an every day occurrence (seeing a broken down one is not even an every day occurrence). In fact, I can't recall the last time I spotted an authentic Model T being driven along the streets. Third, I used to collect miniatures of old cars—among them a Model T, of course—that I hoped to give to my son one day. I gave part of the collection to my dad; the other to my grand nephew. Finally, one of the first things I see every morning when I awake is a quote by Henry Ford, the Model T's creator, posted on my closet door: "I want it; I'll have it." (Maybe this should be my mantra for 2016.)
While I don't agree with his politics or personal prejudices, I do appreciate Ford's "never give up" spirit after having read a number of biographies about him. Despite the failure of his first two companies, Ford remained determined to follow his passion to create an automobile that would transform the then very new industry, and he did exactly that. More than a century later, the company he founded is still thriving and he is considered one of America's foremost industrialists.
In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill tells the story of how the Ford Motor Company created the V8 engine. When Ford presented his idea for the new engine to his engineers, they informed him it would be impossible to build. After he told them to "produce it anyway," they worked on making the engine for a year and were still not able to produce what Ford wanted. When informed of their failed efforts, his response was, "Go right ahead. I want it; I'll have it." So the engineers continued with their work and, as if by magic, the V8 engine was born.
“Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again; this time more intelligently,” Ford is quoted as having once said.
Begin again, more intelligently. Sounds like the perfect plan for moving forward into 2016—more determined and more focused to follow my own bliss and live the life of my dreams even if it requires me to shed a few more tears. After all, if Henry Ford had given up, I might never have experienced the joy of riding around in my SUV singing "I'm in love with car, oh yeah."
Here are a few more of my favorite quotes from Henry Ford:
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty." (This deserves its own blog post!)
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right. Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right."
_______________
Remember, whatever it is you are seeking is seeking you. Keep moving forward and you're sure to meet somewhere in the middle.
Sunday, December 27, 2015
If a Tree Falls...
Have you heard this question before... "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to here it, does it make a sound?"
Well, how about this one... "If you voluntarily do kind, helpful acts for someone and other people aren't around to see them, did the acts happen?"
I'm just curious as I've been struggling with this conundrum for a few days now. I have some people in my life who have become quite skilled at pointing out my many mistakes and failings, yet strain to acknowledge that I have also done many thoughtful and kind things for the people I care about and even some I didn't know.
Should it even matter whether anyone recognizes the ways in which I help others, save the recipients of such help. Can I simply be content in receiving a smile or "Thank you" from the recipient of my acts of kindness? And even if my actions are never acknowledged by anyone or they seem unappreciated, can I still find joy in knowing that in some way I may have helped to make another person's life a little better or easier, or that I offered a bit of hope, comfort, or encouragement to someone who needed it?
Hmmmm....
"and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Matthew 6:4
Well, how about this one... "If you voluntarily do kind, helpful acts for someone and other people aren't around to see them, did the acts happen?"
I'm just curious as I've been struggling with this conundrum for a few days now. I have some people in my life who have become quite skilled at pointing out my many mistakes and failings, yet strain to acknowledge that I have also done many thoughtful and kind things for the people I care about and even some I didn't know.
Should it even matter whether anyone recognizes the ways in which I help others, save the recipients of such help. Can I simply be content in receiving a smile or "Thank you" from the recipient of my acts of kindness? And even if my actions are never acknowledged by anyone or they seem unappreciated, can I still find joy in knowing that in some way I may have helped to make another person's life a little better or easier, or that I offered a bit of hope, comfort, or encouragement to someone who needed it?
Hmmmm....
"and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Matthew 6:4
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Handling Negativity
Dealing with negativity, whether your own or others, can feel life draining. It will suck the energy right out of you if you let it by holding onto it.
Remaining stuck in negative moods such as anger, frustration, resentment, depression, etc. is not only unproductive—it inhibits your ability to think and act clearly—it can also be unhealthy. There are numerous studies that show stress and unreleased negative emotions can contribute to long-term health problems from obesity to cardiovascular disease.
The best thing you can do for yourself and those close to you is to find constructive ways to quickly clear negativity/negative emotions from your mind and body.
To help set you on that path, I thought I would share this video on dealing with negativity published on YouTube by The Elephant Journal. Although the tips offered are from a practicing Buddhist, anyone can use them and they are quite simple. I used all four tips to help me quickly release the negative emotions I was feeling after dealing with a family member.
One other tip that has worked for me is to call up a friend or family member who you know will listen without judgment and openly share what you're feeling. My mother used to call this "telling out on the devil." After you're done sharing, just let it all go—forgive yourself, forgive the other person (if someone else is involved)—and go do something positive like write an inspiring blog article.
Be blessed.
Remaining stuck in negative moods such as anger, frustration, resentment, depression, etc. is not only unproductive—it inhibits your ability to think and act clearly—it can also be unhealthy. There are numerous studies that show stress and unreleased negative emotions can contribute to long-term health problems from obesity to cardiovascular disease.
The best thing you can do for yourself and those close to you is to find constructive ways to quickly clear negativity/negative emotions from your mind and body.
To help set you on that path, I thought I would share this video on dealing with negativity published on YouTube by The Elephant Journal. Although the tips offered are from a practicing Buddhist, anyone can use them and they are quite simple. I used all four tips to help me quickly release the negative emotions I was feeling after dealing with a family member.
One other tip that has worked for me is to call up a friend or family member who you know will listen without judgment and openly share what you're feeling. My mother used to call this "telling out on the devil." After you're done sharing, just let it all go—forgive yourself, forgive the other person (if someone else is involved)—and go do something positive like write an inspiring blog article.
Be blessed.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Releasing Old Thoughts of Pain and Finding a Song of Hope
I decided to spend today doing a bit of advanced prep for 2016. After spending several weeks, examining my life and my current state of affairs, I have decided I'm in need of a makeover in body, mind and spirit, beginning with mind because I believe that all things begin in the mind (our thoughts).
I've long held the beliefs based on Biblical teachings that words—both spoken and written—have creative power. To paraphrase Jesus, you shall have what you say. Like most people, I presume, I haven't always chosen my words judiciously. I especially recall a time in life, during my late teens to mid-20s, when I let the negative thoughts and emotions flow freely not only from my mouth where they could disappear into the wind, but also preserved them on paper. I spent a lot of time chronicling my pain, frustration, hurt, etc., in prose and poetry, not realizing that in so doing, I was opening myself up to more pain, frustration and hurt. (What you focus on, grows.)
The beauty and danger in words is there ability to reach far into the future, fulfilling themselves. Spoken to self or others, they act upon our subconscious, which will do it's damnedest to direct our actions so the words become true since our minds cannot handle major disconnects between what we think and what we experience. This phenomenon of our words seeming to create our future is what Carl Jung called a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I don't know about you, but I've never really been a fan much of pain, hurt, and frustration. So, energized by my recent reading of works by meta-physicists and inspired teachers like Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy and even Joel Osteen to embark on a lovelier path, I've decided to take more care with my words going forward—to complain less and speak only that which I want to have in my life.
To that same end, I decided to free myself from the negative thoughts, ideas, and feelings of my past by going through my old writings and discarding anything that wasn't inspiring or uplifting. I pulled out my old notebooks and folders filled with my dark "life's a bitch" thoughts and began tearing up the pages, which I later plan to burn as a sign that I refuse to be bound by negative words spoken in my past. (Actually, I refuse to be bound by my past, period.) Almost immediately, I began to feel lighter, more at peace, stronger—FREE!
And surprisingly, I found a few gems among those dark works—words of hope, faith, love, and inspiration. I've included one below that was written during my senior year of high school, apparently for a class project (I received a B+ for it!). While I certainly don't expect anyone, except my mom, to think that my words rise to the level of Shakespeare, Keats, Paul Lawrence Dunbar or Maya Angelou, I do hope you'll enjoy a "song" from my 17-year old self.
A Song of Innocence—My Gift to You
Friends and family gather 'round, I have a song to sing.
Sit right here, my loved ones dear, good news and cheer I bring.
Let all the children sit up front and in their mothers' care.
And you with heavy, hate-filled hearts, come closer if you dare.
My song I sing for everyone. I want the world to listen.
And for those who cannot hear, my motion will express it.
I'll say it once and not again, so give your full attention.
To all of you—please let me speak!—I'd really like to mention:
This life comes once and it can pass before hardly your eyes will see it.
But if you do what's in your heart, you need not fear you'll miss it.
__________________
And in the spirit of Christmas...
Life is wonderful gift—the best one you'll ever get. Live every day with passion. Live every day on purpose.
I've long held the beliefs based on Biblical teachings that words—both spoken and written—have creative power. To paraphrase Jesus, you shall have what you say. Like most people, I presume, I haven't always chosen my words judiciously. I especially recall a time in life, during my late teens to mid-20s, when I let the negative thoughts and emotions flow freely not only from my mouth where they could disappear into the wind, but also preserved them on paper. I spent a lot of time chronicling my pain, frustration, hurt, etc., in prose and poetry, not realizing that in so doing, I was opening myself up to more pain, frustration and hurt. (What you focus on, grows.)
The beauty and danger in words is there ability to reach far into the future, fulfilling themselves. Spoken to self or others, they act upon our subconscious, which will do it's damnedest to direct our actions so the words become true since our minds cannot handle major disconnects between what we think and what we experience. This phenomenon of our words seeming to create our future is what Carl Jung called a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I don't know about you, but I've never really been a fan much of pain, hurt, and frustration. So, energized by my recent reading of works by meta-physicists and inspired teachers like Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy and even Joel Osteen to embark on a lovelier path, I've decided to take more care with my words going forward—to complain less and speak only that which I want to have in my life.
To that same end, I decided to free myself from the negative thoughts, ideas, and feelings of my past by going through my old writings and discarding anything that wasn't inspiring or uplifting. I pulled out my old notebooks and folders filled with my dark "life's a bitch" thoughts and began tearing up the pages, which I later plan to burn as a sign that I refuse to be bound by negative words spoken in my past. (Actually, I refuse to be bound by my past, period.) Almost immediately, I began to feel lighter, more at peace, stronger—FREE!
And surprisingly, I found a few gems among those dark works—words of hope, faith, love, and inspiration. I've included one below that was written during my senior year of high school, apparently for a class project (I received a B+ for it!). While I certainly don't expect anyone, except my mom, to think that my words rise to the level of Shakespeare, Keats, Paul Lawrence Dunbar or Maya Angelou, I do hope you'll enjoy a "song" from my 17-year old self.
A Song of Innocence—My Gift to You
Friends and family gather 'round, I have a song to sing.
Sit right here, my loved ones dear, good news and cheer I bring.
Let all the children sit up front and in their mothers' care.
And you with heavy, hate-filled hearts, come closer if you dare.
My song I sing for everyone. I want the world to listen.
And for those who cannot hear, my motion will express it.
I'll say it once and not again, so give your full attention.
To all of you—please let me speak!—I'd really like to mention:
This life comes once and it can pass before hardly your eyes will see it.
But if you do what's in your heart, you need not fear you'll miss it.
__________________
And in the spirit of Christmas...
Life is wonderful gift—the best one you'll ever get. Live every day with passion. Live every day on purpose.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
I Am Infinite
"All that you behold, though it appears without, it is within, in your imagination of which this world of mortality is but a shadow.” (William Blake).
I am an infinite being. I am a part of God, the Source of All That Is, and so possess all the characteristics of Source. There are no limits to what is possible for me except those which I impose upon myself. My thoughts matter, so I choose them wisely. My words have creative power, so I speak them judiciously. I am solely responsible for my life and my experiences and have power at any moment in time to change them according to my will. I am not my body. I am not ancestry. I am not race or skin color. I am not gender. I am not economic status. I am not present circumstances.
I AM an infinite being. And, so are you.
I am an infinite being. I am a part of God, the Source of All That Is, and so possess all the characteristics of Source. There are no limits to what is possible for me except those which I impose upon myself. My thoughts matter, so I choose them wisely. My words have creative power, so I speak them judiciously. I am solely responsible for my life and my experiences and have power at any moment in time to change them according to my will. I am not my body. I am not ancestry. I am not race or skin color. I am not gender. I am not economic status. I am not present circumstances.
I AM an infinite being. And, so are you.
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