Archive for December, 2012
Resolution
Yes, it is that time of year; out with the old and in with the new. The time when we commit to swapping ‘old’ habits for ‘new’ habits; commit to losing the extra Holiday pounds (or more); and a myriad of other changes we wish to make to enrich our lives in the coming year. Most of us have a list of resolutions; most of us fail to complete our commitments.
This year I invite you to focus on just one resolution. Create realistic strategies to help you reach your goal and don’t forget to build in rewards along the way. It is also vital that you create a plan that is compatible with who you are. So the first step in setting your goal is to realistically evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Remember, change is a process, not an event!
Happy New Year to all!!
Eve
Eve is the time preceding an important event. Eves fill us with wonder, excitement, anticipation. Depending on the event and circumstances surrounding it, we can also experience stress, worry and anxiety; often all these emotions at the same time.
Today is Christmas eve. There is no better time to take a breather, a time-out. Even a few minutes to breathe, to meditate, to rest can add enormously to our enjoyment, and ease our stress. I invite you to take some time today (and tomorrow) to keep the sacred in the secular.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!!!
Guns
In the wake of another mind-numbing mass killing, the renewed call for gun control reverberates throughout the country. The spotlight shines again on the tip of the iceberg.
If we are truly serious about change, then it compels us to look beneath the surface; to look at what we continue to overlook.
If we are truly serious about change, then it is time to consider banning guns and gun-violence from television, movies and video games.
If we are truly serious about change perhaps it is time to have a serious dialogue about our position as the world’s largest arms exporter (Stockholm International Peace Institute).
If we are truly serious about change, limiting our news media to ordinary reporting versus prolonged hyper-sensationalization of gun violence should be seriously considered.
If we are truly serious about change, taking an in-depth look at our collective psyche is imperative.
These are the things below the tip of the iceberg that we are not willing to consider, let alone change.
Strength
“I want to share my secret with you. I have learned to tame the beast within, and I do it without strain. I use my spiritual powers. I know that they are the true basis for my outward actions.” Spiritual Tarot, Echols, Mueller & Thomson (1996).
Finding the strength within to manage life’s vicissitudes is a process not an event. Growing stronger in faith and understanding allows us to stand firmly in grace and act in love. We don’t do it perfectly. But continuing in the work, we become a mighty Oak. Growing from a little acorn into a magnificent structure, able to withstand storms and provide shelter.
Messy
I have always lived with a certain level of organized personal clutter. Albert Einstein said, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what then, is an empty desk?” This comforting quote serves me well throughout the year. However, there is a period of about three to four weeks late October through mid-November when my home office is a gargantuan mess.
This is the time when I bring the cornucopia of gifts I have collected throughout the year out of the closet; join them up with recent purchases and then surround the pile with empty boxes, gift bags, wrapping paper, ribbon and bows, scissors and tape. I am blessed with a big circle.
I do prioritize; GGK’s (great-grand children) first, then GK’s (grandchildren), packages to mail, December birthdays, and finally the rest. As I wrap, label, decorate and begin dispersing the mass to the garage for temporary storage, I listen to soul-soothing music to help me stay on track and not go nuts. I keep muttering to myself that I am not going to keep doing this, and then…another season sneaks up on me. To my amazement the closet is again full of gifts and I am always surprised!
I forge through the resistance to go pyro or rent a dumpster. And then the moment comes. The last packages have been processed, mailed and warehoused. I return unselected gifts along with all the accoutrement to the closet (which I took the time to re-organize). I clean, dust and vacuüm.
Turning on the little twinklie lights that outline the window and listening to The Mormon Tabernacle Choir belt out ‘Hallelujah’, I am content. The chaos is over. My regular messy is wonderful!